Extraordinary Stories From An Ordinary Guy

The "Sexy Surprise" Story

2012-02-12T17:17:00.000-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Just got back from the vets. About two years ago this past summer a orange and white cat arrived at our back door. Never had seen it before. Rather large cat that evidently belonged to someone in the neighborhood or who had been deposited in our neighborhood. Looked in the door as we watched TV. When Carol started toward the door to inspect the cat, it took off. Really scared. The next day the cat returned. Carol put some dry cat food in a dish and placed it on our back deck, right outside our rear door. Next morning the food was gone. During the next few weeks the cat returned regularly and emptied the dish at night. Little by little the cat began to appear during the daytime and come to the back door. It was gaining curiosity and was less afraid all the time. We finally named it Creamsicle, largely because of it's color and the fact that I love orange creamsicles. Eventually the cat would let us touch it and we finally determined that it was a female. Last winter, after a huge snowstorm, the cat decided it would love the warmth of the house, so when we opened the door to put out the food, it ran in the house. Finally found her in the basement, scared as can be, under a table. We took the food to her and after placing it on the floor, returned upstairs. She ate the food and decided to investigate the remainder of the house. She finally panicked when she entered the laundry room and couldn't get out the large window in that room. Carol held the rear door open and I coaxed her out of the laundry room and out the door. We didn't want her as a house guest yet, since we had other cats and we had no idea if Creamsicle might be infected with something. At the beginning of this winter, we talked about catching her and taking her to the vet to get her shots and finding out about having her spayed. We put it off and off and finally made an appointment for her at 5:30 PM this evening. Now we had to hope that she would arrive at our back door in time and that we could get her in an animal carrier. Just as Carol was arriving home from work at 4:45, Creamsicle showed up at the back door, looking for something to eat. She usually lays in the sun along the side of our house waiting for the car to come up the drive. I put the food dish inside the door on the carpet and she entered and began eating the food. Carol quickly changed her clothes, I grabbed the carrier from the garage and we approached her. By now she is more familiar with both of us so Carol was able to pick her up and talk to her as I stood the carrier on end and slid it under her. Just as nice as can be Carol lowered her into the carrier, feet first, we closed the wire door and put a large towel over the carrier to keep her calm. No problems at all. The vet knew why we had made the appointment and told us they will be able to handle her. Good luck, I told Carol. The ride to the vet was noisy with Creamsicle very vocal, expressing her displeasure with what we were doing to her. All went well at the vet with the shots. Then when Dr. Nicole started to examine her, she looked at us and said, "I believe she's a he." "How can that be?" we both responded. "She has two holes at the rear!" She told us that she suspected it wasn't a female when she first saw it, since it was so large. 13 pounds to be exact. His one ear had been notched and she told us that meant he had been neutered by either a shelter or a The Humane League. We saw the notch, but figured he had been in a fight. The fact that he had been neutered is why we had a hard time figuring out the cat's sex; if you know what I mean. "Now what do we do?" we asked Dr. Nicole. "Nothing different," was the reply. "The name sound good for a male." So, we left home with a female cat and returned home with a male Creamsicle. After returning home I took the carrier to the back deck and released him where he is most comfortable. Boy did he run. Hope he will give us a second chance and return now that we know he is safe to be around our other cat. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - It's been three days and he just got off Carol's lap, as seen in the photo. Notice the notch on his right ear.

The "Rod Serling Would Be Proud Of Me" Story

2012-02-11T04:43:00.001-08:00

I was an ordinary day. Laying on a hospital bed in the pre-op area at The Surgery Center Of Lancaster with Carol sitting by my side. Fifteen minutes ago Karinee, the pre-opt nurse ushered me into a room and gave me a gown, booties, and a hair net. Told me to take everything off and put the items on, tying the gown in the back. I said, "Everything! I'm having my hand operated on, you know." Then she told me I could leave my socks and underwear on if I wished. Well, I wished and shortly she was putting an IV in my arm after checking my vitals. "You do know I'm having my hand operated on, don't you?" I said again. "I had the same operation years ago and they just put my arm and hand on a board, gave me some Novocain in the hand and did the operation." Seems that times have changed. They now put you out for the operation and ....... still load you up with Novocain. The anesthesiologist appeared a few minutes after Karinnee left me and talked about what I could anticipate. "We're going to sedate you so that you have no pain. You may or may not hear the doctor while he operates on you. You'll kind of be in a twi-light zone." I smiled and looked at Carol who was also smiling, almost laughing. A twi-light zone. Now that's for me! She has told me more than once that I am sometimes in a twi-light zone. Now I will really be in one. I told him about my previous experiences with anesthesia and how I had trouble urinating after the operation, but he told me this will be more like what they do if I was having a colonostopy. Then Dr. Kuntz, my surgeon, made a visit to tell me exactly what he would do and the amount of time it would take. Told Carol he would visit with her after the surgery to let her know if everything when OK. He looked at me one last time and said, "I'll see you soon." In the twi-light zone, I suppose. Shortly they wheeled me into the OR and put something in my IV. Told me it would take a few seconds and I wouldn't remember anything after that. I told them I didn't feel anything different and then ....... I awoke to see Carol and the Doctor standing by my bed. My hand was bandaged and I had no feeling in it. Doctor told me the restrictions, to keep my arm elevated, when I could remove the bandage and shower, and said he would see me in another couple of weeks. Took all of 13 minutes for the operation. Later in the evening my hand started to throb, burn, and swell. I called the Doctor and was told to take the bandage off and put it back on so it wasn't so tight. My dear wife was up to the task and in no time I was feeling better. It is now the next morning and I am typing with both hands, as usual. Hand is still swollen, but I have feeling back in my fingers. Instructions are to use my hand as much as possible to avoid having the go through physical therapy. Am anxious for the swelling to go down and the removal of the dressing in a few days. The operation was needed, since my fingers would lock-up after making a fist, and were very painful to open. Looking forward to many pain-free years ahead. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "I'm Disappointed, I Am" Story

2012-02-10T12:46:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Just got the results back from the 6 photos that I sent to iStock about two weeks ago. I have written a story recently telling you about iStock and that people can purchase photos from them for newsletters, post card mailings and the like while also being able to send photos of your own to them that they in turn can sell. iStock recently was purchased by Getty Images which is one, if not the biggest, stock company in the world. Well I sent my 6 photos to them from my recent vacation. Thought they were pretty neat and that maybe someone would be interesting in buying the rights to the photos for maybe a one-time use. I waited and waited and finally starting getting email notices from them telling me about my photos and if they were accepted or rejected. Bad news! 5 of the 6 have been rejected for various reasons and I haven't heard back on the other one as of this posting. The final one pictures a young Barbadian man and his baby monkey on the beach in Barbados. His name is "Anderson Barrow and he lives in Welsh Village, St. John, Barbados. How do I know? I have a signed model release which I must admit I forgot to send along with the photo. Thought I would wait until they send me the results and if they are positive except for not having a model release, I will return the email with the model release attached. Pretty disappointed, I am. I thought the photos were the best half-dozen out of the 1500 that I took. Wow, they really are picky. The reasons they gave me don't seem to have anything to do with the photo, but what do I know. I have included a few of the photos with what they wrote about them. See what you think.

This photo received the following response:

We regret to inform you that we cannot accept your submission entitled Bottom Bay Beach for addition to the iStockphoto library for the following reasons:

This file has unacceptable levels of chromatic aberration, also referred to as 'purple fringing' or could also be a red glow. This fringing is normally apparent around the edges of swift color shifts like dark colored leaves against a bright sky or reflective surfaces.

My comments:

Wow, I had never heard of some of those things. 'Purple fringing and red glow sound pretty neat to me, but I guess no one would want to buy a photo with that.

This photo received the following response:

We regret to inform you that we cannot accept your submission, entitled Oisten Evening for the following reason:

++On the Boat is not allowed.

My comments: Maybe they should have told me that if I was able to get rid of the ++on the boat and resubmitted it, they would take it. Then again, I have learned and I will remove anything like the ++on the boat before I submit them the next time.

All three of the following photos received the following rejections:

We found the overall composition of this file's lighting could be improved. Some of the technical aspects that can all limit the usefulness of the file are:

-Flat/Dull colors

-Direct on-camera flash and/or flash fall-off (fright subject, dark background)

-Harsh lighting with blown-out highlights that lack details and/or distracting shadows

-Distracting lens flare

-Incorrect white balance

My comments: The first one certainly doesn't have flat or dull colors and the second one is supposed to have deepened colors. It is a sunset, you know. No flash was used on either one, but they must have disagreed. And, I'll be darn if I can see any lens flare or blown-out highlights. Oh well, I'll try again. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Sweets for the Sweet!" Story

2012-02-09T14:04:00.000-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Thinking about what to buy for my sweetheart for Valentine's Day. Could get her a dozen roses from Costco, but they die so fast. Could take her out to eat, but we do that so often that it wouldn't be a real treat. Could get her a heart-shaped box willed with candy, but I would have to help her eat it and I don't need that. Then I got this email about all the different types of treats that are given for Valentine's Day and thought I might pick one off the list. I'll publish the photos of then that were taken by Stephanie Adams and a small description of each and let you decide.

Layers of chocolate and soft vanilla caramel are poured over toasted pecans to createturtles, which are known as pecan buds at See's candy shops all over California

No potatoes are involved in the making of Idaho Spuds, which actually consist of coconut-flecked dark chocolate covering a springy cocoa-flavored marshmallow center

Chocolate-covered macadamia nuts are a quintessential Hawaiian treat and can be found anywhere and everywhere on the islands

Children in Wisconsin have been enjoying Candy Raisins (which don't actually include raisins) since 1930. After the factory closed down in 2008, a version was reverse-engineered and relaunched as Candy Sunshine, available starting in March 2012

Florida's coconut patties come in flavors like key lime, mango, and piña colada

Legend has it that peanut brittle was created by Virginia folk hero Tony Beaver, who poured peanuts and molasses in a river to stop a flood. I guess this is one candy I will not buy Carol for Valentine's Day since her peanut brittle is probably twice as good as the one pictured here.

Salt water taffy is sold up and down the Atlantic City boardwalk in New Jersey, and again, probably not a good choice, since we buy enough of it during the summer while on vacation.

Maple sugar is twice as sweet as regular sugar, making these candies tooth-achingly delicious

Pennsylvania's Peanut Chews were first formulated for ration boxes back in 1917, but the bars of molasses and peanuts covered in dark chocolate continue to be popular today

Whoopie Pies, sweet creamy frosting sandwiched between moon-shaped pieces of chocolate cake, are the official state treat of Maine. Hey wait a minute, didn't I just write a story about this and we decided that Pennsylvania is the home of the Whoppie Pie!

Tennessee's Goo Goo Clusters are a sweet treat with longevity—the chocolate, nougat, and pecan candies turn 100 in 2012

When you order pralines (a combination of sugar cane and pecans) in Louisiana, be sure to pronounce it praw-LEENS

Ohio is the Buckeye State, so it's no surprise that that favorite treat is also known as buckeyes. The chocolate-covered peanut butter candies look like the nut from the buckeye tree

Hey, all these treats look good, but I think I will opt-out of a sweet treat and buy my sweetheart something really unusual. Will let you know what I decide upon closer to Valentine's Day. Happy Valentine's Day to all. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Home Town Boy" Story

2012-02-08T06:14:00.000-08:00

It was an ordinary day. A Lancaster day. County where I was born and raised. County that I am proud to call home and love to talk about. Therefore, the following are some bits of information that you may not know, and so of course I am going to tell you about them. So here goes: County that was part of William Penn's 1681 charter and where the first settler was Matthias Kreider in 1710, although it was first inhabited by the Susquehannocks (people of the muddy river) who were a friendly tribe who converted to Christianity. County that was the fourth county in the state of Pennsylvania and now is the 99th largest in the USA. County that is a popular tourist destination, due mostly to the Amish. County whose native son, James Buchanan, was the 15th President of the United States in 1856, even though he was a Democrat! County's oldest surviving dwelling is that of Mennonite Bishop Hans Herr which was built in 1719. County where one of the earliest communities of Moravians in the USA was established in Lititz in the 1740s. County where the Republicans outnumber the Democrats 1.8 to 1. Hey, I think I know quite a few of those .8 Republicans. Not quite all there! County that has a total area of 984 square miles. County that falls along the general track of the Appalachian Mountains and as such, residual seismic activity from ancient faulting occasionally produces minor earthquakes of magnitudes from 3 to 4. County that is part of the Keystone Corridor with a mainline train stop in Lancaster. County where approximately half a million people call home. County that has more females than males. County where some people still speak Pennsylvania Dutch. Visit one of the county's markets and just listen. County that has almost 20% of the workforce employed in manufacturing. County that is home to MapQuest. Always thought that was neat, since it is within walking distance of my house, according to MapQuest. County that is home to Auntie Anne's, Turkey Hill Dairy, Clair Brothers Audio, Wilbur Chocolate, Pepperidge Farm, Armstrong World Industries and tiny Bollman Hat. County with the most non-irrigated soil in the United States. County that is home to the "World's Largest Chicken BBQ." County that has over 29 covered bridges. County that has many famous tourist attractions such as the Strasburg Railroad, American Music Theatre and Sight & Sound Theatre, Fulton Opera House, Dutch Wonderland, Ephrata Cloister, Sturgis Pretzel House, Robert Fulton birthplace, Landis Valley Museum, PA Renaissance Faire (one of the largest in the world), Rock Ford Plantation and the historic downtown area of Lancaster which has one of the oldest working farmer's markets in the USA. County that is famous for Fraktur (the artistic and elaborate 18th century hand-illuminated folk art), the first battery-powered watch from Hamilton Watch Co., the Pennsylvania Long Rifle, the Conestoga Wagon, the Amish Quilt and the Stogie cigar (shortened form of Conestoga). County that has 1 city, 18 Boroughs, 41 Townships, 10 Census-designated places (whatever they may be), and 52 communities. County with places with names such as Bird-in-Hand, Intercourse, Paradise, Blue Ball, Leacock and Eden. County with 9 colleges and 16 public school districts. County with professional or semi-pro teams in baseball, football, woman's soccer and woman's roller derby. Now that wasn't so bad, was it? Oh yeah, the county is also home to LDub's "Painting with Light" altered Polaroids, which a few follow to illustrate my story. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Hans Herr House, the oldest remaining house in Lancaster County

Fulton Opera House in downtown Lancaster

Rockford, home of Revolutionary War General Edward Hand

Central Market in downtown Lancaster

Ephrata Cloisters

Amish buggy and horse

"Wheatland", home of James Buchanan

One of 29 covered bridges in Lancaster County

The "I didn't even know her last name!" Story

2012-02-07T04:42:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Stopped to have lunch with my mom who is a resident in the Personal Care section of Moravian Manor in Lititz, PA. Sat and talked a short time and then mom asked if I would mind if her friend Helen could go to the Cafe with us for lunch. Helen is one of mom's best friends at MM. I told her that would be great so I checked out both of them and we walked through the halls to the Cafe. I enjoy eating with mom at the Cafe, because they have good food at a reasonable price. Some of the best soups in Lancaster are made at MM's Cafe. Mom had her usual hamburger on a soft-pretzel roll with a bag of chips's and a coke, while Helen had a hamburger on a sesame roll with chips and a container of jello with fruit and a coke. I had half a chicken salad sandwich, bag of chips, coke and a large bowl of the best potato soup I think I have ever eaten. Bits of bacon gave it a fantastic flavor. Mom picked out the table that is best for people watching and we enjoyed our meal together. Helen has been in the PC section for maybe three or four months less than mom, but she doesn't enjoy herself very much. The nicest lady, a year younger than mom, both graduated from JP McCaskey High School, but she wished she could be back in her old house in Grandview Heights where both she and my mom both last lived. Probably never going to happen though. She and mom got talking about their kids, mom telling her about Carol and our three kids and then she switched to my brother Steve and his wife and children. Then mom asked Helen about her three sons. Helen replied that she only has two sons who are living. She told mom that her other son had been murdered along with her daughter-in-law and grandson. Now, when I eat lunch with mom and whatever friend might join us, I sometimes listen to what they are saying and sometimes not. Well, I was half listening and half not. BUT ..... "What did you say, Helen?" I said to her. Then she told me about how her grandson's best friend entered her son's house in the Blossom Hill area of Manheim Township late one evening and stabbed her son, daughter-in-law and grandson to death. Only her grand-daughter escaped the brutality in the house that night. "Helen, is your last name Haines?" I asked her. "Yes, and my son was Tom, his wife was Lisa and my grandson was Kevin. He and his friend Alec were sophomores at the high school." By now I felt so sorry for Helen after realizing that it was her family that were the victims in the brutal murders on May 12, 2007. Helen's grand-daughter Maggie was awakened by a noise in the middle of the night, "smelled blood," and was told by her mother to go for assistance. The murderer, Alec Kreider, attended the family's memorial service on May 19. Maggie ran across the street to a neighbor, but communication between the neighbor, call taker at 911, and the dispatcher caused a delay of 12 minutes before the police arrived. By that time there were three bodies and Alec had vanished. The murders made national headlines and drew media coverage to the idyllic Blossom Hill section of the county. At Manheim Township High School, where Kevin and Alec were students, year-end finals were taking place. The school administration told the students over the intercom the next morning that they were safe in school, not knowing that Alec, in school that day to take his finals, was is the midst of them. Helen told me that Alec's mother later found blood on her son's sneakers and questioned her son about it and told him he either turned himself in to the police or she was calling them. On June 16, 2007 Alec turned himself in, two days after his father informed authorities that his son had confessed to the killings. Kreider pleaded guilty to three counts of first degree murder and was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences without parole. Alec's only motive was that he said he felt a need to kill. Helen told me that Maggie now lives in Australia, as far away as she can from her home in Blossom Hill. She also said the house on Blossom Hill has not been sold, and Helen said maybe someday Maggie will want to return. But then, we both said we could never do that. Helen still feels the sadness of losing a son, daughter-in-law and grandson to violence, but is willing to talk about it. You can feel the sorrow with her. What a brave lady .... but my mom is the best friend she could have right now. Mom can cheer anyone up with her friendship, loving presence and smiling face. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Cold Sweats" Story

2012-02-06T10:43:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Very relaxful day. Nothing to do that needed immediate attention. My wife and I were talking about the new sink-hole insurance we just took out on out property. Quite a few years ago my insurance agent called and asked if I was interested in a flood rider on my policy, just in case. I didn't think so, but questioned him about 'why' I needed it and how much it was going to cost me. After going over the reasons and the price, I thought why not. A few weeks later we had 21" of water in the basement, coming from heavy rains that caused the water to enter through a french drain in the basement. Lucky! Well, this time we called him after seeing a few houses lost because of underground streams causing sink-holes that swallowed parts of their homes. We decided it was time for the sink-hole insurance. During our the conversation I all of a sudden got chills. Wow, when was the last time I paid for Carol's health insurance I thought to myslef. When I went on Medicare, Carol lost her health insurance that I had through my job as a teacher. We searched and found that the Cobra plan from the old insurance was the best and really our only option. Still not cheap, but our only option. I grabbed the check book and looked back over the last month's checks. No check to Cobra. Uh Oh. Then I started to sweat. We were almost at the end of the month and hadn't received a bill for next month. Maybe they thought we didn't want the insurance and longer since I forgot to pay last month. Couldn't sleep that night, going over all the negative things I could think of that were going to happen because of my stupid mistake. Early the next day I called the Cobra Administrator that handles the policy and asked why I didn't get a statement for payment. I gave the woman my wife's policy number and waited. She came back on the phone and said, "This is really strange. Looks like we didn't bill you last month ..... or this month. Seems that your group hasn't set the price for the new year yet." I asked, "Is my wife without insurance now?" "No, don't worry about that," she said as I felt warmth come back to my body. I told her I have someone with me that I am relaying this info to and they heard her day that my wife is still covered. She laughed and said not to worry. I have received a notice since for the 2 months and immediately sent the check. Can't imagine what it must be like to live without insurance. I know that so many can't afford it and I hope they never have a major illness. It could be so devastating, as I now realize from my sleepless night. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "A Little Bit Of 'THIS & THAT'" Story

2012-02-05T10:23:00.000-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Trying to come up with a story title for a few small items that I thought were interesting. Items don't deserve a full story written about them, so I thought I would put them all together for today. Finally decided on a title that I got from my friend and reader Just Sue from State College, PA. Hope one of the shorties has some interest for you. It was an extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The Cuffs - We have been reading about Joe Paterno's pants and his glasses for the last few weeks. Was wondering if most all of you know why he rolled his pant cuffs up during his Penn State football games. Just in case you don't know ...... Years ago, after getting married to Sue, she noticed that he would get mud from the field (that's when they played on REAL dirt and grass) on his wool pants. Had to be dried cleaned to remove it from the wool pants. She suggested to him that he roll up his pants to avoid that from happening. Worked! Years later, when he changed from wool to Khakis he continued to roll up his pants because he was superstitious.

