The "Candy That You Will Only Find On eBay" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Day after Halloween and all of the wrapped pretzels have been handed out as well as a few of the candy bars that I had purchased a week ago at Costco.  We kept the candy bars as a backup, since they are much more tasty that the pretzels plus pretzels are much better for children than candy bars.  Right?  Carol and I got to talking about what candy we enjoyed as children and it seems we both liked everything.  Then we talked about what candy we used to enjoy that we haven't seen for ages.

Teaberry Gum

 I told her I used to enjoy Clark's Teaberry Gum and haven't seen any for years.  So, I grabbed by laptop and "Googled" the gum.  Yep, it is longer made as well as close to a dozen other candies that haven't been made for many years.  As I read the list I came upon a few that I had never heard of before.  Items such as Seven Up Bars, Baffle Bars, Fat Emma Bars, Vegetable Sandwich Bars and Squirrel Nut-Zippers.  

An advertisement for the SevenUp Bar.

The seven milk chocolate squares that made up a Seven Up Bar each contained a different filling.  The anticipation of biting into a pillow of coconut, butterscotch caramel, buttercream, fudge, mint, cherry cream or orange jelly must have been a thrill when eating the Seven Up Bar.  It was first made in the 1930s by Pearson's, but was finally taken off the market in 1979.  But, another bar known as the Sky Bar, which has four squares that contain caramel, vanilla, peanut, and fudge fillings and was made at one time by Necco, will begin being made later this year by a manufacturer in Massachusetts.  The Baffle Bar was made around the 1920s to the 1970's.  It was made in California and was said to have "all the tang of the great outdoors" and "zest that was born of a mountain wind."  Inside the bar was walnuts, fudge and some sort of jelly.  Not something I would have eaten so it is no loss to me.  The Fat Emma Bar was made by Pendergast Candy in Minneapolis and used too much egg white in its nougat recipe, thus was known as the Fat Emma.  The candy maker, Frank Mars, eventually used a bit less egg white when he made the Milky Way and the 3 Musketeers bars.  

Chiclets were one of my favorites, but is no longer made.

Naturally the latter bars are still found on the candy shelves.  The Vegetable Sandwich Bar really sounds gross to me.  It contained dehydrated vegetables covered with chocolate. The wrapper displayed peas, carrots, celery and cabbage along with the promise, "Will Not Constipate."  I'm sure it didn't last too long.  The Squirrel Nut-Zipper was a Necco brand that was named after a prohibition-era cocktail.  The nutty-vanilla caramels were a penny candy similar to BB Bats and Tootsie Rolls.  It stopped production when Necco Company was sold.  Now, I did come upon a few candies that are no longer made that I really enjoyed.  "Chiclets" made with chicle, a natural gum found in several tropical American trees.  

Another favorite of mine the is no longer made.

The candy-coated gum hasn't been made since 2016.  Mary Janes were peanut butter-molasses penny candy originally made in Boston in a home once occupied by Paul Revere.  The candy was also made my Necco.  I'm sure there are other candies that you may have loved at one time that are no longer made, but the variety on the shelf at the supermarket has so many others that you certainly can find something that will give you cavities.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Traveling With The Amish" Story

A scene much like I saw today.  Usually seen when many
Amish gather for special events.  Click to enlarge photos.

It was an ordinary day.  A few weeks ago I was heading up the long and winding driveway to my friend Hal's house to pick him up for a visit with a mutual friend.  As I reached the top of the drive, Hal met me and pointed across the road from his house to the Amish farm about 100 yards away.  Sitting in the field next to the barn were about two dozen buggies all lined up in a neat row; the horses grazing in a nearby field.  An Amish wedding was to be held that day which would last from morning to late afternoon.  Just about every buggy was a carriage buggy with a few pony wagons in the mix.  

Scene which I get to see on a daily trip around Lancaster Co.

Neat picture had I brought my Nikon camera with telephoto lens, but it sat at home in my office.  And, the photograph I could have taken with my cellphone wouldn't have done the scene justice.  Today, I was driving south on SR272, taking my wife for lunch at Woody's Crab House in Northeast, Maryland for her birthday when we came upon a few Amish buggies whose children were waving to us from the rear window of their buggy as we passed.  

Getting ready to pass
 one of the buggies today.

For many of you, seeing an Amish buggy on the road in front of you might be a once in a lifetime event, but for Carol and I, it happens almost daily, since we live in Pennsylvania which has the second highest population of Amish in the United States; second only to Ohio by a few hundred.  The 68,820 Amish residents in Pennsylvania accounts for 0.54% of the state's total population.  And, Lancaster County hosts the oldest and most popular Amish settlement in the United States which was founded in 1760 and has grown to have 179 church districts and the most progressive Amish community in the world who have embraced technological advancements.  But, the automobile is not one of those advancements, since they still embrace the horse pulled buggy.  Depending upon which website you visit, you may find there are a variety of seven different types of buggies while another site tells of less than half that amount of models.  

