The "A Heartwarming Story For All To Enjoy" Story

It was an ordinary day.  A Sunday and I was in the midst of reading my local Sunday newspaper when I came upon a story that was on the front page of the "Living" section of the newspaper.  Story was titled "Faith, phone call unite coworkers after 42 years" which was submitted to the Sunday News by local resident Joyce W. Bohn to be used in the newspaper's "I Know A Story" column.  Joyce began her story with..."In 1973, my husband was transferred to Lancaster by Armstrong.  In 1974, I accepted a position at Provident Bookstore on King Street, where I became the buyer for cards and stationery in the Lancaster County stores.  I had a wonderful staff."  Seems that two years later she began to feel "burned out", because Christmas was becoming so commercialized.  She resigned and left behind many good friends, employees as well as customers.  This past December she was making a call to the Mennonite Central Committee with a question and when someone answered the phone she said to them..."This is Joyce Bohm with a question."  The person on the other end of the phone replied to her..."Before you go any farther, may I ask you a question?"  Joyce replied, "Sure", but thought the response to be a little strange.  Well, the question posed to Joyce was, "Are you the Joyce Bohm who worked for Provident Book Store in the 1970s?  Joyce wrote that she was delighted to learn who was asking her.  She said she still recognized the person's voice.  She wrote that after all this time in Lancaster County, their paths had never crossed, but. moved in opposite directions.  She said that she was 16 years older than the caller and has two children.  Joyce wrote that she is one of 10 children, a mother and now a grandmother.  She wrote that the caller and she did not attend the same church, social functions or sporting events, but their moral and spiritual values have always been in lockstep, even though both of them had experienced many challenges in those intervening years.  They decided while talking on the phone that they wanted to reconnect by going to lunch.  They recently met at a nearby restaurant and as Joyce wrote, "talked nonstop (even while eating) for over two hours.  They are making arrangements to meet on a regular basis.  They both agreed that the spiritual connection they had was very strong.  She said, "We thank God for the mercy and grace that have remained  with us and again reunited us."  They are hoping that a unique phone call made for one reason has reunited them with a purpose due to another reason.  Her final sentence in the newspaper read, "We thank God for the mercy and grace that have remained with us and again united us."  And, sharing her story with those in the community of Lancaster through our local newspaper is heartwarming.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.   

The "If Only I Could Have Heard Him One Time!!" Story

Jake Parks

It was an ordinary day.  Reading about a fellow by the name of Jake Parks who was born in 1847 and was known as a friendly man who always had a banjo and wheelbarrow in tow when making his rounds in the city of Lancaster. Pennsylvania.  A story in the 1915 Lancaster Intelligencer Journal gave a profile of Jake and noted that "There are few men in Lancaster in his walk of life who enjoys the respect of white people to a greater extent than this modest colored man.  He just loved music and it was obvious to see his love if you ever watched him play his banjo.  Jake had the respect of just about everyone who ever heard him perform.  He truly was a self-taught artist who loved his career's occupation.  When he died in 1924, the Lancaster Sunday News started a fundraiser for a proper burial in downtown Lancaster's Stevens Greenland Cemetery.  The goal was to raise $100 to help with his burial.  Mr. Parks' popularity in Lancaster city proved to be strong as shown by the $208 that was raised through donations.  Today that total would have been $3,639.  I would have loved to have had a chance to hear Mr. Parks sing and accompany himself on his banjo.  Must have been one fine exhibtion of mellow soul music.  Mr. Jake Parks was one of Lancaster's finest musicians from the early 1900s.  He, along with The Hamboners, The Crystalaires, and The Tranells formed some of the best black musicians that Lancaster ever had.  If only I could have heard Mr. Parks sing......I realize that I missed some of the best music in Lancaster's history.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Come & Get Them While They Last! You Won't Be Sorry!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading about an event in Lancaster's history that happened over the Easter holidays in 1919 when the Rebman Holiday business opened at West King and Water Streets in downtown Lancaster in what was eventually known as the Stevens House.  Mr. Earl Rebman began his business career by making Easter candy in the kitchen of his home and selling his Easter merchandise from a wheel barrow at the Penn Square curb market. Over time, one of Earl's most famous items he would sell was his peanut butter Easter eggs.  At one time the Rebman family sold their peanut butter eggs out of a trailer in East Hempfield Township, off Road Central on Columbia Ave.  The peanut butter eggs were, and still are, available in both white and dark chocolate flavors.  The Rebman family has been making these same peanut butter eggs for 114 years.  The special recipe has been a family secret for many years.   One of those family members was Bobby Rebman, whom I got to meet when we both entered Millersville State Teacher's College in the fall of 1962.  

The Rebman business was established as a candy business in 1909 when Earl F. Rebman Sr. operated as many as three stores around West King and Water Streets in Lancaster city.  The Rebman's also sold peanut butter eggs out of a trailer in East Hempfield Township, outside Off Road Central on Columbia Avenue.  That site was the former location of the Rebman's store which closed in 2005.  You can now buy Rebman's Easter eggs in a new location, at 441 East Main Street in Mountville near Two Cousins Pizza.  

They will be there every day from now until Easter according to their Facebook post.  Be sure to arrive early, as they often sell out.  They do not take any pre-orders.  Their fabulous peanut butter eggs are available in milk, white and dark chocolate flavors.  A half-dozen sell for $11 with a  dozen selling for $20.  

Bring cash since they will not take credit cards or debit cards.  I can guarantee that you will never taste anything like them.  These are the same eggs that they have been making for 114 years.  They won't last long.  If you care to visit their Facebook page, you can locate it at lanc.news/rebmansfacebook.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Try Not To Be Too Scared By This...BUT.... Story

