The "Not Much Happening - Part 3" Story

It was an ordinary day. Adding the final edition to the collection from my story from the last two days. Some of the neatest photos! Enjoy today's collection. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Gibraltar Airport is one of the most extraordinary airports around the world

Heavy fog in Sydney, which enveloped the whole city

Skyscraper-Crescent Crescent Moon Tower (Dubai)

Photo of storm in Montana, USA, 2010

Airport in the Maldives is located on an artificial island in the middle of the Indian Ocean

Favelas of Brazil. The boundary between wealth and poverty

Banpo Bridge in Seoul, South Korea

Haus Rizzi - Germany

Autumn camouflage

Marcus Levine - slaughtering an artist in the literal sense. He creates his paintings by nailing a white wooden panel. At his latest series of paintings exhibited in a gallery in London, Marcus has spent more than 50,000 pieces of iron.

Paris computer games store. In fact, the floor is absolutely flat.

The longest traffic jam in the world recorded in China. Its length is 260 kilometers

In the resort town of Skagen you can watch an amazing natural phenomenon. This city is the northernmost point of Denmark, where the Baltic and North Seas meet. The two opposing tides in this place can not merge because they have different densities.

The world's highest Chained carousel in Vienna. Height of 117 meters.

The "Not Much Happening - Part 2" Story

It was an ordinary day. Adding more to the collection from my story from yesterday. Some of the neatest photos! Enjoy today's collection. One more will follow tomorrow. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

In northwestern Montana, USA. The water is so transparent that it seems that this is a quite shallow lake. In fact, it's very deep.

This is a unique geological phenomenon known as Danxia landform. These phenomena can be observed in several places in China. This example is located in Zhangye, Province of Gansu. The color is the result of an accumulation for millions of years of red sandstone and other rocks.

View of the sunset from inside the wave.

Haus Rizzi - Germany.

The river above the river: Magdeburg Water Bridge, Germany.

Balcony of floor 103 in Chicago.
From the outside it looks like this.

Restaurant on a cliff on the east coast of Zanzibar.Depending on the tide the restaurant can be reached both on foot and by boat.

The longest traffic jam in the world recorded in China. Its length is 260 kilometers.

In the city of Buford (USA) lives just one person. He works as a janitor and as a mayor.

This statue, created by Bruno Catalano, is located in France.

An unusual tunnel in California's Sequoia National Park.

Lena Pillars. Russia, the Lena River.Day and night. The monument in Kaunas, Lithuania.

The "Not Much Happening - Part 1" Story

It was an ordinary day. Nothing eventful happening. Did get a really neat email from my youngest son Tad and found the photos it contained to be fantastic. Will pass them along with a story line so you can see for yourself. Too many for one day so will take a few days to give them all to you. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

In the Chinese province of Shandong is a bridge across the Gulf of Jiaozhou. The bridge length over 36 km is calculated for eight car lanes, and is the longest sea bridge in the world.

Twice a year in the Gulf of Mexico rays migrate. About 10 thousand stingrays swim from the Yucatan Peninsula to Florida in the spring and back in the fall.

These trees grow in the forest near Gryfino, Poland. The cause of the curvature is unknown.

The view down from the skyscraper BurjKhalifa. The height of buildings is 828 m (163 floors).

Dubai.

Desert with Phacelia (Scorpion Weed). Flowering once in several years.

Office of Selgas Cano in Madrid

Restaurant on a cliff on the east coast of Zanzibar.

The border between Belgium and the Netherlands in a cafe.

Balloons in Cappadocia.

