The "Do it again, Tampah!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Everyone is seated in the living room when one of my grandkids yells out, "Do it again, Tampah!"  For the last 20 minutes I have been amazing my family, mostly the grandkids, with a display of magic.  Actually one trick, but the grandkids love it and the rest of the family is laughing at the excitement that the kids are displaying.  The adults know how my trick is done; at least I think they do.  Ever since my grandkids, as well as my own kids, were born I have been surprising them with tricks.  Mostly pulling coins from behind their ears and then the truly amazing candy under the pillow trick.  That one goes like this:  Before my grandkids arrive I place a piece of candy under a pillow or in a drawer somewhere in the house.  While doing the trick I tell them I will make a piece of candy disappear and then tell them where it may be found.  The excitement rises as I take a piece of candy, unwrap it and …. pop it in my mouth.  After a short time I show them that it is no longer in my mouth, but tell them that I have made it travel through time to ….. the drawer in the middle bedroom.  Off they hustle and in a few seconds you can hear the excitement again when they have found it.  "Do it again, Tampah!"  So I did it again.  Must do it three times, since I have three grandkids and they all need to find a treat.  After a few years they caught on to that trick so I had to come up with something new and more refined.  

This is the magic trick that my grandkids like.  I place
these on my thumbs and when you push on them, they
glow red.  Looks just like a firefly that is illuminated.

So, I made a trip to Ziggy's Magic Shop in downtown Lancaster, PA.  Almar the Professional Idiot showed me an easy trick that would only cost me $10.  I was set.  At the next family gathering, after the room had darkened slightly,  I had everyone sit and I told my daughter to come stand next to me.  I pulled a firefly (lighted naturally) from my black bag in my hand and showed it to the group.  It really did look neat held between my thumb and forefinger.  Even surprised my daughter I think.  I told them I was going to place it in her ear, which I quickly did.  Then I told them it was traveling throughout her body.  

Here I am pressing my thumb and forefinger together.
When I release the pressure the light goes out.  I can
make it look as if the firefly is jumping from one hand
to the other, or I can pretend to put it in your ear or nose
and when I release the pressure, the light will go off
which makes it seem he is inside you ear or nose.

"Can you see it?" I asked.  Some swore they could see it …. or at least they played along me.  Then I grabbed her stomach and ….. Presto!  I pulled it out of her belly button.  "Do it again, Tampah!"  I did it over and over until I had pulled it out of just about every orifice on everyone's body.  After a few years of this trick they again caught on.  I loaned it to my granddaughters who wanted to show it to their friends.  Now, if this story sounds somewhat familiar, it is because I posted a similar story a few years ago.  The reason for my story today it to go a few steps further and tell you about the disappearing act that has just happened in downtown Lancaster.  Ziggy's Magic Shop closed!  No wait, it didn't just close, it disappeared!  Almar the Professional Idiot has performed his last trick on North Queen Street.  Ed (his real name) decided it was getting too expensive to keep the shop open.  It wasn't that he didn't have customers.  It was that he didn't have PAYING customers!  Everyone always entered the store to see a magic trip and Almar would produce one for them.  But when he asked what they wanted to buy, they would say, "Do it again."  And you can't live on too many "Do it agains."  

Almar the Professional Idiot is lighting his hand on fire in
front of his store which he just recently made disappear.
Photo was taken by Andy Blackburn from the Lancaster Newspaper.

His store was fantastic.  Filled with just about every magic trick you could imagine.  The store had an old, cluttered, worn glass counter that held quite a few of the smaller tricks.  On the walls were photos of famous magicians and those not so famous.  No, my photo did not adorn his wall, if you're wondering.  But one of my friends, Lavelle, who I taught with for a few years and who retired from teaching to be a magician had his photo on display.  Taken in Atlantic City during one of his shows.  Ed said that the brick and mortar magic stores are becoming rare.  Most are going online, which is exactly what he plans to do.  Will allow him to fill his orders while still on the road or on vacation.  Just a shame that it has to come to this.  The personal touch and attention that he gave to his customers, including me, will be greatly missed.  At least I'll still be able to visit Central Market in downtown Lancaster and see the street magicians that frequent the sidewalk on the days that the market is open.  Oh yeah, do you want to see my new trick where I can make a half dozen cookies disappear into my cup of milk?  KIds'll love that one.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "His Name is Larry" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Cold, but bearable.  We had just finished eating when Carol looked out the back door onto our deck and told me that Misty was coming for a visit.  We have had many stray and feral cats make visits to our place since we have lived in our Beach House.  Many we have trapped and taken to the Humane League for adoption by other families.  A few are crafty and refuse to enter the trap for food.  One of them is Blackie who I have written about before.  He's seems to want to make an indoor visit with us, but always "chickens out" at the last minute.  

