The "I Just Had To Get It Off My Chest! Story

It was an ordinary day.  That was until I asked my wife where we should go on vacation in the near future.  Very soon we will have lived at Woodcrest Villa for a year and we have been totally enjoying it.  Meeting new people, joining new groups, learning about everything there is to do at the retirement community.  They all fill our days with fun and enjoyment, BUT... it's not the same thing as going on VACATION!!  You know....like going to the Jersey Shore for a week or maybe flying to Florida for a week.  That's what I think of as a vacation.  Then we began to talk about other neat things we have done in the past that we might want to try again...like taking a trip to Hawaii with our traveling friends Jere and Just Sue.  Not sure we are up to the effort needed to prepare for and than take a trip to a place that far away.  Well, how about a trip to Florida, since that doesn't take as long to get to as Hawaii.  I also remember how much fun we had on our last Florida trip.  But, would Jere and Just Sue want to go there?  Well...how about the Jersey shore?  We could all go to Ocean City or Wildwood or........!  Yeah, I know...the weather will change soon and we can't sit on the beach in the cold, and, on and on and on I went.  So will we ever go on vacation again????  Then I said to my dear wife...You know...we should go back to St. Martin/Sint Maarten and visit with our friend Barbara.  We could stop to see her and her parrot, Anna, and have a great time talking about our other trips in the past and stay near Orient Beach and go swimming all day in that beautiful warm blue water.  Then we could walk along the shoreline at Orient Beach or take a boat ride over to Pinel Island for a swim in that beautiful warm water where a bathing suit is optional, or...........???  Wouldn't cost that much if we didn't stay more than....Oh, maybe a couple of weeks!  There's bound to be some  beautiful place with a pool in the village that we could rent for a good price!  And, think of all the great places we could go to eat!  My dear wife just looked at me as I went on and on about a trip to our favorite island home of St. Martin/Sint Maarten!  Isn't it sad to get old?  It's enough to make you cry!  Your back hurts, your feet hurt, you have a hard time walking and your energy always seems to be spent..... and just reading about all this travel stuff is enough to make you cry!  Hey...my fingers hurt from typing this story!  Where has life gone?  I guess we can always hope that we can return to this life at some time in the future as younger people so we can do what we enjoyed in the past.  Or...perhaps we might have to just dream about it!  Life's not fair...is it!  Oh well...at least I can think and write and wish about it!!!  PS- You may have to read a few more stories like this in the future you realize!!  At least until we actually take the plunge and go on a vacation!  Traveling to exotic places was one thing my wife and I really enjoyed!  And...we'll never forget them!  And...the best way to never forget them is to do it ONE MORE TIME!! Don't you think so???  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.       

The "Tales of Animals at Lancaster Zoo Show A Wild Side" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just finished reading another one of Jack Brubaker's stories that are published weekly in the Lancaster Newspaper.  Story was titled "Tales of animals at Lancaster Zoo show a wild side."  I read and reread the story which follows.  See if you can imagine where Lancaster's Zoo was at one time.  

The Lancaster Zoo operated in the city's Reservoir Park from 1923 to 1932.  The city's Water Department took charge of the reservoir but was out of its depth with zoo operations.  The financial downturn during the Great Depression finished off the project.  Zoo stories are numerous.  Newspapers of the time are full of them.  Cynthia Roth, a diligent local researcher, wrote about the zoo in a piece on Reservoir Park that appeared in The Journal of Lancaster County's Historical Society in 2010.  Here's a feature that has not been emphasized and may be cause to send the children from the room.  

Catastrophes at the Zoo.  The zoo contained fish, turtles, frogs, rabbits, squirrels, foxes, black snakes, opossums and other relatively benign creatures, as well alligators, monkeys, a baboon and bears.  The alligators and bears made the most trouble.  And a buck deer went wild.  The alligators ate all the goldfish.  The bears, known as Mr. and Mrs Bear did not get along.  Two days after they were caged in the park, Mr. Bear slashed the throat of Mrs. Bear, killing her.  The Lancaster Intelligencer Journal claimed Mrs. Bear was at fault: She had been aggravating Mr. Bear all along.  A couple of years later, Charles McNutt, a Police officer who patrolled Reservoir Park, entered the bear cage.  Mr. Bear stood on his hind legs and took a swing at the officer, narrowly missing his face.  McNutt reportedly responded by punching Mr. Bear in the nose.  In the spring of 1929, a buck deer who'd been born in the wild attempted to kill its freshly born progeny, presumably while Mama Deer watched.  Zoo keepers shot the bad dad.  Frequently the call of the wild in its blood caused the animal to become restless and stubborn," explained the Lancaster New Era.  Despite all of the pleasure the zoo provided, especially for children, the city ended the sporadic mayhem at the facility on the last day of December 1932.  

Just over four decades later, in the spring of 1973, the petting zoo opened at the city's Long's Park.  What originally was known as the Mother Goose Farm continues to house goats, lambs and other relatively harmless "farm" animals.   No alligators. No bears.  No deadly deer.  No devouring and slashing and shooting.  OK, now you can call the kids back into the room.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

"Dolphins Receive A New Center for Survival in Cape Cod" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a story about Dolphins getting their own hospital and rescue center in Cape Cod, Mass.  As it is now, members of the marine mammal team from the International Fund for Animal Welfare rush to a Cape Cod beach to help a stranded dolphin or porpoise.  They have no choice but to treat the endangered animal on site and then release it immediately.  But...that is about to change.  The organization, which protects animals worldwide, has opened a first-of-a-kind short-term dolphin hospital on Cape Cod.  It hopes it will not only improve survivability rates, but also enhance the research it has developed over 25 years.  According to Brian Sharp, the director of the rescue team, simply caring for them at the scene is often not enough.  They need additional diagnostics.  If stranded marine mammals are stressed, in shock and dehydrated,  treatment and recovery time is not always enough.  With this International Care Unit for dolphins, they will be able to get them the treatment that's needed, then be able to release them quickly," he said.  There are already marine mammal rehabilitation centers that can take care of animals for months or even years, but the goal of this new facility is to release them back into the ocean within a few days, he said.  "This is the first time that this has been attempted," Brian said.  "There are more live marine mammal strandings on Cape Cod than anywhere else in the world.  The welfare fund has responded to more than 400 live stranded dolphins, whales and porpoises in the region in the past five years alone!" the organization said in a news release.  Cape Cod is a good habitat for dolphins, but a risky one.  Its geography is basically a hook-shaped spit of sand jutting into the ocean and can make dolphin navigation difficult and 12-foot tides can quickly expose a mile of beach.  The 4,200-square-foot Dolphin Rescue Center is in a renovated retail space.  It includes an 1,800-square-foot rehabilitation area with two treatment pools 15 feet across and a veterinary laboratory.  The public will not be permitted to have direct contact with the animals being cared for, but there is also an education center where visitors will be able to watch the recovering animals from a monitor.  Hopefully the new hospital and rescue center will help more animals survive in the future.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "How Local Towns Were Named" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a story in my Sunday LNP Lancaster Online newspaper when I came across a story titled "Greetings from Lancaster County."  The story on the front page of the newspaper was to tell those that read the newspaper "What's In A Name?"  The story was to shed light on how places in Lancaster County got their monikers.  Some are interesting, some are unbelievable and some are just plain dumb!  See if you don't agree with me!  PS - All locations are in alphabetical order....

BOROUGHS...

Adamstown...Adamstown dates back to the early to mid-18th century when Williams Addams traveled to the area.  He found the place to his liking so he built a grist mill and home for he and his wife.  Adamstown didn't become a true community until 1761, when 57 lots were designated for a town to flourish.

Akron...In 2019 a feature story in the newspaper stated that Akron was at one time named New Berlin supposedly because many of its settlers call back to prior lives in the German city.  Nearby was a railroad and mill named Akron - due to its more broad use. Akron became the adopted name of New Berlin.

Christiana...A borough named in the 19 century after the WIFE of William Noble, an early settler who was a blacksmith.  The entrance sign to the borough incorrectly attributed the borough's name to a Christian Noble, making it seem like a man was its namesake.  It was actually named after Christiana Noble

Columbia...It was first named Wright's Ferry after the community's founder, John Wright who operated a ferry across the Susquehanna River in the 18th century.  Columbia was later chosen after Christopher Columbus.

