The "Rock Stars To Grace The Boulders In Your Town!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Doing what I enjoy most after getting our of bed in the morning.  First thing I have to do is head to the front door and grab my morning LNP LancasterOnline newspaper.  My day wouldn't be the same without the morning newspaper.  Years ago, when I was still teaching school, I never had the chance to sit in my recliner and read the morning news, unless it might have been on a weekend or during the summer months.  I have grown to enjoy the morning news and my hometown newspaper gives me just the right amount of national and local news that I need to start my day.  On Sunday, the Sunday News has a variety of sections that can hold your interest for an hour or more.  A recent Sunday newspaper featured a story in the "Living" Section which was titled "ROCK STARS."  Had a photograph of Mount Rushmore with the faces of the presidents blotted out with a question mark where each face should have been.  The local newspaper staff asked its readers to create a Mount Rushmore of Lancastrians to fill the places occupied by our former Presidents.  They gave us ideas which featured names such as Hans Herr who was considered the first settler in Lancaster County.  There was also former President James Buchanan who lived a few miles east of where I now live at Woodcrest Villa.  Another name you may have heard of before would be Robert Fulton who invented the steamboat.  Then there are a few current names such as Brad Rutter who gained his fame on "Jeopardy."  Brad had his high school locker right outside my classroom door while a student at Manheim Township High School.  Then there was Roy and Gene Clair who started "Rock Lititz."  Roy was in my Wood Shop class at Millersville State Teacher's College and suggested which sound system I should put in my stereo that I built in class that year.  So...who would you place on Mt. Rushmore if you have the chance to do so.  I would place Thaddeus Stevens on one of the spots since my wife and I named our second son after Thaddeus.  I would also place a sculpture of Mr. Frank McConnell upon one of the mountains.  Frank was the choirmaster and organist at well-known St. James Episcopal Church in downtown Lancaster.  He was my hero and he would often ask me to change the hymn numbers on the hymn boards after choir practice on a Saturday morning.  That guy's hands could fly over the keyboard of the multi-tiered organ that filled the church with music every Sunday.  I'd also place the face of George Ehemann on one of the rocks.  George was my high school wood shop teacher and taught me more than most other teachers combined in the school.  I eventually took Industrial Arts in College and went back to teach under Mr. Ehemann.  And...I think two other names and faces that should grace the rock would be my mother Dorothea and my wife Carol.  How about you?  Could you come up with a few people who you would place on a rock in your town?  Neat idea, so it is!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Spring Is In The Air!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Searching for just the right flowers for the flowerbed of our new home.  Made a visit to Stauffer's of Kissel Hill, which is located near the town of Lititz, to see what flowers Carol might want for planting in our new garden at our villa.  We could have spent hours searching since they have close to a hundred varieties.  We decided on a few and took them home for planting.  When we got home we decided that we needed a few more, so we made a return trip to try and find a few more that would add more light and color to our garden.  Check out the photos of some of the plants that we purchased to see if you too enjoy them. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Canna Lily