Larry is very apprehensive.

 Then there is Misty who is a beautiful cat that always seems to have cuts and bruises on her which leads us to believe she enjoys a good scrape every now and then.  But, today when Carol looked and thought Misty was making a visit, she noticed that the cat had shrunk in size.  Not possible I know, so we both assumed it was another cat that looked much like Misty.  Ah Ha!  Maybe a kitten of Misty's which means that Misty is not spayed.  This little guy seems extremely scared as he approaches the dish of food on the deck.  He bobs his head, looking in all directions with each step he takes.  Finally reaches the back door after a few minutes and takes a bit of food.  Then he runs.  Shortly he is back for another bite.  This process repeats itself until he is comfortable enough to stay put and eat.  

Larry is cute.  His little red tongue
seems to be hanging out all the time.

 But, one of us moves inside the house and he is off again.  Well, today he stands his ground as I have my camera in hand to take his photo.  He is definitely cute!  A heavy gray coat with white front paws, a white breast and partial white nose.  "What should we call him?" Carol asks.  I think for a minute then tell her, "How about Larry.  Remember the other night on Modern Family when Mitchell and Cameron attempt to get another child and are turned down.  They told their adopted daughter Lilly about it and she said if she can't have a brother, she wanted a kitten.  And, she wanted to call it Larry. Good name for the new guy."  And so, Larry has arrived!  Not sure of the sex of this one, but Larry is good for the male or Larrie could be the female name.  I think with time we can convince Larry that it is best if he be a part of our family and can live indoors.  Also can get his shots and get neutered. Not sure he would like that, but we try to do that with all the cats, even though they may be adopted by others.  

Creamsicle sleeps as I finish my story.

 Our current housemate, Creamsicle, who sleeps nearby as I type this, went through the same routine about a year ago.  Now he is a constant boarder and member of the household, and we love him.  We hope we can make a positive impact on Larry and have him share our home with us.  Only time will tell.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "From Fireplaces to Cupcakes" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Walking around the interior of the  Lancaster County Convention Center in downtown Lancaster.  Reason why Carol and are attending the Suburban Pennsylvanian Spring Hone Show is to look for an electric insert for the small fireplace in our bedroom.  When we first moved into our "Beach House" in the mid-90s we loved using the fireplace in the bedroom.  

Had a basket with firewood stationed next to the fireplace which we would burn when we went to bed.  Only problem came when the dog and cats took an interest in the fireplace and if we fell asleep with the fire burning, we feared the animals might cause a fire.  So, we are looking for a less dangerous alternative that we can, remotely, turn off without getting out of bed.  The show has displays of just about anything related to the home from appliances to home construction to roofing to landscaping to cupcakes.  Yep, Lancaster Cupcake company had a large display with plenty of samples.  Didn't find anything that would help us, except the cupcakes, so we wandered around the Lancaster Mariott Hotel which connects to the Convention Center.  

Lobby area of the Lancaster Mariott.

Beautiful building that has kept the historical facade of the Watt & Shand Department Store as their hotel front.  As we entered from the parking garage we walked through a long hall of the Mariott that displayed photos of the building when it was Watt & Shand.  Watt & Shand was designed by Lancaster native and

The Montgomery House can be seen
as part of the lobby of the Mariott.

well-known architect C. Emlen Urban in 1898.    Looking skyward from the lower level of the Mariott gives open multi-level views of the old department store.  But, the most interesting view from the lower level is the exposure of the outside of the Montgomery House which is part of the interior of the hotel.  Really a neat feature that displays the house that was built in 1804 for prominent Lancaster attorney William Montgomery.  It was designed by Harrisburg architect Stephen Hills and contains a rare oval room on the first floor of the Early Federal Period home that is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.  That's the reason why the rear of the house is inside the Mariott.  When the Lancaster Convention Center and the Mariott were constructed in the late 2000s, the house was preserved externally and became an added feature in the Mariott's main lobby.  

One of the many blueprints displayed in the hall as you enter
the hotel from the parking garage.  This view of the exterior
of the Watt & Shand building was drawn by C. Emlen Urban.