Denver...Denver was first named Bucher Thal which commemorated its first settler, Hans Bucher.  It was then named Union Station after the local railroad station.  But, settlers got tired of being named after a train.  Settlers saw there was only one Denver in Colorado, so they named their locale Denver.

East Petersburg...The origin's name was unclear since there never was a West Petersburg in Lancaster County.  East wasn't added to the name until 1880.  Before that time it was known as East Hempfield.  Some suggest it was so named since it was east of Petersburg.  Others suggest it was so named as a compromise between East Hempfield and Petersburg.

Elizabethtown...Barnabas Hughes takes credit for founding Elizabethtown after taking over a local tavern and encouraging town growth in the mid-to-late 1700s.  But, no one wanted to live in a town named Barnabasville.  It was finally named after his wife Elizabeth.

Ephrata...This town has religious origins, considering it is best known for its 18th-century community of religious celibates.  Ephrath, a biblical name, means "fertility" in Hebrew.

Lititz...Much like Ephrata, Lititz also was founded on religious intent...but by the Moravian Church.  In the 15th century, the Moravian village of Lidice was a place of refuge for persecuted Moravians.  About 300 years later Count Zizendorf, a leader of the Moravian Church who traveled searching for a place to begin a religious community, named Lititz in commemoration. 

Manheim...This town was named after the birthplace of its founder, Henry William Stiegel - Manheim, Germany.  History books note the city for its 1689 seizure by French forces during the Nine Years' War.

Marietta...Borough named after two women, Mary and Henrietta.  However, whether if they were a pair of sisters or wives of settlers is unclear.

Millersville...Lancaster county has quite a few residents with the last name of Miller.  Perhaps Millersville was named in tribute to all the Millers or maybe it was named after a specific Miller who founded the community in 1761 when he was in search of a new, open spot to begin his own storefront after working for Steinman Hardware Store in Lancaster.  He and his son traveled to what is now the Penn Manor area and set up shop.

Mount Joy...There are no mountains in Mount Joy, but there once were many Scottish immigrants.  The community's name draws from an Irish ship named the Mountjoy.  In 1689, the ship was revered for knocking down a blockade and delivering food to Scots imprisioned inside the city of Londonderry, after it fell to the Jacobite army.  In following years, many Scots emigrated to North America and settled in the Donegal area.

Mountville...This community was known as Mount Pleasant at it's founding in the early 1800s.  When a post office was established, the community took on the name of the already established railroad: Mountville.

New Holland...Change can be a good thing...since the town had thoughts of naming it Saeue Schwamm which is a German name for hog swamp.  Then, for a short period in the 1700s, they called it Earltown until 1750 when residents tried out a third name: New Design.  Over time, the name changed to pay homage to Holland, the place where many residents' ancestors found sanctuary during the Thirty Years' War.

Quarryville...This borough was named for it's productive lime quarries.

Strasburg...The name originally was settled on by French immigrants drawn to the area after Pierre Bezaillion, a fur trader, traveled to the area in 1693.  In the 18th century, the town was named after the city of Strasbourg, France.

Terre Hill...This hillside community originally was named Fairville for its picturesque views of the surrounding region.  In 1848, a post office was established in the town, only to discover that Fairville was already claimed by a Chester County town.  It's believed the postmaster at the time, Simon Klausner, suggested combining the French word "terre," which means land with "hill."  

Have you found a few interesting names in the above towns?  Each town is somewhat different, but in the end, they all surround the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "A McCaskey Swab Doing What She Was Told To Do...Or Not To Do!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading one of my favorite columns in my local newspaper, Jack Brubaker's column in my Sunday LancasterOnline newspaper known as "The Scribbler."  One of the stories in the column today was titled "McCaskey Swab."  Began with...Surviving as an incoming swab at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy means trying to remain invisible.  That was barely possible for Mali Richardson.  Richardson had recently graduated from McCaskey High School, in the city of Lancaster, in the spring.  She is now completing a seven-week summer boot camp at the academy in New London, Conn.  Barry Richardson, Mali's grandfather, reported:  "Swabs are kept under constant stress.  For example, they have seven minutes to shower, take care of hair and dress."  Much of this stress comes from upperclassmen serving as platoon commanders.  In a letter to her Millersville parents Scott Richardson and Yara Graupera, Mali said this:  "Our platoon commander was really mad because no one could spell his name.  He yelled, literally ... one person here went to my great-grand-daddy's high school."  The platoon leader's name of course, was McCaskey and his great-grandfather would have been John Piersol McCaskey (1837-1935), namesake of the Lancaster City High School.  McCaskey served as a high school principal as well as Mayor of Lancaster.  Barry Richardson says Mali doesn't know her platoon leader's first name or any other information about him.  "Swabs do not ask questions," Richardson explains.  "When he said someone in the platoon was from McCaskey, Mali said nothing.  Swabs do not volunteer!   They keep their head down and try to stay out of trouble.  Can't imagine how scared Mali was that particular day during boot camp. What would you have done in that situation being a girl and being told not to talk unless being told to talk.  I assume she, at one time in the future, did talk to her commanding officer and tell him she was scared to say anything at the time.  Who wouldn't be scared!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "A Letter To Teachers From A Retired Superintendent And Friend Of Mine" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading the "Perspective" section of my Sunday LNP newspaper when I came across an article titled "A letter to teachers from a retired superintendent."  I taught school at Manheim Township High School with a great friend and teacher named Brenda Smoker.  Brenda taught at MTHS for more than 20 years with me before eventually becoming the Superintendent of Hempfield High School.  Brenda is now retired from her teaching and administrative position, but she still loves to help those entering the field of teaching.  Her note of encouragement to new teachers begins with...Unlike you, I didn't go through COVID 19, which turned our world upside down.  I have to say, from what I can see, you did more than OK.  You answered the call, even though, like most of us you were underprepared for such circumstances.  Yet, you made the most of a very difficult situation.  Today, you are once again looking forward to your new classes.  You are perhaps a little wary and I totally understand.  You have become political fodder and you are taking arrows from multiple directions.  You are possibly being accused of acknowledging critical race theory, accepting LGBTQ+ realities supporting "woke" agendas, presenting biased information, resisting the banning of books in your libraries, and more.  Politicians might view you as working in failing schools, but you, your students and their parents know better.  Do not buy into the political messaging that is attacking pubic education.  That is what the detractors hope will happen.  Do not be distracted by the rhetoric.  The best you can do is to continue to do your job well."  She goes on to say, "It is always interesting to me that everyone - because they have been in a school at one point in their lives - thinks they are an expert on education.  Those of us who have served in education understand that it is a profession that requires education, training and on-going in-service work to be effective.  The fact that so many of you make teaching look so easy, does not mean that it is.  Here is my message to you: Rise above all of it.  I know you can.  You are uniquely positioned to make a difference.  You care deeply about your students, so focus 100% of your energy on them.  You know you will encounter students who are coming from privileged backgrounds who will be more than ready for your teaching.  You will also encounter students who have not had the benefit of strong parenting or enrichment opportunities or even preschool education.  Some will come from poverty that did not allow for stronger supports.  Some will not have English as their first language.  That doesn't make them less intelligent, or less willing to respond to competent, caring teaching; it simply places more hurdles before them.  However, you can make a real difference in helping to level the playing field for them.  Reflecting on my colleagues when I was a teacher, as well as the many teachers I had the privilege of encountering as an administrator, I know with every fiber of my being that you only want to make a difference for the children in your charge.  So as the official start of the 2023-24 school year begins, I wish you all the best and remind you that the students who challenge you most are the ones who need you the most.  They will be slow to trust, as many students have come from life circumstances that have made trust difficult.  Your success as a teacher will not only be measured by those who have been primed for learning by supportive parents and fortuitous environments, but by those who have not experienced those privileges.  For administrators who may be reading this: Your teachers need your support more than ever.  Get into their classrooms, observe their teaching, and give them constructive, supportive feedback.  At the end of the day, teachers normally will go miles and miles for their students, but positive recognition (compliments, written notes, emails, etc.) from administrators will fuel them even further.  These things will give them energy to continue to do what they need to do, and want to do, for their students.  Never underestimate your power to help your teachers do their jobs.  Here's to a fantastic 2023-24 for each and every one of you.  Remember always that you have the ability to make an enormous difference in a student's life.  That is an amazing power, and I encourage all of you to use it wisely.  I'm betting on you and, though they might not be aware of it, so are your students.  Brenda's letter to teachers can go a long way in helping teachers with this year's classes.  I only wish I would have had someone such as Brenda write a letter to me such as she did to those reading her story in the Lancaster Newspaper.  I considered my teaching career as successful, but it would have been made much easier and perhaps more fruitful had I read Brenda's letter before I began my career in teaching.   Thank You! Brenda for all you did while at Manheim Township as well as Hempfield.  Both school districts were so lucky to have had you working for them in the past.  From...L. W. a former I.A. teacher at MT and blog author .   And finally.....Go Streaks!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.     

