COUGH CALMED DOWN

I went to 7:30 Mass at O.L. Mt. Carmel in Pittston this morning. There was a pea soup fog. It was worse when I first left. By the time I was on my way home it was much better & only very bad in certain spots. Uncle Frankie showed up for a while yesterday. I made a mistake. The big game isn't until this afternoon. It's often on Saturdays. Mary Anne called yesterday with all the latest about her family. When I got up this morning I couldn't help noticing that my throat isn't as violently out of control as it was yesterday. I made sure I got some Hall's cough drops yesterday. I have to lector tomorrow at 10:30 Mass. With any luck my throat will sound at least a bit better by then. Slowly but surely I'm finishing the candy I got from Vinnie. It includes raisins & pretzels too.

ILL LATELY

The cold weather is now truly upon us. I always seem to need a heavy sweater & coat these days. Dave says he's losing customers because of it & because of old age. Uncle Frankie came over for a while yesterday. As far as I know he & my father are going to their weekly game tonight. The annual St. Therese novena is now over for this year. Yesterday was the last day. There was a Mass with a visiting priest. I woke up yesterday with a violent headache & was afraid I might not make it to the last day but I got there. There was a party afterward but I didn't stick around. I think my annual allergy has turned into a bit of a cold. I'm extremely run down & hoarse. I don't have a headache anymore but I always cough. We have to say the first happy Friday of October & dance the first Friday dance of the month. This Sunday there will most probably be a nice Octoberfest over on Wellwood Avenue in Lindenhurst. We say happy birthday to Brian in California today. He's an old friend.

DREARY FEAST DAY

Today is the first day of October. I took out the garbage & put a bunch of leaves in front of the house this morning. Frequently the leaves smell extremely seriously gross but today they weren't quite so bad somehow. I woke up this morning to a very dreary day with lots of clouds. The cold autumn weather seems to have made its appearance. I also have a seriously annoying headache. It's the Feast of St. Therese of Lisieux, The famous Little Flower of the Carmelites. Later today will be the last day of the novena. Yesterday when I went to the church, I couldn't help noticing that the Unimart gas station nearby was selling gas for only $2.38.9, the lowest I've seen in quite a while. Of course I couldn't resist that price so I made sure I filled my tank. The bridge work is still going on. So far it hasn't interfered with anything I've been doing so I don't mind. Even when they're not working on the main part of the bridge, where people have to drive, they always seem to be doing something on the part that's by the river.

SWINE FLU

My hair gets progressively more annoying with each passing day. So does my persistent cough. Like Steve, I seem to get stuck with quite an attack of allergies each year at around this time. October begins tomorrow with the Feast of St. Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower. I've been showing up at her annual novena over at the Maronite church on Loomis St. in Wilkes_Barre. It ends tomorrow. I made sure I got something really nice each day of the bake sale. Lately there's been quite a panic going on over here about the upcoming swine flu epidemic we've been expecting. Eventually we shall all have to get shots. The weather recently alternates among cold, warm, & rainy each day. As usual these days the bridge on Eighth Street is still under construction & traffic is an absolute nightmare because of it.

HECTIC WEEKEND!

Saturday went quite well. For my father's birthday, everyone showed up. Mary Anne, Steve, Sam & Bridget got in early in the day. Uncle Frankie, Fran & Lisa showed up later. I didn't get to go to the St. Therese novena over the weekend but it was still quite an interesting time anyway. The food, as always, was both plentiful & fattening. Yesterday was weird though. Bob & I agreed to go to the K of C's pro_life rally in Forty Fort & Swoyersville. We parked our vehicles separately, one at each church. The churches are quite a distance apart. He left early without me & I was stuck with no car to get home. I ended up having to mooch a ride to the other church. When I got home Steve, Sam & I went for the Old Forge pizza I ordered quite a few months ago. Then Steve, Sam & I went to Jitty Joe's for ice cream. He wasn't so good at directions, especially in the rain, as he seemed to have thought so he made a few wrong turns on the way. Today is Eddie's birthday. He's cousin Larry's son. He gets a happy birthday. As always they're working on the 8th Street bridge this weekend. It will be closed down for hours at a time each day.