Calibrachoa

Sunshine Crassula

Starcluster Pink Pentas

Nodulosa

Espostoa lanata

Echereria

Coreopsis

The "Oh, How I Long For The Good Ole Days" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sunday, and I had just opened the front door and gathered my Sunday News and bought it into the house to begin an hour or so of interesting reading.  My Sunday News has a variety of sections that run the gamut from Perspective to Food to Local to Sports to.....  One of my favorite sections is the "Living Section" that carries the "Lancaster That Was" and the "I Know A Story" articles.  Today's "I Know A Story" article, which I just know you will love, was titled "Memories of WGAL in the 1950s."  Began with..."Seeing a modern flatscreen television on display reminded me of our family's first TV set. Daddy bought a secondhand GE table model, with a 10 inch screen in 1951.  What a marvel of modern electronic technology.   The cathode ray picture tube produced a stark black and white image that would occasionally dissolve for no reason into a pattern of squiggly diagonal lines.  That required tweaking the hold controls to return the picture to normal.  It was like using an Etch-a-sketch, and your picture might look like a funhouse mirror until you got it just right.  The Indian-head test pattern, which was the first image broadcast every morning, helped you adjust your set correctly for the new day.  I don't recall how many vacuum tubes our little gem had, but it tuned them out quite often, and always during my favorite shows.  Thank heaven the set was a table model...light enough to carry to Kranch's TV Shop, so we didn't have to pay for a house call.  All electronics used vacuum tubes then; there were no transistors or pricey circuits.  Tubes had a short life span and they failed at the most infuriating times.  The TV station and network had backup systems to restore power usually in a few minutes, but if your set blew a tube you were out of luck.  WGAL would lose the feed from NBC occasionally, and they would fill in the dead air with a "musical interlude."  I will always remember John Raitt singing "On the Road to Mandalay" and the Firehouse Five Plus Two playing "Tiger Rag."  There was no way to record what was broadcast; you saw it live.  We had to constantly adjust the "rabbit ears" on top of the set to get WGAL and two of the Philly stations.  WGAL's antenna was only a mile away on South Queen Street, so that had a good strong signal, but channels 6 and 10 would vary in quality with the weather.  I remember Channel 4's local programs from the early days (WGAL was on VHF channel 4).  The early morning farm reports were read by Bob Malik.  Those livestock and commodities reports were as vital to the local farmer as the Dow Jones stock quotes were to the bankers.  "From the Kitchen Door" had Kay Kuskie giving recipes and homemaking advice to housewives. Lancaster's own quiz show, "Stump your Neighbor," had professor Richard Stonesifer from Franklin & Marshall College as quizmaster.  "Doorway to Life" was on Sunday evenings.  Local churches would give a religious program or service, the synagogues would celebrate their holy days and the bishop from Harrisburg once performed a Catholic High Mass.  And, of course, there was "Covered Wagon Theater."  Chuck Sink played an old codger named Uncle Josh, and he recycled old '30s and '40s Republic Westerns on Saturday mornings.  I watched a lot of TV as a kid, and I was fortunate to see many famous performers from vaudeville and the theatre at the end of their careers.  I saw Ed Wynn, Sophie Tucker, Jimmy Durante, Eddie Cantor and so many others that today's viewers couldn't appreciate.  Yes, we only got three channels, but those channels had good, wholesome entertainment.  Joe Friday and Martin Kane always caught the bad guys, Dr. Kildare operated without getting blood on his gown, Perry Mason won every case and Father always knew best.  There were no wild car crashes, gory corpses or screwing profanity.  When was the last time you heard a piece of classical music on network television?  I still miss "The Voice of Firestone."  In those early days, TV showed us life as we wanted it to be.  Only three channels on a 10-inch screen, and it wasn't even on 24 hours a day, but it made me laugh, it made me smarter and I didn't have to pay 60 bucks a month for it, either.  The author of the article you just read, Robert A. Martin, lives in nearby Willow Street.  The memories that are told in the article are from a time when WGAL-TV was part of Steinman Stations run by Lancaster newspapermen James Hale Steinman and John Frederick Steinman.  Oh, how I also miss those times when TV was in black and white and the good guy always won!  But, time moves on...which is not always in the best interest of all of us!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "Elizabethtown College Makes Donations to Ukraine" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Opened my morning LNP Lancaster Online newspaper and read the headline...TECH SUPPORT!  That was all that was necessary!  Story told about one of our finest colleges in the county, Elizabethtown College, donating computers to one of the world's most stricken nations, Ukraine!  Yeah, I know there will be those that will read this and complain that the computers weren't brand new, but hey, after pushing the keys on any computer for a few days will make that computer second-hand.  Well, Elizabethtown College sent a mixture of 93 used computers, screens and mice to Ukraine which has been devastated by a horrible war.  Can you imagine your city, town, state or country being pounded day after day by bombings?  Talk about being disrupted by war!  Well, a Mr. Andrew Kinsel, founder and owner of the Ukrainian nonprofit organization Ukraine Protection and Development has been facilitating the donation of Elizabethtown College computers to Ukrainian students who have had their technology devices stolen and damaged by Russian soldiers.  Mr. Kinsel realizes that the computers aren't the top of the line computers, but to students in the Ukraine, they are like "gold."  Many in the United States are spoiled with the technology that is available to them and find they need the latest computer on the market, be it a year old or just a few weeks old.  So, sending a computer that might not be a brand-new computer is still like "god" to Ukranians; especially after being reconditioned.  Ecologically, it's also good since it's taking fairly new computers and giving them to somebody that really needs them.  Close to 17 million people have been displaced with another 62,000 that have been killed in the war that Russia has waged against Ukraine in the last 16 plus months.  Many others have fled in the same amount of time, but needless to say they haven't taken their computer with them!  Students in Ukraine are now attending school amid air raids and artillery fire, which can make study almost impossible.  How would you like it if your school's walls were shot full of holes or the roof blown off?  Some schools have suffered rocket attacks and Ukrainian language books burned.  Mr. Kinsel started the Ukraine Protection and Development fund in May 2022.  Adopt a School, the program that Elizabethtown is participating in, will help the students in Ukraine.  One computer can help five to 10 students.  In some locations, no more than five students can gather in one area.  The organization also has donated more than 1,000 pieces of electic equipment to soldiers on the front line, raised over $500,000 to supply body armor to military units and has donated over 100 electric generators to villages damaged by the Russians.  One of the schools that has been donating items has been Elizabethtown College.  Kinsel contacted Mr. David Sloan who in turn contacted Elizabethtown College through former LNP LancasterOnline editor Ernie Schreiber and secured a rental truck to pick up the college's donations.  Mr. Sloan than boxed up the equipment and delivered it to Dnipro LLC, experts in shipping materials to Ukraine.  The Elizabethtown equipment will be shipped June 5 and should arrive sometime in mid-July.  Once the equipment arrives in Ukraine, Mr. Kinsel will work with a computer engineer to make sure the computers are in good working condition.  Kinsel then gives computers to those he deems are most in need of them.  In a war-torn country, delivery of computers is anything but safe!  Recently, a Russian drone dropped two grenades near a vehicle that was making a delivery.  Donations like those from Elizabethtown can be a life-saver to students in Ukraine.  E-Town should be proud of themselves and their entire student body for the donations that they have been making.  These donations can make all the difference to the students in Ukraine.  Good job...well done Etown!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "The Last High School Graduation For My Family" Story"

