The "Visiting The Old Neighborhood" Story

It was an ordinary day. I had just stopped for gas in the Mountaineer. Jerry, my really old friend from elementary school went into the convenience store for a cup of coffee. He and his wife Just Sue are here for a visit and to reminisce about the "good ole times". Need some of that once in a while to help remember how you got to where you are today. Jerry hopped back in the car and we decide to head into the old neighborhood where we first met and grew up together. Only a mile or so away from where I live now. As we drive over the railroad tracks heading into the city of Lancaster we take a right onto Manheim Avenue. This is where Jerry grew up with his mom, dad and sister. 138 Manheim Avenue kind of looks the same and is probably one of the nicer houses on the street. He starts in on all the common friends we had from the neighborhood and all the things we used to do. I lived two blocks to the east of Jerry, across Rt.72 from his house. I didn't know Jerry real well during our elementary years since my mom wouldn't let me cross the busy Rt.72 and head into "his neighborhood." That changed when I entered Jr. High and we rode the school bus together. Then I HAD to cross the road in order to get the bus in front of Frey's Lumber Company which was near Jerry's house. We drove around to the alley behind his house to see if we remembered which garage it was that he helped me rebuild the engine in my first car, a '53 Henry J. Yep, the one that said "No Parking" in front of it. Can't believe how low the roof was on the garage. There were no minivans and Hummers back then. Headed over to my old house on Queen Street. Queen was the main road out of Lancaster going north. I lived in the last block on the street, near the Lancaster Train Station. 929 used to be a nice place. At least I remember it as such. had fun playing marbles on the porch and helping my dad put the canvas awning up so we could sit on the porch in the summer and watch the cars go by. That's when cars were really neat and didn't all look the same. Across the street was an empty field where it seemed like there were evangelical tents erected almost every weekend for services. Mom didn't like me across the street, but you know I just had to peek inside to see what "those people" were doing in that tent. Today the house has the front porch enclosed and covered with green siding. Big sign on the fence yells "Beware of Dog." Jeez, what ever happened to the neat awning? We drove around to the back of the place where the alley ended at our place. Had a basketball net on a pole behind the house. Used to have cage after cage of guinea pigs in the back yard. Bought my first car with the proceeds of selling the pigs. Dad, and eventually me, parked his car in the alley. When I turned 15 he would let me drive his car back and forth in the alley so I would get used to stick shift so I could get my license when I turned 16. I had ruts in that alley from all the driving I did. They may have come from flooring the pedal too much in the muddy alley. Also saw the fence at the other end of the alley that I climbed up on when I was 12 to try and lasso a pigeon that I had raised and got away from he. He had flown on the roof of the garage and I tried to get him back, but fell off the fence and broke my arm. Wow, I can really remember things when I want to! Fence is taller now and there are no more pigeons in the neighborhood. Headed down Christian Street, the street behind the printing company which was behind our house to visit the old ball field where we played "Off the Wall". No grass, just blacktop as it was in the 50s and early 60s. Jerry reminded me about getting a ride home in a police cruiser one day from the ball field. Seems we were accused of breaking windows in the press building. To this day I maintain my innocence. It really wasn't me, mom!! I'm not sure about the rest of the gang, though! We naturally had to make a stop at the train station to recount how his neighborhood beat my neighborhood in football on the lawn beside the station. It is no longer green, but covered in stone to act as parking for the station. Pretty ugly!! Oh, I remembered the games differently, naturally. One final stop had to be Brecht Elementary where we learned reading, writing and 'rithmetic. I was good in all, can't you tell. Now, Jerry ......! We still can't believe we had to walk the mile or so to school everyday along the busiest north/south route in the area. Over the train bridge that carried the sign, "Warning - High Voltage - Keep Off" sign. But, we survived. We left the school in '56 for bigger and better things in Jr. and Sr. High. Oh the memories! Fun to reminisce! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - Pixs follow which Just Sue took after we got home and convinced her to get out of bed and get dressed and go back with us!

A visit to Jerry's homestead at 138 Manheim Avenue

Rear of 138 Manheim Ave. where Jerry grew up. The garage was just big enough to get my '53 Henry J in it to rebuild the engine.

