The "Trying Out The New Lens: Part 1" Story

It was an ordinary day. Going over the 700 or so photos that I took on my recent trip to St. Martin. Most of the photos were taken with my Sony Alpha DSLR camera. For the last few years I used the lens that came with the camera. It was a 18-70mm Sony lens. Got some great shots, but at times I wished I had something for wide angle shots and also for telephoto shots. The main reason I bought the Sony was because I could use all of my autofocus Minolta lenses with it. My last trip I took my my 90-300mm telephoto lens with me. It is 6" long and weighs a ton. I decided I needed a lens that would take in all the ranges I wanted and at a smaller size. Found an 18mm (macro)-200mm lens on Amazon and bought it. Really like the versatility the lens gives me. Hence, over 700 shots in one week and I still found time to tan, read, tour, and eat. Well, I picked out some of my favorites and am posting them in three stories for you to view. Hope you also find a few that you enjoy. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

I just love photographing the planes as they land at Princess Julianna Airport in Sint Maarten

Aerial shot of one of many islands in the Caribbean Sea

Karakter Beach Bar on the Dutch side of Sint Maarten

Collection of Larimar jewelry in one of the many stores along Front Street

Beautiful patterns on one of the many species at the Butterfly Farm in St. Martin

Buildings on Front Street in Philipsburg

Variety of Ma Doudou Rum at Up on the Key Beach Bar on Pinel Island

Silk wrap hanging on a line behind a palm tree

Church service at Catholic Church in Philipsburg

Young girl testing the water on Maho Bay

The "Flat Stanley Goes On Vacation" Story

It was an ordinary day. Just finished printing a summary of "Flat Stanley's" adventures in St. Martin and printing photos to go with the summary. About a month ago my granddaughter Camille, who lives in Urbana, Maryland, asked her Amah and Tampah if we would take Flat Stanley on vacation with us. Seems her first grade class was studying maps and globes and during the unit they read Flat Stanley and how Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown. In the story, Stanley is folded up, put in an envelope andmailed to visit a friend in California. In our case, Stanley, who Camille cut out of paper and colored, was mailed to us to take on our vacation. After we documented his journey, we will take the photos and a short summary of the trip, and mail it back to the school so the teacher can help Camille's class record his trip on a big map in the hallway. They will display the notes with the photos. Well, Flat Stanley had one heck of an adventure. He first had to show his passport as he went through security at the airport. Bring so skinny and small he didn't have to pay for his flight and did get to sit by a window in the plane to St. Martin. Didn't even get motion sickness. First full day on the island he got to have breakfast with Amah and Tampah and friends Barry and Karen at Bon Appetit Restaurant. Even managed to drink a glass of orange juice. Then it was off to Pinel island on the ferry. The ferry driver told us he didn't have to pay for the ride if he could sit on somebody's lap. No problem! While there we played on the beach with him and buried him in the sand. He also got to sit in a tree in the gift shop and watch the sugar birds as they ate sugar from the feeders. The next day he had his photo taken at the monument that divides the French side from the Dutch side of St. Martin before heading to the Butterfly Farm. Stanley got to sit in the hatching box at the Butterfly Farm and watch the butterflies emerge from the cocoons. His favorite butterfly was the one that had orange and black on it's wings. As we were leaving the farm, Stanley had a small mishap. A coconut fell from a tree and rolled toward him. Lucky for him that he is so flat that the coconut rolled right over him. A final trip to Friar's Beach gave Flat Stanley a chance to work on his tan. He didget to swim in the Caribbean Sea, but preferred laying under his blue umbrella for most of the day. Flat Stanley is home now and preparing for his return to Camille's classroom. He looks pretty much the same as when he left except for the sand that he still has on his feet. Should be a fun time for Camille and her classmates when he arrives at Centerville Elementary School in Frederick, Maryland and her teacher reads about his adventuresand looks at all the photos of Stanley and his fantastic time with Amah and Tampah. We enjoyed Stanley immensely and he was very well behaved the entire trip. Camille did a wonderful job of creating Flat Stanley. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - below are photos for Flat Stanley as he visited St. Martin/Sint Maarten

Flat Stanley is showing his passport to the security guards

Flat Stanley got to ride with me on the plane to St. Martin and look out the window

Flat Stanley had a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice for breakfast

