Pittsburgh’s South Side Sally

I consider myself fairly computer literate, but technology never ceases to amaze me.   A number of years ago I became aware of NASA’s technology of photographing outer space.  This technology has become common place in a street view on Google Maps.  Just 5 minutes ago I took myself for a  current virtual tour of my old stomping ground of South 27th/ 28th, Sarah Street, and Larkins Way.  I traveled down South 27th Street to find Grebs Bakery.  It looked like it was Closed.  Continuing I found my Aunt Marie’s home.  Then I turned down Larkins Way and saw the updates to my childhood home.  I like what the new owners have done with the place.  Nice blue real wood, flag and white fence.  Just like I was there in person.

So I learned my swimming strokes at South High School.  All I could do was the doggy paddle and tread water before that.  Then, oh then,  I discovered the Oliver Bath House.  I love that place, although I haven’t been in the pool in years.  Some of my best very best fun times in the water were there.  The water was nice and warm most of the time.  Free style, back stroke, butterfly 45 years ago…..  Did you ever take a look at the neatest fish on the outside architecture of that place?   Now I have rediscovered my love of the water at my new place the YMCA in Franklin Park in the North Hills, close to my home.  I’ve taken up swimming again.  It’s like swimming at the Bath House.  I’ll keep up the 20 laps of the 25 meter pool for awhile before I up the anty so to speak.  Right now it’ll be changing the pace to a faster one for some of the laps.

The Oliver Bath House was originally built to serve the local community when there were not showers or bath tubs.  People could go there and shower, take a swim and relax from the work a day world of the steel mills.  It’s been there for years and years.  Amazing it has out lasted the steel mills.  Great place…maybe I’ll visit it one day and take another swim.