Week of August 24th through August 30th, 2025 ITALIAN STROMBOLI RECIPE to try

 SUNDAY the 24th  We had a guest speaker at church this morning and he was very good.

  His sermon was kind of simplistic compared to Pastor Craig's.  There were a lot of empty seats this morning, maybe a lot of people are on vacation.  Nine of us went to Appleblee's for lunch.  Me, Marlene, Lori, Andrea, Marsha and her daughter Colleen, Louise and Peggy  This was the first time Peggy ever joined us for lunch ter church. Dee Mann goes to a church in Pendleton most of the time, but she wanted me to text her about where we were going, so she could meet us there.  It seemed like she was not seeing my texts, but she responded after we had all ordered.  She told me what she wanted, s I ordered it for her.  We had a nice lunch, but of course there were always 2 or more conversations going on.  Marlene offered up her idea for going to miniature golf, and I think only Andrea and I responded positively. Peggy talked about her upcoming (October 5th) CONNECT (seniors) event which will be pot luck and putting together Operation Christmas Child boxes.  That put me in the mood to start buying items so I went to DOLLAR TREE and spent over seventy dollars, but a few of those items were for me.  Then I went to PANERA and got a free drink.  At home, I laid down for a nap at four thirty and I probably dozed off for a bit. I called Peggy to make sure that she knows that Jan is very sick with COVID, including throwing up when she takes her prescribed medicine.  When I got up, I was checking SPECTRUM to see what was coming on, and I noticed the 1998 movie ARMAGEDDON.  I decided to watch the first hour to see if I like it (it is three hours long).  I was watching it when Andrea called to ask what time we might be leaving for the rodeo this coming Saturday.  She is going to be  LOCKTENDER until about two p.m. which gives us plenty of time to get to Alden early enough to get good seats. I called Marlene and she wants to go. Andrea will drive and Marlene and I will pay  her way into the event ($15.00).  We will firm up plans later on in the week.

Italian Stromboli

1 tube of pillsbury pizza crust

8 slices of deli ham

10 slices of Genoa salami

12 slices of sandwich pepperoni

8 slices provolone cheese or mozzarella

(You could definitely use shredded cheese as well)

2 tablespoons of butter

2 minced garlic gloves

2 teaspoons chopped parsley

3 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese

Melt the butter in the microwave and mix in the minced garlic, parsley and Parmesan cheese. Set aside

I lined my baking sheet with parchment paper.

Stretch the pizza crust out to almost the size of your baking sheet.

Layer the deli meats. I started with the ham, then the salami followed by the pepperoni.

Layer the cheese last.

Roll the Stromboli longwise and be sure to seal the seam good.

Seal the ends good. Pinch them and mold the excess dough to the underside of the Stromboli.

Score the top a few times with a serrated knife (to allow the steam to escape while baking).

Top the Stromboli with the garlic butter mixture.

Bake the Stromboli as instructed on the back of whatever pizza dough you are using.

MONDAY: Last night I made a list of things I needed to do today. So, I set out to do them mid morning. I went to the Post Office and mailed a package to Christa. Then I went to DOLLAR GENERAL to look at the clear backpacks that Marlene old me about last night. They were not with the school supplies or the other backpacks, they were at the end of the pop aisle! After I paid and went to my car. I called Peggy and asked if she wanted one and she said yes, so I went back in and purchased another one. Then I went to RUNNINGS and returned the water shoes and the rain boots that I purchased a while back. Then to THE LOCKPORT OUTDOOR STORE where I purchased a pair of rain pants. I tried them on to make sure they fit OK. I will take them on the cruise, and if I do not use them, I will return them when I get back. Then I went to Panera and then I picked up a lunch combo at Lil Caesers. I had a nice nap in the afternoon which made up for the awful lack of sleep night I had last night. I prepared myself a nice supper, roasted vegetables, roasted potato slices and BBQ pork ribs (left over, from my freezer) The movie THE COURAGEOUS HEART OF IRENA SENDLER.

TUESDAY: I left early for LIFE GROUP and dropped off a book at the library and met up with Marlene at HEINRICH'S, where she left her car for repairs. She asked if she could borrow my car to drive to her house in Gasport to get some paperwork that might have some numbers or a code that was needed to reprogram her key fob (I think I have this right). She got back to the church before we started the study. When we finished up, she announced that she needed a ride to her doctor for a blood pressure check. Andrea volunteered to take her after lunch at THE OLIVE LEAF. I gave her a ride to the restaurant. It was Marlene, me, Karen, Carol and Andrea at lunch. Just before leaving, Marlene realized that she did not know where her phone was. She searched her purse and her bag, we searched my car in case it had slipped into a crack or something. NO LUCK. Just as she and Andrea were getting ready to pull out of the parking lot to go to Dr. Danahers office, our server ran out of the restaurant saying that it was ringing in the MENS ROOM!!!! Before going home, I stopped at PANERA's and also at Niagara Produce for bananas. I started a load of laundry when I got home and then took a nap. I called Marlene to ask how she made out at her doctors office. She said that they want her to go on a monitor for 24 hours. And she said her phone was found inside a MENU, not the mens room. Ha Ha.