It was an ordinary day.  Checking out a story on the "FOOD" page of my local Sunday News.  Story was titled "A DARK SIDE?"  It had a subhead that read just about as interesting... "Heavy metals found in 28 popular dark chocolate bars many turn to when looking for relatively healthy sweet treat." Story says that dark chocolate has a reputation as a relatively healthy treat, but research is now showing some popular bars might have potentially unsafe levels of heavy metals and has many questions as to how safe these treats really are.  Consumer Reports tested 28 popular dark chocolate bars from Seattle's Theo Chocolate to Trader Joe's; Hershey's to Ghirardelli; and even smaller brands such as Alter Ecco and Mast.  The study found cadmium and lead in every single bar!  You read that right!!!  It read...CADMIUM and LEAD!...In our candy bars!!!  Now that's scary.  Consumer Reports last month called on 28 chocolate makers to reduce levels of heavy metals in their candy bars by the middle of February.  So...have they done it yet?  Nearly 55,000 people signed the letter to the chocolate makers.  I, too, would have signed my name had I been asked.  Did you know that your dark chocolate had heavy metals in it?  Why must we have to worry about eating snacks?  Snacks which could kill us!  Seems that there are no Federal limits set on heavy metals in food except in California.  With no Federal limit set on heavy metals in foods, researchers used California's limitations on lead and cadmium to determine which chocolate posed the most risk.  California's daily maximum allowable dose levels set by Proposition 65, require businesses to provide warnings to Californians if a product leads to toxic chemical exposures that can cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.  The limits were put in place back in 1988 for lead and 1997 for cadmium.  There were 23 candy bars that were tested and if you ate more than 1 ounce it exceeded California's limits of 0.5 micrograms per day for lead which is about the size of a grain of sand.  Consumer Reports did the testing and reporting.  They used MADL (maximum allowable dose levels) to base their results.  Although Consumer Reports' levels showed high levels of lead, official food safety standards are based on different limits.  Many of the brands producing the chocolate bars tested in the study follow thresholds set by a 2018 California judgement which established safety standards based on different limits.  Bars that contain levels above those set in the judgement supersede the standards cited in the study; bars that contain levels above those levels require warning labels when sold in California.  It was reported that long-term exposure to even small amounts of heavy metal and cadmium can cause a variety of health problems, particularly in children and pregnant women.  Lead exposure can slow growth and development of children, particularly brain development, behavioral development and aggressive behavior.  Cadmium exposure can cause damage to the kidneys, lungs and bones.  Lead exposure becomes more dangerous as it accumulates in the body, and it can also cause hypertension and neurological effects.  An expert government committee agreed that the chocolate industry can manufacture chocolate products with lower levels of lead than they now do.  The experts didn't reach an agreement as to the amount of cadmium they could use.  Seems that cadmium occurs naturally in cacao before harvest while lead levels are influenced by where and how cocoa beans are handled by humans after harvest.  So, how exactly do heavy metals get into dark chocolate?  It was found that cacao plants take up cadmium from the soil before harvest, with the metal accumulating in cacao beans as trees grow.  Lead levels are influenced by where and how the cacao beans are handled by humans after harvest.  Post-harvest lead contamination mostly happens during the outdoor fermentation and drying of beans, during which soil and dust that contain lead come in contact with the cacao bean shell.  The beans are naturally coated with a sticky pulp known as "baba" or "Mucilage" which allows lead to cling to the beans while they are being fermented and dried in the open.  In some countries where cacao beans are grown, bans on leaded fuel, which can lead to roadside soil contamination, were introduced later than the bans in the U.S.  Less time between leaded fuel bans and current harvesting processes can contribute higher levels of roadside lead continuation in some places.  Bean cleaning and shell removal at chocolate manufacturing facilities also play a role in lead exposure.  Unlike lead, cadmium in cacao beans is introduced from soil through tree roots.  Soil additives such as limestone or zinc can reduce cadmium uptake without causing significant root damage, but cacao trees are grown in perennial orchards, where it is difficult to incorporate such additives.  Cacao plants take the cadmium up from the soil through roots and deposits it in the nibs (center) of cacao beans.  The amount of cadmium is highly variable and changes from farm to country.  The expert committee recommended changes to harvest and manufacturing processes to reduce lead contamination: minimizing soil contact with beans, drying beans on tables, using protective covers and clean tarps away from roads, improving existing mechanical cleaning and processing equipment, and evaluating the use of rapid lead test kits and rapid soil testing.  For cadmium, the committee recommended efforts to increase soil pH to reduce cadmium uptake, carefully breeding or genetically engineering plants to take up less cadmium, replacing older cacao trees with younger ones, and removing or treating soil known to be contaminated with cadmium.  How long will this take or go on into the future?  Who knows!  Perhaps you may want to give up dark chocolate consumption for...say a few years...or until they have dark chocolate safe to eat.  Soooooo....Happy Easter with less dark chocolate bunnies in the near future.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The: "Medical Care Is Remarkable In The USA!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just received my quarterly Medicare summary notice in the mail and was attempting to figure out what everything on the notice means.  Not that I will understand it all, but at least I usually give it a good try.  One of the neat features of the notice is that it allows me to see all the information in larger print or in Braille or allows me to hear it in audio.  It also tells me how to receive Medicare information in a variety of different languages if necessary.  The languages that are listed are (in alphabetical order): Armenian, French, German, Haitian Creole, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Tagalog and Vietnamese as well as English and Spanish.  There are 12 pages that tell me about the official summary of my Medicare Claims from the Center for Medicare & Medicare Services.   It really is amazing that all my information from the previous three months has been documented for me and is listed on one of the 12 pages of the report.  Things that are listed on the 12 pages tell about procedures that have been completed such as X-rays of particular parts of your body, special examinations that have been completed, biopsies that have been evaluated, destruction of precancerous growths on the body, immunizations that have been administered, injections of specific medicines, destructions of cancer skin growths on specific parts of the body and various other procedures that I have had done in the previous 3 months.  Amazing that every person who is part of the Medicare program in the United States receives a statement every three months to examine to make sure that everything is correct.  The report tells me if all my claims and costs for this past month have been approved and how much I must pay for specific procedures.  Every single medical location that I had visited during the month is listed and the procedures that took place at that location are listed.  I really don't make too many visits for medical procedures as some people may make and wonder how many pages they must get in the mail.  And...how many trees must have been cut down and made into paper in order to send out these notices every quarter year.  At times I am so thankful for the great medical programs that are part of our medical care in the United States.  We can really be thankful for the care that is given to keep us in good health.  I'm sure its not the same in all other parts of the world.  To me, health care in the United States is fantastic.  We have so much to be thankful for that people in other locations in the world do not have.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The Death Of A Good Friend & Fellow Teacher Story

It was an ordinary day.  Opened the newspaper and began leafing through the myriad of pages in today's edition of LNP (Lancaster Newspaper).  Naturally began with page A1 and progressed through the paper until I reached page A11 which is the Obituary page.  There on the far right-hand side of the paper was a familiar face.  

