Heinz for a Pittsburgh Boy

Today my husband John celebrates 58 years of living. As I thought about earrings to wear to commemorate this day, I thought of his passions: singing, composing, and performing music; playing handball; our kids and the rest of our family; his church, with its many traditions and remarkable members; watching "his teams" play sports--so many sports, so many teams!; his homes, including his childhood home, Pittsburgh, PA.

As I sorted through my earrings, and then my beads, I came upon a couple of pins that we got at a Pittsburgh Pirates game many years ago: a Heinz pickle and a Heinz ketchup bottle. Perfect! I added a pair of earwires and called them earrings. The bottle dangles upside down, as catsup should be stored. John has always loved attending concerts at Heinz Hall. His beloved Steelers play their games on Heinz Field.

This afternoon the Steelers gave him a great birthday present: a win against the Arizona Cardinals (Arizona? St. Louis must miss them! When did the Cardinals fly southwest?). Although John's other team, the Redskins, turned in a disappointing loss, a Steelers win trumps all other sporting events, at least this Sunday, October 23rd, 2011, when he has no team in the World Series, and neither DC United nor the US men's team is playing soccer. Oh, and the NBA is on strike.

I gave John an ENO hammock for his birthday. He tested it between two trees behind our daughter Kathe's house this morning. But already in my mind's eye it hangs in the yard of our Pinery cabin, where John dangles in it on a warm summer afternoon, listening to the play-by-play of a Pittsburgh Pirates game, perhaps against his other team, the Washington Nationals.

Many happy returns of the day!