I used to walk barefoot on this property. When I was little I hated wearing shoes. Like seriously hated it. The bottoms of my feet were often strange colors and extremely calloused. We would make the 4 hour drive to my grandparents and upon arrival I would not reshoe my foot. So I would climb out of the van onto the stone/gravel driveway and limp my way into the house. I'm telling you, this gravel was like monster size. It wasn't just like little stones, it was big mountains of sharp edges and angular sides just waiting to try to pierce my soles.
Well, since then the driveway has been paved and I've better adapted to wearing shoes, but I took a little walk outside in my bare feet and was reminded of the time when I was little and this was the normal. I even stepped on a few little stones and it showed me how much I've grown/changed since then. My feet instantly protested. It made me chuckle at the comparison.
The thing I think I appreciate most about being back here in my second childhood home is that despite the fact that I'm 21 and obviously different from the little girl who used to walk barefoot all over the place, I can still just be me. I can let the little girl side of me come out, even if it's just in the little things.
I can still sit around the table and play a game of cards, laughing until my sides hurt with my grandparents. I can still curl up in front of the TV with a blanket and cheer for the Pirates, Steelers, or Penguins. I can still spend an evening sitting on the back porch swing with my grandma telling stories.
No matter how old I get, I will always be their grandchild, free to be who I am and who I've been for as long as I can remember.
28 July 2011
25 July 2011
Shattered Glass
We arrived at the store today to find two windows broken in. Glass was everywhere. A normal day at work turned into chaos the minute we walked in. Unhappy phone calls were made, police reports filed and wooden panels put up to keep out the rain that was continuously pounding as the hours ticked by.
I stayed in my own little world all day long. Being the only girl working in a pawn shop usually has its benefits. Today, it was a bit trickier than usual. My natural instinct is to make sure everyone and everything is okay. Well, that was the last thing anyone needed today. I set to work on a project that took me through the majority of the hours that quickly passed by.
Towards the middle of the store there is a large shelf completely crammed with DVD's. There are two other smaller shelves to the right of it and about 4 large cardboard boxes in the back room entirely stocked with DVD's. My self-appointed task for the day was to give some method of organization to the strewn cases. I cannot even begin to tell you how many plastic cases my fingers held throughout the day. I shifted, squeezed, and stacked hundreds of movies -- all in the attempt to make it easier to pick one out.
I had a perfect view of the window for the first half of the crazy day. Amidst my organizing, I watched my uncle pace around on the phone, wandering every few minutes over to the scene of the incident. I saw police officers come and go and add to the BB I found on the floor when we came in. I witnessed window repair men taking measurements then driving away, returning with large wooden slabs to cover up the gaping hole that used to be the window. I stared as they knocked the remaining glass from the wooden frames and tried to tune out the blare of the shop vac as they made quick work of the shattered glass covered floors.
It was a perfect morning to keep myself busy. My project allowed me to process, but stay silent -- despite the numerous times I was asked to answer "what happened?" For once, there was a problem I didn't have to -- and shouldn't try to -- fix.
It was a solemn day at Pawn Starz, but got brighter as the day went on. Much like the weather, our spirits lifted beyond the morning, reminding us that there is always an end to the storm.
I stayed in my own little world all day long. Being the only girl working in a pawn shop usually has its benefits. Today, it was a bit trickier than usual. My natural instinct is to make sure everyone and everything is okay. Well, that was the last thing anyone needed today. I set to work on a project that took me through the majority of the hours that quickly passed by.
Towards the middle of the store there is a large shelf completely crammed with DVD's. There are two other smaller shelves to the right of it and about 4 large cardboard boxes in the back room entirely stocked with DVD's. My self-appointed task for the day was to give some method of organization to the strewn cases. I cannot even begin to tell you how many plastic cases my fingers held throughout the day. I shifted, squeezed, and stacked hundreds of movies -- all in the attempt to make it easier to pick one out.
