The "Do You Like To Get Scared?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Thinking back to when I was a child and being scared.  Can't remember any special occasion, but just the fact that I did get scared from time to time.  Heading up the stairs in our home at 929 North Queen Street to go to bed on a dark evening when the lights were out due to a heavy storm usually scared me.  Especially if my parents were away and my younger brother and I were being babysat by our grandmother who was small and frail.  Also got scared if I had to head down the stairs to our basement and all the lights were out due to a storm.  Never knew what I might encounter in that instance, since we had a coal bin and dirt floor.  Nighttime can be scary to children because of the uncertainty of darkness, but it can also be scary at times for adults.  If you have to take out the trash along a dark driveway when there are no lights and you hear strange noises.  Or, perhaps you are driving along a dark country road and you see a stranger walking in your direction on your side of the road.  Would that scare you?  Why do some of us, not me included, like to be scared?  I recently read that science can explain why some people love the heart-pounding, chest tightening, jumping-out-of-your seat feeling of a good scare.  The story I read said that it's an evolutionary core emotion that causes us to react when we sense danger, real or perceived.  Well, with Halloween taking place for many of us tonight, it gives us a chance to expose ourselves to something scary that will more than likely not hurt us.  Tonight might give us a chance to get a "good" scare that we can control.  If you know that you can control your fear, it is usually not as scary.  For some people, there are three factors that contribute to why they like to be scared: Psychological, Physical and Social.  Psychological allows someone to challenge a fear that can lead to a sense of accomplishment.  Physical allows our body to react to fear that we know probably won't hurt us.  Social allows emotions to run high when doing something with friends and not feeling scared.  Confronting things that scare you can make you more adaptable and resilient.  That doesn't mean you should force yourself into a haunted house.  Instead...try a new physical activity that might have scared you at one time or another.  The more you confront your fears, the less you will become scared.  Than again...just because I typed this and you read it doesn't mean you won't get scared if all the lights go out in your house at midnight for no good reason and you hear creepy noises in your basement.  But...don't call me for help...cause I don't answer the phone if I don't know who is calling and I would never venture out in the dark on a spooky night. Now, that's really scary!  Isn't it?  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.        

The "The Robot Organ" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Looking at one of the most unusual musical pieces I've every seen known as a robot organ.  The robot dance organ was made in 1963 and features three mechanical robot musicians, each with a different instrument.  One robot has a set of drums, one robot has a saxophone and the final one has a horn which looks to be similar to a trumpet.

The 12-foot-wide robot dance organ was one of Dutch businessman Henri Krijnen's favorite items he owned.  It was built by Gebroeders Decap which is an Antwerp-based organ building company and one of only three organs of its kind in existence.  It features three robotic musicians programmed to play instruments.  The organ was originally installed at the Hotel Eemland in Soest, Netherlands and was professionally restored to perfection by AC Pilmer Automatic Music of Ossett, England.  The robot dance organ was the highest selling item among 541 lots of mechanical music machines from the collection of Henry Krijnen, a Dutch businessman and collector.  Ozzie Bilotta, a Florida-based collector, bought the organ at auction for $350,550 against the original estimate of $100,000 to $200,000.  The item attracted 31 other bids.  Mr. Bilotta plans to display the organ at a private vintage toy and arcade museum opening this fall in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.  The robot band was created in 1963, right in the heart of the classic sci-fi era.  It fits right in with the museum's theme of robots and space toys.  The organ may become part of Mr. Krijnen's museum or the centerpiece of unaffiliated business near the museum.  As of now it is in Oosterhot, the Netherlands.  Mr. Bilotta said he is excited to bring this wonderful fusion of art, music, engineering and classic robot styling to the United States.  I would love to see it, but imagine all I will get to see is a photograph of it after it has arrived in the United States.  Oh to be rich and able to afford something like the robot organ.  I can visualize myself sitting in front of it, listening to the unusual music it must make and being able to tap my foot to the robot's beat.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "It's Going To Be A Tough Evening" Story

