Spring season camping trip number 2 took place last weekend which was just about the first decent weekend we've had. It was USA's Memorial Day on Monday and therefore a bank holiday. Which reminds me.....when we lived here in 1996 my Barbershop quartet, the legendary "Chordsharks", sang a gig at the Bethel Park Memorial Day Parade. Our show-stopper was "I'm Proud to be an American" with me on melody (suppressing scouse accent). A hoot!
Anyway....last Saturday we headed North to Allegheny Forest at the Loleta Recreation Area. This is not far from the fabled "Straub Brewery" in St Mary's PA where, it is rumored, they have a tap outside from which runs a fresh and unlimited supply of free beer. This could only happen in PA. Can you imagine a tap dispensing such delights on Smithdown Rd?
Only problem with the camping trip was that it got down to 36 F overnight which is about 2 C. The kids snored all night while me and Shaz stayed awake listening to each other's teeth chattering. Luckily the days were hot and we managed a couple of decent bike rides with Adam on his posh new bike and Soph having her first outing on the tag-along bike.
Life is busy in the Burgh. Adam is obsessed with playing footy which is good fun but requires me to play taxi driver out to Gibsonia PA (about 45 mins away) on 2 or 3 nights per week. Unfortunately the club he has joined is called "Arsenal". However, I have to say that the standard is excellent. The senior boys make the NewHeys first eleven circa 1984/85 look rubbish but then again....we were!
Adam is training with the under 10s because they don't have a little-uns team. I was a bit worried about this when "Coach Ed" suggested it but it is working out really well. Adam is catching up fast and the bigger kids have really warmed to him which I have to say is a typically North American positive response. Bless 'em. Makes ya proud to be an American!
