Slow Down Girl!

Have you ever had the scary experience of losing your wallet? You know that moment of sheer terror when you realize someone could be enjoying an all expenses trip to Chick fil- A on you? Someone could be buying that iPhone you've been eyeing up and would buy if you didn't have a mortgage, car payment or kids.

Well, I had that moment over the weekend. I had been shopping at one of those club stores with my youngest. I borrowed my mom's membership card so I could get a few things for our upcoming church social. The trip was a little disappointing from the beginning. I got what I needed no problem, but the offerings in the free sample department were lacking. There were only a handful of stations (a considerable decrease from the last time I was there) and really nothing new I wanted to try. Airplane cookies and a Teriyaki meatball weren't doin' it for me last Saturday.

We walked through the toy section and got a jump start on a Christmas list before going through the checkout. I was holding my wallet (which has a wrist strap) and had my membership card out as per protocol. Unfortunately, I did not bring a purse and my pants did not have pockets. This means I was also holding my keys and my phone and I was about to be holding my receipt so I could pass through the smiley face checkpoint. (You know the guy that stands near the door to make sure the items in your buggy match the items on your receipt and then draws a smiley face on your paper?)

Walking through the parking lot I was still holding the receipt. I knew I had to keep it separate since I needed it for the church secretary. I put it behind the sun visor in the van and proceeded to unload my cart. While unloading, my mind was racing with all the things I had to do next, so let's just say concentration was not my strong suit at that moment. I put the buggy back and we were on our way. Half way down the road I started looking around the passenger seat for my wallet. Middle console - also no wallet. I pulled over and did a complete van check - no wallet. I knew I had to go back to the store.

For some reason I remained relatively calm. I was trying to convince myself that this wasn't really happening and if it was really happening there was going to be a happy ending. I think I even may have offered this little prayer, "Please God fix this." For goodness sake, I had just bought a book of stamps so if for nothing else, I wanted my Disney villains back.

I first searched all the buggy drop offs. My mind was so scattered that I couldn't even remember where I had parked my van just ten minutes ago. Luckily, an employee, who was about to gather up the carts and take them inside, offered his assistance. He said this was the first time that day he was outside, so no carts had been returned to the store yet. When my wallet wasn't found outside he advised me to go inside. He said, "Maybe someone turned it in."

As I walked into the store my cell phone rang. It was my dad. "Where are you?" he said, "They have your wallet." An employee had called my family since the membership card with my mom's name on it was in the front pocket. Someone had in fact turned my wallet in. My dad told me to calm down, but I felt like I already had a good handle on that.

I went inside to retrieve my wallet and was very appreciative of the service I received. Everyone was so nice and happy for me to be getting my item back. I checked inside and everything, including my credit cards, stamps and lucky buck were still in place. Some good Samaritan took the time to take my wallet into the store so it could be safely retrieved. I don't know if I left it in my cart or dropped it on the ground but whatever happened - a kind, anonymous soul truly saved the day. He/she didn't know me or my circumstances but took the time to make a difference and for that I am humbled.

So you may be asking, why didn't I have a purse that day? First of all, I am not really a purse person. If you see me with a purse it is probably one my mom bought for me. Her philosophy - a woman never leaves a house without lipstick or a purse. I almost never follow that philosophy so I am a disgrace to the ladies of a more elegant generation. I once had a lovely purse, back when I was in high school. It was grey and was made out of tapestry fabric. It held my Hershey Kiss lip gloss and a small beaded bag for loose change. When someone took my purse one fateful day, I swore off purses for life. Nothing could ever replace that beautiful bag and I set myself up for a lifetime of lost keys and Chapstick tubes.

While the purse story did not have a happy ending, the wallet story did. This event was a red flag that I need to slow down a little and always carry a purse. Maybe a Coach bag is just what I need to get my life on track? Is there a script for that?

Rare photo of me carrying a purse

                                             

Thanks, Jimmy...

I was sad to hear of the passing of Jimmy Beaumont over the weekend. If the name does not ring a bell to the under 40 crowd, I understand. He fronted a band which had their biggest hit in 1959. But along with his Skyliners, they provided the soundtrack for my childhood and important moments that I will forever treasure.