One style of Amish buggy is the Market Wagon.

A few years ago I visited an Amish Buggy maker in Lancaster County and wrote a few stories about it.  It seems that since that time there are a few changes in the construction of a buggy.  Most of the bodies are now made of fiberglass rather than wood.  But, the models seem to be much the same as in the past.  One type of buggy has a hatchback opening in the rear which provides space for loading and unloading goods and produce.  It is known as a Market Wagon.  Another style of buggy is that used for the community visits is the Family wagon.  Instead of the hatchback opening, there is a window or series of smaller windows in the back that protects the riders, but still provides rear visibility, thus the children waving to passing motorists.  

The Family Wagon that can hold 5 or 6 riders.

These buggies usually can seat 5 or 6 riders comfort- ably, with a few more if they squeeze into the back.  Some of these have doors or windows that can be opened.  Another type of buggy is the courting buggy that is an open carriage that has a single seat for two riders, but we have seen courting buggies with three on the seat and a few riders hanging on the sides of the buggy!  

The Courting buggy has less privacy.

There is very little privacy in a Courting buggy, but it is made that way on purpose!  In Pennsyl- vania, all Amish buggies are required to have battery-operated lights and turn signals with a triangular metal sign on the rear to indicate a slow-moving vehicle.  Many have flashing lights that can be used at night to illuminate the buggy.  Another site tells of the Market Wagon, family buggy and courting buggy, but also lists a Pony Wagon which is a very small buggy pulled by a pony rather than a horse.  It also lists a Cart that has only two wheels and is much like the Courting buggy.

The Spring wagon which is much like the Courting buggy.
but can hold many more passengers.

 And, the site also lists a Spring Wagon which is much like the Courting buggy, but can hold many more riders.  Buggies are slightly different from one location in Pennsyl- vania to another location.  We travel frequently to State College to visit with friends Jere and Sue and there is a community of Amish near State College.  

Road signs such as this are common
on roads in areas where Amish live.

Their buggies have a different color paint pattern than the buggies in Lancaster County.  Amish usually use standard bred racehorses to pull their buggies and draft horses to work in the fields.  The horse and buggy usually can travel about 5 to 8 miles per hour, but since The Amish rarely travel long distances, the leisurely speed of the standard bred is not a problem.  The horses are so neat to view as we pass them on the road.  They hold their head high as if to tell us we're not better than them.  We are so used to seeing Amish buggies on our roads that it is not a novelty as it is to many tourists who visit Lancaster County.  The visitors, as well as anyone not Amish in Lancaster, are known as "Englishers" to the Amish.   But, the smiles and waves the little children give you as you pass their wagon are priceless.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Not unusual to see something like this on the back roads of Lancaster County, PA.

The "On Giving Thanks" Story

Editorial page from November 24, 1965.
Click on image to enlarge.

It was an ordinary day.  Looking through the archives of our local newspaper to see how people in the past celebrated Thanksgiving Day in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  I found most every year featured stories about the Thanksgiving Day turkey as well as recipes to make just about anything imaginable associated with the turkey holiday.  One story that caught my eye was an editorial from the Lancaster New Era on November 24, 1965 which happened to be the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.  The story was part of the column that had a headline of...OUR IDEAS.  At the time there were two newspapers that were printed daily in Lancaster; the New Era in the evening and the Intelligencer Journal in the morning.  The editorial was so well-written that I have decided to use it as my story today, since it could have been written for today's newspaper; except for a few minor changes.  It's message describes today's culture and history, just as it did 54 years ago.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - for those who live in the United States and celebrate Thanksgiving,  A Happy Thanksgiving from our house to yours.

On Giving Thanks

     Observance of Thanksgiving this year should  bring to every American a mixture of both joyous and solemn thoughts.  
     This is a day of creature comfort, for we are in a period of prosperity.  
     But it is also a day of armed conflict, when our men overseas are dying in freedom's cause.   
     We have come a long way from the day of the Pilgrims, but we are linked to them far more closely than we realize.
     The Pilgrims struggled to eke a meager harvest from the soil.  They fought harsh weather and disease.  They were poorly equipped to make a success of a settlement in the new land —but they did it and they reverently gave thanks for Divine aid.
     In contrast, we have bountiful crops—an overabundance of food.  We have learned to minimize the effects of weather on our activities.  Amazing new means have been evolved for the control and cure of disease.  Technologically, we're tops.
     But let us remember the frailty of man, and the imperfect quality of his institutions.  Let us not get the idea that we have reached a peak from which we cannot topple, and that we have nothing in common with the Pilgrims, whose life was so primitive in comparison to ours.
     We can be thankful for every smidgen of good fortune that is ours.  We can rejoice in plentitude.                 
      But, unless we share with our fellow man, our expression of thanks is hollow. The day in given its truest meaning by those who have shown concern for the plight of others, and have done something about it.
     And as we celebrate around our festive tables on Thursday, let us give thought to those who would be our companions if they were not in Viet Nam, faced with daily hazard to life as they fight to make men free.
     The Pilgrims had their problems; we have ours—some the same, some new.
     Let us give thanks, and let us resolve to do our part to build a world where Thanksgiving is a universal holiday, observed by all men for all time.

