The "She Named Him Larry!" Story

The Parotte Ville Bird Sanctuary in Sint Maarten.

It was an ordinary day.  Visiting the island of St. Martin/Sint Maarten, hoping to get in some beach time during our recupera- tion from our recent surgeries.  Slightly overcast today with a few threatening clouds passing in the distance.  

The interior of the sanctuary.

Certainly not a beach day, so we decided to make a visit to one of Sint Maarten's newest attractions, the Parotte Ville Bird Sanctuary which is located directly across the French border on the Dutch side on Bishop Hill Road in Belvedere.  The sanctuary houses some of the world's most beautiful species of birds as well as a variety of indigenous plants.  

Our tour guide Bebe with a few of his friends.

Paid our $10/person admittance fee and entered through the first of two screened doors necessary to keep the birds from escaping.  Carol and I are the only patrons so our personal tour guide is Bebe.  A fantastic guide who is very knowledgable and who obviously loves working with the parrots.  They in turn show their affection toward him with little nibbles on his ear and head.  

Carol was wondering what her new
friend would do in her hair.

Bebe handed each of us a cup holder that he had filled with bird food and instantly the Sun Conures were sitting on our hand.  These beautiful birds are very colorful and if there isn't enough of space on your hand, they will land on your shoulder or head.  Other species we saw were a variety of colors of the Ring Neck Parakeet, Brown Throated Conure, Cockatiel and the Black Headed Caique.  The Black Headed Caique and his mate are newcomers to the sanctuary, arriving a few months ago.  They hadn't interacted with any patrons until all of a sudden the male flew onto Carol's hand and began feeding.  Bebe quickly went to find the owner of the facility, George Parotte, to tell him about their newest edition finally interacting with a guest.  

This guy is trying to tell me something!

Bebe told Carol that they were waiting for the birds first interaction before they named him.  It was now up to Carol to name the bird.  She thought and thought and realizing it was a male, name him ... Larry!  Bebe thought that to be a great name and said if we ever visit again we will be able to see Larry.  The rest of our hour-long visit was great as we had a wonderful time with all the birds in the sanctuary; even the one little Sugar Bird that somehow found its way into the screened in sanctuary.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  PS - Remember to click on photos to enlarge them.

A Conure poses for its photograph.

Birds mate for life and this pair makes a great couple.

Really colorful, but I can't remember what kind it might be.

A yellow Ringneck.

Finally, here is Larry, named after yours truly by my wife.

A blue Ringneck.

This is Alex who is a special type of parrot and who was hiding for most of our visit until Bebe managed to find him and coax him into eating.

A white Ring neck.

The Cockatiel. 

This bird is a Zebra Finch.

An unnamed species.

The Dove which is building a nest and was upset that I took a photo of her nest.

      

The "Saving The Tropical Wave" Story

Sign along the main road that leads you to Le Galion

It was an ordinary day.  Just signed the online petition to support Patrick Turner and The Tropical Wave in his quest to keep his beach bar, which he established in 1977, on property AW16 where it now stands.  Pat was a transplant from the United States.  His beach bar has been the mainstay of Le Galion Beach, also known as L'Embouchure, Coconut Grove and even "Baby Beach", for years and years.  He has always enhanced the beauty and interest of the beach by planting coconut trees, installing garbage containers, constructed swim platforms for the children who use the beach and made a beach volleyball court.  His beach bar keeps the beach clean, cleans up the garbage, supplies chairs and umbrellas and runs a watersports center.  

Entrance to Tropical Wave Beach Bar and Watersports.

And, he has been paying taxes on the land since 1977.  Also standing on property AW16 at one time was the once grand Le Galion Hotel which began its demise in 1990 and has since been demolished.  It was in 1975 that the Conservatoire du Littoral, a public institution whose mission is to acquire Plots of the littoral threatened by urbanization or degraded to make sites restored, arranged, welcoming in the respect of natural balances, was begun in France.  

Photo from last year showing the Le Galion Hotel.
This at one time was a spectacular 46-room hotel.