The "Ticks Can Do You In!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading an article in the Health & Fitness section of my Sunday News about living with a tick-borne disease.  Seems like ailments such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Alpha-gal syndrome are increasing throughout the United States.  And, you might have one of these diseases and not realize it.  The article began by telling the story of a little girl who was 13 years old when she became plagued by a mysterious combination of symptoms: rashes, brain fog, and fatigue.  Her exhaustion was so extreme that walking up stairs would leave her winded, and she had to quit her high school tennis team and could hardly keep up with her schoolwork.  Her family doctor diagnosed her with allergies and eczema and prescribed steroids and antihistamines.  Nothing seemed to help.  One symptom led to another with nothing helping her.  When she reached the age of 27 her vision began to deteriorate and the pieces finally began to click into place.  An eye doctor diagnosed her with uveitis which is an inflammation inside the eye.  She was sent to an rheumatologist who ordered multiple blood panels; the one for Lyme disease came back positive.  She had grown up in an area that was a hotbed for ticks.  The rheumatologist wrote her a prescription for the antibiotic doxycycline which is used to treat various tick borne diseases.  She got somewhat better, but not anywhere near where she wanted to be in terms of quality of life.  Tick-borne diseases are becoming increasingly common due to expanding tick territories thanks to migrating deer and mice populations.  Seems that tick-borne diseases are most everywhere in the United States.  Lyme is by far the most common tick-born disease, afflicting an estimated 300,000 people each year.  It is transmitted by the black-legged, or deer tick, which is most prevalent in the North-east and Upper Midwest, but is spreading south.  The ticks are most active between spring and fall, and Lyme cases tend to peak during June and July.  Initial symptoms of Lyme disease are fever, chills, fatigue, headaches and achiness. A round, reddish rash appears in roughly 70% of cases.  When doctors see patients in the summer with general flu-like symptoms, but no sore throat or runny nose they should presume the patient has a tick-borne disease and prescribe doxycycline.  Tickborne diseases that occur in the United States are: Lyme disease, Tickborne relapsing fever, Hard tick relapsing fever, Anaplasmosis, Ehrlichiosis, Rocy Mountain Spotted Fever, Rickettsia Parker Rickettsiosis, Tularemia, Babesiosis, Heartland and Bourbon Virus Diseases, Colorado Tick Fever and Powassan Virus Disease.  If you or a family member or friend have any of the above symptoms that are listed, make an appointment with your family doctor and have a checkup.  Don't be afraid to suggest a disease that may be spread by ticks to your doctor.  Best of luck if you do have a tickborne disease.  Hope you get the medical help you deserve before it progresses too far in your body.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "Mysterious 'Man With Red Collar' Without A Home," Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a story in my local newspaper titled "Mysterious 'Man With Red Collar' without a home."  The story was written by Jack Brubaker whom is known to Lancastrians as "The Scribbler."  He wrote that the Lancaster Public Library displayed 22 portraits of well-known Lancaster residents and other Americans on walls throughout the first floor of its former location on Duke Street.  Where have they gone?  Most have accompanied books and computers to the library's new location in Ewell Plaza on Queen Street.   They have been place in storage because there's little space to display the portraits in a building with so many glass walls.  Five of the more historic portraits, all painted b Lancaster County artist, are now displayed in LancasterHistoy's Research Center Library at President and Marietta Avenues.  These portraitures are of George Washington, painted by Bass Oti; Robert Fulton by Jacob Eichholtz; Thaddeus Stevens by John Augustus Beck; Gen. John F. Reynolds by Helen Thurlow; and Dr. Samuel Humes by Jacob Eichholtz.  Dr. Samuel Who?  Humes was a Lancaster physician who organized his fellow doctors into medical societies.  He served as first president of the Lancaster City and county Medical Society in 1844 and as first president of the Pennsylvania Medical Society, founded in Lancaster in 1848.  A sixth portrait of John Beck, founder of the Lititz Academy fo Boys, went to the Lititz Historical Foundation.  A seventh portrait of Hans Herr went to the 1719 Museum (formerly the Hans Heerr House) in Willow Street.  The other 15 portraits will remain in store until appropriate nonprofit origination can be found to display them.  They include oil paintings of James Buchanan, Milton Garvin, Benjamin West, Lindley Murray, J.S. Kevin, George Ross, A. Herr Smith, DavidRmsey, James Hamilton, Col. Henry Hambright, William Henry ad Dr. John Atlee.  Also, two portraitures of Lancaster lawyer, author and library benefactor Lyman Windoph.  The most curious of the 15 leftovers is painting labeled "Man With Red Collar," The identity of this man, whose collar is bright red and whose nose and sideburns are unusually long is a mystery.  No one knows who painted him.  Two years ago, a delivery truck backed into the blue-and-gold Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission's Conestoga Indian massacre sign on the West King Street side of the Fulton Theatre.  The truck driver sheared off the sign pole at the base.  The Fulton informed the state commission, which eventually said a replica sig would be placed by August of last year.  No sign yet.  What happened?  Because of ongoing supply chain issues, historical marker fabrication has been delayed, according to commission spokesman Howard Pollman.  "Although markers are still being manufactured, we are not accepting any new nominations for markers," Polman reports.  "We are also prioritizing new markers over replacements."  At the current rate of erecting new signs and replacing those destroyed, the Conetoga massacre marker may be on the street by the end of 2024.  Here's what the marker read: "The Lancaster Jail was located a half block to the north from  1743 to 1851.  The last remaining Conestoga Indians were held in protective custody in 1763.  They were killed by a vigilante group, the Paxton Boys.  No arrests were made."  The state originally erected a similar marker at that location in 1949.   It disappeared.  In 2015 the Circle Legacy Center, a local American Indian support group, paid for the replacement marker.  Drive past the location in the future and see if you can find it!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "How About Exchanging Autographs" Story