The interior of the house is being restored to it's original state and then will be opened to the public for viewing as well as being used by the hotel for meetings.  The combination of hotel, with the original exterior facade of the old Watt & Shand, and the convention center are beautiful, both outside and inside, but the inclusion of the Montgomery House into the construction makes for a remarkable addition to the center of the city of Lancaster.  Saving our historical past is necessary for future generations to learn how Lancaster was established and how they played a prominent part in the development of our country.  Great job!  Bravo!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "The Demon Within" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just about finished with the yearbooks that I do for the Manheim Township Middle School and the Landis Run Intermediate School in Lancaster, PA.  For the last 15 years I have been contracted by the school district to produce the school's yearbooks and I enjoy every minute of it.  Taking the team photos, club photos, candid shots of students, staff and faculty has been fun, giving me a chance to stay active in the school community as well as earn enough money to make an annual visit to St. Martin with my wife.  But today is slightly different.  I pulled out a few of the yearbooks from a few years ago to give me some ideas for what I might want to do next year with both of the schools.  The first one I opened had a theme titled "Middle School Times."  It was meant to look as if it were a news publication with pages resembling pages in a newspaper.  

Inside page of the yearbook.  On the far right, second photo from
the top is a photo of Alec Kreider when he was in 8th grade.

As I fanned the pages, I stopped on one of the pages to look at what I had done with the heading when all of a sudden I was staring at the face of Alec Kreider.  He happened to be in the class I titled Newsmakers: Class of 2009. Instantly brought back memories of the heinous crime Alec committed on the morning of May 12, 2007 when he murdered one of his high school classmates and close buddies along with the boy's mother and father in their home about a half mile away from my house.  All three victims died from stab wounds that night, but the daughter of his best friend escaped the house before suffering the same fate.  He was questioned the next day by police, as were the majority of his friends and classmates at Manheim Township High School,  but was never a suspect in the murder investigation.  

It was on June 16th that his father, Tim, informed authorities that his son had confessed to him of the crime.  He had confided in his dad thinking he wouldn't turn him in and would give him help.  It was about three years ago, while sitting with my mother and her best friend Helen in the garden at Moravian Manor retirement community that I asked Helen about her family.  She told me she had two sons, but one had been murdered along with her daughter-in-law and grandson a few years before.  You can't imagine what went through my mind as soon as this information came out of her mouth.  I expressed my concern for her loss after she told me about what had happened.  Tough realizing what this woman must have felt and is still feeling years after the crime.  Recently the US Supreme Court ruled that life sentences for juveniles are unconstitutional and can't be without a chance or release, so Alec tried to take advantage of this, but to no avail.  His crime happened before the date set by the new ruling.  Alec is now in prison for three consecutive life sentences without the hope of ever getting out.  What must his life be like.  I just can't imagine what he must be going through.  The grief his father has for what he did to his son is immense.  Tim Kreider recently self-published a book titled Refuse to Drown: A Father's Unthinkable Choice.  In the book he talks about what he could have and should have done differently when raising his son.  His depression for so many years was immense.  His daughter will no longer talk to him.  But, he felt a need to tell his story which he did in his book.  He is hoping that his book will "change one life for the positive."  His son never gave him a reason for the murders, but Alec's journal does reveal a few thoughts why he committed the crime.  He said he wanted to know what it would feel like to kill someone.  Tim visits with his son in prison monthly, but wonders who will visit when he is gone. Sad, sad story!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "A Really Good Person" Story

Carol hard at work.

It was an ordinary day.  Carol just came back in from shoveling a few areas on our rear deck so Blackie has a place to walk without getting lost in the eight inches of snow we are in the midst of getting.  Blackie is a stray cat that someone must have dropped off in our neighborhood and who found his way to our house, as do so many of the stray cats.  We have tried a few times to trap him, but he outwits us every time.  He will trip the trap with his paw before trying to get the food inside.  We have caught quite a few cats over the years and have taken most of them to the SPCA.  The SPCA is overwhelmed with so many strays that many have to be euthanized instead of placed in adopted homes.  Blackie is one of those cats I'm afraid.  He is pathetic looking.  Scraggly looking as if he never grooms himself or bothers to wash.  I'm saying "he" and "himself" because Carol and I don't know what sex the cat may be, but she figures a female cat couldn't look like Blackie does.  We have named him Blackie for obvious reasons and he or she has be either fixed or spayed since there is a notch in his left ear which is a marking telling you that the procedure had been done at some time by a vet.  Two years ago Blackie was probably hit by a car, since he had to drag his leg almost all summer before he was able to use it again.  

