The "Politics: Fertile Ground for The Capitol Steps" Story

It was an ordinary day. Just leaving the American Music Theatre on Rt. 30E, about 5 miles from Lancaster. Performers tonight were the "Capitol Steps." The performers are a musical-parody group the gets their inspiration from the antics of politics and politicians. As you can see, there is a never ending source of material they can work with. And boy did they ever. "The Capitol Steps" began in 1981, with co-founders Bill Strauss, Jim Aidala and Elaina Newport, at a Christmas party in the office of former Senator Charles Percy. Like most things in Congress, they didn't know quite when to stop. Over the last 30 years they have recorded 31 albums and appeared on TV many, many times. Many of the performers have worked on Capitol Hill, some for Republicans, some for Democrats and some for members who can sit on either side of the aisle. Seems that the performers do their job so well that some of the politicians who they have poked fun at have since been defeated or have been placed under investigation. When they hear of a scandal, they don't think if it's good or bad for the country, but whether it's funny and what does it rhymes with. Tonight there were five members who performed with musical accompaniment from a fantastic keyboardist. They list 26 members in their troupe with many more musicians. Tonight, Corey Harris was a perfect match for President Obama and he had a few great routines. Tough to tell if they are right-wing or left-wing in the way they present the topics and songs. But, that's what make it so funny. You can interpret it in your own way. All topics aren't necessarily political. The TSA made for a great skit and song. But, Anthony Weiner and Chick-fil-A filled the place with many laughs. Some songs and parodies were rather spicy and suggestive and didn't fit in well with the extreme right-wing members of the audience. Easy to see who they were. No laughing, clapping or even looking at the performers when a off-color joke happened. And I will add that almost half the stuff was off-color. Carol and I came with one of her co-workers who have quite a few of their albums and have seen them several times. Will I buy an album? Nah, funnier in person. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Treat on a Stick" Story

It was an ordinary day. Passing the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania located in Strasburg, PA when I noticed something really unusual. There parked in front of the museum was an old white Ford truck. Not just any truck, but a Good Humor truck. The 1967 truck belongs to Mike who parks his truck in front of the museum on most weekends to sell novelty ice cream products just as the original Good Humor Man did back in the early 20s. The Good Humor company started in Youngstown, Ohio and became a fixture in American pop-culture and at its peak in the 1950s had about 2,000 trucks such as the one I was looking at today. After I parked the car and headed to the truck I noticed the traditional uniform that was worn by all Good Humor salesmen. The hat with the Good Humor badge, the black bow-tie with white dots and the belt money-changer. On the front of the truck, above the windshield, is the traditional row of four bells that he can ring as he makes his rounds around the neighborhood. Mike totally restored his truck to the condition that it was in 1967. Not only did he restore this Ford, but a few others that he sold to other "salesmen" such as himself. In 1976 the Good Humor company decided to sell their fleet of trucks and some people bought a truck to go into business for themselves. There are supposedly less than 100 Good Humor trucks still in existence today. Mike told me he knows of about 20 of them, some of which he restored himself. Mike sells 22 varieties of treats, most of which are on a stick. He does sell Klondike Bars, Sundae Cones and Chocolate and Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwiches, but the rest of the treats are of the popsicle variety. I bought my favorite, an Orange Creamsicle and after giving me my change, Mike did the traditional Good Humor salute. While I was there Mike sold a few other treats, but posedfor twice as many photos as he sold treats. Neat guy who brings back memories to the older crowd such as me. Mike takes great pride in representing the history of the Good Humor salesman and donates a portion of his sales to the railroad museum. As to what is Mike's favorite treat, the original Good Humor ice cream bar on a stick. What else could it be? It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - photos from the top are: Mike showing off his white uniform with the Good Humor badge on his hat and his black bow-tie with white dots, Mike's money changer, the bells on the top of the Good Humor truck, Mike with his selections of treats and Mike getting my Orange Creamsicle from the back of his truck.

The "Reunion Notes: 'Bugsy' Returns" Story

It was an ordinary day. Reunion Day!! Tonight we celebrated the 50th Reunion of the Class of 1962. That was 50 years ago. Still find it hard to believe that I graduated that long ago and I'm really that old! I don't look that old .......... do I? Well, Jerry, Just Sue and I arrived at Overlook Park's Barn about 6:00 PM. My wife Carol, still fighting mono, opted to stay home and enjoy the evening by herself. Class members started to arrive and then, there he was. Hadn't seen him in five years, since the last reunion. Bugsy!! Leon to some people, but to me and quite a few class members he was Bugsy. Why? I don't know, he just was. And, he was picked on and bullied relentlessly. I can remember a time when we talked and he asked why he was the one that was picked on all the time. Seems there is always someone like that in every class. To me he was a close neighbor and a friend. We would walk to elementary school together and eventually the bus stop with our friend and his next store neighbor, Marilyn. But when we got to high school, the teasing started. I felt bad about it, but what could I do. 50 years ago there wasn't anyone you could confide in that could help correct the situation. But it still was hurtful, both to him and me. When I printed the booklets for the class reunion I read Leon's "interesting information" which he submitted. Wow, maybe it was only me that thought he was bullied and humiliated. He tells in his info that his years at MTHS were very special. Our graduating class was the first to move into the new high school. It was the best of times - hard for our children and grandchildren to duplicate today. Could be that he has put those hurtful memories out of his mind. What an upbeat guy he has turned out to be. In 2010 he retired as Regional Director of the Department of Homeland Security, US Customs and Border Protection, located in Northern Kentucky. How impressive can that be! That's after he retired from a job with the US General Accounting Office in Washington DC. He was also a world traveler with more than a dozen countries listed in his info. Two kids and four grandkids. Seems like a normal guy now. Some of us who went to school with him and knew what he suffered through are so glad that he became such a success in later years. Good for you Bugsy! You certainly deserved it!! And, I'm so glad that you came to the reunion to show everyone how successful your life has been. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - photo taken by Just Sue shows Jerry, Leon, LDub (the young looking one)

The "Reunion Notes: The Big Event" Story

It was an ordinary day. About 6:00 PM Jerry, Just Sue and I jumped in the car and headed to the class reunion. About 6:04 PM we arrived. Seems that the 50th Reunion of the Class of 1962 was held right next door to where Carol and I live at the Barn at Overlook Park. Carol didn't accompany us to the event, since she was still recovering from mono and could use the peace and quite of a night alone with Otis our cat. Just in case you were wondering, here are a few events that took place 50 years ago when we graduated from high school.