The "Spice Up Your Life & Give Herb A Try" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Talking with my wife about the upcoming holidays and all the meals she was going to have to prepare for family and guests.  Luckily she only has to prepare one Thanksgiving meal since we will be visiting relatives on Thanksgiving Day.  On the Saturday after Thanksgiving we will once again have a big turkey dinner.  The Saturday dinner is a big chore for Carol since she has to prepare two large turkeys along with stuffing and a few other vegetables.  We then have to transport the meal to a relative's home who will host the dinner.  Then again, on Christmas Day, she again has to prepare dinner for about a dozen guests by preparing ham, scalloped potatoes, pumpkin bread, etc.  At times it can be overwhelming even though she enjoys to cook.  And, she is a fantastic chef making some of the best meals as well as desserts.  To do so, she turns to quite a few different spices and herbs to add to the flavoring and aroma of the meals.  These spices and herbs are the topic of my story today.  Herbs are almost always the leafy part of a plant.  The leaves can be cut up or used whole, as with bay leaves.  Most herbs are grown in temperate climates where it doesn't get too cold or too hot.  Throughout history spices were so important that they were used as money.  

Pepper in a grinder unit

About 1,000 years ago people used black peppercorns, which today are used to make black pepper, to pay rent, ransoms and taxes.  Columbus, during his explorations to the new world, was told to see if he could find a source for different spices.  Two of the most valuable spices used centuries ago were cinnamon and  the "King of Spices", black pepper.  Today spices are still grown, harvested and dried by hand, much as they were for hundreds of years.  The grinding and processing of spices is easier today due to modern technology, but the growing is still the same as it was years ago.  A few favorite spices that Carol uses are cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg and pepper.  Cinnamon comes from the bark of the Cinnamon tree.  There are several varieties of this tree and each produces a different flavor.  The cinnamon tree that grows in Vietnam has more than twice as much fragrant oil as other cinnamon trees.  

The vanilla bean

It is the extra oil that makes it more spicy.  It comes in stick or powder form.  Nutmeg, as well as a similar spice, mace, both come from the fruit of the same tree; Myristica fragrant.  Mace comes from the red covering on the shell that protects the seed while the nutmeg comes from the seed itself.  Vanilla comes from the beans of an orchid vine.  It grows wild in parts of Mexico and Central America.  The beans must be dried in the sun until they are dark brown.  Each night for three months, workers wrap the beans and take them inside, then unwrap them and take them back outside in the morning.  Does that give you an idea why vanilla is so expensive?  Black peppercorns grow on Piper nigrum vines.  Most black pepper comes from India, Indonesia, Vietnam and Brazil.  Farmers climb ladders to hand-pick pepper spikes, or ears, full of berries, or peppercorns.  They spread the berries so they can dry in the sun.  They then turn the berries several times so they dry evenly.  At night they take the berries inside to protect them from moisture, then take them back outside every morning for seven to 10 days.  The herb, oregano, comes from plants in the mint family.  Oregano is used frequently to make pizza.  Another herb that Carol uses from time to time is Sage which comes from the leaves of a shrub that is also related to mint.  It grows in the U.S., Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Serbia.  There are many other herbs and spices that can be used for many different dishes and without those spices the meals might be bland.  So, no matter what you use to prepare you holiday meals, enjoy the meals with family and friends and try tp spice up your life a bit!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "The Many Generations Of Our Lifetime Come To Life! - Part II" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a page in the Lancaster Sunday News titled Generation Z(eal).  This page has been a part of the Sunday newspaper for quite some time and is devoted to the opinions of younger Lancaster County, PA residents.  A great idea which makes them feel more a part of society and sells more newspapers!  The page takes the name from Generation Z to which students ages 19 and younger belong.  On this page the voices of county youth are heard on issues that are of concern to them as well as their friends and relatives.  

Garden Spot High School in Lancaster, PA

All of the opinion stories in today's lead Sunday News page were written by students from Garden Spot High School which is on the Eastern edge of Lancaster County.  I have been writing for quite a few years now about Lancaster being known as the Garden Spot of America, due to it's large agricultural inclination, and yes...we actually have a school known as Garden Spot.  As expected, much of this part of the county is farmland and the story I have chosen to share with you today was written by a young girl who lives on a farm.  The five stories featured on the front page of the section were all about different topics, but I chose to share the story geared toward farming to show you what Generation Z, or those born born after 2001, think of Lancaster County in their young life.  See if you aren't as impressed as I was with the Generation Z girl who has written this opinion.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Lancaster County is known for its agricul- ture.  People both locally and out of state benefit from the work of our agricul- turalists, as each farm feeds about 144 people.  

