Happy Anniversary, Mom & Dad!
For brunch I took Mom & Dad out for breakfast foods...to the same place Maureen took me on McKnight Road. We had:
me: Cherry cheese blintzes
Mom: Bacon & Eggs with Hawaiian pancakes
Dad: Blueberry Belgian waffle
We got Miranda a Michael's gift certificate, and then Mom & Dad stopped by Robert's in the Strip District to pick up Benny's Pirates shirt and also bought more Pirates memorabilia.
Just called Uncle Sonny to leave a musical birthday message on his answering machine...Mom at the piano, Dad, & I.
This was my first full day of physical therapy exercises on my own. Just finished my second time today for exercises. Even did the "Jane Fonda" exercise again this evening.
Labels: anniversary, BAD, baseball, berries, Birthday, California, celebration, dining, exercise, family, games, music, niece and nephew, sports
FAAP Picnic 2008, Building Picnic 2008
Yesterday we enjoyed the FAAP Annual Picnic, complete with roasted lechon and rice; grilled hamburgers and hot dogs; and potluck salads, main dishes, and desserts. There was a contest for best potluck items, and All Clad pots were the prizes. We brought green bean casserole and red strawberry orange jello salad with mandarin oranges. (Marissa made berry crisp.)
William, Marissa, Beatrice, and Solomon met Jun and Arnie and Carol, all chemistry graduate students who prompted Beatrice with questions (and whom I had earlier tried to recruit for choir). While Solomon enjoyed a bottle with Lola, Beatrice, her mom and dad and I took off to go to the swings! Beatrice chortled joyfully while swinging...
Auntie Mimi: Is this as fun as Kennywood?
Beatrice: Yeah.
William interviewed Beatrice while on the swing.
Soon after eating William and Marissa and family departed, as the kids were very hot and sweaty.
A little later, the sky opened up and the winds blew, causing all to take cover under the one shelter and shrieks to arise from the edges of the shelter with each change in wind direction. Voting was orderly and straightforward. Dad and Tito Larry P. partook of the games, and they donated their winnings. Dad diagnosed a Colles fracture. We departed soon after, while it was still raining lightly. We got $15+ of gasoline (4.0 gallons) on the way home, happy with the price of $3.99
~~~
The building picnic had fewer attendees than last year, probably due to the weather. I sat next to Martha M., Ann L., and spoke with John, a newcomer to the building on the floor above me. Dinner was potato and pretzel chips; grilled chicken, hot dogs, and hamburgers; potato salad, bow tie pasta salad, cole slaw, and fruit salad; and bottled water or sodas. A bevy of desserts (of which I had a pecan pie bar) rounded out the meal. I enjoyed myself, and felt fully stuffed at the end of the meal.
Labels: Beatrice, berries, children, Choir, economy, friends, neighbors, niece and nephew, Philippines, photos, Pilipino culture, Pittsburgh, rain, science, St. Paul Cathedral, transportation, water, weather
Run, run, run, run....sleep sleep sleep sleep
After adminstering two exams yesterday, I visited William, Marissa, Beatrice, and Solomon, happily bearing food from Mom. Beatrice and I went to the back deck and she "sweep"s with the "booom." We also played with her mini-house with a slide ("he[l]p, he[l]p") and she ran around (run, run, run, run, run...) the deck. We came inside to have mac 'n' cheese and I, some of Wawa's cake and ice cream. Peaceful Solomon slept through all of this. Beatrice has taken to quickly naming "people in the room," doing a quick roll call.
Right before I departed, Elmo, Beatrice, and I sat on the bottom steps of their landing...one of our favorite places.
A fun evening was had by all.
Labels: Beatrice, berries, Birthday, children, dining, dolls, games, ice cream, niece and nephew
Happy Easter 2008! Happy Spring!
