March 25-March 31st!

The end of March. It has been coming in like a lion. Hopefully it will go out like a lamb! Getting a bit warmer, especially in Washington, DC. On Saturday, the yearly kite festival was scheduled along with the peak bloom and official start of the Cherry Blossom festival. Unfortunately I was scheduled to work on Saturday, so I was not able to attend.

Actually I have been working quite a bit. I was scheduled to work Saturday, and on Friday I got called in to work at another facility for another company that I applied to last Fall. It is a very small rehab/nursing home near my old workplace. I signed up to work on call since I knew some of the rehab staff members and figured it would be a nice way to stay in touch. Some of my previous coworkers headed to this facility for full time work. Turns out their OT assistant was leaving for another job so they needed some help. I spent Friday morning at my water aerobics class, and then drove over to work after lunch. I was surprised to see the OT assistant that was leaving was a fellow co worker from my St Agnes days about 22 years ago.  She was actually leaving to work at St Elizabeth's-an Assisted Living Facility next to St Agnes hospital where she used to work. I also worked at St Elizabeth's when our St Agnes rehab department was hired to run their rehab department. I really liked working in the facility, and I also assisted with their Adult Day Care program, St Anne's, for our fundraiser when I paddled for the Erickson Dragon Boat team. So once again they hired another contract company to come in and provide therapy services, and Brenda was asked to come back to work. Which meant they needed more help at the facility she was leaving and hence I got the call.

I really don't need to work extra hours, but as I said, I thought it would be fun to spend more time with previous coworkers. And it turns out the staff at the facility are all really nice and I like the small, homey feel of the place. On Friday I spent some time getting oriented to the facility and their computers and paperwork. I treated one patient and enjoyed some banana bread that Brenda made for her going away luncheon and then headed home.

I was also scheduled to work on Saturday at my full time job as I mentioned, but when I showed up in the morning I was surprised to see another therapist there and no schedule for me. I figured my boss had made a mistake and missed my name on the calendar. Since I had already dressed for work, I split the patients with the other therapist. I was also expecting Allison to drop by at lunch to help me set up an Alexa in my workplace. I thought it would be nice to have some music during our exercise groups. Allison was able to set up a few options on my phone through the internet to play on the Alexa Dot.

Imagine my surprise on Sunday morning when my boss emailed me to complain that I was not supposed to come into work on Saturday!  She worries about staff working overtime. I wanted to know how I was supposed to find out if no one told me the day before. Apparently they let people know at work on Friday if they have to come in or not. Since another on call therapist was scheduled, I did not need to come in. But since I did not work there Friday, I had no way of knowing. If I had known, I would have called in on Friday to see if I needed to work. Also, I have only worked one other Saturday and I was the only one scheduled. The rehab director and staff are not used to my Mon to Thursday work schedule.

Although I did mention to the tech that I was scheduled to work Saturday when our team got together for dinner on Thursday night at a local restaurant. Our supervisor decided to resign to go off and do something else after 1 year of working there. So we decided to all go out to dinner together and gave her a going away relaxation gift with a massage gift card.

So I was a little annoyed at the situation since Allison and I would have enjoyed attending the DC kite festival instead on Saturday morning. Oh well. Turns out I mentioned to my boss that if anyone was going to work extra hours, it should be me since I rarely work overtime (over 40 hours).  And I usually don't go looking for extra hours(I have plenty of work hours!). Plus I am cheaper than the on call staff, so in the long run I save them money. She agreed! But from now on she is going to make sure she calls me on Friday. However, she is leaving next week so I guess I will have to call the office from now on!

So I did not have to work, but I did. And since I worked, we decided to visit the Cherry Blossom Festival on Sunday. Allison thought it was a bad decision since it was a bit chilly and supposed to rain all day. I thought it would be nice to park at the National Zoo, spend some time walking through the zoo and then take the train down to the tidal basin by the National monument to walk around the cherry trees. Turns out we did not have any rain, and it got rather sunny, although incredibly windy. Actually a very good day for a kite festival! Tom was not able to join us as he headed off for work in San Jose, California.  Instead, Allison's college roommate Jen and her boyfriend Tyler joined us. We had a wonderful day walking around the National zoo and then caught the train down to see the Cherry blossoms. There were a ton of people there, but probably not as crowded as Saturday. And the train was not as crowded since we came in from the zoo. I also learned that you need a permanent card now to ride the train and you add on funds rather than buying individual paper tickets like before. We enjoyed a quick walk through the trees and listening to a Japanese Drum show. We still had a little time to tour part of the zoo on the way back since they closed at 7pm. It was a wonderful outing but an exhausting walk, including up and down hills.