• The Dow closed at 652 at the end of the year

• The average cost of a new house was $12,500

• The average yearly income was $5,556

• The average cost of a new car was $1,395

• Eggs cost 32 cents a dozen

• Gas was 28 cents a gallon

• A factory worker with three dependents took home a weekly paycheck of $94.87

• Marilyn Monroe was found dead

• The first Wall-Mart and Kmart stores were opened

• The first US rocket Ranger IV landed on the moon

• John Glenn became the first American to orbit the earth during Friendship 7 orbit

• Oral Polio Vaccine was developed by Albert Sabin

• In pop culture the Beatles released their first recording: "Love Me Do", Andy Warhol painted his can of soup, The Beverly Hill Bi

llies were on TV, and Johnny Carson started as host of "The Tonight Show."

• West Side Story and Lawrence of Arabia were hit movies

• The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Chubby Checker, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, Neil Sedaka, and Roy Orbison were hit musicians

• Our President was John F. Kennedy

• 184 people graduated from Manheim Township High School

• We celebrated Christmas on December 25th

This year I was on the committee that planned the event and printed the brochure with info on everyone who returned the mailing we sent out. Also lined up the photographer, Andy, who was a friend and whose wife also graduated from Manheim Township High School. After arriving we spent maybe 30 to 45 minutes greeting people we hadn't seen for at least 5 years and in some cases since 1962. Funny, but I was able to identify just about all my classmates. Even thought I knew a few who weren't classmates, but spouses of classmates. A friend and spouse of one of my classmates who was on the reunion committee with me, Claire, was so sweet to bring a get-well card and circulated all evening with the card to get notes from most classmates telling Carol how much they missed her. Rick, Claire's husband and my classmate, was the MC and after greeting everyone and introducing the members of the reunion committee, asked if everyone could please sign the card that his wife was going to circulate for Linda, my wife. What? Hey, he does stuff like that. Not sure if it is forgetfulness or on purpose. Then he read the names of all the members of the class who had died since graduation. 21 names, but then others in the group added a few more to the list that we had

missed in the booklet. Tough to listen to names of people who shared the same high school classes and may have sat next to or in front of us in class, since they were the same age as most of the rest of us. But, times goes on and we are the lucky survivors. The meal was a buffet line which featured beef and salmon, green beans, red potatoes, and a variety of sauces. On the tables were rolls and a salad. Nothing special, but we weren't there for a gourmet meal. Then it was photo time. Andy divided the class members into four equal groups and took each group, one at a time, to the second floor where he lined us up and took group photos of all groups. Envelopes were provided so you could include the fee and write you name and address on the envelope. Andy would make a collage of the four groups, add the names of each group on the back of the photo and mail it to you. Pretty neat idea. He wanted to do it after we had food in our stomach since most people our age, after a few drinks, act pretty silly and usually don't

cooperate as well as they should. Then the dancing started. Slowly at first, but eventually, by the time the congo line had formed, most were on their feet. The reunion was a huge success. Everyone thanked Marilyn, the head of our committee and said they will be back in another 5 years. Hopefully! When I got home I gave Linda, whoops, I mean Carol her card who read all the notes and names and asked us who are all these people. Since it was after 11:00 PM, we told her we would tell her the next morning. You know people who graduated in 1962 should be in bed by 11:00 PM. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - photos from the top shows marquee in front of Overlook Park, Andy taking the photos and inside the barn.

The "Reunion Notes: Kids from the Old Neighborhood" Story

It was an ordinary day. Sitting at a table in the Lancaster Tennis and Riding Club walking around looking for members of my high school class who lived in my neighborhood. I heard someone yell my name from across the room and headed in that direction. There, sitting around a small table, was Jerry and Beverly with another girl. Jerry has been a friend since elementary school and his wife, Just Sue, who came to our high school in 10th grade, have been vacation travelers with my wife, Carol, and I since we both retired from our alma mater in 1999. Bev, well I get to see her every five years during our class reunion. Now, for the other girl sitting with them. I stood next to her and looked at her name tag and .......... "Marilyn, oh my gosh!!" I said. "I'm so sorry I didn't recognize you." Marilyn was my grade school sweetheart. She lived about a half block from me and we walked to school together every day for six years. I had a real big crush on her during those six years. Then we moved on to junior high and blended in with three other elementary schools and she found someone new. Me, I was heartbroken. As I type this I still can't believe I didn't recognize her. Guess I was expecting someone who looked just like they did in high school instead of someone who looked like my aunt when she was alive. The four of us had a good time sharing stories about high school and our lives after graduation. Then Bev signaled to us that she had someone on her cell phone. Larry! Holy Cow! Larry grew up in our neighborhood along with Marilyn, Bev, Jerry and I, as well as Leon who could not make the party tonight but will be at the reunion tomorrow night. Larry transferred to a Military School quite a distance away after 10th grade. Reason for his transfer will not be discussed here, but he still stayed somewhat close to us and was now talking to Bev on her cell. She handed the phone to Jerry who asked him what he was doing right now. Finishing up his grass he told Jerry. "Well, get cleaned up and get over here," he told Larry. And, in no time at all, he showed up. Now the neighborhood clan was complete. Shared some great stories and caught up with each other's lives. We finally looked around the room and found we were the only ones remaining. We tried to talk Larry into coming to the Class Reunion the next night and he told us he would think about it. We knew he would be there. On the way to our car Jerry, Just Sue and I still could not figure where they kept the horses. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - classmates are from left, Marilyn (doesn't she look like my deceased aunt?), Bev, Larry, Jerry and LDub.

