The "Revisiting Our Time With The Flamingos" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Looking at the suitcase Carol had packed with her "vacation" clothes.  The suitcase is filled with clothes suited for traveling in warm weather locales such as Hawaii and the Caribbean islands.  Many of the tops were covered with the graceful pink flamingo which is seen quite often in many warm weather climates.  Brought back so many memories from the trips we took with our traveling friends, Jere and "Just" Sue.  I thought I would read a few of my own stories that I had entered on this site, so I typed in Flamingos in the little box located at the top left.  Story after story had me laughing in no time.  My favorite story told about two fellows whom we met while on vacation to the Turks & Caicos Islands in the Caribbean.  Gentlemen's names were Joshua and Douglas who were enjoying sitting on the porch of a local restaurant.  

Joshua and Douglas

The four of us stopped for a bite to eat and found the place closed.  We did get a chance to talk with Joshua and Douglas for some time while we stood next to them on the restaurant's porch.  While talking, I asked Josh if he ever ate a flamingo!  Laughter broke out and he finally said, "Years ago us islanders used to eat da flamingo.  But when da white man come, dey say it shameful dat we eat da national bird.  

Flamingo enjoying a drink.

No more do we eat da flamingo!"  That brought laughter from all six of us again!  Then a few years later Sue posted a cartoon on Facebook that showed a turkey dressed as a flamingo to keep it from being Thanksgiving dinner.  In return Carol sent a note to Sue which said, "Except in Caicos....remember!"  Sue returned another note which read..."A direct quote from Joshua!"  Carol returned another note to Sue which read..."IT'S IN THE BOOK!" meaning that it has been written and typed in Sue's scrapbook from our visit to Turks and Caicos.  Also read another entry in my blog telling about a trip to see the flamingos in the Bahamas.  We managed to talk Carol into going out in the center of the ring to help feed the flamingos.  

She also had to walk around the ring as the flamingos did and then stand on just one leg as they did when they stopped.  Oh the good times we had while on vacation.  And, the memories flooded back in my mind as I saw a couple pieces of clothing that were

Carol's favorite top
in Carol's vacation suitcase.  Told her she ought to get them out and wear them more often so we can bring back all the great memories we have from vacations in the past.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  PS - check out some of the other neat items we have found that are available for sale and carry a flamingo theme.....

The "Race Across Mongolia" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a fantastic story in my Sunday newspaper titled Race Across Mongolia.  The story tells about a young woman who lives in nearby Honey Brook, Pennsylvania who won a bronze medal in the 9-day test of endurance.  The Mongol Derby Race that Callie King recently finished 4th in is an endurance race that was more than 620 miles in distance as the crow flies.  It actually follows the 2,500 mile horse messenger route that Genghis Khan created in 1224 when he conquered half the world.  Deploying a network of horse stations, called urtuus in Mongolian, his messengers rode nonstop to deliver key communications between the capital of Kharkhorin and the Caspian Sea in a matter of days.  The derby recreates this ancient travel route, the horse riders traveling between urtuus 25 miles apart and changing horses at each stop.  With GPS coordinates, the riders know where they are supposed to end up each evening but how they get there across open and barrier-prone country is up to them.  The route decisions help determine the outcome of the race.  Callie spent grueling days that left her muscles aching.  She slept on the ground in goat shelters where she was fed a diet of goat pie and fermented, alcoholic horse milk.  It took her from August 10 to August 20 to travel the distance.  She won a bronze medal as the fourth of 46 riders to cross the finish line.  The riders were hand-picked from around the world and each had to pay $15,500 to participate in the competition.  It took more than 500 support staff to make sure the native horses and riders remained safe.  Mongolian herders were paid for rounding up the horses.  Half of those that entered never finished the race.  Some became lost while some had to be hospitalized due to heat stroke, hypothermia and gastrointestinal distress.  Temperatures varied from 80s during the day to 40s at night.  Most riders were thrown from their barely broken horses at least once.  Callie was thrown from her horse one day when it stepped in a marmot hole and tumbled on top of her.  Callie said the race changed her, but it was the kind of experience you can't formulate the words for.  She operates Honey Brook Stables which is a hands-on campus of her Horse Class business which is a mostly online, international learning platform for horse riders, equestrians, horse owners and horse lovers.  She focuses on connections between horses and humans and has had more than 86,000 students in 41 countries since 2012.  She has been living on a ranch in Azxaca, Mexico where she trains endurance horses and rides her Azteca stallion, Canelo.  The Mongol Derby was a perfect meld for her love of riding horses, thirst for adventure, riding in wide open spaces and experiencing new cultures.  Her love affair with horses never wavered despite being attacked by a stallion when she was 13 years old.  She was knocked unconscious and received severe injuries.  If it hadn't been for a neighbor she may have died due to her injuries.  She still loves the special bond that can be forged between a rider and her horse.  She was one of 45 riders whom were accepted for the Mongol Derby out of more than 250 riders whom tried to get a spot.  She reported that she really enjoyed her participation in the Derby.  She rode to be competitive, but not at the expense of not enjoying it.  She really wanted to do right by the horse.  She said she could have pushed the horses she rode, but if it was past the point of being fun for her or her horse, it wasn't worth pushing hard.   Callie first applied for the race in 2019, at a time when her life was in upheaval.  She had ended a long-term relationship, been involved in a motorcycle crash and was looking for the next phase in her horse-training business.  Then the race was suspended in 2020 and 2021 because COVID-19.  She credits her fast start in this year's race to her first horse which was a fast performer who proved to be a "lucky" choice.  Her horse just ran and ran.  The horses in the race are closer to horse ancestors.  They haven't been overbred by humans, and they're an older genetic variety of horse.  Mongolians have a sacred relationship with their horses.  They take pride in their horses.  More than three million horses wander the unfenced land.  Each year, herders round up about 1,500 horses for use in the race.  During the race, she had to quickly chose her next horse when she came to the changing stations.  She looked for lean and fit horses.  Horse welfare is paramount with all horses pre-checked by international vets.  During the Derby she would bunk with families of herders in round tents.  She ate a lot of goat and sheep meat cooked with fat and noodles.  A very different culture than she is used to.  She said that if there's one takeaway from her journey to pass on its this, "I want people to get out and do the things they dream of."  I certainly agree with Callie, but I'm not ready to get on a horse and do what she did, unless it maybe a carousel horse.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The Best In St. Martin/Sint Maarten Story

