#South Pittsburgh

[moshieldsouthpittsburgh]

Mosquito Shield of South Pittsburgh

Residential Mosquito Control

Keep Mosquito-Borne Diseases Away With Mosquito Control Services

Mosquitoes are seen as an annoyance, but over the past decade, we have seen how important it is to prevent the harmful effects caused by their bites through mosquito control services. Mosquitoes carry diseases that pose serious health threats to your family and your pets. Drawing on our years of experience, the experts at Mosquito Shield® are happy to discuss a management strategy for preventing these pests from causing chaos at your home and in your yard.

Expert Technicians

Our technicians are trained specifically on mosquito and tick control products. We’re not just another guy with a backpack and van or a lawn care provider that will “set and forget” later. This is what we do and we take it very seriously. Not only are our technicians trained on products, they’re trained on mosquito and tick behavior as well as species identification.

That knowledge is used to maximize treatments and minimize the time taken to do it.

Our Goal Is Your Satisfaction

We make the whole process of backyard mosquito control easy, from start to finish. Our goal is to help you, so you can enjoy the simple pleasure of relaxing in your yard again.

What You Can Expect With Mosquito Shield Products

With Mosquito Shield® you get the most comprehensive mosquito or tick control service available to help you enjoy everything you love about being outdoors. Learn more about how Mosquito Shield works here:

Our Money Back Guarantee.

Your first visit will be scheduled within five business days of signing up.

An email notification will be sent before and after each visit.

You will see a significant reduction after your first visit, typically within 24 hours.

A licensed technician will visit your property approximately every two weeks, depending on mosquito population and weather conditions. Treatment intervals can be as short as 10 days and as long as 17 days.

A polymer, which acts like a rain shield, is added to each spray, helps the product withstand light to moderate rain and allows the barrier to remain in effect.

Tick Control for Your Yard

Help control your home from the dangers of tick-borne diseases with tick control for your yard. Ticks are parasites that feed on warm-blooded hosts including humans, dogs, cats, and deer. Without proper tick control and prevention services, these small pests can cause big problems. They carry a variety of diseases including Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis, Bartonella, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and more. For instance, Lyme disease and other co-bacterial infections are caused by the bite of an infected deer tick, a type of tick which is prevalent in the North East. If untreated, these diseases can lead to a number of health problems and life altering symptoms. It’s likely you have heard of some of these diseases, but how can you get tick control in your own backyard?

There are few strategies to help you, your family, and pets lower the risk of getting a tick-borne illness:

Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants- If you are in a wooded area or in long grass, wear clothes that cover your arms and legs, tuck in your shirt, and tuck your pants into your socks to prevent ticks from getting on your skin.

Wear light colored clothes- If your clothes are lighter, you will be able to see the ticks crawling on you before they reach the skin.

Spray clothes and exposed skin with insect repellent- bug spray will help repel ticks before they bite!

Talk to your vet about tick prevention- Don’t forget about man’s best friend! Your pets can also suffer from diseases like Lyme, so talk to your veterinarian about tick, flea, and heartworm prevention.

Even with these preventative measures, it’s highly important to take all precautions to get control of your property from tick colonies and infestations.

Not ready to commit to a full season of mosquito control, but have an outdoor event coming up?

No problem, Mosquito Shield of South Pittsburgh offers a one-time spray for just such occasions with Event Shield.

OutdoorYard Events

Nothing can ruin an outdoor celebration like swarms of biting mosquitoes. Planning an event is stressful enough, and trying to plan around the nuisance of mosquitoes is the worst.

Keep your event running as planned with Event Shield, a one-time mosquito control spray with our product, Mosquito Proprietary Blend (MPB).

Whether it’s outdoor mosquito control for your home or your business, get started by contacting us today!

✆(412) 388-4039

Learn more about our commercial and residential mosquito control services.

[honesteas]

pittsburgh is underwater btw

[therogerclarkfanclub]

Roger's* 2024 Comic Con Schedule

Interested in knowing if Roger is coming to your city or town? Check the listings below. Updated as new info becomes available.

If you've been waiting for the opportunity to meet Roger & The Gang, or you would like to meet him/them again, feel free to bookmark ("Like" 😉) this post if you want to keep up with Roger's Comic Con appearances. I will update and reblog this list as soon as new info becomes available.