Allison also enjoyed an outing to DC the week before when she and Jen enjoyed their first Washington Capitals hockey game. The interns at Northrop organized an outing to a Caps game and Allison could not wait to go. And invite Jen. The two girls took the train in to DC and met the group at a local bar. Allison was more interested in the hockey game, but she was also interested in checking out the Northrop interns. Especially the guys that like hockey. It was not easy to socialize during the game since the tickets were all spread out in two large areas, but the girls had a chance for a drink and a snack before heading into the stadium.

March 18-24, 2019

Happy Spring! Looks like it is warming up a bit. The daffodils have started poking their heads up out of the ground. It is so nice to have more sunshine at the end of the day, especially to take Cookie for a walk after work. Its also nice not to have soda bottles exploding in the garage anymore because the temperatures were so frigid!

Allison and I had the house to ourselves at the end of the week as Tom went off to Rhode Island for work for a few days.  We both had a Girl Scout meeting during the week to start wrapping up the last minute planning for our upcoming jamboree scheduled the first weekend in May. Then Allison had a GS Gold Award committee meeting the following evening-approving possible Gold Award projects. She also spent an evening playing Ultimate Frisbee.

While Allison was playing Frisbee Tuesday night, Tom took me to see the Captain Marvel movie for our $5.00 AMC Stubs night. Tom had seen it with Allison when Scott was home on Spring Break, but he did not mind sitting through it again. I really enjoyed it too. Afterwards we stopped in to dinner at the Shake Shack for burgers.

Scott has been very busy with lots of projects and tests as school starts to wind down. But he had to take a small break to look at the Fall 2019 classes! He was not able to get an appointment with his counselor, so we looked over the program and Scott was able to piece together a schedule on his own. He will be finishing Physics(it is split into two terms) with a lab, two engineering classes with labs and two electives. I think he will be busy! If he can squeeze in an appointment with the counselor, he'd like to review his choices. Registration for classes is all done online. He is scheduled to sign up Monday morning, March 25th.

On Friday, Allison and I spent a very busy day together. We started the morning early by dropping off my car for an overhaul and a recall repair for the air bag. Tom noticed my van was idling a bit rough, so I wanted to make sure it was running smoothly before we head to Michigan to pick up Scott at the end of April. We dropped the car off and headed to the Y for the swim aerobics class. Afterwards we tried the new Chick Fil A fish sandwiches. Something new for Fish Friday during Lent. Very good for a chicken place!  After lunch we drove out to Frederick MD, about a 30 min drive. We wanted to visit the MVA in Frederick since it is not as busy. Tom decided it was time for Allison to take over her own car insurance and title.  On Thursday night they called Geico and got a terrific deal. Much better than staying under our coverage!  So now we had to go to the MVA to get a title and registration in Allison's name. Tom believed we would have to get new license plates too, but there was a new policy in Maryland that allows  cars to be gifted. So we really only needed to do the paperwork and get a new registration. So we could not make an appointment and there was a very long line of people waiting for all sorts of tasks. Fortunately this MVA is very organized. Two women would walk up and down the line checking to see what everyone needed and sending them in different directions. When they got to Allison and I, the woman announced that we were there for Allison's driving permit! Allison was a bit offended, but I took it at as a huge compliment! If Allison looks 8 years younger, then so do I!  After Allison corrected the woman, she gave us a number and we sat down to wait. They said there was a 2 hr wait-Allison and I were prepared with things to read and our phones. Turns out, we only had to wait 1/2 hr! And it only took a few minutes to get the paperwork signed, pay for new registration and get a tag. The title would be coming in the mail. Done!

We headed back home and my car was almost ready. We stopped into the grocery store to pick up a few items before Allison dropped me off to pick up my car. I then rushed home to change, pick up Tom and we headed to the Guinness Brewery to meet Tom's cousin Scott Conrad and his wife Gerry. The two of them were visiting family on their Spring Break here in the mid Atlantic/South from Santa Rosa, California up near Napa Valley. They actually flew into BWI airport the week before and visited with family in the Virginia area. Although there appears to be some family members in the Ellicott City area! (adult kids of cousins). The group visited Olde Ellicott City last Friday night, just minutes from our house. Some of the shops and restaurants have reopened since the flood last May, but many buildings are still under renovation, or in limbo. The county board has still not decided if they should tear down some of the most damaged and flood prone buildings or not due to the historic nature of the town. So far they are trying to renovate a few of the small streams and rivers north of the city that flooded and rushed through downtown to the larger river below. And they put in alarms to let you know if the town is going to flood again. Wonderful.

