Hannukah was ending and so it was time to think about Xmas but before I could get there I had to capture Charlie Peters on campus and then brother Cornel and Mary Anne Rodriguez who makes his life work.

Then we were ready to begin our journey across the Pennsylvania Turnpike (where they seem to not sell sweatshirts about the road) and make our first stop at the Peter J Camiel Plaza for food

perhaps a bit too much coffee and gas while the coffee was digesting. The coffee led to a second stop under more adverse weather conditions and even worse conditions for dogs as we saw the book we might need and made our way through a second helping of lunch before reaching the Holiday Inn with its large gingerbread house and warm lobby not to mention the rooms where we would stay.

A bit later we headed out past the gingerbread house to Norma's where the table was being prepared and the trees were lit which amused both Jane and this friendly lady as we assembled the tree Larry had given us last year and recorded its sparkle in this movie before we went to visit the girls where Ann Sharon and Suzanne posed with their tree and we met Kirby's dog before having a few bites at their table as Jane mixed drinks and Sarah and Katie posed as did Jane Ben Suzanne, Sally, Maxine and Norma and Andy, Katie and Dolly while George stood (he always does) and Ben and Jane showed off their pickles as Jane pondered the meaning of her small pocket and Danny was registered before Ben, Jane and Suzanne then Danny, Jane and Suzanne and Ben, Jane, Suzanne and I posed before Sarah joined us for a family self portrait

before we enlisted Danny to take these family portraits and then zoom in on me to see how the zoom worked. Meanwhile, Andy was establishing himself as master of the electric cart while Robert arrived (full of Steelers memorabilia) and posed with Debbie while Sarah and Ben then, Sarah, Sally and Ben posed with black and gold and food was served and the natives went through the line as Jane filled her plate and the desserts led more to the table while Danny showed the massive pears and this was my plate as the kids sat to eat and all eyes were on Sarah though this self portrait showed my Steeler colors while Andy continued his driving efforts which amused Robert Danny Jane George (standing behind Robert and Danny) Ben, Sarah, and Jane Debbie and others in these group shots before Andy returned to his driving which amused Jane led to this self portrait and convinced me that I had to have this holiday pastry even as dessert was being served and Ben Jane Suzanne Norma Sarah Robert and I at the long table. Next, Robert and Ben decided they had to wave terrible towels and then Robert gave Suzanne a lesson in terrible towel waving -- a perfect way to celebrate Pittsburgh.

On Christmas eve day, we awoke and had a long meeting with Fern Schwartz as I began my diet of just fluids by day. and then got prepared to go out in the cold walking past the Cathedral of Learning and Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall before passing William Pitt Hall which was once known as the Schenley Hotel and made our way to the Oakland Original (aka the O) where the signage was remarkable offering rules on ketchups per fry many specials involving hot dogs and the famous 8 toppings not to mention a large list of beers and rules about student discounts and signs to dispel rumors. I neglected to take a picture of the sign that said they were the one true original (after 48 years) because the real one true original was elsewhere. We next made our way to the hoagies, burgers and fries window where things were less organized though more so than at the pizza window and recorded the menu while the hot dogs were being delivered and next noted that there were a lot of fries and cheese in our order as the milk shakes suffered from a lack of milk in the store but this group photo set our mood for the pizza that came partly burnt (and so was replaced by another half pizza, more than humans could eat) and we admired the additional seating sign as Suzanne spoke with Andy to make further arrangements and we recorded the remains of our meal as Ben posed in one of our ``is his hair too long'' shots. and after recording the beer varieties we made our way back to the street where we recorded Joe Mama's in the distance before taking group pictures and then approaching Joe Mama's (and wondering if we should have eaten there which yielded a split decision) and recording Gus Miller's a memory from my youth as we passed the Original again en route through the University of Pittsburgh to the Barney Dreyfuss monument and followed the wall of Forbes Field seeing the 436 ft. mark in the distance before recording this sign that gave the history of the field and the significant home runs hit here and then saw the 457 foot mark (as long as it gets) and the plaques about the outfield wall

After a dark moment back at the hotel (it was becoming everyone's nap time), experimental photography began with pictures of the television

of crossed legs of views in the mirror a short sequence of Ben followed by a longer sequence of Suzanne

with feet and Jane and the rest of the room leading to this sequence of Jane followed by a sequence of the 3 of us -- me, Sarah, Jane and some more images from the television screen

before we decided to go visit the Gespass family of Forest Glen Road where we met Sophie the dog

and then headed off to play touch football with a team huddle and some images of Sarah before the opponent's team was joined by Robert and huddled away from the ball as Andy and Ben got ready to play defense and these team photos (of varying darkness) were taken by this jogger who happened by. After the game, I recorded Jane's injury and then we headed back to see the deer and the fire and have a rousing game of Texas Hold'em before the kids posed on the couch Jane took a nap on Ben's lap and Suzanne and Sarah engaged in conversation with Dolly and Danny until Sam returned and dinner was served so that this was my plate as Danny and Andy Sarah and Ben Jane, Debbie and Sam and me and Suzanne had a real Xmas eve feast while still recording Danny and Andy Jane Ben Katie Katie and Sam Sam Jane Sarah Andy and Danny and then imbibing in the dessert that was served and that which was on the table.

Christmas day began at Norma's with the table filled with couscous tofurkey bacon yams salad pastries turkey nuts bacon peppermint bark and cheeses as we admired the view outside and Jane then Jane and Ben then Ben and Ben, Jane and Sarah then Suzanne, Ben, Jane and Sarah and various groupings posed before I joined the children for some photos while Suzanne did her thing (whatever that might have been) and I posed with my wonderful gifts and then opened the package to reveal the contents which made the room spin and will make me smell good forever. Sarah opened her gifts as Suzanne warmed up to a phone call and our final picture was of Sarah before we started on the road.

Before starting home, we purchased Pittsburgh (or Edgewood) gas as Sarah cleaned the windows and the gas pumped. We managed to make it back with just one stop at Highspire (not A spire) and even cleaned part of the car before we went in for pizza and observed the long line of people getting coffee which they would have to stop to return at a later rest area.

Back at home, we went to see PS I Love You where we ran into the Harman's and Liz Dahlen who were then joined by Alex Dahlen and then there was a full photo shoot of Harmans, Dahlen and Dobkin/Gespass'es. Merry Xmas to all.