The First Day Of Maternity Leave
Originally Published Date:
May 17, 2010
So, Kelly, my wife, has been looking forward to this day for a while. The first day of maternity leave. We have both been looking forward to it, despite the fact that we cannot believe we are this close to the arrival of our daughter. With me being unemployed at the moment, it will give us the chance to spend some time together, preparing for the big arrival.
One night last week were lying in bed, me watching my nightly dose of Cheers (take two and fall asleep till morning) and her looking through the Northeast Times. She saw a story on an event going on this Sunday (yesterday). They were opening the Robert W. Ryerss Museum and Library in Burholm Park for an open house to mark the opening of the season. It sounded quite interesting enough to check out especially for free admission.
Photo by Keith J. Fisher ©2010 ©2022
Just to sum up what the Ryerss Mansion is, here is an excerpt from Wikipedia:
“Burholme Park is a public park in the Fox Chase neighborhood of Philadelphia. The park and the Robert W. Ryerss Museum and Library was a gift of the last descendant of the Ryerss family, a prominent Philadelphia family. Robert W. Ryerss died on Feb. 18, 1895 at the age of 65 and left his estate to Mary Reed, his wife of eight months and the head housekeeper of the Ryerss Mansion for 27 years. He left everything to her under the condition that upon her death the best part of his land and much of his estate would be left to the “People of Philadelphia, forever” as a museum and public lending library. Mary Reed Ryerss spent the rest of her life traveling around the world collecting objects for the Museum and planning for the library and park.”
Due to my fascination with the past, I thought it may be something to look at. After all, it would quench the thirst of seeing the inside of the building after passing it for so many years.
Since the baby is coming pretty soon, we decided to make this a Brianna day; a day to spend with her before all the attention goes onto the baby. We initially didn’t tell her about the mansion just yet. I have this little quirk where I like to surprise her and see the look on her face as we arrive at the surprise. Instead, I told her we were going to Burlholm Park to see ant races, a lie that I never thought she would believe. But when I told her, hook, line and sinker: she bought it.
As we parked next to the mansion, there were various birthday parties going on in the park, one of which Brianna thought was where we go to see the ant races. Then I had to break the news to her. Kelly and I both thought she would hate the mansion. But as we walked around looking at the various room set-ups, the stuffed pet alligator and various family artifacts, she loved every minute of it.
Photo by Keith J. Fisher ©2010 ©2022
(See I told you they had a stuffed pet alligator!)
After looking around, we headed back out to the wrap-around porch where a woman told us how to find the basement library. Kelly had been looking for it anyway because she remembered that’s where the bathrooms were. So, we strolled around back, past the old stable (which looks like something is missing from the top of the roof) and into the back door leading into the basement. Brianna and I began looking over the books that were being sold. I found a steal of a deal. A Peter Benchey trilogy for only 75 cents. I couldn’t pass it up especially since one of the books in this three-book compilation was one of my favorite books of all time.
For those who are not familiar with the name Peter Benchley, allow me to shed some light on the subject.
One of my all-time favorite movies is Jaws. After seeing the movie a half-a-dozen times, I began a lifelong fascination with sharks. I watch Shark Week each year, learning more and more about the fascinating creatures. I think that Jaws is the reason that my favorite shark happens to be the Great White.
On a side note, I must mention my favorite sort-of shark story here. My best friend growing up, was born in another country and moved here when he was 5. One year my parents and I were heading to Wildwood for vacation and invited him to join us. He had never been to the ocean before. So, we sat down before vacation hit to watch Jaws and of course we loved it. When that vacation came, he would not go in the ocean but I think that his lack of swimming abilities had more to do with it than the fear that the movie put in him.
So, I am out in the ocean on a boogie board waiting for waves to come. When, about 10 feet from me I see a dorsal fin. Now, I remind you that I know a lot about sharks including how to successfully fend them off. You would think that this information would come in handy in a situation like this. One of the biggest no-no’s is not to splash around a lot because they think you are an animal in distress and prey on that kind of behavior. As I saw that fin so close to me, I froze and forgot everything I learned about sharks and swam as fast as I could to shore only to turn around and see a school of dolphins swimming by.
Anyway, back to Peter Benchley. He is the author of the novel Jaws. Once, about 10 years ago, I stopped into a library that I saw were selling off some old books at a discount. I had seen that they had Jaws for 25 cents and I picked it up. As I started reading it, I fell into a trance where I couldn’t put the book down. I read it through out that summer. Well, here I am again, finding myself reading the same book just before summer starts. Maybe I will make this a new tradition. I know it is a bit cliché but in this case it is true. If you like the movie, you will love the book. It really is even better than the greatest movie of all time.
After we left the mansion, we were getting kind of hungry. Kelly suggested we head up to Nifty Fifties on Street Road where we could grab lunch and then take in a game of mini golf.
As we were eating lunch, Kelly and I both took in the observation that their food was about the same as Five Guys but the atmosphere at Nifty Fifties was better, more of a retro feeling making it better than Five Guys.
After lunch we started our game of golf and much to my surprise, I was doing great to start off the game. Kelly was the first one to have her ball knocked off the green where it landed in the water. Thanks to the good people of Nifty Fifties, they provide nets for such an occasion. She was also the second person to knock the ball of the green, into a bush. It took us a good five minutes to find but then we ventured on.
I then knocked my ball into the water and Brianna fished it out. By nearly the end of the game, Brianna was the only one who had not hit the ball of course. Then it happened. She hit pretty hard making the ball fly up on the roof of the shack where you get your supplies. Brianna turned to us with a pouty look thinking she lost her ball and that was it for her. Then miraculously, it bounced off the roof and bounced back onto the green not far from the hole. It was a great shot.
When we finally made it home, we tossed some burgers and hotdogs on the grill and I opened the cover of my book and read, “The great fish moved silently through the night water, propelled by short sweeps of its crescent tail…”
Until next time, Thanks for reading.
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