                                       

Not good news at all to see the face of a good friend anywhere in the obit pages.  On top of the color photo was the name Kenneth Neal Barshinger.  I first knew Ken as my gym teacher at Manheim Township High School back in 1960.  Not sure if that was his first year of teaching or not, but he sure looked young when I met him that first week of school in September of 1960.  He was a tough dude who drew your attention just by looking at you.  But, he also had a warm side to him if you needed to talk to someone about a problem you might have been having as a student at good old MTHS.  I eventually ended up teaching next to Ken when I returned to my alma mater in 1967 to teach Industrial Arts.  Ken's color photograph in the morning obit page of the newspaper was in color, but had a rather blurry look to it, so I dug up my old yearbook so you could see a better photograph of Ken.  Ken passed away peacefully at Cornwall Manor this past Monday, February 20, 2023.  He was born May 5, 1936 in Germantown, PA.  He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Nancy as well as his five children and six grandchildren.  Ken was a health and physical eduction teacher at Manheim Township High School for 38 years.  He started the "Blue Streaks" boy's swimming team which he coached for 25 years.  His swimmers appreciated his years of leadership and bestowed the honor of naming the MT Senior High School swimming pool the Ken Barshinger Natatorium upon his retirement.  According to the newspaper, Ken's other interests involved gardening, reading and volunteering at the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area.  As a student at Manheim Township, I was somewhat afraid of Mr. Barshinger who was a tough looking dude who you wanted to stay on the right side as a student.  He was big and strong, but had the most pleasant and soft voice if you needed Mr. Barshinger for help as a student.  After we both retired from teaching, the retired members of the faculty had breakfast together once a month.  Was always fun to see Ken during those breakfast meals and talk about the "good 'ole days" at MTHS.  I will attend Ken's funeral this coming Friday at the Lititz Moravian Church in Lititz, PA.  I can't imagine how many friends and relatives will be sitting in the pews of the church to honor him one last time.  He was one fine gentleman and teacher!  The next to last paragraph in the newspaper obituary gave you an idea as to how great a guy he really was...it read: In lieu of flowers, those desiring may send contributions in Ken's memory to the charity of their choice.  He was not only a first class teacher, but a first class friend and individual.  He will certainly be missed by everyone who ever knew him.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "Marriage Vows In Today's World vs. Yesteryear's World" Story

It was an ordinary day.  I was recently reading about woman's property rights that were severely limited until the late 19th century in most of America according to a story in "The Scribbler" column in Lancaster's Sunday Newspaper.  In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, single women could own land, but married woman could not.  When a woman married a man, her property became her husband's property under a legal principle called "coverture."  This included wages she might earn while married as well as any property she owned.  If her husband would die before she did, she would be entitled to a portion of his estate which was known as her "dower."  It would consist of one-third of her husband's estate.  If they happened to have children, one-half of the husband's estate would go to the children.  The remainder of the estate went to the husband's family.  There was only one way that this law could be changed.  The couple would have to draw up a contract before they got married which would outline a woman's right to property she had acquired before marriage.  These contracts are much like prenups that exist today.  One local marriage contract saw Susanna Frank, of 

Warwick Township, being engaged to George Houck, of Cocalico Township.  In an appearance before Justice of the peace Peter Martin in October of 1805, before the wedding, Susanna presented her list of requirements in the event of her husband dying.  After an appraisal of her deceased husband estate, she would receive up to 75 British pounds as well as a good and sufficient Dwelling House and stable with a garden and two acres of land.  She was also to receive annually multiple bushels of wheat, rye, Indian corn and potatoes; multiple pounds of pork, beef, flax and wool; and seven cords of firewood.  She also could take as many apples as she wanted from the orchard.  She could have a cow and one ton of hay and one ton of straw each year.  And, every year she would receive 7 pounds, 10 shillings.  Now, this prenuptial was rare with most widows receiving far less under a system that some people today would term quaint and others sexist.  Can you imagine what the prenuptial agreements might be today?  About the only ones who would benefit today would be the lawyers who would have to spend hours and hours writing up all the items that either the husband or wife wanted had they been the one to survive their wedding and the death of a spouse.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "America's Main Street! Get Your Kicks On Route 66!" Story

It was an ordinary day. Reading a story in my "Good * Old * Days" magazine titled "Remembering Route 66."  The story told of our nation traveling along America's Main Street; Route 66.  Ah, the family road trip!  Remember going on a vacation where you traveled across our mighty country?  My wife and I traveled from Pennsylvania to Florida and back again when we were first married.  Never did it with our three children.  Not sure we could handle all the commotion in the car with three children who are only about 4 years apart in age from each other.  Well, I recently read a neat story titled "Remembering Route 66: The nation traveled along America's Main Street."  Ah, the family road trip,  Can you think of anything more exciting than packing your family automobile and heading out to see the grand expanses of the United States?  For many families in the 1940s, 50s and 60s, the trip along Route 66 was one memorable vacation.  Route 66 spans from Chicago to Los Angeles and takes you through 8 states from the cornfields of Illinois to the rolling waves of the Pacific Ocean.  An exciting trip that takes you across the mighty Mississippi into Missouri, venturing into Indian Territory in Oklahoma, through old mining towns along the dusty Texas Panhandle, looking for large cacti while crossing the sunbaked earth of New Mexico, marveled to the grand expanse of the Grand Canyon then traveling miles and miles through the Mojave Desert until finally arriving amongst the glitz and glamour of Hollywood stars in California.  Along the way there are plenty of stops, such as an underground tour in Missouri's Meramec Caverns where Jesse James once had his hideout.  Perhaps you might like a stop at one of the many reptile ranches along Route 66.  Perhaps a stop at the TeePee Curios Trading Post in Tucumcari, New Mexico which would give you a chance to explore a dizzying assortment of turquoise beads, pop guns, souvenir plates, colorful salt-and-pepper shaker sets and postcards.  Oh yeah...you may want a few pieces of Bazooka bubble gum with the enclosed Bazooka Joe comics!  If you had taken your trip during the golden age of the automobile, you might be able to drive along Route 66 to see neon signs that alerted travelers of upcoming amenities, often with flashing arrows pointing the way.  Along the way you would be able to see recognizable signs such as the Texaco Star and the Sinclair dinosaur.  Sit in your car and wait for the attendant to fill up your tank and wipe the bugs off your windshield.  Most average families had the freedom to travel when a gallon of gas was only about 30 cents.  Along the way you could easily find camping grounds or family run motels along the side of the road.  Usually families could find a clean room for $2 to $3 a night.  Some motels even had individual garages for your car if you stop at their place.  In Arizona and California you could have the opportunity to "Sleep in a Wigwam" for the night.  Maybe even stay at the El Rancho Hotel in Gallup, New Mexico where Hollywood stars like Humphrey Bogart and Betty Grable spent the night while filming.  Could also stay at the Oatman Hotel in Oatman, Arizona where Clark Gable and Carole Lombard stayed after getting married in nearby Kingman.  If you get hungry you could stop at the Eat-Rite Diner in St. Louis or maybe head to the Luna Cafe in Mitchell, Illinois which was run by Al Capone.  You could scramble up on the Continental Divide sign in New Mexico where on one side the water flows to the Pacific Ocean while on the other, to the Atlantic.  Route 66 was planned to connect the urban parts of the Midwest and the West with the rural areas and small towns in between.  In the beginning, much of Route 66 consisted of dirt roads, and as it passed through the Western states, service stations or motels were few and far between.  America's love of driving grew the popularity of Route 66 and also ushered in its demise.  Eventually faster roads took the traveler away from all the neat sights.  In 1979, the official designation of Route 66 as a through highway was eliminated, and in 1985 the highway was officially decommissioned.  Today, more than 85% of the original road is non-drivable, although in some places you really have to seek it out.  Many of the businesses and roadside attractions that made Route 66 unique have succumbed to the ravages of time.  The National Park Service has established the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program to help keep the memory of this unique route and its slice of Americana alive.  Sad, isn't it?  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Picking My Favorite Article In My Reader's Digest" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just finished reading my March/April issue of Reader's Digest.  Seems like there has never been an issue that doesn't have at least one or perhaps two stories or articles that are both interesting and helpful.  The articles don't always have to be life-changing or earth shattering, just interesting with a few new lessons to be learned.  After reading every single story (isn't that why you buy them) in the magazine, I gave my winning story to one called "The Best and Worst Diets for Your Heart."  Story was written by Leslie Finlay and features, just as the title says...the best and worst diets for your heart.  See if the stories might have an impact on you if you are in need of a healthier lifestyle.  

