Never Enough

The creeping dawn as we left for the airport

Adieu to Nantasket

Time that is.

Jen and I flew down to see my father, Pop, Vati, on Saturday. It was, as uzh, a wham-bam-way-too-goddamn-fast trip but a good one. Daddy’s in great shape. Well, as great as a 79 year old man in a wheelchair can be. We had a picnic lunch in his room and a bunch ‘o’ fun gassing and blathering about all manner of topic—serious, enraging, disheartening, hilarious and generally effluvial.


I gave him a mini iPad lesson too. Vati's and my goal is for him to be able to use it for emailing, IMing, Facetiming and such. There's nothing more fun than a yap fest with the old man. Since I can't get down to see him more often, we need the electric avenue communication. Also too, his pal Jim Buechler in New Mexico would like to be in touch, misses the wild convo times.

And then it was time for Jen and I to race back to Pittsburgh where we met my pal Heike for dinner before our flight home.

Heike, who’s moving to Oregon in a couple of weeks, suggested we check out The Church Brew Works located in the former Saint John the Baptist church on Liberty Ave. in the Lawrenceville section of town (which reminded me an awful lot of our old neighborhood in pre-BioTech Boom East Cambridge.

Wow, wow, wow! GREAT choice Heike! I’m just sorry that she’ll have moved by the time I’m in Pittsburgh again. The joint was tremendous. Incredible grub and GORGEOUS environment. It was perfect.

We started with the Mushroom Lentil Fritter appetizer. Having just, it seemed, had lunch with Poppy, I ordered the Grilled Vegetable Salad for my entree. Fabulous. Jen had the Bay of Fundy Salmon sammich. Dreamy to say the least. Next time, and we really will need to go there again (with Helen!), I’d like to order the Veggie Spaghetti.

Zucchini noodles served atop a beet marinara sauce.  Served with lentil and mushroom “meatballs”

it always seems to be raining in Western Pennsylvania

Jen’s keen to work her way through the pizza offerings:

Artichoke, Spinach & Feta
Portobello Pesto Pizza
Cinco Fromaggio
Southwestern
and, of course, the Pittsburgh Pierogie Pizza

For those who aren’t suds quaffers *cough* *us* *cough,* there’s a full bar with a very talented mixologist. I had the Moscow Mule though I believe they referred to it as a Mexican Mule—whatever the national heritage, it was fab.

And then, we were back at the mega packed airport. Apparently this past weekend marked the beginning of Summer Vacation Season. Everyone and their 1,012 children (plus stuffed animals) are flying somewhere. Where to? And how can they all possibly afford airfare for a fam of five PLUS hotel, rental car and general holiday expenses? $$$$$$

Ah but that's a puzzle rant for another day.

Rocco, Coco and The Amazing Bob were happy to have me home. Coco needed to play hide and seek, Rocco demanded that I serve as his mattress and TAB totes missed my nagging *snark!* It's good to be home.