Quarterly Debriefing

This past weekend a few of the brothers from the lodge made their way across the commonwealth to attend the Quarterly Communication of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. While I have attended this meeting the past two years and I was considering making a day trip to Pittsburgh, I simply did not have the time to attend. These meeting are always an interesting gathering of brothers from around the commonwealth and I enjoy reconnecting with many of them whom I have gotten to know a little during previous meetings. However, the real motivation which made the decision of whether to attend rather difficult was that, for the second year in a row, our lodge was being recognized with the Grand Master’s Award.

There have undoubtedly been a few obstacles over the past few years and moments when quite a few of us have questioned whether we could continue but we have always pulled together and pushed through those barriers. And that is the real reason why we have been able to achieve such recognition recently. Not only have we been surrounded with brothers of great tenacity but, more importantly, we have brothers in the lodge that can clearly see what the end goal is and what we need to do, or fix, to reach that goal. Thankfully, this seems to be a common thread among many of the brothers that have joined our lodge over the past few years as well… a few of which have already become tremendous leaders in our small part of the fraternity.   

Having now been recognized with two award there is no doubt that the lodge has undergone a drastic change over the past few years and now we have set a new precedent for ourselves to continue the progress that we have made during this rather short period of time. The truly exciting aspect of this is that we have the leadership and new members that not just make that a possibility but a probability. I am not going to predict another Grand Master’s Award for this year but there will definitely be at least one more presentation made in the near future. After all, we have already accomplished a great deal and seeing the brothers continuing to invest in the lodge and in one another makes this almost a sure thing.

But, as was the case in the past, awards are not our point of focus. Education, fellowship, participation, and leadership are what will bring about the change that we all hope to achieve. If we can focus on these four foundation principles while maintaining our motivation there is nothing that will stop us from making our lodge the jewel of the district and one of the leaders in our jurisdiction. Do this and the rewards will be a natural result of our transformation.  

More Trips This Summer?

It has been a busy summer which actually started in the spring. This year, in addition to the various day trips around the area, we have been to Hershey, Pittsburgh, Stone Harbor, and all over Virginia. Additionally, I took a short trip to Atlanta. It has been a lot of miles, provided us with a few challenges, and also been a great experience with our son. The question now is whether or not we want to continue traveling during the remaining summer months?

My wife and I have discussed taking a few day trips to revisit some places and introduce our son to some of our favorite spots. At the same time, we obviously have to take into consideration the fact that we are no longer traveling as a couple but as a family so some of our previous adventures are incredibly impractical at this point in our lives. We have been so busy this summer that it has been nice not having to be anywhere during our weekends. August is already well underway and there aren’t many days left before things get busy at work.

However, while it may not be this summer, there are a couple of spots that we will visit again and show our son some of the places that we have enjoyed over the last few years. Jim Thorpe is definitely on the list as it provides us with a nice relaxing place to walk and I am sure our son will enjoy riding on the train through the mountains. Maybe we should hold this off for the fall so we can finally experience it with the trees burning the horizon.

Gettysburg will definitely be another family trip. In addition to being a great place to walk there are a lot of things that we didn’t get around to seeing when my wife and I drove down there last time. However, with so much open space, this isn’t going to be the best place to go during the heat of August. This will, most likely, be a trip that we take in the spring.

The last place that immediately came to mind when we were thinking about other places to bring our son was Knoebels… didn’t really have to think hard about this one. It is a great way to introduce our son to an amusement park without the intensity of the huge crowds or the cost of parking and general admission. There are so many thing that he can look at and new experiences that we want to expose him to. I expect to be riding the small train quite a few times whenever we are able to get up there. I am thinking that this will be perfect for next summer.

Of course this doesn’t really answer the question of where we will be taking our son this summer but at least there are a few places planned out for the future. What can I say, he likes to travel and be out and about so we need at least a few of these things planned ahead of time. I guess you will find out where we bring our son this summer shortly after we return from our brief travels. Sometimes, that is the best way to plan out a summer anyway.

TMI Tuesday: Still Recovering

Recovering from vacation could be worse!

