The Curtis Clan - Summer 2018
Summer Solstice to Fall Equinox
June
On the first Saturday of Summer we took the girls' to their first big concert, they having decided the couple Trout Fishing in America concerts for kids in venues of a hundred or so didn’t really count. It was REO & Chicago at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre (nee Riverport).· Randy quipped that he has now seen the Speedwagon more than any more other band in concert (except for Trout Fishing in America), despite not owning or copying any of their music to cassette or MP3 files. He did have Chicago I thru IX on vinyl (and cassette).
| BJC on the lawn seats for REO & Chicago (Yes those AREN'T band appropriate... |
Jane and Cate between REO and Chicago sets ...t-shirts but Queen and the Beatles rock too) |
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In their 70s, Chicago played for nearly 2 hours. The first hour they played ALL the cuts on album 1 of Chicago II which sported only 2 generally recognized hits, which was not a universally appreciated choice. The 2nd hour Chicago played their hits thru Chicago X and only one tract after that album. Not what most people expected but one of the Curti was really happy.
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Chicago jamming at Riverport
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For 6 weeks Jane had an internship working 21 hours a week for Claire McCaskill’s Senate campaign along with her friend Sophie. Her "repressive" parents wouldn’t let the 15 year old canvas door-to-door (actually we think she was glad to blame her parents for "making" her skip this task), so she mostly worked the phones and databases back at the office in Clayton. Jane got a semester’s Social Studies credit through WGHS Chelsea Center for the time after turning in a journal/log, a 5 minute movie, interviews with coworkers and writing personnel reflections. There was much family drama about actually doing the school work portion after she suggested that it was too much work. However, since this thought occurred AFTER signing up, the parents had to remind her that failing at special credit hours was not an option. All ended well with an understanding and forgiving teacher (Julie Burchett).
| Jane leave her gig interning for Senator McCaskill |
Jane enjoying working for Clare |
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At the Creve Couer 12 for Incredibles 2
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Summer 2018 Movies with the Girls : The Incredibles 2; Ladybird; Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle; 8th Grade; Mission Impossible: Fallout (No. 6); Patriot Games; Crazy Rich Asians and Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
July
For the 4th of July 4, three Curti sold popsicles at the Webster Groves Parade for the WGHS orchestra fundraising arm, OPUS. We cleared $82 in about 40 minutes before getting shut down as the parade started.
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Hawking popsicles and waters for the orchestra
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That weekend, we dropped Jane off at Girl Scout Camp Tuckaho for 2 weeks of Counselor-In-Training (CIT) camp. This was a second choice for her but she had gotten most everything out of the YMCA’s Camp Lakewood until she was eligible for CIT (two years too young). Along with that assessment, two weeks of Camp Tuckaho CIT were cheaper than one week at Lakewood East Camp, so it was decided. Jane had fun, was challenged and was glad for the 2 weeks instead of the one week and begrudgingly agreed the choice was a good one.
| Jane outside her Camp Tuckaho home |
The tearful goodbye at Tuckaho drop off |
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Guess which daughter inspired the following so true it hurts cartoon chortle?
During the first week she was gone, Bethany and Cate went to see Styx and Joan Jett in concert having scored some $10 tickets at the Chicago concert. The following weekend the Curti went with Bishop Mark (Gramy’s cousin) to see the HMS Pinafore at the Union Avenue Opera House with Bethany, Cate, Rosemary and the Shaw boys. Gilbert and Sullivan was a treat at an undiscovered treasure of a local venue.
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In the balconey before HMS Pinafore with Shaws and Bishop Mark
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The following Sunday, we took Cate to Camp Lakewood for a weeklong visit, inviting Maria and Jon Hein, also going to Lakewood for the week, to ride with us.
| Cate and Jon are ready to leave their families behind |
Cate in the standard welcome to Camp Lakewood pose (Dig those crazy Edgar Allen Poe Socks) |
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What followed was the gluttony of Date Night movies and dinners sans children where Randy and Bethany really gave the Movie Pass cards a work out while it still allowed you to see films at main stream theatres (we were part of the reason the business failed).