The "Reunion Notes: A Guy Named 'Bones'" Story

It was an ordinary day. Having a drink and eating a few hors d'oeuvres while talking with some of my classmates from my high school class of 1962. Yep, that's a long time ago. 50 years to be exact. And, some of my classmates don't look the same. Some have lost some altitude while others have gained some girth. Me, I'm still the same height as when I graduated, but have gained a few inches around the middle. Oh yeah, I forgot I lost an inch in height, but that's because I'm bald. Come to think of it I was the only one there that had a shaved head. Time to mingle. Just when I was talking with a pretty girl, eeerrrrr woman, someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned and there he was; Bones. I assume you know why we called him that. Funny how he has greater girth now than I do. Bones was a pretty good athlete in elementary school and when we played bombardment in the school gym, everyone wanted him on their team, since he could really fire the kick ball and was almost impossible to hit when he turned sideways. Bones had a book to show me which he held in his hand. It was our 7th grade Arithmetic for Young America book. Actually called it that back then instead of math; ever hear of reading, writing and 'rithmetic. He opened the book to the inside back cover and showed me all the names of the kids who had signed it who were in his arithmetic class. I enjoyed looking at all of them, but then it struck me, my name wasn't on either page. He smiled and switched to the inside front cover and lo and behold, there was his name covering one whole page and my name in lettering so small I could hardly read it. "I had you sign it in the front with me, since we were the two best kids in the class," he said. "Yeah, right!" I replied. "No, I don't know why everyone signed in the rear but you and me," he said. I had him pull up a chair and we got to talk some more. Had been 5 years since I saw him last. I read his articles and reporting in the Lancaster newspaper for most of those years, but never managed to see him. John, his real name, got a job working for the newspaper after graduating from college and in his later years covered the crime scene stories. Bottom of the barrel he told me. Well, we shared a few more tales from our time together in elementary, Junior High and Senior High and then I wished him a fun reunion and headed back to find the woman I was talking to who by then had found one of the old, and I mean really old, heart throbs. It was an ordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - Bones on the left and LDub on the right. Sorry for the poor quality of the pages from the book. Bones couldn't hold the book still when I was taking the photo.

The "Passport Memories" Story

It was an ordinary day. Trying to find our Passports for our next trip in a few weeks. I probably have them locked in the safe, but first I checked the filing cabinet and found the old ones that we got in April of 2001. On the front cover of each Passport are two holes that were punched in them when they expired and we got new ones. The US Passport is only good for 10 years and then it needs to be replaced. Some countries will not let you travel to their country if you Passport is not good for at least 6 months before you plan to travel to their country. Reason being if you happen to have to stay longer than planned because of health or some other unknown reason, they don't want it to expire while in their country. Well, I started looking through the pages of the expired Passport and trying to read all the stamps that are on the pages. Then Carol and I started to talk about some of the memories we had about the places in the Passport booklet. I'll share some of the memories and lighter moments that I never have talked about before in any of my stories. Check out the scans and see how well you can read some of the stampings. Here goes:

Page 8 has two really neat stamps. The first is in the bottom left corner of the page and comes from the British Virgin Islands. We stayed on Tortola in 2002 after visiting St. Croixduring the first week. Our Resort, the Prospect Reef, was truly memorable, but not for any good reasons you can imagine. Noisy chickens in the morning, terrible pool facilities, and at the end of the day you had to shower with cold water. Our side trips to Virgin Gorda and Peter island were much more memorable than the trip to Tortola. Another stamp on page 8 is marked from Turks and Caicos. That happens to be the island that we will be visiting soon with our traveling companions Jerry and Just Sue. One memory from this island is the beautiful sand. The finest, whitest, softest sand you will ever see or walk on. Just like baby powder!! I also remember Carol and Just Sue wading into the ocean and pulling one big conch shell after another out of the water. We brought a few home, but they really added weight to the suitcases. Also remember trying conch for the first and last time and heading to the Conch Farm to see how they were raised, only to be disappointed because they were closed. Funny thing about that, we were going to go back again this year, but found out a few days ago that the recent tropical storm that hit the island destroyed the Conch Farm.
Page 10 shows a stamp from Jamaica which is the only time we ever traveled to that island. We learned during that visit that photos really do lie. The Sandals Resort we stayed at didn't really resemble the photos in the brochure we had looked at before we went. Beaches wereextremely small and the buildings were much older than they looked in the brochure. We did some fun things during the two weeks, but when leaving the grounds of the resort you had to be very careful to stay with your group because of security. Guards and police with automatic weapons were seen at many street corners. And another stamp from that page is from Sint Maarten where we rented our first of many villa homes for a couple of weeks. Also the year that we purchased our first painting from Paul Elliott Thuleau. As Carol explains about Paul, he's a real hunk. Page 11's favorite stamp is the one marked Frankfurt. That was the year Carol and I traveled with a group from our church to visit Italy. We landed in Germany and then onto another plane to head to Italy. So many tales to tell and have been told if you search my stories, but I never told anyone that we felt like we had the best rooms at every stop we made. Had the top floor rooms with great views and the largest rooms of any other travelers from our group. We got the nice showers and baths when some had to wash at the bathroom bowls. Why? Someone was looking over us we figured.

On page 12 is a stamp from Sint Maarten. This was our 7th trip to the island and the year of the swine flu scare. We had masks that we were prepared to wear in the airport and on the plane, but when we saw that no one else was using them, we put them away. Didn't want to feel like idiots. Told Carol that if we have any more children I would like to name themAnju-Snow. Carol knew that was never going to happen though. One day on the beach we met some people from Lancaster. Actually they were from our neighborhood and were staying in a place even higher up the hill then we were staying. Planned to visit with them in their place to see if we might want to rent it another time. Day before we were to meet them we were sitting around our very private pool getting an overall tan and for some reason looked way up the hill and saw someone waving to us. Wow, did Carol grab her towel quickly. I told her that from that distance they couldn't tell if she had a suit on or not. On page 13 is a stamp marked Port St-Martin and on the bottom of it reads Guadeloupe. On that day we traveled to the English island of Anguilla and had one of the best days we ever had on vacation. Visited the CuisinArt Resort and saw their hydroponic farm run by world-renownedDr. Howard Resh. Then headed to The Dune Preserve and met Bankie Banks who is a world famous musician who is known for his Raggae Moon Splash concerts. Spent the day on the world's best beach, Shoal Bay, then headed to Mead's Bay to find Blanchards Restaurant which was the setting for one of our favorite beach books, A Trip to the Beach by Melinda and Robert Blanchard. What a day.