Emerald Lake in the crater of an extinct volcano. Tongariro National Park - NewZealand

"The gates of the dungeon" on Cape Perpetua, Oregon

The "VBRO" Story

It was an ordinary day. Setting up a "Count-Down" calendar for our next vacation. Not for a couple of months, but it gets us in the mood for the warm waters, warmer sand, and the really warm weather. Can hardly wait! Our next vacation, or holiday as the Europeans say, will be in a condo that we have rented before. We liked the place and decided to return to again this year. A little farther to the beach, but the place has great views from above Orient Bay in St. Martin. We did search the Internet to see what else was available, but choose to return to a favorite. One of the best places to search for a vacation rental is the website VBRO. This stands for Vacation Rentals By Owners and was established in 1995 by vacation rental owners who self-manage their second homes. Today, VRBO provides vacation home owners and property managers the ability to advertise on one of the most visited vacation rental websites in the world and makes it easy for travelers to search more than 160,000 rentals in over 100 countries worldwide. The website is recommended by Arthur Frommer who writes a column for our local newspaper every Sunday. Here's how it works: When you first access the website you have to search their inventory of properties. Want to rent a place at the Jersey Shore? Click on New Jersey, Delaware or whatever and a map will appear with the towns along the shore. Click on the town, such as Sea Isle City in NJ, and you will find all the listings that they have in that town. You can click on any one residence to see photos of the place, find the location, what the accommodations are, a calendar showing what is still available, the owner' information with his email, the features of the vacation rental, the prices for the rental and in most cases "Traveler Reviews" that tell you what others thought of the place. My guess is that you will find only positive reviews, but then again, maybe the owner cannot remove any of the reviews. We have found a few rentals this way and have only positive things to say about the adventure of renting through VBRO. Our last trip this past October found us in Barbados in a fantastic condo on Dover Beach that we found through VBRO. Now, we did know something about the island and the location of the condo as well as knowing that the units were the condo was located was new, since we saw it in the building stages when we last visited the island in 2008. We were not disappointed with the condo or the price. Remember, you deal directly through the owner and pay no realtor or management charges. Would we do it again? Without a doubt, but not without a little research. It's fun to search the website and all the interesting areas of the world to see what it costs to rent in different locales. Give it a look sometime and see what I mean. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - copy and paste the following address in your address bar and take a look at this news story about VBRO - http://vimeo.com/8262164

The "Fast on the Trigger" Story

It was an ordinary day. Looking over the brochure that a friend gave me on "Trigger Finger." February 20 will see me back at the doctor's for surgery on the two middle fingers on my right hand. Can't open them at times in the morning for a few hours and when I do get them to open, it hurts! Maybe half a dozen years ago I had the same surgery on my right thumb. Now that works perfect and I'm hoping the same will be true for my fingers. Doctor told me that the three last fingers on you hand are used for gripping and to hold onto items. I have noticed in the past couple of years that when using the printing press at Manheim Township High School and trying to make adjustments on it, I can't turn the controls unless I use a wrench or pliers. My grip is not as strong as it used to be. Also notice that when I shake someone's hand, I can't grasp it as hard and it causes pain when I do shake a hand. Well, time to get it fixed. Doctor wanted me to do it in December, but with the holidays and the slow recovery from back surgery, I opted until the start of the new year. That is now here and I will have it taken care of in the next month or two. Trigger finger is an inflammation of tissue inside your finger or thumb. Tendons in your finger allow you to bend the joints and can become swollen and inflamed. When that happens the covering of the tendon known as the sheath will not allow the tendon to move freely, thus your finger will not open. Caused by too much use or repeated use of the fingers, arthritis or an injury. In my case it is probably repeated use since I use my right hand all the time at the framing shop where I work as well as when I run the printing press. During surgery the sheath that surrounds the tendon is opened to enlarge the space and release the swollen tendon. Sounds simple and it really is simple. Takes about 20 minutes under a local anesthetic and they wrap it with a bandage. Doctor told me I still could use my fingertips to do things such as use a keyboard. Stitches come out and the bandages are off in two weeks. Now I know there are always risks with any king of surgery, but the only risk I fear is getting sick in the stomach when they start telling me what they are doing during the operation. Don't want to know, just do it! For those who have trouble opening your fingers or have loss of strength in your fingers, go have it repaired. It is such an easy surgery and the benefits are great. I'll let you know how I make out. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - drawings show the structure of the finger and how they correct "Trigger Finger" by opening the sheath that surrounds the tendon.