It was an ordinary day.  Doing some surfing on the web when I came upon an online story titled "Which Is The Best Beach Resort In St. Martin."  My wife was sitting closeby so I posed the same question to her.  We came up with about a half-dozen answers based on our many vacations to the island known as St. Martin/Sint Maarten.  After some discussion I naturally had to click on the link to see if one of our guesses was correct.  

The Grand Case Beach Resort

Sure enough, The Grand Case Beach Club on St. Martin, the French side of the dual nation island, was the subject of the story.  The Grand Case Beach Club is a 71-room beach hotel that has developed a cult following among lovers of the Caribbean, many of whom would readily choose it over far more expensive luxury resorts.  The resort is located at the end of Grand Case Boulevard and has two sparkling white-sand beaches to satisfy everyone who wants to obtain a Caribbean tan.  The man who can be thanked for the alluring resort is Stephen Wright, the resort's longtime general manager who gained his fame at some of the world's greatest luxury resorts before settling in at Grand Case.  The resort formula is simple: sleek, crisply appointed rooms filled with local artist Sir Roland Richardson's fabulous paintings, a perch right at the edge of two beaches, a stunning rooftop pool in view of the island known as Anguilla, and an endless warm staff who share the same views as their boss.  Oh yeah!  I forgot the on-site Sunset Cafe which is one of Grand Case's best restaurants and serves three meals a day in an elevated location where you feel like you are floating on water.

The Sunset Cafe

If you follow Grand Case Boulevard  you will come upon an unrivaled culinary scene in Grand Case filled with fine-dining restaurants galore.  Your daily routine can consist of three meals in an elevated locaton where you feel like you're floating above the water.  If for some reason you chose to take a day off and try a different cuisine routine, you can head to Orient Bay or Marigot or even a boat ride to Pinel Island.  As described in another brochure, it's the essence of what we're all looking for in a Caribbean vacation: a charming, pretty hotel; friendly service; authentic food; and beautiful beaches.  How can you beat that?  My wife and I have enjoyed many years traveling to the island known as 'The Friendly Island."  Try it yourself and see if you too don't love the place.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.    

The "A Stuffed Axolotls May Be A Better Choice Than A Real One!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Looking at a really neat animal known as a salamander or an axolotls. Thing seems to have feelers or "wings" that stick out of both sides of its body at the side of its head.  When I was a young boy I had many pets and at one time had a few salamanders which were brown in color, perhaps 6" in length and feet that had pointed toes.  Well, the salamander that is pictured in my local Sunday News looks a bit more scary with beady black eyes and the color of a ghost.  It is known as an "Axolotl" which is famous for their fancy gills, their plight to survive in the Mexican wild, a face that looks like they're smiling and an ability to regenerate body parts.  It is the type of pet I wish I had when I was a young boy.  Well, this unusual looking "pet" is for sale at my local pet store, "That Fish Place/That Pet Place" in Lancaster, Pennsylvania for the price of "$69.99" for the jumbo size.  