Growing up in the 70's, our house was always filled with music.  At a young age, my palate was wet with the sounds of my parents' favorites, Johnny Mathis, Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck...Yeah, those were good times, pussycat. As we got older, my brother and I would roll our eyes and moan when those 8 tracks would go in the car before a road trip, but I think my exposure to the ''oldies" fostered my love for The Beatles, which exists to this day.

My dad has a good friend who was a DJ. He would create specialty 8 track tapes just for my dad with songs he liked. There was a Skyliners tape which got so much play I cannot believe it didn't wear out. This was the tape we would listen to when my dad and I would dance together in our living room. "Since I Don't Have You", "This I Swear" and  "Where Have They Gone" were good slow numbers for daddy/daughter dances. Of course, "Pennies From Heaven" was a favorite of my brother and I, who could sing along to the catchy tune...'every time it rains it rains - pennies from heaven. Don't you know each cloud contains - pennies from heaven.'

At the time I did not know Jimmy was local.  It was quite a surprise to find out later that he lived about 5 minutes from our house! One day while playing with my best friend across the street I met one of her school pals who was Jimmy's daughter. I was star struck! I could not believe I was talking to someone who was related to one of the biggest names in our house, besides Terry Bradshaw and Sylvester Stallone.

Upon reading stories since his death, I have learned a few things about this beloved crooner. When Jimmy and his band were invited to perform with Dick Clark's  Caravan of Stars, a New York audience was surprised that this band, with a doo-wop sound, was a white band. (They were the only white group to ever top the Cashbox R&B chart.)  Also, Jimmy was only 18 when he wrote the music for "Since I Don't Have You", which is the song I chose for my father/daughter dance at my wedding. The lyrics were penned by a friend, who would later become the band's manager, dealing with his girlfriend's decision to go to school out of state.

Although my taste in music veered a little off the oldies path, now that I am older, I love hearing those old songs now. I love the memories that come rushing back of a little girl in her frilly nightgown and slippers dancing  around the living room to Jimmy's high falsetto voice, which predated Frankie Valli, the Bee Gees and, in more modern times, Joey McIntyre from New Kids on the Block.

My father said Jimmy had been sick for a while, but according to Internet reports, he was still performing as recently as last month. He died in his sleep in his home in McKeesport. I am sad that I never got to tell Jimmy how much his music meant to me over the years.

 People who have been made famous through their music seem to have that unreliable sense of immortality that continues to fail us. But one comforting element, for those who have come to appreciate the musicianship of these artists, we are only a click away from pulling up one of their hits thanks to the wonder of technology. Hearing their voice, loud and clear, making it seem like they never left us.

I wish I could pop in my dad's 8 track tape and hear a Skyliners' hit the way we used to, but for now, I'm off to search YouTube.   If it rains today and I find something shiny on the ground, I'll know who is responsible.

   

KB and Dad dancing to "Since I Don't Have You"

You Saved How Much?

There is just something about a man dressed in a suit -or even just a sport coat and slacks. (Do people still even use that word...slacks? ) My husband does not have the opportunity or need to get dressed up very often which means a limited wardrobe in this department. So this past weekend meant - shopping spree!

I usually go online and shop that way but there was not enough time. We had a wedding to go to and even though we knew about it for awhile,  the opportunity for both of us to go out and find an outfit never happened. I, luckily have an arsenal of dresses to fall back on but my man needed an updated ensemble.

I remember the very first time my husband and I went clothes shopping decades ago. We were only boyfriend and girlfriend at the time, and we went to Montgomery Ward at Greengate Mall to rack up the charges on his credit card. It was a painful experience. He couldn't make up his mind and it took forever. Funny part about it - we were also heading to a wedding and he needed a dress shirt. We got a few other things too, but it ended up being a long day.

Online shopping makes things so easy now, which makes actually going to a store even less enjoyable for me. Unless...you go to a store that is having one of their bi-annual biggest sales ever. No coupons needed. Just me, a list with sizes and of course, my carde de credit. That's French for plastic money. Luckily, my sister joined me to occupy my youngest who was under the weather.

