The Stillroom

As a mom, we raise our kids and off they go. I usually write my little blog posts about tea, observations and sometimes just life in general.

I knew in January, that 2022 was going to bring about many life changes. As many of you are aware, the matriarch of our family passed away at the ripe age of 93 1/2. Our dad has been ill but seems to be on the mend as he is now out of the hospital.

The picture of the little guy is one of my favorite photos of our son, Anthony. That little guy is now a grown man and is leaving Pittsburgh to start a new life in Houston. Yes. As in “Houston, we have a problem”.

A graduate of Knoch High school and the University of Pittsburgh with a fine arts degree, as parents we thought “what on earth will he do with a fine arts degree?”

But Anthony , as an only child was given the opportunity to figure things out. His dad and I always just let him go, figure out his passion and go for it. He was in the tech industry while he was learning what his true passion would be.

About eight years ago Anthony asked if he could borrow my sewing machine because he had come across some interesting fabric and wanted to make eye glass cases. Naturally, I said no problem.

He started to hone his sewing skills over the years and in the process he developed a keen interest in NASA, space flight and its history.

Very serendipitously on a trip to California, Anthony became friends with a prop and replica space suit maker, Ryan Nagata. Over time, Anthony reached out to Ryan with a proposal to make for him a space suit inspired back pack to which Ryan happily accepted. This budding friendship lead to an introduction to Adam Savage, host of the show Myth Busters. After seeing Anthony’s meticulous work and eye for details, Adam commissioned Anthony for several Apollo replicas.

This introduction led Anthony to be featured in a show with host Adam Savage showcasing Anthony’s talents as a maker.

Some of Anthony’s work is now in a space exhibit in the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

This brings me to his current situation. Anthony is leaving Pittsburgh and his family behind to start his new career as a soft goods designer and maker at the Johnson Space Center in Houston and he is leaving tomorrow.

I’m more happy than I am sad and I’ll try not to cry.

My dad calls him “my astronaut .”

I will miss him terribly, my astronaut.

Fly, son, fly. 🚀