I had a perfect view of the window for the first half of the crazy day. Amidst my organizing, I watched my uncle pace around on the phone, wandering every few minutes over to the scene of the incident. I saw police officers come and go and add to the BB I found on the floor when we came in. I witnessed window repair men taking measurements then driving away, returning with large wooden slabs to cover up the gaping hole that used to be the window. I stared as they knocked the remaining glass from the wooden frames and tried to tune out the blare of the shop vac as they made quick work of the shattered glass covered floors.
It was a perfect morning to keep myself busy. My project allowed me to process, but stay silent -- despite the numerous times I was asked to answer "what happened?" For once, there was a problem I didn't have to -- and shouldn't try to -- fix.
It was a solemn day at Pawn Starz, but got brighter as the day went on. Much like the weather, our spirits lifted beyond the morning, reminding us that there is always an end to the storm.
24 July 2011
The little things ...
You might be surprised, but it's the little things in life that send me skipping through the living room with a smile plastered to my face, sure that I've successfully time traveled back to my days as a little girl. Life is funny that way. It's the little things that make it enjoyable.
For instance:
~ buying gold for the first time by myself
~ not having to put my smelly sneakers on my feet this morning
~ getting to choose the outfit I wear instead of throwing on a Pawn Starz shirt
and best of all ... the instance that sent me on my skip through time
~ realizing the next book in the trilogy I am reading is already on the kindle I just got.
Yes, it's short. Hopefully it's sweet. But like I said, it's the little things in life. =)
For instance:
~ buying gold for the first time by myself
~ not having to put my smelly sneakers on my feet this morning
~ getting to choose the outfit I wear instead of throwing on a Pawn Starz shirt
and best of all ... the instance that sent me on my skip through time
~ realizing the next book in the trilogy I am reading is already on the kindle I just got.
Yes, it's short. Hopefully it's sweet. But like I said, it's the little things in life. =)
23 July 2011
Adventures in Pawn Starz: Part 3
So working here, I've realized a few things.
1. People are so quick to get rid of things that they've had for 20, 30, 40 years or even their whole life.
2. They will do anything to get some cash.
Both of these things just hurt my heart.
I'll give you some examples of what I'm talking about.
A few days ago, a lady came in with a ring she had previously had been given an offer on. She didn't really like the offer the first time, but she was desperate for a few dollars so she brought it back, but she didn't remember the exact amount she had been quoted. Her response was something like "I don't remember from one day to the next." She had brought something else in but I don't think we wanted it. She then pulled her watch from her wrist and without blinking an eye offered it up for a price commenting, "I've had this watch since I was in nursing school." My uncle gave her an amount and she took it, adding about how long she's been a nurse. It was thirty years.
She handed over a watch that she's had for the majority of his life without blinking an eye. I just hope she didn't wake up the next day and wonder what she did with her watch.
My second story is from today, but it started yesterday. A lady brought in a ring that we thought might have a diamond in it. My uncle just couldn't be sure because it was almost too perfect. He asked the lady to come back today so that he could acquire a tester that would be sufficient to tell if it was the real deal. She came back this morning with the ring and a larger expectation of what she wanted. I remember waiting on her yesterday and she was almost offended that we thought her diamond could be fake. Even today she was indignant that it was real. Well, my uncle tested the stone and from what he could tell it was real, but something still just didn't seem right, but he bought it anyway. Later on a guy came in that knows more about diamonds and was going to buy it off of my uncle. He did some of his own tests and it turns out that the stone is fake. My reaction is how can people stand there and swear up and down that something is true and if you contradict them they jump down your throat. I just don't understand.
Ah! Days like today and events like these are a constant reminder that I am not made for this world. It just baffles me when I come in contact with people that are adamantly against anything good -- just to make a quick buck. Ugh. I just cannot comprehend how you can lie that outright and royally screw over someone else. Oy! Is there no respect for what is right and good anymore??