Still we made time for Sage-mas in July on Thursday the 19th when all 5 Sage Siblings were in attendance for dinner at Amy and Alvan’s with lots of cousins, though the 3 cousin campers missed out.
| Sagemis in July Dinner (Justin accidently having his #1 finger pose perfectly placed to pick Uncle Micah's nose and block Aunt Tiffany's eyes. The hazard of only taking one group shot.) |
Rosemary passing on a tradition of CANNONBALLS! to Lucy and the Chicago Sage girls |
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Aunt B with Chicago Sage Niblings
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Randy enjoying a cone for being the name of the day at Serendipity
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Québec
After picking Jane up on Friday, and Cate from Camp Lakewood on Saturday, we packed for the big family summer vacation to Québec City. The impetus for our Canada journey was the WGHS French Class offering a Spring Break trip to Québec for the “low” price of $3,500. While Jane fantasized about a very sophisticated trip with her friends, Dad had little doubt he could take the WHOLE family to Québec for less and proceeded to make it so (so far it seems all these HS educational excursions score high on the vacation factor but are of very dubious scholastic value).
Vacation 2018 began on Sunday, 22 July, with us hitting the road at 5:55 am. We lunched at the Skyline Chili in north Columbus right off of I-71 where Randy introduced Bethany to the Cincinnati style treat on our honeymoon on the way to Niagara Falls, and it’s been an Ohio Interstate stop on most trips since then.
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Columbus Skyline with the family
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After getting to our hotel by the Buffalo airport, Randy took the girls to the Maid of the Mist at Niagara Falls, just making the last boat of the day with 8 minutes to spare. Jane insisted on redeeming 4-year old Jane who didn’t enjoy herself when we stopped at the falls on the way to Toronto. Cate loved it both times. (Pretty sure we entered into Canadian waters during our tour boat ride to view Horseshoe Falls. Good thing we aren’t thinking about building a wall there.) Meanwhile Bethany caught up with her Aunt Katie and Uncle Don who were joining us for the Québec trip.
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Goofing around in the last Maid of the Mist line of the day
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| Enjoying the "mist" of Horseshoe Falls |
Lookout over the American Falls |
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Day 2 was a long day of driving with a lunch stop at Denny’s in Watertown, NY (Home of Fort Drum and the 10th Mountain Division) to get Randy’s free build your own Grand Slam breakfast for his 55th natal day. The rest of the crew enjoyed the Eat n’Park for the non-Pittsburgh types.
Driving through New York, Ontario and Québec took longer than expected since we followed behind Don, figuring to let him set a pace:
a) he was comfortable with (i.e. the speed limit) and
b) General Motors didn’t see fit to add any KPH markings on Traverse speedometer, because why would a true American every need to know the metric system (and the double number labeling was sooo confusing)
Anyway the Kia Soul didn’t have cruise control and the day reminded us how much one’s speed actually varies when using their foot. There was a near constant adjustment up and down of our cruise setting from 57 to 67 mph, when it was supposed to be 62 mph (100 KPH). This wasn’t a Don particular issue but a non-cruise control thing based on personnel experience driving non-cruise control Gallant and being accused similarly.
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Following Uncle Don in Ontario How about the Statesman spirit wear traffic cones?
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A noted oddity of the Canadian rail system we noticed while train peeping along the parallel highways: the absence of graffiti on the freight cars. It was refreshing.
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Canadian Train Spotting (a fraction of the mile...er kilometer plus train)
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Fortunately, it stayed light until almost 8:45 pm, so we were only in the dark the last 45 minutes or so of our drive. Unfortunately it was the part where we needed to navigate to the apartment rented in Vieux Levis (across the St. Lawrence from Québec City). Doing so in the dark trying to read tiny street signs in a foreign language would have been a real challenge without Google Maps. We lugged our bags and provisions inside our spacious 2nd floor 3-bedroom apartment above the local furrier, a task made a bit more challenging as the street immediately outside was completely torn up for sewer work. It was then time for a refreshing adult beverage (or two). We didn’t stay up too long afterwards.
| Our Levi Room with a View |
Katie and Don outside our apartment entrance |
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On Day 3, most everyone slept in late except for Randy and Jane who made a morning reccy (reconnaissance) to buy some local food items and do some light exploring of the neighborhood, since doing so in the dark the night before made little sense.