Blackie has a dirty nose from eating the wet food.  You can see the
notch in his left ear to show he or she has been neutered or spayed

He now can walk with all four legs, but he has a noticeable limp and would have a terrible time maneu- vering around in the snow.  Carol shoveled a path from our back door and up the steps so he could be out of the snow under our huge trees to the rear of our deck.  She also shoveled a path from our back door to "the fort."  "The fort" is an enclosure I built for anyone who may want to live in it during the winter.  I placed it under our Tiki Hut on the deck.  Made it out of 1" thick insulation pieces and made it large enough to be held in place by friction between the two shelves on the Tiki Hut.  Covered the Tiki Hut with plastic as well as "the fort" so they don't allow water into it.  Carol placed a few small towels and a soft blanket inside "the fort" for warmth.  

"The Fort" can be seen on the shelf under our Tiki Hut.  

We found shortly after I put it in place that Blackie had taken refuge in "the fort."  I'm sure he appreciates a warm place to stay for the winter, since he is so scared and afraid that he can't be coaxed into our home.  He has such a pathetic look when he stares at you.  We feel so helpless to be able to do anything for him, but at least he won't freeze or starve to death.  Now if anyone would like to adopt Blackie, write me a comment and we can make it happen.  I'm sure he would go against the old axiom by bringing you good luck.  Well, Carol is sitting by the fire, trying to get warm.  I gave her a big hug and said, "You're really a good person!"  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "P.S. I Love You" Story

It was an ordinary day.  And, the British Invasion has just taken place.  That was the headline in newspapers all over the country fifty years ago today, since you see, The Beatles have arrived on our shores.  It was on February 9, 1964 that The Beatles made their debut on U.S. television and changed my wife forever.  She's a big Beatles fan and seems to have purchased every 33 1/3 album that they ever made.  

Some of our music framed in our living room.

Hanging in our living room is their first album they made titled "Meet The Beatles." From 1965 on The Beatles produced what many critics consider their finest material including albums such as Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Abbey Road.  The Beatles are the best-selling band in the United States today with over 177 million records, tapes, CD, etc. sold.  But, on that night, February 9, 1964, on the Ed Sullivan Show, Carol got to scream her head off as did so many other young girls in the U.S.  She was a junior in high school at the time and just loved the music of the Beatles.  Or was it the long hair that her parents despised.  Or the rock and roll music that they also despised.  Could have been the "yeah, yeah, yeah" that they added to "I Love You."  But anyway, She loved them.  As for me, I don't remember watching them, since my parents didn't enjoy Ed Sullivan and it probably wasn't on TV in our house.  Anyway, I was a big Elvis fan and they couldn't stand him either.  The release of The Beatles music in the United States was hindered by Capitol Records who refused to release the music for more than a year before their arrival in the U.S.  Their first three singles were heard very little until they were on Ed Sullivan.  

The Beatles arrival February 7, 1964 at JFK Airport in New York.

Finally on December 26, 1963, Capitol Records released "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and it sold a million copies as well as becoming the #1 song before their arrival in February.  On February 7 of 1964 The Beatles left the U.K. and landed at JFK Airport to a crowd of about 4,000 fans.  Seems small in today's market doesn't it?  It was two days later that they made their first TV appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show which was watched by 73 million viewers in over 23 million households.  

The Beatles as they appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show Feb. 9.

Carol's household was one of them, but sadly to say, mine wasn't one of them.  A day later they performed for the first time in concert in the U.S. at Washington D.C. Coliseum with it's 9,000 person capacity.  A day later they performed twice at Carnegie Hall in New York.  They then flew to Florida for another appearance on the weekly Ed Sullivan Show which was seen by 70 million viewers this time.  They were back in the U.K. by February 22.  The invasion was successful and complete!  Over the years, with Carol's help, I have grown to love The Beatles and their music.  We have seen quite a few Beatles Tribute Bands, usually going by the name of Beatlemania.  My favorite concert by these groups had to be New Year's Eve, a year ago, when Carol and I, along with our friends Pat and Dale, saw Beatlemania in concert with the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra.  Check under my music heading for the story.  Well, Carol's favorite Beatles song after all these years is "P.S. I Love You" while my favorite is "Paperback Writer."  I have attached YouTube versions for your enjoyment.  If you're not a Beatles fan, click on the links and maybe you will become one!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Braving The Storms" Story

It was an ordinary day.  The cat is attempting to get us up.  As soon as Creamsicle begins to see daylight in the early morning, he decides that it is time to eat and go out.  And, to do that, he must awaken his housemates.  That would be Carol and me.  Runs through the upstairs hall, rounds the bottom of our bed and takes a flying leap onto the bottom of our bed with claws digging into bedding and skin.  But, he doesn't stop there.  He continues across both of us and then leaps off the bed and back through the hall.  After a few minutes, if he doesn't hear the rustling of the covers on the bed, he repeats his course.  On and on it goes until I either get out of bed or I try to grab him during one of his runs and tell him to knock it off.  He almost always wins.  That's why he does it!!  I throw on a pair of sweatpants and sweatshirt and head down the steps with him, hoping I don't trip over the 15 pound cat as he weaves between my legs on the steps.  I grab a can of pate cat food, put half on a dish for him and stick the other half in a bowl for whomever may be waiting outside the back door.  

