The "Just When You Thought You Knew Me!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Adding a few sayings or thoughts to one of my "Pinterest" boards.  My page has "Boards" such as Faces of the World, Umbrellas, The World of Globes & Maps, Henry J, In Days Gone By, Ansel Adams, The Black Art, Green Flash, Insects, Beaches and many more which my wife has added over the past couple of years.  

One of my favorites!

The additions today were to the heading "Thoughts."  And, the more I looked over my past "Boards", the more I had a chance to see exactly who I may be or have become.  Never knew that by studying one's thoughts, you can see into the soul of the person.  Whether you agree of not, I am going to give you a chance to see, by way of some of my posting on my "Thoughts" Board, exactly what I think may be funny, inspiring, thought provoking or just plain funny.  After over seven years of reading this blog site, do you really know me based on my thoughts.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "My Mom: She Was One Tough Little Old Lady" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Carol was talking on the phone with her longtime friend, Marg, about all of our recent medical problems that we have been experienced.  Telling Marg that I had to stay overnight in the hospital when I had my Cryosurgery for prostate cancer, but was just listed as an outpatient, since insurance will totally cover it that way.  Then we began to talk about hospital stays and my mom's stay at the Lancaster General Hospital when she developed a hernia from trying to lift my dad into his home hospital bed when he was ill with cancer.  

Photo taken at Crystal Beach, Maryland showing my mom
surrounded by family.  I'm standing to her right with my
brother Steve to her left.  Sitting o the log are her sister,
only a year older then me, on the far left and my two cousins.

The resident hospital doctor said she was too old to be operated on for the hernia and they were going to wait until the hernia receded and then release her.  Day after day passed with only IV fluids for mom.  We finally told the hospital they needed to release her or operate. They released her and we found a nursing facility to take her for recovery.  They began to give her soft food and in no time she was gaining strength again.  In the meantime we had home nursing care for my dad and when he found out mom was in a nursing home, he wanted to be placed in the same nursing facility.  Wasn't long before the were in rooms across the hall from each other.  Dad finally succumbed from his cancer and I decided it best for mom to stay where she was getting excellent care.  

Mom sharing her 85th birthday cake with her great grand-kids.

She wasn't too happy about it at first, but did eventually enjoy the many new friendships she was gaining.  Then it hit her again.  While trying to move something in her room, the hernia reappeared.  The nursing facility had her taken to the  Heart of Lancaster Hospital where they operated the same evening and repaired the hernia.  She was up walking around in about eight hours, wanted to be taken back to her room.  So, how do you explain why one of Lancaster's premier hospitals. Lancaster General, chose not to operate while a smaller and less traveled hospital made the decision to operate immediately and made mom's life bearable once again.  If only it had been done four months before, she might have been able to return to her treasured little home with screened-in back porch.  If only Lancaster General had known how tough that little old lady really was!  I think of her often when I look at her paintings that resemble Grandma Moses paintings and how she wasn't afraid to try just about anything.  Yes, she really was one tough little old lady who loved life, right to the end.  Love you mom!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Highways Before Concrete And Blacktop & Travel Before Motorized Vehicles" Story

An historical marker along the
Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike.
Click on photos to enlarge.

It was an ordinary day.  Driving through mile after mile of Lancaster County rich agricultural farmland on what at one time was the beginnings of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.  What many take for granted now was at one time, as early as 1714, just a patchwork of rutted roads that linked thriving Philadelphia to Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  It was back in 1791 that Pennsylvania Governor Thomas Mifflin told residents of south-eastern Pennsylvania that a better road connecting Philadelphia to Lancaster was needed.  Not quite sure why Governors before Mifflin never decided to build the road sooner since a request for the road was put in form of a petition in 1730.  Well, finally on April 9, 1792, the state voted to allow Mifflin to select a company for the construction of what eventually would be known as the Pennsylvania Turnpike.  

Old photograph shows how the turnpike was built.

The Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike Road Company raised the initial capital by selling stock in the project.  The initial turnpike road was completed in 1794 with a road paved with stone and overlaid with gravel.  The 62 mile turnpike cost more than $450,000 which was unheard of at the time.  To get that money back the Company charged a toll through toll gates located every ten miles along the route.  Naturally Motels, Strip Malls and plenty of McDonalds sprung up along the way.  

Another old photograph shows mules pulling a canal boat
along a passageway in Pennsylvania.

Nah!!  That didn't come until later, but small inns and taverns were conveniently located along the route to make traveling easier for weary travelers and their horses.  During the summer of the first year over 1,000 Conestoga Wagons traveled the turnpike each day carrying produce, meat, dairy products, grain, leather, lumber as well as plenty of liquor from Lancaster to Philadelphia as well as points along the way.  Toll fees were based on what was being transported along the turnpike.  

