Dear Family and Friends;
2018 has been such a busy, busy year I decided to update you all in a year-end review letter in full tongue
in cheek style. So sit back, grab your favorite adult beverage or kiddie beverage, your choice –
although friends of ours not drinking, especially around the holidays… I digress.
in cheek style. So sit back, grab your favorite adult beverage or kiddie beverage, your choice –
although friends of ours not drinking, especially around the holidays… I digress.
January saw the announcement to family that we were moving back to the ‘burgh, Pittsburgh, PA –
home of all our favorite sports teams. Bob was still living with his in-laws working in Pittsburgh’s Strip
district (not what you think you dirty minded non-yinzers) it’s the new hip area of the city,
that been there for eons. Angela began the process of translating Federal Government job skills for the
past 25 years into something job recruiters would understand. There was drinking.
home of all our favorite sports teams. Bob was still living with his in-laws working in Pittsburgh’s Strip
district (not what you think you dirty minded non-yinzers) it’s the new hip area of the city,
that been there for eons. Angela began the process of translating Federal Government job skills for the
past 25 years into something job recruiters would understand. There was drinking.
February saw talks begin for putting the Case Maryland Homestead on the market. Agents were
interviewed, closets were cleaned out, the trash men received an early holiday tip due to increased
volumes of random ‘stuff’. Angela was updating her resume into non-government words mostly
involving hidden messages of hire her! She’s trainable! Seriously she’s needs a job. Bob was still
living with his in-laws working in the ‘burgh. There was drinking.
interviewed, closets were cleaned out, the trash men received an early holiday tip due to increased
volumes of random ‘stuff’. Angela was updating her resume into non-government words mostly
involving hidden messages of hire her! She’s trainable! Seriously she’s needs a job. Bob was still
living with his in-laws working in the ‘burgh. There was drinking.
March saw the usual business with Angela’s volunteer organizations. The Case Maryland Homestead was
under seize in terms of clean out, clean up and Real Estate Agent lady saying things had to be
“updated”. The Case Maryland Homestead went on the market on the 15th… it sold 10 days later.
Good heavens - there was drinking.
under seize in terms of clean out, clean up and Real Estate Agent lady saying things had to be
“updated”. The Case Maryland Homestead went on the market on the 15th… it sold 10 days later.
Good heavens - there was drinking.
April saw panic -- panic in Maryland, panic on the PA Turnpike, panic in downtown Pittsburgh while
trying to find parking before an interview and general panic in various geographic and transportation
locales. Angela started her new PA job in an Autism to Work Program where she mentors young IT
professionals. There were car loads of random boxes being hauled from MD to PA weekly, and finally
on April 23rd, the Case Maryland Homestead was boxed up and shipped out by professionals headed
to Western PA. There was crying, and there was drinking.
trying to find parking before an interview and general panic in various geographic and transportation
locales. Angela started her new PA job in an Autism to Work Program where she mentors young IT
professionals. There were car loads of random boxes being hauled from MD to PA weekly, and finally
on April 23rd, the Case Maryland Homestead was boxed up and shipped out by professionals headed
to Western PA. There was crying, and there was drinking.
May saw the Case Pennsylvania Homestead Part 1 settled in, our lovely apartment in the heart of
Pittsburgh’s Strip district, shops, restaurants, and a nice walk into downtown Pittsburgh, where in the
summer things were happening! Bob and Angela were actually living, not only in the same state again,
but under the same roof. There were adjustments, and there was drinking.
Pittsburgh’s Strip district, shops, restaurants, and a nice walk into downtown Pittsburgh, where in the
summer things were happening! Bob and Angela were actually living, not only in the same state again,
but under the same roof. There were adjustments, and there was drinking.
June saw a routine set in, bus routes, and working schedules, and Bob having the awful commute of
having to walk across the street…literally. The Case family settled in, enjoyed being able to pop into
weeknight family events, freak out family members when you did “pop in” and generally enjoying not
to have to pack, unpack or be interviewed by random strangers. We began our hunt for Case PA
Homestead Part 2 (hunt for a house) in June, there were lists of must haves…
And of course… There was drinking.
having to walk across the street…literally. The Case family settled in, enjoyed being able to pop into
weeknight family events, freak out family members when you did “pop in” and generally enjoying not
to have to pack, unpack or be interviewed by random strangers. We began our hunt for Case PA
Homestead Part 2 (hunt for a house) in June, there were lists of must haves…
And of course… There was drinking.
