First Day of Spring

Although the weather hasn't been entirely reflective of this, it's Spring now. I get excited at this time of year obviously. It's near impossible to do steps in the snow. I celebrated the first day of the season in Carrick with some city steps. I did 600 new ones breaking through my half-way point. It felt glorious. This time I took my dog, Skip, with me. He's a rescue dog and has a bum leg. Perhaps I should have thought twice before subjecting him to urban mountain climbing. The poor guy got tuckered out and by the end of my excursion I thought I might have to carry him. At first he was pulling me up the hills, though. He seemed like he had a good time overall but I don't think he'll be doing this with me ever again. Carrick, like many neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, is full of dogs. I can't tell you how many times I lost track of my counting because Skip decided to go ape-shit over another canine. He's just a fluffy little white dog. Who does he think he is fooling? Oh well.

Carrick is a strange bird. It borders Mount Oliver and Brentwood; A terrible neighborhood and a wonderful neighborhood (both of which aren't part of Pittsburgh). So as you can imagine, its housing stock reflects this. There are some beautiful, stately, old homes but mostly you'll find the Pittsburgh bungalow style that is so common in the South Hills. The main commercial corridor is Brownsville road. The businesses along the Brownsville seem a bit desolate. The traffic is plentiful but the parking is not. It's a common problem in this city. The older business districts were conceptualized before the advent of the automobile. As a result, cars just pass through to Brentwood Towne Centre (does the spelling of this make you want to vomit like it does me?) A newer development filled with corporate box stores. Carrick is a nice neighborhood overall and new investment is coming to bolster the business district, I hear. There is a great old dairy processing plant; the only surviving dairy in the city. It's called Colteryahn. I still don't know how to say it. The area surrounding the plant is slated for redevelopment and revitalization. It sounds exciting. We shall see.