This old postcard shows travel by the Pennsylvania
Railroad at their shops in Altoona, PA.

Didn't take long for the turnpike to expand and in 1804 the turnpike ran as far west as Pittsburgh.  Over the next 30 years more than 3,000 miles of roads were built to help transport goods from point A to point B.  Then came the railroad and canals which could move freight much faster and more efficiently than a horse-drawn wagon on a stone paved road.  Then in 1808 Thomas Jefferson's Secretary of Treasury suggested it would be faster to take materials from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia by going down the Mississippi River, through the Gulf of Mexico, and up the Atlantic Ocean; a total of 3,000 miles.  

An early tollgate in Bedford, Pennsylvania

Cheaper than going by land the 300 miles from one city to another?  That seemed prepos- terous to many in the state so they proposed to create the first National Road which would be constructed by the Federal Government.  Sounded pretty good for Pennsylvania, but Jefferson - and well as other Presidents until Andrew Jackson - feared what would happen if the Federal Government funded a road for Pennsylvania.  

Cars lining up for the opening of another link in the turnpike.

Luckily Congress felt it was worthwhile and voted for the construction of the road which would travel to the Ohio Valley and the money would come by selling public land in the new state of Ohio.  Eventually this road, known as the National Road, or Cumberland Road, stretched from Cumberland, Maryland to Ohio.  This new roadway was used to transport goods as well as carry the U.S. Mail.  

And naturally, gas stations were needed along the turnpike.

Many early traders and settlers passed along the route during the nineteenth century and was the beginning of our National Highway System.  Along this route eventually came an "S" Bridge in Washington County and the first all-metal arch bridge, built in the United States, in Fayette County.  The early nineteenth century was a period of intense turnpike road building and by 1831 there were about 2,500 miles of turnpike roads in our country.  When you consider what we have today, those 2,500 miles of turnpike roads are just a drop in the bucket and my trip along the original turnpike that ran through Lancaster is rather minute as far as roads go.  But, I'm enjoying my ride anyway. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "A Truly Nice Pest ... Control Man" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Technician Chris has just left the premises.  But not until he solved our problem.  Now, getting back to the problem that caused us to call Chris in the first place.  A month or so ago Carol looked at me, alarmed, one evening while we were watching TV.  "Turn that down!" she said as she looked at me with a puzzled look.  "What's the matter!" I replied.  She said, "Did you hear that noise.  It sounded like something is chewing through the wall behind you."  I stood, walked to the wall and listened.  Yep, something was trying to chew through the wall.  Walked to the wall, banged my fist on the wall half a dozen times, sat down, and that was the end of it.  A few nights later she was sitting in her same recliner when she looked at me and said, "Did you hear that!"  "You didn't hear the noise again?"  She listened intently and stood, walked behind her chair and pointed to the return vent in the floor and said, "Something's trying to get in here." Yep, something was trying to get through the vent in the floor.  I banged my fist on the vent half a dozen times, pulled the metal cover from the vent and looked down into the vent.  There was a hole about six inches around that I could look through into the crawl space below our family room.  Sure enough, something was trying to chew into our family room.  But what?  "I can't believe a mouse could do that much damage.  Must be something larger."  Our house was built on a stone quarry and due to stone structures, only half our house has a basement with the other half having about three feet of crawl space.  We have had mice before, but I have taken care of most of them with traps.  This was a BIG hole.  "We're gonna need help with this," Carol said.  I agreed so I called Tomlinson Bomberger, a lawn care, landscape and pest control company in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  Today Chris arrived to save the day.  And, save the day he did!  I greeted him at the front door and ushered him into the house.  We talked for quite some time about him being a student at the high school where I taught.  I had retired before Chris was in the high school, but I happened to have his sister in my photography class.  "Boy, can she take great photos," he told me.  Chris was a very personable guy who I instantly felt at ease with.  Just knew he was going to solve our problems.  Wasn't long before he was looking down the vent at the hole that had been chewed by something.  "Wasn't a mouse," he said.  "I've never seen a mouse that could chew a hole that big.  Had to be a rat ... or possibly a squirrel."  We talked some more and I showed him to the basement where I pulled a ceiling tile out and showed him where I catch the mice.  Then he pulled open the door to the crawl space.  "Kinda scary, isn't it?" I said to him.  He entered the three foot square opening about shoulder height and with the use of a light, crawled toward the space beneath our family room.  He told me to go upstairs and stick something down through the hole so he could see where the event occurred.  Stuck a broom handle down and before long he yelled for me to come back down into the basement once again.  "Easy to tell what it was," he said as he held up a handful of peanut shells. I said, "So that's where they take the peanuts we put out for them."  He replied,  "And, here's a large pile of ... looks like walnut shells."  I said, "We have half a dozen walnut trees in the yard next to the house."  He looked around and then said, "They are coming in the wall vent where your three sump pumps exit the side of the house.  I can see the path they take to the space under your floor vent.  Here's a squirrel's tail and a few other body parts laying on the ground."  We formulated a plan to place some bait in the area, but also immediately plug the exterior holes so the squirrels couldn't get in to eat the bait.  Within a half hour the holes were filled with insulation foam and the exterior of our house was sprayed to stop rodents, and hopefully squirrel-proof.  Only time will tell how well it worked, but it seemed like Chris has corrected the problem.  Chris, Carol and I spent thirty minutes or so talking about a variety of topics from health concerns to Chris' favorite sport, football.  Chris is a special person who, even though he is five years or more younger than our youngest child, didn't mind spending time with us.  We not only managed to have our alleged rodent problem solved, but got to learn more about the life of the guy who solved our problem.  Now that's real service ... and we loved the guy!  His boss struck it rich when he hired Chris.  He's a real keeper.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "The Lost Art of Cursive Writing" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Walking around the Landis Run Intermediate School in the Manheim Township School District in Lancaster County, PA taking candid photos of the 5th and 6th graders that I can use in their school yearbook which I produce.  I carry a clipboard and pen with me so the students can give me their name which I will place under their photo.  Always thought it important to have a name with a photo, since 30 or 40 years from now, no one will recognize who the person might be.  Well, I snapped a photo of a young boy and handed him my clipboard and told him to print his name next to a specific number on the paper.  "Don't write it in cursive since I may not recognize your name," I told him.  