929 North Queen Street. There was no pine tree in the front yard and there was a porch on the house like the one on the attached house. Lived here until I was 19 years old.

The alley behind 929 North Queen Street. My house was the last one at the end, next to the white building which was a printing company when I lived there. Drove my dad's car back and forth for hours in this driveway.

The wooden fence used to be a waist-high metal fence that I climbed on to try and lasso my pet pigeon. Fell off and broke my arm.

My "baseball stadium" where I played "Off the wall". We marked a strike zone on the white wall and the pitcher stood in the parking lot to throw to us. Boarded windows are the ones that we were accused of breaking.

Where we are standing was once our football field. Grass lawn with a row of pine trees. Building in the rear is the Lancaster Train Station which is going through renovations.

Our 1st grade class was the room with the windows to the right of the doors we are standing in front of. We had the same teacher every year except 2nd grade.

The "Tanning Responsibly? Part 2" Story

It was an ordinary day. Grabbed my trash cans and headed over to the mailbox for the mail. Hey, my AARP Magazine arrived. You know, they have some pretty informative stories in their mag. Especially for people my age; which would be ...... in my prime! One that interested me the most this month was related to tanning. Since I had just posted a story about my visit to my dermatologist, I felt it would help some of you to know what was in the story I read. The story was titled "When the Sun Makes You Sick." Seems there are three conditions linked to tanning or sun exposure that can seriously damage older skin, or skin in your prime years. They are: Drug induced sun sensitivity (phototoxicity), Photoallergy, Sun-Induced Eczema. Photoallergy is rare and usually occurs when a chemical on you skin, such as aftershave or perfume is exposed to the sun and your immune system goes haywire. Sun-Induced Eczema is also rare and happens gradually over time when sun exposure may alter your skin in such a way that the immune system no longer recognizes it as your own. It does occur in people who have tanned for years and years. The condition that seems to be the most common is Phototoxicity. It occurs most often when the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays interact with a medication that you are taking. It can cause an immediate reaction on your skin such as extreme darkening and even excess pain. Unbelievable amount of commom medications are on the list that was published in the story. Drugs such as most statins, diuretics, antibiotics, NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, naproxen, ketoprofen, etc. Wow, I found simvastatin, ibuprofen, and naproxen, all drugs I take daily, were on the list. A few years ago, about a week before Carol and I made a visit to St. Martin, I had a bladder infection. Urologist gave me an antibiotic. I did tell him I was going to the beach, and he didn't say anything about using the drug. After a week in the sun, I started to turn really dark. I mean REALLY DARK! Like I was changing races. "You're really getting tan," Carol told me. Couldn't figure out why. Then she said, "Do you think it is from that new medicine you are taking?" Yep, right on the bottle it said do not go out in the sun. Now that would be Phototoxicity!! To avoid most of these sun related conditions, avoid the sun during peak hours (10 AM - 3 PM), wear tightly woven clothing and use the correct sunscreen. One that will block the UVA and UVB rays. And, if you still want a healthy glow without being in the sun, eat broccoli! Or other fruits and vegetables, since they contain carotenoids that will give you a natural glow without the sun. And if you want, wear you bathing suit while eating them, to get the full beach experience while getting your natural glow.That's on my list to try! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Tanning Responsibly? Part 1" Story

