The "A Few Of My Favorite Gifts: Sub-Head - And We Laughed And Laughed" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Christmas morning 2019.  Our friends from State College had just arrived and we ushered them into our living room to exchange presents.  Jere and Sue, classmates of mine from the Manheim Township High School class of 1962, had plans to come to Lancaster to visit with Jere's sister and family and called to see if they could stop to exchange a few gifts the following day.  At this point I must digress and bring you up to date with my past.  Year was in the late 1940s, Christmas day, and my parents and brother and I went to visit my grandmother and aunt (on my father's side) to exchange Christmas gifts.  Aunt Doris surprised me with a new Schwinn bicycle!  Loved Aunt Doris!  Fast forward with me now to mid to late 1950s and I came down the stairs Christmas morning in our home on North Queen Street to find my parents had bought me a new 3-speed bike with hand brakes.  Wasn't more than a few hours later that I took my bike for a ride and stopped at the local candy store, "Eli's", to show Eli my new bike.  He was as amazed as I was about the bike.  Told me to be careful going home on it.  Well, I had to stop quickly at an intersection and mistakenly pulled on the right-hand brake and flew over the front of the bike.  Scratched the handlebar, but was able to hide it so my parents didn't see the scratch.  My next memorable Christmas gift was a 120-bass accordion that mom and dad got me when I was about 14 years old.  Heavy for a skinny young boy, but I loved playing it.  My teacher was a guy by the name of Mickey Sinopoli who had the coolest name and could play the neatest songs on the accordion.  I wanted to be just like him, but after my Spring concert and barely being able to hold the accordion to play "Lady of Spain" for the audience, I quit the accordion.  Along came 1960 and my parents bought me a set of spun-aluminum hubcaps, known as Moon hubcaps, for Christmas for my 1953 Henry J automobile. Didn't take long to get to the car to pop them in place.  I was once again in heaven due to a fabulous Christmas gift.  Well, today wasn't quite as memorable as the days I have just described, but it certainly made me laugh a bit more, for you see I opened a gift from Jere And Sue which was a framed caricature of myself riding a bicycle once again.  The story behind it goes like this.....  This past September, Carol and I traveled with Jere and Sue to the island of Antigua.  During one of our many talks during our evening meal I told them a story that happened during my youth.  At the time I had raised guinea pigs to sell (now that's another story I believe I already told) for a few years and had an arrangement with the nearby Acme Supermarket to save lettuce trimmings for me to feed to my guinea pigs, which numbered close to 75 at the time.  Once or twice a week I would hook a little red wagon to my three-speed bike and head up North Market Street in my sandals to pick up the lettuce.  As I rode my bike I would pull out a cigarette I had taken from my parent's pack of cigs and puffed on it.  Made me look older, so it did!  At least to me, it did.  It was then that one of the others asked what kind of cigarettes I smoked when I was riding my bike.  "I smoked Newports," was my answer, since that's what my mom smoked.  That just about got us thrown out of the place from all the laughter.  One day my mom told me she and dad had something to talk to me about.  Uh, Oh!  I thought they had found my "Playboy" magazine I had between the mattress and box spring.  "We found a few cigarettes in your room and we're concerned about you smoking," Mom told me.  "You know that Grandpap smokes a pipe and we thing it best if you have to smoke, you should smoke a pipe."  Fine with me.  

LDub as a young boy drawn by Mike

Well, by now my story I was telling the other three at our table in the restaurant in Antigua was creating a few more laughs.  I then described how I would ride my bike and wagon to the supermarket with a pipe in my mouth, puffing away as I rode up N. Market Street.  Well, to finish my Christmas story about neat gifts, today I opened a gift from Jere and Sue and found a caricature of myself riding a bicycle with a pipe in my mouth and a cigarette behind my ear and wearing sandals.  Seems Jere's nephew Mike is an artist and does great caricature drawings so Sue called him and gave him my description and he drew one of my gifts that I was given by Jere and Sue.  The laughing was once again out-of-control.   I know...you had to be there to appreciate it!  So, I would be amiss if I didn't add this gift as one of the Christmas gifts that I will remember for the rest of my life.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Christmas: The Evolution of Celebrating" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading how Christmas has been celebrated over the ages.  For many Christians, Christmas is a time of both worship as well as celebration of the birth of the baby Jesus.  