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Jane filled with joy upon seeing Québec City in the morning
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| Map of Vieux Levis We stayed at the blue 29 pin |
Rock (Star) Parking in Levis |
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After a leisurely breakfast, we took the car ferry across to Québec City to explore the old town and iconic Château Frontenac.
| On our first crossing of the St Lawrence River |
Cate and Jane enjoying their cruise |
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We ditched the car on one of the roads just outside the battlements and explored Old Town on foot. We had a late lunch of several varieties of Poutine at Le Chic Shack a block away from the Frontenac and the tribe was quite pleased.
| People watching at Le Chic Shack window |
Enjoying several varieties of Poutine |
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With a droopy Dali clock sculpture (which was a metaphor of how energetic we all were after a day of hiking)
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Tired ferrying...but its a good kind of tired
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Day 4 was essentially a repeat of the previous day, though we wandered further in the car and foot. One of the unexpected treats was a used book store housed in an old church with treasures of French versions of beloved books being acquired (e.g., Harry Potter). Exploring by car beyond old town, the troop got a bit peckish/ hangry before finding a family, chain pizza buffet restaurant that made everyone surprisingly happy despite its modest aspirations of comfort food (poutine is our friend).
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The women with our Traverse cruising to QC a second time
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Shopping for used French books treasures
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Cate and Katie enjoy sitting
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| Quoi? (Maybe it means something different in French?) |
Martello Tower No 2 French Canadian FUDS |
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I remember souvineer shoping but darned if I didn't forget what this means...
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On our last day, Thursday, we decided to leave the car behind and spring for the narrated guided hop on and off double decker bus tour of the city, seeing a number of things we’d missed in our earlier meanderings. It was also a day for acquiring souvenirs of the trip, having scoped out enough of what was available to know what we wanted and where to get it. Among the items for the girls, was $35 (Canadian) of real, non-FDA approved Kinder Eggs to share with their friends at the local Wal-Mart.
| On top of the Double Decker Tour Bus (Lots of time to kill before the start of the tour) |
Curti at the Frontenac |
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| Posing on the moving tour bus (this is what happens when Bethany isn't there to remind Randy where to look) |
Don and a 5(?) pounder (That's a full smile on the adjusted Don getting his picture taken scale) |
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| Jane enjoying a secret snack with Dad and Taco Dragon |
Bus riders waiting for the light to catch up with those who walked a half mile and secretly scored a snack |
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Curti in Québec
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Jane and Randy also did some exploring of Levis in the evening seeing Québec City lit up at night and the imposing Levi High School.
| Jane with Québec City at night |
Ecole du Levis |
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Finishing off the ice cream back at the apartment
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Our time was up on Friday and after saying our tearful goodbyes to Katie and Don, the Curti turned south to the Vermont border.
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Au Revoir Levis
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The street where we lived - Panarama
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As we neared the border, we once again lectured the girls about being serious with the Border Agents and not making jokes as the job required no sense of humor. The talk included Randy’s recounting of his hour plus stop at the crossing from Winnipeg with his neighbor Raye when they were 21 and he laughed at the Border Agents for questioning where St. Louis was (you know because all Canadians now where the towns with hockey teams are…Ugly Americanism starts early). All was fine during this crossing until the young handsome agent that Bethany was flirting with a bit, asked if the girls were ours, to which Randy couldn’t resist the urge to quip: “So I’m told”. The un-amused agent grimaced and waved us through. The even less amused women proceeded to harangue Randy for his inappropriate and unfunny joke for the next ten miles (which secretly made the 5th grade Stinker/Smart Ass in him even prouder that he took the risk).
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Backed up in Ontario trying to get into the USA
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We had reservations in Boston that night, which didn’t leave much time for any sightseeing in Vermont or New Hampshire. We blew past the location of where the iconic New Hampshire Old Man in the Mountain / Great Stone Face had existed on the granite cliff ledges on Cannon Mountain at Franconia Notch until 2003. We were making good time until Jane noticed the L.L. Bean Outlet along Highway 3 at Nashua Mall which lead to an hour plus stop for bargain Bean boots, bags, a jacket and other items we HAD to have. We made it into the Newton, Marriott located on along the Charles River just off the Boston Interstate Beltway, tired and a little grumpy having put off dinner too long.
