We got in to the pittsburgh airport in late afternoon.. One interesting factoid.. both Diane and I remembered  that the airport abbreviation as PGH.. but landed to find it is PIT.. and has always been PIT.. it was one of those alien abduction moments when you suspect that everything you know is somehow different !

One thing we remembered correctly is that we wanted to get outside and hike.. so after a quick checkin at our hotel we headed to a nearby trailhead.. 

Great walk with a beutiful blue heron sighting !

Later that evening we headed to Swickly for a pre nuptial barbecue in the Carleys back yard. (strangely no pictures)..   It was really nice.. got to meet some of Dan and Arias freinds .. and got to reconnect witht he Carlyes.   

Aria’s  dad, Rick was my PhD co-advisor.. or Doktorvater as they say in German..  Rick is also an MIT grad… It reminded me how much I like talkign to other MIT folks.. it’s .. i don’t know…. somehow  different..

Looking forward to explorign Pittsbugh and goign to the wedding tomorrow. 

Nite all, nite sam

-me

Today was a day for meetups..   First thing this morning we heard some clanking and went outside to see our friend Pete, the town road manager and his crew getting ready to intall some speed humps on the road outside our house. I think the idea for these came out of a town funded study.. Not sure if they will work.. but hopefully it will slow down some of the the traffic that uses our road as a race track.. especially big trucks.. almost no-one goes the 25 mph speed limit .  I also know that the humps will be a pain to everyone including us.. Overall I’m glad they have been installed.  Lets see how it works 

Next meet up was at OnLogic after work.. It was billed as the 3rd hardware meetup.. I thought that meant bringing together electronics hobbyists.. but it turned out to be more of a business meetup .. Interesting just the same. Many friends were there.. including Doug from UVM.

Last meetup was a quick simulator flight with my friend Ryan and his son Dash. Dash is something of an airplane savant. he knows so much about planes and engines and flight sims.. It’s pretty cool. I’d toured Dash and Ryan around beta a month or so ago.. this time was only for a short 15 min ‘flight’ in the simulator. .

I loved seeing how much Dash loved it !
nite all. nite sam

-me

Every year we get to enjoy our favorite invasive species .. Its called Dame Rocket .. or Phlox (I think).. It usually appears in mid/late June..   this year its at least two weeks early.. The climate change is more visible in Vermont than in most other parts of the us..

Still we enjoy this sign of what usually is early summer/. Their beutiful colors and wonderful smell fills the fern forest along the river shore where we often run and walk.. 

A perfect prelude to a beautiful sunset

I should that we also used the hike to stomp on all instances of another invasive species to hopefully slow down its spread. Its called “Hogweed”  or ” Cow Parsnip” 

It’s an evil plant .. it leaves rashes like poison ivy.. and can leave lasting burns if the  chemical is on skin and exposed to sunlight.. It also can cause blindness. if it gets in your eyes,

Not all invasive species are created equal…
vive la différence !

nite all, nite sam
-me

Today would have been our Sam’s 32nd birthday.. 

“would have been” .. what a weird phrase

I miss Sam so much… every day I spend time with him in my heart. 
He is still so much part of our lives..  What a sweet and wonderful person.. 
I love you my son.. I always will

Normally I send out a note to all our friends about either joining us for a hike.. or doing something on their own that connects with their relationship with Sam…

This year was the first year I didn’t do that.. It wants that I forgot.. it was  hard to explain why.. Ask me in person sometime and I’ll tell you about it

Even though I didn’t post.. I heard from family and friends how they marked Sam’s birthday.. It means so much to us that people keep Sam in their hearts. 

Diane and I decided to take a hike on our own.. We walked up to Duck Brook.. one of our favorite hikes. We even saw Ducks when we were heading out. We placed a couple of Samstones along the way.. 

Happy birthday Sam
We love you my son .. we always will

Nite all, note sam
-me