Learning to write in cursive.

"What's cursive?" he asked me.  "That's when you write your name with the letters flowing together to form your name," I responded.  "We never do that!" was his frank answer.  I've been taking photos for the Middle School and Landis Run yearbooks for 18 years now and this boy was the first to ever tell me he didn't know what cursive was.  More than likely most students didn't know what cursive was, but were afraid to ask me what that was.  It's been quite a few years now since students were taught to write in cursive.  I can remember learning cursive writing in the early 1950s, but technology wasn't what it is today.  We didn't have an iPhone when we were in elementary school or an iPad when we were a toddler.  Since this is the age of technology with iPads, cell phones and computers, the theory goes that there isn't a need to teach cursive writing.  

I taught a lesson in graphic arts in Calligraphy.  Now a lost art.

We need to focus more on helping the students use the tools presented to them for future success.  Cursive writing seems to be an outdated skill that's taking up valuable instruction time from learning  keyboarding skills and other computer-based communication and thus not needed in our current society.  How sad!  After telling the student what cursive writing was, he said, "Oh yeah, I have a cursive font on my iPad that I can use if I want, but I can't read what I typed if I use it."  Made me think, so it did.  My daughter recently asked me to write a letter to the son of a woman who lives in the apartment complex she manages in Maryland.  Said that he is in US Army basic training and gets no letters and is lonely.  But, don't write the letter in cursive, since he won't be able to read it.  Wow, really so sad!  

My wife's friend often sends hand-made cards
with her cursive writing on it.  Neat cards!

Writing a letter in one's own hand can be an artistic act.  Handwriting animates the paper you write upon.  At least to me it does.  The bold flairs and elegant flourishes are what set you apart from someone else when writing.  When I taught graphic arts in the same school district, I taught a month-long lesson in Calligraphy.  By the time students were finished with their final document many would tell me how much fun it was to use free-spirited letters to express themselves.  Calligraphy was bypassed when regular cursive writing became popular and now once again, cursive writing is being bypassed since everything is typed on a keyboard.  

How many of today's students in the United States can
read the cursive writing illustrated here?

Students of today can no longer read historical documents such as the Declaration of Indepen- dence or even letters written long ago by their their grandparents.  I'm here to tell you that cursive writing connects us with history, is faster than printing, and in many cases typing on a keyboard, and makes it harder to plagiarize since a student can't cut and paste at will.  And, to say that students need to be prepared for a competitive world in their near future and therefore don't need to learn cursive is a bunch of crap.  Just another reason for not teaching reading, writing and arithmetic as they should  be.  Amen!  So now you can probably guess how old I may be.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Another Book Of Memories Just Completed" Story

The Jostens Yearbook Company website open on my desktop computer.