The way we celebrate Christmas has evolved over time and how we celebrate the holiday is somewhat different than how it was celebrated in the past.  In the early 1800's in America, most people didn't observe Christmas.  It was felt that it was too closely associated with its pagan roots from Europe.  Those that did celebrate did so with modest decorations that were perhaps placed on the family table.  Some decorated trees with popcorn garlands and baked cookies.  In the mid to late 1800s people began to select small trees for placing festive more ornate and intricate decorations, mostly made by hand.  More traditional events started with the arrival of the first Christmas cards.  R.H. Pease introduced the first Christmas cards in the 1850s while Louis Prang turned then into a tradition in the 1870s.

Santa was created by Thomas Nast in 1863 when
he drew this image in Harper's Magazine.

 Santa Claus was created by Harper's Weekly Magazine's illustrator Thomas Nast in 1863 who also made Santa and his elves at home in the North Pole.  Wasn't long before gift giving became a tradition at Christmas time.  Little did Thomas know the magnitude of celebration that his creation would make in the future.  In 1892 Russian Pyotr Tchaikovsky wrote the Nutcracker which wasn't a huge success in America until the late 1960s.  The Nutcracker made decorating with little wooden soldiers a whimsical Christmas tradition.   In the early 1900s people began to decorate much larger live trees that would perhaps reach the ceilings in their homes.  Christmas wreaths made from evergreen tree branches began to decorate the front doors of homes.  By the late 1920s candy canes became not only a Christmas treat, but also a decoration for the family tree.  In the mid to late 1900s people began to cut down live trees for decorating and before long artificial trees began to replace the live version.  My wife showed me photos of her family tree that was made of shiny aluminum.  Lights were added to the Christmas trees in the late 1940s.  Before that time candles were used to add illumination to the Christmas tree, though they were quite dangerous.  Today the Christmas tree is covered with technology people in the 1800s didn't even dream about.  LED lighting that can perform a variety of tasks gives the tree a different look.   At times music can be added with timed lighting exhibitions bouncing around the tree.  Each family celebrating Christmas with an illuminated tree has their own traditions and decorates their tree to bring memories to life once a year.  My wife, Carol, and I wish each and every person who celebrates Christmas as a religious holiday, a Merry Christmas.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

What were people thinking when the aluminum tree was developed.

The "2019 RLPS Gingerbread Display" Story

The RLPS-OPOLY Gingerbread display.

It was an ordinary day.  Making a visit to the Reese, Lower, Patrick & Scott Architects office in Lancaster, Pennsylvania to view the annual Gingerbread house exhibit they have been creating for the past 24 years.  The theme for this year's show was RLPS-OPOLY and their large assembly room looked like a huge Monopoly board with gingerbread displays covering the majority of the spaces around the board.  The employees of the architectural firm all produce something for the display which must have items on display that are editable.  Judges view the display when it has been completed and pick the best gingerbread exhibit.   The gingerbread display that was judged the best this year was "St. James Place" that had a dollar price on the original Monopoly board of $180.  The gingerbread church was great with a bride and groom standing in front of the church and a car with a "Just Married" sign on it.  A whole lot of sugar involved in making this treat.  I have included a few of my favorites so you could see the quality of workmanship that is done every year by the employees of RLPS. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The winning Gingerbread display, St. James Place.

An overall view showing the money tray and part of the RLPS-OPLY board.

Oriental Ave 

Vermont Ave. 

The Jail on the corner of the board.

One of the utility blocks

Another favorite, Virginia Ave. 

One of the couple of Railroads.

Celebrating the incoming New Year. 

Interesting block.

Another neat utility. 

This young girl was using her cell phone to take a few photographs. 

North Carolina block with the Wright Bros. plane.

Naturally enjoyed the Pennsylvania block with Betsy Ross and Benjamin Frankliin.

Closer view of Betsy Ross to show you how they make figures from sugar 

The most expensive piece of property, Boardwalk.