The axolotls has sold well since it's arrival at the pet store a few months ago.  I suspect that I might have had one if I was still a child.  Actually, I did have a few salamanders as pets when I was a young boy.  The Axolotl is famous for their fancy gills, their faces that look like they're smiling, their ability to regenerate body parts and their plight to survive in the Mexican wild, where they are generally found.  At one time they were throughout the high-altitude lakes surrounding Mexico City.  These foot-long amphibians are now limited to only a few inland canals near Lake Xochimilco where many fewer live today.  They face the threat of water pollution, predation by invasive carp and tilapia and the threat of habitat loss.  The country of Mexico put the image of the axolotls on its 50 peso note last year.  Mexican scientists are attempting to breed axolotl in labs to help increase the population.  The Axolotls are normally brown or grey in the wild but appear white with pink highlights when living in captive locations.  That Fish Place happen to have  both white and brown for sale.  At one time there was a Pokemon character that was named Wooper that was meant to be a Axolotl.  As a pet, their care is extremely demanding and specific and potential owners need to keep them in chilled water.  Axolotl eat things such as earthworms, black worms, frozen or freeze-dried clams, mussels or shrimp.  Keeping fish in the same place isn't recommended since fish tend to peck at the Axolotls.  Some states do not allow the Axolotl as a pet.  The Axolotl is a popular pet with it being more popular than the sloth.  Be prepared for a lot of work if you do decide to have an Axolotl as a household pet.  They are neat and different, but not something that I would want for a pet anymore.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "Having Tea With Mr. Franklin" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading my email and found one interesting email that was titled "Twenty Enduring Proverbs Written By Ben Franklin."  The email went on to tell me that the founding father's yearly almanac was famous for its witty aphorisms and practical proverbs.  Well, first I had to figure out what a witty aphorism might be.  Have any idea?  Just in case you don't know, it is an observation that contains a general truth.  Also can be a concise statement of a scientific principle, typically by an ancient classical author.  A bit more will tell you that an aphorism is used to teach a lesson while speaking in plain terms.  Ah...I like descriptions "in plain terms!"  Well, I continued on and found the twenty proverbs that were allegedly written by Mr. Franklin in the 1700s.  Follow along and see if Mr. Franklin's proverbs may be of any help to you....

Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every New Year find you a better man.

Diligence is the mother of good luck.

Love your enemies, for they tell you your faults.

He that would live in peace and at ease, must not speak all he knows or judge all he sees. 

Great beauty, great strength, and great riches are really and truly of no great use; a right heart exceeds all.

He that falls in love with himself will have no rivals.

The sting of a reproach, is the truth of it.

Reading makes a full man, meditation a profound man, discourse a clear man.

Beware of little expenses: A small leak will sink a great ship.

Hide not your talents, they for use were made: What’s a sun-dial in the shade?

Do you love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.

Well done is better than well said.

Glass, china, and reputation, are easily crack’d, and never well mended.

He that lies down with Dogs, shall rise up with fleas.

Genius without education is like silver in the mine.

If man could have half his wishes, he would double his troubles.

The poor have little, beggars none, the rich too much, enough not one.

Don’t throw stones at your neighbors, if your own windows are glass.

A true friend is the best possession.

Wish not so much to live long as to live well.