It was an ordinary day.  Talking to Jostens Yearbook Company district represen- tative Micah about two pages that I couldn't upload to the company's website.  He assured me that he would be able to take care of the problem.  I told him to fix them and submit them for me, finishing my final yearbook for this school year.  He has given me help for a few years now as well as Jostens local rep Al.  

Beginning to submit pages I have
designed in the Middle School Yearbook.

I have worked with Al for more than 30 years now going back to when I still taught school in the Manheim Township School District in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  He has always been a big help and has made the job of yearbook advisor a simple one for me.  Two years ago Al dropped by the house with Micah so he could introduce me to Micah.  We hit it off immediately when he complimented Carol and me on our home filled with beach related artwork and decorations.  During my call today to Micah we naturally had to talk about vacations we both plan to take in the near future.  After our travel plans were discussed, we talked about business and I hung-up knowing that my problems had been solved.  If you have been reading this blog for any length of time, you probably know by now that I have continued to produce both the Manheim Township Middle School as well as the Manheim Township Landis Run Intermediate School yearbooks since I retired from teaching in 1999.  

Student designed covers from past yearbooks.  Yearbook
covers for both books this year are equally memorable.

Each book is a black and white, 64-page history of the school year done in a hardcover book formatt.  I take almost all the photos except for the class photographs which are given to me by the school photo- grapher.  I enlist the help of the art department at each school for creating the cover of the book.  Both entire yearbooks are done online by myself selecting layouts prepared by the company as well as  making my own.  I became a yearbook advisor in 1969 when the high school advisor asked if I could help him with the job.  The following year I took over the book and have been doing yearbooks every since.  When I retired I was asked to give up the high school yearbook in favor of a teacher in the high school.  

My 53rd yearbook is almost complete.

The next day the Middle School principal called and asked if I could do their book.  You betcha!  Then, five years ago the district opened an intermediate school and that principal asked if I could do their book.  You betcha!  This year, when both books are delivered to their respective school and I have handed them out to all who have purchased them, I will have completed 53 yearbooks.  Do I still enjoy producing them.  You betcha!  Love visiting the schools taking candids, club groups, music groups, teacher candids .... well, the whole works.  Who wouldn't enjoy being young again for a few hours now and then and amongst children who all love to have their photograph taken for their book of memories.  And, with the advent of online yearbook production at the turn of the century, my job has been made not only easier, but really fun to do.  Will I continue to produce school yearbooks in the future?  Now that answer is a no-brainer!  You betcha!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.     

The "Sometimes It Gives Me The Heebie Jeebies" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Doing some searching online about something known as an "idiom".  Every heard of an "idiom"?  I have been hearing them and using them just about all my lifetime, but wasn't sure what they were called.  I'm sure when I was a public school student I knew what the word "idiom" meant, but over time I tend to forget the meaning of words unless I use them all the time.  So, what does it mean when you say ... "You're giving me the heebie jeebies"?  Well, it means you're making me uncomfortably nervous.  And, the heebie jeebies is an American English idiom.  I've never found if it may be used in other languages other than American English, but if so, it may perhaps mean something entirely different.  So, how about saying to someone ... you're scaring the bejeebers out of me.  In this case it means to shock or frighten someone very suddenly and/or severely.  Same goes for the idiom screaming abdabs which means you are inducing an attack of extreme anxiety or irritation in someone.  Therefore when you say, "You're giving me the screaming abdabs," you mean you're giving me an attack of delirium tremens.  OK, I realize you have no idea what delirium tremens might be.  It is a rapid onset of confusion.  Now, I could give you a few idioms that you may recognize such as: Mumbo jumbo which denotes confusing language; Hocus pocus which means bringing about some sort of change; Let your freak flag fly which means to let others see your uniqueness; Stick to your guns which means to refuse to compromise or change you mind; Pound the pavement which means to walk the streets looking for a job; Leave no stone unturned means to do everything you can to achieve your goal; Cut somebody some slack which means to give someone a break or not judge them too severely; Once in a blue moon which means when something rarely happens; Go down in flames which means to end or fail suddenly and spectacularly; Hang in there which means wait and be patient; Running on fumes which means to continue to stay awake when feeling exhausted; Blow smoke which means to exaggerate or say things that aren't true to make you seem better: Be tickled pink means to be excited by all the compliments you've received; A Baker's dozen which means thirteen; Skeleton Crew means the minimum number of people needed to do something; No-Brainer which means an easy decision; and Piece of Cake which means having a piece of cake ... and ice cream.  Nah, it really means when something is extremely easy to do.  Then there are funny English idioms that you may not know such as: Do a Devon Loch which means you suddenly fail when everybody expects you to succeed, since Devon Loch was a racehorse that collapsed just short of the finish line in 1956; Bob's your uncle which means 'everything is alright' or something will be done, sorted or successful; Do a runner which means leaving in a hurry to avoid having to pay for something; Hairy at the heel which means a person is ill-bred, dangerous or untrustworthy; If you'll pardon my French means you are apologizing for swearing; Cat got your tongue which means you are unable to speak; More holes than Swiss cheese means something has a lot of problems; and When pigs fly means it will never happen.   And, have you ever had the collywobbles?  This idiom refers to a feeling of fear or nervousness.  So now my good readers, you have had your language lesson for the day.  I was a "C" student in English when I was in elementary, junior high and high school.  Oh yeah, add college to that list, and haven't progressed much beyond that after school, as you can see.  But, when it comes to telling stories, I have the Whole Delfrunken!!  And, you can make up whatever you think that means ... since that's exactly what I did.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "So What Are The Chances Of This Happening?: Part II - Another Meeting" Story

