Lunching at Ernie's, Day 2

After breakfast I went back to my room and read Jane Austen until I got the text that said that the Ohio contingent was amassing and moving to Ernie's for lunch. I met up with them there and decided to revisit the beef tomato soup I so enjoyed as a kid. Sad truth is that this soup did not hold up well to my memory or current taste buds. There was a metallic taste to it, the beef was rather dry and though I like beef jerky I'm not really all that fond of it in soup form. I tried to get past it, but the majority of this soup went to waste.
I had a simpler dog too, just mustard. E. realized that he could order 'one with' and then scoop some of the excess chili and onions onto a second simpler dog. Clever. Thrifty. We met up with our Gettysburg cousins F. and N., and an epic round of 'let's show each other photos of our grand kids' began between E. and N. Sweet kids all of them (I only know E.'s).
After that we went to the Gettysburg Visitor Center. It continued to be an extremely gloomy day and the walk from the parking lot included a consistent drizzle and dampness I could have done without. The visitor center is huge and relatively new. We went the whole hog and had tickets for the introductory movie, cyclorama and admission to the exhibits. The movie, narrated by Morgan Freeman, traced the events that led up to the Civil War as well as some of the particulars of Gettysburg. I was tearing up during the opening scenes. Hearing about the stupidity of the situation in the first place (ie: ever thinking slavery was a good idea, mixing the rights of human beings with the profits of business etc etc) and then reflecting on the sheer loss of life. And then. I don't know. I couldn't help but think about the Trayvon Martin story and while yes, things are markedly improved from the days of slavery, the ramifications of that time period and the Civil War clearly haven't abated entirely. Men fought and died over something as dumb as race, and men continue to die over it whether they want to or not. I'm not a scholar. Nor do I have an incredibly nuanced view of race politics. It just made me so sad to think that all that blood spilled on both sides, and we haven't really grown all the way up as a nation on that specific topic. I'm not someone who has a fully rational or informed academic position on the true causes of the Civil War nor the true impact it had on our society. I was, however, struck by one part of the film that mentions the incredible destruction of the south's buildings and infrastructure, and how long and hard the process of rebuilding was, which of course played a role in subsequent decades of interaction between north and south, black and white. After the movie we took an escalator up to the cyclorama, which really is something to see. Oil canvas all the way around, the way they've set it up there are moments where the canvas stops and the rest begins. Then there were the exhibits and relics of the massive cleanup and burial process that all Gettysburg citizens had to deal with post-battle. Thousands of corpses taking months and months to properly bury or return to their families. The smell in some places must have been something.
Ok enough of my ill informed thoughts on the Civil War. We spent a nice chunk of time around the facility before braving the continued rain to pile into our two cars and go to the Outlets. Except I stayed in the car and read Pride and Prejudice while they shopped.

Eggs c/o RX and Bartram's Gardens in West Philadelphia

The Saturday following our Modo Mio/Mccs night out started out a bit earlier than I probably would have liked. But when you wake up, you wake up, and sometimes no amount of wishery will change the fact that you are conscious. It was actually just as well, because soon after I woke up Mr. Ass rang me up and asked me if I was interested in a) breakfast and b) Bartram's gardens. I said yes to both, though I really only understood the first one. Mr. Ass didn't have a place in mind, but wanted to head westerly since that was the direction of the gardens. We drove around rather aimlessly for a while before passing RX and deciding it would do nicely. It did. We sat outside. I ordered the eggs benedict-ish with smoked salmon and spinach. Mr Ass went with French Toast and scrapple. I was pleased with the meal. The potatoes were above average and the eggs were perfectly poached. I would have liked a heartier, wood smoked salmon...but no one does that, so I should just start making them for myself.
Next we went to Bartram's Garden. The drive there was further proof of how little I really know of Philadelphia. And the contrast between the historically preserved section of Garden vs. the land and neighborhoods around is - I'd say - pretty interesting and weird.
We walked around for a bit, taking note of plants and species that seemed rare or pretty.

There was a path that ran along the river. A nice idea but somehow the river seems so depressed and dirty, that it's kind of sad. Like, at one point this was a different river, a cleaner, perhaps more rushing river...and to sit and watch it flow by would have been peaceful and stirring. And now it's more like watching stagnant water and the distant flame of a chemical plant.
Or maybe I'm just a little jaded this morning.

Chicamacomico Station

On Thursday Dad and I went to the historic Chicamacomico Station. For $6 you can take a self-guided tour through a number of buildings that were used by those who acted as rescuers for ships in distress.
This is the view from the observation area. I think. My problem is that I like walking through old houses and buildings, but I am not as thorough in my reading of what it all means.




Many rooms or buildings were designed to seem as if they were still being used. This was the kitchen. Look at that spilt milk.
I think one family had the job for generations. This was the house where they lived, and that was probably their tub.
I liked that the house smelled old. Still lived in even. This was further accentuated by the choices of bedding and accessories left on the beds and dressers.