The "Neighborhood 9/11 Memorial" Story

It was an ordinary day. Finally able to go for an extended walk again without extreme pain in my leg. It has taken about a third of a year for my back operation to heal and I'm ready to begin walking through our neighborhood park. Last year the Manheim Township Library was opened in the park which is adjacent to our house. Really nice place and at the rear of the library is being constructed a memorial garden to remember the victims of the 9/11 disaster. Today I got my first glimpse of the garden while I was on my walk. The memorial consists of three parts: The World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Flight 93. The Flight 93 portion will include 40 trees which are being planted in the area, each one representing a person on the plane. Each tree will have a chime, symbolizing the voice of that person. There will also be a plaque with "Let's Roll" on it. A Life Scout in the local Boy Scout Troop is coordinating this part of the memorial as his Eagle project. So far there are about a dozen trees and one chime. The Pentagon part will be a flag pole with memorial plaques. The Library has procured a steel girder and concrete slab for the memorial of the WTC. Really inspiring memorial that is being constructed in the Overlook Park for all to remember how 9/11 changed every one's lives. Anyone wishing to donate to the memorial can send a check made payable to Manheim Township to 9/11 Memorial, c/o Manheim Township, 1840 Municipal Drive, Lancaster, PA 17601. A few photos that I snapped follow so you can see the progress of the memorial. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

This is where the viewing deck will be located when the memorial is completed

The stone is placed where I am guessing the memorial plaque with "Let's Roll" will eventually be located for the Flight 93 component

The first wind chime that has been placed as a part of the Flight 93 memorial

One view of the WTC steel and concrete pillar

A small memorial banner with the photo of Christopher J. Pickford, NYFD 1625, Ladder #136, Engine #287, Engine #201 that has been placed on the steel beam

A closer view of the steel with concrete girder from the WTC

The "Gnarling Noise in the Kitchen" Story

It was an ordinary day. A frosty morning, the kind you have to scrape a layer from your windshield. Luckily I'm sitting in the family room watching TV with Carol before we both have to head out to work. All of a sudden she grabs the remote and pushes the "Mute" button and cocks her head. Something is wrong, I know. I look at her and ask, "What's the matter?" "Don't you hear that gnarling noise?" She responds. Then I hear it. Coming from the island where our family room meets our kitchen. "Not again!" I say to her. Yep! Got creatures in the crawl space. Seems that every winter we have small inhabitants who try to make a home in the cabinets below our oven and range. Our house sets on a stone quarry and part of it has just crawl space beneath the first floor since the rock is so hard and it was too costly to blast more than a small area for a basement for the house. When the weather turns cold the varmits find a way into the house and under the space that only has the crawl space. The area under the island has holes that are drilled for the wiring and they make their way through them. If you bang your feet on the floor enough it sends them back under the insulation into the crawl space. They then make their way underneath the house to the floor joists of the basement ceiling. In the rear of our basement I have a workroom where I work on my photos and stained glass. The ceiling is suspended from the floor joists and at times you can hear them running around on the ceiling tiles. Well, time for the peanut butter on the traps routine. Hate to do that, but it's either that or wait for them to ruin our house. I push one of the ceiling tiles up and look around inside the dropped ceiling. Wow! There is one in a trap from last spring. I thought I had checked all of them long ago. This one is almost a skeleton by now. Put it in a bag and take it out to the trash. I have three traps that I set yearly and use peanut butter on them. The kind of peanut butter that has peanut pieces in it since that is what I like the best and figure they will also. I keep a box of rubber gloves and a box of tongue depressors in my work room just for this yearly task. Put the gloves on, grab the remaining two traps from the ceiling and spread the peanut butter on them and set them. Have to be careful since the traps really hurt the fingers when they go off. How do I know? Go figure! Stuck them in the ceiling and put the panel back in place. Now this all happened about a week ago. The next day I found two in the traps and couldn't locate the other trap. Now what, I though. Finally found it about five feet from the original place I had place it, with a live mouse in it. Seems he had just his tail in it and was walking around the ceiling tiles with it attached to his tail. Felt sorry for the guy so I took the trap with him still in it to the front door and let him go on the front lawn. I figure he'll learn his lesson or I'll have him another time. A day later I had three more. Hard to imagine how many more I will eventually get. And, we have a few stray cats in the neighborhood! Can't be doing their job. But I have to keep trying or else it will eventually cause my kitchen island to fall through the floor. Well, this morning we were sitting in the family room again reading the morning paper and watching the news shows on TV when Carol asked me if I hear that noise in our fridge. Sounds like a clunk as the motor stops. Now what can that be? I grabbed the vacuum and told her it's either a dead mouse caught in the motor or we probably have so much cat hair under the fridge that it is causing the problem. I pulled the fridge from the wall and removed the cardboard back. Grabbed the vacuum and started to clean all the junk out of the motor area when I see something strange. "Carol, come here and look at this," I say to her. In the corner of the fridge, tucked in amongst the insulation, is a small supply of cat food; maybe a dozen pieces. Someone has made our fridge into their home it looks like. Now this didn't just happen since the food we have been giving the cat for the last year or two is different than what is in the nest. This may have been the mouse that our oldest cat, Otis, brought to our room one night last year, dropped it on the floor, meowed loudly to wake us, and then began to chase after again. After a few screams from the one left in the bed, I was able to catch it in the trash can and deposit it outside. Last time he ever told us about one of his catches. Every day now I must make a trip to the basement to check to see how much more peanut butter I will need. Wonder if you can claim that as a tax deduction? It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "And ..... The Winner Is" Story