There are 5,462 farms here in Lancaster County, and our farmland accounts for 68% of our usable surface area.  But nationwide, by comparison, the numbers are grim, and they’re getting worse with each passing generation.  Farmers and ranchers make up less than 2% of the U.S. population.  

I am an active, four-year member of Garden Spot High School’s FFA program.  I am curious how we might use the power of modern technology to positively impact farmers, in order to ensure that their crucial services extend into future generations.

Katie Ranck, my agriculture teacher, says, “With a growing population and a smaller number of farmers, we require more efficient ways to produce and preserve food and natural resources.  Technology is the tool that will allow us to achieve this.”

It’s not surprising then that many traditional farms in Lancaster County are turning to modern technology to increase productivity and manage resources.  Today’s farmers are relying on automation (such as robots and drones) and livestock technology (such as automated milking systems).  Farm automation can now tackle everything from seeding and weeding to harvesting, which helps farmers cope with labor shortages.  It is also helping to improve worker safety.  Additionally, automation provides greater control over processing, storing and distributing products, which helps keep prices lower for consumers.

One of the things that most interests me is the advance- ment in GPS and geographic information systems, which allows for self-driving tractors.  One of their main benefits is that they increase the accuracy of planting, which results in a higher crop yield.

Every year, our FFA chapter holds a safe-driving tractor competition, and this year I was excited to participate.  I think driverless tractors and how they use computer vision, data science and algorithms “to enable farmers to make informed decisions are remarkable.  The platform is capable of monitoring fields and finding...weeds, nutrient deficiencies, disease or insect infestations, water damage and equipment issues.”

By incorporating the latest technology, farmers can work smarter not harder.  Traditional farms are moving out, and technological farms are moving in.  Agriculture has definitely joined the technology era.

Madelynn Sasso is in grade 11 at Garden Spot High School. 

The "The Many Generations Of Our Lifetime Come To Life! - Part I" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading newspaper opinion stories written by those who are part of what is now known as Generation Z (eal).  Fantastic opinions written by high school students.  Can't imagine being able to express myself as well as they did when I was in high school.  I asked my wife what age would be considered part of Generation Z and she said, "I think it would be after the turn of the century."  Good guess since Generation Z are those born after the year 2001.  We began a conversation about what generation we each were a part of and what each generation was known for in society.  Carol and I are only a few years apart in age, but part of two different recognizable generations.  I am a member of the Mature/Silent Generation while Carol is a member of the Baby Boomers Generation.  Today's story will give you a look at the six generations that include people who are still living.  I apologize to any who are reading this story who were born before 1901, since they aren't part of my story today.  See if you might fit into the description of each generation.  Please remember I was not the one who decided the traits of each generation, but I do believe what I have written to be true.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

GI Generation/The Greatest Generation - Features those born between 1901 and 1926.  They are children of the WWI generation and soldiers during WWII.  They were part of the Great Depression which led to strong models of teamwork to overcome the legendary Happy Days!  They saved the world and then built a nation.  They were community-minded and cherished civic duty.  They married for life with divorce and having children out of wedlock shunned upon.  They were fans of labor unions and were loyal to their jobs.  They saved so they could pay cash for what they wanted.  They were part of the age of radio and air flight.  Most never had modern conveniences such as refrigerators, electricity and air conditioning.

Mature/Silent Generation - Members of this generation were born between 1927 and 1945.  I was born at the end of the timeline; 1944.  We were part of the Korean and Vietnam War generation.  We went through a suffocating conformity, but were the founders of Rock 'n Roll, neat cars, television, suburbs, teenage jobs, Peace! and Playboy Magazine.  Grade school problems were centered around throwing spit balls, passing notes in class and chewing gum placed under the chairs.  We led the Civil Rights charge and helped recognize the fact that jobs just weren't for men.  Once you got a job, you kept it for life.  Marriage was usually for life, but divorce was slowly creeping into the picture.  We were avid readers, especially of newspapers.  Retirement meant to sit on a rocking chair and live your final days in peace.

Baby Boomer Generation - My wife fit into this age group of those born between 1946 and 1964.  They all wanted to save the world!  They were part of the Yuppie Generation which was the party-hardy and "me" generation.  They ushered in "free love" and "non-violent" protests which in turn triggered violence.  They believed in themselves and buy it now, pay for it later.  They were too busy for neighborly involvement, but wanted to reset or change common values for the good of all.  Women began to work outside the home, thereby changing the entire nation by having children raised in a two-income household.  They were the first TV generation as well as the first divorce generation. Homosexuality was accepted.  They tended to be more positive about authority and traditions.  They envisioned technology and innovation as requiring a learning process.  The Baby Boomers were one of the largest generations in history with 77 million people.  They were said to have introduced the word "retirement" to mean being able to enjoy life after the children had left home.