After turning off the house alarm I turn the lock on the back door and open it.  Creamsicle tries to time it just right so he can hustle out the door and grab some of the outdoor food before he makes his rounds of the neighborhood.  Today was different.  He stopped by the back door and stood there, looking over the layer of ice that coated the back deck.  Over night we experienced a winter storm that dropped a couple of inches of snow which then turned to freezing rain.  This is on top of the 8 inches of heavy snow we had two days ago.  The cat decided that he didn't want to experience the neighborhood today and backed away from the door.  I stepped gingerly onto the deck and put the food in place.  Felt I could brave the ice and headed to the drive to retrieve the morning paper.  

It was icy, really icy!  Came back in and turned on the TV to find that most everything was either closed or was in the process of closing.  I saw on the news the amount of damage that had already been done by falling trees and power lines.  Called up to Carol telling her that she didn't have to go to work today.  Then I added some outerwear and tried to knock some of the ice and snow from the many trees I have around the acre property we call home.  A few hours later my son Derek called to inquire if we were OK.  Told me that they had just lost power and he was going to put some wood in the fireplace to keep the house warm.  He said he awoke during the night when a large limb fell behind the house.  

Both my sons live on the same block in a wooded area to the west of Lancaster city.  Derek said he could hear trees and branches falling all around him so he had the family move to the basement, then moved his cars onto the street where it was less likely the trees would damage them.  He told me as we talked that one tree landed on his patio and destroyed the patio and the furniture on it.  Another landed in his drive exactly where both the cars had been parked.  My grandson had no school and my daughter-in-law was not going to work, but Derek had to be at work at noon.  I called back shortly afterward to tell them they could stay with us if needed.  Then I got a call from my other son Tad who gave me the same reports.  Said he could hear trees and branches falling as we spoke on the phone.  

By the time darkness had arrived, there still was no power and the electric company's website said it would be back on in three days.  Wow!  My youngest son shut the water off in his house and drained the lines, grabbed a load of wash and his work clothes and headed to our place for some relief from the cold.  Derek and his family thought they could stay warm with the fireplace and said they would stick it out for the night.  Tad was sitting with us watching "Modern Family" when he got a Text.  Power was back on!!  He told us, "If I knew the power would come back on after I came to your place, I would have come sooner."  Well, the laundry went back in his basket and after a meal and TV he thanked us and headed home.  Another storm has been predicted to dump feet instead of inches on our area in another day, but luckily the forecast changed this morning and we will only get flurries from that.  Allegedly!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "One Stoplight Island" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting by the fireplace with my laptop trying to stay warm.  Had to be at the Manheim Township Middle School at 7:00 AM this morning for a photo of the Jazz Band.  As I made my way to the school I took a look at my exterior temperature reading on my dash and saw it was 8 degrees.  My cat, who is sharing my lap with 

 my computer, is glad that Carol and I rescued him and can now stay inside rather that suffer through the deep freeze we are exper- iencing. But the cold doesn't prevent Carol and me from starting to prepare for our next stay in our second home, the island of Sint Maarten/St. Martin.  Corresponding with Magali our real estate agent, watching the Travel Channel and Home & Garden Channel, reading material on what we may want to experience and checking out the beaches we want to explore occupy our cold evenings.  When we arrived on the island last year, Magali's assistant, Stephan, greeted us with, "Welcome home!"  If you don't know by now, the island of St. Martin is half Dutch and half French, thus the two names given a few sentences ago.  After our last visit in May 2013, we talked with Magali about 2014 and picked out our dates for our visit this year.  Placed a third down on Villa Jeluca and am now waiting for the price of airfare to drop so I can buy airline tickets.  Seems that may not happen, since I have been checking for eight months and they are still about the same price.  That was until this morning when I checked and found they have now risen $100 from yesterday.  Wow!  Gonna make it tough to afford the airline tickets, but certainly won't keep us home.  We figure we have fewer years to travel, since we are getting older more quickly than we anticipated, and will not miss out on an opportunity to get our dose of Vitamin D while relaxing on a gorgeous beach in the Caribbean.  