Flat Stanley's friends help him on the ferry ride to Pinel Island

Flat Stanley enjoyed being buried in the sand on Pinel Island

Flat Stanley climbed the Sea grape tree to get a better view of the Sugar Birds

Flat Stanley at the border between the French and Dutch sides of St. Martin

Flat Stanley waiting for a cocoon to open at the Butterfly Farm

Flat Stanley admiring one of his favorite colored butterflies

Stanley becoming a little flatter after the coconut rolled over him

Flat Stanley catching some rays on Friar's Beach

The" Parallel Parking" Story

It was an ordinary day. I was eating breakfast at a sidewalk cafe, watching someone parallel park their car in a very small spot across the street. Wow, I can't believe he really did that. He did bump the car in the rear and front of him a few times each, but when he was finished it was a perfect park job with about 10 to 12 inches in the front and back. No lie! I never saw anyone do a job as good as that. I learned to parallel park in the alley behind our house on North Queen Street. When I was 15 years old my dad would park the car in the back alley after work and when supper was over I was allowed to drive the car back and forth in the alley which was a half block long. I look back on those days and can't believe he actually let me do that. Back and forth I would go. Alley was never wide enough to turn around in it, especially with a station wagon, but I was able to back up and then pull the car forward in front of our rear yard. Many times I would set our trash barrel and our neighbors trash barrel along one side of the alley and practice parallel parking. I would stick at it until dark some evenings. Got really good at it after a year and the day I turned 16 I applied for my learner's permit. My dad took me out in the car for a few times and after 3 weeks told me it was time to get my driver's license. I went to the Lancaster State Police Barracks along Route 30E and entered the building. I first took an oral test with an officer and then we got in the station wagon. The boat was tough to drive; had no power steering. I had to travel the course, stop a stop signs, going around a corner and some cones. Then he told me to park the car between the cones along the curb. Pulled up to the cones and in two swipes I was in the parking space. Really aced it. He looked at me and said, "Good job, son. Who taught you that?" I just looked at him and gave a shrug. We entered the building and he stamped my application "Passed." But, he couldn't understand how I could be that good after only three weeks of practice. Never gave him an answer either. Getting back to the parallel parking, I always took pride in being able to park a car, no matter what size it was, but I got to tell you, the guy who just parked his car across the street right now was a real pro. He must have practiced in his back alley for a year and a half. Don't think I could have done it myself, but I would have liked to try. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "It's All New" Story

It was an ordinary day. Sitting in traffic, waiting for the yachts to pass. And it's all new! Decided to stay on the Dutch side of Sint Maarten this year with friends Karen and Barry. Carol and I usually stay on the French side, so quite a few things we did with Karen and Barry were all new. Stayed at the Pelican Marina Resort, which while we were there was renamed the Simpson Bay Marina and Resort. Ate at Skip Jacks which was voted as the #1 seafood restaurant on the island a few years ago. Second night we had a meal at LaBamba Beach Bar and got to meet friends that I correspond with on sxmtravelforum and TravelTalkOnline, web sites for travel to the Caribbean. That was a fun night with new friends to meet. Picked up croissants for breakfast most days at the Peli-Deli. Wonder if they will have to rename that store after changing the name of the resort. Had supper a few times at Ciao's which is the resort restaurant. Great Italian food at this spot. For the first time ever I had lobster thermidor at Pineapple Pete's. Have meant to try it for years, but was too far to drive at night on unfamiliar roads. Unbelievable meal. They remove the lobster, cut it into small pieces and mix it with cheese, cream, mushroom and peppers, then stuff it back in the lobster tail shell and cover with more cheese and bake it. Can't be good for you!! We traveled to the Butterfly Farm to show our guests a new experience. We had been there years ago and really enjoyed it, so it wasrelatively new to us. Ate breakfastat Bon Appetit a few times as well as Zee Best which is supposed to have the best breakfast on the restaurant. How can you go wrong when they all serve croissants with their meals. Visited Kali's Beach Bar one day for a beach experience as well as Karakter's Beach Bar where you get free chairs and umbrella if you eat at their restaurant. Both these places were new to all of us. We also ate at Toppers one evening which is on the beach near our resort. We did do a few favorites to show Barry and Karen why we enjoy the island so much. Stopped by Orient Beach but it was too windy. Went to Pinel Island by ferry for a day as well as shopping at Marigot and Philipsburg. About the only new thing we didn't enjoy during our week long visit was the traffic. It is high season in the Caribbean during the winter and the traffic was terrible. There is a drawbridge near our resort and it opens for 30 minutes at a time and you might know that I hit that a few times. Most all experiences were new and after the week we realized why we love the French side of the island so much. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - pixs from the top are: The Simpson Bay Marina and Resort, lobster thermidor, Old Street in Philipsburg, and Karakter's Beach Bar.

The "Day at the Full Moon Beach" Story

It was an ordinary day. Just arrived at Friar's Bay after a try at going to Orient Beach. Orient Beach was so windy that the vendors had a hard time keeping the cushions on the beach chairs. Didn't want sand blowing in our faces all day so we headed to a beach that we

knew would be better protected from the wind. When we arrived at Friar's Bay we parked the car and headed to the sand. There are two beach bars on this stretch of white sand; Friar's Beach Bar and Kali's Beach Bar. We entered on the end where Kali's is located, so it was natural just to find a couple of chairs there. Kali's is a thatched bamboo hut splashed in Rasta colors, where Kali himself serves some of the island's best barbecue. He hosts "full moon parties," featuring Reggae bands on the beach along with a bonfire and plenty of drink. The party is so popular that people come from St. Barth and Anguilla to attend. We were first approached by Bob Barker (I'm still sure that's not his real name) who helped Carol and I and Barry and Karen find the best seats on the beach. Tested the water then picked up my book and started to enjoy the day. Around noon Barry and I headed to the small shack by the beach bar to check out the t-shirts they had to offer. Met Coco, who ran the place. She started telling us about all her back troubles and pains and we naturally added to the conversation with all of ours. She gave Barry her magnet wrap to try on the beach. Claimed it would help his MD that he suffers from. Barry was nice enoughto take it for a try, knowing that this will not be a cure for it. An hour later we were sitting at a yellow, green and red table under a thatched roof for lunch. Had one of the best burgers I ever ate, while the others had a Mahi-Mahi

