Visitor

Mary-Anne from Asheville came to visit, quite unexpectedly. She had to go to Lexington KY and thought she'd just drive another few hundred miles to come see where I'd been spending my time. There was one cabin left so I snagged it for her. These have no indoor water or cooking or bathroom, just beds, but does have a/c and heat and a little porch with a swing. She came in on Tuesday afternoon while I was at work. I had to work Wed. too, but she just took a break. We were going to order pizza Tue eve but when I called the place at 8:30pm they said they'd taken all their delivery orders for the night, so I got to cook. Cooked again on Wed. eve, too. Weather was great.

Yesterday I was off, so we drove back roads into the metropolis of Greensburg. Wore one of those new shirts I mentioned I'd gotten. She thinks it's very flattering on me. Good to know. Hit B&N for some books. Got directions (sort of) for two used bookstores in downtown Greensburg (which we'd just left). Naturally, turned the wrong way on Main and had to backtrack. Found Patty's, a warren of little rooms overflowing with pbs only. Traded in most of the books I'd been saving up and got a dozen or so. Got directions to Tommy's, which turned out to be a real bookstore, mostly hardbacks with a few pbs mixed in. Heavy on literature and history. Too many duplicates and high prices. Saw an Umberto Eco book of essays in the Language section, a trade paperback for which he wanted $20. Did get a tpb by William Martin, which he recommended. It's about a rare book dealer and historical manuscripts etc (only $10). When he found I was a bookdealer, he wanted to discuss the sad state of afffairs in the bookstore world. He and his customers discussed restaurant options for us -- we wanted a good steak and a drink.

Mr. P's was the final decision. Back out on the commercial strip, go past, make U turn and come back. Naturally, it wasn't that easy but we found it. Ate in the bar, no other women in there but several older men. Ditzy waitress. Four steaks on the menu but turns out that's the Dinner side not the Lunch side. Wound up with a burger (pretty good) and crab-stuffed mushrooms (good). Mary-Anne had a Caesar Salad w/chicken, and got really adventurous and had Escargots, which she really liked. We decided we wouldn't ever come back to this place again. I drank a gimlet (okay) and she had a margarita.

Off to Giant Eagle to grocery shop. By this time, the skies clouded over and it began to rain. It's about 4pm so we decided to call it a day. Somehow got turned around and started off in the wrong direction. When we saw the Arnold Palmer Airport we knew we'd gone wrong. Turned around and backtracked. Saw the Rt. 136 sign and took it. We knew a bridge was out and that we'd need to follow a detour. But we went wrong again and wound up out in some boonies called Versailles township (not on the map). Backtracked again, saw the Advance Auto Parts we'd already passed two times that day, so knew we were heading back into Greensburg. They gave us directions to the PA Turnpike, to I-70, and we finally make it back about 5:30. Tired.

Watched TV for the results of So You Think You Can Dance, and watched Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? before it. She went backto the cabin about 10 and I checked out about 11. She came up for coffee this am and we plotted a nice route back to Asheville. She's been gone about an hour. Naturally, lots of talking and catching up happened during the visit. It was great to see her. I miss my Asheville friends. But I'll be back in October.

The RV ceiling has begun to show seepage in the ceiling. We put Kool-Seal on the roof but I think the a/c is sagging and that's was causing it. One of the guys here is going to take a look at it. Hope it's something simple..