During the week of their visit, Scott and Gerry mostly spent their time in the DC and Virginia area, touring the capital. On Friday, they made their way back up to Ellicott City to meet us for a tour and tasting, plus dinner at the country's only Guinness Brewery outside of Ireland. Tom and I had dinner at the brewery before with friends, but never did the tour. I signed us up for the free tour and the tasting afterwards. Turns out, Scott and Gerry were stuck in DC traffic and missed our 530 tour and tasting afterwards. The tour was very quick-not much to see, but very informative. Tom and I stayed for the tasting and as we finished around 730, Scott and Gerry arrived. We all sat down for dinner on the 3rd floor(brewery on the 1st floor, bar and souvenir shop in the 2nd floor and restaurant on the 3rd). We had a wonderful dinner and had lots of time to chat, including a first hand report of living through the California wildfires. Afterwards, Scott joined another scheduled tasting(Gerry does not drink). And Tom and I gave them both the nickel Brewery tour. They picked up some souvenirs for their kids before we headed out. Their oldest son cooks in a restaurant in Napa valley and was especially excited to hear that we were visiting the brewery. Seems that the kids keep up with everything new and hot. Even from the other side of the country!  It was getting late and we were all tired, especially Tom who had recently returned from his trip to Rhode Island. Tom checked them into a local hotel which was covered by Tom's travel points and we said goodbye. They graciously shared a box of See's chocolates from California and a lovely scarf for me as we headed out. They were flying out of BWI Saturday morning.

Saturday was spent finishing housework(for me) and getting school work done(for Tom) On Sunday, while Allison was off  playing frisbee and then participating in a Dungeons and Dragon game, I had picked up my mom in the early afternoon to get her hair done and have lunch. Afterwards we both enjoyed seeing "The Wizard of Oz" at the high school. I had bought tickets ahead of time and was very glad I did since there was a very long stand by line of people hoping to get in with any leftover tickets. The play was sold out and packed with kids. My mom loves seeing all the kids and enjoyed the play and the music, although we did not have the best seats. A few tall, wide men sat in front of us and it made it very hard to see the stage. Overall, the kids did a fantastic job and mom and I had a good time. I just had enough time to drop her off to her apartment for dinner afterwards.

March 11- March 17

Happy St Patrick's Day!  I celebrated the Wearing of the Green by participating in a St Patty's Day parade on Saturday with the Girl Scout choir. It's a nice little parade that we have participated in for many years in our local Irish community We march through their neighborhood and downtown. Although this year they changed the route and we walked around the large downtown park. The weather was not so bad-not raining or snowing or sleeting. But very windy. It made it difficult to hold our banner. And it was a bit chilly, so I think the parade was moving rather quickly! Hard to keep up and sing at the same time. Our group was not too big-about 12 of us total. But it was fun and I always enjoy seeing the other parade participants. However, they put our group right behind the founders of the Irish town and they brought a huge bell that the family forged. And they were busy ringing it on their float and it was unbelievably loud! So we tried to stay back as far as we could.

In the evening, Tom was able to purchase a 4 pack of Family tickets to the Hershey Bears Hockey game online. It included a hot dog, drink and popcorn besides the seats for the game. So we picked up our friend John and Tom, Allison and I all headed up to Hershey to catch the game. We arrived early so we stopped in to visit Chocolate World(of course!). The game was a lot of fun, and the Bears won by a landslide!

We also learned that our friend John is interviewing with a job back with Northrop, but this time in Dayton, Ohio. John is actually excited about the possibility since he could finally afford a house and large yard!  John moved to Maryland from his home state of California a few years after Tom and I moved with Northrop. Tom and John worked together at Northrop for many years when Tom first started in California. John moved in with us after relocating from California as well to work with Northrop here in Maryland. However, after a few years he was laid off and has had several jobs since. He bought his own condo, but was always wishing he could have a house of his own. Just a little too expensive for him on his own here in the Baltimore area. So

recently he was asked to interview with Northrop in Ohio. He is very excited about the possibility of moving to the Midwest, but we would certainly miss him. He is just like family. 