It was an ordinary day.   Friday, October 28, 2011 and the Phils are playing the Astros at 8:03 PM this evening.  Actually...there is nothing ordinary about a day like today!  I have been a fan of the Philadelphia Phillies for...well, for a long, long time.  I have never been a fan of the Astros...so it might be tough to cheer them on tonight.  And, why would I do that you might wonder?  Well...on the cover of this morning's LNP newspaper is a guy wearing a Houston Astros' jersey, holding up his hand and pointing as he rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the New York Yankees during Game 3 of the American League Championship baseball series.  So...what's going on you may wonder.  Well, it all goes back to the early mid-1960s when I went to Millersville State Teacher's College to earn a degree in education so I could be a teacher.  Back then I was a Phillies fan just as I am today, but I didn't have any reason to cheer for the opposition as I do today.  You see...the fellow on the front of the paper today, holding his hand in the air and wearing a Houston uniform, used to be a student at Millersville, just as I was years ago.  His name is Chas McCormick and seven years ago, while a student at Millersville University, he could only dream of playing for a team in the World Series.  While a student at Millersville he became the only Millersville player named All-PSAC East four times during his college baseball career.  After his final year he was drafted in the 21st round in 2017 and signed to play professional baseball.  The 6-foot, 208-pound outfielder slugged his way into a role with the Astros.  He hit 14 home runs in 407 plate appearances this past season and topped that off with two homers against the mighty New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series this month.  After graduating from high school Chas picked Div II Millersville over Division I colleges.  He excelled at the Div. II level and as you can see, has excelled in professional baseball.  He made his debut with the Astros on April 1, 2021.  They evidently knew what they had when they drafted him out of Millersville.  And now...all his former teammates as well as classmates at Millersville will be cheering for him in the World Series.  What should I do?  How can I cheer against a guy who played for my college Alma Mater?  But...how can I cheer against my favorite team whom I have cheered for since I was a little kid playing baseball in Little League?  Do I leave the TV off and read a book instead.  Yeah...right!  I will probably cheer for Chas when he comes to the plate, while cheering for the Phillies the rest of the time.  Perhaps the Phils can trade for him in the off season and I won't have to worry about it anymore.  Here's hoping the series will go 7 games so I can enjoy watching baseball as long as I possibly can.  And in the end, maybe the Philadelphia Astros will be the champs!   It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "How Can They Change Names Whenever They Feel Like It? Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading another Jack Brubaker story that was recently published in my daily newspaper.  Story was titled "Why did they take 'Hans Herr' out of the '1719 Museum'?  The story followed a question that a Mr. Burnell A. Hostetter sent to Jack Brubaker who is known as "The Scribbler".  Burnell wanted to know how the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society can just change its name to "Mennonite Life" and the "Hans Herr House" name to "1719 Museum."  Burnell goes on to write that he feels it is a terrible mistake to remove the Herr family name.  He says that he is a ninth generation descendant of Hans Herr and had been a docent at the Hans Herr House for over 12 years.  He therefore believes that the Herr name should not be erased.  And, I believe the same as Mr. Hostetter!  Well, Jack replies to Mr. Hostetter by telling him that name changes can be difficult.  The morning Lancaster newspaper used to be called "The Intelligencer Journal", but now is known as "LNP" for what I assume means Lancaster News Paper.  Same goes for the museum complex in Willow Street, Pennsylvania which has recently gone through two name changes.  For decades it was known as the "Hans Herr House", than it was changed to the "1719 Hans Herr Home and Museum."  But, wait!  It was than changed to "1719 Museum."  No explanation was ever given for making these changes.  Yeah, I suppose I could guess why the name was changed, but would it be the same reason they would give?  The Hans Herr House was actually built by Christian Herr and there was no definitive documentation on whether Christian Herr's father, Hans, ever lived there.  The name "1719 Museum" is said to simplify the existing name.  So, who wants it to be simplified?  So...Mennonite Life Executive Director (MLED...isn't this better?) Jean Kilheffer Hess told the Scribbler that the shorter name suits contemporary marketing practices.  Give me a break!  JKH said she got a lot of positive comments on the name change.  And that...my readers...was the end of the story in Mr. Brubaker's statement.  How can Jack fight comments like that?  I hope JKH reads my story and sees how dumb cutting part of the name or story really is. I'm all for changing the name of the historical place back to the "1719 Hans Herr House and Museum."  It's only half a line more of typing for goodness sake.  If only those who are buried on the site could rise back up and see what has happened to the name of the place where they lived and died...they would be horrified!  And, I for one would agree with them.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "I Think We Should All Swear Before We Eat" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Talking with friends about manners at the dinner table that we consider rude, but are actually polite in other countries.  Seems they had read about a few things that we would never do before, during or after having dinner with friends, but are actually polite if you happen to be having that dinner in another country.  While traveling, Carol and I have been invited by friends several times in the past to a meal with them, but never noticed anything unusual about the eating habits.  We questioned our friends about what habits they may be referring to and they mentioned a few to us.  One such manner is burping while eating.  Seems that in China and Taiwan, burping is the highest form of flattery while eating.  The host considers the noise a compliment.  Wow!  Perhaps I should try it sometime!  Another dinner manner that is considered OK in other countries is arriving to dinner late.  In India it is acceptable to show up for dinner 15 to 30 minutes late.  Tough to anticipate how long to heat the food if people arrive 30 minutes after you had expected them.  Another table manner that is acceptable in some countries is receiving a glass of wine and drinking the entire glass with one long gulp.  What do you do...give them another one, and maybe yet another one.  They just might miss the dinner if they continue to gulp a few glasses of wine before dinner.  When Carol and I go out to eat dinner with friends and the bill arrives with both meals on it, we expect to pay for our share of the bill.  In France, splitting the bill is considered "unsophisticated" and should never be done.  And...do you ever feed someone food with your hands?  In Ethiopia, feeding each other with your hands is a gesture of hospitality.  The tradition, called "gursha, is intended to build trust and social bonds between those sharing the food.  Carol and I often have our entire family over during the holidays for a big meal around our huge table.  After everyone has eaten and they prepare to head home, they all thank us for inviting them to dinner.  In India, thanking the host at the end of the meal is considered a form of payment and is frowned upon.  Instead, they may invite you to their home for dinner.  And...how about picking up something off the floor or ground, blow it off, and stick it in your mouth.  For me, I probably wouldn't do it, but in the Middle East, if you drop something on the ground you should pick it up, kiss it, and raise it to your forehead before putting it back on your plate.  This shows respect for your food and the work that went into making it.  And...how about not finishing everything on your plate.  Didn't your mother teach you to clean you plate when you were little.  "Don't waste any food," my mom told me time after time.  Well, in many Asian countries, wiping your plate lean means that your host didn't feed you enough.  You should always leave a small portion of food on your plate.  In Germany, cutting your potato with a knife implies that you don't think it's done all the way.  To avoid insulting your host, smash your potatoes with a fork instead.  Finally, have you ever heard of swearing at your food before you eat it.  Yeah, I know some people swear all the time no matter where they might be, but just swearing at the dinner table used to be done all the time in medieval France.  They would swear at their chicken before it was carved.  Why?  I couldn't find the answer to that one anywhere. Well, when it's time to eat, no matter where you might be or what might have been put in fromt of you, do your best to eat your food in the manner that everyone else does.  That way no one will think you are crazy.  For me.....it's the time after I eat that makes some of my family and friends think I'm crazy.  Why?  I just could never figure it out!  It certainly wasn't the swearing!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "The Best Ice Cream And Candy All At One Location!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Back in March of 2014 I wrote a story about the Miesse Candy Company in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  The story was about the history of the company in Lancaster, Pennsylvania that dated back to 1875 when Daniel W. Miesse opened a shop in the first block of North Queen St. where he sold hard candies, ice cream and baked goods.  After WWI, Daniel's son, Roy C. Miesse went to France to study how to make chocolate and there developed the candy recipes that are still in use today. Then Roy Sr. and Roy Jr. opened a chocolate factory after buying the Helm Candy plant which was located at 735 Lafayette St. in Lancaster.  In 1980 Roy Jr. sold the business to a Willow Grove couple, and it had several owners thereafter.  In 2006, a fire destroyed much of the Miesse Candy factory on Lafayette Street, causing production to cease for about a year.  Throughout much of this time, Tracy Artus worked part-time as a clerk for the company and eventually became the owner.  In 2013 she moved the company to a 5,000 square-foot-space at 118 N. Water Street with a retail area on the lower level and The Steeple Lofts Apartments above the candy business.  In 2019 Tracy  turned part of the retail space at the factory into an ice cream parlor by installing a historic soda fountain that had originally been at a pharmacy in York, Pa.  The following January she began featuring Pensupreme Ice Cream at the soda fountain.  Tracy recently announced the sale of Miesse Candy to Ingrid Natale who has helped to revive the historic ice cream brand that is now available at an ice cream parlor at Miesse Candies' downtown location.  Natale said that she is buying Miesse Candies because it embodies the spirit of Lancaster.  She is inspired by the rich history of the company and the dedication to producing the Candies in the traditional way with high-quality ingredients and the opportunity to continue the great legacy of a company that gives back to the community.  Miesse Candies will continue to produce the candies that we have all grown to love in our lifetime.  And...we will now be able to enjoy both Miesse Candy and Pensupreme Ice Cream at the same shop on Water Street.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "Rarified Caribbean Beaches Not To Be Missed" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading one of my magazines that tell me all that I have missed over the past couple of years since I have not been traveling to exotic locations in the Caribbean due to COVID.  The more I read.....the more I became depressed.  Page after page of photographs showed some of the most enticing beaches that I have visited in the past, but have not had the chance to visit in the past couple of years.  One story with photographs was titled "17 Great Caribbean Beaches You Can Only Reach By Boat."  These beaches were described with sentences such as: (1) They're those rarefied beaches that are a bit harder to reach, the ones you can't fly to, the ones you can't drive to or walk to. (2) They're the remote stretches of sand that keep our hearts beatig a bit faster on cold winter evenings. (3) They are some of the more remote beaches in the Caribbean, where the journey is tougher, but the reward that much sweeter, (4) They're beaches you can only reach by boat.  Well, I began to read about each one and found a few that I have been lucky enough to have visited in the past and can only wish that I may be able to visit sometime in the future.  Follow with me as I give you a description of what I was lucky enough to have had the chance to visit...with hopes of some day visiting once again.

Pinel Island, St. Martin:  You can reach the island with a quick ferry ride from the Cul de Sac neighborhood of the French side of St. Martin.  

This exotic beach its notable for two things: a spectacular sandy beach and two world-class beach bars: Karibuni Beah Bar and Yellow Beach Bar, both specializing in endless, unforgettable afternoons.