It was an ordinary day.  Sunny with a slight breeze.  The perfect day for a High School Commencement!  My wife, Carol, and I were heading to Hempfield High School in Lancaster, Pennsylvania to watch our youngest grandchild, Caden, graduate from high school.  Hard to believe that all our grandchildren will have graduated from high school!  Hempfield High School is one of the largest, if not the largest, high schools in Lancaster County and  therefore Commencement can be time consuming.  I must admit that graduation went very smooth and thus took less time than I had anticipated.  Carol and I, along with Caden's other Grandmother Etta and her daughter Joy all arrived about 30 minutes early so we could get good seats in the stands at the football stadium.  When we arrived we searched the stands and found our daughter-in-law Barbara who had saved seats for all of us about halfway up in the outdoor stadium.  Great seats on a beautiful Wednesday evening.  The class numbered 537 graduating students and since Caden's last name begins with a "W", we expected to see his arrival to collect his diploma close to the end of the procession.  Much to our amazement, he was one of the first 50 students, sitting in the second row of students.  Evidently, alphabetical order was not used in the seating!  Our program listed 44 seniors whom were given senior awards, but not all were called to the stage to receive their award.  After the welcoming, National Anthem, Pledge of Allegiance and opening remarks, there was a presentation of special awards.  Then came the "Charge To Seniors" and the presentation of the Class of 2023.  Even though there were over 500 class members who received their diplomas, the presentation took only about 45 minutes.  A "Choral Benediction" and "Hempfield Alma Mater" ended the Commencement ceremony.  Yes, there were a few people in the audience who had to yell, but considering how many people were in attendance, the crowd was great!  And, the weather cooperated until about 30 minutes after the ceremony ended and the heavens opened to water the grass.  What a great time Carol and I had while helping to celebrate our grandson's high school Commencement!  Couldn't have been more proud of him!  Carol and I have now ended high school commencement services for our grandchildren.  Our two granddaughters went through the same thing a few years ago and are now in college.  Perhaps we will be able to watch a few more college graduations in the near future. PS - Great job, Caden!!  We're proud of you and wish you the best in college!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

  

The "Tips For Staging Your Home To Improve Its Odds Of Selling" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Talking with friends and relatives about the best way we found to sell our house.  By now you more than likely know that my wife and I have moved to a retirement community,  so we could avoid all the upkeep and work needed to keep our previous home in top shape.  Age and physical problems had made it a bit rough to keep our home in top shape as we always tried to do.  The staff at Woodcrest Villa, where we now call home,  does a fantastic job of keeping the property and villas at Woodcrest in beautiful condition and we appreciate how nice they keep our new home.  I recently read an article that helped us sell our house on Harrington Drive and thought you might find it helpful if and when you ever decide to sell your home.  The article was titled "6 TIPS FOR STAGING YOUR HOME TO IMPROVE ITS ODDS OF SELLING."  Seems that home staging plays a big role in the selling process as we found out.  According to the National Association of Realtors, it makes a big difference in helping potential buyers to envision themselves in the new space.  So here are a few tips to help improve your chances of selling your home quickly, if you ever decide to sell your home.

HIRE A PRO - I know that's not what you might have wanted to hear, but it makes a big difference.  We hired a good friend of my oldest's son who is in real estate.  He knew all the best ways to prepare your house which makes the biggest difference when you are selling your home.  Home staging is a potential do-it-yourself-job, but a professional stager can bring an expert eye that really polishes and sharpens the image of your space.  A good staging job can increase the purchase price by as much as 20%, so think of it as an investment.  You may pay anywhere from $800 to $2,500 for a stager, but for a qualified home stager it is a great investment.

REMOVE YOURSELF - Your home is a reflection of yourself and everything that makes it a unique home for you makes it a bit harder for buyers to fall in love with.  So delete things like photographs, refrigerator magnets, customized furniture and anything else that adds your own stamp to the living space.

THINK MINIMAL - Beyond removing personal items, try to keep the home as decluttered as possible.  Make sure books, magazines, remote controls and other potential clutter items are neatly stowed away.  Consider rearranging rooms to maximize symmetry, which makes spaces look larger.  Spred out furniture and remove bulky items to open up space more effectively. 

CLEAN IT UP - This may seem obvious, but cleanliness is vital to a properly staged home.  Make sure your appliances shine, the floors gleam, and every corner is free of dirt.  Give the home a good dusting before every showing if possible.

GET PICKY - Don't overlook minor details.  Small things stand out when you're showing a home, and they stand out all the more if everything else looks perfect.  Touch up paint, make sure your drains are unclogged and check that all light bulbs are working and in good shape.

SEE THE LIGHT - Use light to improve the look of your home as well.  A brightly lit home is cheerier and more welcoming.  Open shades to allow in as much natural light as possible, and add some lamps here and there to brighten up areas where needed.

