Hi,

Sorry folks, I told this to publish on Monday and it didn’t.

Birth anniversaries include black American naval aviator Jesse Brown (1926), on the edge comedian Lenny Bruce (1925), former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (1925), French actor Yves Montand (1921) and Revolutionary War Heroine Molly Pitcher (1754).  It’s the anniversary of the authorization of the US Navy (1775) and in Burundi, Assassintion of the Hero of the Nation, Prince Louis Rwagasore (1961).

Gilfilan Farm will hold it’s second holiday antique show through October 15.  It runs from 10 am until 4 pm in the white barn.  The farm house will only be open for tours through scheduling by calling 412-835-2050 or by e-mailing the president of the Upper St Clair Historical Society at president@hsusc.org.  Gilifan Farm is one of the original farms of the area that eventually became Upper St Clair.

Jane has been visiting from Florida several times a year, Jim her friend has given me several original pieces of art work that hang in a grouping on the second floor landing.  One is of the old fire truck that used to be in the Commons for kids to play on another is of a small house in the Mexican War Streets and the third is of a whale playing in the ocean:

P1000828

Appearantly, Jane’s sister Louise Leak was an accomplished artist, most notably for her work on etching print blocks.  Louise passed away forty years ago and they recently found a number of her print blocks.  Jane presented me with one titled The Table Room:

P1000827

The picture’s black and white with so much detail, very talented!

City of Asylum recently closed on the old Masonic Temple on North Avenue (two doors down from the Garden Theater).  They plan on starting a $10M renovation immediately.  CA, in case you are not familiar with them house dissident authors and poets, mostly of Asian origin.  CA own several shot gun houses in the Mexican War Streets, one of the houses has a poem in Chinese written on the outside of the house, something to check out if you are walking in the area of the Mattress Factory and Randyland.  Up until now, they have hosted their readings and other events any where they could.  Now with the first floor becoming Alphabet City, they will have a permanent venue and coffee & gift shops in one location.

Pittsburgh’s Dirty Dozen Bike Race is about a month out, November 28.  The Dirty Dozen is actually 13 of the city’s steepest streets, including Canton in Beechview.  Canton has the steepest grade of any paved street in the world, the Guinness Book of Records lists a street in New Zealand, because it is longer.  (I think NZ’s street is 34% and Canton is 37%).  Actually they could hold the entire race in Beechview, there are so many super steep streets over there.  I go there often because that’s where my Mom lives and I scare her by driving down some of them.  🙂  Go to their website if you would like to register to participate.  It’s also a great excuse to go out and get some fresh air and cheer the participants on.

Rayzette is fully recovered from her being spayed.  Day one she slept the rest of the day, day two I took the cone off so she could eat breakfast and then again so she could eat lunch.  I left the cone off after she ate and watched her closely.  She started licking the incision and the cone went back on her.  I after dinner, I left the cone off and watched her for hours and she had learned the cone was related to licking the incision.  And she has a ravenous appetite.  🙂  She’s 62# and climbing, RJ’s 84#.  She doesn’t look like a puppy any more, she just looks like a super cuter small lab.  Here’s my little girl hanging out with her big brother:

P1000829

Take care and enjoy this nice weather we’re having,

ed