Generation X - The generation which included those born between 1965 and 1980. They were the "latch-key" kids who grew up street-smart, but isolated, since many had both parents working.  Their parents were at times career-driven or divorced.  This generation is considered entrepreneurial and very individualistic.  Government and big business mean little to them.  They feel misunderstood and cynical of major institutions which failed their parents.  They really want to make marriage work and to be there for their children.  They claim to not feel like a generation.  They were raised in the transition phase between written knowledge and digital knowledge.  Most remember school without computers.  They are more committed to self rather than an organization or specific career, averaging 7 career changes in their lifetime.  AIDS was part of their generation and individual rights prevailed over the common good.  They were raised by money conscious Baby Boomers and had to survive the Vietnam War.  Their school problems involved drug use and sex.  They married late and were quick to divorce.  The wanted what they wanted and now!  They carried the most credit card debt of most generations.  They did more TV watching, video gaming and movie going and were short on loyalty and commitment.  They were self-absorbed and suspicious of all organizations; very self-reliant.

Generation Y/Millennial - Born between 1981 and 2000.  They are also known as the 9/11 Generation, Echo Boomers and America's next great generation.  It is a sharp departure from Generation X.  They are being raised by caring and optimistic parents.  They seem to respect authority.  Crime rates seem to be falling as is teen pregnancy.  They do have to live with the thought of school violence and have lived all their life knowing that the world is not a safe place.  They tend to schedule everything and feel enormous academic pressure.  They feel their generation has high expectations for themselves.  Digital literacy is everywhere and they tend to know much more about the digital world than any previous generation.  Luckily, they are willing to share that knowledge with the older generations.  They envision the world as a 24/7 place and want fast and immediate processing.  They have been told over and over that they are special and they now expect the world to treat them that way.  They do not live to work, but prefer a more relaxed work environment with a lot of hand holding and accolades.

Generation Z/Boomlets - This generation is part of the current one and is for those born after 2001.  What can I say about them?  Well, in 2006 there were a record number of births in the USA with about half of them born Hispanic.  The most common name is now "Rodriguez" instead of "Smith".  This generation will more than likely be the largest in number than any in history.  There are actually two groups within this generation: Tweens and Toddler/Elementary school age.  Tweens are ages 8-12 and with an estimated 29 million by 2009 while toddlers are about 61% of children between 8-17 and have televisions in their rooms.  35% have video games (Now this I find unreal, since I suspect close to 75% probably have video games in their home).  4 million have their own cell phones and have never known a world without computers and cell phones.  They are said to have Eco-fatigue after hearing about the environment and the many ways to same it all their life.  Children now leave toys behind at a younger age.  Mattel Company knows that since in the 1990s the average age of a child in their target market was 10 years old while now it has dropped to the age of 3.  This generation is so savvy in electronics it makes me sick.  Some days I wish I was 10 again, since I would know so much more about the MacBook Air that I am typing on at present than I do not at the age of 75.  But hey, I'm still here to hit the keys and I actually can still type about 40 words a minute as I did in high school.

The "He Had To Know They Would Get Him Some Time!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Opened the daily newspaper to page A4 and across the top in perhaps 32 point bold type read: Christy Mirack murder case will be featured in TV series.  A subhead in smaller, italic non-bold type read: 'On the Case' will look at 1992 slaying of teacher up to killer's conviction. The show will be on The Investigation Discovery Network Sunday evening.  (If you would rather not hear what I am about to write about the murder, go no further with this story)  

Miss Christy Mirack, Elementary school teacher and murder victim.

It's been over a quarter of a century since Miss Mirack, a sixth grade teacher was murdered on December 21, 1992 in her residence.  Shortly after 9:00 am her body was discovered.  Police figured she was killed by someone she knew.  She died of strangulation, but was also severely beaten on the head and neck.  The police estimated she had died about 2 hours before she was found.  Five days later she was buried in her hometown of Shamokin, Pennsylvania.  On December 28, police said they were looking for a man seen parking a medium-sized car across the street from her townhouse and walking toward her home.  A few days later Police said the man was a muscular white male who was driving a white car that was maybe a 1993 Dodge Shadow, a 1990 Dodge Daytona ES or a Toyota.  Then on February 1 of 1993, blood and hair samples were taken from a 31-year-old man, but the results cleared the person who was the prime suspect.  By that time the police had already interviewed over 500 people.  That April her parents offered a $10,000 reward for information that would find their daughter's killer.  In December of 1994, Lancaster Police took the case to a group of criminal experts in Philadelphia.  Ten months later Police said they had conducted over 1,500 interviews and eliminated more than 60 men as suspects using forensic testing to compare blood and body fluid samples. Then on May 23, 2002, ten years after the murder, the Lancaster Newspaper got a call from a man asking about Miss Mirack.  The FBI were called and they said it may have been the murderer.  On December 3, 2007, Vince Mirack, Christy's brother, put up a billboard on Interstate Route 30 near State Route 283 asking for tips.  On October 22 of 2008 the FBI posts the Mirack murder on its website under "seeking information."  Eight months later, Vince creates a Facebook page under his sister's name to try and get tips.  On July 7, 2011 a local businessman put up signs asking "Who murdered Christy Mirack?"  No one wanted to let this guy get away with murder!  

