A Truly Glorious Day

Today was a celebration so glorious that my husband commented afterwards that he ranked this day as one of the best days of his life.  And, I must say that I heartily agree.

But we can't have been alone in that opinion, as friends and family came to join us, some driving very long distances, to fill four church pews to witness this special event.

And, that's because  today's celebration featured these two little ladies, who hold a very special place in the hearts of so many!

I haven't said much about these two precious granddaughters of ours, but they arrived 10 weeks early, and it's hard to even imagine how small and fragile they were when they first entered the world.  Most of the people sitting in church today were praying for these two from day one, and I think we all realize how very lucky we all are to be able to see them so healthy and happy.

And, so today, these little loves entered the church community as we all witnessed their baptism, but not before their daddy was baptized first.  How special was that?

Soon it was Leona's turn:

Baby switch

Followed by Iris:

And here's the happy family at the end of the event. 

Gramma G made those beautiful dresses and headbands,  but those cuties would look adorable in just about anything, don't you think?

There was a lovely celebration at the house which involved some delicious cake!  

And we managed to get a four generation photo.  How special is this?

Yes, it was truly a glorious day, and Marty and I realize how very blessed we are.  So, here you see Gramma and PapPapG, joyfully holding our very entertaining granddaughters.  

Although it certainly does look like Leona is ready to call it a day! 

Amusing Day at Knoebels

Saturday was the annual company picnic at Knoebels Amusement Park,  and, although it was quite steamy, even in this wooden haven known for its comfortable temperatures, Marty and I decided to take a break from household duties and spend a couple of hours at the park.

Along the way, which we've traveled numerous times, I spotted this Minersville Memorial which I had never noticed in the past.

Unfortunately, it is located at a very busy intersection, which doesn't make it too practical for getting a closer look.  On the way back home, I spotted several more monuments devoted to the miners who would have been a vital part of this town many years ago.  I'm sure there is quite a history lesson there, but not one that I'll be sharing with you today.  (But you never know when we might be gallivanting by for a closer look!)

Soon we were in the park, seeking out rides that were relatively calm as we have both decided that anything that goes in a circle at high speed is definitely out of the question for both of us.

So we started out on a  ski lift, which was definitely calm and offered quite a view of the park on the way back down,

and the height didn't even bother me!

From there, we decided to try a hand at the boats, 

where Marty proclaimed that I was to do the driving. The wait was painfully long, in the bright sun, which made it feel like 100 degrees, but, finally, we were at the launch and ready to board. 

The boat had a mind of its own, despite my attempts at steering it.  Note my calm demeanor.  Someone would have you thinking that I was headed towards Niagara Falls!

From there we walked to  the old-fashioned cars where, once again, I was to sit in the driver's seat.  Sorry, no photos.  Just like on the highway, we ended up stuck behind a traffic jam and it took us a while to actually exit the ride.  But, at this point we were sitting in the shade, with a lovely breeze, so we weren't dismayed by our lack of movement, and the kid behind me refrained from running into the back of our car, which was much appreciated!

We headed past the statue of liberty

and found ourselves at the log jammer, which certainly looked refreshing. 

We ended up in a log with two young girls in the back, as each log was required to have 4 people, if at all possible.  We got wet, screamed, and got wet again, just enough to dampen the heat a bit.  When we exited the ride, I was amused to see the parents of the girls who had ridden with us.  They were obviously much younger than us, each holding a backpack, and enthusiastically asking their daughters  how the ride went.  I couldn't help but wonder what those girls thought about riding with two people who could easily have been their grandparents, when their own mother and father were standing on the sidelines.  Perhaps we're not that old after all!  Ok, so maybe we are.  

We traveled through the haunted mansion, which is always good for a scream or two, and decided to take a ride on the ferris wheel.

The breeze felt marvelous, and the top offered some interesting views. A roller coaster in the distance.

And the Galleon, designed to assure that one gets more than just a bit wet. 

It's a short ride, but packs a powerful punch.  Not on our agenda, that's for sure!  I didn't think to bring any spare underwear and I didn't feel like waddling out of the park. 

Now it was time for Marty's all time favorite ride, the carousel.  He loves reaching out and grabbing the rings as we circle around.

Look at that excitement after grabbing his first ring!

And his enthusiasm continued to abound as he managed to grab more than a fingerful of the circular rings!

It seems like nothing can beat the Knoebels Carousel.  

Well, at least that's what Marty will tell you!  I do believe that he is already counting the days until next summer's trip for another repeat adventure!  Guess you'll just have to stay posted.

Let's Go Steelers!

Did you know that I married a Steeler fan?

He's not a fanatic, thank goodness, but he does enjoy the football season, and he now seems to have a fascination with training camp.  He attended the camp, alone, two summers ago, and he was extremely eager to stop today on our way back home from a quick trip to Pittsburgh this weekend. 

As we headed out this morning,  we were looking for a place to attend mass, and as luck would have it, St.Vincent's Basilica was hosting their annual Black and Gold Mass at 11:30 which fit in perfectly with our schedule!

