So, that's a bit grandiose of a heading, but it WAS our last full day in the "burgh" and we did get the "last full measure" of our intended experience. After our long drive to Bob and Naomi's, we slept well and in. After our usual breakfast (enjoyed by all, of course) we left for Pittsburgh on the "T", their new mass transit system that utilizes or really, recycles their old inter-city trolley tracks. It's a VERY nice and efficient system and the ride took us through Dormont, where Donna used to live. When we arrived at the station, we visited Station Square where we, as Erin and I did nine years ago, rode the incline to Mt. Washington. We got off and walked to a local coffee house where my "treat", frustrated by their refusal of plastic was rescued by my big brother. Well, dinner was going to be on me. Station Square is anchored by the old PNLE (pronounced "pianelli") railroad whose grand waiting room had been transformed into a beautiful restaurant. We looked around for restrooms (apparently, they don't pee here) and went down to await our "Ducky Tour." This is an amphibious tour of Pittsburgh's streets and rivers on (what else?) an amphibious vehicle built for the Normandy invasion in 1944. Lots of bad jokes and interesting commentary later, we decided to return to South Hills via the "T" and find a place for dinner. After that, we (including Patty!) stayed up to watch the four-hour-long movie Gettysburg. As Bob and I have both read the book, seen the movie and visited the battlefield, let's just say there was a BIT of overlaid commentary, answers to Patty's and Naomi's questions and quibbles over names and other details. Nevertheless, I'm really glad Patty lasted, because it put it all into order and perspective for her (and I was planning to re-watch it at home anyway!) Well, that's a quick summary for you followers who hang on our our every adventure. I'll write a more ruminative summation when we return, along with Patty's always promised but seldom completed entry.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
The High Water Mark
So, that's a bit grandiose of a heading, but it WAS our last full day in the "burgh" and we did get the "last full measure" of our intended experience. After our long drive to Bob and Naomi's, we slept well and in. After our usual breakfast (enjoyed by all, of course) we left for Pittsburgh on the "T", their new mass transit system that utilizes or really, recycles their old inter-city trolley tracks. It's a VERY nice and efficient system and the ride took us through Dormont, where Donna used to live. When we arrived at the station, we visited Station Square where we, as Erin and I did nine years ago, rode the incline to Mt. Washington. We got off and walked to a local coffee house where my "treat", frustrated by their refusal of plastic was rescued by my big brother. Well, dinner was going to be on me. Station Square is anchored by the old PNLE (pronounced "pianelli") railroad whose grand waiting room had been transformed into a beautiful restaurant. We looked around for restrooms (apparently, they don't pee here) and went down to await our "Ducky Tour." This is an amphibious tour of Pittsburgh's streets and rivers on (what else?) an amphibious vehicle built for the Normandy invasion in 1944. Lots of bad jokes and interesting commentary later, we decided to return to South Hills via the "T" and find a place for dinner. After that, we (including Patty!) stayed up to watch the four-hour-long movie Gettysburg. As Bob and I have both read the book, seen the movie and visited the battlefield, let's just say there was a BIT of overlaid commentary, answers to Patty's and Naomi's questions and quibbles over names and other details. Nevertheless, I'm really glad Patty lasted, because it put it all into order and perspective for her (and I was planning to re-watch it at home anyway!) Well, that's a quick summary for you followers who hang on our our every adventure. I'll write a more ruminative summation when we return, along with Patty's always promised but seldom completed entry.
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Have a safe trip home and I am glad you had a fabulous adventure.
ReplyDeleteLove you
Donna
With deference to a few minor factual inaccuracies by #2 son, I seriously have to say "Wow"! The time went by so quickly! It was so nice to have Patty & Ken here in our home, to have visited all the places and done all the things we did while they were here. I enjoyed visiting all the old places as much as they did. As I told Ken several times, I was amazed that such a sizable part of their lives was associated with PA...that they knew so many kids in Wilkinsburg and Monroeville and did so many things that Mom & Dad never knew about surprised me.
ReplyDeleteWe love you two very much and enjoyed your company. #2 son even scored some hard-to-get merit points when finding a great coffee shop on Mt. Washington and determining correctly which was Patty's hamburger and which was mine when the runner @ Houlihan's screwed them up.
Patty, dear Sis...
We're so thankful for your contributions to Mom's welfare. We pray that the roomspace will open up for Mom soon, that she will get a great benefit and improved quality of life from being professionally cared for and able to associate with / talk to folks her own relative age. We also pray for her continued acceptance of the situation and a stabilization of her physical condition. We'll be coming out to see her...don't know yet exactly when.
Love ya both...Naomi & Bob