Dan Antion

Family Fun – #1LinerWeds

Having recently won several board games, our daughter suggested that we take the board games to Pittsburgh with us last week, “in case it rains.” It did rain, on Thursday. We had gone out for breakfast, visited a couple cemeteries and visited a new park we had wanted to see. By the time we got to the park, the sky was looking ominous. We cancelled our plans to take a short hike, and as we pulled out, we drove into a thunderstorm. Back at the hotel, game day seemed like a good idea. We set up in the lobby area that had tables arranged for the hotel’s breakfast.

We played Sorry!, Backgammon and Monopoly during the day. We ordered some takeout Italian food for dinner, which we ate at the same table, and then Faith introduced a deck of cards, and my brother introduced a bottle of Tequila. Nothing improves the witty banter of a family card game like sipping Tequila.

I went back down to the lobby on Friday morning to get some coffee, and one of the other guests asked me who won. Then he added,

“You guys were having so much fun, I expected you to still be here this morning.”

This post is part of Linda G. Hill’s fun weekly series One-Liner Wednesday. If you would like to join in on the fun, you can follow this link to participate and to see the one-liners from the other participants.

The gallery includes pictures from a visit to The National Aviary. We had given Faith a Sloth Encounter for her birthday. Her encounter included admission, so my brother and I purchased admission, too. There’s a short video of the penguins below the gallery.

The bald eagles were brought to the Aviary when they were injured.
Birdy bird – sorry, that’s the best I can do.
This might be Toucan Sam.
One of the other rehabbed eagles.
These guys are just so cute.
It’s almost feeding time. They eat different kinds of fish, but the staff knows who likes what.
“Mmmmmm, fish my favorite”
These three studied the water for a long time before jumping in. See the video.
I’ve seen that look before. I get it, you’re eating.
I think I had this guy for 11th grade English.
I think MiMi taught him that look.
Shaggy bird.
Many of these birds are in the Wetlands exhibit. We walked around, but it’s clearly their space.
This guy barely stood still long enough for me to get a photo.

76 comments

  3. Those birds are amazing, especially your English teacher’s look-a-like. Looks a bit like Darth Vader. Magnificent eagles and never saw anything like the shaggy bird before.

    Good to know that despite today’s technology, board games are alive and well. Families that play together stay together! You guys put the bad weather to good use instead of vegetating in front of the boob tube!
    Ginger

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    • I was trying to get pictures of the signs that identified the birds, but people were in front of them,

      Playing (losing to) those guys was a lot of fun. We all won something, but I think Faith one more somethings than either me or my brother. We taught her a card game we played with our grandmother- she whomped us in the first attempt.

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  5. Two times I laughed out loud, once about the effects of tequila on witty family banter, and again about the 11th-grade English teacher. As a former one of those, I can tell you it isn’t easy perfecting that look! Despite my allergies to board games, I have to say that your family time sounded wonderful.

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  7. Penguins are so much fun to watch, but it appears the same holds true for the Antion family with board games and tequila. Why weren’t you still there in the morning?

    Have a wonderful Wednesday and rest of the week, Dan. Great photos!

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  8. This looks like so much fun! There is a show on Netflix about penguins. The narration is so funny and adds to the charms of these guys. My 11th grade English teacher is the one every girl had a major crush on I think they were trying to set him up with the only other female teacher who wasn’t a nun…
    Dan–that one-liner is the best! Tequila and cards….I’m surprised you didn’t have an audience for that! 😂

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  11. Two of my favorite things at work here, birding and board games! Maybe there’s a board game about birds! If not, there should be! Lol! Such a fun family time, I’m kind of jealous! I miss us playing board games as a family and long ago when we used to play weekly with other couples in the early days of our marriage. Where did all our friends go and why don’t we do that any more. I think the internet has ruined some of the quality things in life, like simple get togethers…as well as the plandemic having its negative and long-term effects. 😔

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  14. I love this! That one-liner is quite a complement to your family. If only more families spent time together playing board games! Penguins are adorable, like small children.

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  15. It is nice to see a family that still enjoys board games. We bought a ‘Birdopoly’ game for our grandson years ago and enjoyed many hours of play. He developed a love for strategy games. I could never win against him when playing Risk or Catan. The photos are really beautiful, Dan. Looks like a great trip overall!

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  17. LOL! We take Uno with us on trips, and had a very similar experience in London on our last trip. We can’t do Tequila though that’s too much for us, but wine is right up our street! 😀

    Oh, those birds are so wonderfully exotic! I love penquins!! They’re too, too cute!!

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  18. Looks like an awesome day! Nothing is better than family time. Oh, I just wish these cute penguins are not caged! Anyhow, awesome blog you have got. I just loved it. Keep blogging😀

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  19. Dan, this post is for the birds — in the best possible way. I really enjoyed the photos and captions. That black cockatoo cracked me up.
    Game day sounds like the best part of the mini vacation to me. I wouldn’t have thought of taking it to the lobby (but I don’t travel so… not a lot of hotel thoughts to begin with). I can see how that would have been more comfortable and more fun too. Hugs on the wing.

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    • There really wasn’t a good way for three people to play in the room. We got a couple of glances, but most people seemed to enjoy seeing us having fun. It was a very good day.

      The birds are so much fun to be around.

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  22. Brilliant line: “I think I had this guy for 11th grade English.” It looks exactly like my 11th grade English Teacher when he recited:

    “I am a part of all that I have met;
    Yet all experience is an arch wherethro’
    Gleams that untravell’d world whose margin fades
    For ever and forever when I move.
    How dull it is to pause, to make an end,
    To rust unburnish’d, not to shine in use!
    As tho’ to breathe were life!”

    I am enjoying following your blog. Great way to start my day!

    Liked by 1 person

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  27. Hi Dan – all I can say … it was a good idea to take the games with you – and sounds great family fun … especially with your brother there. Love the photos – happy memories … cheers Hilary

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