Caesar's salad. Then Kali arrived. Stopped by our table to chat for a while. Found out he started the beach bar over 30 years ago. Barry and I jumped out of our seats to have a photo taken with him. Wish I had the dreads that he has. After a few more hours of sun and sand, we packed it in for the day and headed back through Marigot, the capital of the French side of St. Martin, to our condo. Great time in a great place. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Undocumented Animal Parade" Story

It was an ordinary day. 80 degrees and sunny! Time for the beach. And my story isn't documented with photos, but I have witnesses. Karen, Barry, Carol and I are heading to the French side of St. Martin to Friar's Bay for the day. We have to pass through Marigot, the capital of the French side, on our way. As we are heading through the city we stop for foot traffic. All is past, or at least I thought so, when one more young woman walks in front of the car. Very slowly! And then she looks behind her, toward the ground. Here comes her cat, collar and jacket, walking behind her. The cat looks at the car, but doesn't seem in a hurry. It passes and we are off again. My camera is in the beach bag in the trunk of the car. We arrive at the beach and have a great day in the sun. Water is in the high 70s and the food is great. Even a few topless woman for Barry and me to observe. Then it's off for home again. As we leave the dirt and stone road that led us to the beach and back, we make a turn in the road and stop. A line of 8 to 10 cattle are head to tail moving across the road. SLOWLY! They also look at us, but don't seem interested. We stop for the parade and then continue on. Yep, the camera is in the beach bag in a plastic baggie. Heading through Marigot again we round the last turn in the city and there in the parking lot of a grocery store is a man and his fat pig. The pig is very large and has a collar and leash around his neck. Following the man across the parking lot. The porker has to be 200 pounds. Alright, now it's time to stop and get the camera out of the trunk. Too late for the pig, but just in case! And, of course, that is the end of the livestock story. Smooth sailing til we reach our resort. Believe it or not!! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "It used to be call the Pelican" Story

It was an ordinary day. Having trouble hearing the person sitting next to me by the pool. Seems that the airplanes taking off and landing are deafening. It's really noisy! Story starts a month or two ago when Carol found this condo timeshare rental in the Lancaster newspaper. We called and rented the unit which is located in Sint Maarten (SXM). Unit was in the Pelican Marina Resort which is located on the Dutch side of SXM, near the airport. We started to read about the condos and found out that they recently declared bankruptcy. One reason was so they could get rid of their staff and hire a new staff at a lower price. Not sure if bankruptcy is to be used for that reason. Anyway, when we arrived we noticed that they changed the name of the place to Simpson Bay Resort and Marina. It's a huge place and everywhere you look is a security officer.They bring them in by bus for their shifts. Reason for so many was because the disgruntled workers where showing up and keeping the renters from getting in the door. We talked to someone today that told us that all the timeshare owners were going to lose their ownership, but would be allowed to keep their weeks. Just couldn't sell the weeks to anyone, since they no longer would own them. I have no idea what that means, since I have no idea how a timeshare works. And, don't want to know. The place is VERY LARGE. Must have a couple hundred units. We like a vacation that isn't quite so busy and noisy. Don't get me wrong, the place is beautiful with a couple of pools, gym, restaurants, stores and a ton of activities for the people who rent and own. Great view of Simpson Bay with all the boats and the airport with all the landings and take-offs. That seems to be one of the biggest problems. If you sit by one of the pools or sit on your patio or porch, it gets tough to hear the person that is talking to you. Carol and I both agreed that it will be the last time at this location. We enjoy the French side of the island and the more subdued and quiet atmosphere. Vacation for us is all about relaxing. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "You Were How Poor?" Story

It was an ordinary day. We were having lunch with Karen and Barry Walton at The Passangraham Restaurant in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten. Sitting at the table talking about our trip to the jewelry store on Front Street. Then Karen told us about how Barry sold his gold high school and college class rings to buy her the diamond gold stud earrings she was wearing. They were poor when they got married and he had to sell them to be able to buy the earrings. Then Carol told them that I sold my high school and Millersville University rings so I could buy food for the family for a couple of weeks. What a way to top her story!! When we were first married and starting our family, we did struggle on my teacher's salary. Teachers were some of the worst paid professional employees. We decided that I would provide the wages and Carol would stay home and raise our three children. We had a VW fastback car that wouldn't pass inspection because the front bumper was too rusty. I cut an aluminium doorframe that I found at school to the width of the car and bolted it to the bumper holders so it would pass. Didn't look real good, but it passed without the added cost of a new chrome bumper. For vacation we went to my Aunt's place at the Chesapeake Bay where we didn't have to pay for the week's vacation. While on vacation I was talking about how our car needed new tires and my Aunt Doris slipped me the money to buy them. She was the neatest Aunt anyone could have. I did all my own home repairs to avoid the service calls. Climbed onto the third floor roof of our house many times to repair the cracks that would leak into the house and stain the second floor bedroom ceilings. We made our own furniture and carpets, as described in another of my stories. Carol was creative in the kitchen and we found new ways to use spam and noodles. Clothes were passed down from child to child. We weren't poor, but pretty close to it. I was always taking classes at Millersville and eventually moved up the pay scale and took on evening and weekend jobs. We finally made our way into the middle class. I'm sure we were one of many families in the same position, but at the time we thought we were the only ones who were struggling. I look back on those times and don't think I would have changed a thing. Our children learned some great lessons from all the struggles and can now appreciate what we went through. It has helped them cope with the trials and tribulations of raising their own families. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Phantom Accident" Story