Alternatively, you can always keep tabs on Roger's social media for the latest dates.

*This is listing is not limited to just Roger, it will also include any other cast members attending a specific Con.

⭐ LAST UPDATED: August 31, 2024 ⭐

JAN 07 - Added: Fanboy Expo

JAN 25 - Added: FANEXPO Cleveland

JAN 31 - Added: RetroGameCon

MAR 04 - Added: Fanboy Expo Orlando

MAR 06 - Added: Washington Gaming Expo

APR 10 - Added: Florida Supercon

APR 21 - Added: Stellar Con York

APR 22 - Added: Sci-Fi Valley Con

MAY 04 - Added: Fanboy Expo Orlando (Alex, Roger)

MAY 04 - Added: WonderFest 2024

MAY 07 - Added: Rob to Sci-Fi Valley Con

MAY 15 - Added: New York Comic Con

JUL 02 - Added: Brasil Game Show

JUL 26 - Added: Pittsburgh Gaming Expo (Roger)

JUL 28 - Added: Pittsburgh Gaming Expo (Benjamin)

AUG 06 - Added: FanEXPO San Francisco (Rob)

AUG 11 - Added: Soda City Comic Con (Roger)

AUG 26 - Added: Rhode Island Comic Con (Alex)

AUG 31 - Added: Comic Con North East (Roger, Rob)

─────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────────

GalaxyCon Presents: Animate! Raleigh

Dates: January 5-7, 2024 City: Raleigh, North Carolina Venue: Raleigh Convention Center 500 S Salisbury St. Raleigh, NC 27601 Confirmed attendees: Roger, Benjamin, Peter Cancellations: Rob

Fanboy Anime Toy Gaming Knoxville

Dates: March 9-10, 2024 City: Knoxville, TN Venue: The Knoxville Convention Center 701 Henley Street Knoxville, Tennessee 37902 Confirmed attendees: Roger, Rob

GameOn Expo

Dates: March 15-17, 2024 City: Phoenix, Arizona Venue: Phoenix Convention Center - North Building 100 N 3rd St. Phoenix, AZ 85004 Confirmed attendees: Roger & Rob

Washington State Gaming Expo

Dates: March 29-31, 2024 City: Puyallup, Washington Venue: Washington State Fair and Events Center 110 9th Ave SW Puyallup, WA 98371-6811 Confirmed attendees: Roger & Rob

FANEXPO Cleveland

Dates: April 12-14, 2024 City: Cleveland, Ohio Venue: Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland 300 Lakeside Ave E Cleveland, Ohio 44113 Confirmed attendees: Roger and Rob

PopCon Indy

Dates: April 26-28, 2024 City: Indianapolis, Indiana Venue: Indiana Convention Center 100 South Capitol Ave. Indianapolis, IN 46225 Confirmed attendees: Roger and Rob

WonderFest 2024

Dates: June 1-2, 2024 City: Louisville, KY Venue: Crowne Plaza Louisville Airport Hotel 830 Phillips Lane Louisville, KY 40209. Confirmed attendees: Rob

Sci-Fi Valley Con

Dates: June 7-9, 2024 City: Altoona, PA Venue: Blair Country Convention Center One Convention Center Drive 100 South Capitol Ave. Altoona, PA 16602 Confirmed attendees: Roger and Rob

Stellar Con York

Dates: June 15, 2024 City: York, Pennsylvania Venue: York Fairgrounds 334 Carlisle Ave York, Pennsylvania 17404 Confirmed attendees: Roger

Black Hills Redemption

Dates: June 21st - 23rd, 2024 City: Deadwood, South Dakota Venue: The entire town of Deadwood Panel will be held at: Homestake Opera House Meet & greet sessions: Saloon No. 10 Confirmed attendees: Rob, Steve, Benjamin, Robert Bogue, Mick, Peter, Alex, Jim Santangeli, Howard Pinhasik, Kaili, Meeya, Jim Pirri, Curzon, Roger, Samantha, Jo, Gabriel, Penny O'Brien, John Hickok, Sophia Marzocchi Cancellations: Gabriel

Florida Supercon

Dates: July 12 - 14, 2024 City: Miami Beach, Florida Venue: Miami Beach Convention Center 1901 Convention Center Drive Miami Beach, FL 33139 Confirmed attendees: Roger and Rob