On Sunday, St Patrick's Day officially, I could not convince my family to eat any corned beef or cabbage. So instead I cooked a pork roast in the crock pot and bought myself a corned beef and kraut sandwich for lunch from the boy scouts at church. The church troop had a grilling fundraiser going after mass, so Tom got Brisket and Allison had pulled pork, beans and mac n cheese. Everyone was happy. And I cooked my pork roast in beer and it was very tasty! I even had Mom Bozyk over for dinner that night while we watched movies.

Sunday morning I was up early to drop Cookie off to the pet store for her Spring grooming. She was turning into a big, ball of fur. Time for a trim. She looks great!

Allison and I enjoyed an outing together on Thursday. We both went in to work on Friday to make up for the day, but it was worth it. We decided to travel with our County Parks and Rec service to the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philly. Naturally the building is supposed to be haunted. But this was not a ghost tour. They do turn the place into a huge haunted house at Halloween. It's on the bucket list. But for now we were just interested in the history of the place. Our friends have visited the facility and done the Haunted House tour, so I have had it in mind. And here was an opportunity. So Allison and I took the bus trip for the 2.5 hr drive to Philly. Our group had our own tour set up for one hour. We ate a quick lunch before heading in. The building was made to look like an imposing castle-not a friendly place-erected in the 1800s. It was the first fully functioning prison with running water and heat. At the time, the White House was still relying on fireplaces for heat and the President utilized a chamber pot for his toilet! Later they added electricity. The building was designed for penitence-for the prisoners to sit in their cells and think about their crimes. They accepted men, women and children. The youngest was a 14 year old girl imprisoned for lighting fires. Her name was Mary Ash! 
 The design was quite amazing. A large castle wall surrounding a wagon wheel building with 6 spokes. It housed 250 state prisoners, but quickly rose to over 100, 000. So they added spokes to the walls and bunk beds! Originally each prisoner had their own cell and a small door leading to the yard outside for some exercise. They did have time together for activities like handball  and bocce ball.  Meals were delivered to each cell. No one was allowed to speak, Ever. It was solitary confinement. Although they lightened up a bit in later years. I would never have survived. If you talked you were punished.

 The prison housed "Scarface" Al Capone for 1 year in a fancy cell with his own furniture at the front of the prison. He was visiting Philadelphia from Chicago for a mobster meeting and his train was delayed for the ride back to Illinois. Instead, he stopped into a movie theater while waiting and was arrested for concealing a weapon. He served 1 year before he was transferred to Alcatraz for racketeering. He died of neurosiphyillis. He could have been cured with an injection at the Philly Penitentiary, but he was deathly afraid of needles!

Since we went on a tour, we were able to access some areas off limits to those on the audio tour. We visited the medical unit complete with surgery facilities, Psyche treatment, Hydrotherapy and Physical Therapy. Most prisoners were infected with tuberculosis but got terrific medical treatment. Prisoners even volunteered skin graphs to help a local girl burned in a house fire in the city.

After the tour, we had time on our own to explore. We stopped by the cell where one famous prisoner, Slick Willie Sutton escaped through a tunnel dug under the wall. Only to be caught immediately when he popped up in the neighborhood.  I was amazed to see the prison so close to downtown, smack in the middle of a neighborhood. But when it was originally built it was out on a hill in a cherry orchard.  We also explored the prison's Jewish temple. Some parts of the prison have not yet been restored-about half of the campus.

The early prison systems, such as the facilities they had in London in the 1800s used to just put everyone together in one room-thieves and murderers-and just let them have at it. This was supposed to rehabilitate the criminals. Charles Dickens himself came over from England to tour the facility and did not think much about the program. He wrote about it and also had time to meet with Edgar Allen Poe for dinner and conversation, who at the time lived just down the street from the prison.

Overall a very fascinating place and Allison and I enjoyed our day out. It was sunny and a bit chilly, but even colder inside the prison with its stone walls. It was built like a wagon wheel with a center hub that allowed the guards to see up and down the cell blocks from one location. And the acoustics were amazing-you can hear a whisper with the large arched ceilings. Although most of the facility is falling apart. And nature is slowly taking over. There were large tree roots in some of the cells. The facility was finally shut down in 1971!  And most everything was left as is. They are slowly restoring the building.

After our tour, we all headed to a local coffee shop for a snack and then the drive home. We will definitely have to consider the Halloween tour! And that evening Allison and I watched Utube videos on the ghost investigations of the prison.

Glad the weather was warming up a bit more. Allison started up with her Northrop Frisbee Team practices again during the week. Nice to be outside with weather finally warming up a bit and snow turning to rain.