Almost everything in the store was on sale! (20, 30, 40% off. ) I only paid full price for one item and I decided to suck it up since my first thought was - I could find this somewhere else for less for sure. But the time I saved was worth the price I paid. I got pants. I got shoes. I got a belt and a shirt. I wasn't keeping a running total in my head, but I knew I had saved a nice chunk of money. Plus, I had a gift card. Win-Win!

I know it sounds a little old fashioned but I was proud to be out shopping for my husband. Yes, I would be lying if I said I didn't want to be spending the time getting a little somethin' somethin' for this ol' gal but hey, I knew I would benefit from the eye candy that would be coming my way. I don't get to see the Matthew McConaughey Lincoln Continental side of my husband that often so I was all in.

Upon check out, I found out I saved $104.10! Can you believe it? I felt like I just won the penny slot machine at Rivers Casino. Then I discovered I had earned future bucks for my next shopping experience. My circuits were overwhelmed. I forgot to use my gift card and only realized it after the purchase was complete. I became "that lady" and asked if the cashier could apply it anyway, which meant voiding my purchase and starting over. Yeah, I know she was irritated and I know the people in line were irritated, but I wasn't letting my simple gaffe ruin the satisfaction of savings. I let the ice cold stares bounce right off my warm heart of cha-ching.

So, fairy tale ending - everything fit and looked perfect. He even liked the newfangled belt with the flat front instead of the buckle. The shoes were good too, even though I went with a wide width instead of regular. Then I told him about the savings and the gleam in his eye said it all - this gal got it going on.

It has been almost 20 years since our first shopping experience and we are about to celebrate 18 years since the dressiest day in our lives. I am still happy to be 'cleaning up nice' with this guy after all this time. Here's to more fancy occasions and opportunities to make him look good.

The Last Splash

The Last Splash
Riders Say Goodbye to Kennywood's Log Jammer
By: Kristen Keleschenyi

It was a bittersweet weekend for Kennywood fans as it marked the end of another summer season and the final voyage for the Log Jammer. The powers that be have decided that the ride, installed back in 1975, will be removed to make room for something new. Their decision drove thousands to the park on an unseasonably warm September weekend to board a log one last time and take that plunge into a plume of Monongahela spray .

But for some, the final goodbyes did not go as planned. A number of malfunctions forced the closure of the ride a few times during the weekend causing a flurry of angry, desperate posts on social media. Many were upset that people were not told sooner about this being the final season for the Log Jammer, without a lot of time to enjoy it before it was gone.

Kennywood's Director of Public Relations and Social Media, Nick Paradise, says it has been an ongoing rumor that the ride was going to close. Management has been considering the removal of the ride on and off for years, with fans speculating just when the end would come.  But the decision became official just last week and did allow for many to experience the thrill one last time.

"We thought this weekend would be better than nothing, although I do wonder if the social media backlash would have been not so big had it [the announcement] been in the off season just because people aren't thinking about it as much," said Paradise.

The weekend was set up to be the perfect opportunity for the Vivis family,  from White Oak, to take their final ride. Amber and Walt had already planned to take their boys, Noah, 12, and Brody, 7, to the park with tickets they had to use since it was the final weekend for the season. Amber has fond memories of the ride during childhood summers spent at the park and was sad to hear it would be going away.

"It's been there as long as I can remember, it's one year younger than me so it's the nostalgia part of it that makes you think, 'Oh no, not the Log Jammer.'"

When they first arrived at the park on Saturday, buzz in the parking lot was that the ride was closed. Sure enough when they got into the park they saw for themselves - no line, no logs, no splashes. Later in the afternoon, once the ride reopened, Amber said the line was like nothing she had ever seen before. It didn't seem like the family of four would get their final ride in until around 9 o'clock when the line was a little shorter, so they took a chance. When they were three groups away from hopping on a log, the ride once again had to be shut down.

"All of a sudden you could hear some chattering and the kids working came back and said, 'it's broken. You can wait or you can leave,'" recalls Amber, who was surprised to find out that when the ride is shut down all the water drains out. "I thought there was water in there all the time."