It has been just over a week and we are all still recovering from our summer excursion. While our feet have recovered and our schedules seem to be back to near normal there are still times of adjustment throughout the day. Also, having now been able to think about the trip and trying to get back to our routine, for the record, our son’s maximum vacation length is eight days.

Since our return there have been times when we don’t want to do anything or go anywhere and there are other moments when we look for things to do and places to go. The same can be said for all three of us as, every once in a while, I catch those looks on my son’s face when I know he wants to be out seeing something new. Of course, he still has the occasional moment of “where the heck am I” and “where are we going today?”

There are a lot of things that are back to normal but there are the hiccups that come with change. There are moments when our son is a little more temperamental with his eating or stubbornly not wanting to go to bed. And, with how much he grew during our week away, there are other things that need to be adjusted as well. However, all in all, he has been great getting back into many of the usual routines that he enjoys. It is definitely easier on my wife not having to carry so much stuff around and find new places to feed and change him.

It has certainly been an adjustment from seeing new things every day, being with each other all day, and not having to go to work in the morning but we are working through the change back to normal. Thankfully, in addition to being able to get caught up at work, much of the house work has been done that we put off until we got back. It is looking pretty good actually. Coming home to some of the messing things after being in clean hotel rooms was a bit of an eye opener… we are working on a better daily/weekly routine to make sure that doesn’t happen again!

While this summer has gone about as smoothly as we could have ever hoped, I know that there are few things that we have learned along the way and that next summer will be structured quite differently. It has been good to get away and spend time with family but the length and frequency of the trips will have to be adjusted moving forward. This most recent trip was a tad too long while the other ones could have been extended by a couple of days. All lessons that we will apply moving forward.

Back To Ardmore… Finally!

I didn’t realize until recently how long it had been since I was last at the lodge… I think it had been over a month as the last two meetings weren’t in Ardmore. Obviously, I had to make the time and head down there even though we were still readjusting at home after our vacation. Thankfully, having quick caught up at the office, I was able to get on the road and down to the main line in plenty of time.

When I pulled in I didn’t see any of the usual cars in the lot. I pretty much wrote it off as being a little earlier than usual and proceeded to make my way across the street to clean out the mailbox which was clearly not happy about my recent absence. After corralling the postal overflow and sorting out the items for another day, I put everything in my bag next to my laptop and headed to the front door of the lodge.

Still locked, I opened the door and was immediately hit with a wave of heat from within the walls of the building. No lights were on and the hall was in a bit of disarray. I had forgotten that the kitchen was being renovated during these hot and quite months. Walking to the back of the building it was an interesting sight to see the now blank canvass with new wires already installed. I was surprised and happy to see the progress that had been made thus far.

After about 15 minutes it was unusual to still be the only one in the building so I pulled out my phone and made a few calls. It turns out that the kitchen was not the only thing that had slipped my mind. The brethren would not be returning to Ardmore this month and instead attending the district school in Paoli. I returned after a month away only to find that no one was going to be there. However, I took the opportunity while on the phone to coordinate a few mail related items (i.e. someone to pick up the plethora of packages during the day) and double check the schedule for the remainder of the month.

I guess it is going to be quieter than usual until August. Well, at least on Tuesday nights, there is still plenty of work to be done and projects that need to be completed. But, for now, it was time to head home much earlier than I was expecting.

Firearms Friday: Buying Local

Photo from our brief detour along Skyline Drive. 

Usually when preparing for a trip I pull up Google and search for a local gun shop where I can stop by and look around. Not the Bass Pro Shop, Gander Mountain, or Cabela’s nearby but the small family owned shop like my shop up in Jamison, Tanner’s Sports Center. Besides being a much more inviting place to stop and relax, the prices are usually better and we all have to do our part to support these small businesses.

This has become part of my travel routine. When I first drove out to Elizabethtown I found Trop Gun Shop. When I ventured to the other side of the Commonwealth, I stopped by the Keystone Armory. It is a fun and relaxing way for me to take a break from the road and the usual agenda of these trips. And each time I end up walking out with at least something small that I had been meaning to pick up.