I have read Mr. Franklin's proverbs over and over again and think I understand most of them, but I'm not sure all of them can be of help to me.  A man as intelligent as Mr. Franklin must have written the proverbs with most everyone in mind.  It was said that Mr. Franklin was a man of many talents such as: scientist, inventor, statesman, writer, political philosopher and founding father.  A "Go To" type of guy.  His "Poor Richard's Almanac" was one of the most well-known publications in American history.  It became one of the most widely read secular pamphlets in colonial America, selling around 10,000 copies annually.  It became so popular that Napoleon Bonaparte had it translated into Italian.  Mr. Franklin was not only a scholar, but a really nice guy!  The kind of nice guy who was also a scientist, inventor, etc.  The kind of guy who could write a really nice proverb!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Are They Gonna Ruin My Favorite Sport?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading the "Nation" section of my local newspaper and found that today's pages began with a story about my favorite sport, baseball.  Headline read: "Pitch clock, shift limits coming in '23".  Well, I knew the changes were coming, but I was sort of hoping they wouldn't enforce them for a few more years.  The new rules were approved by the Competition committee to help speed up the game, but were opposed by the players.  Three new changes were adopted which included (1) the use of a pitch clock, (2) limits on defensive shifts, (3) and larger bases.  The decision on the clock and shift restrictions was made by baseball's eleven man competition committee over the opposition of the panel's players.  The changes are to help make the game better and more enjoyable.  The players weren't in total agreement and claim "they live the game...day in and day out."  On field rules and regulations impact their preparation, performance and ultimately, the integrity of the game itself.  The players association claimed that Major League Baseball was unwilling to meaningfully address the areas of concern that players raised.  The pitch clock will be set at 15 seconds with no runners on base and 20 seconds with runners...up from the 14/19 tested in minor league Triple-A ball games.  Another rule will put a limit of two on what Major League Baseball calls disengagements such as pickoff attempts or steps off the rubber per plate appearance.  A balk will be called if these take place.  A catcher will now be required to be in the catcher's box with nine seconds left on the clock and a hitter in the batters box and focused on the pitcher with eight seconds remaining.  Penalties for violations will be a ball called against a pitcher and a strike called against a batter.  A batter can ask an umpire for time once per plate appearance, and after that it would be granted only at the umpire's discretion if the request in made while in the batter's box.  It has been proven in the minor leagues that the clock has helped reduce the average time of a nine-inning game from 3 hours, 4 minutes to 2:38 this year.  The average time of a major league game this year is 3:06; it was 2:46 in 1989.  Why does it take almost 20 minutes more time for a game?  Another rule is the shift limit which will require two infielders to be on either side of second base and all infielders to be within the outer boundary of the infield when the pitcher is on the rubber, and infielders may not switch sides unless there is a substitution.  Use of shifts has exploded in the past decade, from 2,357 times on balls hit in play in 2011 to 28,130 in 2016 to 59,063 last year.  Shifts are on pace for 68,000 this year.  Bases will increase in size to 18-inch squares from 15 to promote safety, especially on 1st base.  It will boost stolen bases due to a 4.5-inch decrease in distance between bases. Whatever happened to baseball the way it used to be played?  Too many people are trying to change the game that I knew growing up.  We never put 3 infielders on one side of the infield.  Can you imagine how much time it will take to enforce all these new rules and regulations?  It will add on an extra half-hour to hour to each ball game.  Just what they are trying to eliminate!  And...will they have to hire someone to make sure all the new rules are used properly?  If only we could get back to playing baseball the way it was when I was a kid.  Now that was fun!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "Did Your Car Have 'Fender Skirts'?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading yet another story in one of my favorite publications, "The Fishwrapper" which is published by-weekly throughout the year.  "The Fishwrapper" is known as the most exciting, little, big paper that has become a favorite of young and old alike.   I pick up my copy when  Carol and I shop at Stauffer's of Kissel Hill, which is located in Manheim Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  The 20-page, 8 1/2" x 11" publication is filled with positive news, inspirational articles as well as thought-provoking stories about just any thing imaginable.  Perhaps you might have read one of the stories I have written about the publication during the past couple of years.  You can subscribe to "The Fishwrapper" by calling 717-933-8091.  Well, the story I was reading today that I enjoyed so much was titled "MEMORY LANE For Those of a Certain Age."  The writer of the story came across  the phrase "fender skirts" is a book they were reading.  The phrase "fender skirts" brought back many fond memories for me from my college years when I had a 1958 Chevy Impala convertible.  It had fender skirts that covered part of the rear tires of the car.  Got me thinking of the many other words that were used back in the '50s and '60s that I haven't heard for years and years.  Along with "fender skirts" was "curb feelers," "steering knobs," and continental kits."  Anyone remember them?  The fender skirts covered about half of the rear wheels, the curb feelers were placed on the bottom of the passenger's side rear tire area, the steering knob was placed on the steering wheel to make it easier to turn the steering wheel, and the continental kit was attached to the rear of the car, in front of the rear bumper, and held the spare tire housed in a decorated covering.  At the same time "emergency brakes" were used to hold the car in place when you parked it.  Today it is called a parking brake.  How about a "running board?"  Ever hear of them.  They were on either side of your car and ran from the front fender to the rear fender and could be used to help you get in and out of the car.  And, back then you could travel coast-to-coast which back then held all sorts of excitement while today means next to nothing.  Back then you might have had wall-to-wall carpet in your house or maybe you used your "percolator" to heat up your coffee.  My mother had an Electrolux vacuum  cleaner and at times my friends and I might have had to stay home from school because we had "lumbago."  Not sure what it was, but we could get it.  And then we had castor oil that was used to cure...I'm not sure!  What words do you use today that will be obsolete years from now?  Ever think that the word "supper" may die sometime in the future, replaced with dinner.  Words and sayings come and go and perhaps if you read this story 30 or 40 years from now you might have "fender skirts" on your car once again.  Just wait...and remember where you read about it!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.   

The "Inspired By Nature - Susquehanna River Artwork" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading the "Living" section of my local Sunday Newspaper.  On the front page of the section were two beautiful pieces of art that featured the Susquehanna River.  The Susquehanna River flows between the county of Lancaster and the county of York in the state of Pennsylvania.  The story that deals with the beautiful Susquehanna River is titled "Inspired By Nature."  The story deals with how the Susquehanna River shaped the style of artists over the course of centuries.  Many artists as well as photographers have used the river as a source of inspiration when trying to share their art form with their audience.  One of the pieces of art is titled "The Valley of the Susquehanna" and was made by Nathaniel Currier and James Ives.  It was completed circa 1870 and is a hand-colored lithograph.  The other piece of art was a steel-plate engraving by William H. Bartlett titled American Scenery which was made in 1838.   Both pieces are featured in the "Drawing on the Susquehanna: Four Centuries of Artistic Inspiration and Commerce" art exhibit at the Demuth Museum which is located at 120 East King Street in downtown Lancaster, PA.  The show features 60 works of art, spanning, primarily, from the early 1600s to the early 1900s.   The Susquehanna River has always been a popular place when drawing, painting or even photographing to express your artistic ability.  I have spent many hours driving along both the east and west sides of the river, looking for interesting photographs to share with others.  The exhibit at the Demuth Museum will be open from August 6 to October 30.  The curator of the exhibit if Rob Evans who grew up in the suburbs of Washington D.C., but spent his summers at his grandparents home in the hills of Wrightsville roaming the forests.  He now lives in a farmhouse in Wrightsville, overlooking the river which became a part of who he was and who he would eventually become. Rob has included several images and artifacts, including a book with an engraving of a painting by Thomas Cole for his close friend James Fennimore Cooper's novel "The Last of the Mohicans".  "Drawing on the Susquehanna" begins with a piece of Native American petroglyph that broke off a rock and washed up at the Safe Harbor Dam.  The petroglyph was a part of an archeological collection that Evans was able to acquire along with a couple other artifacts.  The exhibit flows through time to see how artists depicted the river and the ever-changing landscape.  It tracks artistic interpretations of the changes of the river, the landscape and the people that live and work along the river, but it also tracks how art was made and disseminated to the public.  If you have a chance to stop and see the exhibit, I'm sure you will not be disappointed.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  Following are a few pieces of artwork that are in the display.