Mom and I sat right behind Elizabeth B's family (I serve on Parish Pastoral Council with her) for the noon Mass celebrating Easter. Fr. Breier concelebrated with Fr. Tom Burke. Some highlights of the Mass included
Renewal of Baptismal Rites (with sprinkling to "Springs of Water" [DKF])
Preparation of the Gifts ("Hallelujah" from the Mount of Olives, [Beethoven])
and the "Hallelujah Chorus" from Handel's Messiah, which drew the whole congregation into applause after it ended.
Fr. Breier thanked the various ministries, but especially the choir, "whose volunteer membership has sang about ten liturgies since last Sunday," he said.
I stopped by the loft to see what it looks like before they close it for organ repairs after Easter. Also to say hi to my choir friends.
~~~~
We had for lunch at Mom and Dad's with William, Marissa, Beatrice, and Jujube:
Mixed green + spinach + mandarin orange + button mushrooms + craisins + walnut + scallions + sweet/sour dressing
Pompano (Florida) big fish with black bean sauce
Pot Roast w/ veggies
Green Bean Casserole
Strawberries
Filtered Water
Collin St. Bakery Blueberry Shortbread (from Grampy Bill)
I left briefly to put gasoline in the car for our guests, Tina P. and her family. When I returned, they had just arrived. They took photos of the interior and exterior of the car. "It's really in good shape," one of her sons said.
~~~~
Soon thereafter, I left to buy some supplies for this week at Trader Joe's. Luce called me, saying this is the first time in two weeks that she called me that I wasn't in a funeral cortege or in Church.
"Okay, talk to you next week," she said, causing me to burst out laughing in TJ's. "I guess I'll talk to you next weekend, when we will play phone tag with each other, with the possibility of our talking with each other again then!!"
As I exited TJ's Marissa asked if I would like to go in the store again, as Beatrice was expecting me there.
I went back in, and bought a few more items.
Returned home, to type away, and (soon) to take a nap.
~~~~~
At ~35 Fahrenheit, today is colder than Christmas 2007!
Labels: berries, Choir, Church, cold, dining, family, friends, global warming, St. Paul Cathedral, transportation, weather
Uncle Sonny's Arrival Day, December 2007
After recording a spot for my interview show and a newer episode of the show for RIS, I headed to a computer lab on campus, then home for lunch and relaxing with Kelly. Mom had left me a voicemail to get ready to take the bus to the airport to meet Uncle Sonny. Dad, Mom, and I caught the 28X to the airport, greeted Uncle Sonny with roses, carnations, and signs. We all caught the bus home to have dinner, watch Uncle Sonny open presents, plan for tomorrow, and do a little karaoke/Minus One. We looked up various people and Filipino agriculture on the internet.
Labels: berries, biology, family, Philippines, singing, transportation
Visitors--Kirsten; Berry Picking June 2007
After some delicious farina, Amy, her two boys, and I headed out to Trax farms for some berry-picking. After a detour fiasco due to a water main break, we finally made it to Trax farms, where I ran into Theresa, a former co-worker, and then to customer service at Trax: Strawberry picking ended Wednesday! And blueberry picking starts in 7-10 business days. We went to an open-air market, had lunch (chicken noodle soup and half a sandwich), then shopped for groceries and gifts. I got some strawberries, white cherries, red raspberry candy, and pretzel buns.
Back at Amy's house, I coached the boys on the fine points of fencing, held several puppet shows, shared some tea, and watched the boys play at Superman. We had a discussion about the bee shortage before they found the ice cream truck as I was pulling out of their driveway, waving to Amy and her men.
~~~
It was time to take the bus to the airport, where I met Kirsten. We stopped by my house to pick up reunion 2007 photos, and then we drove to her place at Chatham for her to change and drop off her suitcase. We then drove to Oakland to Victor's restaurant for a delicious dinner of naan, samosas, lamb masala, chicken biryani, and grilled salmon and vegetables. We enjoyed the meal, talked to Victor for a bit, then headed back to Shadyside.
Labels: berries, dining, friends, thankfulness