Universal Serendipity - Saw in the paper that Lancasterian Ted Stoltz has a new book that is for sale as an e-reader as well as hardback and paperback. Book is entitled Universal Serendipity and is a collection of essays and short stories that came about because of the blog that he wrote from 2007-2009. "Holy cow," I said to my wife. "There really is hope for me after all." Not knowing what I was reading in the paper, she said, "I don't thing so!" Well, his 308-page book is an incentive for me to start to pick out some of my favorite stories and plan for the future.

You could shoot your eye out! - Shortly after Christmas this past year a young Lancaster City mother was putting her 5-year-old in his infant's seat in the rear of her car when she heard a 'whoosh' and then felt pain and a burning sensation in her right shoulder. She immediately knew she had been shot so she hopped in the car and drove to the nearby police station. She found out at the station that another person had also been shot near the same location. After investigating the police found out that two 13-year-olds were shooting an air rifle at pedestrians from a third-floor window. BB guns, pellet guns and air pistols are easy for any age to buy it seems and they can cause severe damage to humans. Seems this was the case. Later that evening I was talking to my mom on the phone and telling her about the story from the paper. She said, "I can't believe that people still do that?" This was in reference to my dad who lost an eye when shot in the face as a 12-year-old.

PST - Shortly before the viewings for Joe Paterno, all the former players were notified that the first viewing would be held on Penn State's campus at 11:00 AM. Everyone who ever played football for JoePa knew that when they got the call for the viewing, it really meant be there at 10:45. Fifteen minutes early; Paterno Standard Time. The ex-players had adhered to that when they played for their iconic head coach, arriving at meetings early, lest they incur his screechy-voiced wrath. I never played football for Joe, but I always follow PST in my life.

The "Record Hail Is Forecast" Story

2012-02-04T05:49:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. 62 degrees today. Doesn't seem unusual until you realize it is the month of January. Our weather this winter has been extremely warm. Checking the TV at night to see what the forecast will be and more days of warm weather are predicted. The older I get, the more I appreciate that. We bought all our grandkids sleds this year for Christmas and it's looking like they may have to wait another winter to use them. Every night on TV they show the record high and low for the day and sometimes the month. One evening I said to Carol, "Wonder what the all time record was for high and low, temperature wise." Well, I checked out Wikipedia and found out that the all-time high in the USA was 134 degrees recorded in Death Valley, California in 1913 on July 10. The record high on earth was 136 degrees recorded in Libya in 1922. A record low was recorded in Prospect Creek, Alaska on January 1, 1971 of -80 degrees. I imagine if you spit or peed it would be frozen in mid-air. The world record was Vostok Station on July 21, 1983 when the thermometer hit -128.6 degrees. Like the .6 really mattered! Then I started looking at some of the other records that were published. Most rain in one minute on earth was in Unionville, Maryland on the 4th of July in 1956. They had 1.23 inches of rain in that one minute. Most rain in one year on earth was 1,042 inches in 1860-1861 in Cherrapunji, India. That was the year that they reportedly had 16 new boat building companies. Most snow in a one year period on earth was in 1971-1972 on Mount Rainier, Washington. That year they had 102 feet. The largest snowflake ever recorded was 15 inches in Fort Keogh, Montana on January 28, 1887. Fastest wind speed ever recorded on earth was 301 mph in a tornado near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on May 3, 1999. Second fastest was across the street from my house coming from west to east towards my garage two years ago when it took a branch off a tree and almost put it through my garage door. The deadliest Tornado in history on earth was in Bangladesh on April 26, 1989 when approximately 1300 people died. Now the next record I find amazing. The largest piece of hail ever recorded on the earth was 8 inches in diameter in South Dakota on July 23, 2010. The record for the heaviest piece was on April 14, 1986 in Bangladesh when they recorded a 2.25 pound hail stone. They do list the length of the longest lightning bolt to be 121 miles, but don't say where and in what year. And, I don't think I would have believed that fact anyway. How do you go about measuring that distance accurately? So, after reading all the weather records I guess 62 degrees recorded today is no big deal, as long as it stays nice and warm. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "To Market, to Market to Buy a Fat Pig!" Story

2012-02-03T05:59:00.000-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Just finished putting the groceries away. I evidently am one of the 31% of males who is the primary grocery shopper for the family. And, I enjoy it! I get to pick out what I want to eat for the week. No surprises! More and more men are doing the grocery shopping, but I must admit that since I normally have more time than Carol during the weekdays, she appreciates that I will do the shopping. Every Sunday, when the newspaper arrives, I go through all the inserts to find the coupons for the items we usually buy. I do enjoy going to Central Market in downtown Lancaster on Friday from time to time for local vegetables, fresh fish as well as a fat pig and then will travel to Roots' Market on Tuesday for baked goods. Always seem to find my way to the sandwich stand at Roots for a fried oyster sandwich on white bread; just one oyster, please! My grocery chain by choice is Giant which is about two minutes from my house. Adequate store and I know most of the people who work there. Ray, the butcher, will give me some of the best fillets when I ask him. And, the check-out people all know that I like paper bags for packing and most times they clear away when I show up, since they know I like to pack my own bags. I went to school in Philadelphia in 1963 to learn how to pack grocery bags and most of the baggers at the Giant just throw the stuff in. And, I have a shopping list made just for the store which you may remember I wrote about a few months ago. At times I will travel ten minutes to the Giant at the Lancaster Shopping Center, because they have a much larger selection of food and usually have a few stands set up for taste-testing. One block south of that Giant is Weaver's store where I sometimes go to buy meats and cheese and usually pick up a few scones for breakfast. About a half-mile north of the Giant is Stauffer's Market and they have a great selection of veggies and fruits inside the front door as well as some of the best apple dumplings in Lancaster, other than my wife's, of course. Oh yeah, when I want to buy the best BBQ chicken in the area, I head to Costco. Usually pick up a bag of bird seed and a few packages of muffins when I hit that store, as I eat my way through the aisles. I read an article recently that said that "Men's shopping tendencies are causing food-makers to look at a different set of opportunities, as men appear to be less hurried in stores and more prone to impulse purchases than woman." I can see that they never went grocery shopping with me. I have my list and I give myself a set amount of time before I want to be back in the car. So don't get in my way, and if I happen to see you in the store, don't be annoyed if I can't talk for long. I hit every aisle, every time, and in the same order and usually toss what I pick off the shelf into the cart, which bugs the heck out of my wife when she shops with me. And about that, when we shop together we take twice as long since she has to stop and look at everything and we ALWAYS buy more than we need. Just leave those chips on the shelf, dear! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Have I Got A Tip For You!"Story

2012-02-02T07:47:00.000-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Heading to Isaac's for supper. Isaac's is a local restaurant that sells "Famous Grilled Sandwiches." Great sandwiches and great prices, especially if you are a Flamingo Fan Club member, as I am. Seems like they have a special every week and we usually take them up on it. Tonight's special is: Buy one regularly-priced sandwich or large green salad/Get One Free with the purchase of soup!Sounds like a deal to me. But, my question to you is ..... when you receive the bill, do you tip the waiter or waitress for what would have been the full amount of the meal, or the discounted price? And, should you tip on the tax? I have been reading about tipping for years on the travel forum that I read. When we travel to St. Martin/Sint Maarten in the Caribbean we encounter an even greater problem. The island is half French (St. side) and half Dutch (Sint side). Each side of the island has different customs and laws. The Sint side of the island is much as it is in the USA while the St. side of the island is totally different. On that side they add a 10% service charge to the bill which many say is the tip. The French government requires them to add the tip, since they tax a server's earnings based on the meal and the tip. Even some of the waiters and waitresses, when asked, will tell you that. It is customary to tip another 5% or more if you feel the service was outstanding. People new to the island or those who don't know the customs and laws on the French side will tip 15% to 20% anyway. So, assuming that they have already added 10% to your bill, and you add another 15% in a tip, you could be paying a tip on top of a tip. Make any sense? Same as adding a tip on the tax in Pennsylvania. But, most servers total their sales at the end of the night by adding the entire amount of the bill, tax and food. If they have to share the tip with others in the restaurant, they may be giving away part of their share if you don't tip on the entire bill, food and tax. And ..... do you tip 15% or 20%? When reading an article in Reader's Digest, I found that most people agree that you should tip 20% in a restaurant. My guess is that most responders to the question in the survey were either current servers or had worked in a restaurant years ago. My oldest son worked in a restuarant for a few years and always tips 20% to 25%. Says he knows how little they get paid and they count on their tips to make a decent wage. Another question for you would be .... When, if ever, is it acceptable to leave a bad tip or none at all. That one I don't need to read about. If I feel that the waitress or waiter has done an extremely poor job, they don't deserve a tip. To me it is called a "tip" because you are giving them something extra, above what you rightly have to pay, for outstanding service. I must admit that I have even given a tip in a restuarant for extremely poor service which was not the fault of the server. I eventually wrote to the restaurant and told them my thoughts and they returned a gift card with an appology. Too bad they closed shortly after that ....... maybe because I wasn't the only one who felt that way. Tipping, naturally isn't just for food servers. How about when you vacation and stay at a motel or hotel. How much should you tip your cleaning lady. Many say they leave $5 a day on the pillow since the same person may not clean the room every day and if you leave a lump sum at the end of your stay, only one of the staff will benefit. How about Valet parking. I am at a loss to tell you anything, since the one time that I used valet parking, I found a deep gash in my bumper. Couldn't prove who did it, but I don't use valet anymore. Vacation places we have stayed occassionally will have boys who bag your groceries for you in the supermarkets and take them out to your car for you. They expect a tip I was told, since they receive no money from the store. If you aren't buying a heaping cart of groceries, I would say $2 or $3 for the tip would be plenty. Figure they can bag and load maybe 6-10 people in an hour. Their tip may be more than the poor girl who is running the cash register is making. And it is all tax free I'm sure. And then you have the porter at the airport or at the hotel. $2 a bag is the standard rate for tipping. If you need the use of a wheelchair in the airport, $5 is the going rate to tip someone who would take you from the plane to your destination. I found a neat tipping list on a web site that lists what you should tip for Christmas. The list follows. See what you think. I know everyone tips according to what they can afford. But remember that at times, the tips received are most of the person's wages. Put yourself in their shoes! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an oridnary guy.

Maid - one week's pay. This is for maids in your employ whom you pay directly. If you use a service and never know who is coming out, don't tip at all.
Gardener - $20-50.
USPS Mail carrier - Non-cash gifts with value up to $20. This is for mail carriers that you know and see regularly.
UPS - Regular driver - $15.
FedEx - Not allowed to accept cash gifts, but a gift up to $25 in value is permissible.
Apartment building superintendent - $50-200. Tip less if you tip throughout the year.
Apartment Doorman/concierge - $10-80 or more each, depending upon building. The fewer doormen the building has, the more you tip each one. Those who serve you more should get a bigger tip.
Apartment building handyman - $15-40 each.
Apartment building elevator operators - $15-40 each.
Shampoo - $10
Manicurist/pedicurist - $15 or more
Hairdresser/stylist - $15 or more
Massage therapist - $15 or more.
Newspaper carrier - Daily - $25 - 50, weekend - $10
Regular overnight delivery person - $10-30
Teacher - $25-100. Give a gift certificate to a bookstore or office supply store. If you know the teacher's hobbies or interests, then a gift certificate would be nice from the local movie theater, hobby shop, mall, fine restaurant or day spa. Some teachers might feel uncomfortable receiving gifts around grade time. If you are unsure, ask your principal first.

Hey, I need to stop you at this point to tell you that in the 33 years that I taught school I never, yep NEVER!, got a tip from anyone. I'm not quite sure how to read that. Did that mean that I was terrible or maybe I shouldn't have been a high school teacher.

Coaches, tutors, ballet instructors, music teachers - A small gift from your child.
Garbage collector(s) - $15-30 each. Nowadays, most garbage collectors are really truck drivers. The truck has an arm that does all the work. If this is your situation, there is no need to tip.
Baby sitter - One night's pay, plus a small gift from your child.
Full-time nanny - One week's to one month's pay based on tenure, plus a small gift from your child.
Au pair - One week's pay, plus a small gift from your child.
Day care service - $25-70, plus a small gift from your child.
Parking attendants - $10-20 each
Personal trainer - $60-100 upon reaching goal.
Country Club - I believe in tipping at Christmas regardless of the club's tipping policy. I recommend a minimum of $50 for your waiters, locker-room personnel, front-desk employees, and golf professionals. For head waiters or special service, make it $100.
Dog groomer - 1/4 - 1/2 cost of a session.
Dog walker or sitter - 1-2 week's pay.

The "Sculpture" Story

2012-02-01T12:11:00.000-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Recently I published a photo that I had taken of the sculpture of Joe Paterno that stands outside of Beaver Stadium in State College, PA. Shortly after posting that I found a story about the people who were involved in the making of that sculpture. Seems that it was made in the town of Ephrata, PA, just down the street from me. Made by two cousins, Yesid Gomez and Wilfer Buitrago, natives of Colombia, South America, who based it on a smaller sculpture by the artist Angelo DiMaria from Reading, PA. I'm sure you have seen it in the news, draped with everything imaginable and surrounded by people paying their respects to JoePa. They made it in 2001 for a cost of $110,000. Weighed 900 pounds and was made of bronze which had a patina applied to it which gives it the very dark color. Shortly after the cousins came to Ephrata in 1998, they met with DiMaria and started the sculpture. Gomez and Buitrago saw Paterno only once in person, from a distance, when he was on the football field during the 2001 homecoming game against Southern Miss shortly after the statue was erected outside Beaver Stadium. Also found out recently that Thomas Beaver III, great-grandson of James Beaver, who was a Civil War hero and former governor of Pennsylvania, works about a quarter of a mile from my house and is pushing to have Beaver Stadium's name changed to Paterno Field at Beaver Stadium. He said in a newspaper article that, "I think Joe's given an awful lot to that school. My great-grandfather also gave most of his life to that school. So I think Paterno Field at Beaver Stadium is a wonderful idea. Both gentlemen had a tremendous impact on Penn State." May be in the near future. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - photos from the top are sculpture at Beaver Stadium of JoePa, portraiture of James Beaver and view of Beaver Stadium. Following is an interview with the three people who were responsible for the statute of Joe Paterno. I'm sorry if you can't take the annoying ads off the bottom of the You Tube video.

The "Stop Lying About Your Fibbing" Story

2012-01-31T14:33:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. January is coming to an end and you know what that means? Means that is the end of Fibruary. Seems that people tell more lies in January than any other time of the year. My guess is that all the New Years' resolutions that people make never come through and therefore ending up being a lie or fib. What's the difference between the two? In your house do you call it lying or fibbing .... or both? Is there really a difference? Some people think they both are the same. If you don't tell the truth, it's a lie, fib or being dishonest. Some think there is somewhat of a difference. Fibbing is more of a joking thing that isn't doing any harm or getting anyone into trouble while lying is, well, lying. "Mommy, there is a monster in my room," would be fibbing instead of lying. In that case fibbing would be stretching the truth about trivial things while lying is more about important things. An online dictionary calls a fib a trivial and harmless lie while lying is the deliberate act of deviating from the truth. It is estimated that we tell seven lies a day in January, compared with an average of four per day the rest of the year. Hey, maybe you have, but I certainly don't tell four lies a day, on the average. Now, I haven't told a lie in a year or more! How about that!! Money is one of the top things that people lie about and when money is involved it is never a fib. Many lie about how much they spent on Christmas gifts and also about how much of a balance they have on credit cards. Other reasons for lying include protecting someone's feelings or not wanting to let people down. One in six have lied to their partners, in fact, we are more likely to lie to our partners than anyone else. Some people think they are good at detecting lies, but the truth is they tend to look in the wrong placed for those vital clues. Where should you look? I have no clue. I have a friend who was a police detective and he had classes on how to tell when people were lying. And, there are ways you can tell, but I suspect you need to take the course to be able to do that. My wife can tell when I am lying, I mean fibbing, without even going to the class. When I tell her something that is border line not the truth, just by looking at me she knows. Must have something to do with the way my lip quivers or my voice cracks, but she can tell. But, I don't think she actually got all the seven lies, or fibs, that I told each and every day in January. Geez, I hope not! I'd be lying to you if I said I didn't I worry about that some times. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Please Don't Take My Kodachrome Away - Part III" Story

2012-01-30T09:32:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Finishing adding some pictures of the Kodak accessories that I have been collecting for years. Yesterday I published photos of some of the cameras in my collection and will finish the 3-day story with the accessories. It is very hard to place a date on many of the items pictured below. I search and search for some of the items, but yet never find something that matches what I own. The photos below represent a small part of the collection, but some of the more interesting items are featured. Hope you enjoyed my love of Kodak cameras and accessories and also my story from two days ago about my experiences teaching one of my hobbies as well as loves, photography. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

This Kodak Film Tank consists of the light-tight wooden box for loading your film onto the spool on the right. Then, in the dark you would take the loaded film from the box and place it in the stainless tank in the rear. It is circa 1905 to 1907 and is very rare. I just saw one on Ebay going for $89.
This ad came from a magazine in 1907. It illustrates a man using the above developing tank.

This kit came in a metal light box that was meant to illuminate negatives and expose for printing. Inside was a small red safelight, graduate with stirrer, set of three plastic trays for making prints, therometer, chemicals and photo paper along with a book telling you how to use it. I can't find a date, but guess it would be from the 50s or 60s.
The D-76 Developer on the left is from the 1930s while the newer containers on the right are probably from the 1950s or 60s. This developer was used for film.
These are two safelights that are for use in a darkroom to provide light that will not affect the film and/or photo paper. The one on the left is a kerosene unit where you place the liquid in the base, light the wick, open the door that has "Kodak" on it and a colored glass plate will block harmful light for developing. My guess is it is from the early 1920s. The electric one on the right is from the 1950s.
These film tins, one for a single roll and the larger one for a 100' roll of film are circa 1950.
This cannister of film I found at an antique store in Havre deGrace, MD. In it is a 100 foot roll of film that has photos of the 87th Infantry Division in action during WWII. Taken sometime in the 40s. I paid $5 for it. The black and white film yields some war photos.
An original No. 1 Kodak Trimming Board that originally sold for $0.65. Great shape!
A few of the Kodak hats that I have collected. I usually wore the yellow racing hat on the far right when I drove my 1987 Corvette before I sold it.
A few race memorabilia that includes a 1998 Monte Carlo 1:18 scale car, a small car and truck in metal and a mug.
The Kodak tank is for heating water for coffee or tea. Still works.

