Dinner @ JT's

This evening Becky and I had another wonderful dinner at JT's Restaurant on Elmwood Avenue. The food was delicious as usual and the service was great. We got a nice table that overlooked the patio on one side and the crowded happy hour bar on the other side.

Becky wanted some pizza which was fine with me. She ordered their pepperoni pizza with green olives. I ordered the black spaghetti with shrimp and of course we split the dinners. Also had some of their wonderful bread too. I had my usual glass of Tuscan Red wine and then followed that up with a Peroni draft.

We wanted to go out for dinner and had decided on heading down to Cafe 59. We hit some really bad traffic on this Friday evening a little after 5 pm due to some construction work. Then we got onto too Allen Street and went down to Franklin Street where we usually park but there were no open parking spots. We drove all the way down Franklin to North Street but still no place to park. Then we decided to keep going north and head up to Coles. We don't go out to restaurants very much on weekends. Elmwood Avenue was crowded but not too bad. We drove by JT's and I saw that there were plenty of tables on the patio and just inside the restaurant so we thought that could be an option. 

The restaurant quickly filled up and by about 6 pm most of the tables were in use and there was no room at the bar. We enjoyed our meal and sat at our table for about two hours.

We enjoyed ourselves after having cleaned the house and prepared for the visit of Sean and Andrew tomorrow. They are coming into town to attend a Bills event at the new stadium and will stay with us Saturday night before heading home on Sunday.

High Chair Give-A-Way

This morning I put our grandchildren's high chair up on Buy Nothing North Buffalo. That is the Facebook group for giving away unneeded items to people who need them. I've used this site several times and most recently to gift our old rocking chair to a young woman who could use it. Our grandchildren have all outgrown using the high chair.

So today I had several people respond to my post and selected a young family who wanted the high chair for their parents. Well, this has been a grandparent's high chair. On my post I stated... To Give: High Chair. Ten years of occasional use for out of town grandchildren. Folds us and stores nicely. Removable washable seat cover.

It was picked up this evening and now it's gone. Reclaimed some space in a closet. 

Painting the Porch Again

Today I started painting the front porch again and it's another project. The blue paint from last Fall has been peeling away. It was just a quick temporary job back then and now it's time to do it right. So I started by scrapping off the old peeling paint and covered everything with a coat of primer. That's for both sides of the porch that had the wood replaced by Dietrich. Tomorrow I will put down another coat of primer in those two areas. It's going to rain on Friday and Saturday so I will wait until next week to put down the new Slate Grey replacement porch and deck paint. We need to get rid of that light blue which has really shown the dirt on the porch too much.

Joe's Obituary

Joe Berret's obituary was published today from the funeral home that is conducting his service. It included this photo of him. It has been very well written and tells his story. It's a shame he had such a long illness. We spent a lot of time together over the years and we all will miss him dearly.

Joseph C. Berret, of East Greenville, passed away peacefully on July 30, 2026, at the age of 78. Born in Lansdale he was the son of the late Charles and Marie (Strocko) Berret.

He graduated from Souderton High School and proudly served his country in the United States Navy. He then went on to build a fulfilling career as a supervisor at Hatfield Quality Meats, where he worked for many years before retiring. Even in retirement, Joe remained active, lending his time and skills at Haines & Kibblehouse and County Line Nursery in Harleysville.

Joe was passionate about the outdoors; an avid fisherman and outdoorsman, he served as a member and past president of Upper Perkiomen chapter of Trout Unlimited. His love for the outdoors extended to hunting for and collecting arrowheads and other Native American artifacts.

In addition to his outdoor pursuits, Joe was a classic car enthusiast. He took great pride in caring for his cherished 1967 Chevy Nova. He was also a devoted fan of Rock 'N' Roll music, with a vast collection of records and memorabilia. He co-hosted a weekly radio show at WDVR for many years, giving him an opportunity to play records from his collection. His creativity extended into carpentry as well; his hands were always busy with a project, as he never could sit still.

Joe held the annual Philadelphia Folk Festival close to his heart, volunteering many years backstage in the performer's hospitality tent, fostering his lifelong appreciation for music and community.

Most importantly Joe loved his family. He is survived by his devoted wife of 56 years, Elizabeth (Emery) Berret; his daughter, Sara Berret and husband, Erik Bortz; his son, Christopher Berret and wife, Kimberly; grandchildren, AvaRue and Eliza Bortz and Courtney, Chase, Olivia and Nolan Berret; his brother, Daniel Berret and wife Mimi; and his sister, Ruth DeLoach. He is predeceased by a sister Mary Berret. He leaves behind cherished memories and an enduring legacy of love and kindness.

Glen Hansard RIP

Glen Hansard RIP. Kitchen Listening the past couple of days with some of this Irish musicians many albums in my collection. I was sorry to hear of his passing in a Dublin motorcycle accident the other day and have been playing his albums since. I'm looking forward to viewing a couple of his films again very soon... Once and The Commitments.

My Secret Place - Songs 1988 FV

My Secret Place. The last of the mixes featuring songs from my collection released in 1988. A little more laid back this time and mostly deep cuts with some interesting covers too.

Joni Mitchell in the pic.