For those who have had the opportunity to travel to the Caribbean, especially St. Martin, you know the benefits of experiencing a great vacation.  The warm water, beaches for lounging and walking, meals that you don't have to prepare and the joy of driving where you don't have to stop all the time for traffic lights.  Why did I put that last note in the last sentence?  Well, the French side of St. Martin has zero traffic lights while the Dutch side has only one traffic light.  

The one and only stop light in Sint Maarten.

Round-a-bouts and yield signs, or no signs at all, greet you at most intersections which make for easier driving as long as you are aware of your surroundings and the flow of the traffic.  Most times you can't travel faster than 35 or 40 MPH, since the terrain of the island is hilly and the roads aren't the best in the world.  And, when traveling through one of the few towns on the island, the traffic gets congested and doesn't allow for much more that 10 to 15 MPH.  But the atmosphere of driving is enjoyable.  Lots of honking and beeping to signal it is fine to get in line or to thank someone for allowing you to get in line in front of them.  Takes only an hour or so to realize everyone else driving is on island time which means a slowed-down pace and easy traveling.  Only drivers who don't seem to follow that theory are the ones who drive on two wheels.  The motorcyclists travel in the center of the road and think nothing of passing between two cars if necessary.  Still find it amazing that more aren't killed or injured.  Well, Creamsicle is getting annoyed that I'm not petting him as much as he thinks I should, so he is preparing to hop off my lap.  Gonna give me a chance to go add a few photos to this story and sit by the fire again.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

PS - I wrote this story a couple of days ago and since writing the story was able to buy my airfare.  Will be flying with Delta Airlines which is new for Carol and me.  Flying from Baltimore, MD to JFK in New York and then a direct flight to SXM or Sint Maarten.  Price is the best I have found since I started looking and even with a modest additional amount added from my travel agent, the price is still great.  Now all I have to do is arrange for the parking in Baltimore. Additionally, I am listening to the sleet and frozen rain strike the window next to me as we progress through the second of the three winter storms that we are supposed to get this WEEK! 

The "Science As I Never Imagined It" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just got an email from a former student of mine who is in management at Google.  I emailed him a day ago asking what he might know about the glucose sensor contact lenses that I have been reading about in the newspaper.  He told me that there were employees, who evidently had diabetes or who knew of someone who had diabetes, standing up at their weekly meetings asking if they could try out the contacts.  He told me he will look into their progress with the lenses and tell me what he is allowed to release at this point.  He said that, as I can imagine, the company is tight-lipped as there are plenty of people interested in this research.  My interest in the contacts came about because my granddaughter has Juvenile, or Type 1, diabetes and I am hoping that an invention, dare I call it that, such as this will make her life easier.  Ever since she was diagnosed with Type 1 three years ago, my wife and I have been donating to the Juvenile Diabetes research fund.  Not sure if funds from that entity were used in the development of the lenses, but I'm hoping they may have helped.  For years now, Courtney has had to prick her finger many times a day to get a blood sample that she tests and then transfers the info to her insulin pump which wirelessly sends insulin through a small tube to her port which is attached to her body.  This 11 year old girl has experienced more needle pricks than I have in my entire life.  She is well beyond her age in knowing the functions of her body and the care that is needed to keep it healthy.  Shouldn't be that way, but she has no choice.  There are 382 million diabetics just like her who need insulin and keep close tabs on their blood sugar.  At first, at the age of 8, she had to give herself multiple shots every day until she was able to use the insulin pump with port.  But, the finger pricks still create pain for her.  When I saw the breakthrough that Google has created, my hope for her increased.  

The prototype will take at least five years before it is ready for the public and is one of several monitoring devices that are being worked on at present.  Donations are constantly needed to keep the research on track.  Other devices are a flexible spring that is tucked under the eyelid, a thumb cuff, tattoos and a saliva sensor.  Google is a high tech company which is exactly what is needed to create inventions such as this.  The contact lens has two twinkling glitter-specks loaded with tens of thousands of miniaturized transistors.  It is ringed with a hair-thin antenna.  These electronics can monitor glucose levels in the tears of the diabetics that wear them and then transmit them to a handheld device.  