Since St. Martin is considered an overseas collectivity of France, the Conserva- toire du Littoral was able to purchase property AW16 on which The Tropical Wave is located.  The Tropical Wave used the water cistern and electricity generator of the nearby Le Galion Hotel and now that the hotel has been demolished, Mr. Turner wants to run a new water line from a business closeby as well as install his own generator.  

Photo from last year showing the beach at Le Galion.

Property AW16 is projected to become a public park area and have no beach bar on it.  The Conserva- toire du Littoral has offered to build a new restaurant for Mr. Turner on nearby property AW17, but would charge him 3,000 Euros a month to use the restaurant.  

A panoramic photo taken a few weeks ago showing the beach.

That amount would shut his business down.  Over the years Mr. Turner has kept the spirit of the beach alive by offering a variety of services to the local visitors as well as the many tourists that visit the beach during the year.  Last year during Carol and my visit to St. Martin, we traveled back the road to Galion Beach and found it to be a fantastic beach with a great atmosphere.  The water was extremely clean and calm with many windsurfers on the water.  At the time I walked back to the still-standing Le Galion Hotel which was in ruins.  

My friend Barbara, who lives on Sint Maarten, supplied me
with this early photo of Le Galion Beach. It was taken in
1976 before Mr. Turner opened his Tropical Wave on the beach.

The overgrowth had covered much of the building which at one time must have been the showcase of the beach.  Well, this morning I drove back once again and was amazed at the beauty of the beach and surrounding area.  Patrick has done a fantastic job in preserving the surrounding areas.  I only hope that he will win his battle with the Conservatoire du Littoral and be able to remain where he has been for the last 39 years of his life.  If you care to help him in his quest, access and sign the petition at:  http://www.petitions24.com/support_the_tropical_wave_and_save_galion_beach_spirit.  I am signer #846 and I'm sure he would appreciate as many people as possible signing the petition.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Countries With Open Borders" Story

This map will give you and idea where the border
crossings may be.  The dotted red line is the border.

It was an ordinary day.  Crossing the border from Dutch Sint Maarten and entering French St. Martin.  Takes approximately two seconds to do so depending on the speed that I may be driving our Kia Picanto rental.  There are six places on the dual-nation island where you can drive from one side to the other and perhaps an unlimited number of crossings if doing so by foot.  And, not a single one requires you to stop and be checked.  My wife and I have been visiting the island for close to twenty years and during that time have crossed from north to south, or vice-versa, on at least four of those six roads.  

This sign is welcoming you into the Dutch side of the island.
It is an old sign that at one time was located on the road
from Marigot into the Dutch side at the new swing bridge.
The monument is on the right, directly before the sign. 

I have found that on two of the border crossings there are large obelisk-shaped markers that carry information about the border and the history behind the treaty that led to the division of the 37-square-mile island in the Caribbean Ocean.  The north side of the island belongs to the French Government and covers 21 square miles while the south portion of the island is a Netherlands Antilles territory and covers 16 square miles of the island.  

This old photo shows a dedication ceremony at the location
that is right before the sign pictured in the photo above.
In the distance to the right can be seen the sign welcoming
you into the French side of the island.

And, just how was the island divided.  All started on March 23, 1648 when the two sides agreed to divide the island and signed the Treaty of Concordia.  Seems folklore tells the story this way: Each side chose a walker who would meet and walk in opposite directions around the island and where they met on the other side would determine the border.  

This is the same location today.  Notice the tall monument
has a few new plaques attached to it for ceremonies that
were held to rededicate the border monument.

A line would be drawn from the original point to the final meeting point.  Seems the French walker chose wine as his stimulant during the walk while the Dutch walker chose Jenever (Dutch Gin) for his stimulant.  Well, the difference between the beverage's lightness was said to be the cause of the territorial differences. Only problem was the Dutch blamed the French walker for running.  

This is another border crossing on the road
leading from Quartier-d'Orlean to the road
that leads to Philipsburg on the Dutch side.