It was an ordinary day.  10:00 am and I'm sitting in the waiting room at Lancaster General Hospital while my wife preps for breast cancer surgery.  A few weeks ago, during a routine mammogram, she sensed an uneasiness in the exam room.  Wasn't long before she got the news that she was going to need a biopsy to determine if the two lumps in her breast were malignant.  After the biopsy, and the news that one lump was cancerous, test after test and doctor's appointment after doctor's appointment followed.  Finally it was time to shop for a sports bra as her surgeon had suggested for post-op support.  If you read yesterday's story, you got a chance to meet Mary as my wife did during her search for the sport bra.  Well, after their meeting and the remarkable circumstances they shared, I was anxious to meet her husband, Ronnie.  We arrived about 9:30 am for her 1:00 pm surgery.  She first needed to have a needle inserted into her breast showing the exact location of the lump that was to be removed.  After she changed into her hospital gown an IV was inserted in her right arm and she was wheeled to the next location, across the street to a different facility, for the insertion of the needle to guide the doctor to the exact spot where the cancer cells were found.  Then she was given an injection of nuclear material into the breast which would drain into the sentinel node which the doctor was also to remove.  10:00 am now and I am sitting in the waiting room.  I figured that Mary and her husband might have arrived by now, since her surgery is immediately after Carol's surgery with Dr. Beyer.  Had no idea what Mary's husband looked like so I went to the check-in desk and spoke to the same young woman, who had helped my wife an hour ago, to ask about Mary's husband Ronnie.  "A woman by the name of Mary is going to be here soon.  My wife met her a week or so ago when they were both shopping for sport's bras.  Her husband's name is Ronnie and I was wondering if you can tell me what he might look like."  She asked me, "What's their last name?"  I responded, "I have no idea!"  The young girl at the next check-in station asked if my name was Larry and I told her yes.  "I just checked Mary in and her husband asked about you.  He's wearing a tan top with a green sweater and two gold chains around his neck.  Shouldn't be hard to find!" she said to me.  I began my search and before long I was standing close to a guy who had the two gold chains around his neck.  We looked at each other and he said, "Larry."  I responded, "You must be Ronnie."  We spent an hour together until I was called back to the pre-op room to be with Carol until she was taken for her surgery.  I told her all about our meeting and how we are also so similar.  "He's a retired policeman.  They live in Mount Joy, not far from where our sons live.  He's into watching Mecum and Jackson-Barrett Auto Auctions on TV and I told him about seeing Wayne Carini from "Chasing Classic Cars" in the airport a few years ago.  Told me they had a Ford Coupe and I told him about our Vette.  Then we talked about cars we recently had and we found out we both had Mountaineers.  Talk about having things in common."  After I returned to the waiting area and Ronnie returned from his visit with his wife, we resumed our talk, much to the astonishment of his daughter who was with him.  She sat amazed as we talked as if we had known each other for years.  We both agreed we have to get together to share more stories after our wives have recuperated from their surgery.  We parted when I was called back to Carol's room after her surgery.  I spent the next half-hour or so with Carol as she recovered in post-op.  She was finally cleared to leave so I headed to the parking garage to get the car.  When she finally got into the car she said, "Just after you left, they wheeled Mary down the hall right past me where I sat in the wheel-chair.  I called, 'Mary, is that you?' and we wished each other a speedy recovery as they continued down the hall with Mary on the litter.  I have to call her in a day or two to see how she's doing.  We'll have to get together and see what else we have in common."  I agreed.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "So What Are The Chances Of This Happening?: Part I - The Meeting" Story

Foreword: I recently posted several stories in which I took you with me on my journey through prostate cancer.  I hope the stories may at some time in the future lend a hand to another person who will face the same as I did.  What I never published before was the fact that about three weeks after I found I had prostate cancer, my wife found she had breast cancer.  We renewed our life-long bond as we began our journeys to be cancer free ... together.  Today, Carol is having her lumpectomy which I will write about in the near future.  Today's story will give you a look into a remarkable friendship that she, as well as myself, have developed with another couple that until our illnesses struck, we never knew.  Follow with me and see if you agree it was ... well, meant to be!