Researchers also had to build in a system to pull energy from incoming radio frequency waves to power the device enough to collect and transit one glucose reading per second.  The electronics in the contact lens doesn't obscure vision, since they lie outside the eye's pupil and iris.  I have also read where they might be able to someday combine both the diabetes monitoring system with the visual needs of a patient and take care of two problems with one lens.  Science is wonderful, isn't it.  I am amazed at what is being done in the medical field.  My only wish is that I will be alive to see my granddaughter able to live her life without the constant pricking of her finger to monitor her affliction.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "A Tap On The Shoulder" Story

A young Gladys

It was an ordinary day.  Reminiscing with Carol about one of our cats, Gladys, who died years ago at the age of 19.  She was a blue-point Siamese who at times thought she was a human.  She would sit on our dining room hutch, which was fairly close to the dining room table, and as we ate our meals she would tap us on the shoulder from behind to let you know she wanted something to eat.  Loved many of the same foods that we enjoyed.  Never could understand how she stayed a constant 8 pounds with all the starchy food she ate. We certainly didn't!   The reminiscing today was brought about because of a newspaper article telling of the reopening soon of one of our favorite snack companies.  The company, Gibble's, who made potato chips, cheese puffs and pretzels for years and years was one of our favorites as well as one of Gladys' favorites.  She always knew it was time for a snack when she heard the paper bag open and the chips rustling inside it.  Carol and I would grab a handful and find a chair to enjoy a TV show.  In a few minutes Gladys would be in your lap looking for her share.  Had to break them into real small pieces to accommodate the petite cat.  Gibble's closed about a year ago and left many unhappy customers.  

Used for potato chips and cat food

Recently Robert and Amy Hartman of Bowmansville, PA bought the Chambersburg, PA business and have plans to restart it making some of the company's products.  They promised not to change a thing in the production of the products.  "We don't want to change anything.  We want to bring back the same quality product that people want and expect," they said.  Gibble's Homestyle Potato Chips were our favorite.  We have purchased them since getting married in 1967.  In 1976, our country's Bi-Centennial, we purchased a Gibble's Chip tin which we have saved since we purchased it.  Keep our cat food in it at present, since the chip company stopped production about a year ago and we have no chips to store in it.  That's all going to change again when the snacks are back on the shelves at our local grocery store. As for Gladys, we miss her and all the quirky things she used to do that made her near-human.  She still sits on the hutch, but in her own little tin can.  She was one of a kind who can never be replaced.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "Super Bowl's Baby Clydesdales" Story

Foreword:  Today has great significance!  It is one of the biggest days for the TV industry and advertising, but also the day of the groundhog!!  My story today will tell about advertising and the Super Bowl, but I don't want to forget Octoraro Orphie and the prediction that will occur on this momentous day.  So, I have included a photo of the groundhog prognosticator for all you weather nuts.  The rest of the story will deal with reality. 

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting in my lounge chair eating a couple of Hershey's Nuggets and getting ready to type a story to post.  Carol is nearby checking her emails from work when she asks if I want to see the new Super Bowl ad that Budweiser made using the Clydesdale horses.  Handed me her iPad and I had the chance to see the ad which features the companionship that was made between a young dog and one of Budweiser's beautiful and graceful Clydesdales.  Just in case you haven't seen the ad yet, I won't tell you anymore about it until you see it during the broadcast of the Super Bowl tomorrow.  This is the third Super Bowl ad that I have seen this week.  Starting to be more like Christmas advertisements and sales which occur before Thanksgiving.  Why make a Super Bowl ad and then show previews of it before the Super Bowl?  It really spoils it for me.  One of the main reasons I watch the Superbowl is to see the advertisements.  Some of the best advertisements of the year appear during the daylong broadcast of the Super Bowl.  At least they used to appear during that time frame.  Wasn't more than half an hour after I began typing that I got a message on my screen that I have mail.  Clicked on the mail link and there was a message from my neighbor Tom who enjoys forwarding videos to everyone when he receives them of when he finds one on the Internet that he enjoys.  This one happened to be called "Super Bowl's Baby Clydesdale: A Budweiser Story."  Carol and I really enjoy the Budweiser commercials on TV that feature the Clydesdales, since we both love horses, especially the working-class type of horses which include the Clydesdale, Shire, Percheron and Belgian.  

We got a chance to see the Clydesdale horses pulling the Budweiser Beer Wagon in a parade in Chester- town, MD.  One Saturday in the summer a few years ago Carol and I along with our friends Jerry and Just Sue decided to make a visit to Chestertown to walk the streets and have lunch along the Chester River.  When we arrived on the north side of the town we saw a parade was just beginning so we parked the car and managed to find a space along their main street.  Few minutes later here comes the Clydesdale's in all their glory.  Snapped away as the crowd clapped and roared their approval.  Horses just amaze me.  Their feet are huge and all the horses looked as if they came from the same mold.  Well, the video Tom sent to me tells all about the Budweiser Clydesdales and their history.  Clicked on the YouTube link and watched the story.  My wife chose not to watch since she gets pretty emotional while watching stores such as that.  I have included it so you too can see the splendor and majestic nature of these beautiful animals.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Your Dream Machine Awaits!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just walked into the Faulkner Chevrolet showroom at 2000 Bennett Ave. in Lancaster, PA and was greeted by two salesmen who wanted to know if they could help me.  