It was an ordinary day. We had just spent most of it on Pinel Island. This is a small island that is accessible by ferry from St. Martin. Carol and I as well as our friends Karen and Barry W. made the 10 minute sojourn at 10:30 AM and returned at 4:00 PM after a thoroughly enjoyable day on the beach. We hopped in the Toyota Corolla for the ride back to the Dutch side where we are staying at the Pelican Marina resort. Usually a half hour trip. We traveled through Grand Case, the gastronomical center of the Caribbean, and into the French capital city of Marigot. After finding our way around the water side of the city we started towards the lowlands. The traffic was heavy today and I had to slow for a small bus that was getting ready to pull out from the curb. Just as I was halfway past the bus, something shook the car. "A child just ran into the side of the car!" Karen called out from the rear seat. She quickly got out of the car to look. I called to her to get back in and I pulled the car to the side of the road. As I was getting out of the car, a young teenage boy on a bike hopped on his bike and drove past me saying, "I'm alright, man." "Wait a minute," I yelled to him, but he was off. I went back to the bus driver and he said "I don't know anything about what just happened!" What's going on here I thought. Then someone told me that the boy was trying to get between my car and the front of the bus that was sticking out into traffic and hit the bus, falling into my car. The car behind me then ran over the wheel of his bike. Somehow the boy got up, grabbed his bike and took off on the damaged thing. Scared the crap out of me!! I checked the side of car, thinking that it would be dented or scratched, but not a mark. What really happened? No one wanted to tell me. What do I do? I hopped back in car, pulled into the traffic and left. No boy, no damage, and no one to tell me what actually happened. I still can see the boy on his bike pass me and tell he was alright. I guess I did the right thing. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Meeting Friends on the Internet" Story

It was an ordinary day. Just met SXMNorm. I have been following TravelTalkOnline (TTOL) and smxtravelforum (smx) for a few years. They are both online travel forums about a few of the Caribbean islands. I look at both of them a few times a week and sometimes participate in the exchange of information on the sites. Last year I competed in a photo contest on the smx site and got to correspond with Norm who also had entered the contest. I was lucky enough to win the contest and have been corresponding with Norm ever since that time. I found out that he was going to be in St. Martin at the same time as Carol and I, so I called him in St. Louis and we made plans to meet. Also found that he was an Industrial Arts teacher for years and enjoyed stained glass, as I do. He posted a photo of himself and his wife online and I have a photo of me on both forums. I knew I would be able to recognize him as soon as I saw him. We set up a meeting for La Bamba Beach Bar on the Dutch side of St. Martin, near the Pelican Marina resort where we were staying. He told us he always goes there on Sunday nights for rock and roll. We arrived at 6:30 PM and found a table that would seat 6 near the band stand. Gave our drink orders to the waiter and enjoyed the recorded music. About 6:45 Norm and his wife arrived. Knew him right away as he headed to our table. I was wearing the same shirt that I had on in my online photo. Introductions followed, food orders were taken and we talked as if we were old friends, which we were. Then Bill and Elaine arrived. Had no idea they were going to be there and knew them immediately from their photo on TTOL. They are residents of the island having moved to St. Martin 2 years ago from New England. Bill teaches science at the local University near Philipsburg. They love their transplanted life on the island. After half an hour Bill and Elaine said goodbye and the rest of us enjoyed rock and roll music, featuring lead singer Bob who we know as Craig, since we rent beach chairs and umbrella from him every year. Quite an evening meeting online friends for the first time. We'll keep in touch and meet again when we frequent the island the same time. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - photo shows Karen and Barry in the rear, Carol and me in the middle and Norm and Betty in the front.