Oh well, you knew there had to be a sore loser!  A few of the major differences might be:  The north side is said to have the tastiest restaurants and party beaches while the south side is more cosmopolitan and shelters the most animated casinos, bars and clubs.  Take your pick since both have fantastic beaches.  The two sides together feature some of the best vacation destinations in the world with: #5 best Caribbean Honeymoons, #6 best Caribbean Beaches, #6 best Island in the World, #7 best Family Vacation in the Caribbean, #9 best Winter Vacation and #10 Best Places to Visit in the Caribbean.  I made a stop at a few of the border crossings and took a few photos to share so you could see just how important the crossings might be.  

Border crossing on the far east of the island on the road
that leads from Philipsburg to Oyster Pond.

To the far east of the island is a small area known as Oyster Pond where there is a sign that welcomes you to the French side.  I didn't find a sign that welcomed you from the French to Dutch, but I didn't search very hard.  Going west on the island we crossed on the road that takes you from Quartier-d'Orlean on the French side toward the road that will lead you into Philipsburg, the capital of the Dutch side.  

This photo I found online and it show the border crossing
on the far west side of the island on the road that leads
from the Dutch Lowlands to Terres Bases on the French side.

That site has a monument with flags and plaques telling of the treaty.  A third crossing is found while entering the French capital of Marigot on mid-island after exiting the swing-bridge on the Dutch side.  That is perhaps the most decorated crossing point and has a monument with a plaque that tells of the Treaty of Concordia.  The final site that I have crossed is on the far west side of the island while leaving the Princess Julianna International Airport on the Dutch side and heading through the Dutch Lowlands to Terres Bases on the French side.  Again, all that is located there is a small sign.  The final site I have never crossed and haven't the slightest idea where it may be.  Check out the photos so you can see for yourself the importance of border control as you pass from the Dutch Side to the French Side and vice-versa.  If only all countries could be the same!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Eatin' Our Macaron" Story

The store known as Macaron in Orient Village.

It was an ordinary day.  Carol just sliced the macaron in half and we tasted the sweet treat for the first time.  Only bought one at the little outside deli which stands inside Yellow Sub restaurant near Orient Village.  The deli, which makes the little treats on a daily schedule, carries the name of the miniature pastry they sell, "Macaron".  For years, while on vacation on the island of St. Martin, I have crawled out of bed about 7:15 am and headed to Orient Village to buy a few of the french pastries that are offered at either "Good Morning" or "Macaron".  

Display of homemade macarons for sale.

Tough to think of starting the morning on this French side of the island without a French treat for breakfast.  Offerings such as:  Chausson Aux Pommes (French Apple Turnovers), Pain Au Chocolat (Chocolate Bread), Brioche Nature (Sweet Bread), Pain Au Chocolat Aux Amandes (Chocolate Bread with Almonds), Croissant Aux Amandes (Crescent with Almonds), Swiss Au Chocolat (Swiss Chocolate), and Pain Aux Raisins (Bread with raisins) line the glass display cases of the shop and makes for a few early morning decisions as to what would be best to start the day.

My choice of breakfast treats for today.

Well, today, after making my selection of two Pain Au Chocolat and one Chausson Aux Pommes I also purchased a Macaron.  Just one, mind you, since the half-dollar sized sugary treats cost 1.40 Euros each.  They came in a variety of colors which made the display of macarons in the showcase look as if it were a rainbow.  Also reminded me of a miniature Whoopie Pie which is so famous in our hometown of Lancaster, PA, but is perhaps a quarter the size of our Amish-made treats.  Now, just to clarify a few things:  A Macaron, which is what I just bought, is pronounced mah-kah-ROHN and is a sandwich cookie made of an almond meringue filled with ganache, jam or frosting and is best eaten within a day or two of being made while a Macaroon is pronounced man-kah-ROON and is a cookie made with a lot of coconut and often paired with a chocolate frosting or dip and can be kept up to a couple of months, if sealed in an air-tight container.  The latter is commonly served during Passover because it carries no flour in its culinary contents.  

My macaron.