It was an ordinary day.  That was until musician Steven Tyler, best known as the lead singer of rock band Aerosmith, recently stopped by hardware store Bomberger's in nearby Lititz, PA. He was looking for a new shower head, which is what you usually do in a hardware store!  So why was he in Lititz in the first place.  Well, Lititz happens to be the home of Lancaster County's Rock Lititz, which is the live entertainment mecca and its associated companies.  And, Bomberger's is one of the best hardware stores in Lancaster county.  Aerosmith kicks off it's new upcoming tour at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia soon, and Aerosmith had made a visit to Lititz for a few practice sessions.  When Steven arrived at Bomberger's he was greeted by assistant manager Mike Hathaway.  I'm not sure if Mike knew whom Steven might have been, but he quickly found out.  As soon as Tyler asked for help, he could tell by Steven's  accent.  He helped Tyler pick out a couple of shower head options.  When Tyler got to the register, he opened one of the refrigerators used for bait for a moment.  He opened the package of nightcrawlers and sniffed them.  Tyler than said something to the effect of "I'm an old country boy," and talked about the bait for a moment.  Wasn't more than 10 minutes after he arrived that he paid his bill and walked out of the store.  A store employee immediately called her mom to tell her of the visitor they just had in the store.  Manager Mike Hathaway said it was a cool experience and he actually sold two shower heads to Steven.  Another Lititz resident, Doriann O'Connell, said that Tyler was the answer to a recent prayer.  Doriann had been listening to the radio earlier in the morning when she heard of a giveaway for tickets to an Aerosmith concert.  When she heard that Tyler was at the hardware store she rushed over to the store with her three children.  She said he was so sweet and nice and talked to all the customers at the store.  "You would never expect anyone who's so popular to really be that down to earth."  Another Lititz resident, Liz Shope, happened to be shopping at Bomberger's when she saw Tyler near the candy counter in the store.  She went to her car and told her husband he was inside the store.  He didn't believe her so she went back into the store to take a photo.  When she returned she asked for a photo and than Tyler put his arm around her and said, "Will he believe you now?"  Others whom had a chance to talk with him said he is incredibly nice and willing to talk with them.  As for me...well I didn't make it to the store in time and I'm afraid I might not have known what he looked like anyway.  Perhaps if I might have been in the store he might have come over to me to introduce himself.  Maybe we might have even exchanged autographs!  I'm sure he knows I'm a famous writer by now!   It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Finding True Happiness" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Found a short story titled "Happiness" that I thought I would share with you.  Everyone wants to find happiness in life.  No matter what our circumstances, and no matter what hand we are dealt, the search for true contentment is at the heart of everyone's goals.  The question then, is, how?  How are we supposed to even begin looking for it?  A group of people were together in a room where a seminar about life and happiness was being taught.  They were being taught various skills and lessons about how to find happiness in their lives.  Suddenly, the speaker stopped and started giving each person a balloon.  He asked everyone to write their name on it using a marker.  All the balloons were then collected and taken to another room.  These attendees were then taken into that room and given five minutes to find the balloon which had their name written on it.  Everyone frantically searched for their name---pushing, colliding with each other, creating utter chaos.  No one could find his balloon within the given five minute time frame and they all had to return to the first room empty-handed.  They were then told to return to  the other room and randomly collect a balloon and give it to the person whose name was written on it.  Within five minutes everyone was carrying the balloon with their name on it.  The speaker smiled and said, "This is exactly what is happening in our lives.  Everyone is frantically looking around them for happiness, not knowing where it is.  Our happiness lies in the happines of other people.  Give then their happiness and you will get your own happiness." It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Can, and Will, Lahaina Recover During My Lifetime?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a story that was published in my local newspaper a few days ago titled, "Residents ask for time to grieve, slower rebuild."  The story came from a small area in Hawaii known as Lahaina.  Native Hawaiians and others from a Maui community devastated by ferocious fire said they worry Hawaii's governor is moving too quickly to rebuild what was lost while the grief is still raw.  "The fire occurred only 10 days ago, and many people are still in shock and mourning," Tiare Lawrence, who grew up in Lahaina, said at an emotional news conference organized by community activists.  They called on Gov. Joah Green to give residents time to grieve, provide community leaders with recovery decision-making roles and comply with open-records laws amid distrust in government response to the disaster.  The governor and his wife were scheduled to provide a live-streamed address from Honolulu on Friday evening with updates on the response to the Maui wildfires that killed more than 100 people.  Since the flames consumed much of Lahina, locals have feared a rebuilt town could become even more oriented toward wealthy visitors.  Lahaina's future will be determined by its people, but didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on the group's concerns.  "The Governor should not rush to rebuild the community without first giving people time to heal, especially without including the community itself in the planning.  Fast track development cannot come at the cost of community control."  More than a dozen of Lawrence's relatives fled the fast-moving fire a few weeks ago and went East to her Pukalani home.  There seems to be no word on whom would replace the Maui Emergency Management Agency administrator who abruptly resigned after defending a decision not to sound outdoor sirens  during the fire.  Herman Andaya had said a week ago that he had no regrets about not deploying the system because he feared it could have caused people to go "mauka", an Hawaiian term that can mean toward the mountains or inland.  If that was the case, than they would have gone into the fire," Andaya explained.  He stepped down a day later.  My wife and I, along with friends, have visited the State of Hawaii a few time in the past and have found that they are very laid-back and quiet.  I can see why some of the residents who have lived in Lahina all their lives could react the way they did when the wildfire began to consume their town.  But, perhaps they could have...and should have... reacted more quickly when they actually saw what was happening throughout the town.  When I saw the devastation on my TV, while the fire was consuming the entire town, I was saddened since Lahaina is, or should I say was, one of the most beautiful towns I have ever visited.  Will they recover quickly?  They will need plenty of help from the rest of the United States to bring what at one time was a beautiful town/city back to what it was like when I visited it years ago.  I only hope they will allow others to help in the reconstruction of their town.  It will take an Army of helpers and a ton of money to make it the town that I remember from years ago.  I  hope I live long enough to see the town of Lahaina as it was when I visited it years ago.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "Remember When?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Looking back over the many, many years of stories I have written on this blog.   Had many a good laugh as well as a few sniffles after reading some of my more heartwarming stories.  Some were so much fun to read that I thought I would share one with you every so often.  So, hope you enjoy today's story that I wrote quite a few years ago.

The "Marooned Tunes" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Watching and listening to YouTube videos of a few songs I had never heard before.  Reason for my listening to the songs is a survey I recently gave to a few friends and relatives.  After reading a similar survey and enjoying filling it out for myself, I thought I would do much the same to see what types of music my friends and relatives have enjoyed during their lifetime.  My question to all was: You are stuck on a deserted island, but you have access to shelter, food and your choice of music.  What three tunes would you want to be able to hear to keep you company.  Those taking the survey had to list the songs as well as give a reason for their choices.  I also gave them the chance to list one additional song if they were having a tough time listing only three.  The people who filled out the survey ranged in age from our niece's 10 year old son to an old friend and classmate who is as old as dirt.  I must admit there were quite a few songs that I had never heard before, from both my older friends as well as the couple of younger kids who filled out the survey.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

1. Ten year old Jack listed the Beatles song "Yellow Submarine" as his favorite because it is "relaxing".  I enjoyed his extra pick which was "Believer" by Imagine Dragons since it "gets me movin".  I must admit I had never heard of the group Imagine Dragons.
2. Surprisingly my daughter Brynn picked the song "Bird Dog" by the Everly Brothers as her extra pick.  I had no clue that she even knew who the Everly Brothers were.  She picked as her top choice a song by Outkast titled "Hey Ya".  Once again ... I have never heard the song.
3. My 13 year old granddaughter Camille's choice for her 2nd favorite song was a song by Usher and Alicia Keys titled "My Boo", because it's music to dance to.  Sounds like something kids on "Bandstand" with Dick Clark would say.  Her extra pick was titled "Body Like a Back Road" by Sam Hunt.  She liked it because it has a catchy chorus and background to the song.  Anyone other than me ever hear of this song?
4. My nephew Matt's first choice pick was "With a little help from my friends" by the Beatles.  He writes that he listened to a lot of "oldies" while growing up because of his mom.  Seems she listened to MoTown as well as the Beatles.  The song was also the song he and his wife picked for their wedding party to enter the room at their reception.  His second pick was "Better Together" by Jack Johnson.  He was introduced to this artist while crabbing at the beach with friends, thus this music always reminds him of the beach.  Funny that one of his extra picks was a Rolling Stones song, "Sympathy for the Devil."
5. Matt's mom, my sister-in-law, picked the Beatles song "In My Life" because it reminds her of dancing with her son at his wedding.  Her #2 pick, and one I would have thought would be her #1 choice, was the Notre Dame Fight Song.  It was written by the Rev. Michael J. Shea, a 1905 Notre Dame graduate.  Her third choice was the Temptation's "Ain't no Mountain High Enough" since it brings back high school memories.
6. My son Tad lists "Your Love" by The Outfield as his favorite since it always makes him smile and sing along.  His second favorite is "Burning Beard" by Clutch.  His all-time favorite singer is Chris Cornell and he lists his extra pick as anything Chris sings.
7. My good friend Sue, who is also a traveling companion along with her husband Jere, picks "Theme From A Summer Place" as her #1 pick.  Songs lyrics were by Mack Discant with music by Max Steiner.  Brings back good memories she says.  Her song for third place is "Hallelujah" from Shrek.  Gives her goosebumps when she hears it.
8. My other granddaughter, 15 year old Courtney, lists "8teen" by Khalid as her top choice since it is a happy, upbeat song that talks about being a teenager - like me!  Her extra choice song is "Attention" by Charlie Puth.  She chose this song because it talks about other people wanting attention instead of doing the right thing.  
9. One of my brother's grandchildren, Megan, lists "Roar" as her favorite, because she just likes it.  Good reason.  Miley Cyrus sings her second favorite called "Malibu", since it is relaxing for her.
10. My nephew's father-in-law Joe, who is close to me in age, picks as his favorite song "Pieces of April" since it was the song of he and his wife Cathy when they were dating.  How romantic!  Song was by Chicago.  His second choice was "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" by Nat King Cole and reminds him of Christmas as well as a great song to enjoy your time on a deserted island.  Another MoTown song by the Temptations "My Girl" was his #3 song since it would be a great fit to watch the waves roll in from the beach!  His extra is another beach hit by Otis Redding called "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay".
11. Good friend Jere picks "The Tennessee Waltz" by Patti Page as his favorite, since it was his dad's favorite.  His second choice is "The Little Brown Church in the Vale" by Steve Hall, since his grandparents lived in Wildwood, NJ across the road from the church.  Surprisingly his extra pick is "Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road" by Loudon Wainwright III. Why?  Who knows!
12. As for my wife, Carol, her #1 pick happens to also be "Theme from a Summer Place" which she writes is the best love story ever!  Can't be better than our love story ... can it?  Carol was always a fan of the Beach Boys and she picked "Kokomo" as her second pick.  Another favorite group of her's was The Beatles and she picked as her #3 song "Let It Be."  An extra choice was one that came about because of our learning about a guy by the name of Jimmy Buffett.  We both love quite a few of his songs, but "Margaritaville" is her favorite Buffett song.
13. OK, time for me to reveal my favorites plus a few extras.  "Were You There" is a hymn that brings tears to my eyes every time my dad would sing it on Good Friday.  He would sing the stirring spiritual a cappella and by the end of the final verse you could hear sobbing throughout the church.  How he could sing that song without crying himself is still amazing to me.  This hymn is probably my #1 choice.  My #2 pick would have to be "Lady Of Spain" by Toichard which was written in 1931. When I was in 6th grade I began taking accordion lessons with a man by the name of Mickey Sinopoli.  He taught me a few songs on my 120 bass accordion with Lady of Spain being my favorite.  Played it in the only concert I remember.  And, my #3 pick would be "Green Stamps" by the T-Birds.  Bought the record when I worked in the record department of Grant's Department Store when I was 16.  Had very few copies sent to us and I bought one of them.  I had quite a few friends who wanted to buy it, but turned them all down.  Then, when I began teaching school, the school's photographer was a record collector and I traded him the record for a 35mm camera.  The memories of the record are perhaps much better than the song.  Naturally I have some more recognizable favorites.  Songs such as:  "True Love Ways" by Buddy Holly, "Back to the Islands" by Jimmy Buffett, "No Particular Place To Go" by Chuck Berry, "Sunshine On My Shoulder" by John Denver, "Why, Because I Love You" by Frankie Avalon, "When I Fall In Love" by The Lettermen, "Only You" by The Platters and "Walk, Don't Run" by the Ventures.  Recognize any of these?  If so, you are an old-timer as I am. So what might be your favorites?  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