Marigot Bay Beach, Saint Lucia:  There are a number of ferry operators heading to this little slice of an island from all sides; a palm-filled speck of sand that's the crown jewel of Marigot Bay, long one of the most beautiful bays in all of the Caribbean.

Sandy Island, Anguilla:  When you have the kind of beaches you find in Anguilla, it takes a lot to get a traveler to venture off the mainland.  

But, Sandy Island is worth it; a fantasy of white sand, lobsters and rum punch.

Prickly Pearl, British Virgin Islands:  This tiny sliver of sand is smack dab in the middle of the North Sound of Virgin Gorda.  It's a legendary stop for boaters to the area, and home to a rebuilt version of the iconic SandBox bar.

Buck Island, US Virgin Islands:  It's one of the most stunning places in the American Caribbean.  It's usually less than an hour to sail from St. Croix to Buck, where you can explore the island's underwater trail or spend your day on this breathtaking white-sand coastline.

Tintamarre, St. Martin:  If you've already explored the wonders of Pinel Island and want something even more remote, head just beyond it to Tintamarre, a less-than-1-mile islet that's home to sparkling beaches and abundant wildlife.

 Well...I'm sorry that I have visited only six of the "17 Great Caribbean Beaches You Can Only Reach By Boat", and I'm not sure if I will ever reach the other 11 before my traveling days are over.  If only I had known how beautiful the Caribbean was when I was a much younger adult.....well, I would have spent more time traveling to the many other beaches that can only be reached by boat.  But, life doesn't always lead us in the direction that we hope.  I guess I should be thankful that I had the chance to visit the islands that I did in my lifetime, since many, many other people never had the chance to do what I have been lucky enough to have done in the past.  Perhaps I will find in my next lifetime about other islands that offer me the same rewards as I have experienced in my present lifetime.  And if I do get the chance to visit other exotic islands, I'll be sure to write about them so you can read about rarefied beaches not to be missed!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "A Retired Nurse Deplores Vaccine Disinformation" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Doing one of my favorite things...reading my morning newspaper!  Checked out the front page and sports section and then headed to the Editorial page.  Today's page offered the "Letter Writer Spotlight" which  features one of the newspaper's most prolific "Letter-to-the-editor" writers.  Today's letter writer was Gayle Ray who is a retired nurse who deplores vaccine disinformation according to the headline under her photograph.  The featured writer every week is given the same five questions to answer for the spotlight story.  The questions are: 1. What Lancaster County issue most concerns you?  2. What solutions to that issue would you suggest?  3. Why do you write letters to the editor, and what shapes your thinking?  4. What about you would surprise other people?  5. What do you think sets Lancaster County apart from other places? (1) Gayle said that the issue that most concerns her is the response to COVID-19.  She said that our elected officials and public health experts faced a deadly virus with little resources to combat it.  Most residents of Lancaster responded by getting their vaccinations while others attacked, maligned and threatened health care professionals.  Most everyone of us was vaccinated as children against polio and smallpox, yet some have chosen to believe that the COVID-19 vaccine is different and experimental.  Then state legislators railroaded a constitutional admendment limiting a Governor's emergency powers onto the ballot during an election cycle with anticipated low voter turnout.  (2) As a retired nurse she hoped that those who lost loved ones could be a voice of reason to combat the disinformation still filling the airwaves.  Physicians, nurses and other health providers are reliable sources of information.  Ask them questions and listen to their answers.  We've been given a lifeline, please use it.  (3) She writes letters to the editor because she is glad to be an American.  She thinks long and hard before responding to any topic.  She tries not to insult anyone and that's why she goes through a lot of rough drafts before hitting the send key.  History has been her passion for as long back as she can remember.  It teaches us that humanity is imperfectible.  We seem to make the same mistakes through generations.  Yet, we are capable of doing great things and making progress.  (4) Her family name was Bliss and she is descended from a long line of oxymorons, meaning that in the nicest possible way.  (5)  She and her husband moved to Pennsylvania 13 years ago and Lancaster County intrigues her.  The layers of history here are palpable and there is so much of it.  We love living in a town founded in 1756.  A young Amish man befriended them while he built a porch on their home and began calling them "Mom" and "Pop."  We've now settled into a retirement community of friendly folks.  Pennsylvania has been soul-soothing and we are grateful.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "So Where Does 'Ligalaw' Come From?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Trying to remember back to late July of this year when newspaper columnist Jack Brubaker, known to just about everyone in Lancaster, Pennsylvania as "The Scribbler," wrote about the origin of Ligalaw Road in East Earl Township.  Seems that all he could find at the time were a few newspaper references from the 1850s to a "Ligalaw farm" which was owned at the time by a Mr. William Witman.  His farm was on property near Churchtown, PA.  Ligalaw Road ran from East Earl into Caernarvon in that vicinity.  A few readers responded to the column with one, Mr. William H. Shirk, saying that the road, now known as Ligalaw Road was altered in the late 18th century.  Another reader, Mr. Robert E. Simpson, writing in his "Caernarvon Rambler" column in the June of 1934 New Holland Clarion, stated that "liga is Latin for 'law' and that the road was laid out twice and became known as Liga Law Lane.  Mr. Simpson was also the co-author of "Annals of the Conestoga Valley" and was an authority on Caernarvon history, thus his work should not be taken lightly.  Mr. Shirk remarked that he doesn't believe "liga" actually is Latin for "law."  He believes that  Robert was guessing, but that he also has no other explanation.  Another fellow, Mr. Eugene Kieffer who lives in Gordonville, says that his grandfather lived along Briertown Road all of his life and that the road connects with Ligalaw road in East Earl Township.  Lost yet?  Eugene said that he asked his grandfather where the name Ligalaw came from and his grandfather told him that a resident whom lived on the road was being arrested and he beat up the officer.  He then told a few people that he (licked) the law.  Now, this story, thought it might be colorful, may just be all horsepoop.  Another character in this story, Mrs. Ginger Shelley of Lancaster Township, a friend of my wife and myself who was, along with her husband Leo, members St. James Episcopal Church in downtown Lancaster, sent a clipping of an advertisement that appeared in the Belfast News in 1873 to Jack Brubaker.  The ad referred to Ligalaw, Bray, Dublin, Ireland.  She said that she assumes that Ligalaw is a farm or section of Bray.  Perhaps this is the ancestral home of Witman or some other East Earl resident who lived in that area.  Perhaps, but that doesn't help the progression along the path to the absolute origin of "Ligalaw Road" any more than those newspaper references to William Witman's farm.  So, have we reached a dead end?  I'm not sure which way to turn.  But...I had fun along the way!  Hope I didn't waste your time reading all this nonsense!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Comparing Lancaster County, PA's And Holmes County, OH's Amish Population" Story

