Dan Antion

Welcome Home – SoCS

“Welcome home – brush my butt.”
Labatt Blue – also at Carmody’s

It’s Saturday and David and I are ready to relax for a while as we catch up on the week that is ending. While we’re at it, we’ll try to handle Linda G. Hill’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt:

“Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is ‘key.’ Use it as a noun, a verb, or use it metaphorically. Have fun!”

If we were having a beer, we’d have a lot to talk about.

“Welcome back, Dan, your just in time to open a tab.”

“Didn’t I pay the last time?”

“Yes, but I paid last week.”

“I wasn’t here last week. I was in Pittsburgh.”

“Still, it was my week to pay, and I did. Consistency is the key to this relationship.”

“Fine. Cheryl, I’ll take the tab today.”

“OK, Dan. You want a Corona, or a Naughty Nurse Amber?”

“Do you have Brooklyn Lager?”

“Nope. We still can’t get that.”

“Damn, they had that at a bar in Pittsburgh and I was reminded of how much I like it.”

“Is that all you drank while down there?”

“No, I also had Yuengling and Labatt’s”

“We have Yuengling, in bottles.”

“OK, I’ll have one of those, and set David up with a John Howell’s Special.”

“Dan, I’m amazed by this change in beer choices. I guess consistency isn’t the key after all.”

“It is, David. Those are all lagers.”

“Does appreciation of lagers run in your family, or was your brother drinking something else?”

“He drinks a broader selection than I do. I took him some Coffee House Porter from Berkshire Brewing. He also had some Brooklyn Lager and we both had a few Mike’s Hard Lemonades.”

“Here you go guys. Are you going to want any food today?”

“Not today, Cheryl. I’m meeting my daughter in Hartford for a ball game.”

“Cool. It sounds like you ate well in Pittsburgh. I’m assuming you were washing down some good food with those beers.”

“I had the Yuengling at PNC Park, along with some nachos, but outside of the stadiums, we ate well.”

“PNC Park? So, did you see my Red Sox win, or did you go on Thursday?”

“We were there on Tuesday, David. The Pirates lost, five to three.”

“Were you also able to see the Steelers play?”

“We were. The sports schedule was the key to the timing of this trip. We wanted to see both teams play.”

“But the Steelers must have been playing a preseason game, right?”

“Yes, but that’s what we wanted to see. We wanted to see all three quarterback candidates.”

“Did you?”

“Yep. Mitch Trubiski started, then Mason Rudolph played, and Kenny Pickett ended the game – throwing the winning touchdown with three seconds remaining, I might add.”

 “I take it you favor Pickett.”

“I liked him at Pitt the five years he played there, but I’d be happy if Trubisky got the nod. As long as Kenny gets the number two slot.”

“Well, it sounds like you had fun.”

“We did. Cheryl, I have to split. Give the old man another round and cash us out.”

“OK.”

“Enjoy the game Dan. You going to see the Yardgoats”

“Actually, Los Chivos de Hartford.”

“Let me guess, Roberto Clemente night at Dunkin Donut’s Park.”

“Correct.”

“Um, Dan?”

“Yeah, Cheryl.”

“I need a credit card. You gave me the room key from your hotel.”

“Ooops.”

Sorry about my thumb. Breakfast at Eat’n Park
Steelers fans waiting for the return shuttles. That lone moved very fast once the boat arrived.
Fish Tacos from Carmody’s
Lots of restaurants are still only doing takeout. We brought dinner back to our hotel and ate in the room they use for their breakfast.
We had takeout from this place, and went back for lunch a few days later.
View from our hotel. The bridge is being repaired and painted. That’s the Ohio River.
So West Coast Dan knows I do drink other beers.
Old Glory at the top of the scoreboard and the city in the background.
“Sorry bunny, but I have to go in that door.”
Leftover stuffed grape leaves for breakfast.
I decided on fries as a snack at the ballgame.
Another shot of the flag and the dark city
PNC Park, Pittsburgh Baseball Club serves 24 oz Yuengling.
If you’ve read Knuckleheads, you know where the cover photo came from.
Hot sausage hoagie at Carmody’s
Soft pretzel appetizer at Carmody’s

73 comments

  1. After seeing your photos, I feel like I’ve got a great sense of the Pittsburgh vibe. The end of an era in Pittsburgh without Big Ben. I’ve always thought Mike Tomlin was a good coach.

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  5. “Brush my butt”…words of endearment from MuMu!

    Looks like you had a great time Dan. Good weather. Good Food and drinks. Good games. Excellent company.

    Old Glory…magnificent wherever she proudly flies.

    Still, nothing like getting back home, eh?
    Ginger

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    • Absolutely true, Ginger – coming home is the best part of any trip. I haven’t downloaded the pictures from my camera, but you’ll be seeing Old Glory flying in Pittsburgh for several days.

      MuMu had taken over my side of the bed, so brushing has been required as payment for disrupting her new pattern.

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    • I’m glad, Dan, that you and your brother were able to spend some time in Pittsburgh and see two of your favorite sports teams in action. I watched a Packer pre-season game last night and it made me excited for the season. I hope the Steelers make the best choice for QB and your guys have a good season. Have a great weekend and enjoy whatever plans involve good food and adult refreshment.

      Liked by 1 person

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  7. I thought that was Mediterranean food from the hotel pic! I like stuffed grape leaves, if they aren’t too sour. My neighbor back when I lived in Groves, was from Lebanon and she taught me how they make them. Here, when I go eat them, it’s from a place called Yum Yum Kabob, and the are actually Egyptian! Theirs can be quite tart! My fav is Kibbeh. I love the spiced meat inside. 🤗😋

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  11. You should think about writing a food blog, Dan. I love going out to eat for breakfast. Diner pancakes…you just cannot beat them. David paid while you were out of town. So, he paid for his own and you guys are even. Whaaaat?! Made me laugh. Enjoy the weekend.

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    • If it made you laugh, my work is done, Lois. I wish I could describe those soft pretzels. They were like pretzels on the outside but dinner roll soft on the inside. I’d like some right now.

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  14. Sounds like a great trip, Dan. Coffee House Porter also sounds great to me and those grape leaves look delicious. We found a new place near us recently, a small tap house that has an enormous number of beer choices including, important to me, at least four porters or stouts all the time. :-) They also serve beer nuts made by the owner’s wife (yum!!), pizza, and some other snack food. I think it’s our new place.

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  21. Just love the boat photo — Loved Knuckleheads too! Just finished one of John Wyndham’s works, “The Chrysalids”. You may enjoy it, if you haven’t read it before. A bit like Knuckleheads… Hugs!

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    • Thanks, thanks and more thanks! The cover of Knuckleheads and the second book in the series were both created from photos taken while on one of those boats. The boats figure prominently in the second book as well.

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  24. What a great trip, Dan! Food, baseball, football, and a Roberto Clemente day. Perfect. I heard that the Red Sox and Orioles play a game at Williamsport for the Little League playoffs. Very cool for those kids!

    Liked by 1 person

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