On Saturday (July 28), after enjoying the decadent Marriott buffet, we headed south to Newport, RI to visit the summer “cottages” of the Gilded Age Robber Barons RnB had visited on our honeymoon. We chose repeat visits to the Vanderbilt’s Breakers and Rosecliff where the Robert Redford Great Gatsby was filmed.
| Curti Women outside the Breakers |
RnB in the Cole Porter room of Rosecliff (Times have changed...) |
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2 Teens at Rosecliff (not evoking grandeur and greatness)
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Taking the scenic route along Ocean Drive, we passed Jay Leno’s home and the Navy’s World War II Price’s Neck Anti-Aircraft Training Center (a private residence but the guns mounts are still there). Randy insisted on stopping at Brenton Point park to point out the WWII 155 mm Panama gun mount that remained from the coastal defenses of Narragansett Bay. We ate at the better than expected local Newport Irish Pub and did some souvenir shopping before heading back to Newton in the dark.
| At Brenton Point WWII 155mm Panama Mount |
Waves at Brenton Point of Narraganset Bay |
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Sunday, Vacation Day 8 was a quickie reccy of favorite downtown Boston attractions after Google Mapping our way on the Mass Turnpike downtown with only a few detours as I-90/I-93 connected underground. Thankfully traffic was light on Sunday morning as tensions between driver, navigator and Google maps arose whilst in the hub of downtown underground highways. We visited the USS Constitution (Old Ironsides) and Battle of Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown; exterior of the Bull and Finch Pub across from Boston Garden (i.e., Cheers) only to have the driver caught in a 45-minute traffic jam for the Puerto Rican Festival Parade; a MIT and Harvard drive-by before heading towards Lexington and Concord.
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Curti at Old Ironsides
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| Battling the stairs inside the Bunker Hill oblisk |
Visiting the 1980s TV cultural icon |
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Visiting the Minuteman National Park was better than expected in no small part due to the former teacher/ reenactor who talked for 30 minutes and demonstrated shooting his musket at Hartwell Tavern along the Battle Road Trail.
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Reenactor at Hartwell Tavern
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We were on our way to check out Walden Pond a mile and a half outside of downtown Concord but it was closed due to overcrowding conditions at the beach (really). After dinner, Randy and the girls caught “8th Grade” at the local art cinema in downtown Waltham. We amiably talked about most of the film afterwards, avoiding all the most awkward parts for a father and young teenage daughters (though it’s not clear who was MOST thankful for this).
Monday, July 30, the women took in the Boston Museum of Art while Randy headed off to the regional Boston location of the National Archives for a day of work with the family picking him at closing.
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Randy NARA-Boston
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While Cate and Bethany decided to rest and internet back at the room, Randy and Jane decided to roam the hotel grounds and took advantage of the adjacent boat outfitters on the Charles River and rented a two person, sit-on-top kayak for an hour before they closed. We paddled up to Brandies University but didn’t have time to get out and visit the campus before needing to turn around.
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Kayaking on the Charles River
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Tuesday, 31 July was a long day of driving with our route taking us through Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York (I-90 to I-84 to I-81 to I-80). I-84 misses the north end of New Jersey by tens of feet, much to Cate’s chagrin as she hoped to be able to knock off another state off her life list. At Scranton, PA there was discussions about a Dunder & Mifflin site seeing trip, but after reading a number of The Office homage web pages describing it as disappointing, we skipped it. We did stop off at the Waffle House for lunch for those keeping track on your Curtis Road Trip Bingo Cards. Since Grammy’s alma matter Clarion University was only a couple of miles off I-80, we decided to make the pilgrimage and take some pictures before heading south to our home in Pittsburgh, the Neville Island Fairfield Inn. We had dinner with Katie having not seen her in four whole days (Don had other obligations).