The "Celebrating Christmas: LDubs House All Aglow!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just finished putting up our holiday lights for the upcoming Christmas celebration.  Since we moved into our "Beach House" in the mid-1990s we have decorated with a variety of outdoor lights as well as a beautiful tree and indoor lighting.  We don't cover our house with lights or have a specific theme for our lights as many of our neighbors do, but our house still looks great inside and out when Christmas arrives.  I must admit we bought an indoor artificial tree years ago which stands about eight feet tall.  We switched to the artificial tree, since the year before we bought a really expensive large tree from a fellow teacher who had a tree stand and who delivered it to our house later the same day, but happened to put it in front of the garage door and when I backed the car out I ran over it and snapped a few important branches off.   Now, our tree looks great every year we take it out of the extremely big box.  Our outdoor decorations now consist of a strand of lighted icicles over the garage door, a decorated sled on the front porch and a herd of lighted deer amongst the seven English walnut trees to the side of our house.  I must admit, they look great!  Inside the house, Carol loves her small artificial tree that she decorates in the kitchen/family room as well as the eight foot one in the living room.  We have so any beautiful ornaments that we have collected over the years.  Many are beach related while others have special sentimental value.  I have featured many favorite ornaments over the past years of writing my blog and if you type "ornaments" in the white box at the top left of this story, you can view some of them.  Even thought our children and grandchildren are no longer youngsters, we still hang their hand-made stockings from the evergreen-wrapped railing on the second floor directly inside our front door.  To give you a better idea as to how we decorate for the Christmas holiday, check out the following photographs.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The second floor landing has greens and all the family stockings.

On the front porch sits our old sled that is decorated with greens and lights.

This small artificial small tree is in the family room by the back door.

Our large eight foot decorated tree in our living room.

The "The Tide Is Coming" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading an email from a friend who happens to live on the island known as Sint Maarten/St. Martin.  My wife and I met Barbara and her husband Diederick for the first time in 2014 while on vacation.  Barbara grew up in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, about 120 miles from my home in Lancaster.  Since that time, Carol and I have made yearly, sometimes by-yearly trips to the island for rest and relaxation and try and visit with Barbara and Dee.  He have made other friends due to Barbara and love to visit their beautiful home and witness Dee's gardening efforts and adventures.  While looking at a Facebook page the other day I found a post that had come from Barbara's blog from a few years ago.  The post had a story titled "What does 'the tide is coming' mean.  Have you ever heard that saying?  The following is parts of the original posting that Barbara made years ago and recently posted to her Facebook page.  I asked for permission to reprint the following and Barbara was more than willing to share it once again.  Perfect story for the Christmas season.

What does 'the tide is coming' mean?

The gardener (my hubby) told me this morning that his mother used to always say that.

Growing up in Philipsburg, he always though she meant a high tide was coming.

He would get a little scared because he didn't know how far the sea would come up.

He also knew though that she would always say that around Christmas and that because "the tide was

coming."  It was time to clean the house, change the curtains, etc.

People in the Caribbean traditionally do "spring housecleaning" at Christmas time.

He could never quite figure out what she meant.

We started trying to figure out where that expression came from. Since his mother was from Anguilla, we

figured it was a British expression.

Then the gardener said it was a time to clean the house and make it neat.  He said she tidied up.

Aha!

The tide is coming means to tidy up?

So now I am googling tidy up.

I find that tidy comes from an Old English word "tid", which means time.

So did "the tide is coming" mean it is time to tidy up?

That didn't quite fit either.

More research and, lo and behold, we figured it out.

The Christmas season.  She would always say the tide is coming at Christmas time.

Christmas season.

Christmas time.

Christmastide.

Shortened to the tide is coming.

Christmastide is another name for the Christmas season.  It is the festival season from Christmas Eve till

after New Year's Day or especially in England till Epiphany.

A tide is an obsolete or archaic term for time, period or season, such as Eastertide or Yuletide.

Did you ever hear the expression "the tide is coming"?

Perfect little explanation to help you understand where the word, or term Christmastide originated.  Hope you have a loving and merry holiday season no matter what religion you may hold true to your heart or believe; from my home to your home!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Ephrata, Pennsylvania Claims The Best Cookie Baker!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Driving north on Rt. 272 toward the town of Ephrata, Pennsylvania.  My quest today is to buy a few decorated cookies to place in the stockings of my grandchildren for Christmas.  Not just any cookies, but cookies made by the award winning "Cookie Lady" known as Laura Merkel.  This all came about when Carol and I were talking about something different to put in our granddaughter's stockings and I suggested I make a visit to "Laura the Cookie Lady" who has a store at 30 E. Main Street in Ephrata.