 

The "Spam Saga" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just stuck a few pieces of SPAM on the stove for a sandwich for lunch.  You know what SPAM is, don't you?  It's the stuff in the dark blue metal can with the word SPAM in a bright yellow color with a picture of a SPAM burger under the name SPAM.  It's one of my favorite sandwiches for lunch or even supper when I don't feel like making a mess in the kitchen.  About the only problem with having a SPAM sandwich is the fact that it has a big bunch of fat, cholestrial, and sodium in it.  I know it can't be good for me, but neither is eating a quart of ice cream or a couple dozen of sugar cookies for dessert.  Actually, ...SPAM is nothing more than pork and how bad can eating pork be?   It is said it fueled countless soldiers during World War II, inspired new international cuisine, spawned a museum and even led to the creation of a digital term people encounter on a daily basis.  And, nearly 90 years after it was introduced, it still commands a global army of fans.  Spam is a strong seller since it is an affordable protein that works in a range of recipes.  Its unique history as a ration staple during WWII helped cultivate a nostalgic appeal for the canned meat in many corners of the globe.  I love to tell my SPAM stories much better than my tunafish stories.  The company known today as Hormel Foods was founded as a meatpacking operation in Austin, Texas in 1891 with a focus on processing hogs into bacon, ham and a variety of other pork products.  By the 1920s Jay Hormel, son of company founder George A. Hormel, was on a quest to diversify the company's offerings beyond the often volatile world of commodity meat sales.  He looked at the growing popularity of time-saving products that were sold in the center of grocery stores.  So, he came up with a product that could be featured in the center of the store.  Hormel was first to develop a canned ham and later introduced a line of canned chicken.  Then along came the Great Depression which slowed sales. Sales have returned and SPAM has grown in popularity.   Makes for a quick meal and can be eaten with or without something on it.  Carol and I try to make sure we have a can or two in the pantry at all times.  An easy meal and it always tastes good.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "So Who Gets The Money?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Picked up my morning newspaper and there on the front page was a fellow holding a few pieces of stained glass.  Drew my interest immediately since I too love to work with stained glass and have made several stained glass windows to hang in my home at Woodcrest Villas.   The fellow whose photo was displayed in the paper while holding the stained glass was an architectural treasure hunter.  His name was Paul Brown who had purchased two rare stained-glass windows and spent upward of $100,000 for the windows and the repairs.  Now, months later, Mr. Brown has yet to receive any money for them since he has an ongoing legal dispute over who had the right to sell the rare windows in the first place.  Once the windows were discovered to be valuable, a range of parties sought to retroactively claim ownership over them.  Well, for the rest of the story.....Mr. Brown bought the rose windows in November 2022 from William Brownlee, the owner of a colossal church at 50th Street and Baltimore Ave. in West Philadelphia.  Brownlee, pastor of Emmanuel Christian Center, had purchased the building in 2022 for $1.7 million in hopes of transforming it into a community center.  Brownlee directed contractors to remove the pews, carved wainscoting, wood trim, flooring, tables, chairs, windows and light fixtures.  It was during that process that Mr.  Brown purchased the stained glass windows for $6,000.  He took the stained glass windows to Freeman's auction house where Mr. Freeman identified them as rare Tiffany glass.  At Mr. Brown's expense, he took the windows to upstate New York to be cleaned and restored.  At the time it was confirmed that Mr. Brown owned them.  Some time later Freeman's sold the windows to an anonymous buyer at auction for $126,000 each. Brown signed an agreement with Freeman's that he would be paid 35 days after the sale.  A few days after the agreement was signed, a letter was received that froze the sale.  The owner of the mortgage of the church where Mr. Brownlee was minister said that the windows were part of a mortgage lien and therefore belonged to the bank.  It was a difficult problem!  As of this date, everything is in limbo.  What would you do if you thought you had purchased a church and all of the stained glass windows and find out the windows weren't part of the sale of the place?  Ask for your money back?  Hire a lawyer and try to sue for the windows.  I guess you need to make sure exactly what you are bidding on when you raise your hand!  I'm not sure exactly what happened or is in the process of being worked out at present.  I'm just glad it wasn't me who thought they had purchased an entire building and found out certain parts of the buiding weren't included.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "So What Do You Think Of Baseball's New Rules? - Part II" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading George Will's column that appeared in "The Washington Post" that told that he likes the new baseball rules that have been initiated this year.  The headline in "The Washington Post" tells us that George says it's time to rejoice with the new rules.  His column began with...When he was a New York Mets baseball broadcaster, Ralph Kiner once explained how cold weather can shorten by 25 feet the distance a fly ball travels: "If the fence is 338 feet away and you hit the ball 338 feet, you'll be 25 feet short."  This season, however, the revived national pastime is giving the nation a lesson in how to put the spring back in it's step by taking numbers seriously enough to decisively modify them.  Even if you are not a fan, pause to appreciate Major League Baseball's solutions to the problems caused by everyone in the game behaving reasonably on the basis of accurate data.  Stuffed to the gills with "analytics" about pitchers' spin rates, launch angles, etc., baseball sagged into longer nine-inning games--3 hours and 5 minutes on average last season.  Pitchers standing 6-foot-5 and throwing more than 95 mph were overwhelming the game with velocity.  It seemed sensible to try to score with one mighty home-run swing than by stringing together hits. Soon there were seasons with thousands more strikeouts than hits.  Batters put fewer balls in play...and fans began to yawn and attendance dropped.  The solution was to change the rules!  Pitchers must deliver the ball 15 seconds after receiving the ball from the catcher!  If not, it will be an automatic "ball."  In this first season of using the rule, scoring was up and a nine-inning game took only 2 hours an 36 minutes.  Compare that to baseball's greatest game ...game 7 of the 1960 World Series, when the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Yankees 10-9 on a walk-off home run...and there was constant action that was packed into 2 hours and 36 minutes.  In 2022 there were 232 nine-inning games at least 3 hours and 30 minutes long, more than one a day for six months!  If 2023's games are on average 25 minutes shorter than last year's, this will effectively spare position players, in a six-game week, from the equivalent of a full game on the field.  Yeah...some "traditionalists' regret this restoration of traditional baseball - the game as played and experienced throughout most of the 20th century.  Real conservatives, who are forever being told "you can't turn back the clock," should rejoice that MLB has done just that.  Before this season's resurrection-through-reform, baseball was tumbling toward steady decreased significance.  Sensibilities change, entertainments are perishable.  For decades, boxing was one of America's premier pastimes. Most people knew the names of recent and contemporary boxers.  OK...go ahead and name todays champions!  Baseball is once again reconnecting with its past and is poised to reclaim the title of national pastime.  It temporarily lost this to the NFL, which, like boxing, involves the public deriving pleasure from watching athletes accept a high risk of brain damage.  Baseball has revived itself by remembering something that is encoded in America's DNA, something that has been intensified by life lived at digital speed: impatience.  One of professional baseball's founding fathers, A.G. Spalding (1850-1915) noted.  "Two hours is about as long as an American can wait for the close of a Base Ball game --- or anything else, for that matter.  A wit has wondered why fans in ballparks stand in the seventh inning to sing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" when they are already there.  Perhaps this is because of baseball's glorious everydayness: "Take me out to tomorrow's game, too."  "Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow/ Creeps in this petty pace from day to day"?  Not in ballparks in 2023!  Fans rescued from a creeping pace, can, unlike sourpuss Macbeth, cheerfully anticipate briskly played games tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow.  So....what are your thoughts on baseball as played this year?  I for one love it!!  I'm ready to watch tomorrow's game already.  It goes so fast today that I'm ready for the next day and then the next day and so forth!!  Bring it on!!!  It certainly is not as boring as it was the past couple of years!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.     