This quilt was intriguing. Lots of little cloth pouches.
Nice wood work.
The boat they would drag out. Dad went back later in the afternoon to see the drill reenacted. I was lazy and did not.
I read this as 'useless.'
Maybe I want to refinish old wood.

Beers c/o Jack's Firehouse

Last Saturday I found myself at home feeling like I should be out. So, as any member of the new generation (I don't know what I mean by this), I went onto Facebook to kill time by seeing what other people were doing all over the country/world. I was surprised to find that one such Facebook friend was going to a musical event totally in my neighborhood. So, I commented upon this fact to B. and he responded and so I ended up meeting up with him and a bunch of his friends. B. and I hadn't seen each other in about ten years. I believe our last meeting was in Wales, when I was 19 and about to embark on my first, and only, European 'tour.' While we certainly didn't stay in touch, I remember B. fondly and the opportunity to catch up with him seemed like it would be far more fun than awkward, which, on the whole, it was. When I arrived I ordered a Troeg's Mad Elf and B.'s friend gave it bunny ears.
I switched to a lower alcohol content heifeweissen-y beer later on.
This photograph invokes the phrase 'double chin brigade' to me, but I mean no offense to B. (but take offense myself).
The music of the night, and the whole reason that B. and his friends were in my area was the Trailer Park Trio. I don't know how I feel about the name, but the music and dancing atmosphere it created was solid.


This dude danced with multiple ladies.

It was nice to see B. after a million years.
I also enjoyed the company of his friends K. and D.

And E.
Shots may have compromised the night a bit, but at least the new camera made it look a little prettier. Question: if you have been a relatively routine reader of the blog, have you any thoughts about the images as of late (it's okay if you haven't, I'm just wondering).
The bartender was good people too.
I look okay here. B. looks not so great. It's true. And even I look a fair bit of droopy-lidded McGee. Sigh.
An unexpected actual happening as a result of Facebook status updates.

Gettysburg is a Battlefield (Among Other Things)

After half time at the game, I thought I'd go and explore a little of the battlefields. I went toward the new visitors' center and ended up somewhere. If I was a better person I could tell you where, but I can't because I didn't actually read any of the signs...yeah, I'm a jerk. My main desire was just to see some open space and fall foliage. I was a little late for the foliage, as many trees were shedding their last leaves, but open spaces and fine weather lessened my disappointment.

There were so many boys with their fathers and walking sticks and canteens. It was really out of control. I have no photographic evidence of the masses of young not quite testosterone-ridden boys in tan and green walking about, but the one way street was littered with them.
I climbed a tower and got a better look of what was around.





Pretty.

Goodbye Cake, Shots, Dress Up and Pass the Zul

On Friday we had our last day with S. in the office, and as the office is wont to do, we marked the occasion with cake. S. will, actually, still be a part of the team, just remotely. But I do hope that Pittsburgh is a great new place for her. Considering the fact that she's going to get to live with her bf, I'm going to say it probably will be. The cake was from Whole Foods, and quite rich.
After my day of work I returned home for a breather. Seriously, I know that there are plenty of people in the world who work harder than me, but this unrelenting work does make my brain, once not concentrating on the task at hand, go a little funny. That being said, when two shiny, tinted, hybrid Explorers pulled up on my block, I knew somebody important was inside. So, when I saw a guy who looked a lot like the Mayor of Philadelphia (Nutter) and his wife and daughter get out of said car I assumed I was just imagining things for only a second before running inside and googling his name. I found photographs of his family and confirmed the truth of my eyes. Then I came back out and took a photograph of the car, blurrily, as proof. Our upstairs neighbor confirmed that it was, in fact, Nutter. I consider this a celebrity sighting.
Once I regrouped, I headed out to the Kite and Key for drinks with S. and her bf, Ak and A2 were there as well, and another of S.'s friends. I had a Dogfish Punkin Head. More people came, we chatted. S. will be living in Mr. Rogers' neighborhood, for real. And her walls may or may not be beige. More people came, two of S.'s friends (whose names I sadly do not remember, though their occupations I do--a filmmaker/editor, a third grade teacher and a law student) and L. joined the group. I was totally zonked, but the beer rallied my sprits so when L. asked about the possibility of having a shot before heading off, I thought that was a good idea. This story does not end in disaster.
Shots in hand, baseball on tv.
In the end we returned to the deck, which, let's face it, is where I'd like to spend all of my time, so that was great. I took a few photographs of L. pursuing Zul, but this is what it looked like when she got him. It's not really summer, so many needed layers, L. I gave this sweater (which I have owned since I was 13, I don't ever want to part with it).
To A2 I gave a vest that was given to me by my aunt.
I thought this was hilarious, so I lunged and pointed.
Hats and scarves also came out. J. and J. came later and I gave them scarves and dip. And Zul. got picked up again.
I really have a lot of scarves and hats and sweatshirts (Ak borrowed a sweatshirt that I got when visiting L.'s Brooklyn apartment during a blizzard six or so years ago) and whatnot. The night wrapped up with some backwards beer tossing, to different levels of success. It was a nice change of pace from the majority of my days and nights, even if it meant I stayed up too late.