1999 Goes Coast-to-Coast

Every year it seems we run around more than we expected. This year was no exception. In January, I had to go to Seattle for US Airways, so we decided to bundle up the family and make it an event: our first experience using our travel benefits! It was a lot of fun seeing my parents again, and while I worked, Laura introduced the kids to the Seattle waterfront and Pikes Place Market. For Memorial Day we had a special treat: Tim, Kathie, Garrett and Alissa Vinoski joined up with us at the family mountain camp for some back-to basics roughing it. Except for the neighbor’s non-stop stereo, it was a great visit. A week later we headed for the beach at Emerald Isle, NC. It was  our third visit, and as relaxing as ever. In October, we all took our bikes up to Oil City, PA, where we rode an old steam engine up Oil Creek, then biked back nine miles to the car. It was a beautiful fall foliage tour that even Kurt, just out of training wheels, managed to survive! For Christmas, we HOPE to fly out to Anacortes, WA to celebrate with my parents and sisters, Susan and Sandy.

Kara Turns 12, Mom and Dad Await Baby-sitting!

Kara’s had another packed year. Besides North Carolina, Chicago, and Seattle, she also attended several Girl Scout outings, including a three-day trip down to Harper’s Ferry with Laura, where they went canoeing, biking, and hiking on a portion of the Appalachian Trail. This fall she decided she wanted to play soccer again, so it’s been non-stop; an under-12 travel team, indoor, and refereeing Under 8. She’s really improved over the last several months, and is excited about the spring. For her birthday, Laura and I took her downtown to see “The Phantom of the Opera,” something she’s wanted to see for years! Of course our big joy: anticipating the day she’s ready to watch Jill and Kurt so Laura and I can go out again!

 Diamond Jill Storms the Windy City

Jill had a fun 1999. Besides doing awesome in school, she sang in the church choir, took horseback riding lessons, and played trumpet in the 4th and 5th grade band. Just after Labor Day, she, Kara and Laura flew up to Chicago for a family wedding with Grandma and Great Grandma (GG). The girls got to dress up, meet distant relatives, and tour downtown Chicago in a limo asking people if they had Grey Poupon! Look out David Letterman! The highlight: cows in midtown, and a surgical strike on The American Girls Store. No one came back empty-handed! This fall, she’s back in gymnastics and contemplating softball in the spring.

Kurt King of the Wild Hometier

Kurt turned 6 this month, culminating another wild year. Things he discovered: Harry Potter, Davy Crockett, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and when you get sent to the Principal’s office, nothing much happens except a nice man talks to you!  You guessed it! 1st week of school, he visited Mr. Duncan twice, and came back unimpressed. Now what!!!? His teacher has her hands full! He loves school, and all learning environments, but he is a tornado on wheels! For activities he took gymnastics and played soccer, scoring several goals. Kurt’s big events this year included winning the town Frog Jumping Contest, competing for Zelienople’s own “Mr. Horse Trading Days,” and having a Davy Crockett Birthday Party for six adventurous friends.

Bryan still soaring with US Airways & Reserves

I am still enjoying US Airways (USAirways.com) working as a Flight Crew Training Instructor based here in Pittsburgh. This fall I worked on developing next year’s Pilots’ and Flight Attendants’ Recurrent Training curriculum. It was a lot of work, a lot of travel, but I was part of a terrific team that had a blast. On the 1st of December I moved over to the International section to start teaching overwater and international procedures. It will require some overseas travel, but as I explained to Laura, SOMEONE has to do it.... In the Reserves I had one last trip to Panama before they shut the base down, took my last Altitude Chamber ride and finished up Air Command and Staff College, a professional development course, which I took by cyber-seminar. On the home front, I was able to sneak out to Seattle in May for my parents’ 40th wedding anniversary and spent some quality time with brother Dave, his wife Debbie, and sisters Susan and Sandy. A neat surprise happened this fall when Bob & Linda Mills dropped by on a road trip. Hadn’t seen them since Nav School. Oh, I’m STILL President of the Zelie Park, which had a VERY interesting year. If you get the chance, drop us a line at: bbranby(nospam)@fyi.net

Laura Teaching Pittsburghers By Land & By Sea

Laura continues to sail Pittsburgh’s three rivers, teaching one day a week on board Pittsburgh Voyager’s retired Navy vessels (www.cmu.edu/voyager/).  This fall she signed on as Pittsburgh Coordinator for Creek Connections, an environmental outreach program of Allegheny College. (merlin.alleg.edu/group/creekconnections) Now she’s environmentally educating local students both on the rivers and at creekside (sometimes IN the creek!). Those two programs and the kids kept her pretty busy this year, but she did manage to sneak away to New York City for a weekend with her parents, shopping and scrounging up  a ticket to see “The Lion King” on Broadway. Oh, and she’s still doing the normal stuff like Super Mom, Girl Scout leader, soccer treasurer, helping at the kid’s schools, and periodically conducting the Children’s Liturgy at church.