The "Say It Ain't So, Pat" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just turned on the TV above my fireplace and in a minute or two one of my all-time favorite TV quiz shows came on the screen.  "Wheel of Fortune" has been on my CBS television station for more than 40 years and I'll bet I haven't missed more than a couple dozen of them during that time.  And...if I did miss them, I probably caught the show on reruns.  Well TV fans...my friend and yours...Pat Sajak is getting ready to retire his position as host of "Wheel of Fortune."  How can that be......Pat?  I know...you like some time off just like everyone else does, but come on, Pat.  Can't you talk CBS into letting you do maybe 3 shows a week with Vanna doing the other two?  What are we gonna do when you leave?  No one can do the show like you can.  No one can make us laugh like you can.  The newspaper article that I just finished reading told me that Pat will retire from the show after his 41st season, which begins this coming September.  I guess everyone deserves to retire sometime and Pat certainly gave us many hours of good entertainment, but I'm not ready for him to retire.  I don't remember him asking me what I thought!  "Wheel of Fortune" has been a fixture in living rooms across America for generations, holding a special place in the heart of American pop culture.  Merv Griffin launched the American game show in 1975 and Sajak, alongside co-host Vanna White, has been the face of the show for more than four decades.  The show is the second-most-watched TV game show behind another of my favorites, "Jeopardy!"  Jeopardy had lost some of its flavor with the death of Alex Trebec, leaving "Wheel of Fortune" as the best game show on TV, as far as I'm concerned.  Pat averaged 8.3 million weekly viewers.  It was recently announced that the show is celebrating its 40th anniversary and has been renewed for five more years.  You just know that it won't be the same without Pat as the host!  A statement was recently released on TV that read "We are incredibly grateful and proud to have had Pat as our host for all these years and we look forward to celebrating his outstanding career throughout the upcoming season.  Pat has agreed to continue as a consultant on the show for three years following his last year hosting, so we're thrilled to have him remaining close to the Wheel of Fortune family!"  You know the show will never be the same.  I remember watching when Vanna filled in for him when he took off for a vacation, but after an episode or two, I watched something else during that time slot.  As the host of Wheel of Fortune, Pat has entertained millions of viewers across America and we all look forward to celebrating his outstanding career for one more season.  An article I read said that the studio did not immediately respond to a request for comments regarding longtime co-host White's future with the show, or potential replacements for Pat.  The article I read about his retirement added a story telling about his behavior being scrutinized online, with social media slamming the host for teasing a contestant with a fish phobia, mocking a white-bearded man as "Santa's helper" and wrestling with another contestant by putting him in a hammerlock after he'd swept the competition.  Some might have felt that way, but I suspect most enjoyed Pat's clowning around which he often did on his shows.  I will have to make sure I have recorded all his final shows just in case I might miss one of his final shows.  Now....who will replace him?  I, for one, love Vanna White in her role on the show, but not as the host of the show.  It will take a few months, maybe years, to get to enjoy another host that is as good as Pat Sajak was for the past 40 years.  Will the show survive?  I guess time will tell!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "So What Do You Think Of Baseball's New Rules? - Part I" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Watching my Phils win another one in the 9th inning.  Game seems to be moving along a bit faster this year with the new rules that were added this season.  I wonder if the new rules will continue into next season of if they will drop a few of the new rules.  Makes for exciting baseball!  One of the new rules that I do enjoy is the use of the pitch clock. Does make for a faster ballgame!  Implementing clocks for both pitchers and hitters has made the game go a bit faster.  Pitchers have 15 seconds to deliver their next pitch when the bases are empty and 20 seconds when runners are on base.  Batters must be in the batters box with more than eight seconds left on that clock.  Major League Baseball has been searching for years for ways to make the game more exciting to watch.  So, maybe adding a few new rules might be the answer.  But, have baseball officials sold the soul of America's pastime in the process?  One thing is for sure...the time of a game has decreased significantly so far this year. According to baseballreference.com, the average time of a game is currently 2 hours and 38 minutes.  Last year the average time was 3 hours and 6 minutes.  That's a huge difference!  But, to some, the game now feels unnatural.  The countdown clock behind the plate has been distracting and every game seems to be rushed.  Every at-bat seems to be frantic.  The beauty of baseball had always been that there was no clock and now that beauty is gone.  Many players, especially pitchers, have expressed their distaste for the pitch clock.  Many feel that the game has lost part of its identity.  Many players feel the game is more like basketball than baseball.  Phillies pitcher Matt Strahm said the game is losing part of its identity.  Some players have discussed concerns about injuries due to the rapid speed of the game this year.  If players have less time to rest between pitches, they may wear out and sustain injuries at a more frequent rate.  The forced pace-of-play rules harm the performance of pitchers and hitters alike.  If a pitcher is "in the zone," the batter has no time to adjust and regroup after a few bad swings.  If a hitter--or an entire lineup--is seeing the pitcher well or if the pitcher has lost his control of the strike zone, the pitcher has no time to catch his breath.  This development has seemingly resulted in more "crooked" games, where the winning team wins by a lot.  While the pitch clock is a problem, there is praise for some other changes that Major League Baseball has implemented this year.  The larger bases have worked exactly as designed and have created numerous exciting moments that do not feel cheap or contrived.  The pitch clock, however, is an insult to the history of baseball.  It makes games feel unnatural and causes more harm to players than it benefits them.  Designed to draw in new fans, the pitch clock and Major League Baseball have done more to alienate the diehard fans who love American's pastime.  And, as far as the TV fans are concerned, it gives you less time to head to the restroom and to grab a drink and a sandwich before the next pitch.  I still haven't decided if I like it or not!  Some things I like better while others I dislike more.  Maybe after another year of the new rules we will be able to tell better if we like them or not.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "As If One New Member Of The Phils Setting A Record Wasn't Enough!" Story

My story a few days ago about a new Philly pitcher in the line-up was fun to write as well as watch on TV.  But, that isn't the only event that happened during the game that evening.  Phils were playing the Nationals that past Wednesday night.  Another one of the Phils in the lineup that night was a fellow by the name of Wes Wilson.  It was Wilson's debut in the Major Leagues.  Wilson has more than 2,500 career at-bats in the minor leagues with 97 home runs across seven seasons.  He hadn't been called up once by a Major League team until the Phillies picked him up this past week.  The 28-year-old was batting seventh in the Phillies manager's  a week or so ago when he came to the plate for the first time as a big-leaguer in the second inning.   He had played in 706 games in the minors spread across seven seasons before he finally had a chance to see Major League pitching.   When he finally came to the plate for the first time as a big-leaguer, he took a big swing on the third pitch and blasted a 429-foot shot off a MacKenzie Gore breaking ball, and that makes Wilson the first Phillie to ever homer in his first Major League Baseball at-bat since 1998.  Most of all, it's a moment Wilson's family will remember forever, since Wilson's family had the chance to see him in person that night.   Wes is the 80th major leaguer to ever hit a home run in his first at bat.  He did it at the age of 28.  I read over the list of professional players who hit a homer on their first at bat and most I had never heard of.  One such player I did recognize was pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm who hit a homer in his first at bat.  Several other players hit homers in their first game, but not during their 1st at bat.  The homerun was a 429-foot blast off a MacKeenzie Gore breaking ball.  Most of all, it's a moment Wilson's family will remember forever.  A camera zoomed in on his family and caught his father with tears in his eyes.  I must admit that I would have been the same way had it been my son.  And, what made the event a bit less noteworthy that evening is that another player on the Phillies pithed a no-hitter during his first professional major league game.  Oh well, Wes will still have great memories of that game no matter what else might have happened in the game.  Congratulations Wes for your name going into the record books for homer in your first major league at bat!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

Wes Wilson connecting for his 1st Major League homer.

