PattybytheSea

I remember the time we went to LeBus on Main Street in Manayunk. We sat by the window. I can’t really remember the day, but I think it was a weekday. We eyed up the menu. You ask for your standard, coffee. There weren’t many people there at all. You always love checking out new places for food. I think you ended up settling on some type salad with either cranberries or some fruit. You loved the breads, but didn’t eat much of them. You kept chatting the waiter up about different topics. As usual, you made him feel at home and like you cared about what he had to say. I know I was just sitting there like, “can I get a refill?” Ha. It was a nice time. I drove past there today and immediately got emotional. Today was an absolutely beautiful day. Perfect fall day in Philly. We keep fighting Mom. We are fighting things we never thought we’d have to fight.

Today is like so many days I spent waking up at 988 Grant. All those years of school and then two years of college. I can really vividly remember it. So many times you were up before all of us. So many times getting us ready and getting us out the door. It's a beautiful memory I will always remember. Even when I was starting PSU-Delco, you would be up and ready to go. It’s a beautiful day today....I imagine you waking up. Scratchy voice. Saying “Hi Lam”. "Hi Lisa...Chrissy....Bobby...Hey B.." Then goes down to make her Folgers. My god. The scent of that every day for like 18-22 years basically rid me of ever liking coffee. Always make a pot, but not drink all of it. I know you got heat over that a lot. Muddling around on your calloused feet from working so hard and being up on them all the time...trying to do whatever you could to make a better life for your kids and yourself. I can still see you shuffling around with your mom nighty. You have your coffee at the table. ...

Never forget me running back and forth to T&F Deli to get you, Kathy and Colleen these cutting boards. Man, they were like the hottest thing since soft pretzels around the holidays. I mean, I got you one first, but figured Kathy and Colleen would love them as well. It all worked out in the end. You seemed to really like it. Maybe not as much as a Michael Kors bag, but these are cooler. I don’t know if you ever really used it cause I haven’t been to the house in a good while. I sure do miss your cooking. I can’t even remember the last time I sat down for a home cooked meal for you cause we went out to try new places all the time. Kathy sent me a picture of the one I got her...along with most fancy rooster I've ever seen. Haaaaaaa. I am laughing cause I can see you and her in her kitchen just laughing how you two laughed so hard...and Kathy going, "oh my God....." Ah. I do miss laughing with you. You love to laugh.

Remembering our first trip to Newport. I think I was still traveling for work and had good amount of points. I was able to use them to take the train and the first night hotel. I think we went up on a Thursday. We took the train from Philly all the way up the eastern corridor to Providence. We had some lunch on the train. I think I may have worked. It was such a nice ride and a nice day. I remember thinking how much you would enjoy going up through New Rochelle, New Haven and Bridgeport. Especially because the train gets so close to the coast. Like you can literally step off the train and can walk on to the beach. It wasn’t really that sunny when we passed, but it was warm. We got off in Providence. A small station that is kind of like a round house. I remember telling you I didn’t feel well from that lunch. You were like “oh no”. We lugged our stuff to a cab that dropped us off at the Hertz station to pick up our rental and then we were on our way to Newport. I remember you freaking c...