However, the last couple of trips this summer, I didn’t plan on making such a stop. Our weekend getaway to Hershey wasn’t my weekend, which was a couple of days dedicated to my wife and making her happy… this is my hobby and I wasn’t going to let it interfere with her weekend. The drive to Pittsburgh was already a bit of a challenge and had so many unknowns that there wasn’t a moment to be spared. And, finally, the current trip to Virginia is all about family… it has been too long since we have taken this journey together and there are too many other things that we need to see that adding another stop just for me doesn’t make sense.

Instead, the detours that we took on our way down were for practical and bucket list purposes. We managed to pack the car (10 in 5) and get out of the house on time and hit little traffic on the first leg before stopping at a Waffle House along the highway. In addition to it having been a long time for each of us since dining at a Waffle House (with the exception of a quick stop in Arizona a couple of years ago) it was also the first time that our son had been to one and it was also his first experience in a high chair.

After lunch we continued on the highway which would take us directly to the Red Roof Inn in Troutville, Virginia. We had a dinner schedule for tonight so we did have a bit of a schedule but we also had plenty of leeway so we took a little detour (the first of many during this vacation I’m sure). It was a brief bucket list trek off the highway and over the mountains to Skyline Drive. The views were spectacular but the 30 mph speed limit wasn’t going to work for us so after a short while we turned around and back tracked to the highway.

In the end, while it is nice to stop by local shops and I encourage the practice, family has to come first. We can’t do everything that we want but we can chose the best experiences to have in life and by taking the time and enjoying new experiences with family rather than indulging in our own hobby, we will be much better for it. Of course, there could certainly be a few stops to local shops in the future.

Even with an overcast sky and hazy valley the views were still stunning.

While In Pittsburgh…

Photo taken after riding up the Duquesne Incline. 

As the black clouds overtook the blue and gray in the sky yesterday, I knew there was a good chance that fellowship was going to be cancelled for this week. The power outages and tornado warnings were already circulating as I got in the car after work. After a few minutes on the road, the texts and calls began vibrating my phone out of the holster. Just as I had thought, the weather was not going to permit us to meet for the night.

With that said, there was still a lot that happened this past week. As I previously mentioned, my wife and I made the trip across the Commonwealth this past weekend so that I would be able to attend the Quarterly Communication of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. It was a perfect excuse for a short family trip and it was a great way to spend Father’s Day weekend.

While I have attended many quarterly communications in the past (I believe I have been to all of them since being raised in April of 2013), this one had the most brothers from my lodge in attendance and for good reason. Erie was an interesting (and long) adventure last summer but this meeting was a little different and one that I wanted to be sure to attend. This meeting was an opportunity for me to watch a couple of my fellow brothers and my lodge to be honored by the Right Worshipful Grand Master.

We may be a small lodge but we have certainly accomplished a lot over the past year and the meeting in Pittsburgh was a perfect way to acknowledge the work that we all had done the previous year. Not just the leadership and officers of the lodge but each and every member regardless of how long they have been in the fraternity. After all, the success of the lodge is dependent upon not just those in leadership roles but also those who have decades of knowledge and experience as well as new brothers determined to get involved (as those who received their Master Builder Award this weekend have). While the Worshipful Master may have been the one accepting the Grand Master’s Award, it was an honor bestowed upon the lodge not any brother in particular.

Grand Master presenting the Master Builder Award to new brothers...
not a great photo but this was the best I could do from my seat. 

While I am proud to be a mason always and especially at these meetings, I sat a little taller on Saturday as I heard the name of my lodge repeated several times throughout the morning. We have several brothers who have been presented with the Master Builder Award, the lodge has received the Grand Master’s Award, and we all came together to take back the shoe earlier this month. We have been busy so far and we still have a long way to go. Thankfully, we are all pulling in the same direction.