1. People are so quick to get rid of things that they've had for 20, 30, 40 years or even their whole life.
2. They will do anything to get some cash.
Both of these things just hurt my heart.
I'll give you some examples of what I'm talking about.
A few days ago, a lady came in with a ring she had previously had been given an offer on. She didn't really like the offer the first time, but she was desperate for a few dollars so she brought it back, but she didn't remember the exact amount she had been quoted. Her response was something like "I don't remember from one day to the next." She had brought something else in but I don't think we wanted it. She then pulled her watch from her wrist and without blinking an eye offered it up for a price commenting, "I've had this watch since I was in nursing school." My uncle gave her an amount and she took it, adding about how long she's been a nurse. It was thirty years.
She handed over a watch that she's had for the majority of his life without blinking an eye. I just hope she didn't wake up the next day and wonder what she did with her watch.
My second story is from today, but it started yesterday. A lady brought in a ring that we thought might have a diamond in it. My uncle just couldn't be sure because it was almost too perfect. He asked the lady to come back today so that he could acquire a tester that would be sufficient to tell if it was the real deal. She came back this morning with the ring and a larger expectation of what she wanted. I remember waiting on her yesterday and she was almost offended that we thought her diamond could be fake. Even today she was indignant that it was real. Well, my uncle tested the stone and from what he could tell it was real, but something still just didn't seem right, but he bought it anyway. Later on a guy came in that knows more about diamonds and was going to buy it off of my uncle. He did some of his own tests and it turns out that the stone is fake. My reaction is how can people stand there and swear up and down that something is true and if you contradict them they jump down your throat. I just don't understand.
Ah! Days like today and events like these are a constant reminder that I am not made for this world. It just baffles me when I come in contact with people that are adamantly against anything good -- just to make a quick buck. Ugh. I just cannot comprehend how you can lie that outright and royally screw over someone else. Oy! Is there no respect for what is right and good anymore??
22 July 2011
Adventures in Pawn Starz: Part 2
Oh boy, what a day! First thing this morning there was a guy who wanted to bet my uncle $500 that he could get a better offer on his ring from a store downtown. He was going on and on and on and on and on for like 5 minutes straight. It was seriously ridiculous. My uncle knows what he's talking about and is usually really fair in his offerings, but this guy just couldn't believe it.
And that was just the beginning of it. Because of the staff who was working, it was just me and my uncle who could test/buy gold or silver. I did a few by myself, but always usually double checked with him first. One lady had a few rings and didn't like the price I offered so she waited until my uncle could come and double check everything. I had done everything right, she ended up taking her rings back with her.
I spent the day organizing watches and putting up with the two ridiculous guys that were working. I bought Kindle chargers because I wanted to purchase the one that he had in his store that was missing that piece of equipment. I racked my brain trying to figure out how better to organize the hundreds (possibly over a thousand) DVD's he has in the store, as well as what to do with all of the CD's. I calculated the totals for tools that were 40% off today and leaving like the watermelon on a summer day. I was greeting sweaty people coming inside grateful for the air conditioning in the scorching 100+ degree weather. And probably my favorite part of the day was taking water to the construction workers and police officers working outside of the shop.
It reminded me that everyday we have a chance to brighten someone's day, to make a difference, to be a light. No matter where we are or what we are doing, we are in a mission field, we are called to be witnesses. We are to do all things as if until the Lord. Even though I've been spending my days hanging out in a pawn shop, I can still live for and glorify the Lord. =)
And that was just the beginning of it. Because of the staff who was working, it was just me and my uncle who could test/buy gold or silver. I did a few by myself, but always usually double checked with him first. One lady had a few rings and didn't like the price I offered so she waited until my uncle could come and double check everything. I had done everything right, she ended up taking her rings back with her.