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At Grammy’s alma matter Clarion University You're right this is W&J as B didn't share the Clarion pics
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As August began, our vacation ended. We made the obligatory stop at Capellli’s Beer and Pop Store run in Wash, PA to load up for the bootleg run home. For the trip back, we listened to the #1 song on the Billboard Top 100 in order from when it started in August 1958, jamming to the good and the bad. As Randy was driving it was 1985 and he began to feel relief that he had dodged his musical nemesis until we got off the highway at I-64 and Hanley and the Starships’ 1985 insipid party ballad of We Built This City, came up (…that positive thinking gets him every time). The Curti Women were all quite pleased at his displeasure over the last miles home, when the song ended. Good Times…Good Times indeed.
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Sirius-ly annoying mid-1980s pop rock
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Jane Turns 16
Sunday, August 5, 2018 - Jane’s 16th Birthday celebration beginning with a Birthday Freebie Tour at 7:30 am:
• Krispy Kreme’s
• Denny’s in Sunset Hills
• Harbor Freight
• Staying with Nana while Cate and I were at church
• Starbucks – Kirkwood
• Bundt Cake – Brentwood
| Jane amongst our Surprise Lillies |
Getting her complementary Grand Slam at Denny's |
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Later she did some real-world parallel parking practice on the streets of Maplewood instead of the traffic cones at the Deer Creek inspection center. The last time she went there, two old Bosnian gentlemen had stationed themselves on the curb and provided “helpful” coaching to the would-be licensees. They were dumbfounded that their expertise was not embraced by all.
That evening the Townie Sage tribe came together for a family gathering with a campfire theme with a fabulous cake (that Gussie enjoyed a bit of too…).
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Happy Cousin Campers (Note missing spaniel sized bite out of the right side of the cake)
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| At the Novel Neighbor (her 1st FB Profile pic) |
Lucy helping with the candle chores |
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On Tuesday, August 14, the girls began their first day at 9th and 10th grades at Webster Groves High School.
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First Day of of 9th and 10th Grades - Zoinks!
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The next day it rained and Jane drove them herself, causing Bethany to opine about her obsolescence as a mother, in part: “Today my kids believe they don’t need me. They get themselves up, they pack their own lunches, and now, if it’s raining cats and dogs they drive themselves to school. In a car. By themselves. Don’t get me wrong—I love my work, and I am lucky to have a job I truly enjoy and feel I was made to do. I do know there’s so much more to me than being Jane & Cate’s mom. And I want them to be independent, problem solvers, able to assess and do what needs to be done. But as I watched our black sedan turn around that corner, a big part of me felt like I had been sucker punched, the wind knocked out of me. My girls asserting their independence and thinking they don’t need me really isn’t something new. But today, I think for the first time, I started to wonder if they may be right.”
That Thursday, Bethany celebrated her birthday by going to Café Piazza at Arsenal and I-55 and having cake at home.
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Bethany's Birthday
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Car Wars
After Jane passed her driver’s test and within a day was bickering with her dad about who needed the second car more. It was clear that we needed to get the Sidekick going again after it was sidelined for the last 2 ½ years at Randy’s mom’s house in an attempt to make it look like someone lived there (though no one but the most casual observers were fooled).
At the mechanics, the 23-year-old Sidekick had a LONG list of suggested repairs and maintenance items if we planned on keeping it indefinitely that totaled WAY more than its Blue Book value. We had the safety related items addressed but decided to put up with the growing number of quirks (e.g., no AC, bad shocks and struts, no rear wiper). Jane began her first manual transmission lessons by the end of the month but it didn’t come naturally to her and it was frustrating in comparison to her newly achieved freedom with the automatic.
| AAA towing the Glowworm to Steger’s |
Jane ready to drive the Glowworm |
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On a Saturday workday at Rhonda’s, the two girls bickered over who GOT to dig the trench for the electric line to the garage (completely opposite of what we were expecting; almost a Tom Sawyer moment).
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Cate "won" the trenching job
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Cleaning on my sister’s house was not without some pleasures. There were the frequent finds of long forgotten treasures, like my Grandmother’s photo collection in the front closet where they had been all my life; the engraved John Wayne Winchester Rifle and Bowie Knife my dad helped have manufactured, the original Buffalo Bill Wild West Show poster, the WGHS Echo newspapers she saved.