Theses are the best ideas that I have found when we sold our home.  By the way...we sold it in two days and I'm absolutely sure that the ideas you just read were the main reasons we sold our home.  That, and the fact that we had a great realtor...a friend of our son named Jim Dunn.  Good luck in selling!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "Rock Ford Do-Over" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Standing in front of historic Rock Ford which was the former home of Revolutionary War General Edward Hand.  As I stood in front of Rockford, I could see the biggest difference in the pathway from the fence to the regraded brick walkway at Rock Ford.  The collapsed stone wall near the property's barn was sizable, at 80 feet long, 4 feet high and 2 feet thick.  The brick walkway leading to the main entrance of the mansion had also buckled.  Both were on the Foundations's "to-do list" for years, but high-cost estimates from commercial contractors prevented any previous restoration work from being done.  So...up steps the instructors from Thaddeus Stevens Trade School who just so happened to be looking for a maintenance project to fill a gap in their freshman spring curricula.  The work took place during two weeks in late March and early April...and it looks great.  Mike Gardner, the craftsman who has been teaching first-year masonry at Stevens for 10 years, took over the job of having his class work on the stone walkway.  Seems that the college is only able to work with nonprofits to gain real-world experience for their students, and since Rock Ford was struggling to find affordable commercial contractors, the partnership was a perfect fit.  Mr. Samuel Slaymaker, executive director at Rock Ford, was equally pleased by the working relationship.  A grant from the High Foundation luckily covered all the expenses and supplies of the job.  Seems that moisture on the existing walkway had caused the walkway to warp and the entire area needed to be regraded.  Drainage needed to be added before the bricks could be relaid.  So, giving first-year students the opportunity to work together with real brick is a great way to prepare them for the final project of the two-year program of building a house.  The sophomore class builds a house every year and the school sells it.  So by working on the brickwork on the walkway, it gives the students some preparation for working with bricks.  Gardner saw an opportunity for multiple classes to gain practical work experience at Rock Ford.  Gardner had Mitch Kauffman's first-year civil engineering construction technology students tackle the 700-square-foot section of the brick walkway.  The students had to figure out the bricks used from that period of time.  Kauffman's 19 students are part of the first-ever class in a new civil engineering construction technology program.  The program was created because of an industry need, and students will be able to leave the program and immediately find work making a very livable wage.  Kauffman said it was hard work for his class.  Gardner agreed and said that in areas like Lancaster County there are lots of restoration construction work to be done.  Sometime in the future one of those students who worked on the walkway will be back and say, "Hey, you know, I worked at this place 20 years ago."  The job will give all the students a sense of pride about what they were able to accomplish.  And, I must admit, that while walking down the path as I was taking photos for this story, I agreed that they had done a great job on the new path.  Check out the photos I took and see if you don't agree that they did a great job at Rock Ford.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  PS - You can see where the old stone path ended and the new path began as it leads directly to the steps of the porch.  The new path looks great!  

New section of the walk.

Here you can see where the new part ended and the old part led to the parking lot.

Another view showing where the new part ended and the old part led to the parking lot.

Historic Rockford with the new brick pathway leading to the porch.

The "The Fish Of A Lifetime" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Looking at a photograph of one of the largest catfish I have ever seen that was on the front page of my LNP newspaper.  Headline that went with the photograph read, "Pa. man lands big fish, maybe record."   To make the front page of the newspaper you know it must be something special!  Well, the photograph features a fellow named Mike Wherley who is holding a flathead catfish that he caught on the Susquehanna River.  It weighed in at 66 pounds, 6.4 ounces.  If the weight and the catch are verified by the Fish and Boat Commission, the giant catch would top the existing record of 56 pounds, 3 ounces.  Hey...that's almost 10 pounds more than the current record!  Mike reports that he travels to the Safe Harbor area about once a week to fish for flatheads.  His best flathead that he caught prior to this big catch was a 44-pounder last year.  I have been fishing the Susquehanna for years with my children as well as with friends, and have never seen a fish half that size.  At first I thought I had misread the story, but after seeing the number in print a few more times, I knew it must be true.  His fish was weighed at the Columbia Bait and Tackle which has a scale that's been authorized by the Fish and Boat Commission to be used for certifying fish caught by anglers.  Mike kept the fish alive during the boat ride back to the ramp and parking lot by keeping it in the water, but attached to the boat by an anchor line run through the fish's gill plate. When he reached shore he put the fish into a live well for the trip to Columbia Bait and Tackle for weighing.  Waterways Conservation Officer Jeff Schmidt, who covers Lancaster County for the Fish and Boat Commission, was present for the weighing.  He also inspected the fish and took additional length and girth measurements.  After all measurements were taken and recorded Mike released the fish back into the river, alive, at Columbia River Park.  To make the catch a legal and certifying catch, the fish must be legally caught from the body of water claimed by the angler and that the species is correctly identified and that the weight was taken on a certified scale.  The first flathead documented being caught on the river was caught at Safe harbor Dam in 2002.  Therefore, the fish species is rather new to the Susquehanna River.  Mike said he told everyone in his family that he was going to catch a state record someday.  Pretty incredible catch.  Now...if this fish survives and is caught once again, maybe by the end of the summer, will it have grown so that it will once again break it's own record for a new fisherman?  Only time will tell.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Mike with his 66 lb, 6.4 ounce catfish