WEDNESDAY the 27th Andrea picked me up to go to Barker for the BARKER SENIORS picnic. The live music was already going (McHenry and Baz) and we sat at the table that Karen and Frank had already taken. There was quite a crowd. The music continued all morning with a break for lunch and then started up again. The meal was great: chicken prepared by the Barker Lions (very much like Brooks chicken), baked beans, pasta salad, rolls and absolutely delicious cookies. They had the fifty.fifty drawing. After that, around one p.m. people started leaving.

When I got home, there was a voice mail from Sue Rouse, so I called back, but she did not answer. I took a nap and there was another voice mail, so I called again and this time we connected. She is still an emotional mess (totally understandable).

Peggy picked me up so we could go to Olcott to the OLCOTT LOBSTER COMPANY with Gail to celebrate our birthdays. We got kind of lost going to Gails. I ordered the NEW ENGLAND STYLE LOBSTER ROLL, but they may have given me the CONNECTICUT LOBSTER ROLL instead because it was warm and I did not see any mayonnaise on it. At any rate, it was very good and I have no complaints because I was having a hard time deciding which one I wanted before I ordered. We had to wait a long time for our food to be delivered to our table. We exchanged gifts, but we agreed that next year we will NOT exchange gifts, that we will just go out for a nice meal. After we finished eating, we drove Gail home. When we got back to 17, I gave Peg her birthday gift from me: a clear backpack to take on excursions on our upcoming cruise.

THURSDAY: Linda Porter (from Oneonta) called this morning and we talked for a LONG time. I don't know why, but this conversation was probably the best one we have ever had. After the time we had breakfast together in the spring of 2024 when I went to Oneonta, I kind of decided that she and I do not really have anything to talk about anymore. While we were talking, I was puttering around the house doing a few things and getting ready for my doctors appointment. I almost locked myself out, and called Peggy for help (she was on her way to get her mammogram. Betty agreed to take me, but while waiting, I decided to try the front door for the second time and it opened. Apparently, I had not pulled It completely shut when I walked out WITHOUT my keys. So, I got to Dr. Schlerers office on time for my shots in my knees. The left one did not hurt as bad this time as it did the last time.

FRIDAY August 29th? I left early for my two fifteen appointment for physical therapy. First I went to Panera for a drink and then to the Y where I walked the track a bit and did five minutes on the recumbent bike. Then I went to PT, where I met my therapist, Aaron, and he assessed me and gave me some exercises to do at home. Then I went to Pegs house, hoping that David was home and could check my tires since the WARNING: Low tire pressure symbol came on. He was home and he checked the pressure but did not find anything wrong. Then I went back to Paneras for another drink and also to Citizens Bank to get some cash out of the ATM. This time it accepted my passcode. Then I went to Judy's house for the COUSINS GET TOGETHER. Gail did not come and Chip did not come, but Peggy, David, Mike, Janie and me were there, and Judy and Doug were our hosts. Mike brought pizza and wings. Janie had made desert. I was surprised at how good the wings from MARKS were. I think it was the HOT HONEY wings that I liked so much. We all sat around outside and talked until after seven thirty. Before anyone left, I suggested group pictures.

Mike, me, Peggy and Judy

I took these pictures of the rest of our group:; Mike, Janie, David, Peg, Judy and Doug

The plans were to use Judy and Doug's pool, but it was too chilly for that.

It as a really nice gathering and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I spent the evening at home and didn't do much of anything.

SATULRDAY: I did a few things around the house, some packing, working on getting my meds ready for the cruise, putting clean laundry away, etc. I called Andrea and told her that I will meet up with her and Marlene at the Rochester Road TOPS at three p.m. so that she does not have to drive over here and pick me up. I did not sleep well last night, so I took a nap between twelve and two p.m. The three of us arrived almost simultaneously at TOPS at three p.m. We headed to ALDEN COMMUNITY CHURCH in Alden. There was a detour that made things confusing, but we made it in plenty of time to better seats would have been IF we brought our own lawn chairs, but we didn't. We enjoyed the rodeo, but we left a bit early (probably about twenty minutes before it ended). We got back to TOPS around eight and I went in and purchased a few groceries and then came home. There was a message from Sue Rouse. I took shower and washed my hair before calling her back and left a message for her (giving her some information about a new Life Group coming up at FREEDOM, that has to do with dealing with grief) .