Comic Con Wales

Dates: August 10-11, 2024 City: New Port, South Wales Venue: International Convention Centre Wales Coldra Woods Newport South Wales NP18 1HQ United Kingdom Confirmed attendees: Roger and Rob

Soda City Comic Con

Dates: August 24 & 25, 2024 City: Columbia, South Carolina Venue: Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center 1101 Lincoln Street Columbia, SC 29201 Confirmed attendees: Roger

🌟 Fanboy Expo Orlando 🌟

Dates: September 6-8, 2024 City: Orlando, Florida Venue: Orange County Convention Center - West Concourse 9800 International Drive Orlando, FL 32819 Confirmed attendees: Benjamin, Roger, Alex, Rob, Peter, Kaili

🌟 Pittsburgh Gaming Expo 🌟

Dates: October 4-6, 2024 City: Monroeville, Pennsylvania Venue: Monroeville Convention and Events Center 209 Mall Plaza Blvd Monroeville, PA 15146 Confirmed attendees: Roger, Benjamin

🌟 Brasil Game Show 🌟

Dates: October 09-13, 2024 (10th and 11th only for Roger) City: Sao Paulo, Brazil Venue: Expo Center Norte Rua José Bernardo Pinto, 333 Vila Guilherme São Paulo - SP 02055-000 Brasil Confirmed attendees: Roger

🌟 RetroGameCon 🌟

Dates: October 11-13, 2024 City: Syracuse, New York Venue: The Oncenter Convention Center 800 South State Street Syracuse, NY 13202 Confirmed attendees: Roger and Rob

🌟 New York Comic Con 🌟

Dates: October 17-20, 2024 City: New York City, New York Venue: The Jacob Javits Convention Center 429 11th Avenue New York, NY 10001 Confirmed attendees: Roger and Rob

🌟 Comic Con North East 🌟

Dates: October 26-27, 2024 City: Newcastle upon Type Venue: Utilita Arena Newcastle Arena Way Newcastle upon Tyne Tyne & Wear NE4 7NA, UK Confirmed attendees: Roger and Rob

🌟 Rhode Island Comic Con 🌟

Dates: November 1-3, 2024 City: Providence, Rhode Island Venue: Rhode Island Convention Center & Amica Mutual Pavilion 1 Sabin Street Providence, RI 02903 Confirmed attendees: Alex

🌟 FanEXPO San Francisco 🌟

Dates: November 29, 30, and December 1st, 2024 City: San Francisco, California Venue: Moscone Center West 800 Howard Street San Francisco, CA 94103 Confirmed attendees: Rob

[icedbatik]

[jorissportsstories]

Top 5 Upcoming Surprises: NFL 2024!

What’s Happening Playmakers!!

As the 2024 NFL season approaches, fans and analysts alike are buzzing with anticipation. While perennial powerhouses are expected to dominate, several teams are poised to surprise with their offseason moves and emerging talents. Here are the top five teams most likely to be pleasant surprises this season:

1. Tennessee Titans

No, this isn’t favoritism, or bias. If you’ve paid attention to the Titans’ offseason this year, and the sneakily solid moves they made, you would see why they are on this list. The Tennessee Titans have made significant strides this offseason, positioning themselves as a team to watch. Under the leadership of new head coach Brian Callahan, the Titans have revamped their roster with key additions: Calvin Ridley, L’Jarius Sneed, Chibode Awuzie, Lloyd Cushenberry, Quadre Diggs, Jamal Adams, Tyler Boyd, Tony Pollard. With these moves and a fresh coaching perspective, the Titans are set to make a strong impact in the AFC South.

2. Los Angeles Rams

The Los Angeles Rams have also made notable offseason moves that could lead to a surprising season. Despite facing salary cap challenges, the Rams have had a productive offseason. They signed cornerback Tre'Davious White to bolster their secondary and added guard Jonah Jackson to fortify their offensive line. Additionally, the Rams brought in tight end Colby Parkinson to improve their passing game. With these strategic additions and a revamped coaching staff, the Rams are well-positioned to compete in the NFC West.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers are a team to watch this season. Their quarterback situation is uncertain, with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields vying for the starting position. The Steelers have also strengthened their defense by adding key players such as linebacker Patrick Queen and cornerback Donte Jackson. Furthermore, the offensive line has been upgraded with new talent, offering improved protection and support for the quarterback. With these enhancements, the Steelers could make a strong push in the AFC North.

4. Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions have methodically constructed a competitive team that could catch many off guard this season. Their impressive draft class and shrewd free-agent acquisitions have addressed several critical areas. The addition of cornerback Terrion Arnold and wide receiver Ricky Pearsall has significantly enhanced both depth and talent on their roster. Under the dynamic leadership of head coach Dan Campbell and with these roster improvements, the Lions are poised to emerge as a potential dark horse contender in the NFC. The team's upgraded defensive and offensive units, combined with Campbell’s intense coaching style, position them as a formidable force that could shake up expectations.

5. Los Angeles Chargers

Despite grappling with salary cap issues, the Los Angeles Chargers have had a highly productive offseason. They excelled in the draft, notably selecting offensive tackle Joe Alt and wide receiver Ladd McConkey, both of whom are expected to make immediate impacts. Additionally, the Chargers made a significant coaching change by hiring Jim Harbaugh as their new head coach. This move, along with the hiring of several new assistant coaches, has brought a fresh perspective and strategic depth to the team. Coupled with a more manageable schedule this season, the Chargers are well-positioned to exceed expectations and potentially surprise many with their performance.

In conclusion, these five NFL teams have strategically bolstered their rosters and coaching staff, setting the stage for potential success in the 2024 season. With new coaching leadership, impactful player acquisitions, and rising stars, each team is positioned to exceed expectations and make waves in the league. But which teams might face setbacks? Don’t miss our next article, where I’ll be breaking down my Top 5 Teams that could regress this season. Stay engaged with us at Jori’s Sports Stories by following us on Twitter @Jorisstories, Instagram @Jds_sportsstories, and subscribing to our YouTube channel, Jori’s Sports Stories, for more exclusive content and analysis.

Until Next Time,

Jori aka JDub🩵

[pittsburghbeautiful]

The Birmingham Bridge in Pittsburgh

The Birmingham Bridge in Pittsburgh The Birmingham Bridge, located on the South Side of Pittsburgh, connecting Carson Street to downtown, has a rich and complex history. It’s a key transit route that plays a pivotal role in the city’s infrastructure. The initial bridge on the South Side of Pittsburgh was a tolled covered bridge, which was the only fixed crossing to the central part of the city…

[1m-facts]

Read the remaining facts, plus myths, quotes, faqs and an epic quiz at: 50 Amazing Penguin Facts to Warm You in the Coldest Climates

[goalhofer]

2024 Pittsburgh Pirates Roster

Pitchers

#23 Mitch Keller (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)

#26 Bailey Falter (Chino Hills, California)

#27 Marco Gonzales (Ft. Collins, Colorado)*

#28 Josh Fleming (Columbia, Illinois)*

#35 Colin Holderman (Bourbonnais Township, Illinois)

#36 Dauri Moreta (Comendador, Dominican Republic)

#37 Jared Jones (La Mirada, California)**

#43 Ryan Borucki (Fremont Township, Illinois)

#45 Albertín Chapman (San Isidro De Holguin, Cuba)*

#48 Luis Ortiz (San Pedro De Macorís, Dominican Republic)

#51 David Bednar (Mars, Pennsylvania)

#54 Martín Pérez (Guanare, Venezuela)*

#59 Roansy Contreras (Peralvillo, Dominican Republic)

#61 José Hernández (San Felipe De Puerto Plata, Dom Rep)

#63 Hunter Stratton (Bluff City, Tennessee)

Catchers

#6 Yasmani Grandal (Miami Springs, Florida)*

#14 Joey Bart (Buford, Georgia)*

#32 Henry Davis (Bedford, New York)

#55 Jason Delay (Johns Creek, Georgia)

Infielders

#2 Connor Joe (San Diego, California)

#3 Ji-Hwan Bae (Daegu, South Korea)

#13 Ke'Bryan Hayes (Tomball, Texas)

#15 Oneil Cruz (Nizao, Dominican Republic)

#19 Jared Triolo (Austin, Texas)

#25 Alexander Williams (San Diego, California)