My Secret Place - Songs 1988 FV

1. My Secret Place - Joni Mitchell
2. As Long As You Follow - Fleetwood Mac
3. Got It Made - Crosby, Stills & Nash
4. Didn't Expect It To Go Down This Way - K.T. Oslin
5. Buenas Noches From A Lonely Room - Dwight Yoakam
6. Wishing Well - Nick Lowe
7. Sally Sue Brown - Bob Dylan
8. Drive South - John Hiatt
9. The Road To Bayamon - Tom Russell
10. High Time - The Icicle Works
11. Gulf Coast Highway - Nanci Griffith & Mac McAnnaly
12. Lock Stock & Teardrops - k.d. lang
13. When A Man Loves A Woman - Art Garfunkel
14. The Weight - Giant Sand
15. Sweet Jane - Cowboy Junkies
16. Femme Fatale - Tom Tom Club
17. When You Come - Crowded House
18. Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark - Robert Cray
19. La Pistola Y El Corazon - Los Lobos
20. Salome - Lizzy Mercier Descloux
21. Vox - Sarah McLachlan
22. In The Clouds - All About Eve
23. Irish Heartbeat - Van Morrison
24. The Living Years - Mike & The Mechanics
25. Meet Me In My Dreams Tonight - Brian Wilson

Rocking Chair - Buy Nothing

We put our old rocking chair on the Buy Nothing North Buffalo Facebook group. I posted it with the following comment... Wood rocking chair to give. In good condition but with one spindle with a crack that was glued and taped. Parkside porch pickup. 

Within a half hour I had someone interested in the chair. Then a little while later one of those interested persons came by after I contacted her on messenger and arranged the pick up. The chair was on the porch and I helped her get it into her car which took a little maneuvering to get it in there. She was very happy with the chair.

Take Manhattan - Songs 1988 FV

Take Manhattan. Another in my series of mixes featuring songs from albums in my collection released in 1988. Lots of deep cuts, favorites and some hits too.

Leonard Cohen in the pic.

Take Manhattan - Songs 1988 FV

1. First We Take Manhattan - Leonard Cohen
2. People Have The Power - Patti Smith
3. Stand - R.E.M.
4. Copperhead Road - Steve Earle
5. Mr. Jones - Talking Heads
6. Never Trust A Stranger - Kim Wilde
7. Cold Metal - Iggy Pop
8. Teen Age Riot - Sonic Youth
9. Cult of Personality - Living Colour
10. Spy In The House Of Love - Was (Not Was)
11. Peace In Our Time - Big Country
12. Talkin' Bout A Revolution - Tracy Chapman
13. Waiting For The Great Leap Forwards - Billy Bragg
14. World Party - The Waterboys
15. Candy Love Satellite - That Petro Emotion
16. The Killing Jar - Siouxsie & The Banshees
17. Reptile - The Church
18. Tugboat - Galaxie 500
19. Ullyses - Dead Can Dance
20. Cursum Perficio - Enya
21. The Beat of Black Wings - Joni Mitchell
22. Hey Manhattan! - Prefab Sprout

Crash - Songs 1988 FV

Crash. A mix of deep cut songs from albums in my collection released in 1988. An interesting set of songs.

The Primitives in the pic.

Crash - Songs 1988 FV

1. Crash - The Primitives
2. House We Used To Live In - The Smithereens
3. In Your Room - The Bangles
4. Every Dog Has His Day - Let's Active
5. Ship of Fools - Erasure
6. Pretty Boys and Pretty Girls - Book of Love
7. Mad Cyril (Hello Girls Mix) - Happy Mondays
8. It's Alright - Pet Shop Boys
9. Blazing Saddles - Yello
10. Here It Is Take It - That Petrol Emotion
11. I'm Gonna Be Around - The Del Lords
12. Cartoon - Soul Asylum
13. Eden Alley - Timbuk 3
14. Blue Eyed Pop - The Sugarcubes
15. Rolling With The Moody Girls - Game Theory
16. Two Hearts - Phil Collins
17. Get Up - R.E.M.
18. Let It Roll - Little Feat
19. This Note's For You - Neil Young
20. Birth, School, Work, Death - The Godfathers
21. Teen Age Riot - Sonic Youth
22. Big New Prinz - The Fall
23. The Side I'll Never Show - Dream Syndicate
24. David Bowie Wants Ideas - Bongwater

Garden Walk Pt. 2

Today we went on more of the Buffalo Garden Walk. This time we went over to the West Side to the Connecticut Street area and Five Points. We explored around Vermont and Ripley Place and saw many amazing gardens. We were also looking at the restaurants in the area. There are a few we really want to check out. Some bakeries and cafes too.

We got a little lost in the Five Points area but eventually found our way. We'll know better navigating the area next time. We want to check out some restaurants and bakeries there too.

Then we drove down to the Symphony Circle area and explored around the neighborhood gardens. We were down around Wadsworth, Normal, Orton, Hudson, and St. John's Place and saw some fantastic gardens. Lots of interesting houses too. 

We were mostly depending on the Garden Walk maps we downloaded. I think next time we should make sure we use our regular google maps too.

As you can see from the photos I like some of the quirky gardens too.