Laura's store at 30 East Main Street

Turned right off 272N onto State Street.  Not long before I had to stop at the light where State intersects Main.  Turned right and began looking for Laura's store.  Pulled into a parking space and walked  about 50 feet and then I saw it.  The sign read "Sold Out".  Seems the store opened at 11:00 a.m. that morning and 20 minutes later Laura had emptied her display cases of every cookie she and her helpers had baked for the day.  Laura has gained quite a bit of notoriety in this "neck of the woods" since she was on television's Food Network "Christmas Cookie Challenge".  Not only was she on the show, but she won the $10,000 that goes with being known as the best cookie maker in the United States.  Found out that the show was actually filmed last February in Los Angeles, but didn't air until the end of November.

Laura can be seen in the center of the photo with fellow bakers Megan
Savely to the left and Maisha Cottman on the right.  She won $10,000.

For 10 months Laura had to keep her win a secret from the town of Ephrata as well as the world.  She went up against four other cookie bakers from around the United States.  She baked an espresso-chocolate cookie that got high marks for taste and texture from the judges in the first round.  In the second and final round, she baked an oatmeal-kiwi-white chocolate Christmas tree cookie tart with cream cheese buttercream icing.

Laura holding one of her boxes she fills with cookies.

Carol and I enjoyed the show and were pulling for her the entire time.  When I left to head to Ephrata, Carol told me to get a couple of those cookies for Christmas gifts.  Well, the sign told me I wasn't going to get the treats today, but it didn't stop me from pounding on the door to arouse whomever might have been inside the bakery.  A fellow opened the front door and I asked if I could talk with Laura for a story I wanted to write for my blog.  He told me to follow him and in about 30 seconds I saw Laura behind the counter in her cookie store.  The place was bare of cookies, but not bare of smiles from Laura when I introduced myself and explained why I was there.

Laura's award winning entry.

She apologized about the lack of cookies, but told me the line when she opened was about a block long.  Everything was gone in about 20 minutes!  She told me to get in line tomorrow early if I want any.  She also told me that since her big win on the TV show she can't keep cookies in her cases very long.  Laura is a Long Island native who now lives in the small town known as Ephrata.  The neat little town is an agricultural community with the historical site Ephrata Cloisters and the nearby Green Dragon Farmer's Market.  Many Old Order Amish and Mennonites live in the surrounding villages.  The town now is the home to the best cookie baker in the country.  Congratulations to Laura and I only hope that sometime soon I will get a chance to try one of her award-winning cookies.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Laura's empty counters. 

Wish I could have gotten a few of these cookies. 

Or...maybe one of these. 

Another creative design.

Laura's logo for her business.

The " A Favorite Christmas Gift" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Going through the gifts I had received this year for Christmas.  I was lucky enough to have received a few wonderful gifts and was deciding which was my favorite.  Could it be the birdhouse that my son got for me or could it be the soft winter socks my wife bought for me?  How about the gift card for a few car washes from my oldest son or maybe it was the Polarizing filter I got for my camera.  Then I picked up the small black box and opened it once again.  This was perhaps my favorite this Christmas season.  Inside the box was an ornament depicting the gate of the Hamilton Watch Company in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  It is crafted in solid brass plated in 24-karat gold and was one of a limited edition made of the Hamilton Watch Company which is the eleventh in a series of ornaments made by LEADS (Lancaster's Economic Action for Downtown's Success) which is a non-profit organization of volunteers that try to make Downtown Lancaster a more attractive place to live, work and shop.  Other ornaments had featured the Watt & Shand Department Store, J.P. McCaskey High School in Lancaster, the Fulton Theatre and Lancaster's Central Market which is the oldest farmer's market in the United States.  It was back in 2000 that LEADS began their flower basket decorations on every lamppost in the downtown area.  They also deck the lampposts during the holiday season with lighted garland, wreaths and snowflakes.  The financing for these projects comes in part from the sale of the limited edition ornaments.  