Best: The Mediterranean Diet:  The Mediterranean diet encourages people to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes and healthy fats.  Dr. Lepor says incorporating more sources of monounsaturated fats (found in avocado, olive oil and seeds) and polyunsaturated fats (found in walnuts, flaxseeds and fish) is a good place to start.  "We recommend using oils that are not tropical oils, but using canola or high-quality olive oil instead." he says. Fish and seafood are regulars in the Mediterranean diet, while other protein sources, like eggs, poultry and dairy, are eaten in moderation.  Red meat is eaten sparingly.  

Worst: The Keto Diet:  Because consuming a higher amount of saturated fats increases your risk of developing cardiovascular disease, Dr. Lepor does not recommend the keto diet, which is a high-fat eating plan.  "People tend to say they can lose weight fast on the keto diet, and they eat foods that reduce their appetite, but they're really increasing their intake of saturated fats," he says.  Unfortunately, in the U.S. even people who aren't following the keto diet consume too many saturated fats and trans fats, as well as added sugars, sodium and overall calories--all potential risk factors for heart disease.  Dr. Lepor says eating a diet that focuses on sources of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats--as well as lean proteins like chicken seafood and plant-based options such as legumes--can benefit our hearts and our overall health our hearts and our overall health over time.

Perhaps this small bit of information might help you if you are in need of help.  There were a few other stories in my Reader's Digest that were also interesting, but not as informative as the above story that was published.  There was one other item that I took notice to with my latest issue of Reader's Digest.  It seemed to be a bit smaller in pages than I remember the magazine to be in the past.  Might have been me, but I'm anxious to get my next issue so I can compare them.  Perhaps there weren't as many interesting things to write about for the past issue!  I did read every story and most advertisements so I did get my money's worth as usual.  I will anxiously await my May/June copy so I can enjoy a few more interesting stories.  So...for now...It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "Even George Washington Loved The Caribbean" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Doing some internet surfing and came across a story about George Washington and his trip to the Caribbean.  I know that my wife, Carol, and I love traveling to the Caribbean, but who would have thought that George Washington would have enjoyed traveling to the Caribbean.  Seems that he and his bother Lawrence traveled to Barbados when his brother became ill and they thought that the tropical climate would do Lawrence some good.  And so the Washington brothers began a journey to the island of Barbados to help in Lawrence's recovery.  They enjoyed themselves by catching sharks, pilot fish and dolphin.  The brothers arrived in Barbados on November 4, 1751 and spent the next two months on the beautiful island recuperating by relaxing and fishing.  Just so happens that this trip was the only trip that George Washington would take outside of the United States in his lifetime.  He and his brother spent the entire time while on the island at Bush Hill, a yellow house with green shutters in the heart of Brigetown.

Bush Hill

Bush Hill is now a museum.  The house is part of the Garrison which is the wide-ranging district in Bridgetown that in now a UNESCO World Heritage site, comprising a former British military prison, the Main Guard, the Garrison Savannah and the Bush Hill House which is actually the oldest residence in the Garrison Historic Area.  Today the house is largely the same as it was when George and his brother stayed there in the 1850s except for a second story added in the 19th century.  Today there is a visitor's center that shows a Washington docu-drama for visitors.  The furnishings in the house today are mostly reproductions, bought from craftsmen in Barbados and in Colonial Williamsburg.

Dining area in the Bush Hill dining room

Tough to imagine a 19-year-old George in the rooms of the historic house.  I wonder if the place that our future America founding father called home during the time he spent in Barbados still looks as it did when George and his brother spent time in the home.  The trip to Barbados for George and his brother wasn't entirely all fun since a few weeks after they arrived, George was "strongly attacked" with smallpox, from which he would not recover for nearly a month.   But, his recovery and immunity it presented for him, was very important when the virus began to ravage soldiers across the Continental Army, but didn't affect George.  A brief diary of Washington's time spent on the island of Barbados tells about the island's hospitality and genteel behavior as well as his love affair with Barbados' fruit.  Now, I can attest to that since my wife and I, along with traveling friends Jere and Just Sue, loved the fruit of Barbados, as well as just about every island in the Caribbean that we had a chance to visit in the past 30 years.  George wrote in his diary that "there are many delicious fruits in this area, but none pleases my taste as does the pineapple."  Years later, when George was inaugurated as the first President of the United States, he was insistent on the inclusion of one item in the celebration: Barbados rum. I would have to agree with him after tasting the rum. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.   

