Roots

I went to PA last weekend for an uncle's funeral. I say "an uncle" because I have many - my dad is the youngest of 17 children, 14 of whom lived to adulthood. I am the 58th grandchild of my grandparents on my dad's side. It's a miracle my grandma knew who I was (she did too). I have my dad's brothers (3 left) and my aunt's husbands (2 left, 1 new one coming in May).

Last weekend was notable for several things.
1) Yuengling. The oldest brewery in the US. Good beer. I've had the oldest in England (Young's) and the oldest in the US. I had manyYuengling's and enjoyed them all.

2) Johnstown Brewing Company where I bought growlers of South Fork Dam Beer and Steelworker's Oatmeal Stout. I just really liked telling everyone I was going to buy some Dam Beer. Repeatedly.

3) Dinner at Cityview on top of the Inclined Plane (steepest in the world). You can view the City of Johnstown, Flood City USA in all its glory.

4) George's Song Shop, the longest running music store in the United States (songs sorted by record label.) I bought Wall of Voodoo "Mexican Radio", a Buzzcocks 45, REM "Bandwagon"/"Can't Get There from Here" and Dinah Washington's "September in the Rain".

5) Uncle Sonny gave me my grandmother's personal photo album (which I got to go through with my aunts and uncles) AND his box of 77 Johnstown Flood memorabilia.

6) Quality time with my parents which included enjoying them enjoying satellite radio. And a Cadillac CTS that they don't know how to operate (too computerized). Quite a trip.

I'll write more tomorrow but DMC's looking like he wants company.