#44 Ryan Tellez (Elk Grove, California)*

Outfielders

#10 Bryan Reynolds (Brentwood, Tennessee)

#18 Michael Taylor (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida)*

#22 Andrew McCutchen (Ft. Meade, Florida)

#38 Edward Olivares (Santiago De León De Caracas, Venezuela)*

#65 Jack Suwinski (Chicago, Illinois)

Coaches

Manager Derek Shelton (Warren Township, Illinois)

Bench coach Don Kelly (Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania)

Hitting coach Andy Haines (Louisville Township, Illinois)

Assistant hitting coach Christian Marrero (Miami, Florida)

Bullpen coach Justin Meccage (Billings, Montana)

Bullpen catcher Jordan Comadena (Normal, Illinois)

Bullpen catcher Raúl Hernández (Maturín, Venezuela)

Pitching coach Oscar Marin (Los Angeles, California)

1B coach Tarrik Brock (Goleta, California)

3B coach Mike Rabelo (New Port Richey, Florida)

Infield coach Mendy López (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic)

Strategy coach Radley Haddad (Carmel, Indiana)

Assistant coach Stephen Morales (Mayagüez, Puerto Rico)

Assistant coach Jonny Tucker (Oakland, California)

[rabbitcruiser]

Warmer-than-normal temperatures rapidly melt snow and ice on the upper Allegheny and Monongahela rivers, leading to a major flood in Pittsburgh on March 16, 1936.

[mfrance-writes]

Liking Hockey When You Live in the South

Just an example of what it's like to be a hockey fan when you live in the South, where FOOTBALL. IS. LIFE.

I went to my yearly eye exam the other day, and I wore my Maple Leafs hoodie since the Leafs had a game that evening. As soon as my eye doctor walks into the room, he says, "Is that...the Maple Leafs...like...hockey?"

Me: "Yeah. I really like the Maple Leafs and the Pittsburgh Penguins." (I picked hockey teams based on the color jerseys that I liked best and based on the city I'd want to visit if I ever had the chance to travel to see a home game. If you're going to judge me, do it silently.)

Eye doctor (who has known me for my entire adult life): "Where are you from?"

Me: "I'm from here." (I also have a pretty thick southern accent according to lots of people.)

Eye Doctor: "And you like hockey?! How in the world did you start to like hockey?!"

Me: "I watched a game, and I enjoyed it..."

From that point on hockey is the only thing we talk about for the rest of my appointment. He wants to know why I like hockey. He wants to know what I like about hockey. He wants to know why my favorite teams are my favorite teams. He's asking questions to gauge my knowledge of hockey in general. (All after he told me he doesn't like hockey because he finds it too similar to soccer and he doesn't like soccer.)

At one point an assistant comes into the room. He immediately stops her from doing whatever task she came to do and says, "She likes HOCKEY! Can you believe that?!"

I don't think my eye doctor has ever talked to me that much in an appointment in the entire time I've been going there for my exams. Was it the weirdest appointment I've ever had? Yes. Was it the nicest appointment I've ever had? Also yes.

[cadaverkelly]

International Touring w/ Two Witches & Jesucrisis (Gothy Roundtable - Episode 13 | Series Finale)

Click here to subscribe on YouTube!

[gpfphoto]

A drive thru the south side

A drive thru the south side

[newtownpentacle]

Vroom vroom

Friday – photo by Mitch Waxman My ‘long walk’ day had played out fairly uneventfully, which was awesome and exactly what I was hoping for on a beautiful summery day. No close calls with traffic, random interactions with scary people, or anything like that. Great Pittsburgh day, this. I made it to the trail along the Monongahela River that leads to that brewery I keep mentioning which sits…

[mkdigi]

GOAT FEST PGH DETAILS

While Team Hobo covers a lot of ground throughout the park, Goat Fest PGH is concentrated at Arlington Ball Field, 2000 Julia Street, Pittsburgh 15210. From noon to 4 pm, guests can enjoy a petting zoo, working goats, artisan market, goat yoga, and plenty of kids activities. Food trucks from Sahar’s Food Lab, La Palapa, Leon’s Caribbean, and Popworld offer refreshment, and Glorious Pancake, Louie…

[acsuttles]

Madden NFL 21 – 2020 – Preseason – Week 1 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers At Pitt...