Oh, the memories. Hope to share more with you again soon. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "One of the Worst Days of My Life" Story

It was an ordinary day. That is until I got a telephone call from my daughter Brynn who lives in Maryland. Brynn and my two granddaughters, Courtney and Camille, made a visit to Great Wolf Lodge which is located in Williamsburg, Virginia over the weekend with a few other moms and kids. Great Wolf is a massive 84-degree indoor water park. They have 79,000 square feet of water-packed excitement. And, Brynn and the girls left last Saturday for the weekend, planning to return by late afternoon on Monday. The girls never have missed a day of school for something like this, especially with Brynn being a school teacher until a few years ago, but they were meeting up with quite a few of their friends and it is not something that happens often. On the phone Brynn didn't seem her usual happy self. I asked how the weekend went and she said fine, until yesterday afternoon. Then she told me about the robbery. She had her carry-all bag stolen from inside the water park area. In it was my granddaughter Courtney's pump and wireless tester. Courtney was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes about two years ago and she depends on her pump to keep her blood sugar regulated. The pump costs quite a few thousand dollars and is a big loss, but even more, Courtney can't do without it. Also in the bag was Brynn's phone alongwith the phone of a neighbor friend. Panic set in rather quickly when she realized that Courtney was in immediate need of the pump. The police were called as the resort informed it's staff to be on the look-out for a black bag. Trash receptacles were searched by glove-wearing employees while the maids were told to check in rooms for the bag. One of the first things that was needed was to find the nearest pharmacy who could confirm the type of insulin Courtney needed so she could get syringes, insulin and testing supplies. Brynn's car keys were also in the bag so she had to call the nearest Dodge dealer who opened the car to get the key code, make a new key, and return it to her. After finishing the police report, they gathered their luggage and began their three plus hour trip home. Brynn's family has gone through a life-changing adjustment in the past few years and to have to endure another tragedy like this is heartbreaking. On Brynn's Facebook Page she said the day was one of the worst in her life. Brynn is a real hero to me for the way she handles misfortune the way she does. The stress must be unbelievable, but she seems to look on the bright side and manages to always be in control. What a daughter and mother! Some day her kids will realize just how lucky they are to have her for a mother. Oh, the reason for the call, besides telling me all the details of the robbery, was to see if I had an upgrade for a new phone. If I did and didn't care to get a new phone, she wanted to take my upgrade so her phone replacement wouldn't cost quite as much. Always thinking! So glad she is my daughter. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - photo shows Courtney on left and Camille on the right giving their mom a big kiss as we celebrated Brynn's birthday this summer.

The "Sentimental Clutter" Story

It was an ordinary day. Thinking back to the many times that my mom and I would talk about some of her friends. Mom had a friend she knew since high school and her friend would meet her for lunch from time to time. This friend and her husband would stop and pick her and my dad up and drive them to Cape May for lunch and return all in the same day. And, this friend had little glass and porcelain figurines all over their house. Mom hated that. How can you dust in a place like that? It's nothing more that clutter. Well, when my dad died and my brother and I decided that mom needed some assistance in her daily living, we had some hard choices to make. First, we told mom that we were selling their car and she wasn't going to be driving anymore. Either my brother or I would drive her where ever she needed to go. Then we told her that it would be best if she lived at the retirement home where she and dad had both been residents, she while recovering and dad before his death. Tough choices for us to make and even harder choices forced on mom. But, we all knew it was for the best interests of all concerned. Mom enjoyed the companionship of her new friends and I felt so much better knowing that someone was watching out for her. The hard part of this decision was the selling of mom and dad's home. They had lived in that house in Grandview Heights for over 40 years. Had paid off their mortgage and were so proud to get a glass ornament and have it embedded in the railing at the bottom of the steps. Showed that the house was finally their house. Not only had they lived in the house for almost five decades, but they had accumulated five decades of stuff. Sentimental stuff! A few pieces were taken to Moravian Manor where mom was not a resident. An antique desk and chair, her dining room hutch, her favorite recliner and light, and a chest of drawers for her clothes. Old paintings and photos from home hung on her new walls. The rest ......... well, what do you do with the rest. Mom wanted the rest of the furniture to go to her family. Her younger sister took the bedroom suit. My oldest son took the bed and mattress from the guest bedroom. Her younger sister's oldest son took the rest of the dining room suit. My daughter took the antique sofa and chair. My brother took the huge clock that had hung on the wall of the home as well as the home where we had moved from in the 60s. My youngest son took the antique 12 gauge shotgun that my dad had gotten from his dad. Me? I took the tall antique cut glass vase that her aunt had given to her and that was it. I did get to sort out all the sentimental clutter that remained. And boy, there was plenty. What to do with it. Dad had saved everyone of his driver's licenses since he turned 16. He had saved everyone of his AAA cards from when he was a member. He had saved every tax return, water bill, electric bill, etc. Starting to understand what I had to do? I almost wore out my shreader. And, the house was for sale and I had to do it right away. Clutter that no one wanted I had to load in trash bags and take to my house to put out for the trash man. You know how hard that is to do? I was throwing away history. My history! I gave as many things a new home that I could. I saved the family photos naturally, but what about all the little trinkets and paintings that meant so much to mom and dad, but meant nothing to me. Oh my, you have any idea how hard it is to decide what to do with the items? The only way you would is if you have gone through it yourself. For weeks I watched as the trash man took memories upon memories with him. Sometimes I would put a bag out and before the trash man arrived I would bring it back in and go through it again to make sure something valuable or REALLY sentimental was not in the bag. Carol and I have talked many times about what will happen to the "clutter" that we have in our house. Will any of the kids want the batik prints we have hanging on the walls? Will anyone want the Hawaiian bird's nest we have displayed in our living room? How about the neat table we bought in Sanibel, Florida that is in our upstairs hallway. How about the trophies I won in Corvette shows. And then there are the three white suitcases adorned with stickers from every trip we have taken which sit on a shelf above our front door. The same three white suitcases that were a present from me to my wife when we got married. Now how sentimental can you get? The list goes on and on. Should I buy bags now so it won't be so costly for them when they have to clean up our clutter? I'll tell you what ....... I'm done writing for today. It's getting too depressing!! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Paducah Pie" Story