2014 Blade Silver Metallic Corvette

Told them thanks, but I was here to see Uzma, along with the Blade Silver Metallic 2014 Corvette that was sitting right in front of me.  This story started last evening when I was checking my email and there was a message from Uzma Shafqat that was titled, "Your Dream Machine Awaits!"  In the summer of last year I visited the car dealership to try and get a glimpse of the '14 Vette.  

Uzma standing in the Faulkner showroom.

It was at that time that I met Uzma and she knew very little about the arrival of the car, but she took my email address and told me that when they arrive, she will let me know.  And, she was true to her word.  The car is ……. well, my dream machine!  It just glowed in the morning light that was striking it.  

LDub sitting in his dream machine!

To me a true Corvette must be red, but I'll tell you, this was a close second.  But wait, yellow always was my second choice.  Anyway, the interior was a bright red leather with black trim.  The Coupe 3LT was loaded with a 6.2L V8 engine and a 7-speed manual transmission.  Also had the following: active handling system with all-speed traction control, 4-wheel ventilated disc brakes with ABS and Panic Brake Assist, speed-sensitive electric power steering, 4-whjeel independent suspension, aluminum frame structure, carbon-fiber hood with rear opening, caplets fueling, 5-spoke silver-painted aluminum wheels which were 18" in the front and 19" in the rear, carbon-fiber removable roof panel, keyless access with push-button start, heated mirrors, rear vision camera, dual-zone automatic climate control, power tilt steering wheel, 3-spoke leather-wrapped 14.2" steering wheel, power tilt and telescopic steering column, leather-wrapped shift knob, GT bucket seats with Molan leather seating surfaces and 8-way power adjusters, Chevrolet MyLink Radio with navigation system, and leather-wrapped and color-keyed instrument panel.

My 1987 Vette.

 Now, I only listed a few of the features and equipment, but who cares, since you would have to see the car to know what the list means.  When Uzma walked over to me she said, "Get in!"  Handed her my camera and hustled in the car.  Memories flooded back from when I had my 1987 red Vette and was sitting in that car.  Can still remember driving the car with the wind blowing my hair.  Give you an idea as to how long ago that might have been!  Story about when and I why I purchased that car can be found in another story under the "Vehicles" category, but I can tell you that my '87 was featured in the September 1998 issue of Vette Magazine.  

Vette I parked next to in the parking lot outside the dealership.

Often wonder if I did the right thing when I sold it to my next door neighbor Hank, but it certainly was the logical thing at the time.  I have missed that old car many times, but as long as I can get to look and sit in one every now and again, I can get buy.  Today was a dose of nostalgia for LDub, to say the least.  

1st Generation (1953-1962) - 2nd Generation (1963-1967)
3rd Generation (1968-1982) - 4th Generation (1984-1996)
5th Generation (1997-2004) - 6th Generation (2005-2013)

The 2014 is the first Corvette in the Seventh Generation series of the American sports car.  Check out the chart I have given you to see what years are included in each group.  As I was arriving today I parked next to a Torch Red '14 Vette which I found out belonged to another Vette fan who was in the showroom getting ready to pick up his new toy.  

Two left-over 2013 Vettes for sale in the showroom.

For him, his dream had come true.  Well, I'm sure you are wondering how much the dream machine must cost.  Sticker price for the car with the stock #X108247 is $63,700.00, but the dream price is only $62,600.00.  Are you shocked?  Tell you the truth, I thought it would be more!  Am I interesting in it?  You bet!  But, I'm more interested in traveling and visiting tropical places than I am in owing a dream car.  But, at least I can dream about it and I'm sure I will tonight!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  PS - Remember to click on any photo to enlarge it. 

Looking into the cockpit from the rear of the car.  The removable top is stored in the rear and can be seen.  

Rear of the 2014 Vette.  Check out the redesigned tail lights as well as the exhaust.

Gorgeous interior.  Soft as leather, Duh!  I fit into it perfectly!! 

New headlight design and air intakes.

5-spoked wheels with engraved logo and silver caliper cover.  The caliper cover also comes in red, yellow or black.  Neat feature.

My 1987 Vette.  After selling it to my neighbor, he resold it a few years later and this is the car on display at the dealership where he was reselling it.  Last time I ever stood next to it. 

Top pix shows the photo that was in the story about my Vette in Vette Magazine and then one final look at my '87.  Photo taken at Safe Harbor Power Company picnic grove.