It was an ordinary day. Reading about "Plain people" (primarily Amish) who are Christian groups characterized by separation from the world and by simple living, including plain dressing in modest clothing which includes a headcovering for women.  Many Plain people have an Anabaptist background.  These denominations are largely of German, Swiss and Dutch ancestry, though people of diverse backgrounds have been incorporated into them.  Conservative Friends are traditional Quakers who are also considered plain people; they come from a variety of different ethnic backgrounds.  Well...Lancaster newspaper's well-known columnist Jack Brubaker, aka "The Scribbler", reported in the Lancaster Sunday News that Holmes County, Ohio claimed that they are home to the world's largest Amish and Mennonite population.  NO WAY!  That just can't be true, said Jack.  And, why does he say that?  Well, Mr. Edsel Burdge Jr., an Elizabethtown College statistician for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies provided population estimates on the Young Center's "Amish Studies Website" that state that the Amish population in Lancaster County (which includes parts of Chester and York counties) numbers just over 43,000 residents.  Well, Holmes County and three contiguous counties claim to have 38,635 Old Order Amish.  But, do Mennonites in Holmes County enlarge the total Plain population beyond Lancaster's population?  Nah...not a chance!  Holmes County has about 4,000 car-driving Plain people, mostly Mennonites, living in greater Holmes  County.  About 19,000 Old Order and other Plain people live in Lancaster County!  So, no matter which way you look at it, Lancaster County, not Holmes County, has the largest Plain population in the world!  And...Thank You Jack for supplying me with all those numbers.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The, "Honoring Helen Keller" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading some of the quotes that I have found that are attributed to Helen Keller.  She was an amazing woman who became deaf and blind at the age of two and faced unimaginable challenges.  She became a trailblazing advocate for disability rights; and the first person who was deaf and blind to earn a college degree in the United States.  She graduated in 1904 during an era when woman were outnumbered by men in higher education when the disability rights movement was just beginning to pick up steam.  Helen was a master of multiple forms of communication and achieved a life of activism on behalf of people with disabilities, women, Black people and other socially sidelined groups.  

Hellen Keller

Helen lectured throughout the United States and abroad which brought international celebrity to her.  She lectured throughout the United States and abroad and authored 14 books, including a famous memoir titled "The Story Of My Life", that was published in 1905.  Her book was translated into 50 languages and remains in print today.  She embraced the limelight in order to campaign for fair treatment and equal rights  for everyone, regardless of gender, race, or disability.  She believed true happiness came from helping and working in partnership with others.  She wrote that "When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us."  Helen was a proponent of hope and courage in the face of adversity, and her words continue to inspire.  Check out the following well-known and poignant statements attributed to her....

A happy life consists not in the absence, but in the mastery of hardships.

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement; nothing can be done without hope.

I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light.

One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar.

Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness.  It is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.

Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.

Security is mostly a superstition.  It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it.  Avoiding danger is on safer in the long run than outright exposure.  Life is either a daring adventure. or nothing.

No. pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted island, or opened a new heaven to the human spirit.

Despite facing many challenges, Helen lived a life full of meaning and happiness before her death in 1968 at age 87.  Keller's words endure today as a beacon of hope and possibility.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "Shopping At Market With A Wooden Basket!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading the "Living" section of my local Sunday News when I came across a story titled "Memories fill market baskets for many shoppers."  Featured a story written by a local woman by the name of Pat Webber who told of her trips to Lancaster's Central Market as a child and always helping her mother carry a wooden market basket.  

Lancaster's Central Market on the left side 

At the time the baskets were made of willow wood and often had a rectangular bottom shape to allow you to sit your basket on the wooden shelf that was in front of the market stand.  At times the baskets were painted or lacquered.  My mother also had such a basket and I too remember well the trips to market and having to help her carry the wooden market basket.  In front of just about every market stand was a wooden shelf about knee high that was meant to hold your market basket while you were visiting the different market stands.  Some of the the shelves were painted, but if I remember correctly, most were just lacquered or left unfinished.  Quite a few of the stands' owners slanted the selves toward their stand to make sure it wouldn't fall off, but after a few years, the shelves were made flat to keep any liquids from running over the sides of the containers that had already been purchased at a previous stop.

You can see the wooden slats to hold your market basket

I can remember helping with my mother's basket until I was about maybe 8 or 9 years old, then she stopped using the basket since it tended to become very heavy when loaded full of market purchases.  Instead, we would share carrying the items that she would buy to take home.  On a recent trip to Lancaster's Central Market I took notice that there are still a few market stands that still have wooden shelves along the front of their stand which might stick out abut 6".  I then looked to see how many people still carry wooden market baskets.  I was pleasantly surprised to see maybe 10% of the shoppers had a wooden market basket with them which they sat on the wooden shelf of those stands that still had them.  A few also had large paper bags with handles on them that they used to carry their purchases and also sat on the wooden shelves.  As for me...I usually am able to carry the plastic bags they supply at each stand that have small holes in they for carrying the items.  I've been visiting Central Market in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania for slightly over 70 years now and never tire of making visits to this piece of history located in the center of the city of Lancaster.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Remembering One Of Lancaster's Greatest Baseball Players" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Opened the front door and grabbed my newspaper from the floor mat.  The front page headline read "REMEMBERING OUR STAR."  The sub-head read "Lancaster County native and baseball Hall of Fame dies at 69."  Oh, how I remember the baseball player who had recently died from cancer...Bruce Sutter.  Bruce was a six-time All-Star who led the National League in saves for five years and won the 1979 Cy Young Award.  He also posted 300 saves in a 12-year career with the Chicago Cubs, St Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves.  He was from baseball's time frame when relief pitchers, or closers as they were known, pitched more than three outs like they do in today's game.  I can still remember when the Cardinals traded for Sutter prior to the 1981 season and his arrival in St. Louis solidified the team's bullpen.  The following year he recorded 36 saves and closed out Game 7 of the World Series to win it for the Cardinals.  

The final pitch was a fastball that blew by Milwaukee Brewers slugger Gorman Thomas and Bruce thrust his right arm triumphantly in the air before his teammates mobbed him near the mound.  Every kid who has ever picked up a baseball has had dreams of doing the exact same thing sometime in their life.  Bruce was able to live his dream!  Bruce was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvana, pitched and graduated from Donegal High School in 1968 and was drafted by the Washington Senators in the 21st round in 1970.  He was only 17 at the time and was too young to sign.  After a brief stint at Old Dominion, he returned home and began pitching for the semi-pro Hippey's Raiders in the Lebanon Valley League when a Cubs scout spotted him.  He pitched two games for the Cubs in the rookie Gulf Coast league in 1972 before hurting his right elbow while trying to learn how to throw a slider.  He never told them about his injury and scheduled his own surgery and used his bonus money to pay for the operation.  The operation took some of the zip off his fastball so the Cubs pitching instructor taught Bruce the split-finger fastball which eventually brought fame and fortune to Bruce.  Bruce could make the ball do amazing things.