We have eaten Macaroons in the past, but had never sampled a macaron before and since we have traveled many times to French islands in the Caribbean, we thought it was well past time to try one.  Brought the two pastries home as well as the macaron and as little as the treat might be, cut it in half so we both could sample it.  French macarons are very delicate, frilly cookies which as I told you are very expensive.  They date back to the late 1700s when two Benedictine nuns were set adrift after post-revolutionary France banned religious orders.  They eventually found another calling: making macarons.  Carol and I shared the pink tinted treat and found the texture to be crunchy, yet chewy.  Just melted in our mouths.  "Well how'd you like your .75 Euro treat?" I asked my wife.  "Let's eat the pastries!" she said.  My trip to the small stand tomorrow will not include another macaron based on our assesment of our very first macaron.  But, that's OK, since the many choices of french pastries give us enough of decisions for the rest of our vacation on St. Martin.  It was another extraordinary day on the life of an ordinary guy.    

The "A Pineapple Welcomes You!" Story

Inlaid stone map standing in front of Sint
Maarten's iconic Courthouse.  I am
standing on the Captain Hodge Wharf.

It was an ordinary day.  Walking west along Philipsburg's waterfront boardwalk and came upon a beautiful, circular inlaid stone map of the island.  Have taken photos of it before, but never tire of photographing the iconic map in the center of the boardwalk.  As I stood near the small pier taking the photo, there in the background of my photograph stood the pillar of town's Front Street. the Sint Maarten Courthouse.  I have visited the interior of the building a few times, but find the exterior to be the most beautiful feature of the building.  The historic courthouse was built in 1793 and has received several renovations over it's lifetime.  The building was originally the home of Scottish Commander of the Dutch Navy, John Phillips, the town's founder.  In it's past the building served as the town's jail, fire station and post office.  One of my favorite parts of the iconic building is the bell tower which houses a 25 bell carillon.  On the peak of the cupola-topped building is the international symbol of welcome, the Pineapple.  

This photo is dated 1898 and is the oldest photograph
I found that illustrates what is now the Courthouse.

In 1996 that pineapple was blown away by a storm, but a replace- ment was crafted by Australian master shipwright Frank Gonsalves and placed once again on top to welcome visitors to the city of Philipsburg.  The town's clock is located below a shuttered window on the cupola and the coat of arms of Sint Maarten is located below the clock.  

A celebration is taking place in front
of this early photo.  Not sure if it was
the Courthouse at the time.

The coat of arms features a shield with a rising sun, brown pelican which is the national bird, the Courthouse, the Border Monument, an Orange sage which is the national flower and the Countries motto: Semper Pro Grediens - Always Progressing.  Sint Maarten was at one time part of the Netherlands Antilles, but as of 2010 is an independent country that issues its own stamps and currency.  Directly to the north, where I stood to take my photo, is the Captain Hodge Wharf which now houses as one of its tenants, the local Police Department.  Over the years I have taken many photos of the Courthouse, but have also found many older photographs as well as postcards that display the likeness of the Courthouse.  You may enjoy viewing a few of the older photographs so you can compare the renovations that have taken place throughout the history of Philipsburg's Courthouse.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Taken from the Wharf.  Fishing boats can be seen in the foreground.

Another photograph taken from the Capt. Hodge Wharf.

A cannon can be seen in the foreground with the Courthouse in the background.

A post card that tells you it is the Town Square and Town Hall.

A black and white photo showing an old car passing the Courthouse.  The car belonged to a Mr. Cannegieter, whose son Diederick now owns the liquor store to the left of the Courthouse.  The father used the car as a taxi as well as to transport children to and from school.  Carol and I have become friends with Diederick and his wife Barbara who live in the hills to the northwest of Philipsburg.

"You Are Now On The Friendly Island, Enjoy Yourself says the sign on the left in this postcard.

Photo I recently took showing a close view of the Courthouse.  In this photo you can see the pineapple on the top of the roof.

Another photo I took of the Courthouse showing the size of the structure.