Lessons Learned

We have now traveled with our son a few times with this past weekend being both the greatest distance that we have traveled from home and also for the longest duration. I can’t say that everything was perfect during these weekend adventures but we were able to get there and back in one piece each time so I would call them successful. However, there have been a few takeaways from our travels thus far and here are just a few of them:

• Rest Stops Are Your Friends – Always be cognizant of the rest stops during your drive. Know when you pass one and how long it is until the next one. You may not need to stop at that exact moment but things can change in a matter of minutes.
• Stick As Closely To His Schedule As Possible – The last thing you want is your son being in a different and unfamiliar place and have his schedule messed up. Keeping to a feeding schedule as much as possible and repeating the nighttime routine can make things a lot easier.
• Don’t Underestimate The Number Of Wipes You Need – this is both for the obvious reasons but also because you’ll have other uses for them as well. If you are like our family you will be out and about all day… use the wipes to clean your hands regularly. They are also convenient for the occasional road trip spill in the car.
• You Are Going To Forget Things – Begin with packing the things that you can’t readily replace. Everything else comes after. It is pretty much guaranteed that you are going to forget things so make sure that they are items that you can pick up on the road.

Of course, there are countless other lessons learned during our explorations but those seem to be the four that most readily come to mind. While those might be the things that didn’t go as smoothly as expected, there were also things that we were very thankful for as we drove down the highway. Most notably is the fact that we upgraded our cars over the past few months. While absolutely possible to travel in our former vehicles, having the Outback and the Cherokee have made things a heck of a lot easier.

So this is just the beginning. I am sure that we will make more mistakes and overlook things in the future but we are at least keeping things moving in the right direction. The true test will be next month as we significantly extend our vacation…. I even took time off from work for this one. While there is always going to be some trepidation, I am looking forward to rediscovering a place (and reconnecting with distant relatives) from my childhood and sharing that experience with my wife and my son. Of course, you can read all about that trip next month so stay tuned.

Enjoying The Day And Driving Home

I woke up this morning looking forward to getting up and seeing my son smiling back at me in his bed. After all, he is the reason for why this day is so special and why I have been waiting for this day for such a long time. What I wasn’t expecting was the gift that my wife and my son made for me. It may not seem like much to those without kids but having a picture and hand impression to put on my desk is something that I will always cherish. I really wish I had done the same thing for my wife last month… I guess the distraction was enough of a gift then as it is now.  

It wasn’t long before we were up, packed, and heading down to the front desk to check out. It was going to be a long day of touring and driving but one that I have been eagerly anticipating. After another quick breakfast in the lobby, we started the day by returning to Station Square. Yesterday, we had planned out the day and knew that we could pick up the tour bus at this location. With a long drive ahead of us we didn’t have a lot of time so the best way to see as much of the city as possible was to take the two hour tour on the double decker bus.

Our timing was pretty good and we were able to depart about twenty minutes after buying our tickets. This gave us enough time for a quick diaper change and allowed me to call my dad and wish him a happy father’s day. The bus was wide open with only about a dozen people on the top deck and the entire lower level to ourselves. The views might not have been as good but we spread everything out and kept our son out of the sun for the duration. It also helped when it came time to feed him during one of the extended stops.

The tour covered the entire city and while we didn’t have a chance to get out and explore we were able to see the stadiums, museums, schools, neighborhoods, and bridges. All the while, we were entertained by the nervousness of the first time tour guide. He did a decent job especially given the script that he had to work with. One thing that we did notice was that the city is in a heavy state of construction/repair. In addition to the horrendous roads throughout the area, there were countless buildings being raised in the downtown area.

By the time we arrived back to our departure point it was time for lunch… the last thing that we would do before heading home. We had already previously eliminated a number of options so we decided to do something a little different and make our own meal… so off we went to the Melting Pot, a fondue restaurant that we walked on our way to the book store yesterday. It really was something different and the Father’s Day special that they had was something that was just right… I even got a gift certificate during our meal from the manager just for the heck of it. It was an excellent meal and experience (even with our son making is presence known) and it definitely filled us up for the trek back across the Commonwealth.

The long ride home was uneventful as I was able to set the cruise control and turn on some music as my wife and son slept in the back seat. We made pretty good time and the scenery seemed to fly by faster than the confines of time would allow. 