The "Flight of a Lifetime" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Driving through the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, my hometown, with my wife, searching for the historical plaque that tells the story of Mr. John Wise who was a famous American Aeronautic Pioneer who was born on February 24, 1808 in what is now downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  

Mr. John Wise

He completed, from various towns, 462 balloon ascensions during his lifetime.  His parents were William and Mary Trey Weiss who anglicized his surname to Wise.  He was the fourth of eight children.  He worked as an apprentice cabinetmaker from the time he was 16 until the age of 21 when he became a piano maker.  After a few trips through downtown Lancaster, my wife and I found a plaque on the corner of East Marion and North Lime Streets that told of his life living at that location in downtown Lancaster.  He had been interested in ballooning since reading an article in the local newspaper when he was 14 years old.  In 1835, at the age of 27, he decided to construct his own balloon.  John made his first ascent in Philadelphia on May 2, 1835.  As the construction had been self-financed, the materials for his home-made balloon were not of the highest quality.  He used muslin sheet coated with a mixture of birdlime suspended in linseed oil to make the sheet impermeable.  Unlike most balloonists of the day, John was not ballooning as a commercial venture, but rather for his own interest and scientific curiosity.  The ascent was short and uneventful.  He took a second flight in neighboring Lebanon County on Independence Day, 1835.  He attempted to open the valve on the top of the balloon, but lost control, and it burst, compelling him to descend.  On October 1, 1835, he attempted an ascension from Lancaster, Pa., but was thrown from the car and became unconscious while the balloon ascended alone.  On May 7, 1836, he ascended again from Lancaster, but was thrown from the car and became unconscious while the balloon ascended alone.  On May 7, 1836, he ascended again from Lancaster, and landed in Harford County, Maryland, about 75 miles from his original location.  He made a voyage from Philadelphia on September 18, 1837, alighting in the Delaware River, where he was rescued.  On this trip he set loose two parachutes for the purpose of demonstrating the superiority of the inverted parachute.  In October of 1837 he ascended again from Philadelphia, and alighted in New Jersey, 40 miles from his starting point.  In his early flights in Pennsylvania, he conducted various experiments of atmospheric pressure, pneumatics an hydrostatics, and while his primary interest remained scientific, he joined the ranks of commercial balloonists performing at shows and county fairs.  Wise started the first airmail delivery in the United States on August 17, 1859 from Lafayette, Indiana.  In 1838 he developed a balloon that if ruptured or deflated when aloft wold collapse to form a parachute which would allow the occupants of the basket to descend without injury or loss of life.  Although the idea was not original, he was the first to build a working version and the first to demonstrate its use.  On a flight from Easton, PA on August 11, 1838 in bad weather, the design was put to an impromptu test when Wise's balloon was punctured at 13,000 feet.  In less that ten seconds all the gas had escaped.  The balloon descended rapidly with an oscillating motion, and, on reaching the earth, rebounded, throwing Wise 10 feet from the car.  Wise survived without injury.  He later advertised that on October 1, 1838, he would ascend and in the air would convert his balloon into a parachute, which feat he successfully accomplished.  Another of Wise's innovations was the rip panel for controlled deflation on landing.  Prior to Wise's use of the rip panel, balloons would drag along the ground when landing and had to be secured by anchors and lines.  

Mr. John Wise's Balloon

Balloonists wishing to deflate their balloons would climb out of their baskets onto the netting surrounding the balloon, and having scaled to the top of the balloon would open the valve to allow the gas to escape.  The weight of the balloonist would cause the balloon to collapse inwards and there had been a number of accidents where the balloonists had been killed after becoming entangled in the rigging.  Wise also recognized that the heat from the sun played a valuable role in warming the gas in the balloon, and built a black balloon to utilize the effects.  He was the first to observe the jet stream, noting there was a "great river of air which always blows from west to east.  On August 17, 1859, he made the first flight of Local airmail in the U. S. from Lafayette, Indiana, to Crawfordsville, Indiana, in a balloon named Jupiterk carrying 123 letters and 23 circulars of which one cover was discovered in 1957.  His trip of 25 miles ended when he was forced to land by lack of buoyancy.

During the Civil War John was recommended for building a balloon for the purposes of demonstrating aerial surveillance for map making.  On September 28, 1879 he disappeared with passenger George Burr on a trip in high-speed winds from East St. Louis, Illinois over Lake Michigan.  It is reported the balloon was seen over Carlinville, Illinois.  No trace of Wise or the balloon have ever been found.  The body of Mr. Burr was found in Lake Michigan, and left little doubt of the fate of John Wise.  In 44 years, Mr. Wise had made 463 ascents that took Mr. John Wise on one of the most interesting journeys in aeronautical history.  I actually felt that I was part of history while standing in front of the plaque that gave a bit of his story.  Would have loved to have been alive during that time in history to have been able to see Mr. Wise's balloon.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "The Good Old Days" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Looking through my latest edition of the magazine known as "Good Old Days" which is a bi-monthly magazine that declares on the cover to be "The Magazine That Remembers The Best."  Close to the end of the magazine was a three-page story titled "Remembering Route 66 - The nation traveled along America's Main Street."  Very interesting article that described a family road trip during the 1940s to the 1960s.  Spanning the country from Chicago to Los Angeles, Route 66 was a lively journey through eight states that took travelers from the cornfields of Illinois to the rolling wave of the Pacific Ocean.  Along the way were plenty of exciting stopping points.  You could take an underground tour in Missouri's Meramec Caverns where the outlaw Jesse James once had his hideout.  Or, perhaps you could stop at one of the many Regal Reptile Ranches that set up shop along Route 66.  This was the golden age of the automobile and businesses popped up along Route 66 to serve this new road-tripping generation.  Neon signs alerted travelers to upcoming amenities, often with flashing arrows pointing the way.  Gas stations with recognizable logos such as the Texaco Star and the Sinclair dinosaur usually had two pumps under a canopy.  A station attendant ran out to fill your car's tank and wipe the bugs off the windshield.  After the attendant cleaned all the bugs off your windshield, you were ready to take off once again.  Along the road were plenty of motel rooms for the weary traveler.  After a restful night you were ready to hit the road once again.  Route 66 travels from Chicago to Los Angeles, crossing eight states and three time zones.  Kansas hosts the shortest section of Route. 66, with only 13 miles traversing the southeast corner.  Route 66 was established in 1926 with just 800 miles paved; it would take another 11 year before the entire route was paved from end to end.  In 1962, a board game came out based on the Route 66 TV show.  Players traveled across a map while stopping to pay for gas or food.  It wasn't until 1984 that the last portion of Route 66 was finally bypassed.  A year later the highway was officially decommissioned.  Today, more than 85% of the original road is drivable, although in some places you really have to seek it out.  With the attraction of the route rekindled, the National Park Service has established the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program to help keep the memory of this unique route and its slice of Americana alive.  In 1962 a board game came out based on the Route 66 TV show.   Players traveled across a map while stopping to pay for gas or food, or earned extra turns by helping fellow motorists.  The final portion of Route 66 was finished in 1984, but the following year the highway was decommissioned.  The song "Get Your Kicks on Route 66" by American songwriter Bobby Troup was composed in 1946 and told of travels on Route 66.  Bobby was from my hometown of Lancaster, Pennslyvania.  He went to school with my dad at J.P. McCaskey High School in Lancaster, PA.  Bobby and his wife Cynthia got the idea of traveling along Route 66 and after writing the song, named it "Get Your Kicks on Route 66."  I always enjoyed listening to the song that was written by my dad's high school friend.   Nat King Cole ended up recording it.  Lots of neat stories to tell about "the Good Old Days."  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Just When I Thought I Knew Everything About My Home Town!!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just recently finished reading a short story posted in The Journal of Lancaster County's Historical Society titled "If Logs Could Talk: Remembering Manor Street's Last Log House."  Manor Street, in southwest Lancaster, was home to close to fifteen one-story log houses in the late eighteenth century.  They covered much of the first two blocks of Manor Street.  One particular house, an old log house at 442 Manor Street, was the last surviving member of that first generation of homes along Manor Street.  It was demolished to make room for a parking lot.  Luckily...it was the only house on that strip of Manor Street that had a photograph taken of it.  The photo served as a good foundation for further research to tell the full story of the now-vanished house, thereby providing a glimpse of the earliest days of what were known as Cabbage Hill.  The ancient log house at 442 Manor St. was one of the first houses to be built on Manor Street which at one time was known as Blue Rock Road.  It stood on the southeast side of Manor Street for parts of three centuries.  Its log frame and raised limestone foundation had been hidden from view for many years by weatherboarding, siding and concrete.  Residents of the neighborhood had no idea that it was constructed from hand-hewn logs, or how old it really was.  The years had not been kind to the old house, thus its historical significance was nearly forgotten.  Then in the 1960s, the county government developed a list of eighteenth-century city buildings of historic and architectural interest with the idea of preserving the buildings.  The log house at 442 Manor was the only building in southwest Lancaster that was included on the list.  The report stated that the building should be protected from demolition.  But, three months later, in the name of progress, the old log house on Manor was demolished for off-street parking.  The Lancaster newspaper printed a story in the paper telling about another city landmark falling before wreckers.  It reported that the house was believed to be one of the oldest, in not the oldest, in this section of the city....probably about 200 years old.  The article discussed the origin of the house in the early days of Bethelstown, the first neighborhood on Cabbage Hill, dating back to the mid-1700.  The story provided some background on the Bethel family who had purchased the land in the 1730s and then laid out building lots in 1762.  And...just like that...the place was gone!  All that remained was the black and white photo!  The old log house had one story with an attic level above, as well as a cellar at street level in front.