The "World's Oldest Dog Turns 31" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just picked up my morning paper at the front door.  I might have mentioned that my newspaper guy stands the paper against the front door so that when I open the door, it falls into the living room.  Well, I have become accustomed to the paper falling right into my hand and will have a hard time if I ever have to have another paper guy in the future. Took the paper and parked myself on my recliner and began searching the pages of my LNP to see what might have happened in the past day or two in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  Flipped open the front page and there on page two was the saddest looking dog starring right back at me.  Title of the story read..."World's oldest dog turns 31."  By-line read Conqueiros, Portugal.  Seems that the Guinness World Record for being the oldest dog goes to Bobi, a 31 year old purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo, a breed of Portuguese dog.  Bobi recently celebrated his 31st birthday.  He celebrated his birthday during a party this past Saturday at his home in the Portuguese village of Conqueiros where he has lived his entire life.  More than 100 people attended the "very traditional" Portuguese party according to his owner Leonel Costa.  Bobi eats only human food and celebrated with meats and fish.  Bobi seems to be a "one of a kind."  One of the biggest contributing factors for Bobi living so long is the "calm, peaceful environment in which he lives.  He has never been chained or placed on a leash.  He has never been lonely being he has grown up surrounded by many other animals.  He does find it difficult to walk so he just hangs around his backyard at his home.  He does bump into things, just as old-age humans do.  He usually lies down in bed after eating or heads to the fireplace for a nap by the fire.  His age has been verified by a pet database authorized by the Portuguese government.  Bobi's owner is 38, just 8 years older than Bobi.  Bobi is special because looking at him is like remembering the people who were part of his family and unfortunately are no longer alive anymore.  Bobi represents several generations of his past.  How much longer he may live is uncertain, but he certainly has lived a lengthy life until now.  My family has had quite a few dogs for pets, but none have ever lived to be half the length that Bobi has lived.  It will be interesting to see how old Bobi will live to be.  Could he perhaps outlive his latest owner?  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "TV Shows Filmed in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania" Story

 It was an ordinary day.  Came across an article that listed television shows that had been filmed in Lancaster County in the past.  Certainly wasn't a complete list, but it gave those whose read the article a better idea as to the types of stories that had been filmed in Lancaster in the past.  One television show was known as "Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations" and was broadcast in 2018 on the Travel Channel.  The show featured a film crew that went through Lancaster's Central Market to stands such as Hammond's Pretzel Bakery and Stoltzfus Meats.  The show was hosted by chef and TV personality Andrew Zimmerman.  Another show that was filmed in Lancaster was an episode of "House Hunters."  It was a 2022 episode that featured prospective homeowners who were searching for a new home in Lancaster County.  Locales featured areas in the Lititz area, West Lampeter Township, Manheim, Reinholds, Ephrata and a home in the city of Lancaster.  Another show was an episode of "Amish Mafia" that was marketed to show the inner workings of the Amish and Mennonite communities.  The show was scripted and largely fake.  The show was filmed in Lancaster County.  "Drag Me Down the Aisle" was a show filmed in 2019 and has been featured on "RuPaul's Drag Race."  The episode featured local businesses such as Anita's on Walnut, the Universal Athletic Club on the Oregon Pike and Fetching Flora and Floral Designs of Mount Joy.  "American Idol" winner Taylor Hicks visited Lancaster County during the Pennsylvania-based episode of "State Plate," a TV show that highlights staple dishes in each state.  Hicks visits Welsh Mountain Canning Co. in New Holland, Bird-In-Hand Bakery and Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery in Lititz in 2017.  In the fall of 2020, when theaters nationwide were shut down due to the pandemic, the TV show "Portals to Hell" filmed an episode at the Fulton Theatre.  The episode aired in 2012 on Discovery Channel.  There have been a few other shows that were filmed in the city of Lancaster and it's surroundings, but they weren't as well known as the shows I have listed in this story.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "Stories From The Past That Are Still Intesting Today" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Recently found a story in my May 14, 2023 Sunday News,  that was dated May 14, 1973 and was part of the "Lancaster That Was" column.  The 50 year old story told the story of "Skylab", America's first space station which was launched into orbit from Cape Kennedy in Florida.  Naturally had a Lancaster County connection!  Seems that Mr. Edgar Weber, one of NASA's lead project engineers on Skylab, grew up on a small farm near Denver, Pennsylvania and went to a one-room school where he had, according to Edgar, an education "second to none."  Edgar rode to school on a donkey named "Dolly" which was purchased for him at the New Holland Horse Sale.  While working on the Skylab project, Edgar's efforts were focused on the space station's airlock and docking mechanisms.  He was able to watch the launch while sitting in the mission control room!  Prior to the Skylab project, Mr. Weber worked as an engineer on the Apollo missions.  He was a graduate of the former Denver High School in Lancaster County as well as North Carolina State College where he eventually graduated with a degree in engineering.  Another part of the Sunday News story was dated May 1923 and told of a "gasoline vapor stove" that exploded in May and started a fire that destroyed eight cottages in the summer resort cottages that were located in Mount Gretna.  That type of stove was banned by the Chatauqua Association which oversaw the artistic retreat and vacation area.  Seems that resident Martha Snyder didn't pay attention to the rules and used her stove anyway.  She said she was preparing dinner in her cottage, which was newly purchased, when the stove exploded and severely burned her and set fire to the building.  Seven more nearby cottages were quickly engulfed before the fire could be put out.  My Sunday News has a section every week that lists stories from 25 years ago, 50 years ago, 75 years ago and 100 years ago.  I love to read the entire column to see what life was like as far back as 100 years ago.   It is one section of the Sunday News that draws many readers every Sunday.  Great stories to fill another section of Lancaster's great Sunday News.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.   