His big hands and long fingers made him a perfect candidate for the split-finger.  The Cardinals traded for Sutter in 1980 and two years later he recorded 36 saves and closed out Game 7 of the World Series.  Images of his final pitch are an iconic part of Cardinals history.  Sutter fired a split finger past Milwaukee Brewers slugger Gorman Thomas and thrust his right arm triumphantly in the air before his teammates mobbed him near the mound.  Sutter's #42 shirt is retired by the Cardinals and his likeness is painted on Busch Stadium's left-field wall.  After four seasons with the Cardinals he signed with the Atlanta Braves.  He recorded his final save  in 1988 for Atlanta.  Bruce was on the Hall-of-Fame ballot for 18 years before he was selected by baseball writers to the Hall of Fame.  When he was enshrined at Cooperstown 16 years ago, green baseball caps were seen throughout the crowd.  These were the hats of the Donegal baseball players who had played high school baseball with Bruce.  Now, after five decades of being away from his home town, he is still considered a baseball legend.  Sutter was part of Donegal's first Hall of Fame in 2006 and the 1970 team was honored three years ago.  He also played quarterback for the football team and forward for the basketball team.  He led the 1969 basketball team to the District III title.  He had a competitive spirit and a signature pitch that steered him toward baseball immortality.  RIP Bruce!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The, "Well, The Move Has Ended" Story

It was another ordinary day.  Saturday...and the move has just about ended.  Carol and I have moved from our beautiful home of 29 years in Manheim Township to our new home, a villa at Woodcrest Villa which is a retirement community to the West of Manheim Township in Hempfield Township.  We have been thinking about moving for quite some time since I am struggling to keep the lawn moved, leaves raked, snow shoveled, painting done, etc, etc., etc.  I know....I can hire someone to do all that for me, which I had been doing for some time.  But, it was getting too costly to pay someone to do all that I couldn't do.  So my wife and I talked it over and decided to move with our two cats to a retirement home in Lancaster County.  We looked at close to half-a-dozrn before deciding upon Woodcrest Villa.  One factor was that we knew quite a few people who already live at Woodcrest and they have nothing but good comments about the place.  Plus, both of our sons live less than 10 minutes from Woodcrest just in case we might need them.  So, we went for a visit and decided it was the place for us.    We looked at a few of the models they had and decided upon a villa rather than an apartment so that we would have a garage.  Began packing close to six months ago and made the change on October 12.  Hired a moving company for all the big furniture pieces and moved the rest with the help of our children and spouses.  Also asked Carol's good friend Debbie to keep our two cats with her for a week or so while we organize our new home.  It's been a few days since we have moved and have begun to unpack everything we had packed a week or so ago.  We had to take our wall TV off the wall and bring it with us which has been placed back on the wall in our new home.  Our children helped unpack all the items they had helped pack and have begun to help with arranging the furniture in our new home.  So far we have hung about a dozen pieces of artwork with another couple dozen or so waiting to be hung.  Being that we only have two bedrooms, we have made one into not only a guest bedroom, but an office where I have my computer.  As of now, that is the room that holds the dozens of artwork pieces to be hung.  Our cats have now returned and enjoy sitting on the windowsills looking at the residents walking past our villa.  Well....time to get back to work finishing the decorating.  I'll post some photos when all is in place!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.   

The "Bring Back The Beautiful Monarch Butterfly" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading about the new classification that has been given to the Monarch Butterfly.  They have officially been classified as an endangered species.  Recently they have begun a migration of millions from as far north as Canada to wintering grounds in the mountains of Mexico, a journey of up to 3,000 miles for many of the beautiful butterflies.  They have suffered from habitat depletion in general and the loss of wild milkweed in particular.  Populations have shrunk between 22% and 72% over the last decade, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.  This year's migration comes after a summer when members of local Facebook groups reported they were seeing fewer monarchs.  

The beautiful Monarch Butterfly

The International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species numbers 147,517 species including 41,459 that are threatened with extinction.  The latest update adds the migratory monarch butterfly, a subspecies of the monarch, to that threatened list.  Pesticides and herbicides kill butterflies and milkweed, the host plant that the larvae of the monarch butterfly feed on.  Drought related to climate change limits the growth of milkweed and increases the frequency of catastrophic wildfires, and temperature extremes trigger earlier migrations before milkweed is available, while severe weather has killed millions of butterflies.  Possible remedies are planting native milkweed, reducing pesticide and protecting the overwintering sites.  In order to preserve the rich diversity of nature,  we need effective, fairly governed, protected and conserved areas alongside decisive action to tackle climate change and restore ecosystems.  In turn, conserving biodiversity supports community by providing essential services such as food, water and sustainable jobs.  For years I have loved taking photographs of the beautiful monarch butterfly.  It's beautiful orange and black colors with a touch of white on the wings makes the insect a wonder of nature.  But, without diligent conservation, it may one day be gone from this earth forever.  Perhaps not in my lifetime, but I hate to think that my grandchildren and their children will never get to see the beautiful Monarch.  Here's hoping that everyone can help preserve the feeding grounds of the Monarch and it will return to it's majestic glory.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.   

The "Baseball Memories Story"

It was an ordinary day.  Just picked up the "Parade Magazine" supplement that arrived with my Sunday News.  There on the cover was my all-time favorite baseball player...Willie Mays! I followed him from when he entered Major League baseball for the New York Giants to the San Francisco Giants  until he retired from the sport while playing for the New York Mets.   My childhood friend Bill, who lived a few doors away from me when we were in grade school, always loved the New York Yankees and Micky Mantle.  We spent many a day arguing about who was the better ball player.  Well, hardball and history go together like hot dogs and mustard, and my story today will lead you on a very condensed version of that history.  My story begins with a bit about Stan "The Man" Musial.  In the 1940s MVP Stan led the St Louis Cardinals to three World Series wins, even while taking a year off to serve in World War II.  Then in May of 1948, a pitcher named Hal Newhouser shuffled through five seasons in Detroit before breaking out with 29 wins in 1944.  He won 25 games the following year and two in that year's World Series while helping the Tigers beat the Cubs.  He entered the Hall of Fame in 1992.  On May 21, 1950 a photograph on the cover of "Parade" featured Ted Williams and Vern Stephens as potential Ruth killers, but it wasn't until 11 years later that Roger Maris eclipsed the Bambino's single-season record of 60 big flies.  At century's end Sammy Sosa and Mark McGuire beat them both with help from "Flintstone vitamins," according to Sosa.  Barry Bonds set the all-time record with 73 (and a steroid shadow) in 2001.  Another "Parade" cover in the Spring of 1975 featured Henry Louis Aaron, otherwise known as Hammerin' Hank who flagged down a Milwaukee Brewers photographer for a ride back to the Brewers' hotel.  Guy' name was Ron Modra who later captured a classic photo for Sports Illustrated of his hometown hero Aaron with Yankee great Mickey Mantle.  An August 27, 1972 featured a story on baseball players' wives.  One story featured Nancy and Tom Seaver with their daughter Sarah.  The Miracle Mets had recently won the World Series with Tom on the mound and evidently Sarah was the MVP.  Said Nancy: "Pitching coach Rube Walker told me that Sarah is Tom's good-luck charm, and he won't let me in the stadium unless I bring her."  A July 11, 1999 issue featured a cover that read "on D-Day, I was firing rockets" Yankees catcher and coach Yogi Berra  reported.  He said, "When you come to a fork in the road, take it."  Which is why Parade scribe James Brady was shocked to learn of Berra's heroic mission just off Omaha Beach, pounding Germans from a rocket boat.  That might make catching a perfect game in the World Series, which Yogi did in 1956, with Don Larsen on the mound, seem like a normal day at the beach.  Well...I have given you a brief story of the articles that were part of a story titled "Baseball Memories."   I didn't give you all the stories that were featured, but you can read them for yourself if you can find the Sunday, October 9, 2022 copy of Parade.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Trying To Boost My Brain Health" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Wearing my facial mask that I have worn for what seems like a lifetime in order to keep out the COVID virus.  But, this time I have a rather unusual reason for wearing the mask.  My wife has placed a piece of rosemary inside the mask to see if I can stand inhaling the odor of the rosemary branch.  As I have aged, I have noticed that I have more trouble remembering things that I had no trouble with 10 or maybe even 5 years ago.  Where did I put the evening paper?  Where did I put my cell phone?  Where is my spinal cord stimulator?  How about my car keys?  What do you do to help bring back you memory?  Is there a magic potion or pill that I can swallow that will help me remember better?  Wouldn't that be fantastic?  If I can come up with something I would be a millionaire in no time.  Well, the more I read, the more people are offering remedies for forgetfulness.  But, do they work?  I'm not so sure I believe half the stuff I read...or even any of the stuff I read about what to do to help me remember the things I used to be able to remember.  So, my dear wife has read that Rosemary is known to boost brain health.  If you are not familiar with the herb, Rosemary is a staple in many favorite fall recipes.  The evergreen shrub, which originated in the Mediterranean and sub-Himalayan regions, is used in cooking all over the world.  It can be used fresh or dried and often used as a tea.  In folk medicine, it was commonly used as an herbal remedy for ailments like headaches, depression and mental and physical fatigue.  Studies have found that rosemary and its compounds have a wide range of medicinal properties such as anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective.  And, trials on mice show that rosemary compounds can produce a significant antidepressant effect.  And for those looking for a memory boost, such as me, well...I'm hoping the rosemary that Carol placed in my Covid mask, so I can inhale it for a few hours, might help.  I guess only time will tell!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "A Verboten Gardening Tool" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Looking for a place to buy a few gardening tools online.  Came across a site that listed the 12 essential garden tools for the beginner.  Not sure I would be classified a beginner being that I am probably older than all of the dozen tools listed on the site.  Tools listed were gloves, pruning shears, loppers (long handled pruners), garden fork, hand trowel, spade, rake, hoe, garden hose with adjustable nozzle, watering wand, watering can and a wheelbarrow.  Sounded pretty simple to me.  I checked what I already had and made a list of the rest and began my online search for what I was missing. But, during my search I also came across an Associated Press story written by Barbara Ortutay titled "Facebook trouble for gardening group."  Began to read the story and found it rather humorous, yet it probably wasn't meant to be.  Story told of a western New York gardening group who tried to help the readers of their Facebook Page with any gardening problems they may have such as an infestation of woolly bugs, plants that don't like inclement weather and what to do about novices that insist on using dish detergent on their plants.  Oh yeah...there is one more problem!  Seems that when they try and help someone by telling them they should use a hoe in their garden, "Facebook" will flag that particular tool since that word violates community standards.  Perhaps by now you may have figured out what I am writing about.  