The "Please Don't Take My Kodachrome Away - Part II" Story

2012-01-29T07:12:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Dragging photos of some of my Kodak camera collection to a story I will add to the one from yesterday that talked about the demise of the Kodak company. The following photos, with descriptions, will be the second of three stories about the photography giant. Tomorrow I will show you Kodak accessories that I have collected for many years. So, for now, here are a sampling of the many Kodak cameras that I have. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The camera in the middle is the Folding No. 1A Pocket Kodak with red bellows. It was made by Kodak from 1897 until 1898. It was designed by Frank Brownell. It took 2 1/4×3 1/4 exposures on Kodak 105 film rolls and had an Achromatic f/11 lens. The price was $10. The camera on the left is the Kodak No.1 Kodal Jr. which was made between 1910 and 1913. It used 116 size film. The camera on the right is the Kodo No. 0 Folding Brownie which was made between 1914 and 1935. It uses 127 film.
The Kodak No. 2 A folding pocket Brownie camera. Camera is a rectangular box with a black leather covering. Circular glass window at rear. Leather carry handle on top. Door at front folds down to reveal lens, shutter and bellows focusing mechanism. View finder is fixed. It was introduced in 1915 and used 116 size film.
The two models on the left are original models of the Brownie camera. The Brownie camera was introduced in 1900, creating a new mass market for photography. The Kodak Brownie Target Six-20 on the right didn't surface until 1946 and continued until 1952. It used 620 size film. Original price was $3.50.
These three camera are all Brownie No. 2 cameras. The one on the left is green in color and was produced from 1929 until 1933. It used 120 size roll film and sold for $2. The one on the right is the red model of the exact same Brownie. The camera came in red, grey, green blue brown as well as black. The one in the middle is the Fiftieth Anniversary of Kodak Model that was produced in 1930. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Kodak these special camera were made to be distributed free thru Kodak dealers in North America to children who were 12 years old in 1930. This great camera was based on the No. 2 Hawk-Eye premium camera with tan leatherette covering, gift fittings and a gold foil anniversary sticker on it's side. It used 120 film with a picture of 2 1/4"x3 1/4". There were 557,000 made, and I have one!

This is an enlargement of the gold foil sticker on the side of the camera.

Camera on the left is the Kodak Bantam and appeared in 1935. It had a 1:12.5 Doublet lens and a single speed shutter. Most Bantams were strut folders, which this one is. It used 828 film and was designed by the famous Walter Dorwin Teague. The camera on the right is the Baby Brownie Special that was made of Bakelite. Produced from September 1938 and 1954. It used 127 size film and had images that were 1 5/8"x2 1/2". The body was made in two halves, held together by a sliding latch on either side.
The camera on the left is the Brownie Hawkeye which was introduced in 1949 and was sold until 1961. It used 620 roll film and gave 2 1/4" square photographs. The original price was $5. The camera in the middle is the Instamatic 104 Model which used 110 size film. It was introduced in 1972 and this camera was innovative because of its ability to rotate flashcubes. The camera on the right is the Brownie Starflash which was introduced in 1957 and was discontinued in 1965. It used 127 size film and gave a photograph that was 1 5/8" square. It originally sold for $8.50 and the color shown here was produced from 1958 until 1960. They produced 4 different colors and one that had a Coca-Cola motif.

The Duoflex IV was produced from 1947 until March of 1960. It used 620 roll film and had a 72mm, f/8 Kodar triplet lens. You could attach a flash unit to the side of it that used the large sized flash bulbs. You looked into the top viewing screen and viewed through the top lens while the photo was taken through the bottom lens. I have 2 of these, the one shown being the lesser quality of the two.

The "Please Don't Take My Kodachrome Away - Part I" Story

2012-01-28T06:21:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. All except for the yellow and red! They happen to be the colors that identify Kodak. On January 19, 2012, Kodak filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and thus ended its reign as the giant in the photography industry; another casualty of the digital age. Kodak is synonymous with photography and has been since it was founded in 1889 by George Eastman. The name Kodak came about because the letter "K" was a favorite of Eastman's; he is quoted as saying, "it seems a strong, incisive sort of letter." He and his mother devised the name Kodak with an Anagrams set. Eastman said that there were three principal concepts he used in creating the name: it should be short; one cannot mispronounce it, and it could not resemble anything or be associated with anything but Kodak. And boy was he successful! For years and years, the brightest color in photography was yellow; the bright yellow color of a box of Kodak film.Just 20 years ago they had more than 80% of the American film market. Then came the competitors from overseas. Fuji, Sony, Illford, and so on made their impact on the film market and Kodak has never recovered its storied spot in the industry. In 1888 the first model of the Kodak camera appeared. It took round photos about 2.5" in diameter. This camera carried enough black and white film for 100 exposures. After taking your photos you would return the camera, they would make your prints, and return the prints and your camera to you. In 1892 coined the phrase, "You press the button, we do the rest." It caught on! In 1900 The Brownie camera was introduced, creating a new mass market for photography and the following year Eastman Kodak Company moved Rochester, NY where it has been ever since. And finally, in 1935, Kodak introduced Kodachrome, and color photography took off. Since that time, many "Kodak Moments" have been shared with the world through the art of Photography. Now, Kodak's is fading back to black with it's bankruptcy announcement. For me, Kodak means so much more. In 1969 I started the first photography program at Manheim Township High School in Neffsville, PA. I had only graduated from the school seven years before. The first year we had 6 students and the class was held class in the Graphic Arts room. To reach the darkroom we had to walk through the architectural drawing room. The darkroom had been a storage closet with a sink in it. The first year we had two black and white enlargers with enough space on a counter to place our developing trays. I hung a large safelight above the trays and we were in business. The students would have to buy their own black and white Kodak Plus-X or Tri-X, expose it, and develop it in the darkroom. The difference in the films was the ASA or ISO numbers (speed of the film). Darker situations required the faster Tri-X film. We had such a good time! The only problem we ever had was when a few of the teachers would open the door to our darkroom and ruin our negatives or photos with the light. The room had been used for teacher's who smoked and it took that first year for all to realize it was no longer the smoking room. As years passed, the course grew and grew. A new building was built to enlarge the high school and I got a new Graphic Arts room which had two very large darkrooms attached to it. I actually held class in the larger of the two and I had assembly tables and enough seating for a dozen students. 12 enlargers covered three walls and the final wall had a sink large enough for working stations at either end. 4 very large safelights made it seem almost like daytime. I was in heaven in that room. The class grew more and half my day was spent teaching photography. I had my classes in the darkroom while another teacher taught Graphic Arts in the attached room. And, Kodak supplies were used in my classes. By now we loaded our own canisters with bulk film. I would buy 100' rolls of Tri-X and Plus-X and hundreds of small film canisters for the students to load their own film. They still would base their choice of film on the type of project I had assigned to them. My students won many awards for their work ranging from certificates to college scholarships. Then came the advent of the digital camera. Kodak made them, but other companies grabbed the majority of the business. My black and white photography course still was popular and to this day is still being taught in the high school. At one time I had maybe 75 students a year and now there are maybe 50. The lure or the darkroom and black and whitefilm still draws the students. Kodak played a role in pretty much everyone's life in the 20th century because it was the company we entrusted our most treasured possession to -- our memories. Its yellow boxes of film, point-and-shoot Brownies and Instamatic cameras and the hand sized prints made it possible for millions to freeze-frame their world. So you see, I am saddened by the bankruptcy story coming from Kodak. To me it seems like Kodak is losing its color and is fading back to black. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - the round print at the bottom is the front and back of one from my collection. It is from the late 1800's when the prints were made round. The rear of the print says "Hackensack River from opposite the Field Club grounds 14 Jany 1890 No.40. The next couple of days will show you some of the collection of Kodak items that I have accumulated over the years.

The "Trip of a Lifetime" Story

2012-01-27T17:45:00.000-08:00

It was an ordinary day. And ..... getting very interesting. Just got an email from VRBO (Vacation Rentals By Owners is a very large website that helps property owners rent their places without a middle man) telling me I don't need a reason to go on vacation. Hey, I already knew that, but I thought I would read more. And so here is what they told me .....

Hi Larry,

You don't need a reason to go on a vacation! Treat yourself and take a break from the every day. Stay in a vacation rental home from VRBO and choose from over 165,000 properties around the world. It doesn't matter where you decide to take your time off, you'll find the perfect place to stay with VRBO. To help you get started, we've provided some vacation ideas we think you'll enjoy.

And then they gave me 3 choices from their featured weekly listings. Maybe if I showed you where they think I should go you'd be interested also.

Cozy Design Apartment in the City Center Close to St. Mark's

Venice Vacation Rental by Owner Listing 365026

Location: Venice, Veneto, Italy, Europe (Close to waterbus station to/from the airport + railway stat) Welcome to beautiful Venice! Open up your eyes and be enchanted! Our flat is located in the historical center of Venice, only seven minutes walk from "Salon of Europe" Mark's Square and from Rialto Bridge. The area offers a number of shops, restaurants and opportunities to explore Venice by gondola: The apartment is located behind Calle della Mandola, one of the most famous streets for shopping in Venice. Arts, culture, museums, Biennale, history, romance ... Venice has so much to offer! 700 Euros/week.

Perfect Location at a Great Price! January Dates Available!Punta del Este Vacation Rental by Owner Listing 364687

Location: Punta del Este, Uruguay, South America (On the Punta del Este Peninsula). This apartment is located on the Punta del Este Peninsula. The Peninsula is the hub of Punta del Este with the most year-round activity. $420 US/week.

Charming XVII Century ApartmentAix en Provence Vacation Rental by Owner Listing 363559

Location: Aix en Provence, Aix en Provence Area, Provence, France, Europe. The apartment is located in a historic 17th century building in the heart of the city center of Aix. This part of town is a picturesque area found between the Cours Mirabeau (the main street of Aix) and the "Hotel de Ville" plaza. The charm continues with the daily (yes- 7 days a week) fruit and vegetable market located just a few foot-steps away. 490 Euros/week.

OK, now I need to decide where I will go! Kinda neat that I get emails like this all the time from VRBO, but it does get depressing, since there is absolutely no way that I can go. I could tell them that I want to unsubscribe from the emails, but I won't. I can still dream. If you're wondering what my choice would be, it definitely would be the place in Venice. After visiting there a few years ago with a group from our church, I would love to head back. And, to be able to live on the island for a week would be fantastic. One of the neatest places I have ever traveled. Oh, well! Gives me something to dream about tonight. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Sounds of the Vienna Boys' Choir" Story

2012-01-27T05:15:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Just stopped at the Parish Resource Center to hang a poster that I had framed for my wife who works there. I entered the PRC, walked into Carol's office to find her using our iPad2 to charge things. Bad news, right? Not in this case. Seems that the PRC is bringing The Vienna Boys' Choir to Lancaster, PA for a night of music at Hempfield High School's Performing Arts Center which is located in Landisville, PA. The Vienna Boys' Choir (also The Vienna Choir Boys, German: Wiener Sängerknaben) is a choir of trebles and altos based in Vienna. It is one of the best known boys' choirs in the world. The boys are selected mainly from Austria, but also from many other countries. The choir is a private, not-for-profit organization. There are approximately 100 choristers between the ages of ten and fourteen. The boys are divided into four touring choirs, named for Bruckner, Haydn, Mozart and Schubert, which perform about 300 concerts each year before almost 500,000 people. Each group tours for about nine to eleven weeks. The choir is the modern-day descendant of the boys' choirs from the Viennese Court, dating back to the late Middle Ages. The choir was, for practical purposes, established by a letter written by Maximilian I of Habsburg on July 7, 1498. In the letter, the Emperor instructed court officials to employ a singing master, two basses and six boys. The role of the choir (now numbering between fourteen and twenty) was to provide musical accompaniment to the church mass. Carol is not sure which one of the four touring groups will arrive in Lancaster in March for the concert. The concert is to help raise money for the PRC which is a non-profit that was founded to help congregations train, coach and equip members for service and leadership. Years ago I sang in the St. James Church choir as first, a soprano or treble, and then an alto. I started when I was about 8 years old and able to read and remained in the choir until my voice became too deep to reach the alto notes which was about 13 or 14 years old. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and got to sing in quite a few large venues as well as church on Sundays and for special services such as weddings and funerals. The boys and mens' choirs were paid choirs, so I was able to earn spending money for myself, provided I behaved and didn't get fined too much by Mr. Mac, the choirmaster, by the end of each month. I also was asked to usher for organ recitals and putting the hymn numbers on the church boards, which also was a paid job. I gained many friends during these years and am sure the boys of the Vienna Choir are going through the same situations as I did. Watching this concert will bring back many pleasant memories, I'm sure. Date of the show is March 10 at 7:30 PM. If you are interested in purchasing tickets for the concert, go to www.parishresourcecenter.com or call Carol or Debbie at the center at 717-299-9932. They can help you pick out your seats as well as place the order for you. Pretty neat watching Carol slide the card through this small card reader and the info appearing on the screen. Technology at its finest! See you there. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - Below is the PRC advertisement for the concert.

The "Who's Up First?" Story

2012-01-26T09:33:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Just got back from a trip in town and on the way home saw the really neat statue depicting two boys with gloves, bat and ball trying to see who would be up first. Called "playing thumbs" or "getting the upper hand." Naturally had to take a few photos of it. Made me think back to when I did the same thing almost every day after school as well as all summer long. The story goes .......just got home from school, have to change my clothes, grab my bat and rubber ball and head out back to play ball with Dave G. Weather is starting to get nice and all the snow has melted off of the parking lot out back on the paved lot where we play. Ought to be able to get at least an hour or more of ball in before the sun casts dark shadows across the home plate we have painted on the parking lot. We live in the last house on North Queen Street in the north end of the city. Actually, the city's northern boundary is right up the street from us and that puts our semi-detatched home in Manheim Township. Right next to our house is Science Press. Big printing company that takes up about half of the block. Directly behind us is another press building that I have no idea who runs that. Between the two is a small alleyway that we walk through to get to the parking lot that belongs to the plant behind us. Room for maybe 30 cars, so it is big enough for our homeplate and a painted rectangle where the pitcher stands. Workers leave work at 3:00 PM, so our games can start when they have cleared the lot. On the wall, directly behind homeplate, we have white tape to mark the strike zone; same size zone for everyone. Our infield and outfield are paved, but have a narrow street called North Christian Street running between them. Have to be careful when pitching and trying to run after a pop-up that you slow for the cars that travel on the street. As you stand at home and look out over the field, to the left is Armstrong Distributors which is a beer and beverage dealership. At times the Armstrong sisters, girls about our age who live in the city and at times visit their dad's store, will lean against their wall and watch us play ball. Pretty neat! If we try hard enough, we can sometimes hit the ball into their garage and they will run in to retrieve it for us. Sometimes they even offer us something to drink, if the weather is really hot. Today's game features only two players, Dave and me. "Who's up first?" I yell when Dave shows up. Sometimes we thumb wrestle to see who gets to bat first, but never when Dave is there. He is older than the rest of us in the neighborhood and could whoop us easily in thumb wrestling. I grab the bat and toss it to him. He catches it near the fat end and I put my hand on top of his, towards the small end of the bat. He places his hand next to mine and this goes on, hand over hand, until the knob at the small end of the bat is reached. The last hand on the bat that can place his thumb on the tip of the knob wins the contest and gets to bat first, unless ........ the loser can then grasp the knob of the bat, and holding it with only a thumb and one finger, twist it over his head three times before it goes flying. Usually we don't do this, since the many windows in the buildings at times get broken and we usually get blamed and a swinging bat may cause that to happen. OK, Dave's hands are larger and he wins and I start pitching. In our game you only get 1 out. Ball hit in fair territory that doesn't make it across the street is a single. In the lot across the street we have sight lines for a double and a triple. A ball that goes in the girl's garage is foul. And ...... any ball that hits a moving car (remember we use a rubber ball about the size of a tennis ball) is a homer. At times when this happens and the car slams on the brakes, our game quickly ends and we take off for home. Three strikes is an out. No walks allowed. Back and forth we go until dark and then head our separate ways back home. Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny and Kenny and my younger brother said they can play tomorrow, so we'll have 2 on each side and have to do the "playing thumbs" again to see who bats first. Oh the memories!! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary day.

The "LDub's Cooking Show!" Story

2012-01-25T11:31:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Paula Deen is cooking something really fattening with her son, Bobby, on the Food Channel. Not sure what it is, but it has 3 sticks of butter in it! Her son is with her just so she has another pretty face for the TV camera. I guess you have heard about Paula and her health problems. All that butter has taken it's toll and she has Type 2 Diabetes. Well, Bobby has cooked on his own for a few shows (Not My Mother's Cooking), but I'm not sure what qualifies him to be a cook except that maybe he loves butter. I told my wife after watching one of his shows one time that I think I should have my own cooking show. "Heck, I love butter as much as them," I said. "And, just what would you cook if you had your own show," she responded. "Well I could make something that my mom used to make like her famous potato salad of her fabulous chicken pot pie and call it "Cooking Just Like My Mom," was my comeback. I've already told you about the cookbook that we printed one time that was filled with all the family recipes. Any one of those would be just as good as what Paula's sons would cook. I could do my Aunt Lillian's cherry cake, which isn't really a cake but a really delicious dessert, or I could do her great macaroni salad which has to be just as unhealthy as any of Paula's meals could be. Maybe Aunt Bea's (yep, my wife really has an Aunt Bea just like on the Andy Griffith Show) Coconut cake or Uncle Albert's ice cream recipe would work. Then there's my cousin Judy's strawberry pie or my grandpap's oyster stuffing. Boy is that good with bread squares, a few eggs, onions, garlic, celery, fresh oysters and naturally a stick of butter. Never at a loss for a great recipe. "Wonder who I have to talk to about my cooking show I want to start," I asked her. Then she said, "Maybe you should just practice some of those recipes at home until you really get good. Try making YOUR world famous dinette cake a few times with granulated sugar instead of the 10X sugar that you used the last time!" Yeah I must admit that didn't turn out too good. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "A Grandfather's Granddaughter" Story

2012-01-24T14:14:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Upset that I missed the talk that was given at the Ware Center, Millersville University's Art Center in downtown Lancaster, by Andrew Wyeth's granddaughter. Many of you probably already know that Andrew Wyeth was born July 12, 1917 in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. That's just a hop, skip and jump from my house in Lancaster. Andrew's parents home-schooled him since he was a very sickly child. N.C. Wyeth, Andrew's father was a well known illustrator and his son seemed to follow after him. His raw talent showed in his early work that depicted his family's summer home in Maine. At age 22, he married a local girl and had two boys. Nicholas became an art dealer and James became the third generation artist in the family. Andrew Wyeth died on January 16, 2009 at his home in Chadds Ford, PA. He was 91 years old. Andrew achieved international fame from his landscapes and portraits of the Brandywine Valley, notably with "Christina's World", painted in 1949, and "Master Bedroom", painted in 1965. Well, the talk that was given at the Ware Center was by Nicholas Wyeth's daughter and Andrew Wyeth's granddaughter, Victoria (Vic) Browning Wyeth. Vic is in her early 30s and for years worked in the Wyeth Galleries at the Brandywine Museum in Chadds Ford giving talks and tours of the gallery. Last year she decided to take her show on the road and tell her stories titled "Lessons I Learned at My Grandfather's Knee" to a larger audience. I am so sorry I missed it. Hope I get to see her at another location. Her stories are featured in the Lancaster newspaper and I will give you a small sampling of what she told the paper. "When you Google 'Andrew Wyeth', the person you see is very different from the person that's in my heart. You see Andrew Wyeth. I see 'Andy'. I think of him as just this adorable kind of wrinkly grandpa who's also wearing black L.L. Bean turtlenecks and always saying, 'Vic, get me some applesauce.'" Wow, could be one of my grandkids talking. She talked about "Master Bedroom", which depicts the family Labrador, Rattler, tranquilly asleep on Andy's bed. Her granddad had come home tired, wanting to take a nap, only to find Rattler got there first. Vic's grandmother said the painting didn't impress her and told Andrew to put it in the "giveaway pile." How many copies of that famous print have I framed in the last 12 years for sale to customers at Grebinger Gallery in Neffsville? Can't count them all. "Christina's World", another big seller at the Gallery shows the back view of a woman crouched in a field gazing at her farmhouse in Maine. Victoria said they told Andy it was not quite the thing, and that's his most famous painting. "When he died it just changed things for me," she says. "It's hard to put into words, but it changed the way that I look at the world. I never had lost someone that was that close to me. It was like someone took off my sunglasses. I just saw ... on a deeper level. When I give my lectures I can hear him in my head. It's not like he's telling me what to say; I can remember where I was with him when we spoke about it." And .... I feel so bad that I MISSED IT!! Have been down to Chadds Ford before, but would love to have heard the personal stories in person behind the many paintings that I am now framing. Someday. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - photos from the top are Andrew Wyeth, Victoria Wyeth, LDub with a framed print of "Master Bedroom", and photo of painting titled "Christina's World."

