Today is my father’s birthday. He would have been 99 today.  He has been gone now for 19 years.  Truth be told he wasn’t really here for the last ten years or so of his life. Like too many people I know and have known, they lose purpose after retirement and just sit, waiting for death. I don’t want to be like that. So I won’t. 

Cleaning. No one likes to do it but it is a necessary ritual of civilized man. And I count myself as civilized and we are trying to make the garage civilized. This will be a job. 

The objective here is make enough room to empty our storage shed. Then find other accommodations.  

We drove to Burnaugh for pizza. Sounds like a long way to go for pizza but this happens to be the last Giovannis in this area that has the old style stone oven. They haven’t sold out to the faster, not near as good, conveyor belt ovens used by the other Giovannis in the area. So it’s worth the drive. And it’s not really that far. 

A sad sight on the road to Burnaugh is the closing of the coal tipples that were so active for so many years.  What’s going on?  How long are we going to stand for this?  It’s time for a change. 

Again no pictures. I meant to take some today. I want to start chronicling the area so that my grandchildren will be able to see what once was. I wish I had taken a bunch growing up because so much is gone that once was.  

Which make me think of memories. Do we give them too much importance?  One of the most important things in life is making memories and if you do it right you will be so busy making memories you won’t have time to reminisce.  I suppose it would be hard to continuously make memories. You have to stop and smell the roses. Another memory. I have some good one and I’m glad I have time to reminisce, and make new ones. 

Annie’s not writing anything today because, in her own words, “What do you say about sitting around all day?”  Her words, not mine. Just saying. 

After a delicious pizza and antipasto salad we have settled in for an entertaining night of television. From game shows to murder mysteries to Hallmark Channel love stories, modern tv has it all. And this is all in one evening. Back in the day one would have to spend weeks getting  this much variety in their entertainment.  

Law and Order SUV may be the most popular show ever. It is definitely mesmerizing.  And they play one right after the other. You can’t get away from it. 

Got away from it. Going to bed. I promise tomorrow we’ll have some pictures. 

Good night and God bless.