Back home, we unpacked the car and carried our son into the house. I will never forget the look on his face when we told him that we were home… obviously he wasn’t done yet. I guess he enjoys exploring just as much as his daddy… that really was another great gift that I received on this my first Father’s Day.

Welcome To Pittsburgh!

Check another place off the list. While I had traveled through Pittsburgh in the past (a fun layover in high school with my dad on our way to Grand Rapids, Michigan to tour a college) I had never taken the time to drive across the state and explore the steel city. With a meeting of the Grand Lodge taking place this morning (more about the meeting in a later post), it was the perfect opportunity for us to have a little family vacation. After all, we have to get our son used to traveling long distances by car.

I took Friday off from work so that we could get a head start on our drive. Shortly before noon we were packed and on our way. This was also an opportunity to put some miles on my new car and see how it handled an extended trip. After a quick stop along the way to feed and change our son, we were able to make it to the congested heart of the city just in time for rush hour. Frankly, Pittsburgh makes Philadelphia traffic seem like NASCAR.

After a detour and relatively quick dinner with friends, we headed off to the hotel, unpacked, and passed out for the night. Thankfully, our son seems to be a fan of exploring and didn’t have much trouble at all going to sleep. In the morning, we grabbed a quick breakfast in the lobby and headed out the door. The detour this time was rather extensive giving us a tour of some interesting areas around the city. Once the meeting was done we were off again to expose our son to his first Denny’s experience.

Now we were exploring without a schedule so we headed over to the one thing that everyone seems to recommend doing when in the city… the Duquesne Incline. It took some time to make our way through the line but it did move pretty quickly and before we knew it we were making our way up the hill. While there were a few people whose fear of heights were getting to them baby and I were just sitting there enjoying the view.

We walked around the observation deck for a little while taking pictures and enjoying the sun. On our way back in we picked up a magnet for our son (we are trying to pick one up at each place that we visit), and made our way back down. It was a nice quiet trip and a great way to start our exploration of the area.

At this point the day seemed to have gotten away from us so rather than taking a tour or heading off to a museum, we decided to explore Station Square just down the road, relax, and plan for the following day. In his stroller for the first time without the car seat, our son was soon fast asleep as we walked up and down the rows of shops and crisscrossed the aisles of a discount book store, Bradley’s Book outlet. I know, you’re shocked that we ended up in a book store. With sun being slowly cloaked by the clouds, we walked one last time by the water and decided on a place to dine for the evening.

There were a variety of options within a block of where we stood so we first made our way to the Hard Rock Café… 30 minutes was not going to work. We turned around and entered Bar Louie (I am familiar with their location near my office)… only high tables remained. Finally, we opened the door to a Brazilian steakhouse on the corner, Texas de Brazil, just at the raindrops were beginning to fall. It has been years since we had eaten at such a restaurant and, even though it was a little fancier than we like, it was a delicious change from our usual dining routine.

It is safe to say that we were quite full as we ran across the wet street and made our way back to the car. Without detours, before long we were back at the hotel and relaxing in our room. One big day down and another huge day ahead.  

Summer Masonic Schedule

The dark months are upon us but the lodge remains active. I think I have received more emails over the past few days (at least ones that aren’t junk) than I have over the past month prior. Attendance for fellowship seems to remain steady as the reports back have been positive from both those instructing and new brothers trying to pick things up. While the petitions may be down this year, the new brothers that we have raised over the past year and a half continue to impress us all.

These ‘dark months’ really show all the minor issues that a lodge may have. Our lodge is by no means perfect, but there are fewer and fewer imperfections that can be seen during the summer. With that said, even if they cannot be seen does not mean that they are not there. The difference is the light which is cast by each brother which overpowers those minor faults and allows them to be addressed. That is what we are now witnessing.

The first half of the year is now behind us and while there have been great moments and not so great instances the lodge remains strong and on track to return to the position of prominence in the district and local community that we once held. We have accomplished a lot in these first sixth months following a spectacular year and the second half of this year looks to be an appropriate encore to the success we experienced in 2014. Maybe not the same kind of success, letter for letter, but a different kind with the common trait of helping us to grow, to strengthen, and to flourish.