The "True Nittany Lion" Story

2012-01-23T10:28:00.000-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Made a trip out to the end of the drive for the paper. Sat down in my recliner and turned on "Meet The Press" on NBC at 10:00 AM. A few minutes later they had an urgent announcement flash on the screen. Joe Paterno had died minutes before of lung cancer. Holy Cow! It was only in mid-November that his family announced that JoePa was being treated for a curable type of lung cancer. To tell you the truth, I didn't know there was such a thing. The next day saw hundreds, maybe thousands, flock to the stadium, the stadium that JoePa built, to honor him with remembrances at the foot of the sculpture that seemed to symbolize the immovable force he had become. A candle-light vigil was also held the evening of his death. The death of the greatest football coach that ever lived! His records and achievements are documented everywhere you look and his former players heap praise and accolades on him. But, in the end, I'm sure he didn't feel like a hero. I now believe that the Board of Trustees really blew it with the way they fired him and tried to make him the scapegoat for all the bad that was happening at Penn State. I still think of JoePa as the guy who time left at the 1 yard line. The guy with the horn-rimmed glasses, khakis that he rolled up and those black cleats. He was said to hate computers and cellphones and one time said, "I couldn't download a jar of peanut butter." As the times changed, he stayed proudly behind. Too far behind, maybe. I only hope that years from now people will remember the good deeds and services that JoePa gave to Penn State and not the turmoil that was created by the one bad egg on his coaching staff. Time will heal I'm sure, but for me, I believe JoePa may have died from a broken heart. Rest in Peace, JoePa! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - The classic photo of JoePa in the runway was taken by an Associated Photographer, while the photo of the sculpture at the stadium is one of my altered Polaroid prints.

The "Rising to New Heights" Story

2012-01-23T09:57:00.000-08:00

It was another ordinary day. I was searching for good airfare prices for our next trip when I came across a very unusual story about elevators in some of the largest and neatest buildings in the world. I was amazed with the stories connected with the elevators and thought I would at least show you what 12 of the neatest elevators in the world look like. Just a brief summary about each one accompanies the photo. Google anyone of them to get a better idea of how they work. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The fish-eye mirror at the back of this elevator at the Long Island City Business Center, makes the ride even more disorienting

The Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany, contains info on 125 years of automotive history—and some really cool elevators.

Elevator's at the Luxor hotel in Las Vegas travel at a sharp 39-degree angle.

Take in views of the city's parks, temples, and skyscrapers from the 89th-floor observatory atTaipei 101 in Taiwan.

The Lloyd's building in London was designed inside out, and the 12 glass elevators travel along the exterior.

There is no better way to take in the sights of Stockholm, Sweden, than a ride on theSkyView at the Ericsson Globe.

Take in the views of Lake Lucerne and the Alps as you ride up Switzerland's Hammetschwand Lift.

The 50-minute gondola tours at Scotland's Falkirk Wheel traverse two canals and include two rides on the elevator.

The four-minute elevator ride up the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri, brings you to the top of the 630-foot-tall wonder.

The incredible Bailong Elevator in China's Zhangjiaijie National Forest Park rises 1,070 fee up a sheer cliff.

The elevator at the AquaDom in Berlin travels up the middle of the 82-foot tall aquarium.

The elevator at the Sky Tower in Auckland, New Zealand, takes just 40 seconds to reach the observation level, 610 feet in the air.

The "Nautical Accomplishment" Story

2012-01-23T04:52:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Just saw the news that Laura Dekker, the 16 year old Dutch teenager, broke the record that Jessica Watson held for youngest solo world tour. In a sailboat!! She left from Sint Maarten, my favorite vacation destination, on January 20, 2011 on here world tour in her 38-foot-ketch nicknamed "Guppy" and returned home Saturday, January 21, 2012. Quite an accomplishment for any sailor, especially one as young as Laura. Dutch authorities tried to stop her from starting her trek last year, saying that she was too young to risk her life. Her school officials said that she should be in the classroom and not sailing. Unlike others who have crossed the world, Laura stopped at ports along the way to sleep, study and make needed repairs to her sailboat. She was never at sea more than three weeks at at a time. Laura traveled more than 27,000 nautical miles on the trip with stops in places I wish I could see. She made stops at places like the Canary Islands, the Galapagos Islands, Tonga, Fiji, Bora Bora, Australia, South Africa and then back to Sint Maarten. The only place she made a stop where I have been was in Panama. I had heard she was going to land in Sint Maarten soon by reading TravelTalkOnline (TTOL), a travel online board that I follow regularly. This morning I checked and there were comments that she was expected to arrive
today. It has been 41 days in high seas and heavy winds since she had left Cape Town, South Africa. When she arrived she came through the Simpson Bay bridge at 3:00 PM to a waiting crowd of about 500. There were boats to greet her, horns blowing and cheers from the crowd. The Sint Maarten Yacht Club was there to help in the celebration. Many members of the crowd were children and young adults the same age as Laura. I'm sure she must be quite an inspiration to all of them.Dekker's achievement will not be entered in the Guinness Book of World Records, however, as it has refused to recognize records by minors which are considered "unsuitable." Laura's blog can be found at http://lauradekker.nl/English/News.html. I'm positive I could never had completed the journey, since I get motion sick at times. Great job Laura! Only wish I could have been in Sint Maarten to greet you. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - photos were taken by TTOL member boucharda after Laura had passed through the bridge and when she had docked.

The "How often do you change the sheets on your bed?" Story

2012-01-22T18:05:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Listening to the radio while working at the Gallery in Neffsville, putting some frames together for a few jobs that I am working on. The "Question of the Day" on the squak box is How often do you change the sheets on your bed? I grabbed the phone to try and be the first caller with the right answer. Usually win something when you know the answer first. I had just read in the newspaper the other day what the answer was so I dialed and dialed. Busy signal as usual, and just when I dialed again, someone gave the correct answer. Any guesses? Well, I was looking at other blogs last week and saw one called "On The Edge" which had taken a poll dealing with the frequencies of the things that are necessities in our life. Things from brushing your teeth to washing your hair. The jocks on the radio station had taken one category from the blog to use as their question for today. You know by now that I just have to list a few on my blog. So here goes (answers or percentages from the survey will be at the end):

1. How often do you brush your teeth?
A. Once a day
B. Twice a day
C. Every time I eat

2. How often do you change the sheets on your bed?
A. Once a week
B. Every two weeks
C. Around the time it seems they could get off the bed on their own

3. How often do you exercise
A. If I don't hit the gym, my day is not compete
B. I don't even own sneakers
C. When I have nothing better to do

4. How often do you text
A. Never, I call or talk with people in person
B. Somewhere in the triple digits for the month
C. More than 1,000 texts each month

5. How often do you check your email
A. Once a day
B. I log on when I think of it
C. Constantly

6. How often do you grocery shop
A. I hit up the store once a week
B. Pretty much every day
C. Forget the grocery store, that's what restaurants are for

7. How often do you wash your hair
A. Once a week when I go to the salon
B. Every other day
C. Every morning

8. How often do you wash your car
A. My car is always showroom clean
B. Only when I can no longer recognize my car in the parking lot
C. Never, the rain does it for me for free

And the response, which was taken online .....
1. Twice a day 66%
Once a day 27%
Every time I eat 7%
2. Once every two weeks 41%
Once a week 32%
Around the time .......27%
3. When I have nothing better to do 56%
If I don't hit the gym, my day is not complete 24%
I don't even own sneakers 20%
4. Somewhere in the triple digits for the month 63%
More than 1000 texts each month 20%
Never 17%
5. Constantly 69%
Once a day 22%
I log on when I think of it 9%
6. I hit up the store once a week 70%
Pretty much every day 22%
Forget the grocery store 8%
7. Every morning 60%
Every other day 37%
Once a week when I go to the salon 3%
8. Only when I can no longer ...... 62%
Never ..... 25%
My car is always showroom clean 13%

Interesting survey and you can see that it was taken online with some of the responses. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "I Wouldn't Touch That If I Were You!" Story

2012-01-21T12:29:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Heading to the Doctor's office for another check-up. Not sure what they are checking-up today, but it must be something important. I can remember years ago, after my parents had both retired, thinking that all they did was go to the grocery store one day and the doctors the next. Well, welcome to THEIR life, LDub. When I do go to the doctor's office now, I try to remember a few things about what not to do in the waiting room. Don't touch the magazines and books. The person in front of you who just put it down is here for a reason. Maybe something that is life-threatening, so don't touch anything they have touched. Always use my own tissues when I sit in the waiting room and try to leave as much space between me and the next person sitting there waiting to be examined. Did you know that if they sneeze or cough that the germs can travel about three feet before they fall to the floor. Oh, and never go to the doctors without shoes on. Wouldn't even want to have sandals or flip-flops on. I pity the nurses and doctors who have to see all these sick people. I guess it wasn't that much different years ago when I taught school and all the students were coughing and sneezing on me in the classroom. Also, read about a few other places where you should be careful so you don't pick up germs from someone else. Such as touching a menu in a restaurant. Germs can survive for 18 hours on hard surfaces and if the restaurant is busy ...... oh my! Make sure you don't let the menu touch your plate or eating utensils andalways use sanitizer after you touch the menu. And then when you order, make sure you don't order a drink that has a lemon wedge on it. Nearly 70% of those contain disease-causing microbes such as E-coli and fecal bacteria. How they get there I don't think I want to know. And then when your burger and fries appear, don't dare touch that ketchup dispenser unless you wrap a napkin around it first, since the guy that just left after eating his burger and fries may have had some type of disease. And after eating, if you have to use the restroom, make sure that after you use it, don't touch the soap dispenser because most of those have been touched by maybe hundreds of dirty hands after just using the facilities. Instead wash your hands with just hot water for 15-20 seconds. And when leaving, try to back out of the restroom or if you have to touch a handle, take a spare paper towel with you to grab hold of the handle. A few months ago I also wrote a story about going to the grocery store and grabbing the handle of the shopping cart. The person that used it before you may have just used the store's restroom and maybe didn't wash their hands. Get the idea. That's why most stores have those wipes at the entrance of the store to wipe the handle of the cart. Now, I am not as paranoid about germs as you may think. I still will sit down at school when I visit to do some of the in-house printing and touch the keyboard of the computer or the controls of the printing press that who knows how many others used that day. And I still will ride on amusement park rides and hold onto the handles on the rides that thousands have touched that day. And I will ride on public transportation and hold on to the handrails that others have just held. And I will play sports and will touch the same equipment that everyone else uses. But, I will be extra careful in the doctor's office today, since I know that everyone else in the waiting room is there because they are SICK, probably from eating a lemon wedge or touching the salt shaker at the restaurant they ate at a few nights ago. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "What to do with your Stink Bugs?" Story

2012-01-20T12:21:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Catching a few stinkbugs from around the skylight on the second-floor landing. For some reason they always seem to find their way to that area in the house. Sometimes in the evening, while watching TV in the family room, one will fly by Carol or me and land on one of the floor lamps. Up off the sofa, grab them and out the door. I have no idea where they come from, but they are a nuisance, even in the winter. Last year I started noticing signs along the road advertising stink bug removal. Seems everybody else has them and they need to be removed. They are much like the mice in our basement; you know they will always come back, but can't figure a way to totally eliminate them. I recently read an article in a magazine about stink bugs and how, in Mexico, they are ground up with chiles for taco filling. Gross! Another reason not to go to Mexico. Remember when eating chocolate covered ants was the craze? I checked online and found that you can buy quit a few insects that are covered with chocolate. Insects such as crickets, grasshoppers, cicadas and worms are all offered along with the ants. There are a few other insects that your neighbors may eat daily such as palm weevil larva that is cooked and tastes like coconut, termites which can be fried in oil and will taste like carrots, and grubs that can be found in your yard taste like peanut butter when eaten raw. Think maybe you kids have found that out already? Then I read another article about some of the most gross things that are eaten in other countries. In Cambodia, tarantulas are eaten whole-gooey center and all-as street food. In Japan, wasp larvae are cooked in soy sauce and sugar, and eaten as a crunchy snack. And, in Indonesia, they eat dragonflies and claim they taste similar to soft-shell crabs. Now that sounds like something I may have to at least try, but for the stinkbugs, they still will get thrown out the back door. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - the bugs in the photos are from top to bottom, stink bugs from Mexico, the palm weevil, termites, grubs, Cambodian tarantulas, wasp larvae from Japan and the Indonesian dragonflies.

The "Will the End Ever Come?" Story

2012-01-19T18:06:00.000-08:00

It was an ordinary day. And again, another story in the newspaper about the Penn State Scandal. I have been reading all of them, even a few from out of state newspapers. And, I'm ready to make peace with JoePa. Still feel like he has to share some of the blame for what happened, but I do believe that he is so far out of touch with the real world, or should I say current world, that he really didn't know how to handle the situation. He is just too old to be in the position that he was in the first place. If only he had known when to quit. I know I'm getting old and can't do some of the things that I used to do, but at least I realize it. Joe didn't!! He shouldn't have been coaching. Should have quit years ago. I know he couldn't have broken the record for most wins, but this all might not have happened if he had retired years ago. I know that he loved what he did, but he still could have enjoyed Penn State football without being the coach. I do not believe that Joe called most of the plays for his team, both on offense and defense. He is from the "Old School" of smash-em' football and all the new offenses and defenses have left him in the dust. The team still excels, not because of Joe, but because of the cast of assistants that run the show. After reading Joe's interview with Sally Jenkins for the Washington Post, I can see that he has no clue how to handle the problems of today's world. As he sat in his wheelchair, around the kitchen table with most of his family, he talked about the ordeal that has left him disgraced in the eyes of many. His lung cancer has robbed him of the breath to say all that he wants to say. As if he doesn't have enough problems with his health, he now has the weight of the world on his shoulders, also. I do feel sorry for him. The day that assistant Mike McQueary visited him with the shocking news about what had happened in the shower room at Penn State, Joe had no clue what to do. I know he went to the athletic director and chief of police of the college to tell them what he had heard, but did he really know what had happened. I DON'T THINK SO! He states that he had never heard of rape and a man. And I believe that. He passed the info on to others that he thought would know what to do. And they sat on it. That's why they are now being prosecuted. But, Joe realizes he isn't the victim either. He told the reporter, "You know, I'm not concerned about me. What's happened to me has been great. I got five great kids. Seventeen great grand-children. I've had a wonderful experience here at Penn State. I don't want to walk away from this thing bitter. I want to be helpful." His wife Sue said, "It's a bad scene for this happy valley." Joe's name has been removed from trophies. The Maxwell Club of Philadelphia has discontinued its Joseph V. Paterno Award which was given to the coach who made a positive impact on the lives of those they came in contact with. A nomination for the Presidential Medal of Freedom has been withdrawn. And the list goes on and on. Will his statute next to the stadium in State College be the next thing to go. He was told he was terminated as football coach over the phone. Come on Penn State, that's a disgrace! You're better than that. His wife Sue called the messenger right back after Joe hung up and said, "After 61 years he deserved better!" And I agree. Even though Joe isn't the victim in this tragedy, he is sinking with ship anyway. He stated, "I wanted to build up, not break down." If only he had known with to quit! Can't imagine what he must be going through. Certainly isn't enjoying his retirement! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS- photo was from the Washington Post.

The "Beers of the Caribbean" Story

2012-01-17T18:21:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Drinking a Ting, eating some cashews and typing away. For those of you who don't already know, a Ting is a carbonated beverage made from real Jamacian Grapefruit. Used to be bottled in Barbados, but is now a product of Pepsi and I managed to get a few bottles at my local Giant grocery store last week. The version I am drinking is made with pink grapefruit and thus is pink! A soda is about as strong a beverage I enjoy except for a glass of wine. Never did and never probably will like beer. So, my story about the beer of the Caribbean needed some help and I got that from my wife, Carol, who does enjoy a bottle or two of beer at times. I will admit that the times she downs a few cold ones are few and far between, primarily when we are on vacation and she likes to sample the beer of the island we may be on. I got an email from Caribbean Travel and Life Magazine which I subscribe to and am also a fan on Facebook telling me about the contest they recently had to determine the best beers of the Caribbean. Clicked on the link and saw a list of the top 10 beers, as picked by the readers of their magazine. Most of them Carol and I recognized as soon as we saw the bottle. The #1 beer was Virgin Islands Beer from the US Virgin Islands. This was one of the few we didn't recognize and couldn't believe it since we have been to the USVI several times. #2 was Wadadli from Antigua. Supposed to be good with grilled red snapper, fries and fresh local veggies. Carol remembered drinking it, but it wasn't a favorite. Maybe because we never had the red snapper while we were there. #3 was Turk's Head from the Turks and Caicos Islands. We have traveled there before and would like to make another trip in October. It's been so long since we were there the last time and Carol doesn't remember the beer. We do have a great photo of her after drinking a few, but I promised not to include it in my story. #4 was called Tona from Nicaragua and another one that she never tried. Maybe because we only stopped here while on a cruise and didn't have a chance to eat a meal on the island. #5 is called Sol. Holy crap! She never tried this one either! It allegedly is the beer of Mexico and is good with Tequila fish tacos. Now we did pass through Tulum when we went on a Western Caribbean Cruise, but never even saw this beer. #6 is Sands and is the beer of the Bahamas. She is now looking at me and saying, "How can you write a story about beer if I never drank any of it or we were never on the islands?" Good point since we have never traveled to the Bahamas. I said, "Just stick with me. It has to get better, since you are always drinking beer on the islands." #7 is Red Stripe from Jamaica and the beer that they served every day at the Sandals where we were staying. It is supposed to be good with jerk chicken and roasted breadfruit and I do believe that is what we had when Carol downed a few. #8 is Presidente and the beer of the Dominican Republic. Never been there either but this beer can be found on other islands and is a mild beer that tastes good with seafood. I guess almost any beer will taste good with seafood, though. #9 is Carib and her favorite. It is the beer of Trinidad and Taboga, but we never hit either of those islands. We find it in almost every Caribbean location we travel. I even had a few of these. Very mild and good with anything. #10 is Banks Beer from Barbados. The entire island is covered with advertising and I do mean the entire island. They sponsor everything on the island and not only make beer, but sports drinks and at one time produced the Ting I am drinking today. Supposed to be good with fried flying-fish and that's exactly what Carol had it with when we visited Oistens Fish Fry on a Friday evening. For all of you who drink beer, and I know I am in the extreme minority, if you ever travel to the Caribbean, give one of the island beers a try. I'm sure they will appreciate it. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Lure of the Type and Smell of the Ink" Story