July saw the house hunt kick into high gear as apparently Pittsburgh PA was the hottest housing market
in Western PA. We finally found our home, it checked every box on the Case PA Homestead list
(Part 2), we bought on Mt. Washington, the not so hip but high up area of the City. The end of July
Angela got to treat her Hogwarts obsessed niece to their first trip to Heinz Hall where the Symphony
played the music to the first Harry Potter movie – while the movie played! Packing began again for
the move to the Big Hill across the River for Case PA Homestead Part 2. Yes, there was drinking,
we packed the glasses last.
in Western PA. We finally found our home, it checked every box on the Case PA Homestead list
(Part 2), we bought on Mt. Washington, the not so hip but high up area of the City. The end of July
Angela got to treat her Hogwarts obsessed niece to their first trip to Heinz Hall where the Symphony
played the music to the first Harry Potter movie – while the movie played! Packing began again for
the move to the Big Hill across the River for Case PA Homestead Part 2. Yes, there was drinking,
we packed the glasses last.
August saw Angela and Bob managing to get PA Driver’s licenses and put PA plates on their cars,
which all summer were driven once a week. Ah city living and the parking is pricey. Packing of Case
PA Homestead Part 1 was in earnest; begging all family members began for a “Help the Cases” move
date. Thankfully promises of baked goods, coffee and lots of begging saw family members arrive with
large vehicles, and a willingness (to a point) to move heavy things from point A (apartment) and point
B (storage unit) to Point C (new house). New house boasted lots of good things and lots of stairs;
family members mostly forgave us for having to move the heaviest things to the top of the house –
about Thanksgiving? And of course – there was drinking, when we found the glasses again.
which all summer were driven once a week. Ah city living and the parking is pricey. Packing of Case
PA Homestead Part 1 was in earnest; begging all family members began for a “Help the Cases” move
date. Thankfully promises of baked goods, coffee and lots of begging saw family members arrive with
large vehicles, and a willingness (to a point) to move heavy things from point A (apartment) and point
B (storage unit) to Point C (new house). New house boasted lots of good things and lots of stairs;
family members mostly forgave us for having to move the heaviest things to the top of the house –
about Thanksgiving? And of course – there was drinking, when we found the glasses again.
September saw the first full month in the Case PA Homestead, Part 2. There were boxes everywhere,
there were a few mornings where unmentionables were hunted for on all 4 floors. Slowly but surely
new commutes were figured out, said unmentionables and other life necessities found a new space,
and boxes slowly made their way out of Case PA Homestead Part 2 and Angela vowed never to move
again, or order from Amazon – too many boxes. Amazon promise lasted about 2 weeks. There was
drinking, because it wasn’t in a box, and we had finally found the glasses.
there were a few mornings where unmentionables were hunted for on all 4 floors. Slowly but surely
new commutes were figured out, said unmentionables and other life necessities found a new space,
and boxes slowly made their way out of Case PA Homestead Part 2 and Angela vowed never to move
again, or order from Amazon – too many boxes. Amazon promise lasted about 2 weeks. There was
drinking, because it wasn’t in a box, and we had finally found the glasses.
October saw ITALY!!! Bob and Angela spent a WONDERFUL two-week vacation in Italy, we stayed
with new friends and old neighbors in a villa near Lake Como for the first week, then saw Venice and
Rome in week two. It was a trip of a lifetime and YES – we found the Pittsburgh Steeler bar in ROME!
Angela has the t-shirt to prove it. The last two weeks of October were a blur of time zone changes,
returning to work, and wondering why we couldn’t drink wine at lunch anymore. OH yes, there was
international drinking.
with new friends and old neighbors in a villa near Lake Como for the first week, then saw Venice and
Rome in week two. It was a trip of a lifetime and YES – we found the Pittsburgh Steeler bar in ROME!
Angela has the t-shirt to prove it. The last two weeks of October were a blur of time zone changes,
returning to work, and wondering why we couldn’t drink wine at lunch anymore. OH yes, there was
international drinking.
November saw finally Angela and Bob’s clocks returned to normal, and the beginnings of our “new”
normal, which up until this point in 2018 was a far, fleeting thing. We invited families to come find our
urban homestead on the big hill, some got lost; others had flashbacks to moving day, stairs and heavy
objects… still working on being forgiven. And yes, there was drinking.
normal, which up until this point in 2018 was a far, fleeting thing. We invited families to come find our
urban homestead on the big hill, some got lost; others had flashbacks to moving day, stairs and heavy
objects… still working on being forgiven. And yes, there was drinking.
December we will see – our first Christmas in the ‘burgh, and an open invitation to all to come and
visit, both near and far. We are working on getting the bar equipped with places to sit, things to do and
things to watch. We miss the Maryland folks we left behind, we are making our way with new faces
and places and next year you can expect our usual card with a quick note and signature. And yes,
there will be drinking.
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and may your and our 2019 be WAY less interesting.
visit, both near and far. We are working on getting the bar equipped with places to sit, things to do and
things to watch. We miss the Maryland folks we left behind, we are making our way with new faces
and places and next year you can expect our usual card with a quick note and signature. And yes,
there will be drinking.
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