The "Airplane Fiasco" Story

It was an ordinary day. But .... a very stressful one. We left this morning with our friends Barry and Karen W. for St. Martin. Rented a timeshare unit from someone in Lancaster. The unit is in the Pelican Marina complex. Or, at least it used to be called that until a few days ago when they decided to change it. But, that's another story. This story goes like this ....... got up at 3:30 AM and drove to Barry and Karen's house in Rawlinsville. Roads were wet, but not icy. Did encounter some fog. Barry drove to the Baltimore airport from his house which was fine with me. Arrived at 6:30 AM and found covered parking in the lot next to the airport. We sailed through check-in and security and headed toward our gate with the intention of getting breakfast before we boarded about 8:15 AM. So far, so good. Then, after breakfast we headed to our gate destination. As we were passing an arrivals board, I checked to make sure of the gate and time and there it was. "Flight Canceled." Holy S*#t! Now what do we do. RAN to the gate and asked the person at the counter why the flight was canceled. They told us it was mechanical problems. Then we started with the problems. No wait, the problems started when I saw the arrivals board! US Air told us we would have to fly to Philadelphia and then to St. Martin. "But we just came from that direction in the car," I told her. We were supposed to fly from BWI to Charlotte, then to St. Martin. OK, as long as we get there. But, our trip to Phila. wasn't for two more hours and our connecting flight wouldn't get us there till after dark. Didn't like that and told them. Then, the girl said, "OK, see that door over there? Hustle over there and you will leave for Phila. in five minutes." She told us to immediately go to gate A20 when we landed, since she was putting us on an earlier flight to St. Martin. We would have 20 minutes to get to the gate. But, we couldn't take off immediately, since the plane needed de-icing and the line for takeoff was growing. About 20 minutes later we were in the air. Now the ONLY good part of this story is that the four of us were given First Class seats in the plane. For 25 minutes we were treated like Royality. Got to sit in seat 1A!! Got a bottle of wine to drink, but since it was only 8:00 AM I gave it back. I know, I'm nuts. When we landed they immediately got an electric cart for us, since the next gate was on the other side of the airport. After transferring to a second cart, we made it to the gate and saw the frantic look of the gate attendant. The plane was still there, but ready to shut the door. "Quickly, give me your boarding passes," she said. I replied with, "But we don't have any. They didn't have time to print them in Baltimore!" She checked and found we really were on the plane, but there weren't many seats remaining; and they weren't together. Row 31A, B, and C and Row 24F. I told her I would take the 24F and the others could sit together. Didn't even take the trouble to print out the boarding passes. She actually took us to the plane and showed us to our seats. Carol, Karen and Barry went from First Class to the last three seats in the back of the plane. I sat by the emergency door. But, we were flying to St. Martin, so who cares. Arrived 1 1/2 hours earlier then we we originally scheduled to arrive with our old accommodations. That 1 1/2 hours was quickly made up waiting in the Customs line. Seems five planes landed about the same time and we were the last. The line through Customs stretched from one side of the airport to the other. Seems that five planes landed about the same time and we were the last one. But hey, we're in St. Martin. NO SNOW! After Customs we hustled to get our luggage, and then ........ one piece didn't make the journey with us. But, that's another story. It was an extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - Sorry if I have misspelled words. The Wi-Fi is in Dutch and it tells me that 90% of my words are wrong. Pixs from top are: First Class, Flat Stanley enjoying his ride, and our first meal together. More about that later.

The "Vacation Rides" Story

It was an ordinary day. Looking over my rental agreement with Lesley from St. Martin for the Toyota Corolla he will have waiting for us at the airport when we arrive in a few days. Thinking back at all the cars that we have rented over the last 10 years of traveling. I remember the "Red Bullet", as we called it, that we rented in St. Thomas in 2001. It was a Mitsubishi that was scratched all over and had a hubcap missing from the get-go. Didn't have to worry about damaging it, since it came that way. That was the first time that I experienced driving on the left side of the road and had everyone in the car yelling at me to stay on the left. After a visit to that island, we boarded a plane and landed in St. Martin where we got a car and as we entered the Mecure Simpson Hotel parking lot, the car bottomed out on a large speed bump because of all the luggage and people in the car. Everyone got out and I drove off the speed bump. Then in 2002 we rented a Chrysler Sebring convertible in St. Croix. We packed the trunk full with the luggage and still had more left over. Jerry, Just Sue and Carol sat in the back and we packed the rest of the luggage in the front seat and floor area. Later during the vacation we drove to a local beach with the top down and after getting in the water for a swim, it started raining and the interior of the car got soaked. After this visit in St. Croix we headed to Tortola where we rented a Chevy Tracker. We drove to Smuggler's Cove beach and as we entered I pulled off the road to park. The car lurched forward and I hit something on the right side. When we returned home I noticed the dent in the fender. I pushed most of it out, but you could still see it. When I returned the car I pulled against a wall with the right side facing the wall. No one noticed the dent when they inspected it. In 2003 in Turks and Caicos we had a Honda named "Larry". Had the name painted right on the front of the car. Wasn't the car we were given, but as I exited the car lot I saw the "Larry" car and went back and exchanged for it. Not many people get to drive a car named after them. That car also had the steering wheel on the right side of the car and you drove on the left side of the road. Really strange! In 2004 we traveled to Hawaii where my infamous gas station trip took place. Dropped everyone else off to ride horses and I went to get gas in the car. Got out, started the pump, then realized the hose wouldn't reach to the other side of the car. I put the pump handle down, got back into the car to turn it around and realized I was in the back seat. Attendants got a good laugh at my expense. Back to St. Thomas in 2005 and a white 2002 Ford. Had lots of rain and tried to exit the parking lot. Jerry walked out into the flooded parking lot to show me how deep it was and said, "It's only up to my ankles, you can make it." In no time the water was seeping into the car. Also in 2005 Carol and I rented a car from Thrifty that I ran over a speed bump too fast, bottomed out and lost the aerial off the top of the car. Hit my head on the top of the car that time. In 2007we rented a car that had a lock on the transmission. When you got in the car you had to unlock a padlock to get the gearstick to move. In 2009 we rented a Chevy Spark in Barbados. Real small car with steering on the right. Hard to navigate the roundabouts and the island had no signs telling you directions to different towns. had to stop a few times for directions. Also in 2009 Carol and I rented a Toyoto that the hood wouldn't stay down. Found some wash line at the villa and tied it down for the remainder of vacation. Same car that the rental agency tried to charge us for a damaged lock that was damaged when we got it. Well, I'm wondering what I going to get from Leslie. Time will tell! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - Photos from the top are: "Red Bullet" in St. Thomas, Sebring in St. Croix, "Larry" in Turks and Caicos, right had driving in "Larry", white Ford that got flooded in St. Thomas, speed bump car in St. Martin, small Chevy Spark right-hand drive car in Barbados, and Toyota that I tied the hood to keep it from coming open.