2012-01-16T05:43:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Smelling a magazine that Carol brought home from work yesterday. I always do that. I guess printers never get over the sweet smell of printers' ink from a newly printed magazine or brochure. As soon as I pick up anything printed, I have to small it. I'm smelling and reading about a local printing club having to find another place for their equipment so they can continue to give demonstrations of letterpress printing to the public. Club is called .918. Yep, just .918. Probably doesn't mean anything to you if you were never a printer. Have you ever heard of the Handbrake Club which is for car enthusiasts or the Harriers Club which is for runners or the Silent Skull Club which is for motorcyclists? My guess is you have never heard of those either. Well, the .918 club is much the same for the old time printers, like me! .918 is what is referred to as 'type high' and is said to be the height of a shilling on it's edge. 'Type high' means the height of a piece of movable type that can be used to set type for a letterpress. The .918 refers to the distance from the base of the type to the top of the letter that will touch the paper and register an impression. I found some info I will share with you and if you get bored, skip a line or two until you pass the explanation of 'type high.' The .918 was agreed upon by the United States Type Founders' Association in 1886. The system stated that eighty-three picas (measurement in printing) became equal to thirty-five centimeters, then dividing the pica into twelve equal parts, (points). Thirty-five centimeters then also became a standard for type-high (height-to-paper). By this plan fifteen type-heights (.918) were made to equal thirty-five centimeters. The old standard was eleven-twelfths or .9166 of an inch. The difference of 20/10,000 or 1/500 part of an inch may seem trivial but it was enough to drive many pressmen of the day to consume large quantities of booze! The preceding was in part from Theodore Low De Vinne’s (c) 1899, “Plain Printing Types,” Oswald Publishing Co., New York, 1914. Are you totally confused? Well there's more ....... Moore’s Universal Assistant, a book printed for those headed to the American Wild West in 1880, lists “type high” to be “15/16ths of an English Inch, less a small amount”. Of coursehe fails to say what the difference in an English inch and an American Inch might be…. or how small the “small amount” is supposed to be….. or why you’d need to know that in a Wild West Town anyway…. but hey, it’s a cool book! So, there are as many explanations as there were probably printer's in the old days. A little more about the field of printing in Lancaster County. Ben Franklin is considered the Philadelphia godfather of American printing. Ben was a founding father of Franklin and Marshall College and founded Lancaster city's first print shop in 1751. They could never duplicate the success they had in Philadelphia because of the nearby Ephrata Cloisters printing shop which was founded by Germans and a German by the name of Johann Gutenberg was the inventor of movable type in 1455. In 1753 Ben sold the print shop and eventually John Dunlap, an apprentice in this shop, is said to be the first to print the Declaration of Independence. All with movable type that has a height of .918. The type was placed in a wooden case called the "California Job Case" (I'm sure you don't want to hear why it is called that) and pulled one letter at a time from the case and placed in a job stick which you would hold in your hand. From there it would be locked in a metal frame called a 'chase' and placed in the letterpress for printing. When the .918 club started a few years ago in downtown Lancaster, I donated a few chases, job sticks and racks of 'furniture' which are wooden blocks in varying sizes that are used to hold the metal type in the chase. These were 'left-overs' from my shop at Manheim Township High School where I taught printing and graphic arts for 33 years; the first 10-12 of those years was printing using movable type and the letterpress. Seems like so long ago! That's when .918 meant a lot more to me. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - photos from the top are: LDub holding a piece of metal type, the flag is the part that would hold the ink and press against the paper while the groove at the bottom right would help in the alignment of the type; A 'California Job Case' that holds all the letters, punctuation and spacing materials; a case of 'cuts' which I have, such as the flag I was holding, that can be used when setting type; a person's hand holding a metal job stick that holds the type as it is being set; a floor model letterpress that can be powered with a motor, but originally was keep running by pushing the flywheel on the left of the machine.

The "Naming " Story

2012-01-15T14:02:00.000-08:00

It was another ordinary day. Paying bills! Always make sure I have everything perfect before I put my signature on the bottom line. Then I write my name with flair on the bottom line. A few months back I was framing a job at the Gallery in Neffsville, where I work part-time, when I looked at the signature on the original watercolor I was working on. Looked exactly like mine. You can't really read either. I asked Keith, my boss, if he liked the print I was framing and he said he did. I then asked if he saw who had painted it and he looked. "Did you really paint that?" he asked. Never thought anyone would ever sign their name as I do, that's why I use all the flairs. Getting back to my story. After I finished writing the checks I started working on the Manheim Township Middle School yearbook, typing names to identify some of the photos I had taken. I typed a few and thought, doesn't anyone have common names anymore like when I was growing up? What ever happened to names like David, John, Paul, Jim, Bob and even Larry. And how about girls names like Dottie, Carol, Alice, Janet, Sally, Sue and Sarah. As I typed, I even had a hard time pronouncing them, and I thought I was good at that after teaching for over 30 years. I guess in the time I have been retired from teaching, people have invented new names. As I typed the name Holland I said to Carol, "I wonder why they chose that name? Do you think that is a boy or a girl?" "Doesn't really matter, does it?" she said. "Remember, we chose Derek, Brynn and a nickname of Tad for our last son. To some people they may sound strange." I responded, "Yea, I guess so." Well, I thought I would give you a few that I typed so you can see what people called their children back in the early 2000s. I should mention that I am typing these names not to make fun of them, but to show you some of the unusual names that I found. Names like: Royel, Balsam, Breeze, Dynasty, Solstice, Adnela, Unique, Serenity, Precious and religious names such as Savior, Genesis, and Faith. I must admit I typed a few really neat names that if I was going to have anymore children, I would think of using them. Such as: Quinn, Cheyenne, and Yogi. One of the names that was used the most was Skylar which I typed 7 times. Oh yeah, I do remember watching Sky King as a young boy. And wouldn't you know it, not a single Larry. What were you thinking, Mom? It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Not Much Happening - Part 3" Story

2012-01-15T08:16:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Adding the final edition to the collection from my story from the last two days. Some of the neatest photos! Enjoy today's collection. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Gibraltar Airport is one of the most extraordinary airports around the world

Heavy fog in Sydney, which enveloped the whole city

Skyscraper-Crescent Crescent Moon Tower (Dubai)

Photo of storm in Montana, USA, 2010

Airport in the Maldives is located on an artificial island in the middle of the Indian Ocean

Favelas of Brazil. The boundary between wealth and poverty

Banpo Bridge in Seoul, South Korea

Haus Rizzi - Germany

Autumn camouflage

Marcus Levine - slaughtering an artist in the literal sense. He creates his paintings by nailing a white wooden panel. At his latest series of paintings exhibited in a gallery in London, Marcus has spent more than 50,000 pieces of iron.

Paris computer games store. In fact, the floor is absolutely flat.

The longest traffic jam in the world recorded in China. Its length is 260 kilometers

In the resort town of Skagen you can watch an amazing natural phenomenon. This city is the northernmost point of Denmark, where the Baltic and North Seas meet. The two opposing tides in this place can not merge because they have different densities.

The world's highest Chained carousel in Vienna. Height of 117 meters.

The "Not Much Happening - Part 2" Story

2012-01-14T06:18:00.000-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Adding more to the collection from my story from yesterday. Some of the neatest photos! Enjoy today's collection. One more will follow tomorrow. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

In northwestern Montana, USA. The water is so transparent that it seems that this is a quite shallow lake. In fact, it's very deep.

This is a unique geological phenomenon known as Danxia landform. These phenomena can be observed in several places in China. This example is located in Zhangye, Province of Gansu. The color is the result of an accumulation for millions of years of red sandstone and other rocks.

View of the sunset from inside the wave.

Haus Rizzi - Germany.

The river above the river: Magdeburg Water Bridge, Germany.

Balcony of floor 103 in Chicago.
From the outside it looks like this.

Restaurant on a cliff on the east coast of Zanzibar.Depending on the tide the restaurant can be reached both on foot and by boat.

The longest traffic jam in the world recorded in China. Its length is 260 kilometers.

In the city of Buford (USA) lives just one person. He works as a janitor and as a mayor.

This statue, created by Bruno Catalano, is located in France.

An unusual tunnel in California's Sequoia National Park.

Lena Pillars. Russia, the Lena River.Day and night. The monument in Kaunas, Lithuania.

The "Not Much Happening - Part 1" Story

2012-01-13T10:34:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Nothing eventful happening. Did get a really neat email from my youngest son Tad and found the photos it contained to be fantastic. Will pass them along with a story line so you can see for yourself. Too many for one day so will take a few days to give them all to you. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

In the Chinese province of Shandong is a bridge across the Gulf of Jiaozhou. The bridge length over 36 km is calculated for eight car lanes, and is the longest sea bridge in the world.

Twice a year in the Gulf of Mexico rays migrate. About 10 thousand stingrays swim from the Yucatan Peninsula to Florida in the spring and back in the fall.

These trees grow in the forest near Gryfino, Poland. The cause of the curvature is unknown.

The view down from the skyscraper BurjKhalifa. The height of buildings is 828 m (163 floors).

Dubai.

Desert with Phacelia (Scorpion Weed). Flowering once in several years.

Office of Selgas Cano in Madrid

Restaurant on a cliff on the east coast of Zanzibar.

The border between Belgium and the Netherlands in a cafe.

Balloons in Cappadocia.

Emerald Lake in the crater of an extinct volcano. Tongariro National Park - NewZealand

"The gates of the dungeon" on Cape Perpetua, Oregon

The "VBRO" Story

2012-01-12T14:06:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Setting up a "Count-Down" calendar for our next vacation. Not for a couple of months, but it gets us in the mood for the warm waters, warmer sand, and the really warm weather. Can hardly wait! Our next vacation, or holiday as the Europeans say, will be in a condo that we have rented before. We liked the place and decided to return to again this year. A little farther to the beach, but the place has great views from above Orient Bay in St. Martin. We did search the Internet to see what else was available, but choose to return to a favorite. One of the best places to search for a vacation rental is the website VBRO. This stands for Vacation Rentals By Owners and was established in 1995 by vacation rental owners who self-manage their second homes. Today, VRBO provides vacation home owners and property managers the ability to advertise on one of the most visited vacation rental websites in the world and makes it easy for travelers to search more than 160,000 rentals in over 100 countries worldwide. The website is recommended by Arthur Frommer who writes a column for our local newspaper every Sunday. Here's how it works: When you first access the website you have to search their inventory of properties. Want to rent a place at the Jersey Shore? Click on New Jersey, Delaware or whatever and a map will appear with the towns along the shore. Click on the town, such as Sea Isle City in NJ, and you will find all the listings that they have in that town. You can click on any one residence to see photos of the place, find the location, what the accommodations are, a calendar showing what is still available, the owner' information with his email, the features of the vacation rental, the prices for the rental and in most cases "Traveler Reviews" that tell you what others thought of the place. My guess is that you will find only positive reviews, but then again, maybe the owner cannot remove any of the reviews. We have found a few rentals this way and have only positive things to say about the adventure of renting through VBRO. Our last trip this past October found us in Barbados in a fantastic condo on Dover Beach that we found through VBRO. Now, we did know something about the island and the location of the condo as well as knowing that the units were the condo was located was new, since we saw it in the building stages when we last visited the island in 2008. We were not disappointed with the condo or the price. Remember, you deal directly through the owner and pay no realtor or management charges. Would we do it again? Without a doubt, but not without a little research. It's fun to search the website and all the interesting areas of the world to see what it costs to rent in different locales. Give it a look sometime and see what I mean. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - copy and paste the following address in your address bar and take a look at this news story about VBRO - http://vimeo.com/8262164

The "Fast on the Trigger" Story

2012-01-11T16:58:00.000-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Looking over the brochure that a friend gave me on "Trigger Finger." February 20 will see me back at the doctor's for surgery on the two middle fingers on my right hand. Can't open them at times in the morning for a few hours and when I do get them to open, it hurts! Maybe half a dozen years ago I had the same surgery on my right thumb. Now that works perfect and I'm hoping the same will be true for my fingers. Doctor told me that the three last fingers on you hand are used for gripping and to hold onto items. I have noticed in the past couple of years that when using the printing press at Manheim Township High School and trying to make adjustments on it, I can't turn the controls unless I use a wrench or pliers. My grip is not as strong as it used to be. Also notice that when I shake someone's hand, I can't grasp it as hard and it causes pain when I do shake a hand. Well, time to get it fixed. Doctor wanted me to do it in December, but with the holidays and the slow recovery from back surgery, I opted until the start of the new year. That is now here and I will have it taken care of in the next month or two. Trigger finger is an inflammation of tissue inside your finger or thumb. Tendons in your finger allow you to bend the joints and can become swollen and inflamed. When that happens the covering of the tendon known as the sheath will not allow the tendon to move freely, thus your finger will not open. Caused by too much use or repeated use of the fingers, arthritis or an injury. In my case it is probably repeated use since I use my right hand all the time at the framing shop where I work as well as when I run the printing press. During surgery the sheath that surrounds the tendon is opened to enlarge the space and release the swollen tendon. Sounds simple and it really is simple. Takes about 20 minutes under a local anesthetic and they wrap it with a bandage. Doctor told me I still could use my fingertips to do things such as use a keyboard. Stitches come out and the bandages are off in two weeks. Now I know there are always risks with any king of surgery, but the only risk I fear is getting sick in the stomach when they start telling me what they are doing during the operation. Don't want to know, just do it! For those who have trouble opening your fingers or have loss of strength in your fingers, go have it repaired. It is such an easy surgery and the benefits are great. I'll let you know how I make out. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - drawings show the structure of the finger and how they correct "Trigger Finger" by opening the sheath that surrounds the tendon.

The "Neighborhood 9/11 Memorial" Story

2012-01-10T09:34:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Finally able to go for an extended walk again without extreme pain in my leg. It has taken about a third of a year for my back operation to heal and I'm ready to begin walking through our neighborhood park. Last year the Manheim Township Library was opened in the park which is adjacent to our house. Really nice place and at the rear of the library is being constructed a memorial garden to remember the victims of the 9/11 disaster. Today I got my first glimpse of the garden while I was on my walk. The memorial consists of three parts: The World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Flight 93. The Flight 93 portion will include 40 trees which are being planted in the area, each one representing a person on the plane. Each tree will have a chime, symbolizing the voice of that person. There will also be a plaque with "Let's Roll" on it. A Life Scout in the local Boy Scout Troop is coordinating this part of the memorial as his Eagle project. So far there are about a dozen trees and one chime. The Pentagon part will be a flag pole with memorial plaques. The Library has procured a steel girder and concrete slab for the memorial of the WTC. Really inspiring memorial that is being constructed in the Overlook Park for all to remember how 9/11 changed every one's lives. Anyone wishing to donate to the memorial can send a check made payable to Manheim Township to 9/11 Memorial, c/o Manheim Township, 1840 Municipal Drive, Lancaster, PA 17601. A few photos that I snapped follow so you can see the progress of the memorial. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

This is where the viewing deck will be located when the memorial is completed

The stone is placed where I am guessing the memorial plaque with "Let's Roll" will eventually be located for the Flight 93 component

The first wind chime that has been placed as a part of the Flight 93 memorial

One view of the WTC steel and concrete pillar

A small memorial banner with the photo of Christopher J. Pickford, NYFD 1625, Ladder #136, Engine #287, Engine #201 that has been placed on the steel beam

A closer view of the steel with concrete girder from the WTC

The "Gnarling Noise in the Kitchen" Story

2012-01-09T10:25:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. A frosty morning, the kind you have to scrape a layer from your windshield. Luckily I'm sitting in the family room watching TV with Carol before we both have to head out to work. All of a sudden she grabs the remote and pushes the "Mute" button and cocks her head. Something is wrong, I know. I look at her and ask, "What's the matter?" "Don't you hear that gnarling noise?" She responds. Then I hear it. Coming from the island where our family room meets our kitchen. "Not again!" I say to her. Yep! Got creatures in the crawl space. Seems that every winter we have small inhabitants who try to make a home in the cabinets below our oven and range. Our house sets on a stone quarry and part of it has just crawl space beneath the first floor since the rock is so hard and it was too costly to blast more than a small area for a basement for the house. When the weather turns cold the varmits find a way into the house and under the space that only has the crawl space. The area under the island has holes that are drilled for the wiring and they make their way through them. If you bang your feet on the floor enough it sends them back under the insulation into the crawl space. They then make their way underneath the house to the floor joists of the basement ceiling. In the rear of our basement I have a workroom where I work on my photos and stained glass. The ceiling is suspended from the floor joists and at times you can hear them running around on the ceiling tiles. Well, time for the peanut butter on the traps routine. Hate to do that, but it's either that or wait for them to ruin our house. I push one of the ceiling tiles up and look around inside the dropped ceiling. Wow! There is one in a trap from last spring. I thought I had checked all of them long ago. This one is almost a skeleton by now. Put it in a bag and take it out to the trash. I have three traps that I set yearly and use peanut butter on them. The kind of peanut butter that has peanut pieces in it since that is what I like the best and figure they will also. I keep a box of rubber gloves and a box of tongue depressors in my work room just for this yearly task. Put the gloves on, grab the remaining two traps from the ceiling and spread the peanut butter on them and set them. Have to be careful since the traps really hurt the fingers when they go off. How do I know? Go figure! Stuck them in the ceiling and put the panel back in place. Now this all happened about a week ago. The next day I found two in the traps and couldn't locate the other trap. Now what, I though. Finally found it about five feet from the original place I had place it, with a live mouse in it. Seems he had just his tail in it and was walking around the ceiling tiles with it attached to his tail. Felt sorry for the guy so I took the trap with him still in it to the front door and let him go on the front lawn. I figure he'll learn his lesson or I'll have him another time. A day later I had three more. Hard to imagine how many more I will eventually get. And, we have a few stray cats in the neighborhood! Can't be doing their job. But I have to keep trying or else it will eventually cause my kitchen island to fall through the floor. Well, this morning we were sitting in the family room again reading the morning paper and watching the news shows on TV when Carol asked me if I hear that noise in our fridge. Sounds like a clunk as the motor stops. Now what can that be? I grabbed the vacuum and told her it's either a dead mouse caught in the motor or we probably have so much cat hair under the fridge that it is causing the problem. I pulled the fridge from the wall and removed the cardboard back. Grabbed the vacuum and started to clean all the junk out of the motor area when I see something strange. "Carol, come here and look at this," I say to her. In the corner of the fridge, tucked in amongst the insulation, is a small supply of cat food; maybe a dozen pieces. Someone has made our fridge into their home it looks like. Now this didn't just happen since the food we have been giving the cat for the last year or two is different than what is in the nest. This may have been the mouse that our oldest cat, Otis, brought to our room one night last year, dropped it on the floor, meowed loudly to wake us, and then began to chase after again. After a few screams from the one left in the bed, I was able to catch it in the trash can and deposit it outside. Last time he ever told us about one of his catches. Every day now I must make a trip to the basement to check to see how much more peanut butter I will need. Wonder if you can claim that as a tax deduction? It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "And ..... The Winner Is" Story

2012-01-08T07:45:00.000-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Just found out that I didn't win the "Island Art & Treasures" photo contest. There were exactly 100 entries in this national contest where you could enter your favorite photos that illustrated "Warm Faces, Warm Places". Photos from all over the Caribbean as well as the East and West coasts of the US as well as Hawaii. I was lucky enough to have been chosen as one of the 6 finalists for the prize of an Island Art jewelry box with the winner's photo on the top of it. This is one of the items that is sold on the website that sponsored the contest. The photo that I had in the finals was a photo that I had taken at Bathsheba which is on the West coast of Barbados. Voting took place on both the web site's blog and Facebook page. There were 388 votes cast and the contest was so close that they decided to award a prize for 2nd place as well as 1st place. 2nd place award was a set of Island Art Stoneware Coasters. Lucky for me that I didn't take 2nd either, since I already have a set of Island Art Stoneware Coasters. I must admit that the final 6 photos were all fantastic. Just honored to be one of the final 6. The winning entry was Photo Entry #2: Magen's Bay, St. Thomas and was entered by Bridget Skjordahl. The photo shows one of my favorite beaches with a gorgeous rainbow bridging the beach. 2nd place went to Photo Entry No. 4: St. John's Trunk Bay, another of my favorite beaches. This was taken by Jerry Goehring from high atop the hills that overlook the beach. If there had been a 3rd place, I suspect I would have won it since my photo was #6 and they were going: #2, #4, and probably #6. Oh well, I had fun and am waiting for the next contest. Check out the winning photos along with my entry below. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

1st Place - #2: Magen's Bay, St. Thomas by Bridget Skjordahl

2nd Place - Photo #4: Trunk Bay, St. Johns by Jerry Goehring

Photo #6: Bathsheba by LDub

The "Makin' Memories" Story

2012-01-07T17:13:00.000-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Watching my favorite game show of all time, "The Price is Right." Only thing I don't like are all the commercials and most are geared to the "older" crowd, those who have time to watch the show all the time. Well, when the commercial started it was about a new software for your computer call "Dragon" that will allow you to write reports, stories, etc. without touching the keyboard on the computer. You load the software and wear a headset. As you talk into the mic it automatically appears on the screen. Actually it is really neat. This one fellow in the commercial said that he often wanted to tell stories about his life but can't type. This gave him a chance to tell his stories. Later that evening I was watching "King of Queens" and Carrie's dad, Arthur is playing Scrabble with her and after every word he forms he has to tell a story about something that happened in his life. This starting to sound familar? A few weeks ago Carol and I were invited to supper at her friend Marg's house. Marg and Ron have been friends since our first son was born in 1971. Arrived on time and sat with Ron while the girls talked in the kitchen as Marg finishing preparing supper. At supper we talked about all the things that have happened in our lives and Ron said he has always wanted to write stories about his family. I told them I have always wanted to do that too, and about three years ago I started. I told them about my blog (they knew but had forgotten) and how they should do the same. At some point in your life you should make an effort to document things which are important, historic, or just plain funny that will help tell your story after you no longer can. Told him when he is ready I can, or Carol can help set up a blog site for him to enter his stories. How about you. When you are ready to write as I do on a daily basis, Google - starting a blog - and follow the directions. Your family will enjoy reading about the many events that they have been part of during their life. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot" Story

2012-01-06T18:47:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Reading the newspaper on January 1, 2012. Gonna be hard for a while to remember the 2 instead of the 1 in the year. Always like the first Sunday issue of the paper since they have a few pages of ads from businesses in Lancaster that list the year that they were established. Neat to see when different businesses have started. Another feature in the paper are the top 10 news stories of the past year. Some are from the area while some are national news stories. They also list the top 10 movies, top 10 books both fiction and non-fiction, and top 10 songs of the year. Did notice a story about one of everyone's favorite New Year songs, "Auld Lang Syne" by Robert Burns which was written in the late 1700s. Did you know that is how it is spelled? First verse is:

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And days o' old lang syne?