Ornament of the Lancaster Train Station made in 2017.

I only found out about the ornaments last year when I purchased one of the ornaments of the Lancaster Train Station for my friend Jere and was given one by my wife for Christmas last year.  The ornaments have been a big hit and sell out quickly.  This year's ornament of the Hamilton Watch Company is special to me since my mother worked at the factory during WWII when they produced munitions for the war effort.  

This year's ornament features the gate of Hamilton Watch Co.

The building was completed in 1875 and became the head- quarters for Hamilton Watch from 1892 to 1980.  Today it is a luxury apartment complex.  The four-story building is topped with a mansard roof trimmed with copper and a clock with four faces.  It is shaped like the letter "E" with towers on the corners.  It was built in the Art Deco-style in brick and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.  The iconic gates are depicted in the ornament that my wife bought me.  It hangs in a prominent spot on our Christmas tree.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "A Gift For My Brother" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Getting ready to head to my brother's house for our annual after-Christmas party.  My brother Steve and his family, as well as my family, all gather annually at his daughter Kelly's home in Ephrata, Pennsylvania on the evening after Christmas day.  

Our Nannan with Steve (left) and me (right).

We usually celebrate with pizza, drinks and plenty of Christmas cookies.  We usually bypass Christmas gifts due to the 20 or so people.  But, this year I will have a special gift to give to my brother.  All began about a half-year ago when Steve gave me a small black and white photo of our Grandmother, whom we have called Nannan all our life.  Her real name was Grace Mae Woods.  Her husband, Joseph, died when killed in an accident at the local post office where he was employed.  

My brother (right) with cousins George (standing) and
Judy seated at Crystal Beach Manor in Maryland.

My dad was six years old at the time.  Our other grandmother, Anna Cochran, died when I was about 12 years old and Steve was 7, so we barely got to know her.  Nannan was the one who babysat for us when we were young and we always had a great time.  When Steve gave me the photo of her and the two of us, which was taken at Crystal Beach Manor, Maryland, I had the intention of making one for myself.  But, I thought Steve might want a slightly larger copy so I made two 5x7s and framed one for Steve for Christmas.  

Steve's framed Christmas present.

Steve and I always had a grand time with Nannan and she was a real treat for the two of us.  We learned how to swear from Nannan, since she did quite a bit of it when we played board games with her.  She always made us promise not to tell our mom and dad though.  We spent many a fun summer vacation at Crystal Beach with my mom and dad, Nannan, Aunt Lillian and her two children, our cousins, Judy and George.  The treasures we shared with Nannan were priceless and I know Steve will cherish the present.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Steve and me when we were about 5 and 10 years of age. 

Steve and me a year or two ago by his pool in Ephrata, PA.

Steve and me looking for Cape May diamonds a few years ago.

Steve and me dunking our Christmas cookies.

I had to add this photo since it is one of a very few where I am on the left side of the photo.
This was taken at his son's wedding.

The "A Special Gift For The Holidays" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just finished a few Christmas tree ornaments for family members.  Over the years we have been given ornaments to hang on the Christmas tree that were purchased of made by friends and relatives.  They are some of the most cherished holiday gifts we have received during our marriage.  I'm sure you, too, have received special gifts during holiday seasons that you cherish as much or more than others.  From time to time we also make hand-made ornaments to give.  This year I made a special ornament for our youngest granddaughter as well as ornaments for my sister-in-law and our niece.  Thought I would share with you how I made them and what they look like after being finished.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

This was one of the field hockey balls that was used during the 1988 season that I made into a Christmas tree ornament for my daughter when she was a freshman goalie.  I show you this since I once again made an ornament much the same except for my granddaughter after finishing her freshman season as a goalie this year.

I also made one for my daughter after her senior year when she was still the goalie and whose team made it into the playoffs for the first time in many years.  

Granddaughter Camille was the goalie this year for the school's Junior Varsity team.  The team went undefeated and unscored upon throughout the season.  The first time ever for the school coach!

I made this stained glass ornament for my niece who will host a party this evening for the entire family.  We appreciate the time and effort she and her husband make for the family party so Carol and I thought she would like something for the Christmas tree.

My sister-in-law loves penguins so I made her a stained glass ornament to hang on her tree.