Computer generated faces for different ages of the killer.

Over six years later the District Attorney's office released computer-generated images developed with DNA found at the scene to put a possible face to the killer.  Then on June 25, 2018 an arrest was made!!  49-year-old Raymond Rowe, a wedding disc jockey, known as "DJ Freez", was taken into custody.  The Police used DNA evidence to catch the killer.  They were able to identify him after a sample from the murder scene matched a sample in a publicly available genealogy database.  The match came from one of the murderer's relatives, who uploaded to GEDmatch...the same genealogy website that helped to lead to the capture of the Golden State Killer.  

The killer of Christy Mirack, Raymond Rowe.

Police used surveillance of Rowe and obtained a legal DNA sample and had their match.  Lancaster's District Attorney said, "The killer was at liberty for this brutal crime longer than Christy Mirack was on this earth alive."  Rowe was arrested and taken to Lancaster County Prison.  He may face the death penalty.  On January 9, 2019, Raymond Rowe pleaded guilty to murdering Christy Mirack in 1992.  The plead saved him from the death penalty.  For more on the story, tune in this Sunday evening to The Investigation Discovery Network.  The time and TV channel I do not know at this time.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "The 'SoWe' Community of Lancaster, Pennsylvania" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading one of my blog stories from October 6th when I published my first story telling about the area in Lancaster City known as Cabbage Hill.  It was so named for the German population who settled in the late 1700s within the boundaries of King, Prince, Seymour, Fairview, Manor and Pine Streets and grew gardens filled with cabbage which they made into sauerkraut.  

Eventually the area became known as the SoWe (South-West) neighborhood.  SoWe is a neighborhood revitalization effort led by Lancaster Housing Opportunity Partnership (LHOP), its partners, and the residents of the southwest community and key stakeholders.  This body advises LHOP's board of directors on the implementation of the Southwest Lancaster Revitalization Strategy.  The Strategy identifies and prioritizes various neighborhood revitalization actions such as community safety, housing, parks, education and connections.  

Click to enlarge.

One of the actions that was taken by the SoWe group was to try and add some art and color to the neighborhood through the use of wall murals which was meant to build and foster a stronger sense of community through artistic images.  The idea was conceived by Two Dudes Painting Company with artists Amber Kane, Matthew Chapman and Jordan Yeager leading the way.  A large mural was painted on the side of the Two Dudes building with led to 27 mini-murals throughout the SoWe Neighborhood.   I have included a few of these murals so you can see the level of creativity and artistry that exists in Lancaster's SoWe community.  Truly amazing artwork!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The above six images were part of a display by Two Dudes Painting Company.

Corner of Lafayette and Filbert Streets. 

681 Manor Street.

Urban Rendition of Edward Hicks' The Peaceable Kingdom which is a Mosaic rather than a  mural.

Window artwork on the Water Street side of the Water Street Ministry. 

Mural on the Prince Street side of the Water Street Ministry. 

Mural known as "What Do You Want To Be" at the corner of Freemont and Laurel Streets. 

The "Sunday, April 4, 1926 - A Thrill Of A Lifetime" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Looking at a website titled Uncharted Lancaster to see what unusual Lancaster stories I could find.  Unlimited supply of neat and unusual stories of Lancaster County fill the site which I'm sure you would find interesting.  But, for me, the biggest find was locating one of Lancaster Newspapers "Sunday News" from April 4, 1926.  

Click on images to enlarge them.

The website took me to the 40 page newspaper that held the story of a buggy driver who committed suicide on a Lancaster County road and forever haunted that strip of road in Lancaster County.  But, it was also the start of an entire evening of reading the news from Lancaster County and the surrounding area.  A few months ago Lancaster Newspapers opened their archives to allow those of us that hold a subscription to the home delivered newspaper, or subscribe to the online version, a chance to search stories from as far back as 1794.  I have spent quite a bit of time reading stories from my childhood and high school years, but also enjoy reading about Lancaster soon after the newspaper came to town.  And then, when I had a chance to search for a story about a ghost that was said to haunt the south end of Lancaster, I took to the archives and the "Sunday News" on April 4, 1926.  I had the best time reading page after page of the history of Lancaster 18 years before I was born.  News filled the first 24 pages of the paper with a magazine section starting on page 25.  And, there it was on page 25!  The story titled "Passing Of The Haunted Houses of Lancaster".  Story about the buggy driver who committed suicide and forever haunted that section in southern Lancaster County.  