The family waited for a few minutes, hoping the ride would once again be up and running. While watching people, who had been stranded when the ride was shut down, walking down ladders just to get off the ride, they decided to call it a night.

"The kids were disappointed," says Amber, " but I think Walt and I were more disappointed."

Paradise said, "It's a constant process for the maintenance team. These are very sophisticated, complicated  and sometimes sensitive machines. Sensitive I say because safety is so important, even the slightest thing off can trigger it to stop and not go back up until the computer systems say everything is ok."

For a ride like the Log Jammer, 42 years is about the typical life span. Although the wooden coasters have been at the park a lot longer, each year roughly 10 % of the lumber is replaced. Nothing on the coasters dates back to their debut, which for the Racer was 1927.

"It becomes a tough decision. Do you make a massive investment to potentially rebuild the entire ride essentially, or do you look toward the future, and we've decided to do the later."

Paradise would not speculate on what could possibly take the 'Jammer's' space, but does say removing the ride will open up that corner space in a park that is landlocked. In order to put something new in something old has to go, and for a place like Kennywood,  with many historic rides, it is a constant challenge.

Unlike the Vivis family, Melissa Morris, from Swissvale, and her son, Xavier, got their final splash on Sunday. Xavier just started liking roller coasters and fell in love with the Log Jammer.

Xavier says, "I like the big splash at the end."

Melissa laments, " We were really hoping it was going to have another couple of years so he could get used to it before he went on to the Racer or the Jack Rabbit. It's a good middle range ride for a little kid."

Paradise knows and appreciates that Pittsburghers are passionate about the things they love, whether it's their sports teams or their amusement parks.

"While we know it's hard right now, we think ultimately in time people will understand and accept the decision and be happy about what eventually comes in."

Many who have memories of their splashes on the Log Jammer, whether it was their first, last, or ones shared with special people, Melissa says , "This is the most Pittsburgh thing ever. It's this limping, disgusting, ancient ride, but whenever it's time to say goodbye everybody comes out for the wake. We're all here."

No Not Again

Why do we have to talk about this every year? This is a comment I overheard a 15-year-old say to a friend about the upcoming 9/11 lesson in their high school World Cultures class. I was shocked! So many thoughts ran through my head. So many things I wanted to say to those kids who had no clue. But in all fairness, it's not their fault.

Everyone was talking this week about where you were and what you were doing when the events of 9/11 unfolded. My oldest interviewed me for a homework assignment. I gave my personal account of how my traffic reporter job in Virginia was altered because so many tunnels and bridges were shut down as a safety precaution, due to the number of military bases in the area surrounding Virginia Beach. We were basically telling people to stay off the roads. It was scary driving into work for my afternoon shift, staring at my surroundings wondering if the next terrorist target was nearby.

My husband and I attended a wedding on a military base days after the attacks. It was supposed to be a beach wedding, but that particular beach remained closed. The ceremony and reception were done inside with a view of the sand and water and armed guards who lined the shore. The bride was simply happy to be having her wedding at the location at all. Luckily, the non-military personnel restrictions were lifted and guests were allowed on the base.

There are a few things that really stand out for me about September 11, 2001. I remember getting a call at work from my husband telling me he just talked to his dad who lived in Somerset County. He said that a plane went down not far from his home. (This was before the crash of Flight 93 was confirmed.) I was incredulous. I thought it was a random plane, a coincidence, something unrelated to the other events happening in New York and Washington D.C. How could a small town, in rural PA have anything to do with this masterfully crafted terrorist attack? Later that evening, my husband would see people he knew on the national news being interviewed about the crash.

I remember a passionate conversation with my brother, who was 24 at the time, and his desire to sign up for military service. He was ready to kill some terrorists and he wasn't taking any names. He never did sign up, but I did admire him at the time and felt a little proud that he wanted to follow in our dad's footsteps and fight for our country and the freedoms we lost that day.