It was an ordinary day. Just got back from Central Market in downtown Lancaster, PA with my Paducah pie. Took my friends Jerry and Just Sue with me to market. They are visiting with us, since tonight is our 50th High School class reunion. Yesterday I went to market to buy a pie for dessert for our lunch today and they were sold out of Paducah pies. Probably because there was a big article in the paper a few days ago about the guy who makes the pies. They are made by Glenn Tanner who is from Paducah, Kentucky and who used his great-great grandmother's recipe, tweaked it a little, and developed the Paducah pie. While on market yesterday, I first walked in and searched for the stand that sells the pies. No luck, so I stopped for some lunch meat for the weekend and asked the clerk where I might find the stand that sells the Paducah pies. The lady standing next to me waiting for her lunch meat holds up this little thing in front of her and says, "Like this?" After looking at it I replied, "Are they that small?" I'm talking about the pie now! I had never seen a Paducah pie and had no idea what it looked like except for the photo that was in the local paper. And the pie she showed me fit into the palm of her hand. Then she went on to tell me where the stand was and if I ever get to try one, it will be my all-time favorite pie. Well, I got my lunch meat and headed to Ric's Bread which is in the middle of the market. Asked for a Paducah pie and was told they were all gone. Seems the lady I talked with bought the last one. I inquired about getting one tomorrow and the clerk said she wasn't sure if they were getting any. "Can I order one?" I asked. She made a phone call, looked at me and asked, "Do you want a small one or a large one?" Figuring the one I already saw was a small one I said, "A large one." After being told it would be ready by 10:00 AM tomorrow, I finished my shopping and left. Well, the pie looks good. Looks like it has a graham cracker crust. According to the newspaper it's not a fruit pie, cream pie, custard or flan. It's buttery and citrusy, moist yet crumbly, light but also rich, and has been described by foodies as a better lemon bar, sugar cookie in a crust or eggnog custard. My wife said it looks something like the Montgomery pies she used to make. Well, we all had a piece for lunch. We all had different opinions about the taste of the pie. I thought it tasted very much like a lemon bar. As to if it will be my all-time favorite, there are still two pieces left in the fridge and they might be there for quite some time! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - top photo was taken by Richard Hertzler from the Lancaster newspaper.

The "Holiday vs. Vacation" Story

It was an ordinary day. Getting ready to go on vacation. But, wait, quite a few of my friends on the TravelTalkOnline (TTOL) forum would say that I'm going on a holiday. So, what's the difference. Holiday and Vacation are two words that give different meanings in different English speaking countries. They are at times interchangeable too, in their usage. A kind of absence from the regular routine of work is called a holiday. The absence can be for the sake of rest or recreation. On the other hand a vacation might mean a special trip to some other place, preferably a resort for the purpose of rest and recreation. It seems that Holiday comes from the work 'holy day' which was essentially a day free from labor. Usually Sundays in the old days. So, the word 'holiday' is appropriate whether you're staying at home on a break, or if you're going to another country. Either way you're free from labor and are on recreation time. Vacation however means to literally 'vacate'. So relaxing at home on a break is not really on 'vacation' because you haven't gone anywhere. The word 'vacation' is only grammatically correct if you're going away somewhere, actually leaving or vacating. I find that members of TTOL who are from Canada or might be British, usually refer to their time when they may visit the Caribbean as being on 'Holiday.' Americans refer to the same time away as 'Vacation.' I made a post on TTOL and asked the question: You call it Holiday, I call it Vacation, but we both spend the time relaxing. So what's the difference? And, here are a few of the answers that they gave me:

(1) from Unregistered - Holiday sounds so happy and festive and fun but usually vacation sounds more desperate like 'boy I really needed that.'

(2) from Unregistered - Holiday is very British and I like the sound of it to but either way Vacation or Holiday I will take either of them right now.

(3) from Pan - I know Holiday is a British term but I always think of it as a single day whereas a vacation is a longer period. I'll take both.

(4) from Islandgem - According to the dictionary, they both mean time spent away from home for rest and recreation. I therefore declare they are the same, and merely depends on your work choice.

(5) from AnnandSteve - That's it folks, Mom has spoken! And I absolutely agree! I believe the terms are colloquialisms - Have generally heard "going on holiday" from Brits, Scots, Irish, Welsh, Canadians (eastern) and "going on vacation" from Atlantic Coasters. But it all depends on what You are comfortable with. For us, we'll go on holiday and vacation if we get enough time to do so!!!! Isn't wordsmithing fun?

(6) from John - So if a stay at home vacation is referred to as a "Staycation", would a stay at home holiday be called a "Holistay"? Too much time on my hands today!

(7) from jazzgal - referring to the last answer - No. A "Stayday."

(8) from Temery - for me the 2 terms are diff (this could be a US thing or a CA thing, not sure) Holiday = a day off of work that work has given you and everyone at your work gets it off (diff industries have diff days (for example Christmas and labor Day are Holidays) Vacation a day (or longer) you request off from work that is not already given as a "Holiday" so you can take a break (either by staying at home or going somewhere).

(9) jupiter - So.....I guess that means that starting Wednesday I'm having 21 holidays. Will definitely need a vacation when I get home.

(10) SURICK - Folks use those expressions with me all the time ... I tell them "Hold On, I'm retired and there is no such thing as holiday or vacation for me anymore. It's just part of my life.

(11) GaKaye - We're retired too, but still have vacation and holidays. Those are the days when we do something outside of our normal routine.

(12) SXMNorm - It's always a Holiday when I'm on Vacation

And so, you see what others thing about it. Anyway, I'm taking a vacation soon and maybe while I'm on vacation they will have a Holiday I can celebrate with them. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Birthdays are for the Birds" Story

It was an ordinary day. My birthday. And, I'm celebrating by laying in bed. Much better than last year when I celebrated my birthday in the hospital with a catheter sticking out of me. Birthdays like this are for the birds. Seems my wife developed a case of mono to go with the case of shingles I still have. Our friends, Jerry and Just Sue who live in State College and were both in my graduation class from Manheim Township High School, weren't sure they should stay with us for the planned celebration of our 50th high school reunion. Well, they arrived this past Friday we showed them what they should and should not touch to avoid getting anything we might have at the time. The celebration was a success minus my wife who is still feeling the mono effects. We had a Friday night get-together and a Saturday evening dinner where we celebrated with the class members for our high school graduating class. We returned about 11:00 PM Saturday evening and decided to turn in, since we were all tired from celebrating. I have been sleeping in another bed than my wife so I don't get her mono. About 4:00 AM it hit me. Sweats, fever, pain in the stomach, etc. I went over and told my dear wife I felt terrible. What to do? She finally called our family doctor who talked with her about my symptoms. Seems I am on a drug for my shingles that is meant to deaden the nerves in my leg to make the shingles pain tolerable. On Saturday, with all the preparation for our guests and the party, I forgot to take two of my three doses of medicine. This is something that you have to be weened from and his guess was I was feeling the effects of not taking the meds. Took one immediately and tried to relax. Tough to do, but I finally fell back to sleep. Morning came, our friends left to head home and I awoke about noon. Still feel bad, but not like during the night. Now, we are hoping that I haven't contracted the mono that my wife is almost over. Happy Birthday, LDub! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Martians Have Landed" Story