As I wrote before, we are already planning for next year but, at the same time, making sure that this current year is full of fellowship and fraternity. There are a roster of events that we are all looking forward to which begin next week when a growing group of us will be attending meetings at other lodges both within the district (shoe time) and on the other side of the Commonwealth. We are going to these meetings as a lodge, not as individuals.

With that said, it is nice to have a little flexibility in my schedule now allowing me to catch up and plan for the fall. Many of these summer events also give me the opportunity to bring my family and not have to choose where I spend my time. It is the best way to spend the summer and something I have been looking forward to all year.

Baby Bucket List

As the days fly by and our son keeps getting bigger and bigger, the list of things that I want to do with him keeps getting longer. Actually, it is not just about things I want to do with him, it is also about the milestones that I am looking forward to witnessing. While by no means my complete list of scribbles, here are a few of the things that I am looking forward to as our son grows up:  

1. First Words – He is already proving to be quite the vocal child and while he is already making a sound similar to that of saying ‘Hi’ when I come home from work, I am looking forward to hearing that first distinct word. I am hoping that it will be either mommy or daddy (or something similar) but I am not completely ruling out the possibility that we could have a similar instance than that seen in “Meet The Fockers”.

2. Crawling./ Walking – He has surprised us at this point by standing with little help from either of us (we are mostly there for stability) but he also has no interest in laying on his tummy so I am curious to see how this progresses. While a whole new host of issues arise once he becomes mobile, I am looking forward to the day when he demonstrates this little kernel of independence.

3. Pool / Swimming – This one is more for my wife. We haven’t taken him to a pool yet. This should be an interesting experience. Hopefully he likes the pool as much as he enjoys his bath (at least the first half of the bath).

4. Baseball – Now we are progressing a little further in his development. While he has already shown an interest in throwing things and watching baseball on TV (made for a quiet dinner at Fox & Hound last week), I am looking forward to putting those two things together. I just hope he got his grandfather’s athletic ability because it definitely skipped me.  

5. Lodge Events – While we have taken him to the lodge once I am looking forward to the future events both at my lodge as well as other masonic events in the area (and outside the area like our trip to Pittsburgh coming up). There are a lot of us with young kids and I really want to see all of us get together for an experience far different from those on meeting nights.

6. Synagogue – We are a little behind on this one. While there isn’t much that he will comprehend early on, we want our son to be used to going to synagogue and make it part of his routine. We need to get moving on this search.

7. First Day of School – Again, looking into the future. This is a milestone that I think every parent looks forward to happening. I will be there the day that this happens (mixed emotions and all). Hopefully he proves to be a better student than his father.

8. Family History – My wife and I have spent a lot of time learning about our families and we want to share those histories with our son. We want to make sure that he knows where he comes from and learns all about the people we come from both more recent and in the distant past. Hopefully, I can find some answers along the way and share these discoveries with him. After all, he is a continuation of both our families.

9. Family Reunions – This is something that my wife and I agreed is incredibly important for us as a family. We are starting this year with my side of the family (I will be writing extensively about our trip to Virginia this summer) followed by my wife’s family next year. We plan on going back and forth every year. Again, we want our son to know his family and family history.

10. Family Vacations – In addition to bringing our son to some of the places that my wife have been and enjoyed over the last several years both local (i.e. Jim Thorpe, Gettysburg, Knoebels, etc.) and not so local (i.e. Florida, Massachusetts, London, Israel, etc.), we are also looking forward to exploring new places and destinations with him. While we have no idea where those places will be at this point, it is still fun to think of the possibilities.  

As I previously mentioned, there are countless other things that I am looking forward to but this at least gives you an idea of some of the things that I am eagerly anticipating. There are a few things that I have already been able to check off (cooing, smiling, first weekend trip, etc.) but the list is growing much faster than we are able to take things off. I guess this is also a part of parenthood… the annoying, slightly OCD, impatient part.  