Means should we forget friendships that go way back and never think about them? We seldom hear the other verses which is a shame since they are really neat to listen to. They're a celebration of one childhood friendship that the composer is writing about. Writes about when he and his friend played together in the wild countryside of Scotland. He assures his friend that in spite of passing years, his memories of their friendship have not been forgotten and he raising his glass to toast those times of auld lang syne. So you remember a long ago friend that you would like to remember by singing the song. The rest of the song follows in the English version just in case:

We two once ran about the hills

And pulled wild daisies fine;

We've wandered many a weary step

Since those days so long ago.

We two once paddled in the stream

From break of day till noon;

But seas between us broad have roared,

Since those days so long ago.

And surely I'll have you'll have a drink sometime!

And surely I'll have mine!

We'll drink a glass of kindness yet,

To those days so long ago.

So here's my hand, my trusty friend!

And give me a hand of yours!

We'll truly make a good-will toast,

To those days so long ago.

Oh, those days so long ago, my dear,

Those days so long ago,

We'll share a glass of kindness yet,

For the sake of days so long ago.

The tune we put the lyrics to is not the one that the author wrote, but his publisher thought that the one we are familiar with would work better, so he changed the author's tune. Nice guy! Happy New Year!! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Christmas Reflections 2011 - Part 2" Story

2012-01-05T10:54:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Yesterday I published a story with three reflections from the past Christmas. Today I will add three more that stick out in my mind and will add some joy and humor as well as sadness to the past Christmas season.

1. Christmas season this year has been unseasonably warm. Some days in the 50s while most others in the 40s. Christmas Eve service saw us with just a light weight jacket since the air had just a slight chill. After the service we were walking through the grave yard in the rear of the church towards our car when Carol stopped and pointed to a group of flowers that had just started to bloom. "I have never seen snow drops this late in the fall," she told me. My guess is that it is another reminder of global warming.

2. Christmas morning my wife and I shared some time together without anyone else. We gave each other the presents that we had carefully picked out for each other. During the last week I knew that Carol was constantly checking the front porch a few times a day for a delivery. As we exchanged our gifts I found an envelope. After opening it and removing the note inside, I got a cold sweat. I read her note about a present that had not arrived as of yet. On the note was a photo of the gift. I looked and looked at it and then tried to smile as I looked at her. "This came last week while you were at work and I returned it," I told her. The look on her face was one of Whatyoutalkingabout! "You see," I continued, "I had ordered much the same thing for you and didn't like it, so then I ordered the one you already opened today. I thought that I had deleted the initial order from Amazon, but when the gift came that you ordered for me, I thought they had sent it to me by mistake. That's why I sent it back." Does this make any sense to you readers? Well, I am now deciding if I want her to re-order what she got for me that I sent back, or if I would rather have something different, since what she ordered for me is so much like what I ordered for her and she opened for Christmas. Anyway, I guess you just had to be here! Oh, by the way, the gift was a cover for our iPad2 we purchased about 6 months ago. The one I got for her had a snakeskin look while the one I originally had ordered for her and the one she also order for me had a plain black cover, but with an auxiliary keyboard. As you see, we both think alike. Scary, isn't it?

3. On Christmas Eve day I got a call from an old friend. A friend that I have had for over 60 years. I get to see him maybe once a year, but he emails me regularly and we talk on the phone from time to time. We wished each other Merry Christmas and he asked what I was doing Christmas day. I told him the entire family would be here for dinner and opening presents, and then I asked what he would be doing. "Just a visit with a friend and her young son," was his reply. He lost his mother a few years ago and also his younger sister. His twin sister is at the other end of the country from him and I don't think he gets to visit with her very often. As we talked I felt a sadness for him that he doesn't have family as I do to share the holidays. At times I just take for granted my family and the fact that they are close-by for visits and holidays. Only when you talk with a friend who doesn't have the same, you realize how lucky you really are to be blessed with a close-knit family.

Hope you enjoyed the couple of stories or reflections from this year. I enjoyed sharing them with you. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Christmas Reflections 2011 - Part 1" Story

2012-01-04T17:10:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Jotting down some notes on Christmas past. Had a few exciting times, a few laughable times and a few reflective times. Actually too many for just one story so I will type a few for this story and finish with a few more tomorrow.

1. Last year my daughter gave us a Jimmy Buffet CD with Christmas carols by him and the Coral Reefer Band. Never listened to it until about two weeks before Christmas when we loaded it into the car's CD player. Some really great songs, but our favorite is Christmas Island and our favorite part of this song is Would you like to spend Christmas .....on Christmas Island? Would you like to hang your stocking on a great big coconut tree? Well, Christmas Island is in the Indian Ocean which is North of Australia. For Carol and I, that would be a real treat, but we would really miss opening presents with the family. So, for now, that is on the Bucket List.

2. Christmas Eve at St. James Episcopal Church is always one of my favorite services. The church is decked out with beautiful Poinsettias on the altar as well as all the window sills under the stained glass windows. The children's Nativity Story is the highlight of the service. All the youth of the church dress up in costumes to re-enact the birth of Jesus. Barnyard animals, angels, Wise Men, Shepard's, Joseph, Mary and naturally baby Jesus. The last few years the pageant has changed slightly with this year being no exception. Tonight the service was entirely the very young children of the parish. No adults as kings and no teenagers as Shepard's. The assistant minister was the narrator and the children acted out the manger scene. Went perfect! Then our minister, Rev. Peck talked to the children about building the Christingle. I must admit it was news to me, also. An Orange is used as the center of the Christingle which represents the earth. Around the Orange is wrapped a red ribbon which is God's love for the world. Four pieces of fruit are attached with toothpicks around the top, equally apart and they represent North, South, East and West. In the center on the top is placed a large candle which represents Jesus, the Light of the World. With me so far? Now he announces to the children that everyone will get their own Christingle and ....... they will all light them as they surround the manger. These are children dressed in costumes which may or may not be flammable and are who are mostly in elementary school and younger. The congregation looked at each other in amazement or should I say astonishment. Rev. Peck announced to the congregation, mostly families of the children and told them not to be alarmed because they had buckets of water and extinguishers ready. Nice to know. The children were unbelievable. They all had their candles lit and we sang Silent Night, all THREE VERSES. No problems, and it looked beautiful with all the lights turned out in the church except the Star above the altar and the children rimming the manger. Brought tears to my eyes. And me, without my camera! I won't forget it for next year. I do remember, as a young choirboy, walking down the aisle at the end of the Christmas Eve Service, carrying a lit candle in one hand and my Hymnal in the other, and always surviving.

3. As the service ended, Carol and I turned around to greet the couple in the seat behind us, John and Suzanne S. Suzanne teaches health at Manheim Township Middle School and John just retired last year from Hempfield High School where he was an Assistant Principal. He had worked with me and his wife at MTHS for years before leaving for Hempfield. As we talked we asked how their daughter and son-in-law were doing. They had purchased our old house on Janet Ave. a few years ago. They told us they were heading there now to share Christmas Eve with them. Told us that they had renovated the third floor and made it into a master bedroom and redid the bathroom on the third floor and added a walk-in closet. It was back in the early 80s that I had made the third floor into a bedroom for our two boys and installed a bathroom with washbowl, toilet and shower stall. They also told us they had redone most of the second floor, but had not touched the kitchen, since it was still in great shape. Before we moved 15 years ago, I had totally re-did the kitchen with new cabinets from Lowes and a new ceiling and tile floor which my son Tad helped me install. Would love to see what it looks like now and they told us they would mention that to their children.

Fun reflecting back on events past. I do have a few more and will write them tomorrow. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary day.

The "Here Comes Santa Claus, Here Comes Santa Claus, Right Down ...... Water Street" Story

2012-01-03T09:43:00.000-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Thinking back to, oh maybe, 60 years ago. That's when mom started to take me to see Santa arrive in downtown Lancaster, PA. I was just a kid, naturally, but I can still remember waiting on West King Street to see Santa come up King Street to the Watt and Shand Department Store in Penn Square. The store was a grand old big four story building on the square. Santa would arrive in a steam engine from the Strasburg RR on Water Street, a block and a half West of the square, board a hook and ladder fire engine, and make his way up King to the center of town accompanied by a band from a local high school. I can still remember my excitement at seeing the smoke from the train and then the bright red fire truck coming up the street, sounding the siren and bell. Santa would be waving to me and all the other kids who had gathered to watch him. He was the REAL Santa, you know! After he reached the square he would wave and wave for the longest time, then the ladder would start to rise and the cheering would begin. Up, up he went to the top, stopping every floor of the store to turn around and wave to the crowd. I often wondered if he was afraid when he climbed the ladder. The weather was usually cold and sometimes windy as he climbed to the top of the building. When he reached the top, he would climb over the edge, turn around and wave again to the cheers of the crowd below. Then ...... he would disappear. Mom often would tell me that he needed to rest the remainder of the day and we would come back another day to visit with him and I could tell him what I wanted for Christmas. We always did return and found him in the basement of the building, sitting on his big chair with helpers all around him. My wife, Carol, told me it was much the same when she was a child, but she had more to tell. When she was in high school she played in the marching band and her high school, Penn Manor, would be the band that would traditionally usher Santa to the square after he had gotten off the train and boarded the fire engine. I remember that when she told me that the first Christmas after we were married, I looked at her puzzled, and said, "Do you remember me waving to you as you walked by mom and me?" Then I ducked as the book she threw sailed over my head. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Shoes" Story

2012-01-02T06:33:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Getting ready for church. Christmas Eve Pageant service at St. James has been at 5:00 PM for ages. They try to hold the service to about 30-45 minutes because that is about all the time the young children and the over 65 or retired crowd can handle. For the past few years it seems that at this service many people, especially the men, have been "dressing down". A nice pair of slacks, collared shirt and sweater are fine, rather than a suit. Fine with me. I don't think the Baby Jesus can see us or will care what we wear, as long as we come to celebrate his birthday with him. Since I retired 12 years ago the only time I get "dressed up" anymore is for church or funerals. My wardrobe now consists of Kirkland jeans and a Jimmy Buffet shirt or Hawaiian shirt. For church tonight I wore a pair of gray slacks, mustard colored shirt with a gray sweater that has a mustard colored pattern around the middle of it. My shoes are my dad's old wingtips that I wear to special church services so he can still be with us at one of his favorite places. He and I participated as Kings in this pageant for years and I know he would love to still be a part of it, so I wear the same shoes he wore for many years when he was a King. They are still like new on the tops with a brilliant corduroy shine. I head down to the family room to watch a little TV until my wife is ready to go. Sit in my chair and recline. Ten minutes later my wife arrives in the family room, looks at me and says, "You can't wear those shoes." "Why not," I reply. "The one has a big hole in the bottom," she says. "Doesn't matter since it isn't raining or snowing tonight," ismy comeback. "But when you kneel, everyone will see the bottom of the shoe and they will

think you have nothing better to wear." I realized that, but it's dad's shoes and this is his way to continue to attend, and anyway our pews are enclosed with doors on them and when you kneel no one can see you anyway unless they are crawling on the floor behind me. After I give this reasoning to her, she agrees and off we go. Service tonight is a new rendition of the old pageant with all children taking the parts of the Kings as well as the Shepard, angels, innkeeper, etc. Dad would have loved it, even if he would have had to sit in a pew in his wingtips. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - LDub on the left, Dr. Jim in the center and Dad on the right in his corduroy wingtips.

The "Happy New Year Snippets" Story

2012-01-01T06:49:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. And ..... HAPPY NEW YEAR to you! The following are a few very short stories from the past with one from today thrown in. Hope to see you back often during 2012. Have to watch when you hit the keys for 2012 too fast. Fingers are still geared for the 11 at the end.

1. Our friends Pat and Dale visited us on New Year's Eve for dinner and game playing. Ate a late dinner so the time between the end of the dinner and the ball dropping in NY was as short as possible. Seems we all have trouble staying awake until midnight and if we make our evening seem shorter with a late dinner, we may be able to stay awake. Have celebrated New Year's Eve with our friends for quite a few years now, going out to eat every other year except this one. Carol decided that she wanted to make the meal this evening. Since she

loves to cook, we all agreed she should make the meal. We also enjoy watching Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve show on TV, even though we do have a hard time understanding him. Guy will go on and on forever it seems. We saw that two of his guest performers this year will be Justin Bieber and our new neighbor, Lady Gaga. Yep, Lady Gaga allegedly bought a huge home on Oak Hill Road about a half mile from our house in the gated community of Bent Creek. I bet everyone's HOA's in the community will go up after she moves in. Gonna take more than the one elderly gentleman at the front gate to keep all the people from trying to get a look at her house. I'll have to see if she puts her name in the local phone book as Lady Gaga or Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, her real name. I'll try and get her number and publish it so you can all give her a call and wish her a great big Amish welcome. And ... we all stayed awake to ring in 2012!

2. OK, another meal for Carol to prepare. First was Thanksgiving with 17 people, then last Thursday we had her friend Marg and her husband, and last night, New Year's Eve, we had our friends Pat and Dale and today we are expecting 10 for New Year's Day. And, every meal has been different and I may add wonderful! She did manage to stretch the dessert out for the first three meals, but today it will be something different. I assume all of you are having what is expected to be eaten for New Year's Day; Pork and Sauerkraut. You know it brings you good luck!! And ...... I certainly need that for 2012.

3. Al R., the yearbook rep for Jostens Yearbook Co., gave me a gift for Christmas. Book called Finish Strong: Motivational Quotes...to help you go the distance by Dan Green. Over 150 pages of motivational quotes from everyday people to ancient philosophers. Many are so very true, but the one that I felt was written for me was, "A person is not old until regrets take the place of dreams." This was written by John Barrymore and I can associate with it since I am just starting to age! ALMOST! I must keep the quote in the back of my mind when I feel like I can no longer do something and I regret that I can't do it. THAT WON"T HAPPEN! I was having trouble running, actually walking, since my back surgery in September of 2011, and after reading the quote, I tried harder and harder to recoup faster. Yesterday I actually RAN from my house to the mailbox and back again. RAN! I know it's only 10 yards, but hey, it's ten yards! Regrets will not take the place of dreams for me yet, and I hope you all feel the same for yourself, no matter what your age. May 2012 see your dreams come to fruition so you too can have no regrets.

It was another extraordinary day (and year) in the life of an ordinary guy. Photo of Lady Gaga was taken in Lancaster at the Giant near my house. I will admit I didn't take it because I would have had no idea it was her Lady ....what's her name!

The "Who will you laugh at when I'm gone?" Story

2011-12-31T07:46:00.000-08:00

It was another ordinary day. Had just finished shopping at Park City Center in Lancaster for Christmas gifts. While there we were surprised to see Justin Bieber at the Bon Ton Department Store. Yep, the same Justin Bieber that is an idol to so many children, tweens and teens as well as some adults. Got to stand next to him and have my photo taken with him even though I'm not a fan. Not fair that a kid that age makes more money in a month than I will make in my lifetime. Just because he's cute. Can't really sing as far as I'm concerned. He was nice enough though to stand with me for a photo. After Carol took our picture together she sent the photo to our daughter in Maryland so she could show it to our granddaughters. I'm sure they would be thrilled. After about 2 minutes Carol got a return text on her phone that said, "Dork." I guess at this time I should tell you that Justin was actually a full sized cardboard cutout that was in one of the isles to promote some of his clothes. I posed next to it and even held my hand the same way as he did. And I will not get my wife involved in this too much by telling you that it was my idea to take the photo, even with store clerks and other customers looking at me like I was nuts. Evidently my daughter thought the same as the clerks and customers. For many years I have acted this way. Don't know why, but it just comes natural to me. Many times I do things that I don't realize are funny or stupid and the family will laugh at me, and then there other times when they make fun of me. I know it isn't meant to be nasty, and I don't take it that way. At times I don't hear a certain word they may have said and my response may sound humorous. Don't mean it to be, but it just is. Whenever we get together they will talk about the time when dad did this or dad did that and everyone will laugh. Actually some of the stuff is really funny even though at the time I didn't think it was. Well, today when my daughter returned the "Dork" response I said to Carol, who will they make fun of when I'm gone. "Where are you going," was her response. And you thought I was the funny one! It must be heriditary. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - I'm sure that if you know me and have been around me for years, you probably have a good story to tell about me. Right?

The "Coach" Story

2011-12-30T05:38:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. My daughter Brynn, son-in-law Dave and two grandkids Courtney and Camille are visiting for the holidays. Gets pretty hectic with four extra people in the house and Rocco. Oh yeah, Rocco is their dog. Otis our cat is never happy when Rocco comes to visit. Otis has to stayed penned in our bedroom to protect him. We always have a great visit and I get to see Dave a little bit more than when we visit at our daughter's home in Maryland. Dave is the head coach at Quince Orchard High School in Montgomery County, MD. He has been coaching football for many years now and has finally reached the top. In 2007 his team won the Maryland State Championship and almost did it again this year. For Christmas this year I gave him a memento of the season and one of the articles in it was about his special award. Rather than tell you about it, I'll just include the story I wrote about him. Here goes:

Mencarini named 2011 “Coach of the Year”

Washington Post picks Quince Orchard coach for annual

prestigious award.

Since taking over the Cougar Football program in 2004, Dave Mencarini and his staff have helped to build Quince Orchard into one of the state of Maryland’s elite programs. Mencarini oversees all aspects of the program while coaching the quarterbacks and coordinating the special teams.