It was another ordinary day. Watching a TV show about NASA's Curiosity Rover touching down on Mars at 1:31 AM EDT, August 5, 2012. Pretty remarkable. Almost like watching one of the really neat Sci-Fi movies of the 50s and 60s. I can remember Flash Gordon comic books when I was in my pre-teens. Mom and dad would buy me one to help me learn to read better. I was fascinated by Flash landing on a variety of different planets. Who would ever have thought that we would eventually accomplish something that was imagined in comic books in the 1940s. Unbelievable. I "Googled" early sci-fi movies about creatures from Mars and found a variety from the early 50s. A movie titled "Flight to Mars" made in 1951 was the first color sci-fi movie. About our first trip to Mars which uncovered a civilization split between the good guys and the bad guys. Something like Earth today. In the movie, can the heroes win? A 1952 movie called "Red Planet Mars" talks of radio waves that are received from Mars. Message is that if God is worshipped, Earth can be as great as Mars. But, are the messages really from Mars or something to do with Communism, hence the title. In 1953 "Abbott and Costello Go to Mars"; they land in New Orleans during Mardi Gras and think they are on Mars. Another '53 movie, "Invaders from Mars", was so good it was remade in 1986. And yet another '53 movie, "War of the Worlds" describes a meteor crashing on earth which happens to be a Martian spaceship. Only a bacteria can stop the Martians from destroying cities. This movie won an Academy Award for Best Special Effects. I do remember going to see "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" in which the Martians are in need of a Santa Claus and head to earth to kidnap ours. Martians in this movie are a bright green color. Today as I am watching photos of the Mars landscape I wonder ........ What am I really watching? Same thing happened when we eventually landed on the moon. Some people thought it was a Hollywood set and we really didn't land on the moon. I wonder ....... Well, a friend of my sent me a really cool video of the landing on Mars. See what you think for yourself. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Oh, The Tales He Could Tell" Story

It was an ordinary day. Watching TV in the family room. I was sitting on the double-recliner sofa while Carol was sitting on the single recliner chair with a guest on her lap. About three years ago, during the cold, cold winter, we spotted an animal amongst the huge piles of snow on our back deck. After watching it for a short time we realized it was an orange and white colored cat. Parts of its fur were covered with snow. I said to Carol, "My gosh, it looks like an orange creamsicle." For those of you who know me, you know that is my all-time favorite Popsicle. We went to the back door, knocked gently on the window to get the cats attention, but we scared it. It was a full grown cat that more than likely was from the neighborhood or was dropped off in the neighborhood by someone not knowing what to do with it anymore. So sad that people actually do that, but they do. That evening Carol put a small bowl of dry cat food under cover on our deck. The next morning the food was gone. We put food out for the next couple of days, but never saw the cat again. The food was always missing in the morning though. A week or two later we had a near record snowfall that drifted the snow against our rear door window to maybe three feet. Carol was worried about the cat, naturally. Evening came, the snow had stopped and I was getting ready to go out to shovel the back deck. I opened the rear door and in came the cat. Saw us and headed toward the other end of the house, scared as can be. Found it in the basement hiding behind some boxes. I took some food down, put it in the center of the room and came back upstairs. We snuck down the stairs and saw it gobbling down the food. After about an hour I walked down the steps to see where the cat might be and it ran right past me, up the steps and into the laundry room which is right next to the family room. "That cat belonged to someone at one time," Carol said. "Its a beautiful cat, but scared half to death." At that moment we decided that we needed a name for it. So, naturally, we called it Creamsicle. I opened the door to the laundry room and it was hiding behind the dryer. Even though the weather was so poor, we decided it was best to try to coax Creamsicle to go back out. Wasn't tough. I went back in the laundry room and it ran past me and out the rear door which Carol had opened. Disappeared into the snow drifts. We wondered all night where the cat was and if it was safe. In the following months Creamsicle made daily visits to our back door and seemed to be less afraid of us. We got a pretty good view of it and determined it was a female cat. One day I opened the rear door and put the food on the carpet right inside the door. In she came, ate the food and hustled back out. Wasn't long before she came in and felt safe walking around the family room while we sat there. Then one day Carol walked over to her and reached down and picked her up. She put the cat in her lap while sitting on a chair by the back door and the cat started purring. Soon we decided to take her to the vet for shots and a check-up as well as planning on having her spayed. Knew it wasn't our cat, but we wanted it to be protected. During the visit we heard the news that it was a male. "Are you sure," Carol asked the vet. The vet picked up the tail and checked again and said, "Yep, no doubt about it." "But it has two holes back there," we both said. And, not only that, it had already been neutered. Some vets, when they neuter a cat, will put a small notch on one of the ears so people can tell if it had been neutered. Well, its been almost three years now and Creamsicle loves to be rubbed while laying on our laps. Doesn't matter who he sits on, as long as he get rubbed. He trusts us now, but when it starts to get dark, he's by the back door, waiting to be left out. I often wonder where he goes and what he does. Oh, the tales he could write about if he were a blogger. I would definitely read his blog if he had one. It was another extraordinary day in the like of an ordinary guy.