The "We're Well, Thank You!!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting in front of my iMac typing and crying.  Not sure why I'm crying, but it happens frequently.  But, that's beside the point, since the real purpose for my story today is to give you an update on my recovery from prostate cancer and Carol's recovery from breast cancer.  Carol and I visited her surgeon a few days ago and he pulled up her various scans on his computer and began to show her the section of her breast that he removed.  Had a "marker" in the section removed which was to show Carol that he took the entire area around the "marker" which was placed in her breast a few weeks ago when she had a variety of procedures completed.  The reason for the titanium marker was to help the surgeon when he performed her surgery.  That marker, as well as another marker which was shaped differently, had been placed in her breast about a month before the surgery when she had her biopsy.  He examined her and pronounced that, "Looks like I really beat you up."  She has some swelling as well as discoloration, but we now know that the cancer has been removed.  She is still not in the clear, since she must undergo six weeks of five-days-a-week radiation treatments to make sure that all the cancer has been eradicated.  A bit more about Carol's visit to her surgeon after surgery: She phoned her surgeon's office before we made our visit to find what the results were from the surgery and she was told that there was no cancer in the lymph node removed or in the lump removed.  She told them that's not possible or why would she have had to have a lump removed that wasn't malignant.  They checked and said that when they did the biopsy they must have removed all the cancer.  Carol asked if maybe they removed the wrong lump and the one that was cancerous was still in her breast.  The nurse on the other end of the phone was silent for a moment, but then told her that there is no way they removed the wrong lump.  They said they were positive, but doubt still remained in Carol's mind.  When we made our visit to the Ann Barshinger Cancer Institute in Lancaster, Pennsylvania her doctor was ready with view after view of where the lump was, what the marker looked like in the lump that was malignant and showing that the lump he removed had that same marker in it.  He knew she was concerned and wanted to make certain that she knew he removed the correct lump.  Well, we left for vacation shortly after for three weeks in St. Martin.  When we return she will begin her post-op radiation treatments.  As for me, I had a series of four shots a few weeks before my prostate surgery which were meant to reduce my prostate in size to make it easier for my doctor to freeze it.  I was given the four doses of the drug Firmagon directly into my stomach by injection, one month apart.  The drug has many side effects and one is heat flashes.  The shots simulate the many problems woman have when they go through menopause. The heat flashes hit multiple times a day and cause outbreaks of sweat on my bald head.  I was told they will last for a few more months. Carol also told me she noticed that I seem to be more emotional than I used to be and suggested it is caused by the Firmagon.  I tear up when talking about a variety of topics, and when I think of our cat being without us for three weeks, I get very emotional.  She said, "You are crying like a female and your emotions seem more like a female."  I must stop typing now because I am having a hard time seeing the keys due to the tears in my eyes and I need to wipe the sweat off my forehead before it drips on my keyboard!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "A Collection Of C. Emlen Urban Architectural Wonders" Story

Lancaster City Hall designed by C. Emlen Urban.

It was an ordinary day.  Looking back over a few of my stories I have posted in the past and began to take a closer look at some of the architecture that exists in my hometown of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  I have done two stories on Cassius Emlen Urban, Lancaster talent who has designed so many of the downtown buildings as well as many houses that line the streets of the city of Lancaster.  Even found a bank in the nearby town of Lititz, PA that he designed.  So, I hopped in the car and drove the streets looking for homes, businesses, churches and schools that Mr. Urban has been responsible for during his 45 year career as Lancaster's premier architect.  

This was the home of Milton S. Hershey, of candy fame which
was designed by Urban.  He lived in this house in downtown
Lancaster until he sold his business and moved to Hershey, PA.
This home was eventually torn down and replaced with a supermarket.

His designs were stylistically eclectic, reflecting the influence of Queen Anne, French Renais- sance, Gothic Revival, Beaux Arts and Colonial Revival periods.  I found quite a few inner-city homes; be they single, semi-detached or row homes.  Even discovered a few more churches I hadn't realized he had designed as well as a school on the east side of the city that he designed.  

This Emlen designed home is called Wheatland and was
the home to Pennsylvania's only President, James Buchanan.