Coach “Mac” has guided the Cougars to 8 consecutive state playoff appearances. The Cougars capped off the first undefeated season in school history going 14-0 and winning the 2007 4A State Championship, the schools 2nd state title, the other being in 1991.

The 2007 team was ranked #1 in the Washington Post and State AP Poll while finishing ranked 40th nationally by Rivals.com. The Cougars won the 4A West Regional title in 2007 and 2011 and were runners up in the region in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, and 2010. In 2011 the team finished with its third undefeated regular season in 5 years. The Cougars won 10 or more games starting in 2005 through the 2009 season, and again in 2011.

This year’s team made it to the State Championship with play-off wins over Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Churchill, and Charles H. Flowers while advancing to the state championship game at M&T Bank Stadium on December 3rd in Baltimore against Old

Mill. The thrilling Championship Game went to overtime where the Cougars lost 36-35 when Old Mill successfully ran for a 2-point conversion. Quince Orchard ended the season with a state ranking of #3.

Coach “Mac” received the 2007 Maryland State Coach of the Year award, the Montgomery Sentinel Coach of the Year, the Washington Redskins Coach of the Year and was also picked by the Montgomery county coaches for the same honor.

Before taking over as head coach at Quince Orchard, Dave was an assistant coach for the Cougars from 2002-2003 and was an assistant coach at Seneca Valley High School from 2000-2002. Dave began his coaching career in 1998 at Poolesville High. He was a former Rockville High receiver during his playing career.

With a record of 85-14, Dave Mencarini has been picked as the 2011 Coach of The Year by the Washington Post. Congratulations Dave!

This award is a very prestigious award in that it covers the states of Maryland and Virginia as well as the District of Columbia. Quite a few high schools in those three areas. An added feature about coaching for an extended amount of time and having such an excellent program is that you get to watch Bowl Games over the holidays and see some of you former players. This year Nebraska and Stanford are both in bowl games and both have starting players that graduated from Dave's program at Quince Orchard. As you can imagine, we are extremely proud of Dave and his accomplishments. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Gift" Story

2011-12-29T04:31:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Just gave our son-in-law his Christmas gift. I suspect he knew what he was getting. Every year we give him something that I have made and framed or just bought and framed at the gallery where I work. He has framed stadiums from Penn State, Notre Dame and the Washington Redskins. He has inspirational posters about coaching and playing football. I even bought a few old ticket stubs from when the Baltimore Orioles won the World Series and framed them for him. Got a piece of the floor from the old Maryland University field house and framed that. And in 2007, when his Quince Orchard High School football team, which he is the head coach of, won the Maryland 4A State Championship I made a 32" x 40" framed tribute that had stories about him and his dad who helps him coach as well as his record, team photo and game photos with a story about the final game. Pretty neat if I may say so. So when his team lost 36-35 on a two-point conversion in overtime in this year's championship game, he knew something was in the works. Especially since I kept calling my daughter and asking her to ask her husband about this team and that player and where I can get a team photo, etc. Well the 32" x 40" tribute this year contains stories about their run through the playoffs with photos from each game as well as a team photo and a story about him and the major award he won this year. Across the top of the tribute declared he was Runners-Up in the 4A Finals and across the bottom the saying that graces the Quince Orchard web-site; We play for those who came before - We set the standard for those who follow. I worked hours typing the stories, gathering the photos and planning the size. Then another hour or more laying it out on the computer at the Gallery where I made it and then watching as the mat cutter cut all the openings and words. Did it in black with a red accent mat which are the colors for Quince Orchard High School. Took it home three days before Christmas and showed it to my wife. She said "Wow" and starting reading all the stories and headlines. Then ....... she looked at me and smiled. "Oh No!!" I said when I saw her face. "What did I do wrong?" She softly said, "It's the saying at the bottom." Whew, I was relieved for a moment. "I couldn't get the one "We" on the last line, but it still means and sounds the same without it," I told her. "I saw that, but that's not it," she said as I could see the sympathy in her eyes. "You spelled "THOSE" on the bottom line wrong." I spelled it "TOSE". "Holy S*#t!" was my response. ALL THAT WORK! "Do you think they will notice or do you think that is the way they talk in Maryland?" I asked her, fully knowing the answer. "Maybe not," she replied. I knew she didn't mean that. I grabbed the frame, gave her a kiss and out the door I went. "I'll be back in an hour or two," I yelled to her as I closed the door. Well it does look better with the word spelled correctly and our son-in-law Dave loved it, as usual. Asked where I got all the stories from and I told him I wrote them myself from articles in several newspapers and adding my own touch. Hey I'm an author, you know. He looked at me, impressed. Now all he has to do is find a place to hang it. Could be harder to do than it was to make it. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - I have included the mat for you to see, but I know you can't read it or see the photos too well since it is so small and you can't make it any larger. Sorry for that! Please read my story tomorrow and you'll see about the one special story I included in the tribute.

The "Reason for 99 Cents" Story

2011-12-28T11:28:00.000-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Needed gas for the car. Today the price of gas is $3.29.9. Three dollars and twenty nine cents and .9. What is that .9 after the 29? It's 9/10 of a cent. So why don't they just say that the gas is $3.30 and be done with it? Well, it's the same thing as spending $0.99 cents for something instead of $1.00. Your mind thinks it is cheaper. And, it is. One cent cheaper. I read not long ago that we may some day soon get rid of the penny. Geez, what will we do when that happens. How will they put that on the message board at the gas station. For years people have been making items that would have a price that was one cent away from a price that seems dramatically higher. A piece of furniture may cost $999.99. That just seems so much cheaper than the same piece at a store down the street that charges $1,000.00. Hey, its one cent cheaper! Bet if you were buying it you would go to the store with the $999.99, but yet if you have too many pennies in your pocket you may just get rid of a few before they make a hole in your pocket. When I was teaching in high school I often noticed students throwing pennies at each other. Pulled one to the side one time and asked him what he was doing. It's only a penny, was the reply. He didn't realize a penny can hurt the same as a dime. Besides the fact that he shouldn't be throwing anything. A penny means nothing to the younger generation. If I ever found a penny on the street I would pick it up and put it in my pocket. Many will tell you not to do that unless the head is up on the coin when you find it because if may bring bad luck, but I figure that if you accumulate enough of them you'll make your own luck. So many things are one cent shy of a dollar amount today to make them seem cheaper. In the iTunes Music Store most songs are $0.99. How Steve Jobs, in 2003, convinced all the music companies to offer their singles for that price is amazing to me. Most still remain that price, but in 2009 they made some changes and now offer hit singles for $1.29 while others remain $0.99 and the obscure songs can be purchased for $0.69. Notice it is not $1.30, $1.00 and $0.70. Probably wouldn't sell as many. In the retail clothing market, clothing that carries a price of say $14.99 will sell 20% more clothing than if it were $15.00. Also, a store employee would have to open a cash register to give a penny change and therefore be less likely to pocket the whole dollar amount. I recently bought an iPad. Price was $499.00. I know it should have been $499.99, but it wasn't. And then I decided I wanted to buy some apps (applications) for it so I could play different games on it. Bet you know what the price was for most of the apps. Yep, $0.99. So they got their extra $0.99 after I bought my first app. It's crazy, but $0.99 cents just seems like a more throw-away figure than a dollar. You agree? How many pennies do you have in your pocket or purse? It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Tombstone Picnic" Story

2011-12-27T06:40:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Telling Carol about when I used to sing in the boy's choir at St. James Episcopal Church in downtown Lancaster. I know, you probably read some about it here, but I enjoy telling it. Used to have choir practice on Monday after school, Thursday evening with the men's choir, and Saturday mornings. On Monday and Saturdays it was daylight when we arrived at practice and most choir members made sure they arrived early so we could play in the cemetery before the start of practice. The church was founded in 1744 and the cemetery was opened in the same year. Many of Lancaster's leading citizens are buried there. Thomas Cookson, the town's first burgess, Edward Shippen, the county's chief magistrate and Jasper Yeates, a justice of the state Supreme Court are all buried there. And, they all had really neat tombstones to hide behind. We would play hide and seek before practice and on a Monday, when practice didn't start until 4:30, it would start to get dark and make for great times amongst the tomb stones. Mr. Mac, the choirmaster, would warm us not to play in the cemetery, but that didn't seem to deter us. If caught by him, he would fine you 5 cents from you monthly pay envelope. Doesn't seem like much, but back in the late 40s and early 50s, that was a big punishment. If the fun in the cemetery continued, a call to our parents would stop it for maybe, oh, a month. Now, we never were destructive or disrespectful of the tombstones, but they made for great places to hide. Half a dozen or so where large pieces of stone about four feet by 8 feet that were held up by stone or concrete pillars so they were about the height of a table. Some even had solid slab sides on two or three of the sides. Really great for hiding in. Ah ha, I finally got to my story for the day. Recently there was an article in the Lancaster newspaper about a family that was found in our grave yard having a picnic on one of the table tombstones. Seems that in the mid-1800s, having picnics in the churchyard, around the tombstones, was commonplace. It was part of a Victorian tradition. Our minister, Rev. Peck, who lives in the rectory which is adjacent to the churchyard, saw the eight or nine members of a Plain denomination sitting on benches, eating on the tombstones while enjoying the quiet and serenity of the churchyard. Very strange for a Plain sect family to visit an Anglican churchyard. "They came and spread a tablecloth on this tombstone and brought food and had their picnic there. It was a respectful and proper use. It warms my heart to see people using the churchyard in different ways," Rev. Peck related. "It was like looking at a 19th century dream," he continued. "They stayed for about three hours, ate their lunch, then the children played elsewhere in the churchyard while the adults talked." The tombstone the Plain family used memorializes Ann Eliza Aldridge, who died in 1815. Could be the family was related to the deceased and were paying their respects as they did 150 years ago. Hey, I bet I could give the kids a few hints as to where to hide if they wanted to play hide-and-seek. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - photo shows Rev. Peck at the tombstone that was used for a picnic, one of my favorite hiding places.

The "Do You Know When To Change?" Story

2011-12-26T07:21:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Trying to decide if I want the book Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson for a Christmas gift. I have always had a Macintosh computer and recently purchased an iPad, but for some strange reason I am typing this story on my Toshiba laptop. Bought it a few years ago to take with us on vacations, since it was less expensive than a Mac laptop. It works, but not half as well as my Mac. I have always liked Macintosh products, probably because that is what the school where I taught put into all the classrooms. Steve Jobs was a genius when he made sure that all schools were able to buy computers at a fairly inexpensive price. He knew that many would continue to use them in the future. Look at me! I learned on a Mac and have been using one ever since. Steve Jobs had a vision that no one else could see. He built a company based on that vision, but the leaders of the company still couldn't see that vision so they eventually managed to dismiss him. Apple computers came upon hard times and Steve eventually returned and reinstituted his vision. Many of the original doubters were now gone and he assembled an army of loyal supporters who helped lead Apple to what it is today. Steve was the leader in many aspects of the technology explosion that hit the world. He and David Kelley of IDEO helped develop the first commercial mouse. The prototype used a steel ball and when you rolled it on a table it could be fairly loud. Steve said it was unacceptable so they coated the ball with rubber to reduce the noise. Most CEOs care about the product, but not the details. Steve was different. He demonstrated that design can lead a company to greatness. In 2005 Steve was named graduation speaker at Stanford University. Most wanted Bill Clinton and were disappointed when the announcement was made. He started his speech telling how Apple fired him and then his doctor told him he had cancer and was going to die. Told the graduates that he was adopted by parents who had never went to college. Told them that he gets up every morning and asks the image in the bathroom mirror: If today were the last day of my life, would I want do what I am about to do today? If the answer is "no" too many days in a row, then it is time for a change. Wow, can you say that you have followed that advice in your life? I never looked in the mirror, but do believe that I knew when it was time for a change in my life. That came in 1999 when I retired from teaching. His final words of wisdom to the class was: Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Amen! You know, I have read enough and heard enough about Steve Jobs that I really don't need to put that book on my Christmas list. Don't want to tarnish the image I have of him, and I fear by reading the book it might do that. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Ho, Ho, Ho! Merry Christmas" Story

2011-12-25T04:48:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Christmas morning! And ...... a Merry Christmas to you!! The shopping for gifts is completed for what seemed like the multitudes as well as planning for the traditional Christmas dinner at our house today. Worked at the Gallery in Neffsville yesterday, to help pay for the gifts, listening to the radio and singing along to the Christmas carols that now fill the airways. Since I normally work alone, I can sing as loud as I want, or until the guy that runs the weight-lifting shop next to the Gallery pounds on the wall. I had just finished singing a song that I had heard both at Thanksgiving as well as Christmas. Goes like this: "Over the River and Through the woods" ....... Remember that one? The last part of the song on the third stanza can be sung with: "Hurray for Thanksgiving Day" or "Hurrah for Christmas Day." The song came from a poem written by Lydia Maria Child in 1844 and was titled "A Boy's Thanksgiving Day." Most know it as a song instead as a poem. And, most know it as; "Over the River and Through the woods, to Grandmother's house we go", but it was originally written as "Grandfather's house we go." The poem/song still remains a reminder of a simpler time when the mere thought of seeing relatives at a holiday meal was as exciting as the meal itself. And for LDubs family, it is still that way on Christmas. When I taught school I taught a unit in hand lithography methods and for many years the students had a chance to produce a limestone lithography. They would draw on a prepared limestone tablet with a grease crayon or pen, moistened the stone with water, ran a roller with an oil-based ink on it over the limestone and placed a piece of paper over that and rolled with a dry roller. Pulled the paper off the limestone and viola! You had a lithograph. The reason I am telling you this is that the two fellows known as Currier and Ives made this procedure famous. Their lithographs were produced on lithographic limestone printing plates on which the drawing was done by hand. A stone often took over a week to prepare for printing. Each print was pulled by hand. Their earliest lithographs were printed in black and then colored by hand and represented every phase of American life, and included the themes of hunting, fishing, whaling, city life, rural scenes, historical scenes, clipper ships, yachts, steamships, the Mississippi River, Hudson River scenes, railroads, politics, comedy, gold mining, winter scenes, commentary on life, portraits, and still lifes. One of my favorites that Currier and Ives did was called "Home to Thanksgiving" and was based on a 1867 painting by John Schutler. Well, getting to the good part of my story for today, I love music so much and I enjoy the "Over the River and Through the woods" song so much, and since it is Christmas day, I wrote my own lyrics to the song. It is a reminder of the simpler times, past and present, when my daughter Brynn and son-in-law Dave and two granddaughters Courtney and Camille traveled on Christmas morning from their home in Maryland across the bridge over the Susquehanna River to our home in Lancaster to celebrate with Christmas dinner and opening of gifts. Are you ready for my rendition? Please sing with me. Here goes .....

Over the river, across the bridge,

To Tampah's house we go;

Our Dad knows the way to steer the car

through the white and drifted snow.

Over the river, across the bridge,

To Tampah's house away!

We hold our breath as we cross the bridge,

For this is Christmas Day.

Over the river, across the bridge—

Oh, how the wind does blow!

It stings the toes and bites the nose

As over the bridge we go.

Over the river, across the bridge,

With a clear blue winter sky,

Rocco will bark, and children hark,

As we go jingling by.

Over the river, across the bridge,

To have a fun-filled day.

Hear the bells ring, "Ting-a-ling-ding",

Hurrah for Christmas Day!

Over the river, across the bridge,

No matter for winds that blow,

For if we drive the car too fast

Into a bank of snow.

Over the river, across the bridge,

To see GG and Tad.

We will kiss them all, and play snow-ball,

And throw one at our Dad.

Over the river, across the bridge,

Drive safe, we all will say!

We’re across the bridge and almost there,

For this is Christmas Day.

Over the river, across the bridge—

Make sure that we’re not late,

We seem to go extremely slow,

It is so hard to wait!

Over the river, across the bridge,

Old Otie hears our bells.

He shakes his head, with a loud meow,

And thus the news he tells.

Over the river, across the bridge,

When Amah sees us come,

She will say, "Oh, dear, the children are here,

Bringing gifts for everyone."

Over the river, across the bridge—

Now Amah's face I spy!

Hurrah for the fun! Is the ham all done?

Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!

Corny I know, but I love it! And in a few minutes my daughter and her family will be on the road to my house , surely singing my song. Have a Merry Christmas everyone! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Face Timing the Grandkids" Story

2011-12-24T04:27:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Waiting for Christmas to arrive. Last year Santa visited our house and left a pair of handheld iPod Touch for our two granddaughters ages 9 and 7. They loved them and now have their favorite songs and games on them. They also have the capability to Face Time with others that have iPods. Face Time is a free application that allows you to communicate with others who have iPhones or iPods. You dial the other person and are able to talk to them and see them and they can see and talk with you. Pretty neat. All you need is a wireless connection or a 4G device. We got the girls the basic iPod Touch so they must have an Internet connection available to them in order to use Face Time. After we purchased our iPad we were able to Face Time with them. When we went on vacation to Barbados this past Fall, we had a wireless Internet connection in the condo where we stayed and could dial their number and see and talk with them without cost to us. Really neat! We even were able to point our iPad towards the Caribbean Sea from our second floor balcony and let the girls as well as our daughter see the color of the water and the beautiful beach. Unbelievably neat! After we returned we were visiting with our grandson who is 6 and told him we weregoing to Face Time the girls and talk to them. He found it so amazing and now he has asked Santa for an iPod so he can keep in touch with his cousins. If only I had this technology when I was a child. The transistor radio was about as technologically advanced as I was able to be. Well, I hope Santa got Caden's message and will be able to leave an iPod Touch at our house this year for him. I'm sure the girls will have so much fun showing him how to use Face Time so they can talk and visit with each other whenever they want to. And, when Carol and I take out next trip we will be able to show Caden the same things that we showed the girls on our last vacation. Oh, I'm sure Santa got the message!! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Twelve Days of Christmas: Part 2" Story

2011-12-23T15:42:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Getting ready to finish my list of the gifts I would like during the "Twelve Days of Christmas." You ever sing that holiday song? I usually mess up one or two of the verses when I try it. I read in the paper a week or so ago that the 2011 cost of all the gifts listed in the Christmas carol would be $24,263 if you purchased one of each. Now when you purchase all 5 gold rings, all seven swans-a-swimming, all eleven pipers piping and so forth, the total cost would be a grand total of $101,119. The cheapest one is still the partridge at $15 and the cost of the 5 gold rings has actually decreased from last year. The calling birds, French hens, turtle doves, geese, swans and partridge really upped the cost this year because the cost of shipping live birds has increased tremendously. Buying the items by going from store to store is also much cheaper that buying all the items online. Again, because of the shipping costs. All the items combined was 4.4% higher than last year. Well, my list of gifts is a bargain in comparison. Check yesterdays story for the first half of my list, and now I will finish the last 6 items of the list. DAY 7: Seven gallons of Cabot stain that I can use to finish the front and east side of my house. I used to buy it from my brother who had a paint and baseball card store (Yeah, he really did sell both those items in the store), but Walmart came to town and he went out of business. That's a whole different story! I now can buy the stain at Lowe's at a fairly reasonable price. I chose Cabot in the first place because my brother said it was a superior stain and that's what he sold. Two summers ago my son Tad and I did two sides and it's now time to finish the rest. DAY 8: Eight new pieces of art. I love paintings, drawings, ceramics, stained glass and all the rest of the arts. My friend Denny R., when he visits, says it's like being in an art gallery when he walks in the door. I enjoy the purchase and displaying of the art, but a gift of a few items would be even better. DAY 9: Donation to the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation of $9, $99 or $999 in my granddaughter Courtney's name would be greatly appreciated. Someday there will be a cure and she will greatly benefit from it. DAY 10: Ten lunch dates along the Chesapeake Bay with my lovely wife. Now this would truly be a neat gift to receive on day 10 of the Christmas carol. Any location such as Chestertown, Chesapeake City, Havre de Grace, or Northeast would be a treat. DAY 11: Eleven Family Birthday Celebrations for the new year starting with son-in-law Dave in February. Now this gift is not really a gift but a time for the family to get together and celebrate not only the person who is having the birthday, but to celebrate the entire family. Always a fun time for everyone. DAY 12: Twelve gallons of Applesauce. Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE applesauce. No matter the price or the brand, I'll eat it and plenty of it. Have to have it with almost every meal. The times we are having apple dumplings for a meal, I can pass on the apple sauce. My favorite is the cinnamon apple sauce, but can eat the regular and even the sugar free if I have to. Well folks, there you have my wish list for the "12 Days of Christmas." I have tried singing it to myself a few times and it works, with a few adjustments. And, I'm sure that the cost of all my requests is a minute part of the $24K, some odd dollars that the original song requires. May all your dreams and requests be filled this holiday season. MERRY CHRISTMAS from LDubs' house to yours. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Twelve Days of Christmas: Part 1" Story