"Columbia Bridge on the Susquehanna" by William H. Bartlett 
1838 steel-plate engraving.

"America Autumn" by Jasper F. Cropsey
19 color chromolithograph

Construction of the Safe Harbor Dam
19 color chromolithograph by Jasper F. Cropsey

"The Valley of the Susquehanna" by Nathaniel Currier and James  Ives.
A circa 1870s hand-colored lithograph.

The "The Photography Of Alfred Stieglitz" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Passed the entrance to the Manheim Township roller skating rink on the way home from a trip to Park City Shopping Mall and remembered that today was one of the final days of the book sale that fills the floor of the skating rink.  Dropped my wife off at home and headed back to the book sale to see if I could find a few novels to read once we settle into our new home at Woodcrest Villa.  I found a couple Stuart Woods books as well as a James Patterson book, two of my favorite fiction authors.  After looking a bit more I came upon a TIME book titled Great People of he 20th Century.  I had purchased another similar book at last year's book sale and enjoyed reading about all the people who were featured in that book, so I tucked that book under my arm with the other three books I found and headed to the checkout counter.  Bill for the four hard-cover books was $8.00 which will be donated to the Manheim Township Public Library.  All of the books that are for sale were donated by patrons of the library.  Great way to make money to buy new editions for the library.  My new TIME book featured sections in it with titles such as THE LEADERS, THE PIONEERS, THE INNOVATORS, THE ACTIVISTS, THE SCIENTISTS and THE CREATORS.  People such as Charles Lindbergh, Mother Teresa, Jonas Salk, Elvis Presley, and even The Beatles all have stories written about them along with about 75 other famous people an groups.  It is a fun couple of hours reading about all the famous people whom I recognize except for perhaps a half dozen whom I have never heard of before.  Photographs of each person or group accompany their story.  The first story I read was about one of my favorite photographers, Alfred Stieglitz.  I have read more than once that photographs were little more than a novelty for years until Alfred Stieglitz developed them into a fine art.  Some of his work is remarkable.  When I taught photography at Manheim Township High School, part of my course that I taught featured famous photographers.  Stieglitz was always one of the photographers that we studied.

Alfred Stieglitz

His work to me was more than a novelty.  His photography was fine art!  Alfred bought his first camera in Berlin in 1883 for $7.50, perhaps a hefty price for that time in history.  He did more than anyone else at the time to elevate photography from a curiosity to an art form.  He was the first to photograph moving objects.  His imaginative eye made him a pioneer in picturing airplanes, snowstorms, skyscrapers and clouds.  Some of his protége's included  Edward Steichen and Ansel Adams.  His work was deceptively simple and he never used cleverness to distort his images.  The final sentence in the page-long article about Stieglitz said that he taught the century to open its eyes.  A truly "fine art" photographer.  To me he was one of the best fine art black and white photographers that ever lived.  It was another extrordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

An early photograph by Alfred

 

The "Oh! The Good Times I Had On The Comet" Story

Preface:  I wrote the story I posted today about four months ago...but never posted it until today.  It got lost among several other stories and I just came across it today.  I liked the story so posted it anyway.  You will have to forgive me for posting a story that should have been posted a few months ago. 

It was an ordinary day.  Reading the morning paper when I opened it to page 2 and there it was.  A very large color photograph of Hershey Park's "Wildcat" rollercoaster.  The headline above the photograph read "WILDCAT'S LAST RIDE APPROCHES."  Ah, it can't be true...can it?  I opened a page on Hershey's website and sure enough...the ride was set to close permanently at the end of Sunday, July. 21, 2022.  The Wildcat opened in 1996 in the Midway America expansion of the park.  The coaster was the first to be built by a Pennsylvania-based roller coaster manufacturer.  The coaster was named after the 1923 coaster named "Wild Cat" which was removed sometime in the 1940s.  But there are plenty of other coasters to help thrill the riders who flock into Hershey Park during the summer months.  There are 15 coasters to be exact with my favorite being the "Comet."  The Comet is the park's oldest, opening May of 1946.  It was the last to be purchased by Mr. Milton Hershey, the guy they named the park and city after years before.  The "Comet" was a fan favorite and the one coaster that I enjoyed the most.   Other coasters that line the walks of Hersheypark are "The Trailblazer," the "SooperDooperLooper," the "Jolly Rancher," The Wildcat," the "Great Bear," the "Wild Mouse," the "Lightning Racer," the "Storm Runner," the "Fahrenheit," the "Skyrush," the "Cocoa Cruiser," the "Laff Trakk," the "Breakers Edge Water Coaster," and the "Candymonium."  