Exactly one month prior to 9/11, my husband and I went on a cruise. We flew to Georgia then to Ft. Lauderdale to board the ship. We flew without a care in the world - without taking our shoes off, without measuring our shampoo, without personally being x-rayed.

I remember flying back to Norfolk with a couple friends and hearing a bunch of thuds coming from underneath the plane. It was obviously suitcases shuffling around, but it was rather loud. I remember asking what all that noise could be and our one friend said nonchalantly, "It's probably just the plane falling apart." We all had a chuckle, being the cynical bunch we were, never for a second imagining the heartbreaking events that would happen in the sky for real in a few short weeks.

I guess looking back on 9/11 it is easy to see how kids wouldn't want to talk about it each year. It is sad and depressing and not exactly the kind of topic you want to get into only a few weeks after school has begun. And I probably didn't give Dec. 7 the proper attention it deserved when I was in school. If you were not there and did not live through it, it is hard to comprehend the emotion and impact of such devastating events.

But it is important to talk about 9/11 every year. It's a day that shook our nation to its core and it became our A.D. We define things as pre 9/11 or after 9/11. Life changed - even something as simple as listening to the radio changed; as songs deemed violent got less airplay and patriotic numbers increased. Kids need to know this as they will write the book for dealing with their own national crisis some day.

I can only hope the teen who didn't want to talk about the events of 16 years ago took something away from his classroom lesson this week. I, too, wish we didn't have to talk about 9/11 each year, but ignoring these anniversaries, no matter how tragic, would do us all a disservice. For only in knowing where we've been can we have any gratitude for how far we've come.

                                      Postcard from college trip to NY -year 1995

Lucky 13

My daughter is about to turn 13. Thirteen... I can hardly wrap my head around it. As a mom, I think you go into over drive at times and don't dwell on the milestones because they are just plain sad. My kids are not babies anymore and haven't been for a while, but it is those milestones that really drive the point home.

My middle child is the only girl out of my three kids and was a surprise from the beginning. Because my husband and I did not want to find out what we were having, I was convinced she was another boy. The afternoon I went into labor, at a Midwifery Center in Virginia, I had briefly achieved a moment of zen in a jaccuzi hot tub when I frantically said, "Get me outta here. It's time!"

Seconds after my daughter was born, my midwife said, "It's a girl!" and I said, "Are you serious?" Holding my little girl for the first time was a warm moment I will always treasure. Hours later... the crying began. For 9 months she pretty much cried. She had a brief window in the morning where she would be the sweetest baby in the world, but then around 2 p.m. Waa, waa, waaaaaa!

I would rock her and sing songs to her. I even changed up the lyrics of "Daydream Believer" by the Monkees from 'Cheer Up Sleepy Jean' to 'Cheer Up Nora Leigh'. Nothing worked.

Our doctor though it might be a couple different things. Maybe a dairy allergy. So I gave up dairy products while I was breastfeeding. (I never got back into drinking milk but my love affair with cheese certainly intensified.) Then we tried Zantac for possible acid reflux. Her crying lessened slightly, but not as much as we had hoped. We did not go out to restaurants in the afternoon, we limited social activities and when my husband came home on his dinner break, I would join in the crying.

But something happened around nine months that changed everything. She started walking! Her personality shifted from whiney baby to pleasant toddler. She smiled when she woke up. She was rarely sad. She was sunshine and sweetness and it made the months prior melt into a distant memory. I loved this little girl from the start, but I was thankful the tide had changed.

She never was really into dolls growing up and had a slew of favorite stuffed animal friends from a kitty to a turtle to a koala. I think my favorite Halloween costume was at age 4 when she dressed up like Diego, a male cartoon character who saved animals. It didn't matter that he was a boy. She wanted to be an animal rescuer with a backpack and she was the cutest one in town.

Now 13 years later, I look at this confident young lady. She is so much more personable than I was at this age. I was so timid and shy. (Nothing like I am now.) She is not afraid of going out there and getting it done and doing her best. During a recent Tamburitzan performance, part of her costume fell off, but she didn't miss a beat. She danced in her slip and owned it. At her age I would have frozen stiff on the stage unable to move.