2011-12-22T04:19:00.000-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Waitin' to see what I get for the "12 Days of Christmas." Don't you get something for each of the 12 days of Christmas? I'm sure you have heard of the English Christmas carol by that name that enumerates a series of increasingly grand gifts given on each of the twelve days of Christmas. The twelve days in the song are the twelve days starting Christmas day, or in some traditions, the day after Christmas (December 26), to the day before Epiphany which is January 6th. A bit of modern folklore claims that the song's lyrics were written as a "catechism song" to help young Catholics learn their faith, at a time when practising Catholicism was discouraged in England (1558 until 1829). There is no evidence supporting this claim, and no evidence that the claim is historical, or "anything but a fanciful modern day speculation." Regardless of the origin of this idea, a number of Christians give the following meanings to the gifts:

Gift	Interpretation
A partridge in a pear tree	Jesus
Two turtle doves	The Old and New Testaments
Three French hens	The three kings bearing gifts
Four calling [sic] birds	The four Gospels
Five gold rings	The Torah or Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament
Six geese a-laying	The six days of Creation
Seven swans a-swimming	Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit
Eight maids a-milking	The eight Beatitudes
Nine ladies dancing	Nine fruits of the Holy Spirit
Ten lords a-leaping	The Ten Commandments
Eleven pipers piping	The eleven faithful Apostles
Twelve drummers drumming	The twelve points of the Apostles' Creed

I like to interpret the song my own way and therefore have decided what I would like for the 12days of Christmas to bring me. DAY 1: ONE VISIT to Dr. Nicole at Neffsville Veterinarian Clinic to provide shots and a general exam for our "outdoor" cat we call Creamsicle (Orange and white colors). She was probably dropped off near our house a few years ago and has adopted us as her new owners. She is still somewhat apprehensive about coming in the house, but will enter the back door for treats and petting, but then "freaks out" until we re-open the door for her to leave. Carol and I have gained her trust over the years and I believe we could put her in a carrier and get her the medical treatment she deserves. DAY 2: Two new tech toys to make life easier for me. Don't care what they are, but something such as my GPS system or my Kindle. The gifts are up to the giver! DAY 3: You knew this would have to be on my list - Three healthy vacations! By healthy I mean vacations where Carol and I are both healthy enough to go on vacation and enjoy ourselves. Seems to be slightly harder to do as we age. DAY 4: Four rubber tires for the Mercury Mountaineer. We have owned our Mountaineer for 5 years now. We have looked at replacement cars for quite some time, but have come to the conclusion that we love our car and want to keep it. We drive it very little as shown by the 39K miles on the speedometer so the 15 to 19 MPG that we get aren't really a factor to us. Our last payment arrives in another month, so we decided to buy a new 3 year warranty that will cover a gadzillion things that may go wrong with the car. We do need to replace the tires soon, so hence, it made my list for Christmas.DAY 5: Five new novels to read so I can take them on the healthy vacations that I hope I'll be getting. Most of my favorite authors have one, or in one case, two new novels. Books such as Stuart Woods' D. C. Dead, Clive Cussler's Devil's Gate, the late Michael Crichton's Micro, and the prolific James Patterson's 11th Hour and Private. DAY 6: Six gallons of ice cream. I have many favorite flavors and the six gallons certainly won't last me forever, but maybe six gallons of Peanut Butter Twirl would be a start. Well, I have my list half finished and will share some more about the carol "12 Days of Christmas" with you and complete my list in my story tomorrow. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Having A Messy Good Time" Story

2011-12-21T13:13:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Cleaning up the kitchen table. Got a little sticky last night when the grandkids and I worked on our gingerbread houses. About a week before Thanksgiving I came home from shopping for groceries for Thanksgiving dinner and showed my wife this really neat kit I got at the store. "You don't expect the kids to do that by themselves, do you?" she said after seeing the complexity of the stuff in the box. I guess I didn't! "You know how much of a mess that will be on Thanksgiving when they start that?" she continued. I guess I didn't! "They'll have icing all over the sofa," she said. "OK, I'll forget about it," I responded. Well, dinner ended and most everyone went home except Carol and me and our daughter Brynn and her two kids as well as my son Derek's son. So, three adults and three kids. "Why don't you get the gingerbread kit out now and help them make the houses?" Carol said to me. Why me? Too late. The grandkids heard her and were now all excited about the stuff I BOUGHT! The kit had 5 houses in it so they each could have one. I started cutting the first piece of gingerbread along the lines as indicated and ..... whoops. Now there are only 4 houses. Then I read the instructions and cut the rest as I was told to do in the instructions. Then the fun began. Opened one of two packets of frosting/glue and helped all of them to glue their houses together. Frosting everywhere and on everything as they tried to hold them together as the frosting set. We all washed up while the housed cured or set for an hour so the frosting could harden. Couldn't wait an hour! After half an hour we were back at the table with 5 packets of "stuff", ready to finish the houses. One packet had gummy green Christmas trees, one had colored things that looked like BBs, one had colored round candies that looked like paper punched pieces and one had colored things that looked like Jujubes. Remembered them from my childhood. The final packet had red frosting in it. Well, the only way to hold the candies on the gingerbread was with the other packet of white frosting as well as the new red packet of frosting. Boy did we have a mess!! But, they had the best time making the festive houses. I pitched in with suggestions and encouragement when things kept falling off the houses. Finally we were done and clean-up started. I told them to leave them on the table overnight to harden and we went to grab a snack before bedtime. Got up early the next morning to clean up the mess and had their houses waiting for them when they crawled out of bed. We wrapped them in bubble wrap for the trip to their homes. Haven't heard how they survived the car ride, but for this Christmas there will be no more gingerbread house making in LDub's kitchen. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - Top two photos show Caden's house, middle two show Camille's house, and the bottom two show Courtney's house.

The "Santa Bell Beach - Christmas in Miniature" Story

2011-12-20T16:55:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Just finished my visit to Reese, Lower, Patrick & Scott Architects (RLPS) to see Jim. Jim was a student of mine years ago. After graduation he went to Penn State and became an architect. Has a great job at RLPS. And, this time of year he gets quite a few visits to his office, since they are having their 22nd Annual Christmas display. Everyone in the firm has a part in it and they build a miniature display of gingerbread houses that carry a different theme every year. The theme for this year is "Santa Bell Beach." All houses and accessories are supposed to be made according to scale which is 3/8" = 12". I just had to go and take a few photos of it, since I am a beach lover and Jim was kind enough to walk me around the display and point out the different and unusual aspects of this years' display.Wasn't disappointed in what I saw. The display is in a large window near the entrance to the building which is located at 1910 Harrington Drive in Lancaster, PA. You can walk around the display inside the building to view it and also see it from outside in the evening when it's lit. This year there are 15 buildings with names such as Santa's Skate Shop, Rudolpho's Pizzeria, Frosty the Doughman (a bakery and my favorite named building), The Bear Necessi-Tees, Taffy and Bail Money, Snow Balls, Santee's Souvenirs, Candyland Sno Kones, Frosty's Magic Hat Hotel and Candyland Mini Golf. The last one I listed is naturally on top of a few of the other places just as it is at most of the Jersey boardwalk towns. In the rear of the display are a few high-rise hotels and condos as well as the traditional water tower with the name "Santa Bell Beach" on it. There are also a sizable amount of accessories to draw your attention and amuse you. Such items as Frosty's Red Hots, Candy Christmas Carousel, 3 Snowman Band, Shiver's Pavilion, Occupy Boardwalk, Toasted Marshmallows, Christmas Break, Snowman Walking Penguins and Wright Bros. Ad Agency (you have to look up in the sky for this one). There is so much to take in that a few trips are necessary to see everything. The display is open from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Thursdays until January 1. Gives you two more times in which to take in this great holiday display. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - Photos follow with a description ........

Reese, Lower, Patrick & Scott on Harrington Drive. The display is in the far left window.

Frosty's Magic Hat Hotel on the Boardwalk and beach activity among the snowmen.

The rooftop Mini-Golf course and the Ferris Wheel

Dolle's Taffy & Bail Money store in the center of the display. Check out the tree made of lifesavers on the left of the photo.

View of Candy Christmas Carousel. Every Boardwalk has at least one carousel!

A view down one side of the Boardwalk showing a few of the stores as well as the "snowmen" shoppers along the Boardwalk.

Rudolpho's Pizzeria which is one of my favorites. Inside you can see the stools at the counter which are made with pasta and a piece of candy as the seat.

This display is titled Here Comes Santa Claus

The "Meeting Interesting People!" Story

2011-12-19T11:05:00.000-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Sitting with my Kindle in my hand, reading James Patterson's seasonal novel, "The Christmas Wedding." This novel is much like his "Suzanne's Dairy for Nicholas" and "Sam's Letters to Jennifer" in that it is so much not James Patterson and his thrilling killer type novels. Story about a woman with four grown children whose husband had died and she plans to re-marry at Christmas. But ...... hasn't told her children who will be the groom. Has a few choices and one is a Jewish Rabbi. Some real thought provoking chapters in it. I must tell you that I have learned quite a bit about the Jewish faith while reading the book. As one of her other suitors proclaims in the book - Nowhere will you meet more interesting people than in books. Amen, or Amein in Jewish! Did you know that the Unetanah Tokef, a religious Jewish poem that is meant to strike fear in Jews, is part of the Jewish liturgy, primarily as part of Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur is the day that Moses came down from Sinai with the second set of tablets of the Ten Commandments to replace the original set that he broke upon witnessing the children of Israel worshipping the Golden Calf. The poem follows:

On New Year's Day (Rosh Hashanah) the Decree is inscribed,

And on the day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) it is sealed.

How many shall pass away and how many shall be born

Who shall live and who shall die.

Who shall perish by water and who by fire,

Who by sword and who by wild beast,

Who by famine and who by thirst,

Who by earthquake and who by plague,

Who by strangulation and who by stoning,

Who shall have rest and who shall wander,

Who shall be at peace and who shall be pursued,

Who shall be at rest and who shall be tormented,

Who shall be exalted and who shall be brought low,

Who shall become rich and who shall be impoverished.

But repentance, prayer and righteousness avert the severe decree.

If you're Jewish, or even if you're not, you may want to do some repenting, praying and being righteous to avoid the previously stated lines from the religious poem. Sure struck fear in me! Extremely thought provoking. After reading a few parts of "The Christmas Wedding" I had to "Google" several items to learn more about items in the book. Guess that is what a good book should do; provoke thoughts. I won't tell you any more about the book except for the fact that you should read it yourself. Great reading for the Holidays, no matter what your religious beliefs may be; for you know, Nowhere will you meet more interesting people than in books. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Your Choices are 'A' or 'C'" Story

2011-12-18T05:55:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Getting ready to have supper. Last week at the grocery store we bought a box of crab cakes. Carol told me I wouldn't be happy with them, but after seeing the photo on the front of the package, I thought I might like them. Ever since we found Woody's Crab House in Northeast, Maryland we have not found a better crab cake. Woody's crab cakes are fantastic. Totally all crab meat and no fillers. Their crab bisque is also one of the best we have ever tasted. Creamy with plenty of crab meat in it. Well, the photo on the package of crab cakes showed really good looking crab cakes. They had to be good. Not! Half filler and very little taste to them. I know, she told me! But, that doesn't really matter because my story isn't about the crab cakes, but about what to have with them. We usually have sweet potato fries from Costco along with either applesauce or cranberry sauce. Now, I could eat, and usually do, applesauce with every meal. We, no make that me, go through a large jar a week. But, sometimes I do like cranberry sauce. Has to be Ocean Spray jelliedcranberry sauce. The kind you have for major meals such as Thanksgiving and probably Christmas. At our house we not only have it for those holidays, but also once or twice a month; along with the applesauce. I like to cut the top off the can, carefully run a very small knife around the inside edge of the can to release the vacuum and dump it onto a dish. Has to have ridges around it to make it good. You know, the ridges from the tin can. That way you know it is Ocean Spray. It's like a log of happiness in our house. Slice it into 1/2" pieces and your ready to go. On Thanksgiving Day the cranberry sauce is just as important as the turkey and pumpkin pie. At least to me; even with the applesauce. It's like getting 2 servings of fruit. So, what would be your choice with the crab cakes? The 'A' or the 'C'. And one final question for you; how does the cranberry sauce keep those ridges in it after you take it out of the can? It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "SOMETHING PRETTY NEAT!" Story

2011-12-17T05:45:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Just got finished voting for my photo. I assume I can do that. Well, I have entered another photographic contest. This one is sponsored by My Island Art which is an online store which sells art from and about many different islands in the Caribbean. The money from the sale of the art is used to help the I-Can Foundation to assist at-risk children from several Caribbean island nations. I recently announced that I had won a photo contest sponsored by SXM Travel Forum and someone sent me a comment telling me to check out theMy Island Art photo contest. Because of the anonymous comment, I was able to get my photos entered a few days before it closed and was lucky enough to be one of the 6 finalists in the contest. The contest attracted exactly 100 photos from all over. The prize is a wooden jewelry box with the prize winning photo on the lid of the box. Pretty neat prize! Now, to get to the point .... I am giving you the website where you can vote and I am asking you to help me in the contest. Type in the following (http://blog.myislandart.com) and when the page opens, click on "IslandArt Blog". Once you open the site you will read about the contest and see the 6 final photos. Vote for your favorite, but keep me in mind as you vote. I must admit that the competition is amazing. I enjoy all of the photos. You have until midnight on December 23, 2011, EST to cast your vote. You can place your vote on that page or click the link and go to their Facebook page and give a thumbs-up to the photo of your choice. I have included the photos below for you to look at ahead of time. Thanks in advance for visiting the site and considering me for your vote. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

#1 - Lower Key, Florida - Barbie Wilson

#2 - Megan's Bay, St. Thomas - Bridget Skjordahl

#3 - Baie Rouge, St. Martin - Eileen Cocoran-Olsen

#4 - Trunk Bay, St. John - Jerry Goehring

#5 - St. Thomas - Justin Hamlin

#6 - Bathsheba, Barbados - Larry Woods

The "Good the 1st Time, Why Not Again?" Story

2011-12-16T09:49:00.000-08:00

It was an ordinary day. Taking photos at the 2nd Annual Advent Art Show. Tonight is the opening of the show and there is a reception for all the participating artists. Last year the Parish Resource Center (PRC) of Lancaster, where my wife works, decided to have an art show. Was mildly successful, so a second go around was in order. The theme for this year's show, "A Thrill of Hope, the Weary World Rejoices," was drawn from the lyrics of "O Holy Night," a popular, deeply religious Christmas carol written in 1847 by Placide Cappeau de Roquemaure. My wife, Carol, thought it would be nice if I would enter a few items in the show. I searched through my workroom in the basement and found a stained glass window panel that had survived the recent flood except for the wooden frame. The panel had a Modrian approach to it which is a grid of vertical and horizontal lines and the use of primary colors, in this case blue and tints and hues of that color, within the lines. The lines being leaded. Within the patterned lines I inserted three scallop shells in no particular pattern. The namesake of our church in Lancaster is St. James who happened to be a fisherman so hence, the seashell. In our church we use the scallop shell when baptising someone and therefore a "Thrill of Hope" emerges. I know, I'm stretching it a bit, but you should have seen some of the artwork. The theme was certainly open to a lot of different interpretations. A whole lot! I had to replace the wooden frame on the glass panel because of water damage and used a metal channel to do that. I also cut a mat at the gallery where I work that had the words "a thrill of hope" cut out as well as six blocks for photos. I used my altered Polaroid prints of churches for those six openings. Turned out just "OK." Tonight there were 14 artists who participated. It was not a juried show, but just an exhibit of artist's work. Prices were placed on the artwork if for sale, but many chose just display the artwork. I placed a price tag on each of my pieces, just in case someone wanted to help me with the purchase of my Christmas gifts. As the artists entered the PRC tonight I took a photo of each next to their artwork. One artist happened to be the father of a student I had in class in the early 80s. Interesting talking to him and catching up on how his son is doing. The son happens to be employed in the graphics industry, which was what I taught. One of the artists was also in a local choir and she volunteered her group to perform at the showing tonight. Group of over 30 members, all dressed in black and of all ages. Known as "Music for Everyone's Community Chorus", and they sang selections of traditional and international music. They held a short practice session in another area of the PRC and shortly after 7:00 PM they performed. The first number was an Australian chant followed by a song from Israel. The third song was one written just for the choir and never performed before. The music had a very African type sound and beat to it. The director played a bongo during most of the arrangements. Plenty of motion, swaying, hand movements and arm motions helped to interpret the music. I enjoyed the constant bass beats of the drum,but could understand why others may not have enjoyed it. Hey, I was told they were going to be singing Christmas carols! The cookies and punch made the evening a big success for everyone involved. And, especially me since I sold my stained glass panel. Now Carol can have that extra special Christmas gift I was thinking about. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - photos from the top are: Entrance into the PRC before the artists arrived, Mr. Rob G. who was the father of a former student of mine, "Music for Everyone's Community Chorus" performing, one of the choir members, pix of LDub's stained glass panel with the very nice young woman who purchased it.

The "fighting for four quarters even though the game's over" Story

2011-12-15T11:32:00.001-08:00

It was an ordinary day. And here is my current take on the disgraceful mess in State College, PA. Jerry Sandusky, the accused pedophile, made everyone appear in court today and then decided he didn't want a preliminary hearing and told them he waived his right to the hearing and was ready for his arraignment in January. Those poor witnesses who had to make the trip to Bellefonte, PA for the preliminary hearing have to be angry. They went through all the stress of preparing for their testimony and now they can't face the accused to tell their side. On Sanduskey's exit from the courtroom he yelled to the reporters, "We're going to stay the course and fight for four quarters." Give up Jerry, the game's already over! And Joe, he up and broke his pelvis again. Maybe he thought he would get some more sympathy with the latest injury. You know, Sandusky is not Penn State! Even Paterno and football aren't Penn State. The students and alumni, they are Penn State! I recently read a story in the local newspaper written by Ryan Robinson who writes a weekly column. He is a graduate of Penn State and he is a little, no make that a lot, upset with all the negative publicity that Penn State is getting. He says, "It angers me that one person's actions can wreak heartbreak and other damage on so many people. The possibility of a cover-up at Penn State also sickens me. All that being said, the matter does not alter what it truly means to be a Penn Stater." I didn't even go to Penn State, but I feel bad for all those who did. How one man, and those who have covered up the disgrace he heaped on the school, can cause so much harm is such a shame. The present students and all those who have graduated in years past seem to be paying for his horrendous acts. While visiting our friends Jerry and Sue, who live in State College, one weekend a few years ago, we saw Joe walking on campus. We drove around the block to get another look at him. Would I do that today? You kidding me! For years Joe did things the right way and instilled moral values in his players and those he came in contact with. Too bad he didn't uphold those values in his own life. People can heap scorn on Sandusky and Paterno as well as everyone else involved in the cover-up, but please don't let that tarnish the name of Penn State. The students and alumni don't deserve that. Just remember their battle cry, "WE ARE PENN STATE!" And THEY truly are. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.