The "Making Life Easier Through Technology" Story

It was an ordinary day. Getting ready for guests. That means I need to run the vacuum and the steam cleaner on the floors and dust. Years ago we bought a Hoover Elite vacuum cleaner. I love it since you don't need to replace the bags constantly. You can see when the canister is full and dump it in the trash. With pets in the house it gets full of hair really quick. When we bought the vacuum, Carol wanted to buy a light-weight vacuum, but most of those didn't have the suction that we needed with the pets. So, I end up doing the cleaning with the heavier vacuum. A few months ago she saw a Dyson Cyclone for sale on QVC. I agreed to try it so she ordered it. If we keep it the price is broken down into six equal payments which make it easier to afford. When it came I put it together, trying to remember how I took it out of the box in case I wanted to return it. Vacuum worked great, swiveling around corners and furniture very easily. But, when it came to vacuuming the furniture or stairs, you had to pull out this long wand and put an attachment on it. I tried to vacuum with it and either I was doing something wrong or the design wasn't as good as the Hoover we have. I will admit that the Dyson was lighter in weight, but it was harder to vacuum with it. So, I attempted to put it back in the box the same way I took it out and I ended with a few pieces of cardboard left over and one part of the vacuum that didn't fit in the box. Took it back to QVC which is nearby to return it. By the look on the face of the woman at the counter, I must have done a good job repacking it. She was amazed that I only had one piece left over. So we are back to the Hoover. Carol and I have talked and talked about getting one of the iRobot Roomba vacuums that is only about 6" tall and about a foot round. Turn it on when you go to work and it will have everything clean when you return. Where all the dirt goes is beyond me, but Carol is convinced I wouldn't have to spend any time vacuuming again. So I got online and looked at the different robot vacuums, their costs, and sizes and found a really neat video that helped me make up my mind whether we would get a robot vacuum. Check out the YouTube video and see if you can see what my decision was.

Yep, we will be using the Hoover Elite for a couple more years. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Family Toymaker" Story

It was an ordinary day. Going through a bunch of old photos with my mom to see if she knew the names of the people in the photos. I do this every so often to see how well her long-term memory is holding up. Today she aced it! Even knew where the photos were taken. Big smile across her face as we looked at one photo after another. "Where'd you get all these pictures from," she asked. Same question she asks every time I take the photos with me. Her long-term memory is perfect, but her short term memory is the problem. One new photo that I took with me today came from an old newspaper and was of a guy "brightening up the models of toys" at the Hubley plant in Lancaster. Hubley Manufacturing is one of the oldest and largest makers of toys in the United States. The company was first incorporated in 1894 by John Hubley and originally produced accessories and equipment for electric trains. In 1909 the company added cast iron toys to their inventory. They also produced castings for other companies in Lancaster that didn't have foundry facilities. In 1936 Hubley added a moving assembly line to produce their toys. The early toys were made of cast-iron, but around 1940 they shifted to zinc. Household objects such as door stops and bookends were added to the collection of toys that Hubley made. Items ranging from horse drawn vehicles and dogs to tractors and guns appear in the Smithsonian collection of Hubley products. Eventually, after trying to compete not only with metal, but with plastic, the toy business went out of business in the mid-1970s. Today Hubley is a division of Gabriel Industries. The Hubley plant is still located in Lancaster on Pitney Road. Getting back to the photo I shared with my mom; she studied and studied it and said, "That's your great-grandfather, Maris." Right she was. Maris lived on Ross Street in Lancaster for almost all his life. He took a job with Hubley when he was 31 years old when they were located on Plum Street in Lancaster near his home. He was a pattern-maker by trade, but also helped design quite a few of the toys that were made by the company. The photo I shared with mom shows him at the age of 73, still working for the company. I stared at the photo and wonderd how, or even why, at the age of 73, he can still put in a full day's work in a demanding job such as he holds. I sure hope I have quite a few of his genes in me. Before my dad was drafted into the Army during WWII, he worked at Hubley on the production line. Ended up cutting part of one of his fingers off in a stamping machine. Whenever I see a Hubley toy at an antique store, it always brings back fond memories of my great-grandfather who died in 1947, three years after I was born. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - photos from the top are: Hubley logo found on it's toys, cast-iron cap gun like my friend Jerry has, photo of my grandfather Joseph (child on left) and great-grandfather Maris, and the copy of the article in the local newspaper.

The "Banking History of LDub" Story

It was an ordinary day. Had to go to my bank to cash a check worth a sizable sum of money. Wasn't sure they would do it since the check was not made out to me. I was only the co-signer. I approached the teller who I had not seen before in the bank. I couldn't tell what nationality she was and had a hard time understanding her. Knew right away this was going to a real treat to complete this transaction. First gave her a deposit that I had already prepared. Not a problem. Then I presented her with the check and my PA driver's license for ID. She examined the check and asked me if I had a bank card so I could verify my account number. So far impressed with our communications and how she was going about the transaction. I swiped my bank card, punched in my code and looked at the smile on her face. She told me she would be right back. Didn't sound good! Then the manager, who must have been in his early 30s arrived with her and she showed him what I wanted and the information about my account she had on her screen. After looking at it for what seemed like forever, he smiled at me and said, "Congratulations, Mr. LDub." I responded with, "What did I win?" "You have been a member of our bank since 1950, I see," he said. "That's ....... let's see ........ over 60 years. That's almost twice my age. I'm sure we can accommodate you, besides you have enough in your checking account to cover the check." "My dad opened the account for me when I was 6 years old and every time I went to the bank with him, he would make a small deposit into the account and the teller would record it in my ledger book," I told him. "Pretty neat. I don't remember what the name of the bank was back then. Do you?" He had no clue, but told me I should "Google" it and maybe I could find out. Well, when I went home I did just that. Found that The Farmer's Bank of Lancaster County was founded on June 17, 1810. The bank name was changed to The National Central Bank, butI'm not sure just when. I have records from 1972 that show that is was called that at that date. There had to be other name changes and bank buyouts between those two dates. So, I called the main office of my bank in Lancaster to find the answer to my question. They had no clue, but told me to "Google" it. Thanks a lot! Name was later changed to First Union Bank, then Hamilton Bank, Wachovia Bank and what it is now called, Wells Fargo. One swallows up the next and so forth. But, the still have all my records from back in 1950. I was impressed. And, I got my money!! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - photo show what my bank looked like when it was first formed in 1810. If anyone has knowledge of the history of what is now Wells Fargo in Lancaster County, please leave me a comment with the answer. Thanks!