The hoe is a gardening tool.

As a gardening tool, a "hoe" is a sturdy, wide tool that is useful in preparing garden and flower beds and cutting down weeds.  I have included a photograph of one for you to view, if you haven't ever seen one before or might have forgotten what they look like.  Well, it seems that Facebook's automatic system has certain words that it flags as being offensive and will delete them.  Tough for a gardening site to try and explain about a tool if they can't even give it a name.  And, being that we have just been through quite a long period of time being in quarantine with many people taking up gardening, trying to explain what a "hoe" is used for while not being able to type the word "hoe" in the response is a definite problem for the gardening group.  Well, Facebook said that when a gardening group member responds to a question online about what is...and how do you use a hoe, well they claim using the word goes against their standards for harassment and bullying.  Well, it seems that the artificial intelligence programs of Facebook noticed it was against the rules programed into it and deleted the word "hoe".   The gardening group evidently asked Facebook why they did that and Facebook in turn read what was being questioned and notified the Facebook group that they have corrected the problem for their Facebook site.  They realized that on a gardening site that a hoe is a gardening tool.  I assume by now in my story that you realize that to many people a "hoe" is the same as a "whore" and thus would be flagged by Facebook.  And, if you still don't know what I am talking about...Google "whore' and if you still don't know what it means...well, forget it and read another one of my stories!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.     

The "Hey! The Phillies Are Still In It! Story!

 It was an ordinary day.  Waiting for game number 2 of the National League Wild Card Series to end.  Not used to staying up past 11:00 pm, but there was no way I could miss the end of this game.  One of the Phillies best pitchers this year, and one of my favorite pitchers on the Phillies, Aaron Nola, was mowing them down.  The Wild Card Series games were played in St. Louis to determine which team would progress in the multi-tiered playoffs.  The first level was the best of 3 games which would place the winner of that level into the next level which in turn would take them to the World Series.  Hey! You don't think they would just take the teams with the best records, one each from the National and American Leagues, and play the World Series, as they used to do for many years.  They have to have Wild Card Series which lead to the the next level which eventually leads to the World Series.  Perhaps I missed one of the levels, but you can see that it no longer is like it was when I was a young boy who followed the Phillies!  Back then if you were the best team in the National League and the best team in the American League after regulation league play, you would play in the World Series.  Now you have to win the Wild Card Series, which is the best of three games, to play in the National League Division Series which eventually will lead you into the World Series.  I'm glad that there are so many levels to reach the top this year or my Phillies would have been eliminated a week ago.  Well, my wife Carol and I watched the second game in the best of three Wild Card Series which had the Phils playing the St. Louis Cardinals who had a better record than the Phils.  Didn't matter since the Phils won game one and needed one more win to advance to the next level.  Well, game 2 began and before long Bryce Harper, the Phils DH (designated hitter...which means he only has to bat and not play defense, hit a 435-foot home run.  You know how far that is???  He most certainly was due for a hit such as that in my eyes, but that's another story for another day.  The HR was all the Phillies needed since one of their best pitchers, Aaron Nola, held the Cardinals in check for most of the game with his variety of pitches he offered them.  11:00 pm arrived and the game still hadn't been decided, so Carol and I decided to stay up a bit longer to see if the Phils would score a few more runs.  Eventually the Phils scored another run and by 11: 30 I was able to turn off the TV and close my eyes.  The Phils had won the game and advanced to the next level.  Can hardly wait until Tuesday when they will play the Atlanta Braves in Atlanta to decide whom will move on to the next level.  Eventually the World Series will begin on Friday, October 28....and end by Saturday, November 5.  Just hope it doesn't snow in Philadelphia by that time if they make the World Series.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "Does Anyone Remember When Howard Johnson's Was A Popular Lancaster Restaurant ? Story

It was an ordinary day.  Scouring a few of my favorite websites when I came across a story that was posted on "The Lancastrian" which is a site devoted to those that like to read and post stories devoted to the town of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  One of my favorite writers who posts quite often on the site is John Earl Hambright.  He recently posted a story he had written titled "Does Anyone Remember When Howard Johnson's Was A Popular Lancaster Restaurant?  I enjoyed his story so much that I asked him for permission to post it on my blog for you to read.  I have included his entire story for you to read.  I'm sure you will enjoy it just as I did.  Please read on.....

It opened in 1940, only five years after the chain began. But already Howard Johnson was – as their signs long boasted – sweeping the nation.

By legend clam shack owner Howard Johnson owed his success to one of America’s foremost playwrights. Eugene O’Neill’s experimental drama STRANGE INTERLUDE previewed in the seaside city of Quincy, Massachusetts, south of Boston. O’Neill’s play ran so long the producers cut the play in two and staged the first half in the afternoon and the second in the evening.

During the dinner hour intermission playgoers streamed out of the Quincy theater and across the street to young Howard Johnson’s humble eatery which featured, in addition to fried clams, a remarkable line of ice creams.