Now she is a new member of her school's colorguard squad. Yes, she is tiny but she can twirl a flag like a boss. Even if she only does it for a year, the dedication and determination she has shone would make it worthwhile. Watching her socialize with this group of new and old friends makes my heart happy. I cannot wait to see what she does next.

So as we get ready to celebrate #13, on the same day her great-grandmother passed away eight years prior, I cannot help but feel a little sad. I wouldn't mind holding that miserable baby one more time just to whisper in her ear and tell her all the things she'll do once she stops crying. But instead of thinking about the past I'll try to celebrate all the things this little girl is and how her independence started from the moment she took her first steps. She's been walking toward her future since she put on a little pink pair of Mary Janes with a velcro strap, and has never looked back.

                                                 Nora dressed as Diego for Halloween

Not That Kind Of Corona

I feel badly that one of the things I sometimes find myself saying lately is - the more I'm alive the less I like people. But you get it, right? After 43 years I've seen some things and maybe my tolerance isn't what it used to be. But this week I am happy to say my outlook is different. This week I am filled with love for my fellow man all because of the sun. (Cue George Harrison's guitar intro for "Here Comes The Sun".)

I spent Monday - Eclipse Day - at a couple of community gatherings held to celebrate and embrace the celestial event. I was happy to see so many people show up to participate in the festivities. I did not expect that; one because it fell during a work day and two I thought it was a "nerd" thing.

I can say that because I have always been one of those "nerds". During the partial eclipse of '94, as a college student with a summer office job, I made a paper plate camera I could use to safely view the sun. I tried to entice my adult co-workers to come outside on break with me and check things out, but no one was really into it like me. Plus, we were supposed to be working. There were phones and customers to deal with.

As a middle school student, I remember using my grandfather's old telescope to check out a few lunar eclipses. I would always end up outside in our backyard alone, alone in terms of people, but with plenty of company of the animal variety. After a few owl hoots or rustling in the grass sounds, I would end up going back into the safely of my home.

But this year it was different. I was not alone.  I was able to experience the eclipse with my kids, my sister and her family and people I had never met before. My sister and I stood side by side, decked out in our special glasses - staring at the sun. Folks,  it doesn't get better than that. So many people gathered at the community event we attended and when our kids got bored, they could hit the playground. It was surprisingly a delightful day that allowed many people to take pause and marvel at our world.

What I am most impressed with are the people who took time to plan fun community events. People took time away from their regular jobs dealing with budgets, agendas and bills to create an afternoon of enjoyment for their residents. And this wasn't unique to our area - it happened all over the country. It was especially nice to be among the sun gazers because everyone seemed - happy.

It was an exciting atmosphere where people could enjoy food, fellowship and a view of the eclipse that at one point was almost completely obscured by cloud cover. When it counted, the clouds parted, providing an incredible vantage point for those who were watching with anticipation. There was even a point where some rain drops fell and boy my heart was racing thinking their might be an eclipse and a rainbow.

I am glad that people were able to embrace this amazing event. People of all ages were gathered to be a part of the happening and for me it was, just incredible. I was in awe of the sight I witnessed once I put my NASA approved glasses on. It sure beat my paper plate set up from a few decades ago. Even still, many took time to construct a cereal box camera and one gentleman even allowed me to give it a go!

I hope kids who participated in Monday's eclipse learned a thing or two about our universe and how amazing it is that something so large - the sun - can be dimmed by something much smaller in size - the moon - with a distance of millions of miles separating the two. Maybe now words and phrases like corona, umbra and path of totality, make sense to these young minds who are getting a better dose of STEM (science, technology. engineering and math) in schools these days.

All I know is that I am already planning to flee to the 'Cleve (Cleveland, Ohio) in 2024 for the next solar eclipse. I am going to save the pair of glasses I got this week and instead of the 80% totality we had in Pittsburgh get a 100% dose of corona (not the beer), which is predicted for parts of Ohio and northwest PA. It is going to be a long wait but hey, on Monday smiles returned to faces and once again to invoke Mr. Harrison - it's alright.

                       Nolan and my nephew, Connor, during the Great American Eclipse