The "A Place That Will Never Be The Same" Story

 It was an ordinary day.  Driving North across the river to the south of Lancaster when I passed the old Rebman's Store at 800 S. Queen Street.  I can remember visiting the store many times as a child and also after marrying my wife, Carol, for chocolate treats for our children during special holidays.  I had a good friend, Bobby Rebman whose family owned and operated Rebman's Store for years and years.  I went to Millersville State Teaher's College with Bobby and ate lunch with him on many occasions.  Well, during my last trip past the store I realized that it may be my "very last" trip past the old store since it is being demolished in the near future to make way for a 52-unit apartment building.  Earl Rebman began his candy business in 1909, making candy in his home kitchen for the Easter Bunny to hand out at Easter.  It wasn't until ten years later that he began his retail business when Rebman's sold Christmas merchandise from a wheelbarrow in Lancaster's Penn Square.  The story became a legend in the family as well as the community.  That year Robert Rebman, one of Earl's six sons was born on Christmas Day.  Then in 1924, Earl began selling his candy at Christmas and Easter at his store front at 112 W. King Street at the corner of King and Water streets where the Stevens House apartment building now stands.  He also began his holiday tradition of having a "Moon Room" which would be a darkened room packed with glowing artificial Christmas trees that became a holiday tradition for many Lancaster residents.  Then in 1940, as the business grew, Rebman's became a quirky mainstay of the downtown shopping scene.  In 1954 Earl bought a building at 210 W. King St. which he remodeled into a modern, two-story story.  He sold holiday merchandise, novelties and gifts and began selling Christmas merchandise year-round.  In 1959 he relocated to 800 S. Queen St. which would be the final location of his store.  The "Moon Room" grew in size and was a great holiday tradition for many families to visit.  In 1962 I met Bobby Rebman, Robert's son, for the first time.  He and I were both students at Millersville State Teacher's College in nearby Millersville.  We were both commuters and ate our lunch at an onsite location in Millersville.  Knew as soon as I met him I had another good friend!  We spent many hours together at Millersville as well as getting together on weekends.  It was at that time that I got to know more about his family's candy store.  In 1980 the store began selling not only candy and Christmas decorations, but Halloween costumes and masks.  It was a one-stop location for Halloween trick-or-treaters.  On June of 1984 a five-alarm fire ripped through the store.  Smoke rose above most of the city's South side.  Damage was more than One Million dollars.  Three months later Rebman's opened at 1785 Columbia Ave in the Wheatland Shopping Center.  This location also had it's own Moon Room!  By 1985 the Queen Street store reopened, but a bit smaller.  Eventually, in 2003, Earl Rebman Jr.  announced that the downtown store would close due to a decline in foot traffic downtown.  Two years after that the Columbia Ave. store closed.  On December 28, 2005, Earl Rebman Jr. announced that a buyer had been found for the S. Queen Street store.  A few days ago the announcement was made that a new 52-unit apartment building will be built at the Rebman location.  That triangular spot at the south of Lancaster City will never be the same again.  Perhaps a piece of candy or two might be found during construction, but the triangular spot will never be the same as I remember it from my childhood.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "History Never Stands Still...Be It Good Or Bad!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  The full-length page in my local newspaper told the story of a newspaper in rural West Virginia which had to stop publication due to extremely low sales.  The residents in the area complained of the information void after The Welch News, which bound the community together, folded in the declining coal county.  I think about my local newspaper and how much I would miss it if it stopped publication.  The article which told the story of The Welch News told of the newspaper that ended it's 100-year run in West Virginia's southern coalfields.  The Welsh News owner and publisher's desk was covered with unpaid bills and her own paychecks which she never cashed.....a year's worth!  Phones that used to ring throughout the day have gone silent and tables covered with awards and a century's worth of long-abandoned artifacts stand as reminders of her beloved paper.  Missy Nester, the owner of The Welch News, has stopped the weekly publication just as other owners of a quarter of other publications in our country have done.  For the town of McDowell, the news is still a shock.  Many said they didn't realize how much they depended on the paper until it was gone.  The 535-square-mile county is dominated by rugged mountain terrain, where residents live miles apart in hollers that are connected by winding roads and no interstate access, leaving people isolated.  Cell and internet service is nonexistent in many areas and there is no locally based radio or television stations.  Missy said, "We're in a unique situation because our community is unique.  We have no other substantial way of communicating."  For Missy and her staff of three, the grief of closing the newspaper has felt impossible to confront after years of sacrifices, both financial and personal.  Missy had taken out a loan and scraped together all the money she could to save it.  But, the crumbling building with a caving roof, cracked walls and a 1966 Goss printing press just wasn't enough.  Sprawling across the Cumberland Mountains of Appalachia, McDowell County was once seen as a symbol of American progress.  In 1950, nearly 100,000 people lived in McDowell.  Today the population is 17,850  and the town is the poorest, with some of the lowest graduation and life expectancy rates in the nation.  A third of the residents live in poverty.  Over the years the county lost big box stores, schools, thousands of jobs and people.  But...it still had it's newspaper.   Today, one resident said that losing the newspaper is like "losing a family member."  The void created by the disappearance of The Welch News is being filled by cable news and social media.  But, much of what is circulating today on Facebook, Twitter and other social media outlets is unverified.  The newspaper used to act as a counter to that misinformation.  When Missy Nester was raising her three children as a single mother in the 1990s and 2000s, the county's older residents would stop by her house on surprise visits with meals and cash they'd tape to her front door.  Many of the people who read the newspaper are now aging.  She thought she would keep the newspaper going as a way to repay them for everything they did to take care of her.  But, now all that is gone.  So sad to see history fall apart!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

An Anniversary Never To Be Forgotten

Intro:  I'm not quite sure if I had ever posted the following story on my blog.  If it sounds familiar, feel free to stop reading it.  If not, it is one of my favorite stories I love to tell, so I decided to post it in case I hadn't posted it in the past. 