The "Should Have Done This Long Ago" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Beginning to feel right at home at Woodcrest Villa.  Just got home from choir practice at Gamber auditorium where I am a member of the choir.  There are about 35 to 40 choir members who practice once a week for about an hour and a half in preparation for upcoming events where the choir will sing a few songs for the residents of Woodcrest Villa.  Carol has also been busy after joining a few of the different clubs available to residents of Woodcrest Villa.  We have had visits from friends who have shown an interest in what our new home is like and what a change of scenery for themselves might look like in the near future.  Our villa is just the right size for the two of us along with our two feline family members, Snickerdoodle and The Gray Lady.  Our two bedroom villa has one larger bedroom with attached bathroom where we sleep and a second bedroom with another closeby full bathroom which we have made into a bedroom, but with an office as part of the room.  Our kitchen is a bit larger than the kitchen in our previous home and the enclosed daylight porch is the perfect place for our two cats to watch all the daily foot traffic.  Our living room is about the same size as the living space we had in our previous home, but the dining area is only about half the size of what our other home had.  We do have a fireplace that is much easier to use and makes our family room a warm and inviting location for all to gather.  In our previous home our TV was in a smaller area which made it tough when we wanted to have guests over to watch something on television.  I have only one complaint that cannot be corrected and that is the fact that we do not have a bathroom with a tub to relax in when my back is giving me trouble.  We do have two full baths, but both have large showers in them instead of a bath tub.  I can understand that a tub can be more of a problem for elder people who have to get in and out of a tub, but I did enjoy relaxing my back in the tub in our previous home.  Now I must stand under the hot shower for relaxation.  Carol and I did find that a few other residents have tubs, but we thought it best to stick with the showers since sometime in the future it may be a bit easier to use the shower instead of having to climb into a tub.  The grounds of Woodcrest Villa are kept immaculate.  You would be hard pressed to find any trash throughout the residence.  The lawn is immaculate as are the flower beds and gardens.  The choice of shrubs and flowers is very nice, but we still have the chance to plant a few of our own flowers if we care to do so.  The item that impresses me the most is the fact that our villa is accessible for anyone in a wheelchair.  You enter from street level directly into the home by means of a cement pavement and walkway, directly into the home...all on the same level.  No steps or ramps needed.  Once inside the home there are no steps to maneuver being able to go from room to room without changing levels.  The kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, laundry room, living area, dining area, kitchen and daylight porch are all on the same level.  Even the garage is on the same level.  Someone knew what they were doing when they built this place.  The same seems to be true about the apartments with the entrance the same level as the outside pathways with same level into the elevators.  They do have stairways, but you don't have to use them if you care to use the elevator.  I have found most every place on the campus is accessible if you might have need for a wheelchair.  Again, someone was looking ahead years ago when this place was built.  I often said I didn't want to ever have to go into a retirement home, but I must admit that this isn't what you would consider a retirement home, since it has just about everything you could want.  Outside picnic areas, walking paths, tennis and racketball courts, flower gardens..... and the list goes on and on.  There is a indoor swimming pool, tennis and racketball courts. There are plenty of restaurants on campus, but we still enjoy having our meals in our own place.  We have met quite a few new friends, but also enjoy the company of older friends from the past.  For years we talked about moving to a retirement home, but feared it would be all downhill from there.  Well, it has been a big surprise.  We can't seem to find enough time to do everything we would like to do and meet all the folks we want to meet.  So glad we made the change when we did.  If you would like to visit with us to see what Woodcrest Villa has to offer,  just let us know.  We do have plenty of free time to talk and show you around.  Leave me a comment at the end of my story and I can get back to you.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "Soon Will Be Getting Back To A Normal Schedule!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Decided it was time to open my laptop and write a bit more on my blog about whatever popped up when my fingers struck the keyboard.  If you haven't read any of my latest stories, I am trying to do my best to recover from a bout of COVID.  For the past couple of weeks I have had no energy whatsoever.  Just to open my computer and type a few sentences is a big chore.  But...I have begun to feel a bit better in the past week or two.  