The "So What Are My Chances?" Story

It was an ordinary day. Thinking of trying out for Jeopardy. Would love to travel to California and meet Alex Trebek. Do I have what it takes? If the categories are things that deal with my interests and knowledge, I guess I could make it. My wife sent me an email a few days ago from work that said that Brad Rudder, former high school student where I taught and the biggest money winner ever on Jeopardy, will donate one-half of his winnings to the "Lancaster County Community Foundation" from the upcoming Jeopardy challenge on February 14-16. That is when Brad and Ken Jennings, another big winner, will compete against Thomas J. Watson, the IBM computer that was developed to compete on Jeopardy. Top prize is $1,000,000 while second is $300,000 and third $200,000. The Foundation can count on at least a $100,000 donation. They have to be excited and the members of the foundation will be watching the contest. Kate, one of the Community Foundation members, traveled to New York for the taping of the show, so she knows already how much they will get. Won't disclose it until after the show airs on TV. They are having a party the night of the 16th. Excitement is in the air!! Now, getting back to me. I got on my computer and found out that I can tryout online on February 8 at 8:00 PM. That's right after Jeopardy airs on TV around here. I'm excited already. I'm working on a story for my minute or two that I can share with the viewers when Alex interviews me during the Jeopardy round. I'm also hoping that some categories that I will see during the online test will maybe be: Famous Photographers, Guinea pig traits, Islands in the Caribbean, DIY tools, Basic Cooking Ingredients, Printing Technology, American Idol Winners, Colors, Songs from the 60s, Bald-headed People, and Words with "CLASS". My guess is that the only way I will qualify is if I get categories that I'm familiar with. That's how most people win when they do get on the show. They run through a few categories and build up a nice lead. Or .... are lucky and wager all their money on a "Double Jeopardy" answer and come up with the right question. Brad was famous for that. I hope I'm at least half as much fun to watch as Brad was when he was a contestant. Wish me good luck! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Family Eating Traditions" Story

It was an ordinary day. Went to lunch with our son, daughter-in-law, grandson and son #2. They all have recovered from bad colds and it was time to visit with them again. Stopped at a place near them called Trio. Soup and sandwich restaurant, but that's OK, since the visit was more important than the meal. Had fun talking and catching up on all the latest news from everyone. Talked about our summer vacation at Ocean City, NJ. We have stayed, including our daughter and her family from Maryland, at the same location in Ocean City for the past three four years. This year we were not able to go the same week as usual, and the week we now want had been rented. We had to choose an alternate spot, but it is a mirror image of where we had stayed, only across from that place. When I saw the photos of it online I thought they had put the photos in backwards until I realized it is all reversed. We talked about Caden, our grandson, and his friends at school. Then the conversation drifted to food. Doesn't it always? I had ordered a cheese burger and when it came I asked if I could please have some mayonnaise for it. My daughter-in-law looked at me strange. "Mayonnaise on a cheese burger?" she asked. Then she realized where her husband got that habit. We talked about what we like to eat with mayonnaise. Naturally lunch meat and other sandwiches, raw tomatoes, french fries, onion rings, potato chips, but our family also likes to eat mayonnaise on left over stuffing. We always make extra stuffing (we call it filling) whenever we make it for a meal, like at Thanksgiving, so that we can eat the leftovers by dipping them in mayonnaise. I learned that from my family. My brother and I always did that. My mom showed us how to dip the cold filling in it. She was the one that started me on mayonnaise bread. Used mayonnaise instead of butter or margarine when eating bread. Now, you never used it on toast when you wanted to put jelly on it and dunk it in you hot chocolate. That would be overboard. My daughter-in -law just looked at me as I told the story about the mayonnaise bread. Ah ha! She now knows where some of the strange eating habits of her husband originated. Got to try it some time Barb! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Reasons for Doing Certain Things" Story

