Memorial Day Weekend in Pittsburgh

Agnes and I drove up to Pittsburgh this past weekend for what has become our quasi-traditional Memorial Day family reunion. This year, we also celebrated the high school graduation of my very talented nephew Eddie who excels as a musician, artist, writer, and all around nice guy. I'm jealous.

My sister Lisa and her husband Ed planned and organized the entire shebang. The weather was beautiful and the house gaily decorated ...

With a party tent out back to handle the expected multitudes ...

Eddie was, of course, the man of the hour ...

But in spite of being surrounded by large crowds of his attractive young lady friends all afternoon, he still had time to entertain cousins Joe, Noah, and Marcy who think he's such a cool guy ...

Our family is a big fan of the various Dollar Tree-type stores where lots of cool toys and things to entertain small children can be had cheap. Great Grandpa must have spent thousands of dollars at those stores over the years, and the tradition continues. Here, he watches Jason helping Noah with the latest attraction: balloons that, when blown up and released, fly wildly around while making very loud farting noises ...

There was a large roll of butcher paper and a bucket of markers with which all the guests could write their messages of congratulation to Eddie on his graduation. All his friends left their comments, of course ...

And, this being the sort of family it is, so did his admiring relatives ...

My grandson Noah demonstrated his absolute mastery, at age five, of the art of cool ... which he, of course, gets from his grandfather ...

We had to have a few family shots, of course. Here, my sister Lisa, brother Paul, and I demonstrate how to keep Dad from running away before we could get the picture taken (he likes to pretend he doesn't know us, but it's too late) ...

And what sort of weekend would it be if Agnes and I didn't get a picture of ourselves with some of the world's most adorable grandchildren?

And, of course, a picture of me with my oldest son Jason, of whom I am justifiably very proud ...

Yes, it was a great weekend. You should see the pictures I wasn't allowed to post...

I hope your weekend has been as much fun.

Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow.

Bilbo