According to Mr. David Hodges, I have 25.4 million in British Pounds waiting in a bank account in London… if I agree to let the money go through my account I get to keep 40%.  Life is so easy.  And here I have been counting pennies and being fiscally responsible.  Turns out I can take us all out for a steak dinner.  If only….

Today I ventured out of the valley – and we are talking Happy Valley not the San Fernando.  Evidently to get most places you have to drive over seven mountains… that is according to my father.  In Los Angeles, everything is 20 minutes away.  In State College, the magic number appears to be “about 3 hours.”  How far is Pittsburgh?  About 3 hours.  How far is Philly?  About 3 hours.  Baltimore?  3.  NYC… a little over 3.

So driving 1.5 hours to reach a Costco is a bargain.  And driving over 7 mountains and along and across the Susquehanna River is beautiful, even in the pouring rain.  The river is very wide and right next to the highway.  And at one point there are rocks, boulders actually, strewn throughout its path.  And on one of the square boulders is a replica of the Statue of Liberty, which is as pretty as it is unexpected and odd.

When driving 1.5 hours for bargain bulk food, it’s important to find a couple other stops along the way as rationale for driving that far.  At least that’s my family’s philosophy.  So we hit a store called Gabriel Brothers.  It’s sort of like a Big Lots for clothing ranging from utter crap to astonishing bargains.  I found two fab long underwear shirts for $2.99 ea.  I also found a black sweater and a bunch of socks.  Will the excitement never end?

On the way back we stopped off in Reedsville because my mother had read about a BBQ joint.  A cute town with a bunch of old houses and old fashion looking shops… not quaint but more functional and stuck in time.  The BBQ joint happened to be outside of town on the outskirts and the directions said it was in the Super Shoes building.  It was, although there didn’t really seem to be anything super about the shoes.  The BBQ was good.  The proprietor seemed a little baffled that we would drive so far for BBQ… Lest he become to big for his bridges, we let him know he was just a stop along the way for us.  We had gone further for important things like toilet paper and allergy pills in bulk, and the crazy Gideon socks I got on sale.

As we returned driving over the last mountain and looking down on Happy Valley, the rain had stopped, the mist was lifting and the sun was setting casting rays of late afternoon sun on the farms of the valley.  “What  a beautiful evening we will have,” I mused.  Not five minutes from unloading the car of our purchases, the sun set and the skies unleashed a downpour that is now pounding the rooftop.  So much for red at night, Sailors’ delight.

Only a few days to Christmas and I have a Buche de Noel to conquer tomorrow.

As ever,

K. Quinn