 The house extended about 23 feet along the southeast side of Manor Street.  It consisted of four bays, with two windows to the left of the front door and one window to the right.  There was a single dormer cut into the salt roof, which was steeply pitched and which projected over the front of the hose by about three feet.  A single small chimney was located on the left edge of the ridgeline on the roof.  The first level of the house was elevated six feet about the street on a rough limestone foundation that had been reinforced with concrete.  Inside the house were three rooms on the first level and two on the half-story attic level, providing effective total living space of slightly less that 1,000 square feet.  And...just like that...it was demolished!!  During demolition it was discovered that beneath the weatherboards and siding was a structure made of thick, squared-off, hand-hewn logs.  The logs were arranged in an alternating stacked fashion, and locked in place on the corners by morticed ends.  Wooden pegs held the door and window jambs in place.  It appeared from historical records, maps and photographs, that numerous modifications were made over the years.  The house probably would have been characteristic of the Swiss-style variant of colonial Pennsylvania German architecture.  It was thought that it was built about 200 years before.  Betheltown was laid out in 1762 so it could be assumed that this house was part of that town.  And...just like that...it was destroyed!   Lost to history due to someone's idea that it should be demolished!  I was born and raised it the historical town of Lancaster and never knew the story of 442 Manor Street until a few months ago.  How awful that someone decided to knock down this place because the place was too old and didn't fit into the neighborhood.  I wish I might have had the chance to at least take photos of the place before it was demolished.  Never will happen!  What else can I write?  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "The Healing Power of Water" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading an article about the healing power of water.  Neuroscientists say that spending time near oceans, lakes, rivers and other blue space can provide a range of benefits including reducing anxiety, easing mental fatigue and rejuvenating us.  By participating in water activities such as swimming or surfing can help us enter a "flow state,"  where we become fully immersed in what we're doing.  This tends to calm the mind, which is often absorbed by worry.  Bodies of water can also produce a glorious sense of awe...the emotional response to something vast that expands and changes how we see the world.  Water naturally relaxes us by taking away all the noise.  All we have to do is show up.  Water has special properties that may boost nature's positive impact, environmental psychologists say.  When you are near water, there is often less visual and auditory information to  process.  Your mind can rest. The sound of water, soothes us.  Its smell can provoke positive memories, producing a play of light, color and sound that is mesmerizing.  It holds our attention, but not in an overly demanding way.  It gives our brains a break from the intense, focused, cognitively depleting attention that much of daily life requires.   When we're floating in water, our bodies can rest in a way we never can on land.  Water is dynamic.  It gives our brains a break from the intense, focused, cognitively depleting attention that much of daily life requires.  Water helps your mind wander in a positive way.   So how can you harness the healing power of water?  Remember that all water counts.  Could be a creek nearby or a pool in the back yard or even a bathtub.  Even paintings or photographs of water can help.  Even spending time near water can help.  Perhaps a recording of water splashing against the shoreline.  Remember... it's not our bodies that need the element of life...it's our brain.  Make a recording of your favorite water.  It may trigger happy moments in your life.  You can spend time on the water anywhere, anytime in your mind.  Visualize the sun sparkling on water or the sound of waves smashing against the shore.  And, when the water you have imagined is really water, the positive effect will be even stronger.  It is not just our bodies that need the element of life, but our minds, too.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "A Lifetime Of Memories" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Looking over a variety of items that I have accumulated over the past fifty or so years.  Many of the items deal with vacations that my wife, Carol and I have taken in the last 20 or so years while other items are mementoes that my wife and I have accumulated during our life together.  As I sat, looking at the items, I realized that most are fairly recent, but then I realized that many items we had collected when we were young have been discarded since they have aged to the point of no longer being usable.  Check out some of my choices and see if you too might like what we have collected.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Small storage cabinet that we bought in Ocean City, New Jersey

Birdhouse which is too nice for birds.