It was an ordinary day. Just got back from the dermatologist. Every 9 months I head to Dr. Brod's office for my usual overall check-up. Been doing it for about 10 years now. I have a history of skin cancer so I don't miss a session. My mom has had two bouts of melanoma and I have had several spots of basil cell and a squamous cell spot removed over the years. Documented a couple posts on my blog in the past two years. I know I have to go, but I dread going. Not because it hurts or anything like that, but because I love the beach. And cancer and the beach just don't go together. I walked in his examination room and his nurse asked if I had any concerns. "My only concern is that he will be upset with me," I told her. "Just look at me. I'm tan all over. I just got back from the shore last week. I guess this was a bad time to schedule my appointment." She looked sympathetically at me, gave me my gown, told me the opening goes in the back, and walked out the door. She knew the trouble I was in. And ..... so did I. Ten minutes later in walks Dr. Brod, the "Close-talker." My daughter gave him that name years ago because he examines you with a magnifier on his head and is usually no more than 6" from you as he is talking to you. Dr. Brod is a great guy and I have so much respect for him. He is a leader in the field of skin cancer in the state of Pennsylvania and has a bill he is sponsoring in the PA House to outlaw tanning salons for anyone under the age of 18. He really cares about his job and carries a smile on his face all the time. And ....... I'm making it harder for him!! "Mr. LDub, looks like you've been out in the sun. You know that isn't good for you," he says, matter-of-factly. I replied, "I just got back from a week at Ocean City, NJ with my family." "I like Ocean City, but haven't been there for quite some time," he says. Then I told him about an editorial in "The Press of Atlantic City." I picked up a copy most days during vacation and one day the editorial appeared titled "Tan Responsibly." "Boy, is that an oxymoron," he said. "You should have brought me a copy of it. I would be interested in reading it." I told him, "Give my your email address and I'll send you a copy." He grabbed a pen and jotted it down. He started his exam and stopped at a small scab that I had picked at on my right jaw. "Do you mind if I take a sample of this?" he asked. Hey, that's what I came for. He then told me that 75% of skin cancer is found from the neck up and 75% of that cancer is on the nose. Why? Exposure to the sun!! Duh! As he continued with my exam, we talked about a few of the points that were made in the editorial. It said that skin cancer is now the most common form of cancer in the US, with one million new cases each year. Last year melanoma claimed 8,700 lives. It also said that the FDA has established new guide lines for sun-protection products. They must indicate if they protect against A and B ultraviolet rays. It tells that we know tanning is bad for us, but we won't give it up. We admire the bronze bicep and the ruddy calf and we associate a tan with an active, outdoor lifestyle. In my case I probably was brainwashed by the Beach Boys songs. I so love the beach and that environment, but I do use sunscreen and an umbrella while I lounge, read and have a drink by the water. But, the sun's rays still get to me. "The Press" says that they care about their visitors and want them to return year after year, but to make sure you "Tan Responsibly." What else could they say? Well, my exam is over and the only thing he found this trip was the mark on my jaw. I believe he was amazed that was the extent of my problems after seeing my bronze color. He told me he would see me in 9 months and to make sure I wear my hat and stay out of the sun. I didn't make him any promises, except for telling him I would email him the article. Which I did! The staying out of the sun will be the hard part. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - photo of Dr. Brod with his smiling greeting.

The "'Roasting Ear' Marketmaster" Story

It was an ordinary day. As I passed Brook Lawn Farm Market on my way to work, there it was. The big sign along Rt. 501N proclaiming "Our Own Sweet Corn". Every year in the beginning of July, Jim puts the sign up on his board in from of his farm stand. "Jim" is Jim Erb who was a student of mine back in the late 60s and early 70s. I had him for both Graphic Arts and Photography at Manheim Township High School. He took metal shop from my friend Jerry during his senior year and built an animal trap. Jerry asked me to go with the two of them back to Jim's family farm, "Brook Lawn", along Rt. 501 and take photos of the trap in locations around the farm so they could enter the trap in a welding contest. Shortly after they submitted the photos, Jim found that he had won the contest. The following fall he entered Millersville University to major in Industrial Arts. Jim graduated from Millersville in '76 and eventually came back to teach with Jerry and me at our Alma Mater. During his first year at MT he met Romaine, who taught Spanish. In 1978 they were married and shortly thereafter took over the full operation of the family farm from Jim's parents. One of Jim's biggest crops is corn. He raises over half a dozen varieties, starting with the planting of "Spring Snow" at the end of March. He plants rows close together and covers them with plastic to keep the warmth in, and after the corn is about a foot tall, opens the plastic to check on the progress. He prides himself on having a quality product ready for the market before the 4th of July. Following "Spring Snow" comes "Frosty", a 70 day corn (takes 70 days to mature), "Whiteout", a 74 day corn, "Temptation", a 65 day bi-color (butter and sugar corn), "Silver King", an 84 day corn, replacing the every popular "Silver Queen", 82 day "Providence" which is a bi-color corn, and "Argent" which is a late summer/fall corn which needs less warmth and less light to grow. He always seems to have at least one variety until he closed the stand at the end of October. Jim's farm has a pond that he uses to irrigate his crops. Pretty neat and elaborate system he has designed. Jim and Romaine also have more than half-dozen varieties of peach trees and they have peaches all summer and well into the fall to give their customers a constant supply of fruit. And I make constant stops for one of my all-time favorite fruits. Brook Lawn raises many other products as well as corn and peaches and also sells a variety of mulches. About 10 years ago, I drove a dump truck for Jim and delivered mulch to customers. Enjoyed it, but had to give it up because of time restraints. The "family farm" is one of Lancaster County's top draws and Brook Lawn Farm is one of the top family farms in the county. Visit them along Rt. 501N near Neffsville, PA and see their selection. Oh, and tell Jim and Romaine the LDub sent you! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - photos from the top are: Sign letting you know about the products they have for sale, entrance to Brook Lawn Farm Market, preparing for the day at the market, Jim readies his assortment of corn, irrigation system in the fields, and corn ready for pickin'. Oh yeah, you do know what a "roasting ear" is, don't you?