I spent the day organizing watches and putting up with the two ridiculous guys that were working. I bought Kindle chargers because I wanted to purchase the one that he had in his store that was missing that piece of equipment. I racked my brain trying to figure out how better to organize the hundreds (possibly over a thousand) DVD's he has in the store, as well as what to do with all of the CD's. I calculated the totals for tools that were 40% off today and leaving like the watermelon on a summer day. I was greeting sweaty people coming inside grateful for the air conditioning in the scorching 100+ degree weather. And probably my favorite part of the day was taking water to the construction workers and police officers working outside of the shop.
It reminded me that everyday we have a chance to brighten someone's day, to make a difference, to be a light. No matter where we are or what we are doing, we are in a mission field, we are called to be witnesses. We are to do all things as if until the Lord. Even though I've been spending my days hanging out in a pawn shop, I can still live for and glorify the Lord. =)
21 July 2011
Adventures in Pawn Starz
Wow. I feel like it's been forever. There were several times that I started typing and then for whatever reason decided I didn't like where it was going and scraped the whole thing. Well, hopefully now I will actually finish writing. Let's see how it goes ...
So today marks my first day off since I started working for my uncle this past Monday. I've accompanied him to work a few times before, but it was always for just a day or two and I was just visiting. Now though, I am in the thick of it -- learning what it means to work in a "Pawn" Shop.
My uncle's store is called Pawn Starz -- not affiliated with the TV show, but business is conducted quite similarly -- but there is no pawning in this shop. It is strictly buy, trade, sell. The tag line for the store is "we buy anything of value" and, quite true to their word, they really do. I've seen squirrel lamps, pinball machines, slot machines, sports memorabilia, DVD's, CD's, air conditioners, vacuums, gaming systems, TV's ... the list goes on and on and on.
The most popular thing they buy, or maybe I should rephrase that, the favorite thing to buy is gold, silver, coins and jewelery. There is a fine art to determining if something is of value or not. More often than not, there are markings on the pieces that tell you whether or not something is silver or gold, but sometimes you have to test the item to determine if it is of value.
I've completed the process a couple of times, and look forward to when I can actually do the whole thing start to finish without feeling like I need to check with someone before I offer a price. I never thought I would but I am really loving working in my uncle's store. It's an adventure every day, truly. You really never know what or who is going to walk through that door ...
Stay tuned for more stories from my days working at Pawn Starz! =)
So today marks my first day off since I started working for my uncle this past Monday. I've accompanied him to work a few times before, but it was always for just a day or two and I was just visiting. Now though, I am in the thick of it -- learning what it means to work in a "Pawn" Shop.
My uncle's store is called Pawn Starz -- not affiliated with the TV show, but business is conducted quite similarly -- but there is no pawning in this shop. It is strictly buy, trade, sell. The tag line for the store is "we buy anything of value" and, quite true to their word, they really do. I've seen squirrel lamps, pinball machines, slot machines, sports memorabilia, DVD's, CD's, air conditioners, vacuums, gaming systems, TV's ... the list goes on and on and on.
The most popular thing they buy, or maybe I should rephrase that, the favorite thing to buy is gold, silver, coins and jewelery. There is a fine art to determining if something is of value or not. More often than not, there are markings on the pieces that tell you whether or not something is silver or gold, but sometimes you have to test the item to determine if it is of value.
I've completed the process a couple of times, and look forward to when I can actually do the whole thing start to finish without feeling like I need to check with someone before I offer a price. I never thought I would but I am really loving working in my uncle's store. It's an adventure every day, truly. You really never know what or who is going to walk through that door ...
Stay tuned for more stories from my days working at Pawn Starz! =)
09 July 2011
Summer fun ... Writing! =)
I finally feel like I'm living summer the way I've wanted to. I still have one more week of early morning summer classes, but then I'm done until the end of August. Because these past 4 weeks my classes were in the morning, I've been able to relax and spend my afternoons the way I wanted to, not feeling as though I had wasted a whole day in class. Most often I would come home and nap for a few hours, but hey, I was able to do it. The freedom that comes with summer is something that we often lose once we graduate from high school. I am so blessed to be able to regain it, even just for this short while.
