This past weekend was exactly what I needed: a balanced mixture of work, community volunteering, socializing, and enjoyment of the outdoors. Saturday morning and early afternoon comprised an increasingly frenzied pre-party prep session in Monroeville (including vehicle loading) timed for completion just minutes before heading down to the Heinz History Center for a Bar Mitzvah party setup with Micki and Dena--luxury sports car-themed, I might add. (Each table centerpiece was a different car: Ferrari, Viper, Bentley, Bugatti, Mercedes, Maserati, Porsche, Rolls-Royce.) I'll admit that I felt tense; I was still in a rather sensitive place emotionally given my hospital experience two weeks ago, and I anticipated that there would be some unpleasant clashing. However, despite the chaos at the history center thanks to the massive influx of visitors there to behold the Vatican Splendors traveling exhibit (which initially forced us to stand around for about half an hour, unable to do much of anything), we finished in plenty of time, succeeding under light duress with minimal tension and no lingering drama. We had a phenomenal time at Chicken Latino in the strip, bantering hilariously with the staff and socializing with a new friend, a Chilean man recently arrived from Miami, soon to transplant his family in Pittsburgh--and elated to have found a decent joint in town serving Chilean cuisine. At 11pm, after a little relaxation, we headed back to the history center and spent no more than half an hour tearing down. I was in bed by 12:30am.
On Sunday, I was up early and marching toward the corner of Forbes and Murray by 7:30am to help coordinate our annual fall Squirrel Hill cleanup. This is an event that always renews my faith in people and in our community. The weather was perfect, the turnout was magnificent, and I was actually able to get my hands dirty picking up trash on the streets with my friend Greg for a few hours rather than standing behind the tables for three hours looking important. It was wonderful seeing old friends from the Litter Patrol, including Judy O'Connor, wife of the late Bob O'Connor, former mayor of Pittsburgh, and her son Corey. I was also comlimented by a volunteer who marvelled at my seemingly boundless energy and sense of purpose! (Ego booster--sometimes important!)
Sunday afternoon brought me a tremendous feeling of relief as I finally found the perfect old wood planks for my Arbor Aid piece (due in less than two weeks!). Fortunately, Brian Koski is back in Pittsburgh from his expatriate quarters in Florida for a visit with his wife, my occasional part-time employer Allyson Holtz, meaning that I have both a wood shop and an experienced woodworker at my disposal for the next week. After a refreshing walk back to Squirrel Hill from Highland Park, I relaxed a bit at home, had tea and take-out Chinese with friends at Te Cafe on Murray (yes, we actually brought our sushi and Wonton soup into the cafe), enjoyed a little Baskin Robbins, and was miraculously in bed by 11:30.
I spent blessed little time worrying about the aftermath of my "incident" (that's a nod to Josh and Porcupine Tree!) or what tomorrow will bring. My focus in the next two weeks will be on my Arbor Aid contribution, which must be installed next Wednesday. I have also been without a drop of alcohol for two weeks now--an all-time record for the entire stretch of my adult life during which I have been a regular drinker. Has it been hard? Not even remotely!
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