O’Neill’s drama might have been a lengthy trial with an indecisive verdict but there was no argument about Howard Johnson’s fried clams, hot dogs and ice cream. Word-of-mouth quickly made them a must-try for folks from throughout New England.

In 1935 Mr. Johnson opened a second restaurant on Cape Cod and a second American Revolution broke out. In just four years his chain had expanded to well over a hundred Howard Johnson’s located in every New England state but Vermont as well as seven other states.

Overnight the popular chain transformed dining-out in the USA. With their bright orange roofs and beacon-light cupolas instantly recognizable along the most-traveled stretches of the country’s busiest highways – including our own – Howard Johnson’s offered an unvarying menu of familiar fare – the same formula that would one day build McDonald’s and dozens of other roadside fast-food empires.

Howard Johnson would never have called his fare fast-food, but – in addition to his store’s signature Mt Vernon look – he pioneered another trade secret copied by all his successors. The basics are prepared in central kitchens and shipped out to store destinations – always in unmarked trucks. You don’t want the public to think their happy meals are cooked in any place but right where they’re dining.

Lancaster’s Howard Johnson (see photo below) on the Lincoln Highway East was owned by a franchisee named Lattomus. As car ownership quickly took off after World War Two, the Route 30 E. location drew increasing crowds of Lancastrians who cheerfully lined up for the chain’s popular fried clam strips, hot dogs in square-cut buns, brown bread and Boston baked beans.

More challenging for ice-cream loving Lancastrians was the chain’s celebrated line of 28 flavors.

Did any of you ever try all 28?

I’m betting more than one of you did – at least as long as they lasted. Did they survive the restaurant's name change to Dutch Grill?

In my experience, the peak for Lancaster’s Howard Johnson’s restaurant came on a night in April 1957 after I’d made the Pennsylvania finals in a schoolboy speech contest. Even though I had come in only second, The Lancaster Toastmasters Club invited me to recite my piece at their monthly meeting in the handsomely appointed banquet room; and the group’s president – my McCaskey band-mate Phil Gabriel’s Dad – gifted me with a ticket to accompany French-horn playing Phil to an upcoming concert at the high school by Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops.

That’s my last memory of the Howard Johnson restaurant on Route 30 East. Soon after apparently, it got swept up in the rising tide of cuteness and kitch engulfing so many fertile Lancaster County acres and emerged as "The Dutch." Gone were the clams -- and the 28 flavors of ice cream.

As for Howard Johnson -- after phenomenal success with stand-alone restaurants in the 1940s and 1950s – the company made the fateful decision to follow Holiday Inns into the booming motel business.

Lancaster’s franchise unveiled its makeover plans in 1963 and by 1966 a Howard Johnson’s Motor Inn was up and running in the heart of Tourist Alley East -- only to falter and fade nationally when the 1970s gas crisis put the pinch on car travel.

Remember a contest in the Jimmy Carter years to re-name the brand? HO-JO’s, they tried with only middling success.

But who were the Mad Men who thought up THE GROUND ROUND?

I mean, where’s the ice cream in that?

PHOTO: Orange roof gone and so is the sign promising 28 flavors now sweeping the nation, but the cupola still shouts HO-JO, to the Bel-Airs and Fairlanes at the end of the '50s. Happy days.

Hope you enjoyed John's story as much as I did.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Dedicaton Of 1896 Stained Glass Window" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading in the FAITH & VALUES section of my local newspaper about the installation of the 26th and final stained glass window in Bel Air, Maryland's Emmanuel Church.  

The church was built in 1896 and since there was no electricity at the time, the original windows of the church were made of yellow glass to bring in as much light as possible.  Once the church had electricity, churchgoers were invited to buy stained-glass windows to replace the original ones.  24 windows, all from the Associated Crafts & Willet Hauser Studio, originally based in Pennsylvania, were installed, beginning in the 1930s.  They all depicted Jesus and the things he did and the progression of His life.  The 24th and final window was finally finished and installed this past July and depicted the prophet Isaiah in the Temple of Jerusalem.  The gradual pace of the project was due to the fact that windows were installed at the rate at which people purchased them; whether they were dedicated to a loved one or to honor an event.  The average cost of a window is about $28,000.  The stained glass windows contribute to a "multisensory experience of worship."  The final window is dedicated to Dorothy and Robert Scharmann and their names appear on the base of the window.

Current rector, Rev. Canon Mark Gatza says it has been an incredible journey finishing the 24 windows.  Rev. Gatza said, "One of the gifts that we try to give back to Bel Air is a quiet, beautiful place in which to worship in the middle of town to sort of meditate, pray, and get away from the noise of the town.  Most of the windows were dedicated to a loved one or to honor an event.  The final window, as well as the previous three windows that were finished in 2019 will be consecrated in December by The Rev. Eugene Sutton, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland.  The final photograph shows one of the stained glass windows of the church.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The Rev. Eugene Sutton

 

The "Funny Quotes For Everyone" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Clicking on the many blue envelopes I have on my desktop, trying to remember what each box might have hidden in it, since I often find something while "surfing" and decide to save it for use in the future.  Well, while trying to decide what to write for today's entry to my blog, I began to check out all the blue boxes in case one might be interesting enough to post today.  I found one that probably could have been used for a few days in a row, but I decided to used the entire post today.  May take you a bit longer to get through, but I found most of the "Funny Quotes" funny enough that I should put them all in one post for you to read.  Hope you enjoy them!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Funny quotes for everybody!

1. “My advice to you is get married: If you find a good wife you’ll be happy; if not, you’ll become a philosopher.” —Socrates

2. “If you want to be sure that you never forget your wife’s birthday, just try forgetting it once.” —Aldo Cammarota

3. “Before you marry a person, you should first make them use a computer with slow Internet service to see who they really are.” —Will Ferrell

4. “Never criticize your spouse’s faults; if it weren’t for them, your mate might have found someone better than you.” —Jay Trachman

5. “Never go to bed mad. Stay up and fight.” —Phyllis Diller

6. “Instead of getting married again, I’m going to find a woman I don’t like and give her a house.” —Rod Stewart

7. “Behind every great man is a woman rolling her eyes.” —Jim Carrey

8. “Adults are always asking children what they want to be when they grow up because they’re looking for ideas.” —Paula Poundstone

9. “A perfect parent is a person with excellent child-rearing theories and no actual children.” —Dave Barry

10. “Just be good and kind to your children. Not only are they the future of the world, they’re the ones who can sign you into a home.” —Dennis Miller

11. “When I was a kid my parents moved a lot, but I always found them.” —Rodney Dangerfield

12. “If you are not yelling at your kids, you are not spending enough time with them.” —Reese Witherspoon

13. “When your mother asks, ‘Do you want a piece of advice?’ it is a mere formality. It doesn’t matter if you answer yes or no, you’re going to get it anyway.”—Erma Bombeck

14. “Kids are expensive.  I didn’t even realize how broke I was until last year someone stole my identity and it ruined her life.”—Kate Davis

15. “I want my children to have all the things I couldn’t afford. Then I want to move in with them.” —Phyllis Diller

16. “It seems I have spent a lifetime of mouthing mechanically, ‘Say thank you. Sit up straight. Use your napkin. Close your mouth when you chew. Don’t lean back in your chair.’ Just when I finally got my husband squared away, the kids came along.” —Erma Bombeck

17. “There is no such thing as fun for the whole family.” —Jerry Seinfeld

18. “There are two classes of travel—first class and with children.”—Robert Benchley