Emlen graduated from Lancaster's Boy's High School in 1880 and then served as an apprentice to Scranton architect E.L. Walter for eighteen months.  Moved to Philadelphia in 1884 to serve as a draftsman in the Philadelphia office of architect Willis G. Hale, finally returning to Lancaster the following year to establish his own architectural practice.  His first major commission, Lancaster's Southern Market House, was the first of many buildings he designed in his career before retiring in 1937.  If you type in his name in the small white box at the top of my blog page, you will be directed to some of the major works he has designed in his lifetime in the Lancaster area.  Today I will share with you photographs of some of his smaller buildings he has designed in his life.  I'm sure you will agree that he was a leading talent in the designing of the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  His architectural wonders continue to enrich the lives of all who live and work in the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

This is what at one time was the Lititz Springs National Bank on the square in Lititz, Pennsylvania.  It is almost finished in this photograph.  It's address is 1 East Main Street and was designed by C. Emlen Urban  It opened in March 22, 1924.  The following photo shows the beautiful entrance way of the bank.

This house at 537 West Chestnut Street was designed by Mr. Urban in 1894.  It was known as the William Wohlsen Mansion and was a three story house built with dark pressed bricks and had a high hipped roof with cross gables and a tall corbelled brick chimney.  The porch was a wrap-around with a scroll work pediment about the front steps.  For as long as I can remember it had the iron fence along the pavement.  My Aunt Doris and Uncle Paul lived in the house at one time when my uncle ran his accounting business from the room directly inside the front door to the left.  The stairs were amazing leading to the second floor.  I spent many a day running up and down the stairs for entertainment while my parents visited with my aunt.  Rather funny that they sold the house and moved to Urban Drive in western Lancaster County.  I have no idea if the cul-de-sac road was named after Mr. Urban or if it was a coincident.    

This residence is located at 936 Buchanan Avenue and was built in 1921 for the A.B. Rote family.

At 1008 Buchanan Ave. stands close to the above home and was built in 1926.

The Elmer E. Stiegerwalt House at 632 West Chestnut Street built between 1894 and 1896.

The Menno M. Fry residence at 624 West Chestnut St. built between the same two years.

On the corner of West Chestnut Street and North Pine Street stands the Unitarian Universalist Church of Lancaster built in 1908. 

I have not been able to find the year these semi-detached homes at 135-137 College Avenue were built .

Directly across the street from the previous two homes stand this row of homes with addresses from 122 to 144 that were all very similar and were built between 1891 and 1892. 

At 637 North Plum stands the Hotel Fulton which was built in 1907-1908

These three connected buildings known as the Fulton Market were also built at the same time as the previous Hotel.

St. Paul's United Methodist Church at 202 South Queen and West Farnum Streets was built in 1914.  This is the first church that I attended with my mom and dad.  I was baptized at this church in the mid-1940s.

The Buehrle School at 426 East Clay Street is now used by the City of Lancaster School District as an alternative school.

The "OK, All Of You 'Know It Alls'" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Checking my email and came across an email sent by an old friend, Bill, who now lives in Arizona.  When we call one another we spend most of our conversation rehashing the "good ole' times."  Well, Bill sent me an email that was both interesting as well as intriguing.  The email was actually a test meant for those of you, and me included, who think they know everything.  There are only 9 questions, but I found out pretty quickly that I really don't know everything;  just almost everything.  The test questions are straight up questions that require straight up answers.  Take the test and see how you do!
The questions are:

1. Name the one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends.

2. What famous North American landmark is constantly moving backward?

3 Of all vegetables, only two can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons. All other vegetables must be replanted every year. What are the only two perennial vegetables?

4. What fruit has its seeds on the outside?

5. In many liquor stores, you can buy pear brandy, with a real pear inside the bottle. The pear is whole and ripe, and the bottle is genuine; it hasn't been cut in any way. How did the pear get inside the bottle?

6. Only three words in standard English begin with the letters ' dw' and they are all common words. Name two of them.

7. There are 14 punctuation marks in English grammar. Can you name at least half of them?

8. Name the only vegetable or fruit that is never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form except fresh.

9. Name 6 or more things that you can wear on your feet beginning with the letter 'S.'

And ... the answers To Quiz:

1. The one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends: Boxing.

2. North American landmark constantly moving backward: Niagara Falls. The rim is worn down about two and a half feet each year because of the millions of gallons of water that rush over it every minute.