It was an ordinary day. Just found out that I didn't win the "Island Art & Treasures" photo contest. There were exactly 100 entries in this national contest where you could enter your favorite photos that illustrated "Warm Faces, Warm Places". Photos from all over the Caribbean as well as the East and West coasts of the US as well as Hawaii. I was lucky enough to have been chosen as one of the 6 finalists for the prize of an Island Art jewelry box with the winner's photo on the top of it. This is one of the items that is sold on the website that sponsored the contest. The photo that I had in the finals was a photo that I had taken at Bathsheba which is on the West coast of Barbados. Voting took place on both the web site's blog and Facebook page. There were 388 votes cast and the contest was so close that they decided to award a prize for 2nd place as well as 1st place. 2nd place award was a set of Island Art Stoneware Coasters. Lucky for me that I didn't take 2nd either, since I already have a set of Island Art Stoneware Coasters. I must admit that the final 6 photos were all fantastic. Just honored to be one of the final 6. The winning entry was Photo Entry #2: Magen's Bay, St. Thomas and was entered by Bridget Skjordahl. The photo shows one of my favorite beaches with a gorgeous rainbow bridging the beach. 2nd place went to Photo Entry No. 4: St. John's Trunk Bay, another of my favorite beaches. This was taken by Jerry Goehring from high atop the hills that overlook the beach. If there had been a 3rd place, I suspect I would have won it since my photo was #6 and they were going: #2, #4, and probably #6. Oh well, I had fun and am waiting for the next contest. Check out the winning photos along with my entry below. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

1st Place - #2: Magen's Bay, St. Thomas by Bridget Skjordahl

2nd Place - Photo #4: Trunk Bay, St. Johns by Jerry Goehring

Photo #6: Bathsheba by LDub

The "Makin' Memories" Story

It was an ordinary day. Watching my favorite game show of all time, "The Price is Right." Only thing I don't like are all the commercials and most are geared to the "older" crowd, those who have time to watch the show all the time. Well, when the commercial started it was about a new software for your computer call "Dragon" that will allow you to write reports, stories, etc. without touching the keyboard on the computer. You load the software and wear a headset. As you talk into the mic it automatically appears on the screen. Actually it is really neat. This one fellow in the commercial said that he often wanted to tell stories about his life but can't type. This gave him a chance to tell his stories. Later that evening I was watching "King of Queens" and Carrie's dad, Arthur is playing Scrabble with her and after every word he forms he has to tell a story about something that happened in his life. This starting to sound familar? A few weeks ago Carol and I were invited to supper at her friend Marg's house. Marg and Ron have been friends since our first son was born in 1971. Arrived on time and sat with Ron while the girls talked in the kitchen as Marg finishing preparing supper. At supper we talked about all the things that have happened in our lives and Ron said he has always wanted to write stories about his family. I told them I have always wanted to do that too, and about three years ago I started. I told them about my blog (they knew but had forgotten) and how they should do the same. At some point in your life you should make an effort to document things which are important, historic, or just plain funny that will help tell your story after you no longer can. Told him when he is ready I can, or Carol can help set up a blog site for him to enter his stories. How about you. When you are ready to write as I do on a daily basis, Google - starting a blog - and follow the directions. Your family will enjoy reading about the many events that they have been part of during their life. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot" Story