19. “Happiness is having a large, caring, close-knit family in another city.” —George Burns

20. “When your children are teenagers, it’s important to have a dog so that someone in the house is happy to see you.” —Nora Ephron

21. “A dog teaches a boy fidelity, perseverance, and to turn around three times before lying down.” —Robert Benchley

22. “If dogs could talk, it would take a lot of fun out of owning one.” —Andrew A. Rooney

23. “If you think dogs can’t count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then giving Fido only two of them.” —Phil Pastoret

24. “The cat could very well be man’s best friend but would never stoop to admitting it.” —Doug Larson

25. “Cats are smarter than dogs. You can’t get eight cats to pull a sled through snow.” —Jeff Valdez

26. “In order to maintain a well­-balanced perspective, the person who has a dog to worship him should also have a cat to ignore him.” —Peterborough Examiner, Canada

27. “Thousands of years ago, cats were worshipped as gods. Cats have never forgotten this.” —Anonymous

28. “Friends are God’s way of apologizing to us for our families.” —Anonymous

29. “The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four Americans is suffering from some form of mental illness. Think of your three best friends. If they’re okay, then it’s you.” —Rita Mae Brown

30. “The holy passion of friendship is so sweet and steady and loyal and enduring a nature that it will last through a whole lifetime, if not asked to lend money.” —Mark Twain

31. “Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.”—Oscar Wilde

32. “The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because they are generally the same people.” —G.K. Chesterton

33. “If you can’t beat them, arrange to have them beaten.” —George Carlin

34. “If you want to know what God thinks of money, look at the people he gave it to.” —Dorothy Parker

35. “Before borrowing money from a friend, decide which you need most.” —Addison H. Hallock

36. “Never keep up with the Joneses. Drag them down to your level. It’s cheaper.” —Quentin Crisp

37. “People say money is not the key to happiness, but I have always figured if you have enough money, you can have a key made.”—Joan Rivers

38. “Anybody who tells you money can’t buy happiness never had any.” —Samuel L. Jackson

39. “Misers are no fun to live with, but they make great ancestors.” —Tom Snyder

40. “Anyone can do any amount of work, provided it isn’t the work he is supposed to be doing at that moment.” —Robert Benchley

41. “I like work; it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours.” —Jerome K. Jerome

42. “Doing nothing is very hard to do. You never know when you’re finished.” —Leslie Nielsen

43. “Hard work never killed anybody, but why take a chance?” —Edgar Bergen

44. “Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.” —Mark Twain

45. “All I’ve ever wanted was an honest week’s pay for an honest day’s work.” —Steve Martin, in the film Sgt. Bilko.

46. “A college education is one of the few things a person is willing to pay for and not get.” —William Lowe Bryan

47. “In real life, I assure you, there is no such thing as algebra.” —Fran Lebowitz

48. “True terror is to wake up one morning and discover that your high school class is running the country.” —Kurt Vonnegut

49. “The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age.”—Lucille Ball

50. “You are only young once. After that you have to think up some other excuse.” —Billy Arthur

51. “By the time you’re 80 years old you’ve learned everything. You only have to remember it.” —George Burns

52. “You can’t believe everything you hear—but you can repeat it.” —Anonymous

53. “A gossip is a person who creates the smoke in which other people assume there’s fire.” —Dan Bennett

54. “The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.” —Oscar Wilde

55. “If you can’t be kind, at least be vague.” —Judith Martin

56. “It’s so much easier to suggest solutions when you don’t know too much about the problem.” —Malcolm Forbes

57. “Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain—and most do.” —Dale Carnegie

58. “People can’t drive you crazy if you don’t give them the keys.” —Mike Bechtle

59. “Sometimes you lie in bed at night and you don’t have a single thing to worry about. That always worries me!” —Charlie Brown 

60. “Keep your temper. Nobody else wants it.” —Dearborn Independent

61. “If God did not intend for us to eat animals, then why did he make them out of meat?” —John Cleese

62. “Never eat more than you can lift.” —Miss Piggy

63. “When the waitress asked if I wanted my pizza cut into four or eight slices, I said, ‘Four. I don’t think I can eat eight.'”—Yogi Berra

64. “Not all chemicals are bad. Without hydrogen and oxygen, for example, there would be no way to make water, a vital ingredient in beer.” —Dave Barry

65. “I always cook with wine. Sometimes I even add it to the food.” —W.C. Fields

66. “Always do sober what you said you’d do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut.” —Ernest Hemingway

67. “All the things I like to do are either immoral, illegal, or fattening.” —Alexander Woollcott

68. “Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing.” —Redd Fox

69. “Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.” —Mark Twain 

70. “It is useless to try to hold a person to anything he says while he’s madly in love, drunk, or running for office.” —B. Birdsong

71. “The only time some fellows are ever seen with their wives is after they’ve been indicted.” —Kin Hubbard

72. “If our Founding Fathers wanted us to care about the rest of the world, they wouldn’t have declared their independence from it.” —Stephen Colbert

73. “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There’s no use being a damn fool about it.” —W.C. Fields

74. “It is not enough to succeed. Others must fail.” —Gore Vidal

75. “Thankfully, perseverance is a great substitute for talent.” —Steve Martin

76. “Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.” —Anonymous

77. “Whoever said money can’t buy happiness simply didn’t know where to go shopping.” —Bo Derek

78. “One of the keys to happiness is a bad memory.” —Rita Mae Brown

79. “A bore is the kind of man who, when you ask him how he is, he tells you.” —Channing Pollock

80. “She never lets ideas interrupt the easy flow of her conversation.” —Jean Webster

81. “He can compress the most words into the smallest idea of any man I know.”  —Abraham Lincoln

82. “By the time someone says, ‘To make a long story short,’ it’s too late.” —Don Herold

83. “There but for the grace of God, goes God.” —Anonymous, commenting on the film director Orson Welles

84. “He is a self-made man and worships his creator.” —Henry Clapp

85. “The nice thing about egotists is that they don’t talk about other people.” —Lucille S. Harper

86. “People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” —Isaac Asimov

87. “An optimist is someone who falls off the Empire State Building, and after 50 floors says, ‘So far so good!'” —Anonymous

88. “The nice part about being a pessimist is that you are constantly being either proven right or pleasantly surprised.” —George Will

89. “The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds; and the pessimist fears this is true.” —James Branch Cabell

90. “I’m not offended by blonde jokes because I know I’m not dumb…and I also know that I’m not blonde.” —Dolly Parton

91. “We use 10% of our brains. Imagine how much we could accomplish if we used the other 60%.” —Ellen DeGeneres

92.  “My definition of an intellectual is someone who can listen to the William Tell Overture without thinking of the Lone Ranger.” —Billy Connolly

93. “When it doubt, look intelligent.” —Garrison Keillor

94. “Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe.” —Albert Einstein

95. “Think of how stupid the average person is and realize half of them are stupider than that.” —George Carlin

96. “User: the word computer professionals use when they mean ‘idiot.'” —Dave Barry

97. “If stupidity got us into this mess, then why can’t it get us out?” —Will Rogers

98. “According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that seem right? That means to the average person, if you have to go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.” —Jerry Seinfeld

99. “I don’t believe in reincarnation, and I didn’t believe in it when I was a hamster.” —Shane Richie

100. “Always go to other people’s funerals; otherwise they won’t come to yours.” —Yogi Berra