So I now turn things over to you: What does your list look like? What have you already checked off? What are some of the things that you wish you had done?

Planning For The Summer

Coming to a blog near you in July 2015!

Now that spring is here and the weather is beginning to warm, we are all getting a little antsy and wanting to get out of the house. It happens the same time every year and, even with the new baby, this year is no exception. So, with that in mind, my wife and I have begun discussing where we will be headed off to this spring and summer. This also included planning or this weekend which I haven’t got a clue about what direction to travel.

At this point we have some of the broad strokes in place beginning either this month and progressively extending those trips through July. April and May will consist of a few day trips to destinations unknown at this point. There might also be an overnight trip in May just to get our son used to this important part of traveling. So far we are thinking of places relatively close to home like Hershey, Gettysburg, or Jim Thorpe. All places that you have read about on this blog before. There are also loose plans for at least one trip to the shore during the summer as well.

Right now June could be a slightly longer trip as the Quarterly Communication of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania will be taking place in Pittsburgh toward the end of the month. Given my experience last year in Erie, this trip is a definite possibility but it is probably going to come down to whether or not our son is used to the long car ride by that time and if he needs some rest before the family vacation in July. Hopefully we will be able to make it as it is an experience that I want to share with my wife and son especially with the presentation that is currently scheduled to occur during the meeting.

While everything else is pretty much in a fluid state at this point, the one thing that we have locked into our schedule is the aforementioned family vacation. For the first time since 1987, I will be heading down to the family reunion which will be taking place in Natural Bridge, Virginia. This is not your usual reunion where a few dozen people congregate to one place, this is an event where anyone who can trace back to the original ancestor that arrived in Philadelphia on 27 October 1764 is welcomed as family. I am really looking forward to attending and introducing my wife and son to family members from all over the country.

Even though the plans aren’t completely settled, it looks like it is going to be another active summer. We want our son to see as much as he can and this is at least a good way to start. Now all I have to do is figure out what I am going to present in July. Any suggestions for occupying an infant during a 6 hour car ride would be appreciated. Also, any requests from family regarding what you want to learn more about would be appreciated as well and considered for my presentation topic during the reunion.

Summer Travel Pit Stop

Giving the camera and travel journal a little rest before resuming our day trips.

The past couple of weekends my wife and I have just been tired. By the time the work week has come to a close neither one of us is in the mood to do anything and we are lacking the energy to convince ourselves otherwise. With all that we have been doing lately it really isn’t a surprise but it would be nice to get back to the routine of our weekend day trips. Now just isn’t the time, we need to take a break and just be for a little bit.

After all, we have 7 more weekends left in the summer and a list of places we have yet to visit. So far, we have a few commitments already made and trips roughly planned to Knobles, Indian Echo Caverns, Winterthur, Milford, and a few other places. A bit different this time around is that we will not be alone on a few of these little adventures with a number of family members and friends joining us in our travels. And, no surprise, there are a few Masonic commitments that I will be attending as well. It should be a pretty busy summer from here on out.

At the same time we are already beginning to plan the adventures for next summer including an extended trip to Virginia to both enjoy the family history and to explore a place where I haven’t been since the family reunion in 1987. Can’t say I remember much but I do recall having a great time and with all that I have learned in recent years, I am looking forward to seeing everything through a completely different lens. Plus, it is another place that my wife has never been and I always enjoy bringing her places where she can experience something new. This trip will be in addition to our little Masonic excursion to Pittsburgh.  

Anyway, that is next summer. Beyond those two trips we really don’t have anything planned beyond the fact that we will try to visit the places that we don’t get to this summer. So, I guess we better get moving again or we are going to have too many things to do and places to see next summer and not enough time to get to all of them. Just look at our work situations, if the difference between last summer and this one has taught us anything it’s the fact that you never know how much your life can change from one year to another. Life is meant to be lived now not put off for the future or else you will just be stuck in a cycle of perpetual planning.

*As a side note, if you want to read some posts from someone living for the moment go visit my friend Nadine's blog about her walking the Camino in Spain! She has some amazing photos too!