It was an ordinary day. Just got back from the hospital after visiting with Larry J. He looked pretty good but had this thing coming from a contraption above his bed that held his leg in place. The story goes that he was one of my teammates as well as freshmen classmates on the 9th grade football team. Running back and defensive back. Another one of our classmates, Jody G., was also on the team, but he was sooooo good that he started for the varsity at running back. Eventually led the league in everything related to running the football and still is one of the all-time best running backs in the history of Manheim Township football as well as Lancaster County football. One day the freshmen team was needed to act as the defensive team in practice. The varsity wanted to practice certain plays so the freshmen were needed to help out the defense. Larry J. was playing defensive back and the varsity offense started a new play. Lucky for me that I played quarterback and wasn't needed for practice. Jody naturally got the ball and started through the line. Headed right for Larry J. Larry J. gave his best, but Jody ran right over him, knocking him to the ground. And ..... he didn't get up! Eventually had to call for an ambulance and transport him to the Lancaster General Hospital. Yep, had a compound fracture in his leg. Had to wire it to a device above his bed to help him from moving it. Pretty bad! Larry J. never played football after that. I continued on that year, but I never got near Jody G. when he had the ball. I'd fake an injury if I had to to stay away from him. After the season was over and I turned in my equipment, I called it quits. Valued my body too much. Jody and I both serve on the reunion committee now, but I haven't seen Larry J. since graduation. Wonder if he still walks with a limp. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - pix at top is Larry J. in the yearbook while the photo at bottom is Jody G. on the football field. He even looks threating in the photo, doesn't he?

The "Remembering the Famous" Story

It was an ordinary day. Just got finished watching Marc Summers host the show "Unwrapped" on the Food Channel. Neat show about how different foods are made. Today they showed how fried pork rinds, cheese straws and cheese crackers, along with a few other snacks, are made. I sometimes decide not to ever eat certain foods again after seeing how and what they are made of. I've eliminated another one after today's show. As I was watching the show I remembered that Marc Summers used to star on Nickelodeon's game show Double Dare. His helper on that show was Robin who was the daughter of my neighbor and fellow Red Rose APBA League player, Ray R. Ray and I had played in the APBA league, which is a league of baseball fanatics who play a board game developed in Lancaster by Richard Seitz, for a few years and always talked about our families when when got together to share a couple of hours playing the sport we all enjoyed. Ray would relay me information about Robin, who I had in a study hall at MTHS. Then I got to thinking about other people who I had in class or study hall that had made it onto TV. First one who came to mind was Jim Furyk who is one of pro golf's best players. He won the 2010 Fed Ex Cup as well as being the 2010 Tour Player of the Year. He also won the 2003 US Open. I remember Jim from high school when I had him in study hall. He also was the catcher for my son Derek when they played together on the MT Cardinal Junior Midget baseball team during the summer of 1983. You could tell he had fantastic athletic ability at that time. Another TV celebrity I had in class was Kim Lemon who is the anchor for the evening news on WGAL Channel 8 in Lancaster. I had her in study in the mid-70s. She was a contestant in the Miss Pennsylvaina contest while a college student. Her dad was my department chairman for many years while I taught Industrial Arts at MTHS. And, how could I forget Brad Rutter who is the biggest all-time money winner in US game show history. He won $3,270,102 during his time on Jeopardy. My co-worker Anne Clouser, who taught English at MT, was honored by Brad at his graduation when he established a scholarship fund in her honor. She was his Quiz Bowl coach when he first got started on his road to success. She died from cancer while Brad was still in high school. Brad is going to compete Feb. 14-16, 2011 on Jeopardy against Ken Jennings and Thomas J. Watson. Seems that Watson is an IBM computer developed to compete in contests of this sort. I know I'll be watching, cheering a former student on to victory. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - photo from the top are: Jim Furyk when he won the 2010 Fed Ex Cup, TV Channel 8 anchor Kim Lemon and Brad Rutter (on the right) as he practices for his Febuary match against Ken and Watson on Jeopardy.

The "Time for a Redo" Story

It was an ordinary day. I am half finished. Two weeks ago I started remodeling the second floor bathroom which is shared by two of the bedrooms in our house. When we have guests and family visit with us overnight, they use this bathroom. It had linoleum on the floor that was coming up at the edges and 6" tiles around the tub that were cracking and discoloring. We decided that it was time to update this bathroom. A few years ago we did our master bathroom over. We had bought 2 sinks on a cruise to the Western Caribbean and used them in the bathroom. We went to a home builder's show and found a person to do the bathroom. Magdi K. was the designer of the bathroom. It turned out great, but was costly, so I decided I was going to be the "designer" of this bathroom. In early January Carol and I picked out tile for the floor and shower at Lowe's. Also got the backer board for the floor as well as new fixtures for the sink and shower. We had a coupon for $50 off as well as double air miles from Capital One and we waited, naturally, until the last day it was valid. A few days later I informed Carol that I was demolishing the bathroom the next day. We both remembered what it was like with other demo jobs in the house. Dusty, really dusty!! Started by using my skil saw and cutting through the linoleum and backer wood. Really dusty! After removing the floor I started on the tiles. Was hoping that I could just remove the tiles and salvage the dry wall behind them. No such luck. Everything came down. Really dusty! I had the door of the bathroom closed and the exhaust fan on, but you still get dust throughout the house. Then I started with the backer board on the floor and the walls. Never did this before, but it went smooth. Cut all the backer board in the driveway to eliminate the dust in the house. Then ...... I started getting pain in my back. Oops! At that point I decided to have someone come and lay the tile on the floor and shower. Picked Fred Q. who did our kitchen, bathroom and hall on the first floor as well as our master bathroom. He did a great job at a fantastic price and was finished in a day and a half. Looked great! Next, we visited Natural Stoneworks on Ice Ave. in Lancaster. I called and they said if I picked out a remnant piece of granite I could have it at a bargain price. Carol and I braved the cold weather and snow and picked out a neat piece for the vanity top. And .... that is where my story will end for now. Expecting the top in a few days and then the plumber is headed our way. Will let you know how it turned out soon. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - pixs from the top are: original bathroom with linoleum and old tiles, bathroom after I had the floor and tiles as well as the dry wall removed, Fred finishing the tile work around the tub, and the slab of granite we chose for our vanity top.