Page 40 of the 1926 newspaper.

But, there was so much more to read throughout this paper that gave the history of Lancaster as only an old newspaper can.  I loved the final page, page 40, which featured a full sized puzzle that had 17 things wrong on the page.  You had to find the 17 items as well as color the page with crayons or maybe colored pencils (did they have colored pencils in 1926?).  The page reminded me of visiting with my daughter and her family on weekends and going to the corner store to buy the Washington Post and finding the same type of puzzle page in the booklet supplement.  Loved to do that with my granddaughter.  Page 38 of the paper was devoted to puzzles of all types.  Page 35 featured a short story by Fannie Hurst who was known as the World's Highest Paid Short Story Writer.  Are there still Sunday newspapers in the country that feature a full-page short story?  

Part of a page from the newspaper with interesting headlines.

Another entire page featured "Flowers In Abundance" that had photo after photo of local flowers, all in black and white.  A few pages offered a few surprises, at least in today's society.  One page was titled "Filling The Gaps In The Story Of Christ's Life" which had a subtitle that read...Nineteen Centuries After His Ministry, Christian Scholars Incline to Belief That He Was Educated by a Sect of Mystics Called the Essenes, Whose Principles Inspired Many of His Teachings, He Being Also A Master of biblical and Jewish Law.  Some rather interesting views and thoughts filled the page in the newspaper.  Certainly entirely different that today's papers would carry.  Another page told of the vast herd of steers required yearly to furnish Lancaster's meat supply.  Another page told of the rise and fall of the drum while a page told stories of Lancaster during the Revolutionary War.  

Should this page have been part of a local newspaper?

But, I found page 31 of the newspaper to be rather unusual, even for the year 1926.  The page was titled "Africa For The Africans" and told of the "Stepping Stones of Colored Man's Progress" in Lancaster County.  Can't imagine the calls and letters that would be sent to the newspaper office today if they featured a page such as that.  News pages offered stories about topics such as the Boy Scouts planning a new camp to Sewer Inspections to a gentleman being punished for a crime by hanging.  

The Davis automobile.

Then there was an advertisement for The New Davis Automobile as well as well as an ad for The Dodge Brothers Car and the Hudson motorcar.  A headline on page 12 read Lancaster County is Generally Believed to Have Been Site of the Third Jewish Settlement in United States.  As you can see, the paper was filled with page after page of mostly local news.  Page one of the newspaper featured the highlights of the paper with stories about a murderer who begged for a life term, but was sentenced to the gallows.  Another story talked about enforcement of Prohibition In "Dignified And Courageous Manner" while a headline decried, "Lancaster Prepared For Joyous Easter Celebration".  A few other short stories told of the expectation of good weather for the Easter Holiday, a Parkesburg man who took his life with a shotgun and the Easter Bunny for Tots Whose Dads were Jailed."  Wow, what a thrill it was to go through the paper.  I next have to explore a paper from the archives that may have told of the ending of WWII.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Part of the front page of the newspaper from Sunday, April 4, 1926 in Lancaster, PA.

The "'One Terrific Granddaughter!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just got off the phone with my granddaughter Courtney who was Carol and my first grandchild and was born in 2002 to our daughter, Brynn and son-in-law Dave.  She is a senior in high school in nearby Urbana, Maryland, about two hours from our home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  Courtney will soon be 18 years old and will be heading off to college.  This intelligent young woman has chosen nursing as her choice of careers and is searching for a college that will offer nursing in their curriculum.  One of the main reasons for her choice of possible careers is the fact that at the age of 8, she was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, aka Juvenile Diabetes.  Being this is World Diabetes Awareness Month, our daughter Brynn posted a story about her daughter Courtney on her Facebook Page that reads:

 This girl is so strong, brave, and mature. 9 years of living with Type 1 diabetes is 3,285 days of finger pricks, shots, pump site changes, CGM site changes, lots of highs and lows, and plenty of tears (from mom too).  She reached a diabetic management goal her endocrinologist set for her this summer, and she was able to get the tattoo she has been wanting. It means I AM GREATER THAN MY HIGHS AND LOWS.  All of her interactions with health care providers has brought her to the decision that she wants to become a nurse. She even got to remove the drain from her dad's recent neck surgery.  She was awesome!  She doesn't like to talk about it, and she doesn't share her struggles with many.  The thing about T1D is you would never know by looking at her that she makes life and death decisions everyday. We have said from day one that she IS diabetic, she doesn't HAVE diabetes. It is a disease with no cure, but it does not define her.