It was an ordinary day. Reading the newspaper on January 1, 2012. Gonna be hard for a while to remember the 2 instead of the 1 in the year. Always like the first Sunday issue of the paper since they have a few pages of ads from businesses in Lancaster that list the year that they were established. Neat to see when different businesses have started. Another feature in the paper are the top 10 news stories of the past year. Some are from the area while some are national news stories. They also list the top 10 movies, top 10 books both fiction and non-fiction, and top 10 songs of the year. Did notice a story about one of everyone's favorite New Year songs, "Auld Lang Syne" by Robert Burns which was written in the late 1700s. Did you know that is how it is spelled? First verse is:

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And days o' old lang syne?

Means should we forget friendships that go way back and never think about them? We seldom hear the other verses which is a shame since they are really neat to listen to. They're a celebration of one childhood friendship that the composer is writing about. Writes about when he and his friend played together in the wild countryside of Scotland. He assures his friend that in spite of passing years, his memories of their friendship have not been forgotten and he raising his glass to toast those times of auld lang syne. So you remember a long ago friend that you would like to remember by singing the song. The rest of the song follows in the English version just in case:

We two once ran about the hills

And pulled wild daisies fine;

We've wandered many a weary step

Since those days so long ago.

We two once paddled in the stream

From break of day till noon;

But seas between us broad have roared,

Since those days so long ago.

And surely I'll have you'll have a drink sometime!

And surely I'll have mine!

We'll drink a glass of kindness yet,

To those days so long ago.

So here's my hand, my trusty friend!

And give me a hand of yours!

We'll truly make a good-will toast,

To those days so long ago.

Oh, those days so long ago, my dear,

Those days so long ago,

We'll share a glass of kindness yet,

For the sake of days so long ago.

The tune we put the lyrics to is not the one that the author wrote, but his publisher thought that the one we are familiar with would work better, so he changed the author's tune. Nice guy! Happy New Year!! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Christmas Reflections 2011 - Part 2" Story

It was an ordinary day. Yesterday I published a story with three reflections from the past Christmas. Today I will add three more that stick out in my mind and will add some joy and humor as well as sadness to the past Christmas season.

1. Christmas season this year has been unseasonably warm. Some days in the 50s while most others in the 40s. Christmas Eve service saw us with just a light weight jacket since the air had just a slight chill. After the service we were walking through the grave yard in the rear of the church towards our car when Carol stopped and pointed to a group of flowers that had just started to bloom. "I have never seen snow drops this late in the fall," she told me. My guess is that it is another reminder of global warming.

2. Christmas morning my wife and I shared some time together without anyone else. We gave each other the presents that we had carefully picked out for each other. During the last week I knew that Carol was constantly checking the front porch a few times a day for a delivery. As we exchanged our gifts I found an envelope. After opening it and removing the note inside, I got a cold sweat. I read her note about a present that had not arrived as of yet. On the note was a photo of the gift. I looked and looked at it and then tried to smile as I looked at her. "This came last week while you were at work and I returned it," I told her. The look on her face was one of Whatyoutalkingabout! "You see," I continued, "I had ordered much the same thing for you and didn't like it, so then I ordered the one you already opened today. I thought that I had deleted the initial order from Amazon, but when the gift came that you ordered for me, I thought they had sent it to me by mistake. That's why I sent it back." Does this make any sense to you readers? Well, I am now deciding if I want her to re-order what she got for me that I sent back, or if I would rather have something different, since what she ordered for me is so much like what I ordered for her and she opened for Christmas. Anyway, I guess you just had to be here! Oh, by the way, the gift was a cover for our iPad2 we purchased about 6 months ago. The one I got for her had a snakeskin look while the one I originally had ordered for her and the one she also order for me had a plain black cover, but with an auxiliary keyboard. As you see, we both think alike. Scary, isn't it?