The "Wildcat at Hershey Park in 1923.

The last one listed here is the tallest, longest and sweetest coaster at the park which opened in 2020.  Now, I haven't ridden on many of them, but it would be hard to beat the "Comet" which I have ridden on for years.  If you have been reading my stories for any length of time you may have also read the story about the rollercoaster also known as "The Wildcat" which no longer exists at the amusement park known one time as Rocky Springs which was located at the Southern end of Lancaster City.  Well, after 26 years, Hershey Park's second oldest wooden coaster is set to close on Sunday July 31.  It was the first to be built by Pennsylvania-based roller coaster manufacturer Great Coasters International.  It was named after the 1923 coaster named "Wild Cat" that was removed sometime in the 1940s. If you have never been to Hershey Park, it is a 121 acre park with rides from mild to wild, a waterpark and a zoo.  Packed into those 121 acres are 70 attractions, which include 15 roller coasters.  The coasters cater to anyone's thrill level.  Some are rather tame while others will make you scream no matter how old you may be.  I know, because I have been on most of them over my lifetime of  close to 80 years.  I must say that my all-time favorite was the park's oldest coaster, The Comet, which opened in May of 1946 and was considered the largest coaster in the United States.  It was painted green when it first opened since Mr. Hershey liked that color.  He wanted them to blend in with the surrounding scenery of the park.  It was eventually painted white and in 2021 received a new coat of white paint.  I have not been on the coaster for some time since my back surgeon suggested I no longer ride any roller coasters when I questioned him about it.  Oh well, I had plenty of rides on it over the years and I have many happy memories of riding on it.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "Letting The Driving To A Computer!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading an article in the Saturday Evening Post titled "Beware The Self-Driving Car.  Starts out telling that roughly 37,000 people die every year in automobile accidents.  And...the reason for most of those accidents is human error.  So, to correct that problem, sometime in the new future, the steering wheel will be taken out of the hands of real people and handed over to artificial intelligence devices that are said will be largely infallible.  Yeah, right!  They can say that, but I'll only believe it when I see it.  It is said, (I'm not sure by whom) that you'll be able to hop in your car and push in your destination and presto!, before long you will be there.  So...how soon is this going to happen?  Before I die?  They need to get busy real quick if that is the correct answer!  Organizations such as the RAND Corporation, which is a public policy research group, argue that we should speed up the rollout of self-driving technology before more lives are lost.  But, driverless vehicles are far from infallible.  A few months ago, a prototype driverless 2019 Tesla S crashed into a tree and killed it's two passengers even though there was no one in the driver's seat.  I guess we aren't quite ready yet!  I know...someday the technology will no doubt be perfected, but rushing it may not be the best idea.  I'm not sure I could hand over my driver's seat to a computer.  Now, if you can build a rear seat that is accident proof I will sit in the back and let the car do the driving.  As for now, it seems like we have reached a high level of laziness if we can't drive our own car.  For me...well I actually like and enjoy driving.  I might be a bit to reckless in my driving techniques from time to time, but I much prefer to do the driving instead of sitting in the passenger seat or rear seat.  I realize that someday there will truly be driverless cars, but that doesn't mean I have to ride in or own one.  That's just not going to happen!  Anyway, driverless cars bring two very specific words to mind; trial lawyer!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.      

The "Is It Just A Matter Of Time Before It Happens In Your School? I Hope Not!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading an article in my local newspaper that was titled "We All Have Concerns."  It was a story telling how Texas trains its teachers to carry guns into the classroom to prevent shootings.  Made me think back quite a few years to when I taught high school at Manheim Township High School in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  Not only did I teach school, I was the coach for the high school rifle team.  Yes...we had REAL .22mm rifles on the rifle range inside the school.  If you happened to have a key to the rifle range, you could access the rifles that were lined along the wall of the range which was located under the stage of our auditorium.  I kept the live ammunition locked in a six foot tall metal cabinet, but with the right tools, anyone could open the metal cabinet and have access to the ammunition.  Yes...the guns were only .22mm rifles, but they could kill you just as easily as any other gun could kill you.  At one end of the rifle range was a wall that could hold targets.  Almost every school day from October until the end of the rifle season in February, my rifle team would practice shooting the targets.  Not once did I think about what could have happened if someone entered the range and grabbed a rifle and a handful of ammunition and walked out of the rifle range.  Back then, in the 1970s,  there weren't school shootings as there are today.  We would practice most every weekday after school and when the rifle season began, we would travel to other schools or have rifle meets at our school.  I had about 20 members on my team, both boys and girls, who all handled rifles almost every day of the week for a few months during the season.  Not once did I think about what could have happened.  We went through hundreds of rounds of ammunition during the five years I was coach.  One year we traveled to State College, Pennsylvania and shot against teams from all over the state and won the State Championship.  All those teenagers throughout the state of Pennsylvania were equipped with rifles and ammunition day after day and never once did any of us think about what could have happened if just one of them went off the edge!  Why didn't we?  I don't know!  We just didn't think about what could have happened!  Life has changed!!  Today teachers are the ones who are trained to shoot the guns just in case!!  I just read a story about a school in Texas who trains their teachers to carry guns into the classroom to prevent shootings.  The story began with...Pacing along chest-high bookcases, a man in a black hoodie and carrying a long gun charged into Walsh Middle School's library.  He fired rounds into the carpet--loud booms and eruptions of smoke punctuating each shot.  Within seconds, two armed educators pursued the gunman, shooting him with fake ammunition, forcing him to the ground and securing his gun.  A school police officer arrived a moment later and yelled at all three to raise their hands in the air.  "School marshal, school marshal" the two educators yelled.  This event is an example of the scenario-based training Texas uses to prepare educators to carry firearms on campus.  Scary...so it is!  But, I never thought for one minute while I was the rifle coach, that something like that could or would happen.  Why?  I don't have an answer I can type to end my story!  I just never felt like something like that could have happened even though we had .22 long rifles and plenty of ammunition in the rifle range that anyone could access if they tried hard enough.  I guess I was just lucky.  Today they still have a rifle team, but they use air rifles.  They can still be dangerous, but in most all cases they are never deadly.  After reading about the programs they have in Texas, can it be long before they have programs in all states to combat gun violence in schools.  I never wished I was old, but after reading about all the school violence over the past years, I'm glad I no longer teach school.  I do admire all the teachers who put their life on the line each and every time they go to work in today's school environment.  May God help them if something would ever happen in their schools.  Until then, I guess more and more training is the only preventative measure that might help.  But, you just know that it is only a matter of time before it will happen.  Training is the only way to help prepare for it when it does happen again!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Free Fishwrapper Publication" Story