The "Zee Best Breakfast" Story

It was an ordinary day. Weather was misty with a slight drizzle. Sky was overcast. Not a good morning for the beach. Not even acceptable for sitting by the pool. When Carol got up I suggested we head to the Dutch side for breakfast at our favorite morning restaurant; "Zee Best" restaurant. Takes about 30 minutes to cross from the French side of St. Martin to the Dutch side of Sint Maarten with the morning traffic. Head through the capital of Marigot, over the hills and into the busy Simpson Bay area. We found "Zee Best" restaurant on an earlier trip and made it our favorite place for breakfast. Fantastic food with great service. After sitting at your table, they bring a basket of the best croissants and pastries I have every tasted. The first time we visited Zee Best, I thought they were complimentary. I guess they are if you consider that they compliment the meal, but you do have to pay for them. After the first visit when I had several, I cut back to one or maybe two. They serve the traditional eggs, omelets, pancakes, and crepes, but their Chef's Special "Zee Best French Toast" is remarkable. Very heavy, weight wise, and excellent with warm syrup on it. But the best part of the meal is the fresh squeezed orange juice which has plenty of pulp and not too bad a price at $4.50 for a large size. I've been tempted to buy a glass of milk so I have something to dunk my pastries in, but the orange juice is too good. Hey, I can always dunk the pastries in the orange juice if I have to. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - pixs from the top are: sign outside restaurant, menu sitting in front of the "complimentary" pastries, the "Zee Best" French toast in the foreground and a egg and cheese crepe in the background.

The "Fashionista of the Boards" Story

It was an ordinary day. We're on vacation again! Seems like we're on vacation all the time, doesn't it? Well, I'm retired and and I can do that, you know. Raised all my kids, worked for years and years educating other people's kids, and now it time to vacation. Heading to Wonderland Pier to ride a few rides. Carol and I are walking behind our daughter Brynn and our granddaughter Camille who are hand-in-hand on the very crowded Ocean City boardwalk. Camille is wearing a flowing pink and brown stripped skirt and a white top for our first night on the boardwalk. Fashion is her thing! She looks beautiful. Except for .......... the two staples that you can see on the back of her head, the black eye on her face, the bruise on her leg, and the bites all over her back. Seems she was at a birthday party last week and one of her friend accidentally knocked her into a pole and she cut her head. What a mess, blood and all! She was more upset about the blood on her top than about the cut on her head. One of the dads at the party took her to the hospital where Camille's dad, Dave, met her and helped her through the ordeal. They had to put the staples in her head to close the wound. The black eye was obtained a few weeks ago when her sister alledgely bumped her and she fell into the corner of the chair rail in the kitchen. You can still feel a small lump in the bottom corner of her eye and Brynn told us that she may need plastic surgery to remove some bone fragments. The bites are from skeeters, while she has no idea where she got the bruise on her leg. Hey, as long as she looks great, that's all that matters. Oh, to have that attitude! She brought sandals, which her mom makes, to match all her outfits and since her birthday fell while we were on vacation, she got to open more outfits. Easy to buy for her. Head to the Justice Store and you're bound to find neat clothes for kids. And, she loves everything you get her. She can mix and match and dress in just about any thing that matches her mood for the day. The staples will come out soon, the leg bruise will disappear soon, the bits will clear up soon, and hopefully the eye will be OK. But all that matters to this newly turned 7 year-old is looking good! Oh, yeah, and doing one handed cart-wheels. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Camille and her mom walking the boardwalk in Ocean City, NJ. Her outfit is naturally different than the one I described, since it is another evening when I took this photo.