3. Only two vegetables that can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons: Asparagus and rhubarb.

4. The fruit with its seeds on the outside: Strawberry.

5. How did the pear get inside the brandy bottle? It grew inside the bottle. The bottles are placed over pear buds when they are small, and are wired in place on the tree. The bottle is left in place for the entire growing season. When the pears are ripe, they are snipped off at the stems.

6. Three English words beginning with dw: Dwarf, dwell and dwindle...

7. Fourteen punctuation marks in English grammar: Period, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, apostrophe, question mark, exclamation point, quotation mark, brackets, parenthesis, braces, and ellipses.

8. The only vegetable or fruit never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form but fresh: Lettuce.

9. Six or more things you can wear on your feet beginning with 'S': Shoes, socks, sandals, sneakers, slippers, skis, skates, snowshoes, stockings, stilts

How well did you do?  I was able to get 5 correct.  Did you beat me?   It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Old Age Isn't For Sissies" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting in my tan, leather recliner with my trusty MacBook Air laptop, striking the keys that will hopefully tell the story I have stirring in my head.  Decided to call it "Old Age Isn't For Sissies" after reading a similar story in our local newspaper a few days ago and then just recalling that title while sending an email to good friends in Sint Maarten.  The story in my local paper was written by a gentleman who is a pastoral psychologist and family therapist who specializes in geriatric issues; the perfect combination for me!  Robert tells, as he began his story, that he always thought retirement was a wonderful thing and an opportunity to enjoy activities that were previously put off because of other responsibilities.  Bingo!  My exact same thoughts.  He then went on to say he never suspected that his elder years would require toughness and fortitude.  Well, I have been finding out all about what is necessary during my "elder years", as Robert calls them.  If I had known that my "elder" years would be as physically challenging as they are, I might have opted to bypass them.  I know .... you can't do that, but if you could, I would have thought hard about bypassing them.  Now, I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me, because some of what I have to say I probably brought upon myself, but after a couple of hernias, three spinal surgeries, a bout with shingles that has caused numbness and pain (yes, you can have both at the same time cause I know) in my leg and foot, various hand surgeries, eyes that are starting to not see as well as they used to and now prostate cancer.  Why on earth would anyone want to live to be "elder" where your desktop calendar has a medical appointment on just about every weekday?  All but the eyes, shingles and cancer could have been because of me making bad decisions while working, but they still tax your mental health.  And, they all seem to be striking home in my "elder" years.  Now, Robert tells me in his article I have to face the prospect of downsizing.  How on earth can I choose between my favorite batik paintings and my Wallace Nutting photographs?  How will I decide between my old wooden desk that I used in my classroom for over thirty years or the modern glass-covered desk that now holds my larger iMac computer.  What about all the island paintings which Carol and I have bought over the past twenty years and the two original Ansel Adams black and whites?  What about the dozen plastic tubs of holiday decorations and the two cedar chests I made for my wife.  If we ever decide to move to a retirement community, what comes with us.  Someone "elder' shouldn't have to make decisions like these.  Robert ends his article telling me that I eventually will have to deal with stress as I make decisions about end of life problems.  He does tell me that he has some suggestions on how to cope with these decisions.  First, stay as healthy as possible.  OK, what's next!  Mediate and pray to absolve emotional issues and physical pain.  Believe me, I have been heavily into that the past couple of years and it has been a blessing.  He hit that one right on the head with that suggestion.  Finally, develop a strong faith and spirituality to face life with a positive attitude, a joyful acceptance, and a loving compassion for those around you and your community at large.  You know ... I have attempted to do just that way before I reached my "elder" years and it has been a blessing as far as I'm concerned.  Friends really matter!!  And, I have been blessed with some of the best friends an "elder" person could have; some young, some old and some "elder" as I am.  I guess I'm not ready to check out yet.  But you know ... "Old Age Isn't For Sissies."  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.