I've been working on a story ever since January. I decided as sort of an unspoken resolution that I wanted to finish a story this year. I always start these little paragraphs or few pages of interesting content, but never see them through to completion. Well, already, as it is only July (which is hard to believe !!) I am well on my way to actually achieving my goal. That's the other thing I've been spending my summer afternoons doing -- writing. Or perhaps typing is a better term. I've filled an entire journal with my fairytale (one of those little spiral hard back ones you can get at Barnes & Noble on clearance with really cool pictures or designs on the covers) and I'm already several pages into a new one, but I was starting to get a little worried that it was my only copy of my story. If anything would happen -- like if I lost the journal, spilled water on it, lent it to someone or left it somewhere -- I think I would be heartbroken and greatly discouraged.
So I started typing it up. Now that I'm well toward the end of the adventure, I realized there are things in the beginning that I need to change/revise, and at first that is what really kept me from typing up my story. I figured I would want to edit as I typed -- which I am doing to an extent -- but it turns out that I've managed to just type what's written. I want to get it all down, then I'll worry about fixing things.
I am really excited about this story. There is so much out there that is just awful for young people (particularly girls) to be filling their minds with. Now, although my story doesn't necessarily scream about Jesus Christ and his saving grace, it definitely has a more positive image in it. If it closes the way I am hoping that it will (sometimes stories have a mind of their own and I can't really do anything about it) the book will be full of lessons to learn and encouragement for girls -- rather than a standard to which they are always destined to fall short.
I don't really know where this is going to go, but I've committed it to God -- wherever he wants to take it he will. If it just simply remains a hilarious tale about me and my best friend that is shared between the two of us -- I'm okay with that. I'm writing because I love it, and I'm writing because for some reason, God gave me the ability. I don't know what's coming tomorrow -- heck! I don't even know how my own story is going to end! -- but I do know that whatever comes my way, God is guiding me and will see me through!
To God be the glory! Always! =)
I've been working on a story ever since January. I decided as sort of an unspoken resolution that I wanted to finish a story this year. I always start these little paragraphs or few pages of interesting content, but never see them through to completion. Well, already, as it is only July (which is hard to believe !!) I am well on my way to actually achieving my goal. That's the other thing I've been spending my summer afternoons doing -- writing. Or perhaps typing is a better term. I've filled an entire journal with my fairytale (one of those little spiral hard back ones you can get at Barnes & Noble on clearance with really cool pictures or designs on the covers) and I'm already several pages into a new one, but I was starting to get a little worried that it was my only copy of my story. If anything would happen -- like if I lost the journal, spilled water on it, lent it to someone or left it somewhere -- I think I would be heartbroken and greatly discouraged.
So I started typing it up. Now that I'm well toward the end of the adventure, I realized there are things in the beginning that I need to change/revise, and at first that is what really kept me from typing up my story. I figured I would want to edit as I typed -- which I am doing to an extent -- but it turns out that I've managed to just type what's written. I want to get it all down, then I'll worry about fixing things.
I am really excited about this story. There is so much out there that is just awful for young people (particularly girls) to be filling their minds with. Now, although my story doesn't necessarily scream about Jesus Christ and his saving grace, it definitely has a more positive image in it. If it closes the way I am hoping that it will (sometimes stories have a mind of their own and I can't really do anything about it) the book will be full of lessons to learn and encouragement for girls -- rather than a standard to which they are always destined to fall short.
I don't really know where this is going to go, but I've committed it to God -- wherever he wants to take it he will. If it just simply remains a hilarious tale about me and my best friend that is shared between the two of us -- I'm okay with that. I'm writing because I love it, and I'm writing because for some reason, God gave me the ability. I don't know what's coming tomorrow -- heck! I don't even know how my own story is going to end! -- but I do know that whatever comes my way, God is guiding me and will see me through!