The "Sunrise, Sunset" Story

It was an ordinary day. Starting to think about our soon-to-be visit to the Caribbean and the sunrises and sunsets that we will experience. It was in 2008 that we saw for the one and only time in our lives the "Green Flash." If you care to read about it or see a few shots of it, click on the St. Martin/Sint Maarten link at the top of my stories when you first enter my blog. Well, I recently opened an email that showed quite a few sunrises and sunsets and thought you may enjoy them as much as I did. All of the photos are from the United States. I also added two of my own favorite sunrise photos taken in Hawaii as well as a bunch of sunset photos taken from a recent trip to Barbados. Hope you enjoy them. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - remember you should be able to click on any of the photos and they should enlarge in size.

Titled "First Sunrise" and was taken at Cadillac Mountain, Maine. The 1,532 foot mountain reigns as the site of the first sunrise in the continental USA.

This location is on my "Bucket List" of places to visit. Called the "Most Secret Sunset" and was taken in Key West, Florida. Taken at the White Street Pier, the southernmost spot you can stand on in Key West. It would make my day to start with this scene.

I just love this sunrise shot which was taken in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is referred to as the "Best City Sunrise."

This is referred to as the "Reddest Sunset." Taken in the Grand Canyon, Arizona. You can join the viewers at Hopi Point, where the rose-colored sun splashes over the exposed Redwalllimestone of the canyon wall.

Called the "Last Sunset." You'll need a four-wheel-drive vehicle to visit the Big Island's 13,796-foot summit for this great sunset.

This is titled the "Sneakiest Sunset." It was taken in Yosemite, California as the sun set on Half Dome and El Capitan. One of Ansel Adams favorite places to take photographs.

And, now a few of LDub's photos taken in Hawaii and Barbados.

This is a sunrise photo I took on Haleakala which is on the Hawaiian island of Maui. We made it through the clouds to the top of the mountain which is 10,023 feet above sea level. The sun is just starting to make an appearance and it was beautiful.

Photo I took to show where the next sunrise was taken. We visited Point Udall, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands early one morning to get one of my favorite sunrise shots. As you can read, St.Croix is the Eastern-most point of the USA.

St. Croix Sunrise!

A local Barbadian woman prepares for fishing as the sun drops into the horizon.

Another local fisherman gets to enjoy the sunset as they fish.

A surfboard paddler on the calm Caribbean Sea at sunset in Barbados.

On the Western side of Barbados we took an afternoon cruise and this shows a cruise ship leaving from the nearby terminal.

Taken in Barbados near our resort. Plane arriving at the nearby airport as the sun sets on the horizon.

The "A Walk Through History" Story

It was an ordinary day. Watching the Mecum Auto Auction on TV and wondering if the cars of the present era will ever match or be remembered like the cars of the 50s and 60s. That's when the different car manufacturers actually made cars that looked different than their rivals. The cars had character, not like sosme of the boxed "clown" cars of this era. Today all the minivans, MPV, coupes, etc. look the same, at least to me. When I was a teenager I could look at a car and tell you what the year and model was for just about any car on the road. Couldn't do that today and I'll bet most of you couldn't do that either. Will the cars of today have the same impact as the cars from 50 years ago had on my generation. A '55 Chevy Impala and '58 Ford Fairlane were the last two cars auctioned off on Mecum and they brought more than most cars cost today. When I was 18 I had a '58 Chevy Impala with a 327 ci engine. Real "chick magnet." Cars in the '50s and '60s looked "American", if you know what I mean, with lots of chrome an real big fins. They didn't try to make them look "European" as they do today. Now that I'm on a roll, how about music from 50 years ago. Dick Clark's Bandstand can't be matched by any show that now is on TV. Soul Train with Don Cornelius came close in the 70s and 80s, but nothing from this era. Back then we had the Stomp, Twist, Stroll, and a variety of many others. We also had songs that artists sang, not as today when they talk the lyrics. A few of the other things that I had when I was younger that don't exist today are: gas station attendants, drive-in movie theaters, and ice and milk delivery. Well, I could go on an on, but I'm sure you have heard enough about how much I loved the past. And, if you want to see a little bit of it, click on the YouTube link below titled "The Best of Times" and watch the best 11 and a half minutes you'll see from the past. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "In Sickness and In Health" Story

It was an ordinary day. Finally starting to feel more like myself. The shingles have left me with some really huge scars on my butt and down my left leg, but that's OK. As long as the leg still works. My dear wife was a heroine as usual. She went to work, did the shopping, and cleaned the house while I laid in bed or sat on my recliner. The shopping and cleaning are usually my jobs. Then about three weeks ago she complained of a sore throat and thought she was coming down with a cold. She popped a few cough drops in her mouth and the next day the soreness disappeared, but she felt weak, achy all over, had a headache constantly, and she developed a fever from time to time. Took a few Tylenol which helped. Two weeks ago I took her to our family doctor who said it is some type of virus and she will have to wait it out. But, just in case, he gave her an antibiotic to take if it was bacterial. After a few days she started on the antibiotic and it didn't help. Through all of this she continued to go to work. Was exhausted at the end of the day, but wouldn't listen to me about staying home until she felt better. That was until she went to the doctor again today. She called this morning and told them in the office that she wasn't feeling any better and could she see the doctor again. They had no appointments today, but told her the doctor would call her. Within an hour Dr. Sanchez called and told her he will make time for her and she may have to be tested for West Nile Virus. After seeing her and checking out all her symptoms again, he ordered a few tests at the local hospital, but not the West Nile test. He was convinced it wasn't West Nile. And, he was right on. She now has developed a case of Mononucleosis. Wow!! Talk about bad luck. And she is still contagious. Just what I need! We had to call our daughter and tell her to cancel her trip to visit with us this weekend. We were going to go to my brother's house for a swim party and our granddaughters were looking forward to it for weeks. Couldn't wait to see their Amah and Tampah. She is to stay at home and drink plenty of fluids until she gets better. And I will take her car keys from her to make sure. I'm to stay as far away from her as I can. We talked about her mono and she said that she nursed all three of our children through mono when they were in high school and never once got them. Two of our kids ended up in the hospital they had the mono so bad. Carol thought that she probably had immunity to the disease. Not! Well, it is now my time to be the nurse in the house and she will inherit the recliner and snack tray that I had for the last 6 weeks. I told her she has exactly one month to get better. You see, we are heading to the Caribbean at that time and I would love to take her along with me. If not, let me know who is available.Naw, I would never do that. That's why we purchased the trip insurance. I hope I can do as good a job being a nurse as she was. Only problem is, she's better looking. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.