I had the best Grandpap ever.  William Cochran was a foreman at Armstrong Cork Company off of Liberty Street in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  I lived with my Mom, Dad and younger brother on the last block of North Queen Street, a block from the Lancaster Train Station and a few blocks from Armstrong Cork Company.  Grandpap would often stop by our house on his way home from work to say Hi! or to pick me up on Tuesdays on his way to Root's Sale in nearby East Petersburg.  We would grab something to eat for supper at Roots and head to the building where they would auction off the small animals.  Very seldom would we head home without some sort of small animal that he would win for me at the auction house.  One that I remember the most, was a single gray pigeon that was in a box, slightly larger than a shoe box.  You could tell that something was wrong with it since it couldn't fly and had trouble even turning around in the box.  My Mom was waiting for us as Grandpap pulled up to the front porch in his Studebaker.  I got out of the car with a big smile on my face, holding the shoebox in my hands.  Mom knew I had something in the box the minute she saw me gently holding it.  Mom and I fed the bird and put a wire cover over the box before I went to bed that evening.  The next day we talked about what we should do with the injured pigeon.  I suspect she had a different idea as what to do with the bird than I did.  I won out and we put a wooden popsicle stick on the broken wing of the bird using yarn.  We placed him in a wooden box with a wire screen over the top of the box.  He seemed to be doing well, so about four weeks later I took the stick off his injured wing.  Just like that he flew from the box to a tree at the rear of our house.  I tried to catch him, but he flew up the rear alleyway and landed on the roof of  our neighbor's garage.  I quickly ran home to tell my mom and grabbed a rope to try and lasso him.  I ran back up the alley and jumped on a metal gate next to the roof where the bird was sitting.  I took the rope, which I had made into a lasso, and threw it in the bird's direction.  The bird flew away as the metal gate flew open and I fell off the gate, landing on the stones.  I ran home holding my arm while crying.  My parents knew instantly that I had broken my arm.  My Dad took me to the hospital where they did a few xrays and placed my arm in a cast.  I found out later that evening that Mom and Dad had plans to go out to eat with friends that evening since that day was their Wedding Anniversary!  Every year on their Anniversary my Mom and Dad always reminded me of the day that I broke my arm trying to lasso a pigeon!  A story I will never forget!  And now...you will probably never forget either!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The Day Hawaii Caught Fire! Story

It was an ordinary day.  June 26, 1999 and Carol and I are about to depart our home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania for a trip to the island of Hawaii. My good friend Jere and I have just finished another year working at Manheim Township High School and were celebrating with a trip to our country's 50th state.  Other travelers on the trip were my wife Carol, Jere's wife Sue, Sue's sister Pat, and longtime friends Harry and Barb.  The two week vacation will take us to just about every island in Hawaii.  The first stop was to Honolulu and a visit with Carol's cousin Gary Greenly who was a medical doctor on the island.  He and I hit it off very well since he was a Corvette fan and we both had Corvettes.  He took me for a ride along the narrow, curved roads in his blue '87 Vette near his office, which was more than I had anticipated and perhaps more that I bargained for.  Our crew eventually made a stop at Pearl Harbor and had a chance to swim in the Pacific Ocean.  Another day saw our group shopping at the Ala Moana Mall.  Wasn't long before we departed for Hilo where we stayed at the Naniloa Resort.  Had fun on a trip to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.  Also made a trip to see Rainbow Falls.  That evening we flew to Maui where we stayed the remainder or our trip at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel.  Fantastic place!  I'm sure that at this point in my story you know what is coming next.  Many of the locations we traveled to while on vacation are no longer part of Maui, having been destroyed by the terrifying wildfire that struck a few days ago.  As of the time I typed this story, there have been 80 peopled confirmed dead.  People who more than likely were residents of Maui or perhaps visitors.  If my story today had taken place years ago, I too may have been one of those killed in the destruction as might have been our entire party of friends.  But, someone was watching over us in 1999, and saw fit to allow us to return home.  The Friday, August 11 newspaper shows a horrible scene.  The photograph shows a banyan tree rising among the wildfire wreckage in the town of Lahaina.  For 150 years, the colossal tree shaded community events, including art fairs.  

It shaded townsfolk and tourists alike from the Hawaiian sun, befitting for a place once called "Lele." the Hawaiian word for "relentless sun."  Like the town itself, its very survival is now in question, its limbs scorched by the devastating fire that has wiped away generations of history.  Had that day been years ago, I too may have been part of the destruction.  The historic town of Lahaina is all but destroyed and the number dead is getting closer to 100 as you read this story.  Why did this not happen when I, and all my friends and wife, were on the island?  Lahaina, with a few exceptions, has been burned down.   

More than 1,000 structures were destroyed by fires that seemed to burn on forever.  Search and rescue teams still won't be able to reach some areas until the fire line is secure and access is safe.  I am so thankful that I had a chance to pass through Lahina a few years ago to take in it's magical wonders.  I'm so sad that it will no longer be the same place that it once was.  Here's hoping the United States sees how important this beautiful town is to all who lived there and made visits to the island, and begins rebuilding the town as quickly as possible.  It would be the proper way to honor all those who have died in the awful wildfire that destroyed this beautiful village called "Lele," the Hawaiian word for "relentless sun."  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

 

The "Did You Hear The Latest News About Lightbulbs? Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading my morning newspaper which is always one of my favorite things to do to start the day.  Well, this morning I found out something that I never expected.  Actually, why didn't I know this before now?  Must be a reason why I never knew it before now!  There...on the bottom of one of the pages in my morning newspaper, in 36 point type, was spewed out in bold letters a headline that read.... Incandescent light bulbs are officially over.  What!!  How did I miss that?  The story in my LNP Newspaper was first published in the New York Times.  It began with the sentence.. It's the end of an era.  In America, the incandescent light is no more (with few exceptions).  Under new energy efficiency rules that took effect Tuesday, shoppers in the United States will no longer be able to purchase most incandescent bulbs, marking the demise of a technology patented by Thomas Edison in the late 1800s.  Taking their place are LED lights, which - love them or hate them - have already transformed America's energy landscape.  The story goes on to say that the new technology has driven down electricity demand in American homes, saving people money.  And, by using less power, LED's have already helped lower the nation's emissions of greenhouse gases, which warm the planet and are a major cause of climate change.  If by now you don't know what LED stands for...it means light-emitting diodes.  The new efficiency standard announced by President Biden's adminsistration requires lightbulbs to meet a minimum standard of procducing 45 lumens per watt.  (A lumen is a measurement of brightness, and incandescents typically produce far less than that per watt.). A rule change applies the new standards to a wider universe of lightbulbs.  The only older bulbs that still can be used are those that go inside ovens and bug lights.  Now that the new rule is in place, the Department of Energy expects Americans to collectively save nearly $3 billion a year on their utility bills.  The knock on LEDs from the past was that they were more expensive to buy, but prices for LEDs have rapidly fallen.  Over the next 30 years, the rules will also cut carbon dioxide emissions by 222 million metric tons, according to the Energy Department.  LEDs have other advantages in that they last 25 to 50 times longer than their incandescent counterparts.  The new regulations may go over with little fanfare being that retailers have been taking the old bulb off the shelves in anticipation of the rule.  I certainly didn't notice a difference in the brightness of the new bulbs.  And, anything to save a few dollars is fine with me.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.    

The "Boy...Did He Impress The Phillies Fans" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Carol and I were watching history being made as the Phillies new pitcher, Michael Lorenzen, walked to the mound to start the ninth inning.  The Phillies had just acquired Lorenzen about a week before and he was pitching in just his second game, his first home game, for the Phillies on Wednesday.  He didn't impress me when the game first began, but as the game progressed he seemed to gain a bit of momentum he hadn't had when the game began.  I yelled to my wife to come and sit down and watch this guy whom neither one of us had ever seen pitch before. Inning after inning he seemed to get stronger until before we knew it, the ninth inning was ready to begin.  Then Michael walked to the mound!  It was only the second game he had ever pitched for the Phils, and only the first in the city of Philadelphia.  The fans were going wild.  Michael's mother, wife and child were in the stands watching the game and the cameras were constantly showing the excitement on their faces.  The entire stadium was behind him as were my wife and I as we both yelled for him as our two cats ran to hide in the nearest bedroom.  Hey, it was only the second start of his career as a Phillie!  The cameras panned the Phils dugout as the entire team was standing along the edge of the dugout waiting for the final out.  Then it happened...the crowd of 30,406 went nuts!  The first batter in the ninth, Washington Nationals Lane Thomas, hit a grounder to open the ninth and was thrown out at first.  Then Joey Meneses was caught looking for the second out.  And then it happened...Dominic Smith popped up Michael's 124th pitch of the night and the game ended.  After 2 hours and 9 minutes, Michael stood on the mound raising his arms in triumph, just before rushing toward the outstretched arms of his catcher, J.T. Realmuto.  The rowdy celebration began!!  Carol and I were yelling as The Gray Lady and Snickerdoodle headed for cover.  Michael's mother, Cheryl, and his wife, Cassi, were crying in the stands as his nine-month-old daughter was being comforted in the arms of his wife.  Many fantastic and famous pitchers have stood on the mound in Philadelphia in the past and pitched well.  Some of it is skill while some of it is luck, but last evening, Michael Lorenzen had both...and that's all that mattered!  He threw the 14th no-hitter in Phillies history.  He became the fifth pitcher in major league history, and only the second since 1900, to throw a no-hitter in his home debut with a new team.  Think they're gonna love the guy in Philadelphia!!  Welcome to Philadelphia...Buddy!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.