I spent a few hours yesterday taking photos of my grandson and his friends who are seniors in high school and were preparing for their Senior Prom.  Remember what it was like when you were in high school and attended prom and graduation?  I found that the excitement of prom weekend and now graduation has helped me gain some of my energy back once again.  I keep telling myself not to overdo it, so I may miss another day or two in the next couple of weeks before I get back to writing stories on a daily basis.  Luckily, I don't have to go to work every day, since there is no way I could do that at present.  I have been leafing through all of my old scrapbooks from when Carol and I traveled with friends Jere and Just Sue to the Caribbean and have found a few locations I never wrote about in the past.  Brings back so many memories which you may also enjoy, so I'll begin to post stories in the next couple of weeks that may give you an idea what it is like to travel to the Caribbean.  Thanks for checking in on me!  My wife and I avoided Covid in the past, but not this time.  Luckily we were both very healthy when it arrived at our house  and we seem to have weathered the disease a bit better than many others have.  Please check back from time to time to see when I might have the energy to post a few more stories.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "...And You Get All Of This For $1.50" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Most days tend to be like that when you enter your twilight years such as I have.  Day began just like every other day when I unlocked the front door, opened it and grabbed my morning newspaper that was standing against the front door.  Wrapped nice and tight in a clear plastic baggie.  My wife and I moved to our current retirement community a few months ago and I still can't get over how nice the paperboy wraps my morning paper.  Today's paper arrived sometime before 7:00 AM, since I almost always open the front door to retrieve it around 7:00 AM.  Some days the paper has two sections to it while other days it might have three or even four sections.  But, what amazes me the most about my daily paper is the multitude of stories that the newspaper company seems to find on a daily basis.  Today's "A" section consisted of 18 pages of newsprint in both black and white as well as color photographs.  The lead story was titled "THE SKY'S THE LIMIT" with a sub-head that read "County-based Quub expanding after working with military, SpaceX."  Lost me for a short time until I began to read it.  About a fellow who tinkered in his basement, ordering stuff with his credit card on Amazon, to $1.4 million in standing contracts right now!  Not Bad."  I could go on and write more about the fellow, but I'm not sure I understand exactly what he is doing and how he does it.  Another story on the front page told of a local man whom might be operating as an unlicensed vet after sedating a dog and neutering him.  Hey! I didn't make up any of this stuff!  And, to top this off, there was our daily story about this guy named Trump who was sparing with a host over issues!  All this on page 1 of my daily newspaper which I get for $1.50 each and every day...except Sunday!  The next few pages have headlines that read..."Swifities prime target for scams",  "York County Dog Wins Reserve Best," "Classroom To Creek" and "Dueling Lawsuits Over Disney."  Naturally, there was over half of each page covered in advertisements which is OK with me since I have found some good buys by reading these advertisements.  Then came the "Nation & World" section with a big headline that read "Santos says not guilty, won't resign," with a second headline that read "Britain has 1st babies born with DNA from 3 parents."  Doesn't all newspapers have stuff in them like my newspaper does?  But wait...on page A8 there was a story with a headline that read..."A crackdown on Fruit Roll-Ups."  Sub-head read, "Country's obsession with the snack that has led to shortages, profitable smuggling."  Written by a reporter with the New York Times and began with...."Welcome to the age of Tik-Tok-influenced smuggling."  The snack seems to have been a recent big obsession in Israel since people want their treats to crunch, and they are willing to pay.  Story had to do with fruit roll-ups and how they crunch!  Must had needed to fill some space in the paper today!  Well, the Opinion Section and the Letters to the Editor followed and did make for some interesting reading. The final story in the Opinion Section was titled "Federal verdict against Trump represents progress for women."  One small paragraph that was highlighted read "The outcome offers a gratifying measure of the imperfect progress that women have made in bringing claims of sexual assault and harassment."  The Sports section followed and shortly ended on page 12.  The final section was titled Entertainment Lancaster and filled 8 pages of newsprint.  It was perhaps the most interesting with "7 Events for a fun Weekend," the Dear Abby column, Wordy Gurdy, Jumble, Sudoku, Jumble and Royal Stars.  The cartoons filled two pages and the back page of the paper had a story titled "Country star's hit keeps top spot" and an interesting story titled  "Lancaster-based artist creates surreal, mirage-like landscape in Philadelphia."  Quite a bit of reading for a Thursday and most articles were interesting!  Can your newspaper top that?  And...all for $1.50.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.!               

