Weekend

I spent this past weekend in Pittsburgh, for seven months my daughter and her best friend were anticipating the Taylor Swift concert. The last time we went we got home at 3:00 A.M. so this time we stayed at a hotel in the city.

We arrived at our hotel an hour after check-in time and found that they didn't have any rooms ready. "We are overbooked and housekeeping is trying to keep up." 
Is there anything more annoying? This room was booked seven months ago. After some firm talking by my friend we were given a room to get ready in and when our room was ready we simply moved our things over to it.

We found that we weren't the only fans in town. There was an Anthrocon convention going on and there were "furries" everywhere.

I looked it up and am still not sure what the big deal is. It looks to me like grown-ups in animal costumes. With tails and ears and everything.

I walked right up behind that one in the second picture there and snapped that shot just for my son. Apparently some Furries like Skillet. It just made me laugh.

We took the subway over to Heinz Field and once inside, deposited the girls at their close seats. On the first level. I then met a friend who I've known online since 2002, first time we've met face to face. It was so fun! She's adorable. 

We then made our way up to our seats. On the fifth level. 

We were so high up that birds were flying below us. I sat down next to a stranger and said, "Hi, concert buddy" she looked at me and said, "I'm trying not to have a panic attack, I don't like heights." I didn't say much to her after that.

 We had a lovely view of the city and could see the goings on backstage from our vantage point. I really enjoyed watching all of it. As soon as certain props were done being used they whisked them off stage and onto a truck, then the full truck would leave. Those backstage folks were like a machine.

A really hot machine. It was smoldering there. Though it didn't rain a drop.

I did indulge in a large lemonade (like the ones from the fair that I'm so fond of!)

Taylor took the stage at 8:50
See her in the picture? Yeah, she's that little speck. 
But doesn't the city look pretty?

The concert was not my favorite. I enjoyed the Speak Now tour much better. This one had an older Taylor. The first had a more innocent Taylor. I was disappointed and a little shocked at one costume change. I dare say that I was among the oldest of the people in attendance. Most were young families, one father of little ones sitting behind me gasped when the white dress came off to reveal a black lacy something. It didn't reveal anything, but was just not expected. And some writhing on stage was repulsive to me.

I felt bad for the parents of little girls who weren't expecting it.

After the show we were going to get back on the subway but the line was crazy long so we decided to walk back to our hotel. Now, Siri didn't do that great of a job leading us to the hotel the first time around so I wasn't fully relying on her. I was using the map as a guide while relying more on what I know of the city (avoid the Hill.....) We ended up taking Forbes up past the old jail where we met up with two other ladies walking alone. I asked them if they knew where our hotel was and the one said that she works in town and knew exactly where it was. A couple more blocks on the same street and around a corner and there it was.

We arrived back at the hotel at about midnight. When the girls decided they were hungry, and since the hotel restaurant was still open... Well, this tired mom just sat and sipped on some club soda while the girls ate.

What did you do over the weekend?