Errands, A Dead Fridge, And Meeting The Police!

Our plans for the 4^th of July consisted of approximately nothing. We had a few errands that we had been putting off but other than that we were going to sleep in, relax, and enjoy the rare weekday together without the worries of work and school constantly splitting our attention. Well, we definitely slept in (at least I did), we had a few relaxing moments, and then we headed out the door to pick up a few things. Nothing exciting, just some clothes and groceries and the day was actually going pretty well as we found  just about everything we needed in one stop rather than two giving us some more time to not run errands.

About four hours passed and we were starting to figure out what we wanted for a late dinner when the day took a turn in an unfavorable direction. As my wife was sitting down with a bowl of cereal and I was rummaging around on the top shelf, I noticed an inordinate amount of heat radiating from the sides of the refrigerator. Just as I noticed the lack of cold air, my wife got my attention saying that the new milk tasted sour. Well, crap, I guess the holiday isn’t going to end as smoothly as it began.

So, it was time to repack the groceries and take them to my parents’ house so everything wouldn’t be wasted. With my parents in Pittsburgh for the weekend, it was going to be a very quick trip to unload, put away, and get back to the apartment. However, what would have been an uneventful stop just a few months ago was a bit more complicated this time around. With the roads clear and the fireworks lighting up the newly dark sky in the distance, I was calling and texting trying to figure out the new security code needed to get into the house. Additionally, when we arrived, the key in my pocket that was supposed to work didn’t and I had to scramble to find the spare (which also didn’t work in the right lock).

With all the searching and fumbling around with the locks the alarm was blaring by the time I got in the house and I knew that we would soon be having a couple of visitors. The alarm had long since been turned off and I just finished putting the food away when I saw the bright beams of two flashlights making their way to the back door. It was time to have a brief conversation with the Radnor Police Department. After explaining the situation, showing them my driver’s license, and chatting for a bit we all left the house and drove up the street.

And now we are left with trying to get the fridge repaired (always an interesting conversation with the management and maintenance) and finding the time to be there when the service needs to be done. That is a whole different conversation, issue, and blog post altogether. But, for now, we got everything done and we managed to get back to the apartment before the throngs of people flooded onto the streets. I was just glad that we still had two more days left in the weekend!

Pennsyltucky Bonding

During our trip up to Williamsport, Pennsylvania this past week we experienced an interesting phenomenon unfamiliar to most in the northern states. While geographically we headed north in the commonwealth, with regard to demographics we headed south. This great commonwealth has an interesting dichotomy in that Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are politically and culturally northern while everything in between is southern in character and, in some places, dialect hence the term Pennsyltucky.

During a very nice trolley tour we observed a clear cut example of this contradiction when, while exiting the vehicle, a southern family of three bid their farewell to the driver and thanked them for a wonderful tour. In response, he said “hope y’all have a good time.” This immediately stopped them in their steps and prompted a conversation that was more akin to four old friends catching up and talking about the good old days rather than between some tourists and a tour guide.

Obviously they didn’t expect to hear the sounds of the southern twang in Pennsylvania which is a common misconception. People seem to assume that as soon as you venture north of the Mason-Dixon Line the southern drawl magically disappears. The same can also be said of those who head south expecting the dialect to change as soon as they pass this cultural line of demarcation.

There have been multiple studies to map out the different dialects throughout this country and the one thing that has remained constant in each and every one of them is the fact that man made boundaries have no noticeable impact on the way people speak. This is not surprising. However, what is quite interesting is the influence that accent and dialect have on human relations.

Basically,studies have concluded that people more easily connect with those they share a commonality with and one of the most profound connections people experience is in regard to accent and dialect. These are the two most telling attributes that help us determine where and when someone might have lived and, therefore, can establish an immediate commonality and certain level of trust (or distrust in some situations). Inflection, enunciation, and pronunciation are all telling factors that have a tremendous impact on the impression we leave on others.

Sometimes it all comes down to one word. Sometimes that is all that is needed to create a bond between four people. Sometimes “y’all” is all that needs to be said.