3. On Christmas Eve day I got a call from an old friend. A friend that I have had for over 60 years. I get to see him maybe once a year, but he emails me regularly and we talk on the phone from time to time. We wished each other Merry Christmas and he asked what I was doing Christmas day. I told him the entire family would be here for dinner and opening presents, and then I asked what he would be doing. "Just a visit with a friend and her young son," was his reply. He lost his mother a few years ago and also his younger sister. His twin sister is at the other end of the country from him and I don't think he gets to visit with her very often. As we talked I felt a sadness for him that he doesn't have family as I do to share the holidays. At times I just take for granted my family and the fact that they are close-by for visits and holidays. Only when you talk with a friend who doesn't have the same, you realize how lucky you really are to be blessed with a close-knit family.

Hope you enjoyed the couple of stories or reflections from this year. I enjoyed sharing them with you. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Christmas Reflections 2011 - Part 1" Story

It was an ordinary day. Jotting down some notes on Christmas past. Had a few exciting times, a few laughable times and a few reflective times. Actually too many for just one story so I will type a few for this story and finish with a few more tomorrow.

1. Last year my daughter gave us a Jimmy Buffet CD with Christmas carols by him and the Coral Reefer Band. Never listened to it until about two weeks before Christmas when we loaded it into the car's CD player. Some really great songs, but our favorite is Christmas Island and our favorite part of this song is Would you like to spend Christmas .....on Christmas Island? Would you like to hang your stocking on a great big coconut tree? Well, Christmas Island is in the Indian Ocean which is North of Australia. For Carol and I, that would be a real treat, but we would really miss opening presents with the family. So, for now, that is on the Bucket List.

2. Christmas Eve at St. James Episcopal Church is always one of my favorite services. The church is decked out with beautiful Poinsettias on the altar as well as all the window sills under the stained glass windows. The children's Nativity Story is the highlight of the service. All the youth of the church dress up in costumes to re-enact the birth of Jesus. Barnyard animals, angels, Wise Men, Shepard's, Joseph, Mary and naturally baby Jesus. The last few years the pageant has changed slightly with this year being no exception. Tonight the service was entirely the very young children of the parish. No adults as kings and no teenagers as Shepard's. The assistant minister was the narrator and the children acted out the manger scene. Went perfect! Then our minister, Rev. Peck talked to the children about building the Christingle. I must admit it was news to me, also. An Orange is used as the center of the Christingle which represents the earth. Around the Orange is wrapped a red ribbon which is God's love for the world. Four pieces of fruit are attached with toothpicks around the top, equally apart and they represent North, South, East and West. In the center on the top is placed a large candle which represents Jesus, the Light of the World. With me so far? Now he announces to the children that everyone will get their own Christingle and ....... they will all light them as they surround the manger. These are children dressed in costumes which may or may not be flammable and are who are mostly in elementary school and younger. The congregation looked at each other in amazement or should I say astonishment. Rev. Peck announced to the congregation, mostly families of the children and told them not to be alarmed because they had buckets of water and extinguishers ready. Nice to know. The children were unbelievable. They all had their candles lit and we sang Silent Night, all THREE VERSES. No problems, and it looked beautiful with all the lights turned out in the church except the Star above the altar and the children rimming the manger. Brought tears to my eyes. And me, without my camera! I won't forget it for next year. I do remember, as a young choirboy, walking down the aisle at the end of the Christmas Eve Service, carrying a lit candle in one hand and my Hymnal in the other, and always surviving.