There was also the out pouring of friends that helped: George McCandliss in getting the house secure and contractor recommendations; Rhonda’s friend Donna Speck who was instrumental in the early going; Van in helping clean out the garage (Phase 1, everything had multiple phases); and mostly neighbors Brit and Tina Kennedy for numerous visits to clean, paint, repair plaster, paint and paint some more.
The last weekend in August Aunt Katie came to town for a visit and on Friday night we hosted a cocktail party in her honor at our house. On Saturday, it was movie night (Sing) under the stars with the Sages at VanGwenJoe’s and Sunday was only brunch at Amy and Alvan’s, though we hung out there all day long.
| BnJ making snacks |
Aunt Katie visit Cocktail Party with kids |
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Aunt Katie visit Cocktail Party with adults
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Cate biking at VanGwenJoes
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Sage Lonsway Sisters
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On Labor Day, Randy flew out to San Francisco for a week at the archives. This gave him the opportunity to visit his college roommate Jake along with his wife Andrea and 14-month-old son Milo. With his mother-in-law staying for the week, it was even easier for Jake to get an evening pass, allowing the two to hang out in Millbrae, Burlingame and the Mission to search for designer tonic, order way too much food and have lots of conversations about love, movies and life; continuing a lifetime of such conversations between good friends.
| Jake and Randy |
Curtis Hotel on Valencia |
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That weekend, he took the scenic route through the Santa Cruz Mountains to Monterey / Pacific Grove to visit his Dad. Nearly three decades earlier, Randy’s first visit to the Bay Area came as part of the Corps of Engineers recovery team after the 1989 Loma Prieta and his response area was in the Santa Cruz Mountains off of Highway 17, south of Los Gatos. Where 2 lanes seemed adequate in the past, there was LOTS more traffic along the 4-lane in 2018. At his Dad’s place, Ron’s “wife” of two decades Gaye, had assembled quite the care team for him before she returned to Ireland for her health and to be closer to her grandchildren. Between Meals on Wheels, thrice a week visits from the VA, visits from the Monterey County seniors care and nearly daily visits from neighbor Margie he continues living in a 2-bedroom home in Pacific Grove with a roommate, who mostly provides help with the hefty monthly rent. There’s lots of cheaper places to live, but few with as pleasant temperatures year-round, in close proximity to the ocean. Despite visits to CHOMP (Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula) courtesy of the local EMTs, his is plan is to stick with this basic status quo until some health care professional makes the decision it can’t work any longer. Little point in arguing with him, as his concerns of going to a skilled nursey home are well understood in light of the stories of Randy’s mother’s experiences. Another good visit.
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Ron on his scooter ready to prowl around Pacific Grove
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| Randy with Andrea, Jake and Milo A bouquet of Brussels Sprouts (flowers are so Midwestern…) |
An Indian feast with Jake |
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Jane and Cate say goodbye to WGCS as it is renamed Givens
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Family Portrait for the Holy Redemeer annual
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| At Nana's house: 2 daughters |
+ 2 lawn mowers = happiness? |
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Later that day and Cate cleaned up to go to the Symphony screening of the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
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In the early morning hours of Thursday, 20 September the night nurse at Manor Grove called telling us that Nancy had extreme pain in the vicinity of her gallstone and an ambulance service was going to take her to Mercy (St. John’s). She had been at Mercy on 1 August but after a number of tests, she returned to Manor Grove with an unclear diagnosis with what was the problem. A CAT scan this time revealed a ballooned up, pseudo-aneurism on the hepatic artery near the gallbladder. She had an interventional radiology operation to embolize the pseudo-aneurism at the duodenum near the gallbladder Thursday early afternoon. Unfortunately, there was a damaged / dissection of the artery along another branch that they were unable to repair. The prognosis was that if all worked out fine then they will send her home to MG on Friday afternoon. She didn’t go home but was feeling better and appeared to be doing well. Randy reassuredly quipped that she didn’t have too much to worry about, as she wasn’t in intensive care as summer turned to fall.