#Madden #MaddenNFL21 #MaddenSeries #NFL #NationalFootballLeague #TampaBay #Buccaneers #TampaBayBuccaneers #Pittsburgh #Steelers #PittsburghSteelers #NFCSouth #AFCNorth #Preseason #ItsJustPreseason

[traipseartist]

May 14th & 15th - South Bend and Beyond

The final two days of the trip are condensed into one blur because visiting my family in South Bend, Indiana was in the middle. The McMillen clan likes late nights, cards, wine, and Oingo Boingo, so it's hard to say where Tuesday stopped and Wednesday began.

Lewis and I packed out of Pike Lake early, deciding not to swim at the Milwaukee metropolitan area's finest open-to-the-public swimming lake in the 55°F morning temps, alas. Since we'd been dragging our feet on early mornings this whole trip, we decided to set out before 10am and plodded around Chicago in slow but probably still record time.

We decided to detour out of Milwaukee before heading down to Illinois as a sort-of salute to my original plan and so that I could relive the glory of this city as my 15 year-old self remembers it. I was also on the hunt for some New Glarus Spotted Cow, one of my favorite easy-drinking beers that you cannot nab beyond Wisconsin state lines. We search for beer and liquor stores (uncannily all open at 9am or earlier) and come up short for the kind of craft selection we know must be lurking here somewhere. After browsing past Bacardi Whipped Cream Vodkas and Colt 45s I give up and resort to Reddit which points us to... a local grocery store? named Woodman's. Lewis remarks upon my uneasy disposition that Woodmen gave us good luck in Omaha and perhaps they'd have more than your domestic spread.

Oh. So, did they have more than Corona and Bud? This was no grocery store. Woodman's is a beer SUPERSTORE that happens to sell bread and laundry detergent out the back. We lollygag in the aisles of just Wisconsin local craft beer for about half an hour, overwhelmed with the selection and exasperated that we cannot buy it all (Bad Farm Pilsner? Ma'am this is a Wendy's Summer Sour? Billy Rae Citrus IPA? Get! in! my! cart!). We buy my New Glarus, a Hazy called THE NEEDLER (depicting a pine tree with a Snake-esque head scarf tied around it's erm... tip? running recklessly and dual wielding those weird alien guns from Halo 2), and a dark beer as requested for Elaina who would touch base with Lewis at his final destination in DC.

We got settled in Stacey once more, but after 9 full nights together, we were beginning to feel the fatigue of travel, shared space, and the unwavering rhythm of Stacey over rough pavement. It seemed that all of what was left of Wisconsin and Illinois smelled like sulfur, we surmised, because of swamp gas or the like. The dense cloud cover and less-than-warm conditions began to invite a sort of listlessness amongst us.

We changed and got cleaned up at a gas station before finding breakfast--today we were aiming for Culver, my military(ish?) boarding high school in the middle of rural Indiana, then finally my Uncle Joe and Aunt Wendy in South Bend about an hour's north for dinner and some familiar (to me) faces.

We stopped at Pancake Point in Gurnee, Illinois for brunch and an attempt at clearer heads only to be immediately endeared to a character of a waitress who swore Lewis was her son's friend--but not. When we told her of our journey, she chittered anxiously about a road trip she'd just made to Colorado to visit her son and how all of the McDonald's looked the same(!) after a while. Lewis and I had to restrain ourselves from asking if this tiny, maraca of a woman was available for adoption and instead ate GIANT bowls of hash browns piled high with eggs, peppers, beans, chorizo, and the tastiest homemade pico. I nibbled at a pancake while we tried to shake our funk and hype ourselves up for the next four hours of driving into the cornfields of my past.

Fortunately, it was Alumni Week at Culver when we rolled in, so two strangers wandering the campus did not make us extra-out-of-place to the teenagers plodding about the quadrangle in their regulation recreation attire. I took Lewis to my favorite pockets of my adolescent years and gawped unattractively at all of the buildings they've since demolished and all of the buildings they've since built as is my job as a graduate.