It was an ordinary day.  On my way out of Stauffer's of Kissel Hill grocery store near the small town of Lititz, Pennylvania.  Every week my wife and I make a visit to Stauffer's to buy the special items that they bake themselves.  Speciality items such as apple dumplings, baked oatmeal, ham balls, cornbread.....and the list goes on and on.  These are items that we can't purchase at our regular grocery store where we shop every week.  The reason we don't do all our shopping at Stauffer's is due to overall cost.  We find it less expensive to do our regular shopping needs such as canned goods, bathroom products, bread, etc. at our local Giant Supermarket.  Plus, we enjoy our visits to a variety of stores since most every week we can find specials not available at another store.  On our way out of Stauffer's I always pick up a free copy of " The Fishwrapper" which is an inspirational newspaper which contains  uplifting articles and information everyone can use.  It is for both young and old alike since it has both thought provoking and motivating stories that we all face in everyday life.  So...where did the name come from?  The Fishwrapper name comes from a practice done long ago. Merchants would wrap fish their clients purchased in old newspapers so they could be easily carried with little mess.  The newspaper of course became soaked, smelled of fish, and was probably best discarded.  Eventually people made an association between the worthlessness of the paper and the credibility of a questionable comment or story. They would reply with a bit of sarcasm, “Yeah I saw that in the Fishwrapper”, indicating that it was meaningless and doubtful and perhaps even offensive.  Today's "The Fishwrapper" is a fun newsletter to read. It has "Household Hints," ask "Kathie's Kitchen" column, a weather forecast, a SUDOKU puzzle, MEMORY LANE column, Help Wanted column, spiritual stories and plenty of advertisements.  This week's "The Fishwrappeer" is 20 pages long and 8 1/2" X 11" in size.  Fun read and I always make sure I pick up a copy on my way out of Stauffer's.  After unloading the groceries from the car, I plop on my recliner and begin reading "The Fishwrapper."  By the time my wife has finished putting the groceries away, I have finished reading "The Fishwrapper."  I often ask if she would like to read it, but it's not the type of publication that interests her.  Today's front page story was titled "A Trap for a Turkey Thief" and covered page 1 plus half of page 5, page 6, page 7 , page 8 and ended on page 9 with the thief being caught.  The remainder of page 9 was given to the latest "Weather Forecast." Went like this.... (1) "Pop, how do the people in the weather bureau find out what kind of weather we're going to have?  "They don't, Son." (2) A TV weatherman broke both legs and arms in an accident.  He had to call in from the hospital to explain his four casts. (3) What do you call a weatherman who really likes steak?  Meateaterologist!  The final page of the 20 page publication features two large advertisements and the list of stories that appear in the newspaper.  One thing I enjoy the most about the publication is that it is printed on what appears to be 24 lb. white paper rather than newsprint.  Interesting publication that is always fun to read while my wife puts the groceries away.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "Something To Brighten Your Day" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting in my recliner reading all the email that has accumulated in my "IN" box. Seems like it is always full of both "wanted" and "unwanted" responses which seem to take forever to go thorough.  I try to sort them into "wanted" and "unwanted" as quickly as I can, but I usually miss a few "unwanted" during my first sorting.  Most every day I get "famous quotes" or perhaps "best household items" or even "names to give to your pet."  Do you get these also?  Well today I actually read one of these unsolicited emails and actually enjoyed it.  It was titled "Inspiring Quotes" and I read every one of them.  And...as in the title...they were inspiring.  So much too that I thought you might find a few of them inspiring also.  I decided to add a second posting for today which are the "Inspiring Quotes" that I just  finished reading.  On this "week-end day", maybe you will find one that will inspire you as well and help you through your week-end.  Enjoy your weekend!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The words "sympathy," "empathy," and "compassion" are often used interchangeably, but each has a distinct meaning. Sympathy is feeling sorry that someone is going through a hard time, or sending a card to show them they’re in our thoughts. Empathy takes us a step closer to our fellow humans by allowing us to understand and share in their emotions: to flinch at a skinned knee or sniffle at a sentimental commercial. Compassion, meanwhile, is that sense of shared experience coupled with the desire to do something to help alleviate the pain. Compassion doesn’t just flinch at a child’s skinned knee; it rushes to find a SpongeBob Squarepants Band-Aid.