The "Exercising for Life" Story

It was an ordinary day. Just got back from the "White Rose Woman's Run" run in York County. This was a 5K run for woman only. Seems that Carol loves to run and she and her friend Margaret P. have run or walked in numerous events. Carol met Marg when they were both in the hospital together in 1972 while giving birth to our first son, Derek. Marg also delivered a son, Phillip. In 1992, Carol, Marg and I walked in the "Jingle Bell 5K Run" in downtown Lancaster. Yeah, we walked. I don't enjoy running so we all walked. That was the first event of that sort that we ever entered. Was for a good cause: The Arthritis Foundation. It was cold that day in December, but we all bundled up and by the end of the 5K we were warm. We had a fun time. Carol continued to run for exercise, as did Marg, and they entered a few other races. Today I went along for encouragement as well as taking some photos of the two of them as they ran in the event. Carol and I have walked for years, first around the neighborhood in Grandview Heights and now around Overlook Park in Manheim Township which borders our property. Great place to walk with a 2.5 mile trail through the wooded park. You know, as we age we tend to sit in front of the TV too much and walking is one of the best ways to exercise. Great for sharing your day's experiences. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - pixs from top are: Carol and Marg after the "Jingle Bell Run" in downtown Lancaster (Yes, I walked also, but someone had to take the photo), pix of the friends before the York race and photo of Carol as she approaches the finish line in York. She even has a smile on her face!

The "Contestant turned Judge" Story

It was an ordinary day. Just got back from the Lancaster Museum of Art where I was judging the Scholastic Art and Photography Contest. For years, when I taught school, I would have my students enter the photography section of the contest. They had to, as a matter of fact. It was one of the requirements of the course. I always felt that they should have their work judged by someone other than their teacher. I had many talented students who eventually became professional photographers. Keith G., my boss at Grebinger Gallery, where I now work part-time, was a former student who entered prints in the contest. Jerry D., who has a thriving stock photo business, won a full scholarship to Savannah School of Art and Design because of the contest. Carolyn J. is a professional photographer in NY who did very well in the contest. The list goes on and on. My own son Tad decided to go to Antonelli's School of Photography because of his success in the contest. My daughter Brynn won a national award while in middle school which we traveled to Boston to receive. And ..... today I was one of the judges that may lead someone else into the field of photography. Pretty neat! A few weeks ago I got a call from Jim G. who taught art in the room next to me in high school. He was helping with the show and asked if I would be one of the judges for the photography section of the contest. I was honored! I was sent an email with the guidelines, but knew them by heart after having students enter the contest for over 30 years. Photos accepted into the contest could receive an Honorable Mention, a Silver Key, or a Gold Key. Gold Key winners traveled to the National Competition. At noon today I entered the Lancaster Museum of Art and met Amanda F. who had contacted me about time and date. She told me that one of the judges was ill and only Scott W., a professor of art and photography at F&M College, and I would be doing the judging. After meeting Scott, we sat in front of an iMac computer and the images we were to judge were shown on the screen. Much different that years ago when there would be a helper to hold the individual photos in front of the judges. To my disappointment I found that there were only 9 entries. I told them that I would sometimes have 250-300 entries just from my students. 9 ENTRIES!! The contest had been discontinued in Lancaster for a few years because of lack of interest among schools and volunteers. This year was the first year in four years that it was being held again. Could be the reason for the low turnout. There was one entry in the Middle School area and 8 in the High School area. Scott and I decided that all should be in the show. The one photo in the MS category we gave an Honorable Mention and we gave Gold Keys to 5 of the 8 in the HS category. The Lancaster Museum of Art is center city Lancaster in an old mansion. Beautiful building. I did manage to view the portraitures on display by photographer Hank O'Neal before I left. I enjoyed being part of the Scholastic competition again and took my job seriously. Hope to be asked again next year. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - pixs from the top are outside view of the Lancaster Museum of Art, the judging table with Amanda, Scott and myself, and inside the gallery showing the portraitures of Hank O'Neal