Rear of Camille showing the staples needed to close the wound in her head.

Remnants of the "shiner" Camille got.

A new birthday outfit!

Camille's new beach hat.

Ready for the boardwalk and our family photo.

The "Star Spangled Weekend" Story

It was an ordinary day. Just finished downloading photos from the last couple of days. This is July 4th, 2011 weekend. Our friends Jerry and Just Sue arrived Friday afternoon from State College, PA. We're going to Lititz, PA for a 4th of July parade down Main St. True Americana!! During the afternoon I had purchased subs and chips for a pre-parade picnic for everyone and had the subs in the cooler. Parade started at 6:30 PM so we all hopped in the Mountaineer about 5:00 and headed to pick up another friend, Dale. Dale's wife, Pat works in Lititz and she was going to meet us in a parking lot near the center of town. Dale had the drinks for our picnic in his cooler when we arrived at his house. At 5:30 we pulled into the lot right next to Pat. Everyone grabbed a lawn chair from the Mountaineer, we split up the food, and off to Main Street we headed; only about 6 blocks away. Found a great spot right in the center of town on a grassy lawn in front of an insurance building. Getting crowded as we arrived, but we still managed to grab a great spot to watch the parade. Passed out the food to everyone and enjoyed our meal while watching the traffic pass by on PA501 as well as the crowd continue to grow. Took off with my camera for a few pre-parade shots and ran into my former boss, Mr. Hower who was the Principal at Manheim Township High School. He is a resident of Lititz and came to see the parade. Since Jerry also taught with me at MTHS, Mr. Hower walked back with me to visit with Jerry and Just Sue. I should mention that Mr. Hower was a math teacher when Jerry, Just Sue and me were students at MTHS. I never had him for class, but both Jerry and Just Sue had him. The parade started promptly at 6:30 PM with the Parade Marshal and former military members presenting the colors. Neat to see everyone stand and cheer as they passed by. A real fun parade with everything from baton twirlers to fire engines to "Queen of the Candles" contestants (an event that takes place the next night in the park) riding in Corvettes from the Lancaster County Corvette Club. Wasn't too long ago that Carol drove our Vette in this parade with her friend Marg in the passenger's seat. As the parade ended, we grabbed our chairs and coolers and headed to the nearby Lititz Spring's Park for a concert featuring an oldies band called "Flamin' Dick and the Hot Rods. I'm not making that up, either! Started about 8:00 PM and ran until well after 10:00 PM. Great selection of songs from the 50s and 60s. And .... the place was packed. Hey, it was free! Food vendors of all types filled the area and the sound system was provided by the world renowned Clair Bros. International who got their start in Lititz and still are headquartered in the town. I really enjoy events such as the ones that we attended this evening, since I ALWAYS meet former students, fellow teachers that I taught with as well as friends and even a few former classmates from high school. Slept well that night and got my hearing back again the next morning. Saturday brought a trip to the Chesapeake with Jerry and Just Sue for lunch and then back towards Lititz for an evening of fireworks. Invited ourselves to Hal and Jeannie Hopper's house on the south side of Lititz to watch the 10:00 PM round of fireworks from the park. Hal taught school with Jerry and I and we had a fun evening catching up on all the latest news. And, the ice cream dessert was a great treat as we watched the display in the sky. Celebrations are always more fun with friends and as the song goes ..... o'er the land of the free, and the home of the Hoppers! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - and now the results of my DSLR camera:

The "Stars and Stripes" await the start of the 4th of July Parade in Lititz, PA

Great seats for the parade

At times it got a bit too windy for LDub

Think they're anxious?

Presentation of the "Colors"

Makes it easier to play marches with a flag on the tuba.

A smilin' face from a member of the Rajah Temple String Band!

How could you have a parade without the "True American Sportscar" and a few "Queen" candidates?

