Seth’s Sightings

Ruth’s mobility improves by the week. She was strong enough on Saturday that we were able to go to the Allentown Farmer’s Market, where we picked up Polish and Mediterranean foods. Our intent was to continue on to go out dinner to take advantage of a Southern Lehigh Restaurant Week offer, but when we arrived at our restaurant of choice, the place had an enormous wait line. Saturday night, Restaurant Week, our miscalculation. Obviously we had picked a good place, and will return both earlier and maybe not on a Saturday night.

Instead we ate at a favorite diner in that area, disappointed to find that their moussaka-making man wasn’t there to make the moussaka. I enjoyed a Greek spinach pie in its place.

We learned of the passing of my 99-year-old Aunt Joan while at dinner. Our Sunday plans were tossed and replaced by a trip to Princeton New Jersey to sit shiva with family. Sunday was a foul day weather-wise. I was up early to take photos of the start of the Jim Thorpe Running Festival’s marathon, which began just up from the Journal’s office in downtown White Haven. At the hour there was some light rain, and even hints of sunshine when the 8 a.m. starting groups left the starting line. Twenty-four miles to go… I learned that as the runners came back past where I had set up to take pictures, that they had already completed their first couple of miles. I offered words of encouragement as runners passed.

I also joked about the tiny hill up to the White Haven Diner being the only hill on the course…all downhill from there…

Race timing would mean that most of the runners were done before noon.

I returned home to pick up Ruth for our trip to New Jersey to sit with family. It was a rainy ride down the PA Turnpike, but not too bad to Princeton.

The ride home, however, was a totally different matter. Homebound we

by Seth Isenberg

got off the highways and used state roads to angle north from Allentown to Weatherly. On Route 248 just east of Indian Trail Park, we encountered a tree down across the road. We had arrived before the fire department, but the locals had already sprung into action and were cutting branches off in the pouring rain. Once the fire company arrived, they added chainsaws and made very quick work of cutting the tree away from the road free entertainment, then a short ride home.

On Monday as I drove the Turnpike back to White Haven after a doctors’ appointment, I encountered hail and sleet showers. Ahhh, early May weather… Looking ahead, this Saturday is Wine on the River, a Lehighton Downtown Partnership event. Come out and support this nice community event put on by our neighbors about a half hour from here.

On Sunday at Knoebels, WVIA members have free rides all day (it’s not too late to join…). We plan to go with the dogs for a couple of hours.

In sports, having Aaron Rodgers at the NY Jets might be a revival for them… Joe Namath all over again. I’m excited as a Patriots fan for the matchups. I still see the Eagles as THE team this fall.

I enjoyed the hole-in-one at the Australian stop of the LIV Tour excitement, cheers and beers…

I use ESPN for my sports news. They are coming up for a huge staff trimming. ESPN became too big, and it’s too costly to subscribe. I remember its beginnings as a little cable network broadcasting college sports from an office building in Connecticut. They’ll be fine after the cuts, perhaps better.

I hope gas prices have stopped going up. Ruth and I want to do more driving as our area greens up for spring.

The Pocono Air Show at Pocono Raceway is May 27 and 28 Saturday and

Sunday afternoons. I have some Sunday tickets to give away send in a card or drop a note off at our office. Include your phone # and e-mail.

Mark your calendars, the Weatherly HillClimb is June 10 and 11, the Celtic Fling is June 23-25, Briggs Farm Fest July 6-8, and Pocono NASCAR weekend not too far in the distance on July 21-23.

May you continue in good health.