I felt sheepish as I continued to run into faculty that remembered my face (especially those responsible for... disciplinary action) and fought my impulse to revert to my younger self (it's 4pm on a Tuesday... I should be at Speech practice right now!) but a small part of me was overjoyed to find the place still felt like home some 13 years later. Also wow... what a fucking ingrate I was for not truly appreciating the endless resources available to me as a bratty little teen (Horses! A photography lab?! A library and academic buildings peppered with ancient art??? A FULL SIZE THEATER FOR PERFORMANCE AND TECH!?) Lewis asks if this ruined it for me--college and the great beyond. I mused on the question. I never thought that any place should be like Culver... it is its own animal, its blessings almost inseparably tied to its curses. But no doubt, it changed everything in me as much as I want to temporally separate myself from this tiny cornfield bubble with time and distance.

After doing a small circle (the campus is enormous, acres and acres, it's hard to relay without a map and a meter stick) around the heart of the main quad, we boarded Stacey once more and rode the hour north to South Bend to meet with Joe, Wendy, and their children Jacob and Rachel at their home in Granger, IN.

By the time we were back on the main highway going north, the sulfuric smell was absolutely overwhelming in Stacey's cabin and I began to suspect that it was not the Midwest that was the stinky culprit. An hour later, after parked in a beautiful suburban neighborhood, thankful and light headed upon arrival, we pop the hood in front of Joe and Wendy's beautiful darkly wooded, 1970's style single family home to be greeted by a weak fountain of acid seeping down the side of Stacey's main battery. Oops.

While Lewis phoned AAA, I greeted the family. The kids were bumming it for the week at home because Rachel was graduating this weekend and was prepping by being hung-over by day, and partying by night (and some day, too) with her classmates on campus. Jacob was lassoed into redoing the front deck for her ensuing graduation party the coming weekend. Jean, Wendy's mother, was also there to set us straight with her sharp strategy in a few rounds of 3-13 we'd have later into the night.

Lewis and I were happy to be surrounded by some other humans for a bit, to eat veggie pizza (and share with the winded AAA guy swapping out Stacey's innards) and pet a dog or two. We slept hard and fast in a spare bedroom, anxiously awaiting tomorrow to race home and meet my Mom and Grandfather at Pittsburgh International before flopping down in a place familiar to us both.

---------------------------------------------------------------

I anticipated we would scuttle home in a boring and direct fashion along the Ohio turnpike because time was of the essence and Lewis and I had not been historically early risers for this trip. Mom & Pop were to touch down at 5pm and it's a tight 6 hours back home from the outskirts of South Bend.

Unfortunately for them, and maybe fortunately for our timetable, their Southwest flight was delayed a full five hours due to weather surging up through the Columbus, Ohio region that was dramatically disrupting air traffic.

Amazingly, after replacing Stacey's battery, she no longer needed the precious white glove service of hand-jumping and we took it as a sign of renewal in its own way, waving good-bye to relatives I'd see again in 48 hours time for a graduation ceremony, we hit the road for the final lap.

It didn't take but two hours before Lewis and I decided to deviate from the sling-shot trajectory we had up until this point mostly avoided taking as a matter of principle. We slid up to the coast of Lake Erie to visit the Port Clinton lighthouse and eat a few french fries while looking directly at a giant body of water for a bit. Port Clinton appeared to be preparing for the Walleye Festival (???) that would arrive the coming weekend and so the town felt a lot less sleepy than was surely normal, despite being adorned in adorable maritime statues and public parklets that betrayed the slow plod of this place otherwise.

We poked around the promised light house, the chilly shore of Erie, a store for the supernatural (I bought a new pair of sunglasses to replace a pair I had gifted to a nail salon back in Minneapolis). We ate french fries while listening to the bartendress relay her morning struggle of finding someone to cover her shift while she took her son to the doctor for a surprise broken arm. We stared hard into the distance, still processing all that had gone and all that was yet to come, and rolled into Stacey for the last time. Pittsburgh bound, at last.

I read an experimental piece Lewis is working on from his bestickered laptop from the passenger's seat. We listen to the end of a playlist all about lyrics, and when we start to recognize bridges and tunnels, we breathe a sigh of relief. I play 31 by Ceann and sing the words at the tippy top of my lungs when we pull into my driveway at the tippy top of Stanton Heights:

"Soon we'll be home In the places I know Where the boys say "Yinz" And the girls say "Ope" 31 miles east of Ohio(oooo) Where Iron still flows In watering holes We'll go where the Monongahela goes To the city that was built from underground For Pittsburgh I am bound!"