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting in the waiting room at Lancaster General Hospital talking with Ronnie, my new friend.  I had never met Ronnie until I found him looking at me in the waiting room a few minutes ago.  Story goes like this ... Carol was told by her surgeon that she should buy a sports bra to help her with maximum support after her surgery.  A few weeks ago she headed to the local mall to do her shopping.  She entered one of the anchor stores and found the bra section.  After looking at a few samples she walked to the other end of the department to see if they had other choices.  Not finding any, she walked back to the original counter to buy one.  There stood a petite woman a few years older than Carol, holding up two sports bras.  She mentioned to Carol that she was searching for a sports bra.  Carol told her she was also.  Then she said she needed one since she was going to have breast surgery.  "That's why I'm looking also," Carol told her.  "I'm having my surgery on April 5th," the woman mentioned.  "Me too.  My surgery is scheduled for 1:00 PM," Carol said.  The woman looked astonished as she said, "My surgery is at 2:00 PM and my surgeon is Dr. Beyer."  Carol told me she was getting freaked out, but said, "He's my surgeon too."  What are the chances of all this happening?  They talked a bit more and Carol sensed that her new friend was very anxious so they talked about the surgery and what they could expect.  She found out her new friend's name was Mary.  They agreed that they should exchange names and phone numbers so they could support each other through their journey with breast cancer.  As Mary reached into her pocketbook for paper to exchange information, she pulled out a circular piece that already had her name and phone number on it.  "I have no idea why this paper is in here."  Looking at Carol she said, "This meeting was meant to be!"  After a few tears and a big hug, Mary told Carol she must go, since her husband was waiting in the parking lot for her.  Carol said I would have come with her, but I just had prostate surgery and wasn't up to the trip.  Mary said, "My husband also had prostate cancer a few years ago. His doctor was Dr. Seiber."  Wow, now it's really getting creepy as Carol told her, "That's who just did my husband's surgery."  Mary told Carol that she is Catholic and after crossing herself told her she would say a prayer for Carol.  Carol said, "I'm Episcopalian, which is pretty close, and I'll say a prayer for you, also."  Well, today as I sat in the waiting room, I tried to figure out how I could find Mary's husband, Ronnie.  Follow along tomorrow for more amazing circumstances.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Was This The Breaking Point? Story

It was an ordinary day.  Standing in front of the exhibit which tells the story of the Christiana Riot in 1851.  The display is located in the LancasterHistory.org buiding at 230 West President Ave. in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  Making my second visit to the display to make sure I had all the facts about the riot before I tried to understand it as well as write about it.  The more I read about what happened on September 11 of that year the more I wonder how important the event was to the start of the Civil War.  The display is titled "Freedom: To Secure The Blessings of Liberty" and is the second display they have presented to the public in their new building since opening it.  There are a few artifacts that remain from the riot that are on display in the museum.  Posters showing some of the scenes in the riot tell the story of William Parker and Edward Gorsuch, the two principle characters in the riot.  

William Parker's farmhouse in Christiana, Pennsylvania

All started in 1850 when the federal Fugitive Slave Act strength- ened the position of slaveowners seeking to capture runaway slaves.  Mr. Gorsuch, a Maryland farmer, had lost four slaves when they fled over the Mason-Dixon line into Pennsylvania.  They found their way to Parker's farm in Christiana, Pennsylvania.  Parker was a former slave who had himself escaped to Pennsylvania where he became an abolitionist and anti-slavery activist as well as a leader of a black self-defense organization.  By that time in history, some 3,000 free African Americans and fugitive slaves lived in Lancaster County, which was one of the easiest routes north for slaves to escape slavery from the south.  Lancaster had a highly organized Underground Railroad with close to fifty permanent safe haven "stations" scattered across the landscape.  

Abolitionist and Temperance leader William Whipper
was born in Drumore Twp., entered into partnership
with Stephen Smith of Columbia, PA, to create one
of the most successful lumberyards in PA.  He was
an operative on the Underground Railroad leading
many slaves from Virginia and Maryland to freedom. 