Top left - Courtney; Top right - Tattoo
 meaning "I am greater than my
highs and lows"; Bottom: Courtney
taking the drain from her father's
neck.  Click to enlarge!

Brynn's story about her daughter brought tears to my eyes.  Courtney is no average young woman.  She is a super young adult who will be an asset to any medical practice when she becomes a nurse being that she can understand the problems of those who face Type 1 diabetes on a daily basis.  Being diabetic can be emotionally draining and cause fear, anger and frustration.  But there are steps that can be taken to relieve those stress levels and anxiety.  Someone who has had to endure diabetes as long as Courtney will be able to help those with the incurable disease cope with it when she becomes a nurse.   A good support system is essential to coping with type 1 diabetes and having a nurse who can understand and who has lived with the same disease most of her life will be a definite help to any patient.  The theme for diabetes awareness month and World Diabetes Day this year is Family and Diabetes.  Courtney's immediate family has been living with the disease along with her, but only she experiences the effects of the disease on a daily basis.  Picking nursing as a career will help not only her, but those to whom she nurses.  Carol and I wish her the best as she decides upon a school to become a nurse.  And, a good nurse she will be someday!  How could a good-looking young woman such as Courtney be anything but the best!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Biggest Baseball Fan At 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue! Story

It was an ordinary day.  Wednesday Evening, October 30th and the Washington Nationals had just won the 2019 World Series.  For those not involved in athletic endeavors, being the World Series Champions is the ultimate award a baseball player can achieve in his lifetime.  And, the fact that the team that won the series played their home games a few blocks away from the White House in Washington D.C. made it even more rewarding.  This year's team is the 8th major league franchise to be based in D.C. and the first since 1971.  It is now the first Washington baseball team to ever win the World Series.  The current club was founded in 1969 as the Montreal Expos and after playing poorly for years, was moved to Washington, D.C. in 2005 and re-named the Nationals.  The team's overall first pick in the 2009 Major League Baseball draft, Stephen Strasburg, was selected on Wednesday evening as the 2019 World Series Most Valuable Player.  No sport is more closely tied to the American presidency than baseball with one of Wasington's first baseball fields being located practically in the President's backyard.  

President Calvin Coolidge and First Lady Grace Coolidge at
a baseball game in 1924.

A few of the biggest fans who have resided at 1600 Pennsyl- vania Avenue were both Calvin and First Lady Grace Coolidge.  Seems Grace was by far the most knowledge- able and enthusiastic fan.  The Senators manager, Bucky Harris, reported that Grace was "the most rabid baseball fan he ever knew in the White House.  When Coach Harris was married in 1926 both the President and First Lady attended the wedding.  Grace actually kept a scorecard during every game she attended.  And, if she happened to be on the Presidential yacht, Mayflower, she listened to the game on radio station WRC.  In 1924 the Senators played in their first World Series with pitching great Walter Johnson on the rooster.  The Coolidges joined other fans to buy Johnson a Lincoln limousine as a gift of appreciation.  

President Calvin Coolidge signs a baseball for Hall of Fame
pitcher Walter Johnson as John's Senators teammates look on.

When Senator's catcher Muddy Ruel crossed home plate with the winning run of the seventh and deciding game on October 10, Washington D.C. exploded with joy.  Grace jumped up and down upon seeing Walter Johnson after the game.  The president and his wife were part of the team's 1925 season when they again made it to the World Series, but didn't win this time.  Baseball and the American presidency have been intertwined since the Coolidge's time in office.  Franklin D. Roosevelt's limousine drove onto the field ahead of the 1933 World Series, the last time the nation's capital hosted the World Series.  Harry S. Truman tossed out the first pitch from the stands of a regular season game in August of 1945, just days after the end of WWII, giving Americans a sense that normalcy was returning after years of global conflict.  

President Donald Trump stands in a private box listening
to the many boos given to him when his photo was shown
on the stadium's large screen.

President George W. Bush wore a bulletproof vest under his jacket when he threw a perfect strike from the Yankee Stadium mound during the 2001 World Series, not 10 miles from where the World Trade Center had been attacked a month earlier.  President Donald Trump, who attended games regularly in New York, was going to attend a game this year, but not to throw out the first pitch.  The Nationals gave that honor to celebrity chef Jose Andres whose humanitarian work has been widely acclaimed.  President Trump is not a favorite of those living in D.C. and when he did arrive at the stadium, he was loudly booed.  Trump is the only president since William Howard Taft in 1910 not to throw out a first pitch at a major league baseball game.  Baseball and the White House seem to have a bond more so than any other sport in the USA.  Could it be because baseball is known as Americn'a Game!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.