Christmas is Coming!

As a quick follow-up to the last post, here is a picture of our front porch.  Steve was in charge of outdoor lighting.  He was also the  main arranger of interior lights and assembler of our Christmas tree, after which Rob and I worked on tree ornaments.  Rambo does chew on tree branches now and then (though no sign of ill effects), while Jean Luc is being a good boy all the time (as it would be a great deal of effort to do otherwise).

Glorious Kingdom

From earlier posts, you can tell that I like choral music including gospel music.  Rob, a couple weeks ago I dropped you off for a Key Club activity at Butler Street Park in Wyoming.  Our old stomping grounds!  I took you to play at the park many times when you were young boys.  Seems like the Wyoming Recreation Board was hosting a Christmas/holiday event starting at twilight, and I happened to hear this wonderful song (which is new to me) on my way home.

So lovely and obviously everyone singing enjoyed it very much.  Maybe you will like too...

Thanksgiving 2019 (minus the turkey)

This year we went out to Thanksgiving dinner - for the the second time (the first being 2 years ago at a restaurant near Hershey, where we met up with Aunt Di, Uncle Lawry and Lu).  Here's a semi-focused picture from that pleasant day:

As you know, we normally spend Thanksgiving with Grammie and Grandad - and I'm sure we will again.  We did in fact see them....  Rob, you Steve and I went down the next day and went to the Museum of the American Revolution downtown in Philadelphia, wandered the Willow Grove Mall and had dinner with Aunt Julie and Mark (newly returned from a visit to Oman and Doha), Meagan and baby Julian.

Really, Thanksgiving was was ssoooo nice.  I didn't have to cook, except for baking a couple pies which I enjoyed.  We had a reasonable, 45 minute drive up to the Hazleton area to a lovely restaurant Top of the Eighties.  I have always wanted to go there, and have always noticed the view from the top of this hill overlooking the Conyngham Valley.  Aunt Pam joined us (we missed Taylor, who went to her grandparents' Thanksgiving dinner), and we had a table near picture windows overlooking a country club and picturesque hills, homes etc.  The room wasn't crowded, everyone ordered meals other than turkey, appetizers, deserts and coffees with liquor for several of us.  It was relaxing, and we hope to go again sometime.

It was also very nice to have Kate, Korin and Alex and Becca and Chris over later on.  We had pie and caught up on everyone's news.  (Korin just finished her dissertation and is now officially Dr. Korin Albert - wow!).  As you can tell, it was a good day.  Here's a picture from Top of the Eighties to help us remember.  Rob wore his Hawaiian shirt with plaid flannel shirt for the occasion.

Still Not Over It

It's been over a year since we saw Bohemian Rhapsody, the movie.  In my many spare moments watching YouTube, I've found so many wonderful renditions of Queen songs.  So I'm going to share two versions of famous Queen hits that I often come back to.  Listen to every moment - I always do.

WA Football State Championship

We are not much into sports, although we were at one time when you boys played baseball (Wyoming/West Wyoming Little League) and soccer (Forty Fort Pioneers and Pittston Stoners).  Alex, you will remember the excitement when your Little League team won the district championship.  Steve and I like going to WA Football games occasionally, especially early in the season while it's warm.  Meanwhile Rob works the Key Club stand during all the games, but barely keeps track of the score.  (I never wanted you to play football because I was concerned about potential serious injuries....  will you forgive me?)

Even so, it must be said that it's a big deal that Wyoming Area won the state AAA league championship yesterday.  This is our district's first state championship, and really will go down in the record books and could help some of our boys get footballs scholarships etc.  Rob successfully avoided pep rallies late last week.  We then heard the sirens as the team was escorted off on its trip to Hershey on Friday, and Rob saw the victory parade getting organized down at the Midway Shopping Center yesterday while hanging out with Key Club friends at Burger King.  And best of all Rob, to recognize this major victory here is no school tomorrow - YAHOO!  (As you said today, supposing that WA goes to the national History Bowl next spring and wins we know for sure that school would be closed to honor that great win as well!)

Maybe sometime you will read all about in the Citizens Voice articles you can link to below. 

WA Wins article

Defense !

Victory Rally at the Stadium

Your Dad

The last time Dad came by to see you was in June, 2017.  I got a misdirected call for him earlier this year, and was asked to speak with Robert Carroll of Pittston, which supports my belief that he is living nearby.  He is so close and yet so far away from you.   Last weekend I spent a long weekend in Webster (unfortunately neither of you were able to come as you're in school) and Jon reminded me of the many times he and Dad talked together.  They are both full of interesting reminiscences and stories.  Dad can be charming, and has a nice laugh.  I do think about Dad as a father of young children.  Here are some of the things that come to mind....

First of all, your Dad was in the room when both of you were born.  Dad saw you, talked to you and held you before I did.  He was very proud of having boys.  (And very much wanted you, Rob, to be named after him and his father.)  It was certainly a huge adjustment for us to have baby Alex to care for, but by the time baby Robby came along we were "in the groove" with infant care.  I hated de-snuffling your noses with the aspirator since you cried the entire time - when it was necessary, Dad did it most often and did his best to make it easier by telling you how it would be over soon etc.  This was especially frequent for you Alex, since you were a winter baby.  He changed many diapers and sets of clothes, and was happy to do baby bath time in the kitchen sink (which you also disliked a lot, I think mostly because you were cold).  We both put up with various baby outputs, the worst of which was when you threw up in your crib or in our bed.