The basilica is beautiful, with a statue of St. Vincent greeting visitors right outside the front entrance. The interior features numerous  stained glass windows that are simply amazing, but I had forgotten to pack my camera, and the phone just could't pick up the beauty with the sun shining through, so, unfortunately, I can't share them with you. 

How lucky were we to stumble upon this special event?  The Rooney Family, owners of the team, were in attendance, and many participated during the mass.  

St. Vincent College has hosted the training camp since 1966, and it is obvious that the Rooney family is a vibrant part of this local community.   I was surprised to see so many people attending this service, dressed in Steeler jerseys!  Let's just say that there was a LOT of black and gold in that church!  It was definitely an unexpected treat, and I was happy to be a part of it.

After Mass, we headed to the field 

which was already beginning to fill up with fans eager to see the team.  We settled down in the bleachers and waited for the festivities to begin.

There was a small crowd of fans lining the walkway where the players would enter the field.

Without my great zoom camera, the photos definitely leave a lot to be desired, but I'll share what I managed to take with my phone. 

Once on the field, the team got right to work doing some line moves

stretches

 and what looked like some familiar yoga poses.

I'm not sure who this was, but he entertained the crowds by seeing how many footballs he could catch at once. 

He topped out at four and the crowd cheered!  Quite entertaining. 

If you're eager to see familiar faces, the middle of this photo features Tomlin (head coach)  with Rothlesburger,  and James Harrison in conversation.    

Needless to say, this was all quite a treat for Marty.  But the reality was that we had a long trip home, so within an hour we made the decision to leave and start on our way back to the car.

But not before taking one last photo.

Yep!  That's one happy guy!  Let's Go Steelers!

Truly a "Star Spangled Spectacular"

I can't take credit for this blog's title as it belongs to the Reading Symphony Orchestra program for this evening's festivities.  If you recall, this symphony was scheduled as part of yesterday's entertainment, but was postponed due to rain.  Playing instruments outside on a baseball field just doesn't work in wet weather!

It was really a picture perfect evening for tonight's entertainment.

We arrived early and settled into some excellent seats, ready to relax and enjoy the performance, which promised spectacular fireworks at the end.

About half an hour before they were scheduled to begin, there was an announcement over the loudspeaker regarding some cars that were parked illegally in a field near the stadium, and that they needed to be moved because the fire marshall had stated that unless the cars were gone, there would be no fireworks.

15 minutes later, the announcement was repeated.  And, about 5 minutes later, the announcement changed from "please move your auto" to "cars will be towed" or there cannot be any fireworks.

The performance began as planned, and we were confident that the parking issue would be resolved.

Andrew Constantine introduced the orchestra

the color guards presented the flags

and Patricia Risley sang the National Anthem.

She was spectacular!

The evening continued with patriotic pieces interspersed among several classic pieces, including a Star Wars arrangement and West Side Story medley.  The last piece prior to intermission was an Armed Forces Salute where each branch of the military is represented, flags are displayed, and veterans are asked to stand when they hear their familiar theme.

This is always a tradition at this RSO performance, and it never fails to move me to tears when I see the men and woman stand at the appropriate time, proud to have served this country. 

When the piece was finished, and intermission proclaimed, there was yet another announcement over the loudspeaker:  all of the cars parked illegally had been moved, and everyone was thankful.

However.........the fire marshall had decided that the six cars that were parked in the Citizens Bank parking lot had to be moved, or there would be no fireworks.

Really?  Marty and I began to wonder if there really were any fireworks. 

In any event, the second part of the performance began with another moving rendition of some Irving Berlin favorites with Patricia singing God Bless America and getting the entire crowd involved.

then, there was the fun piece called The Typewriter by Anderson. 

As a spoof, the retired Reading Eagle editor, Chuck Gallagher, came out onto the field,  sat down at an old fashioned typewriter, popped a cigar in his mouth, and began to type along as the orchestra played.

It was VERY entertaining!

At the end of the song, there was yet another announcement:  all cars except one white chevy impala had been moved, and there would be NO fireworks if the owner did not come forward to move the vehicle.

A very loud BOOOO emanated through the stadium.  Things weren't looking good for the owner of that car, for sure!

Finally, it was time for the 1812 Overture, generally played in conjunction with fireworks towards the end.  Andrew Constantine was given a thumbs up, which meant that the fireworks were on!  And the piece began.

We all sat in anticipation, waiting for the blast of fireworks.  

The song played on....and we waited......and waited.....

Then the overture was complete.  The crowd applauded, but  the conductor was obviously confused as he questioned what had happened to the fireworks!

So he had the orchestra play one final piece, Stars and Stripes Forever, and once again, we sat, waiting to see flashes of light explode while the orchestra played.   

Just near the end of the piece, about three skimpy blasts were set off, and Marty and I looked at each other and laughed.  We had attended this performance a few times before, and the combination of music and the light show had been truly impressive.  Apparently that wasn't happening this year. 

Suddenly, the lights were dimmed, recorded music was blasted over the loudspeaker, and the fireworks display began!

And they did NOT disappoint!

We are fortunate to have such an excellent professional orchestra who is willing to entertain the crowds, at no cost, nearly every summer.  The performance was superb.

In fact, I would dare to say that it was, indeed, a "Star Spangled Spectacular!"