Parker was known well in Christiana for his bravery and for providing safe haven for escaped slaves.  His place was one of the stops on the Underground Railroad.  Also, in the area was a fairly large population of Quakers who were also in favor of freedom for the slaves.  At one point, he gave aide to four slaves in his home.  Eventually Gorsuch led a party of slave catchers into Lancaster County.  After hearing they were on the farm of William Parker, he and his son Dickenson, as well as Deputy Marshal Henry Kline and a few other helpers headed to the farm.  Word spread and Parker knew of what was coming.  His wife Eliza blew a horn out the window of their home to notify the neighbors and members of the self-defense group of the emergence of the group that was coming.  Some fifty to one hundred African Americans, as well as Quakers, armed with guns, pitchforks and other weapons ran to the house. Among the first to arrive was Castner Hanway, a white miller and Parker's closest neighbor, who, after the slave catchers arrived, tried to calm the mob and warned Gorsuch and Kline to leave before things became violent.  

Artist rendition of the tragedy at Christiana.

Gorsuch refused to leave without his "property" and the slaves refused to surrender.  So, "all hell broke loose" as they say.  As the gunfire began Gorsuch fell, mortally wounded.  Then, as his son ran to help him, Parker's brother-in-law shot him.  Deputy Kline and the rest fled for their lives with the mob in hot pursuit.  A few days later vigilantes tried to round up Parker and his brother-in-law, but they already, along with the slaves, fled to Canada.  

Peter Woods, left, and Samuel Hopkins pose with the corn
knife used in the Christiana Resistance in front of the ruins
of the home of William Parker.

The law was swift with 38 men indicted on 117 counts of treason inclucing Castner Hanway, whom Deputy Kline accused of leading the mob and refusing to aid, as the federal law required, in the recapture of the escaped slaves.  It was at this point that Thaddeus Stevens, Pennsylvania's Congressman and lawyer, defended Hanway.  The eighteen-day trial, which began on November 24, 1851, found Hanway, and all others, not guilty of treason due to the fact that Deputy Kline, the leading witness, was shown to have been hiding in the cornfields and didn't see a thing.  

This knife was primarily used for harvesting corn
on Pennsylvania farms, but became a weapon
during the battle with Gorsuch and his men on
September 11, 1851.  This knife and the above
photographs are on display at Lancaster's Museum.

In the riot's aftermath tensions and violence escalated along the Pennsylvania and Maryland border.  Castner Hanway became an abolitionist after the trial and inspired others to join.  The Underground  Railroad continued to help fugitive slaves escape to freedom.  Then in 1857 another fugitive slave law trial, the Dred Scott case, once again stirred up public opinion on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line.  The Civil War did not officially begin for another ten years after the Christiana Riot, but I wonder if the Christiana Riot wasn't one of the main reasons the war began.  The display in the museum leads one to think that may have been the case.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.     

The "A Visit to The Green Dragon" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Spent the past hour or so visiting the Bollman Hat Company in Adamstown, Pennsylvania with my brother Steve.  Had an interesting tour, but what happened afterward was just as interesting.  Told Steve a few months ago about my visit to Bollman and he asked if he could go along.  

Sign on PA Route 272 telling of the Green Dragon.

He said, "After we stop at the hat place how about we have lunch at the Green Dragon."  Hadn't been to the Green Dragon for years so I thought it would be a great idea to spend some extra time with my brother.  Steve is a frequent visitor to the Green Dragon which is about a ten minute drive from Adamstown in Ephrata, PA.  Green Dragon Farmer's Market and Auction is open year round on Fridays, 9 am to 9 pm.  

Aerial view of the grounds of the Green Dragon.

The atmosphere is similar to that of a carnival and state fair all rolled into one.  The Green Dragon is part flea market, part souvenir haven, part food market and part auction house with over 400 vendors located on 30 acres in Pennsylvania Dutch Country.  Green Dragon is one of the largest Amish-run and regulated farmers markets in the United States.  You will be sharing the 20 acre parking lot with Amish buggies and will find many of the stands are Amish-run.  

Amish buggy parking lot.

Our journey to the Green Dragon today is to visit the auction house as well as take advantage of the multitude of eating places.  We first stopped at the auction house where Steve spends many a Friday, buying boxes of items that he re-sells on eBay.  Funny how people from all over the world love to buy items from Amish Country.  Steve walked the perimeter of the indoor auction, looking to see if he might want to come back when the auction begins.  

Items for sale at the auction the
day or our visit.