3. As the service ended, Carol and I turned around to greet the couple in the seat behind us, John and Suzanne S. Suzanne teaches health at Manheim Township Middle School and John just retired last year from Hempfield High School where he was an Assistant Principal. He had worked with me and his wife at MTHS for years before leaving for Hempfield. As we talked we asked how their daughter and son-in-law were doing. They had purchased our old house on Janet Ave. a few years ago. They told us they were heading there now to share Christmas Eve with them. Told us that they had renovated the third floor and made it into a master bedroom and redid the bathroom on the third floor and added a walk-in closet. It was back in the early 80s that I had made the third floor into a bedroom for our two boys and installed a bathroom with washbowl, toilet and shower stall. They also told us they had redone most of the second floor, but had not touched the kitchen, since it was still in great shape. Before we moved 15 years ago, I had totally re-did the kitchen with new cabinets from Lowes and a new ceiling and tile floor which my son Tad helped me install. Would love to see what it looks like now and they told us they would mention that to their children.

Fun reflecting back on events past. I do have a few more and will write them tomorrow. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary day.

The "Here Comes Santa Claus, Here Comes Santa Claus, Right Down ...... Water Street" Story

It was an ordinary day. Thinking back to, oh maybe, 60 years ago. That's when mom started to take me to see Santa arrive in downtown Lancaster, PA. I was just a kid, naturally, but I can still remember waiting on West King Street to see Santa come up King Street to the Watt and Shand Department Store in Penn Square. The store was a grand old big four story building on the square. Santa would arrive in a steam engine from the Strasburg RR on Water Street, a block and a half West of the square, board a hook and ladder fire engine, and make his way up King to the center of town accompanied by a band from a local high school. I can still remember my excitement at seeing the smoke from the train and then the bright red fire truck coming up the street, sounding the siren and bell. Santa would be waving to me and all the other kids who had gathered to watch him. He was the REAL Santa, you know! After he reached the square he would wave and wave for the longest time, then the ladder would start to rise and the cheering would begin. Up, up he went to the top, stopping every floor of the store to turn around and wave to the crowd. I often wondered if he was afraid when he climbed the ladder. The weather was usually cold and sometimes windy as he climbed to the top of the building. When he reached the top, he would climb over the edge, turn around and wave again to the cheers of the crowd below. Then ...... he would disappear. Mom often would tell me that he needed to rest the remainder of the day and we would come back another day to visit with him and I could tell him what I wanted for Christmas. We always did return and found him in the basement of the building, sitting on his big chair with helpers all around him. My wife, Carol, told me it was much the same when she was a child, but she had more to tell. When she was in high school she played in the marching band and her high school, Penn Manor, would be the band that would traditionally usher Santa to the square after he had gotten off the train and boarded the fire engine. I remember that when she told me that the first Christmas after we were married, I looked at her puzzled, and said, "Do you remember me waving to you as you walked by mom and me?" Then I ducked as the book she threw sailed over my head. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Shoes" Story

It was an ordinary day. Getting ready for church. Christmas Eve Pageant service at St. James has been at 5:00 PM for ages. They try to hold the service to about 30-45 minutes because that is about all the time the young children and the over 65 or retired crowd can handle. For the past few years it seems that at this service many people, especially the men, have been "dressing down". A nice pair of slacks, collared shirt and sweater are fine, rather than a suit. Fine with me. I don't think the Baby Jesus can see us or will care what we wear, as long as we come to celebrate his birthday with him. Since I retired 12 years ago the only time I get "dressed up" anymore is for church or funerals. My wardrobe now consists of Kirkland jeans and a Jimmy Buffet shirt or Hawaiian shirt. For church tonight I wore a pair of gray slacks, mustard colored shirt with a gray sweater that has a mustard colored pattern around the middle of it. My shoes are my dad's old wingtips that I wear to special church services so he can still be with us at one of his favorite places. He and I participated as Kings in this pageant for years and I know he would love to still be a part of it, so I wear the same shoes he wore for many years when he was a King. They are still like new on the tops with a brilliant corduroy shine. I head down to the family room to watch a little TV until my wife is ready to go. Sit in my chair and recline. Ten minutes later my wife arrives in the family room, looks at me and says, "You can't wear those shoes." "Why not," I reply. "The one has a big hole in the bottom," she says. "Doesn't matter since it isn't raining or snowing tonight," ismy comeback. "But when you kneel, everyone will see the bottom of the shoe and they will