IT WAS FORTY YEARS AGO TODAY!

Bridget called last night. Mary Anne & family are supposed to arrive sometime today for the big weekend. My father & Uncle Frankie went to yet another football game again last night. At least the night was much nicer than most games. Usually it rains when they try to go. I went back to Wilkes_Barre again yesterday for the St. Therese novena. I just found out that tomorrow is the Bloomsburg Fair. I used to think Bloomsburg was an entire county but it's just a town somewhere south of here. Today is Henry's birthday. He & I used to work together at the mail room in S.U.N.Y. Farmingdale in 1980. We also worked together at Melville's post office in 2004. Tomorrow will be Mike's birthday. He & I were in the same class in high school. Monday is Eddie's birthday. He's cousin Larry's son. Exactly forty years ago on this very day, the Beatles released their classic, legendary "Abbey Road" album.

TWO BIRTHDAYS

The weather turned out very nice yesterday. So far it's a bit cold but nice today. My father spoke to Leonard & the Michigan kin yesterday. They say Alan has been doing reasonably well so far since his big operation. I made sure I went to the St. Therese novena on Loomis St. yesterday. The faces were very familiar even though I only get to see those people once a year. I shall be going back later today too. There was lots of very slow moving traffic congestion on the way there yesterday. Uncle Frankie came over for a while yesterday. It was just a typical visit. Today we have to wish a very happy birthday to both my father & Mary. She lives in the State of Washington. Mary Anne & family are supposed to come in tomorrow for a big party. My big fortieth party, at Katie Daly's in Massapequa, was exactly a decade ago today. Bob called last night. It was just a typical call with no new twists about anything.

ST. THERESE NOVENA

Uncle Frankie showed up for a while yesterday, but I wasn't around at the time. The weather this morning, when I first left, was more than a smidge on the depressing side. After a little while, though, it seemed to have gotten much better. The annual St. Therese novena, at the Maronite church in Wilkes_Barre, started yesterday. Unfortunately I missed the first day. I found out about it while watching TV. I'll be showing up for most of the remaining days though. I try to go each year. Mary Anne & her family will be showing up on Saturday for the big birthday party. It promises to be a really nice time. I'm still reading those Carmelite books & practicing my guitar. One of these days I shall have to get an oil change for my car. It runs well but I don't want to take any big chances with it.

OLD AGE

Uncle Frankie came over for a while yesterday. He said, a couple of days ago, that we have coyotes in the area. To my chagrin I've never noticed one. Maybe I just haven't recognized any. My parents went shopping yet again. It was quite a dreary day yesterday & has been so far today too. There's not been much rain to show for it but it's annoying. I've heard that it's warm outside now. My cousin Alan is in the hospital. We've all been praying that things work out really well for him. Lately I've been noticing that many of my old friends from my younger days are now grandparents, including Madeline. According to Jo Anne, Madeline has been living in Italy for a while by now. Lately I've been adding lots of people from my high school class to my Facebook friends list. I've yet to get a haircut. Maybe I shall be able to hold out for quite a while. My guitar playing consistently progresses.

LA DI DA DE LA DI DA TIS AUTUMN

Uncle Frankie showed up for a while yesterday. He & my parents went shopping for a while. He ate with us too. They must have gone to one of those Sam's Club type of places. Anne, from New York, called my mother yesterday. This morning, on my way home from Pittston, I made sure I stopped at Turkey Hill in Exeter for a tank of gas. The prices have been going down a little lately. A little at a time, I've been eating some of the candy Vinnie gave me for a present. It's very nice. My guitar playing has been coming along fairly well lately. Because of my limited resources I still stick to things like scales & sixties oldies. The weather's been very nice lately but I have to wear slightly heavier clothes each day. At least there's been no rain or anything like that.