The "A Story Titled 'Clockwork'" Story

 It was an ordinary day.  That was until I opened my morning newspaper to the "Senior Living" section of the Wednesday LNP edition.  Staring back at me was a familiar sight I had grown used to seeing when I was still living at home and my dad was still working at Meiskey's Jewelry Store in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  Dad worked on time pieces of all sizes at Meiskey's Wholesale Jewelry and I often had the chance to see many in person when he would bring them home with him after work to spend a few extra hours on them during the evening.  Dad had taken courses at Bowman's Technical School in Lancaster after getting out of the Army in the early 1940s.  It was here that he learned his watchmaking skills.  The large color photograph which featured watchmaker Robert Desrochers showed the workings of a grandfather clock on the timekeepers workbench in Lititz, Pennsylvania.  Bob is a marvelous craftsman, according to the Lancaster newspaper, much as my father was when he did the same job about 70 years ago.  The newspaper described the watchmaker in the story as a knowledgeable craftsman, much like my father was when he was performing the same type of restoration work as Robert was doing.  Timekeeping has become a forgotten skill, but for the craftsman who still has the knowledge to complete the skill, it is a thrill to watch them at work.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.               

The "Good Friends Forever!!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Standing on the platform at the Lancaster Train Station, waiting for a passenger train to arrive and drop off or pick up a few of the passengers who are standing with me on this beautiful Spring morning.  Had decided to stop by the train station for a visit and to bring back the many memories that flood my head from time to time.  I grew up a half-city block from the train station as did one of my best friends, Jere Herr.  I lived on the last block of North Queen Street while Jere lived on the last block of Manheim Ave.  We got to know each other while in elementary school at the Milton J. Brecht Elementary School which was located on the Lititz Pike.  We became friends while in 1st grade when we were in the same classroom.  Throughout our elementary school years we both had the same teachers and entered Manheim Township Jr. High School in 1956.  We graduated from Manheim Township High School together in 1962 and parted ways...for a few years...at that time.  Throughout our school years we became good friends.  When we both turned 16 we both talked our parents into allowing us to buy a car.  Jere helped me rebuild my 1953 Henry J in the garage behind his house right next to the train station.  Jere's dad worked for Railway Express as well as being the Southern Manheim Township Fire Chief.  After graduation from high school Jere entered the Navy while I entered Millersville State Teacher's College in nearby Millersville, PA.  After Jere left the Navy, he too entered Millersville State Teacher's College to become an Industrial Arts teacher as I was after graduating from Millersville.  We remained friends while at Millersville College, but I began teaching as soon as I had graduated from Millervile while Jere spent a few years in the Navy before entering Millersville.  We both became Industrial Arts teachers at our alma mater, Manheim Township High School.  I taught wood shop, mechanical drafting and graphic arts while Jere taught metal shop.  Jere married his high school sweetheart, Sue, while I met my future wife Carol when her mother began working with my father at Meiskey's Jewelry store in downtown Lancaster.  For many years after teaching together, Jere and Sue as well as Carol and myself traveled on summer vacations together.  We were lucky enough to have traveled to just about every island in the Caribbean together as well as a few trips to the Hawaiian Islands.  Sue, Jere and I are within two months in age from each other while my dear wife is the youngest in the group being three years younger.  Jere and Sue have lived in State College for quite a few years now while Carol and I have made a few trips to visit with them from time to time.  Jere and Sue also made a few trips back to Lancaster so we could get together for weekends and at times travel to the Jersey Shore together.  Age has taken a toll on all of us, but we still seem to find time to get together for visits.  I doubt if we will ever visit the Caribbean again, but we still have the memories and the many scrapbooks filed with photos of our trips we took together in the past.  Not always as easy to continue our visits with each other, but we still manage to talk on the phone most every week.  There aren't too many couples who have been able to continue to stay in touch and make visits with each other for as many years as we have been able to do so.  And, when we do get together, we almost always pull out one of the many scapbooks we have to bring back memories from years gone by.  My guess is that there aren't too many couples who have been able to claim the memories which the four of us have been able to claim over our lifetime as good friends.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Lancaster That Was" According to Lancaster's Newspaper

It was an ordinary day.  Reading the "Living" section of my Lancaster Sunday News.  Always a fun section to read since it features events from 25 years ago, 50 years ago, 75 years ago as well as 100 years ago.  Past events from this day in the past featured stories about snakes, a school being struck by lightning and a massive hole being blasted into the ground in downtown Lancaster.  25 years ago today one of Lancaster's Elementary Schools was struck by a bolt of lightening that blasted a hole in the building during a heavy storm that brought torrential rain and large hail. Luckily, only the chimney was damaged and a few dozen bricks were knocked off the structure, leaving a large hole through which water entered, soaking the school's attic, gymnasium and fire stairs.  The school was closed until all repairs could be made.  50 years ago today Lancaster County featured it's first-ever snake hunt which was attended by about 30 reptile enthusiasts turning up at Eagle Acres Campground near Martic Forge.  The event was sponsored by the Penn Manor Sertoma Club and served as a fundraiser for the local Recreation Center.  The snakes somehow avoided the hunt, since only a dozen or so were ever found that day.  A few were taken to the Serpent Shop which was a reptile store in New Providence while the rest were released back into the woods.  A Snake Hunt Queen was named.  12-year-old Tricia Meyer won the honor after having her name drawn from a hat.  75 years ago a massive hole was blasted into the ground of downtown Lancaster as part of a construction project in May of 1948.  The new H.L. Green store at the southeast corner of Queen and Orange Streets saw several tons of dynamite used for the excavation.  3,375 tons of rock were hauled from the site.  It's a wonder that Lancaster downtown still remained after that happened!   The New Era newspaper featured a lottery of sorts in May of 1923.  It featured a lottery tied to the serial numbers of dollar bills.  A representative of the newspaper spent a week shopping at various retailers all over the city and county.  Some of the dollar bills that were spent were "lucky" bills with serial numbers listed in the newspaper.  Lucky bills could be exchanged at the newspaper office for prizes of $5 to $25.  One special dollar was redeemable for a $100 prize.  That would be a prize of $1,765 in today's dollars.  My guess is that these special dates were greeted by all living in Lancaster at the time, since Lancaster didn't feature the shopping areas that they feature today.  Center city was a very popular site during those special years in Lancaster City's downtown.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Time To Get Back Into Normalcy" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Tuesday, May 2, 2023 and all I want to do is snack on treats and take naps.  I still feel awful from the COVID, but have begun to believe that I will soon be back to normal once again.  Perhaps my Phillies can make me feel better if they would win a game for me.  The good news today came in the headline... "Harper set to make his return, when he will rejoin the team tonight on heels of Tommy John recovery!"  I'm anxious to see what kind of shape he will be in for his return.  My dear wife and I made a quick trip to the grocery story yesterday for some necessary items and both managed to make it home in good shape.  It's too bad that the Phillies will not play until 10:00 PM tonight, being that they are on the West Coast tonight.  I'm hoping to be able to return to my normal schedule sometime soon, and with a "Phillies" return to the East Coast soon, all should return to normalcy.  Now all I have to do is get my "blogger" mode back in normal once again so I can share some new stories with you.  It as another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.