To God be the glory! Always! =)
02 July 2011
Family: the very young and the very old
Today was a family full day. I saw the oldest generations, gray with wisdom and memory loss and I spent some quality time with the newest generation, Little Patrick James (PJ) who is just 5 days old. Our family has been blessed with four generations on both sides.
My great-grandmother who we call "Nonna" turned 92 in February. Shortly after that, she suffered a stroke and was forced to relocate to an assisted living home. Despite some problems and hospital visits, she's settled in and apparently doing well. I visited her today for the first time since she moved.
Now, let me lay this out for you: I don't do well with old people. At church we used to go and sing and visit with the elderly around Lancaster. I would always feel uncomfortable and out of place. I never know how to handle situations like that. So walking into Nonna's room and realizing that she is certainly not the woman I knew a few months ago, the uncomfortableness settled right back in. I was on the verge of tears watching her struggle to find the right word, then with a deep sigh, resigning her efforts. Despite her struggles, she was still able to reminisce about how blessed she's been in her long life. She has 8 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. She has been a spiritual mother to many and will leave a fantastic legacy behind her. She's on the edges of life, but living with no regrets.
I mentioned before that my cousin just had a baby, and I certainly was not lying. Her little boy is honestly one of the cutest babies I have ever seen. He was born on Tuesday afternoon so he's really just 4-5 days old. He fits in one arm (even my own short arms) and hardly ever fusses. I sat with him in my lap for a while today just admiring the little life that just started on his journey. I told his mom later that I could just sit like that for hours, stroking his little fingers and feeling him breathe against my stomach. He's the beginning of the fourth generation on my dad's side. With him comes the transformation of kid to adult, child to parent.
The weekend brought with it new journeys of life and new lessons of family. This fourth of July brings with it a foreshadowing of possible years to come as our family grows and matures as a whole and individuals.
My great-grandmother who we call "Nonna" turned 92 in February. Shortly after that, she suffered a stroke and was forced to relocate to an assisted living home. Despite some problems and hospital visits, she's settled in and apparently doing well. I visited her today for the first time since she moved.
Now, let me lay this out for you: I don't do well with old people. At church we used to go and sing and visit with the elderly around Lancaster. I would always feel uncomfortable and out of place. I never know how to handle situations like that. So walking into Nonna's room and realizing that she is certainly not the woman I knew a few months ago, the uncomfortableness settled right back in. I was on the verge of tears watching her struggle to find the right word, then with a deep sigh, resigning her efforts. Despite her struggles, she was still able to reminisce about how blessed she's been in her long life. She has 8 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. She has been a spiritual mother to many and will leave a fantastic legacy behind her. She's on the edges of life, but living with no regrets.
I mentioned before that my cousin just had a baby, and I certainly was not lying. Her little boy is honestly one of the cutest babies I have ever seen. He was born on Tuesday afternoon so he's really just 4-5 days old. He fits in one arm (even my own short arms) and hardly ever fusses. I sat with him in my lap for a while today just admiring the little life that just started on his journey. I told his mom later that I could just sit like that for hours, stroking his little fingers and feeling him breathe against my stomach. He's the beginning of the fourth generation on my dad's side. With him comes the transformation of kid to adult, child to parent.
The weekend brought with it new journeys of life and new lessons of family. This fourth of July brings with it a foreshadowing of possible years to come as our family grows and matures as a whole and individuals.
01 July 2011
My long weekend =)
So for the long weekend, a few members of my family decided to spend some time where the older generations grew up ... Western PA =)
The weekend is complete with the cross-state train ride, visiting the summertime hangout Kennywood, having a 4th of July picnic, and welcoming new life into the family. My mom, dad, sister, and I (along with my uncle) spent the day at the local amusement park, Kennywood. The day was filled with stories of days gone by, lots of screaming, and laughing til our sides hurt. The park is an awesome mix of historical wooden coasters and shining new metal loops. One of the rides (that my dad labeled an "old fogy ride") told the history and evolution of the park. We didn't really hear all of it, but what we did hear went along nicely with the childhood memories my parents told.