As you grew, Dad was "the main man" when you were colicky, teething or sick.  He would usually take first shift night while I slept, then I would take over about 2 am.  Dad also spent more days home from work with sick boys than I did.  Rob, Dad and I took turns doing your nighttime breathing treatments after you were diagnosed with asthma at 9 months old.  This also meant watching Thomas the Tank Engine episodes (video tapes... old school!) in the middle of the night - as we did during daytime treatments as well.  And when we went out, Dad typically had a baby bottle in his back pocket (this is a vivid memory for me) while carrying baby, baby paraphernalia or pushing a stroller.  Alex, you were very attached to bottle & blankie.  Rob, you were attached to your pillow and bottle & blankie.

As you remember well, most days he took you over to Grandma's in the mornings.  He would keep an eye out and read the paper, as you got breakfast, played with toys, played trains and watched TV.  I think he enjoyed these times a lot, as of course Grandma did very much.  Grandma would make your breakfast, and get McDonald's or Burger King take-outs on a regular basis.  She would drive off, often in her nightgown with a jacket or coat over it, to go through the drive-through - sometimes you joined her as you got older.  I remember she got mad when the order wasn't filled correctly and someone didn't get pancakes, cinni-mini's or whatever had been requested.

Dad loved coming to your games and activities.  He walked in the Memorial Day Parade with both of you, with little league and cub scouts.  We went on bike rides around town.  Alex, we brought you to Camp Lackawanna and Camp Cadet for overnight camps.

Dad was always happy to go on outings and vacations with all of our stuff in tow.  He could pack a car up to its gills, and have just enough room for car seats in the back (with various items piled around you).  We made trips to Webster MA, Ocean City MD and the NC Outer Banks most years, plus trips to Ottawa ON, Brunswick ME, the Smoky Mountains in TN, Disney World, St. Louis and a combination Los Angeles CA/Pahrump NV trek where our rental car broke down in Death Valley (luckily in October, when the heat was not dangerous).  I'm sure there are more places that I'm forgetting.  I remember a drive back from the Outer Banks when there was a blueberry fight in the back seat.

He also loved visiting Aunt Gloria and Uncle Melvin in Maryland.  Alex, you probably remember this the most.  He would take you on the train into Washington DC, where you went to the Smithsonian etc.  I remember simply going to the train station in Perryville to sit on the platform watching trains go by.  He also took you to a couple Inauguration Days all bundled in warm coats - where you saw parts of the ceremony from some distance away and then the parade.  Dad told me that you, Alex, were very impressed with seeing a "sniper" on the roof of one of the buildings near the parade route.  Rob, my first time doing this was with you in 2017 for the Trump inauguration (even though Bernie Sanders was your fave candidate).  It was an interesting day, I'm glad we went.

While he was able, Dad was a very involved and loving father.  Here is one of my favorite pictures, from Rob's Cookie Corner graduation in June 2008, to help us remember these good times.

22 years, 8 months

I had you for most of 22 year and 8 months, Alex.  You moved out over Labor Day Weekend, and I completely understand that you are ready.  I was just slightly older that you are when I married Dad and moved from GrandNana's house in Dallas to the back apartment on Monument Ave, Wyoming.  I was ready to be independent then, and I think you are now too.

Besides some time when you lived with Dad and we didn't see much of each other (which in fact prompted starting this blog on Nov. 11, 2011), and a year or so living mostly in Plymouth I've thought of you as generally being "mine".  To a much greater extent when you were little and of course less so as time has gone on.  I've missed you the past several weeks, though in fact you aren't far away in Exeter.  The hardest thing so far was folding your clothes for the last time as I packed things in your room.  I started getting you clothes, washing them, folding & putting them away before you were born.  But I will adjust, this is a normal part of life for both of us.  And there is always the chance that you may end up living with us again at some point.  Until you have your own kids, I doubt you will understand how much I love you - as Moms & Dads love their children from newborn days, through toddler, preschool, school & teenage years and for ever.

You seem to be settling in fine, living with Taylor on Daisy Court in Wildflower Village.  (I was very impressed that Taylor got a job almost immediately after her post-graduation, summer internship in Pittsburgh - she started work at Rutkoski Fencing in August.)  You've had a great opportunity to rent the townhouse from Taylor's Dad.  Your place is spacious and comfortable, and from the get-go you've had Taylor's cat Chloe!  Just perfect!!  And lucky for you both, it's fully furnished and set up with appliances, kitchen stuff and a gas grill which you'll learn to use soon.

Wishing you the best with this new venture, and as they now say your initial experience with "adulting".   It requires effort, balancing of various priorities, and will include some stress (cooking, cleaning, paying bills - Eek!).  And is rewarded by a nice feeling of accomplishment when you are successfully managing your own household.  Along with this comes your very own place to call home, which I hope means you rest well and relax there to re-charge when you're not occupied with schoolwork, and time at Misericordia & Gerrity's.

PS....  I started this post in October, and didn't finish it because I wanted a picture of you at home.  On Thanksgiving we stopped over and Steve did a kitchen photo shoot.  Here's a nice picture of all three of you.