think you have nothing better to wear." I realized that, but it's dad's shoes and this is his way to continue to attend, and anyway our pews are enclosed with doors on them and when you kneel no one can see you anyway unless they are crawling on the floor behind me. After I give this reasoning to her, she agrees and off we go. Service tonight is a new rendition of the old pageant with all children taking the parts of the Kings as well as the Shepard, angels, innkeeper, etc. Dad would have loved it, even if he would have had to sit in a pew in his wingtips. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - LDub on the left, Dr. Jim in the center and Dad on the right in his corduroy wingtips.

The "Happy New Year Snippets" Story

It was an ordinary day. And ..... HAPPY NEW YEAR to you! The following are a few very short stories from the past with one from today thrown in. Hope to see you back often during 2012. Have to watch when you hit the keys for 2012 too fast. Fingers are still geared for the 11 at the end.

1. Our friends Pat and Dale visited us on New Year's Eve for dinner and game playing. Ate a late dinner so the time between the end of the dinner and the ball dropping in NY was as short as possible. Seems we all have trouble staying awake until midnight and if we make our evening seem shorter with a late dinner, we may be able to stay awake. Have celebrated New Year's Eve with our friends for quite a few years now, going out to eat every other year except this one. Carol decided that she wanted to make the meal this evening. Since she

loves to cook, we all agreed she should make the meal. We also enjoy watching Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve show on TV, even though we do have a hard time understanding him. Guy will go on and on forever it seems. We saw that two of his guest performers this year will be Justin Bieber and our new neighbor, Lady Gaga. Yep, Lady Gaga allegedly bought a huge home on Oak Hill Road about a half mile from our house in the gated community of Bent Creek. I bet everyone's HOA's in the community will go up after she moves in. Gonna take more than the one elderly gentleman at the front gate to keep all the people from trying to get a look at her house. I'll have to see if she puts her name in the local phone book as Lady Gaga or Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, her real name. I'll try and get her number and publish it so you can all give her a call and wish her a great big Amish welcome. And ... we all stayed awake to ring in 2012!

2. OK, another meal for Carol to prepare. First was Thanksgiving with 17 people, then last Thursday we had her friend Marg and her husband, and last night, New Year's Eve, we had our friends Pat and Dale and today we are expecting 10 for New Year's Day. And, every meal has been different and I may add wonderful! She did manage to stretch the dessert out for the first three meals, but today it will be something different. I assume all of you are having what is expected to be eaten for New Year's Day; Pork and Sauerkraut. You know it brings you good luck!! And ...... I certainly need that for 2012.

3. Al R., the yearbook rep for Jostens Yearbook Co., gave me a gift for Christmas. Book called Finish Strong: Motivational Quotes...to help you go the distance by Dan Green. Over 150 pages of motivational quotes from everyday people to ancient philosophers. Many are so very true, but the one that I felt was written for me was, "A person is not old until regrets take the place of dreams." This was written by John Barrymore and I can associate with it since I am just starting to age! ALMOST! I must keep the quote in the back of my mind when I feel like I can no longer do something and I regret that I can't do it. THAT WON"T HAPPEN! I was having trouble running, actually walking, since my back surgery in September of 2011, and after reading the quote, I tried harder and harder to recoup faster. Yesterday I actually RAN from my house to the mailbox and back again. RAN! I know it's only 10 yards, but hey, it's ten yards! Regrets will not take the place of dreams for me yet, and I hope you all feel the same for yourself, no matter what your age. May 2012 see your dreams come to fruition so you too can have no regrets.

It was another extraordinary day (and year) in the life of an ordinary guy. Photo of Lady Gaga was taken in Lancaster at the Giant near my house. I will admit I didn't take it because I would have had no idea it was her Lady ....what's her name!