The park had and still has community and nationality days throughout the summer. Entire communities come out to the park and enjoy the day together. On the nationality days, the park is filled with Russians or Italians or any other of the many nationalities that embody the area. It's a family-friendly park through and through -- something for everyone and a place to go where you're bound to see someone you know.
I even have some of my own memories there. Kennywood has a different feel than the super commercialized parks like Hershey Park or Six Flags. It's the people's park, for locals rather than a tourist destination, or at least that is the feel I got today. I reminisced of my own days-gone-by, and made new memories with my family that I'll remember for a while.
One of those moments I'll remember for a while is when my sister faced her fear of roller coasters. Our second ride of the day was a new coaster called "Sky Rocket." It was fast and twisty and a lot of fun ... the first time. Jana was FREAKING out in line. My uncle had to drag her through the gate to convince her to go. She fake-cried the whole way through, but ended up loving it. Between she and my dad, they rode just about every coaster ride in the place ... multiple times. She was my riding buddy and I spent most of the day laughing with her and at her. She even decided to do Sky Rocket a second time. She improved as the day went on, I got worse. The repeat of the Sky Rocket put me over the edge. I was done after that one.
It was a great day. I love hanging with family and hearing old stories. I am wiped out tonight, but it was sooo worth it! Tomorrow brings the Strip District (get your mind out of the gutter! It's like little Italy in New York, only this is in Pittsburgh) and a 4th of July picnic with my Dad's side of the family. My cousin just had the cutest little boy who will be making his first appearance at a family gathering. It will be a great day to celebrate life and freedom, a wonderful piece of a fantastic weekend.
The weekend is complete with the cross-state train ride, visiting the summertime hangout Kennywood, having a 4th of July picnic, and welcoming new life into the family. My mom, dad, sister, and I (along with my uncle) spent the day at the local amusement park, Kennywood. The day was filled with stories of days gone by, lots of screaming, and laughing til our sides hurt. The park is an awesome mix of historical wooden coasters and shining new metal loops. One of the rides (that my dad labeled an "old fogy ride") told the history and evolution of the park. We didn't really hear all of it, but what we did hear went along nicely with the childhood memories my parents told.
The park had and still has community and nationality days throughout the summer. Entire communities come out to the park and enjoy the day together. On the nationality days, the park is filled with Russians or Italians or any other of the many nationalities that embody the area. It's a family-friendly park through and through -- something for everyone and a place to go where you're bound to see someone you know.
I even have some of my own memories there. Kennywood has a different feel than the super commercialized parks like Hershey Park or Six Flags. It's the people's park, for locals rather than a tourist destination, or at least that is the feel I got today. I reminisced of my own days-gone-by, and made new memories with my family that I'll remember for a while.
One of those moments I'll remember for a while is when my sister faced her fear of roller coasters. Our second ride of the day was a new coaster called "Sky Rocket." It was fast and twisty and a lot of fun ... the first time. Jana was FREAKING out in line. My uncle had to drag her through the gate to convince her to go. She fake-cried the whole way through, but ended up loving it. Between she and my dad, they rode just about every coaster ride in the place ... multiple times. She was my riding buddy and I spent most of the day laughing with her and at her. She even decided to do Sky Rocket a second time. She improved as the day went on, I got worse. The repeat of the Sky Rocket put me over the edge. I was done after that one.
It was a great day. I love hanging with family and hearing old stories. I am wiped out tonight, but it was sooo worth it! Tomorrow brings the Strip District (get your mind out of the gutter! It's like little Italy in New York, only this is in Pittsburgh) and a 4th of July picnic with my Dad's side of the family. My cousin just had the cutest little boy who will be making his first appearance at a family gathering. It will be a great day to celebrate life and freedom, a wonderful piece of a fantastic weekend.
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