Glass dish that features beach scenes.

Two wooden pieces showing the homes that we had lived in at one time.

Three small bottles holding sand from beaches that we
have visited in the Caribbean over our married lifetime.

A print made from a linoleum block that I carved and printed.

Small tree made from seashells that
came from the Jersey shore.

Plate that features a Caribbean cottage.  Purchased in the Caribbean.

Glass plate that was purchased at the Jersey Shore.

Small 3-D painting from the Caribbean.

Small hand-painted feathers from Costa Rico

Hand-made stained glass window I made using items from the Caribbean.  It hangs in one of our windows.

Wallace Nutting print we have had for many years.

This is about 30" wide and 5" high and 1 inch deep.  Beach scene from the Caribbean.

A stained glass window I made that is the size
of a dining room window in height, but only about 2 feet wide.

Chest-of-drawers that we had painted by a friend.

Small ceramic hand-painted piece.

The "The Guy Known As 'The Geator With The Heater'" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a few online stories about one of my favorite radio and televisio heroes of the 1950s into the 2000s.  Guy with the name of Jerry Blavat...aka "The Geator with the Heater."  If you were a teenager in the 1950s you just had to have heard of him.  Jerry was born in South Philadelphia to a Jewish father and Italian mother.  His father was a "bookie" while his mother worked at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard during WWII.  Jerry began his musical career in 1953 when he debuted on the original Bandstand on WFIL-TV with Bob Horn and Lee Stewart.  Three years later he managed a national tour for Danny and the Juniors while also working as Don Rickles valet in 1958-59.  He entered the radio waves on January 15, 1961 at WCAU in Camden, N.J.  As a DJ he refused to follow a playlist, playing music from the heart, not a chart.  From 1965-67 Jerry produced and hosted a weekly TV show in Philadelphia called The Discophonic Scene which was a dance show for "all my yon teens" along the line of American Bandstand which began in Philadelphia a decade earlier.  It was at this time that he became known as "The Geator with the Heater" and "the big boss with the hot sauce."  He guess-starred on TV shows such as The Mod Squad, The Monkees, The Tonight Show, and The Joey Bishop Show.  In 1972 Jerry purchased a nightclub in Margate, New Jersey which he named "Memories."  In 1981 he was having dinner at a South Philadelphia restaurant with crime boss Steve Bouras and Raymond Martorano when Bouras was shot dead  in a contract killing.  In the early 1990s, an investigation by the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation into organized crime's influence in the liquor business made public Blavat's association with the Bruno-Scarfo crime family.  Someone testified that Blavat had regularly paid a "street tax" to the crime family, had purchased a $40,000 yacht for crime boss Nicodemo Scarfo and was one of several individuals who purchased a condominium in Florida for Scarfo.  In exchange, the criminal organization secured employment for him throughout the state and also kept union organizers out of Blavat's nightclub.  In 1993 Blavat was inducted into the Philadelphia Music Alliance's Hall of Fame.  Five years later he was inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as part of a permanent exhibit in its Museum of Radio and Records.  In 2002, he was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia's "Hall of Fame".  On January 15, 2020 Blavat celebrated his 60th consecutive year on radio.    He continued to broacast on local radio seven days a week and perform at several record hops and events a week in the greater Philadelphia area.  He was a regular columnist for the Atlantic City Weekly for over 20 years and wrote his column, "Geator Gab," for the New Jersey Free Press.  He continued to be the DJ during the summer at his night club in Margate, New Jersey called "Memories."  In July of 2011, Blavat's autobiography, "You Only Rock Once: My Life In Music", was published by Running Press.  After its third printing it was released in paperback and as an audiobook in 2014.  Four years later Jerry was voted "Best Philly Icon" in a reader's poll conducted by Philadelphia Magazine.  Jerry had four daughters, Kathi Furia, Geraldine Blast, Stacy Braglia and Deserie Downey.  He also had five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.  He was separated from his wife Patricia since 1976 and was in a long-term relationship with Rosalie (Keely) Stahl since 1989.  Jerry died in hospice at Methodist Hospital following complications from myasthenia graves on January 20, 2023 at the age of 82.   His close friend Keely confirmed his death.  I can still picture Jerry on Channel 6 out of Philadelphia, playing the oldies over and over again.  I would head home after high school on weekdays, turn on Channel 6 out of Philadelphia and watch Jerry Blavat.  But, my latest memories of Jerry were when my family would visit the Jersey Shore and Jerry would be on either the radio or TV out of Philadelphia.  If you ever heard him on TV or even the radio, you would never forget him!  One of the most influential personalities I can ever remember.  "The Geator with the Heater" will live on forever in Rock & Roll History.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

"The Geator with the Heater"

The "One More Sweet Talk About Mr. Milton Hershey" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sometime in May of 1898 that Milton Hershey, who at the time was a resident of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, married a young girl named Catherine Sweeney who grew up in Jamestown, New York.  And now, about 125 years after their marriage, Lancaster Historical Society in Lancaster, Pennsylvania will host an exhibit of photographs that highlight Milton Hershey's personal, professional and philanthropic connections to Lancaster city and county.  The exhibit, which will be on display in the Stoudt Gallery of  The Lancaster County Historical Society and will continue on display until the end of June of 2023.  Milton Hershey was born in Derry Township, Dauphin County, Pennsyvania on September 13, 1857.  He was the son of Henry and Veronica Hershey.  He left Dauphin County with his family at the age of eight and spent the next 6 years on a farm in Bart Township, Lancaster County.   He spent much of his childhood in Lancaster County where he achieved his first business success.  In 1871 he and his mother moved to Lancaster where Milton spent a four-year apprenticeship with confectioner Joseph Royer.  It was at Royer's Ice Cream Parlor and Garden that Milton not only learned how to make candy, but how to run a business and attract with customers.  He worked at Royer's, which was located at 50-52 West King Street in Lancaster, for four years, working with confectioner Joseph Royer.   At the completion of his apprenticeship with Mr. Royer, eighteen year old Milton Hershey established his first candy-making business in Philadelphia.  After failing at not only Philadelphia, but also a stint in New York City, Milton returned to Lancaster in 1886.  It was at this time that he opened his very successful Lancaster Caramel Company.  In 1894 he established the Hershey Chocolate Company as a subsidiary of the caramel company to produce baking chocolate, cocoa and sweet chocolate coatings for caramels.  In 1898 he married Catherine Sweeney and the couple took up residence in Lancaster at 222 S. Queen Street.  Two years later he sold the caramel business for $1 million to the American Caramel Company so he could concentrate on the manufacture of chocolate and cocoa.  Mr. Hershey erected what would become the largest chocolate factory in the world in the new town known as Hershey.  The connections that Hershey established while in Lancaster helped to mold the character and lay the foundation for his future successes.  If you are a candy lover, I'm pretty sure that you have had a Hershey bar sometime in your life.  And, Lancaster was one of the locations where Mr. Hershey lived as he made his way up the ladder to the top of the chocolate world.  Check out some of the other stories I have written about Mr. Hershey in the past by typing in "Hershey" in the box at the top left of this page.  It was another extraordinary in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "'The Lancaster That Was A Sunday News Column" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just opened the Sunday News to browse through all that has been going on in the past couple of days.  Read about all the automobile accidents and murders in my hometown and decided to open the "Living" section of the paper for a few more bits of local information.  Page E2 always has half a page of stories titled "Lancaster That Was."  The stories are excerpts and summaries of news stories from the Intelligencer Journal, Lancaster New Era and The Sunday News that focus on the events in the county's past that were newsworthy 25 years ago, 50 years ago, 75 years ago and 100 years ago.  So...on this Super Bowl Sunday...here are a few newsworthy stories from my past in the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  