Found a few boxes that had baseball cards and other collectibles in them, but didn't seem to be too interested.  Left that auction house and entered the small animal auction house to see what animals were to be auctioned today.  A few crates of rabbits, guinea pigs, homing pigeons as well as a few boxes that had fantail pigeons in them.  Then the whiff of the food finally got to us.  Wound our way past the chocolate-covered bacon, apple dumplings, whoopie pies, cream-filled donuts and long johns, sticky buns and home-made pot pie to Steve's favorite stand that sells sandwiches with just about anything in them.  He ordered a turkey sub and I had an double oyster sandwich.  Naturally had to get some fries and a drink to go along with the sandwiches.  

Firemen work to control the fire at the Green Dragon.

Found a place to sit and eat and Steve told me a few more facts about the place.  The Green Dragon opened in 1932 and has 20,000 to 25,000 people visit every Friday of the year, unless Christmas falls on a Friday.  There have been very few times it ever had to close, but on Saturday, September 13, 2014 at 8:20 pm, a devastating fire leveled the main building which left the market unable to operate.  Within a week the Green Dragon reopened, with the main building staying closed until it could be rebuilt.  

Some of the many outdoor stands.

Those vendors who lost their spot in the main building found space elsewhere on site.  As we ate lunch Steve told me he would like to have a stand in the near future.  I asked him what he plans to sell and he said he might like to sell stained glass pieces.  It was at that time he told me I was going to make stained glass pieces for him and he also wanted me to show him how to make stained glass pieces.  Well, if you have been reading my stories, you probably read the one about my getting back into teaching once again.  Can't wait to see how well they sell.  May have to begin to make stained glass pieces once again.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

Produce primarily grown in Lancaster County.

You can purchase just about any item you may need or want.

Pigeons for auction the day Steve and I visited.

Rows of vendors line many acres of the Green Dragon.

Another vendor selling stones and gems.

An outdoor hay auction was taking place.

Made a stop here before trying to find the car.

Old Black and White showing the entrance into the Livestock Auction.

The "Speak Softly: Revisited" Story

Abraham Lincoln speaks in Lancaster in 1861 at the Imprerial Hotel.

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a blog on the Lancaster Historical Society's website which is written by Marianne who is the daughter of friends Carol and I have from St. James Church.  In the story she posted titled "Speak Softly...", she tells of the visit to Lancaster in 1912 by former President Theodore Roosevelt.  

Lancaster Train Station in downtown Lancaster.

Wasn't too long ago that I wrote of a visit to Lancaster by Abraham Lincoln while he was on his way to Washington, D.C. for his Inauguration in 1861.  He rode into Lancaster on the train and stopped downtown at the train station.  Directly across the street from the station was the Imperial Hotel.  He stood on the balcony of the hotel, along East Chestnut Street, and addressed the crowd before boarding the train and heading toward D.C.  

Ex-President Theodore Rossevelt speaking at the same location.

As I read Marianne's blog story, I realized that the balcony at the Imperial, later renamed the Brunswick Hotel, was also the platform for Roosevelt on April 10 in 1912.  After exiting the train at Queen and Chestnut, the ex-President made his way through the gathering crowd of several thousand Lancasterians.  

Hotel Brunswick at the corner of Queen and Chestnut streets.
It was first named the Imperial Hotel.

After he reached the balcony he waved his hat to the crowd and began his twenty-minute speech which was, in part, as follows:  "If I were asked to put in a single sentence the progressive creed, I should say that it is a realization of the fact that this country will not be a good place for any man to live in unless it is a pretty fair place for all men to live in.  I know perfectly well that each man's character must ever-remain the fundamental fact determining success in life, but I ask that so far as possible, by law, in every way necessary, we secure equality of opportunity for every man; that we shape our social and industrial conditions so that every man and every woman shall be able, if he or she are of the right stuff to have the conditions of life and work such as to enable them to rise to the exacting duties of American citizenship."  

Richard Nixon was greeted by hoards of Amish on his visit.

Just as when Lincoln passed through Lancaster, Rossevelt exited quickly, getting back on the train and heading west, out of Lancaster.  And then, as I continued reading Marianne's stories, I learned a bit more about Richard Nixon's trip to Lancaster County in 1960.  He was greeted by the Pennsylvania Amish who all wanted to shake his hand.  He too spoke from Lancaster's Brunswick Hotel.  The crowd of thousands greeted him with red roses (the historical flower of The House of Lancaster) and shoo-fly pies.  That year he swept Lancaster County, but lost the presidential election.  Marianne says in her final sentence: "In hindsight, knowing all the Watergate shenanigans, these photos just seem downright creepy."  I agree!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.