The Reading RR entry

One of my favorite entries in the parade

Celebrating the 4th of July in Lititz Spring's Park

Concert in the park by Flamin' Dick and the Hot Rods

Flamin' Dick in concert

Lunch trip to Havre de Grace, MD

Former Industrial Arts teachers at MTHS, Hal, LDub and Jerry

And .... a few blasts in the sky!

The "Doing the Unthinkable" Story

It was an ordinary day. And, I'm feeding the sea gulls. Love to do that, especially with my grandkids. Now I know that some of you may think that they are dirty, unhealthy birds and that I'm nuts, but I think the sea gull is a majestic bird. Pure white with very dark gray banded head with white eye liner, dark gray wings with light undersides, and a red beak. And they can change direction instantly while in flight. I know they can be aggressive at times, but then we all are when it comes to getting food for ourselves. Have you ever been in a buffet line? OK, now you understand what I mean. For the past few years we have been renting a top unit condo in Ocean City, NJ. Perfect for feeding the birds. Off of Carol and my bedroom is a nice size balcony that works well for feeding. Most every evening while supper is being prepared, Courtney, Camille, and Caden head to the balcony with me to feed bread to the sea gulls. I have been teaching them the fine art of feeding for severalyears. Take a small piece of bread, roll into a ball andthrow underhand into the air when they approach. They can remember if you do it with them for maybe one time, then they just grab a big piece and throw overhand and it always drops to the ground immediately. But, that's OK, except for the cars that are parked below. Birds gather on the ground to fight for the pieces in front of them. While thekids feed the gulls, I enjoy taking photos of them. Use my DSLR with the tele-photo lens. Sometimes set it on multi-exposure and hold the button down. Fires off photo after photo as long as you hold it down. Good think itisn't film in the camera. Could get costly. Then, Courtney asked if she could take photos with it. Had her sit in a chair, away from the railing on the balcony, put the strap around her neck and showed her how to use the tele-photo feature. She was having as much fun as I was taking photos, and gave me a chance to feed the gulls. Some of the best times of the day were when we fed the sea gulls. Called 'Gull-Bonding'. Well, when I got home I downloaded my photos and found that 2/3 of the pictures were of feeding the gulls. And 2/3 of those photos were photos that Courtney took. She loved the multi-exposure mode and seemed to use it the often. Just finished making a CD with photos from our vacation for her and her family. Matter of fact, I had to use 2 CDs, since there were over 400 sea gull photos. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - photos from the top are: common sea gull, Courtney getting ready for the action, teaching how to feed the gulls, last 2 shots are from a feeding session.

The "LDub Family takes a trip to Brown's" Story

It was an ordinary day. Off to Brown's for breakfast. Brown's would be Brown's Donuts on the Ocean City, NJ boardwalk. We always make it our first breakfast of our summer vacation at the shore. This year my son-in-law Dave drove and we loaded 9 people in his Explorer for the 8-10 block trip. Place is always packed and it was no different this year. They are famous for their cake donuts that they make on site. You can watch as the batter is formed into the round donut and travels through the grease as itcooks. They make them into: chocolate coated, vanilla coated, powdered, plain, or honey coated. My favorites are the vanilla and honey. Great for dunking. Can't be good for you, though. But hey, we're on vacation. Barb, our daughter-in-law, gives our name to the girl at the door and we wait. And we wait. Our son, Derek decides to take the kids down to the beach while we wait and I can see trouble happening right away! I string along to make sure the 3 grandkids and the one adult kid don't get soaked before we have breakfast. End up getting some great photos of the 4 kids playing in the sand. Time to eat! We naturally need 2tables and each table orders a dozen donuts right away. If you stand in line outside the restaurant to just buy donuts, it can take forever, since they make sure the breakfast patrons get their donuts first. I could have made my breakfast all donuts, but did get some eggs and bacon. The return trip has fewer passengers, since some opt to walk the distance to work off the donuts. Always a fun time to get thevacation started. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - photos from the top are: Brown's Restaurant on the boardwalk in Ocean City, NJ, kids playing on the beach while waiting to be seated, one of our 2 tables in the restaurant, Brown's mug, donut window where you can watch them being made and purchase for take-out.