25 years ago:  In a case of extremely bad timing, Lancaster County's only curling club closed up shop just months before the 1998 Winter Olympics catapulted the quirky sport into the public eye.  Curling,  sport of Scottish origin and Canadian popularity, has drawn increasing interest during recent Olympic Games.  Occasionally presented as an exhibition sport over the years, curling joined the ranks of Olympic medal competitions for the first time at Nagano, Japan, in 1998.  But just two months earlier, the Keystone Curling Club, which had met every Wednesday at Regency Sportsrink in Lancaster, ended its life after less than three years due to lack of interest.  Initially 334 people signed up for the club, but by 1997 that number had dropped to 16, with only about 10 showing up each Wednesday.  A failed partnership with Millersville University contributed to the trouble, as did the difficulty of curling at a facility that wasn't purpose-built for the sport.  

50 years ago:  A group of burglars were thinking ahead to summer during the winter of 1973, when they stole 27 new lawnmowers from a dealer in Columbia on February 11.  The thieves broke into R.P. Williams & Sons, located on Route 462 near the Columbia Drive-in, through a small side window, police said.  The 27 stolen mowers were all self-propelled Toro models, red with chrome handles and were valued at a total of $4,500.  In what was perhaps a minor concession to the season, the burglars also took a single snow blower.  None of the stolen mowers were riding mowers!

75 years ago:  The New Era of Feb. 12, 1948, featured a front-page story about the Clawges family, who had turned the second floor of a chicken barn into a home after being evicted from their home in Lancaster city.  Russell Clawges, along with his wife and five children, were living in what amounted to a one-room apartment in an empty chicken barn in Paradise.  The large room was heated by two small stoves, which the family needed to juggle around for warmth, as winter wind whistled through cracks in the walls and door.  There was a tap in the room for running water.  The Clawges family was evicted from their city home when the property was sold to a new landlord.  After a fruitless search for a new home, they rented their makeshift quarters from John Erb for $15 a month.  Erb was planning to convert the second floor of the barn into two proper apartments...one of which he would rent to the Clawges family...but that project wouldn't begin until spring.

100 years ago:  On Feb. 12, 1923, Canada's oldest citizen, Susan Augusta "Sarah" Maxwell, died at the age of 117.  She was a former slave who was born and raised in southern Lancaster County.  Born in 1805, Maxwell was one of the few surviving former slaves who escaped from the United States prior to the Emancipation Proclamation.  She and her husband were freed in 1853, traveling from Unicorn in East Drumore Township to Toronto via the network of abolitionist safe houses and secret routes known as the Underground Railroad.  They found life in Toronto unsuitable and soon moved to Richmond Hills, Ontario, where she lived the rest of her life.  She had several children, all of whom predeceased her.

Every Sunday newspaper has the "Lancaster That Was" column which gives the newspaper readers a chance to see what life was like in the city of Lancaster in the past.  Neat feature and one of the first pages that I read when I first open my Sunday News.  I would love to be the newspaper reporter who had the chance to look through the Sunday News editions from the past to pull out the stories that would be featured on the "Lancaster That Was" column.  Probably more than half the articles happened before the reporter had been born.  Great job!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "A Colorful Pet That Can Mimic Your Mom!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a story in my "Monthly Gazette" titled "Bird of the Month" which featured the parrot.  The parrot is a beautiful, intelligent bird that is known for it's colorful features.  There are over 350 different species of parrots that can be found primarily in tropical and subtropical climates.  Parrots have strong curved beaks, lovely plumage and impressive smarts.  Some parrots even have figured out how to get into garbage cans to get food while others can imitate human speech.  One famous parrot, aka "Puck", can say well over 1,700 words.  Parrots also have what are known as zygodactyl feet...instead of having three toes in front and one in the back like most other birds they have two toes in the front and two toes in the back.  This adaptation gives parrots an advantage when it comes to grip.  Many parrots mate for life, often with both the male and female caring for their offspring.  Parrots live long lives, some living into their 80s.  They are also omnivores that primarily eat seeds, nuts, fruit and insects.  Parrots are a broad order of more than 350 birds.  Macaws, Amazons, lorikeets, lovebirds, cockatoos and many others are all considered parrots.

 Many parrots are kept as pets, especially macaws, Amazon parrots, cockatiels, parakeets and cockatoos.  These birds have been poplar companions throughout history because they are intelligent, charismatic, colorful and musical.  Some birds can imitate many nonavian sounds, including human speech.  The male African gray parrot is the most accomplished user of human speech in the animal world; this rain forest-dweller is an uncanny mimic.  At present, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species bans the sale of any wild-caught species, yet the parrot's popularity continues to drive illegal trade.  Some parrot species are highly endangered.  In other cases, once tame birds have reproduced in the wild and established thriving feral populations in foreign ecosystems.  The monk (green) parakeet, for example, now lives in several U.S. states.  I can remember having a parakeet as a pet when I was a young boy.  Often let him out of his cage so he could fly around the house.  He always knew how to get back in his cage when it was time to eat.  Mom made me stop leaving his cage open when she found her African violets and several other flowers  missing many of their leaves.  I still remember that the parakeets that I had as pets very seldom made any sounds even though I had read that some parrots are accomplished users of human speech.  My wife and I never offered to allow our children to have parakeets as pets in our house.  Just didn't care to have the mess they can make.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.