Taking action to help others is the heart of compassion, and if you keep an eye out, you’ll find plenty of ways to offer kindness to those around you. Hold the door for someone. Surrender the last jar of pickles at the grocery store. Lend an ear to someone who needs to talk. These discrete acts of kindness can change a person’s whole day — which can, in turn, inspire them to be a little kinder to those around them. Compassion not only makes us happier as individuals, but also has a tendency to get passed along, making the world just a little bit brighter for all of us who live here.

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

— Dalai Lama

You cannot do kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.

— Maya Angelou

Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.

— Lao Tzu

Having compassion starts and ends with having compassion for all those unwanted parts of ourselves.

— Pema Chödrön

Our task must be to free ourselves... by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole nature in its beauty.

— Albert Einstein

I’ve been searching for ways to heal myself, and I’ve found that kindness is the best way.

— Lady Gaga

Practice kindness all day to everybody and you will realize you’re already in heaven now.

— Jack Kerouac

All I'm saying is, kindness don't have no boundaries.

― Kathryn Stockett, author of “The Help”

A kind and compassionate act is often its own reward.

— William John Bennett

I prefer you to make mistakes in kindness than work miracles in unkindness.

― Mother Teresa

Kindness is the only service that will stand the storm of life and not wash out. It will wear well and will be remembered long after the prism of politeness or the complexion of courtesy has faded away.

— Abraham Lincoln

The simplest acts of kindness are by far more powerful than a thousand heads bowing in prayer.

― Mahatma Gandhi

Sometimes it takes only one act of kindness and caring to change a person’s life.

— Jackie Chan

Compassion is about giving all the love that you’ve got.

— Cheryl Strayed

Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.

— Desmond Tutu

Kindness is the light that dissolves all walls between souls, families, and nations.

— Paramahansa Yogananda, Hindu monk

Kindness, I’ve discovered, is everything in life.

― Isaac Bashevis Singer, writer and Nobel laureate

If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours.

— Dolly Parton

In compassion, when we feel with the other, we dethrone ourselves from the center of our world and we put another person there.

— Karen Armstrong, author

Kindness begins with the understanding that we all struggle.

— Charles Glassman, author

Sometimes it takes only one act of kindness and caring to change a person’s life.

— Jackie Chan

The highest forms of understanding we can achieve are laughter and human compassion.

— Richard Feynman, physicist

Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.

— Princess Diana 

The "Don't Mess With Anna!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  My wife Carol was sitting next to me when she said, "Barbara posted a neat picture on Facebook."  Showed it to me and I had to laugh as soon as I saw it.

Barbara's finger after an encounter with her parrot Anna!

Barbara is an old friend that we met years ago.  We had been to the island of St. Martin/Sint Maarten many times when we noticed that Barbara, a resident of Sint Maarten, had posted a few messages about her hometown of Williamsport, PA.  Being from Pennsylvania ourselves, we got in contact with Barbara on Facebook and have been friends ever since.  We found that she had visited the island many times years ago and met her husband, Diederick, during one of those visits.  Carol and I made arrangements to meet with her and Diederick during one of our trips and had the best time.  We made quite a few more trips to the island and every time visited with them at their home high in the hills on the Dutch side of the island.  Diederick has since passed away, but Barbara has stayed in touch with us through emails.  Perhaps some day we will have the chance to visit with her once again.  The photograph that Barbara posted today showed her left hand with her middle finger bandaged from top to bottom.  Under her photo read..."When your parrot bites you, and you can give someone the finger and get away with it!"  We had the honor of meeting here parrot, Anna, years ago.  

Barbara and Anna

Quite the lady, so she is!  Talks and talks and never seems to run out of "words" when we visit her home.  I can see how Barbara might have received the bite on the finger.  Just funny that Anna found her middle finger to place the bite on.  If I didn't know better, I'd swear she picked that finger on purpose.  We miss so much not

My wife Carol talking with Diederick and Barbara in Diederick's garden.

being able to visit Barbara and Anna the past few years.  COVID was the culprit at first, than along came some physical problems for me.  We keep on saying we have to get back to St. Martin for another visit and see how Barbara and Anna are doing, but until that day arrives, we will have to rely on emails and Facebook for our meetings with Barbara.  Thanks, Barbara for posting the photograph.  Loved it!  We miss you and Anna so much!  Maybe sometime soon!  Until then we will have to rely on our laptops for long distance meetings.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.