Yinz Have a Happy New Year's Eve!

I spent this morning and early afternoon working at the bustling Pittsburgh Public Market, which is always a good time. People were scrambling to gather odds and ends for their festivities this evening, so business was booming. I even sold a bottle of California Novello, our limited edition first-press-of-the-season olive oil to Hall of Famer Franco Harris. Very big deal. We were tipped off about his appearance at the market (some of his former Steelers cohorts, JT Thomas and Robin Cole run a cheesecake business, Unforgettable Sweets, just 'round the corner from Cosi e Ferrari). Emily and I, unlike most other Pittsburgh residents, are not raving sports junkies, so this meant nothing to us, but I could safely assume that he'd played for the Steelers at some point or other, and called up my in-house football aficionado to get the straight dope. Turns out Harris was - and still is - hot stuff. Rookie of the Year in 1972, his first year with the Steelers. He came to our booth with a jonesing for olive oil (he's Italian, after all) and, after humoring the throngs of adoring devotees, all slack-jawed and goo-goo-eyed, with gracious handshakes, took my recommendation for what oil he should purchase. I didn't have my camera handy, though Emily snapped a few shots on her phone. I like to save my celebrity photo ops for Alaskan former political figures or bald-headed Athens, Georgia-based band frontmen, if you get my drift.

I emerged from all of the excitement to a balmy, sunny afternoon. I kid you not - it must've been 60 degrees outside - so I put in another call to Rob and told him to hold off on putting Olive down for her afternoon until we'd gone for a stroll. He hadn't yet been outside and was under the impression that it was freezing outside (he'd been holed up in the kitchen for much of the day cramming his brain chock full of George Washington factoids. Why, you ask? Our project for 2011 is to educate ourselves about each and every one of our forty-four presidents. Knowing only nominal bits about the leaders of our country is unacceptable to us, so we're committing ourselves to this course of study for the next few months, or however long it takes). So when I got home, I strapped Goonie to my back and the three of us set off on foot for the zoo with Rob regaling me with an earful of fascinating information about The Father of Our Country. Man, what a rad guy that GW was! He not only shares a birthday with Goonie (February 22nd), stood a towering 6'2", genteel as you please, spent some time in Barbados with his TB-stricken brother and caught the smallpox, and was just an all-'round classy guy. Way cool. Presidents today really ought to take a lesson from him; this country really could use a refresher course on etiquette, don't you think?

Oh, and the zoo! It'd been a few weeks since the Goon and I had been there, and though it was like a spring day, the gorillas weren't convinced and were still cooped up in their indoor enclosure. Too bad for them. We went downstairs to their off-exhibit enclosure where a few of them were laying low. Most of them were thrilled to see Rob and Zakula, who adores him, scooted her rear end up to the bars, offering herself to be scratched. Funny old lady, that one. Lead silverback, Mrithi, was excited to see us, but only because he was hoping to get treats. Rob treated him to his paper cup.

Aside from a grocery outing wherein we closed down Whole Foods, much to the chagrin of our visibly impatient cashier (I was hard up for ma steel-cut oats and popcorn; you do what you have to do), that was our action for the day. As much as we'd like to drop off Olive at my sister's house so I could don a sequined mini-dress, platform heels, and garish eye makeup to parade around Pittsburgh looking like a drag queen like everyone else on this holiday-turned-iniquitous boozefest, I think I'll pass the hat this year and raise a non-alcoholic toast to our first Commander-in-Chief and ask myself, What would George do? Upon further research, I've gleaned that he would drink whiskey - albeit in moderation - so I think I'll pass. Popcorn and organic blueberry tea for all!

Have a safe and happy New Year n'at!