It was an ordinary day. Getting very anxious for the start of the baseball season which seems to be in jeopardy this year due to the COVID-19. I began exploring some of the different sites online that talk about my favorite teams which are the Philadelphia Phillies and the Lancaster Barnstormers. Found out that a few days ago the Phillies Phanatic celebrated his 42nd year of shenanigans on the baseball field. It was on April 25, 1978 that he made his debut at Veterans Stadium when the Phillies played the Chicago Cubs. The giant green creature was a big hit right from the start and actually led to many other teams creating their own mascot.
When the Phanatic first appeared he was wearing
a Rocky Balboa costume to honor Philadelphia.
For those reading my story today and have no idea as to what I am talking about, the Phillies Phanatic is a large, furry, green, bipedal, flightless bird with an extendable tongue. According to an online account of him on the Phillies website, he is originally from the Galápagos Islands and is the Phillies' biggest fan. His favorite foods are cheesesteaks, soft pretzels, hoagies and Tastykakes and his favorite movie is "Rocky". He is the off-field star of the team who performs various routines to entertain fans during the games, first at Veterans Stadium and now Citizens Bank Park.
The Philadelphia Phanatic!
He is one of the most recognizable mascots in North America sports. It was during the winter after the 1977 season that Dennis Lehman and Phillies Promotion Director Frank Sullivan got together and decided the Phillies needed a team mascot much like the San Diego Padres Chicken. So, they had a New York firm known as Harrison/Erickson, which had ties with Jim Henson's Muppets, create the Phanatic. The character was named for the fanatical fans that the Phillies have. Actually it wasn't the first mascot they had. They had a pair of mascots from 1976 through 1978 who were "Philadelphia Phil" and "Philadelphia Phillis", a pair of siblings dressed in 18th century garb to invoke the city's revolutionary spirit from 1776.
Here he is enjoying a photographer.
The Phanatic was actually introduced on the locally produced children's show "Captain Noah and His Magical Ark" by Phillie catcher Tim McCarver who was still playing at the time. At the time, the team could have bought the costume and copyright for the mascot from the company that designed it for $5,200. They opted to just buy the costume for $3,900. Five years later the copyright had expired and the mascot was so loved that the team had to pay $250,000 for the copyright. If you have ever watched the Phillies on TV or visited the stadium for a game, you realize just how important this character is to the team. It is much the same for my hometown team, the Lancaster Barnstormers who are a member of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.
Cylo, the Lancaster Barnstormer's mascot.
They, too, have a mascot which is called "Cylo." For those wondering why that name, it is a different spelling for the silo on a barn which happens to go with the team name of Barnstormers. The name and logo allude to Lancaster County's agricultural heritage and its inclusion of Amish culture and lore. Cylo is an anthropomorphic, red cow who wears the team's home jersey with stripped socks and retro-style sneakers. He debuted on March 4, 2005 at the Mascot Roller Mill in the Lancaster County village of Mascot. His full name is Cyloicious L. Barnstormer. He too was designed by the same company as the Phanatic. I sure hope those in Lancaster who wanted the mascot, paid for both the outfit and copyright at the same time. I enjoy both mascots, but the Phanatic seems to have so much more charisma than Cylo. I guess in time Cylo will begin to make a better impression on me. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
I searched for myself , but not sure I'm in the photograph.
Chef Cedric Barbaret at his restaurant at 26 E. King Street.
It was an ordinary day. Watching Chef Cedric Barbaret, who owns Bistro Barbaret & Bakery in the first block of East King Street in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania work his charm on the Food Network's "Chopped Sweets" pastry competition. A few months ago I wrote about another Lancaster County chef, Laura Merkel of nearby Ephrata who won $10,000 on an episode of Food Network's "Chopped." But, being that I enjoy desserts and sweets, this was a really neat experience to cheer on someone who could make my mouth water just watching him prepare his "sweet" treats. Chef Cedric went against three other highly skilled pastry chefs who wanted the big prize just as he did. But, saying you are the "Chopped Sweet" champion carries that little extra bit of notoriety needed to claim your Bistro Barbaret & Bakery is the best in the nation.
The first round of competition featured items listed here.
Cedric and his wife Estelle opened their business in 2015. Cedric is a native of Ville- franche-sur-Saone which is outside Lyon, France. He began his baking career in his father's pastry shop. Before moving to Lancaster, he worked at prestigious restaurants Le Bec-Fin and Buddakan in Philadelphia, PA. He was also the executive pastry chef at Mar-a-Lago in West Palm Beach. In 2016 he was named one of the top 10 pastry chefs in America by Dessert Professional Magazine. Seems they will now have to change that to #1 all by himself. On the show tonight, Cedric had to incorporate unusual "mystery basket" ingredients into his pastry presentations. He had to create three sweet treats based on strawberry, vanilla and chocolate challenges on the Neapolitan-themed show. The sweet treats were judged by Matt Adlard and Dan Langan as well as show host Scott Conant.
Each round one contestant is eliminated until a winner is declared after the third round. In the vanilla round, the remaining three chefs had to incorporate a rotisserie chicken, vanilla chai latte mix and dried apricots into a dessert. Cedric wowed the judges with a bourbon-apricot floating island with chai latte-vanilla Anglaise which featured poached meringues, sugar work, gold leaf and bits of crispy skin on top. You had to see it to appreciate the artistry displayed in his creation.
The ingredients for the third round drew a smile from Cedric.
One judge called the dish "sublime" and Cedric advanced to the final round where the two best chefs faced off. In the chocolate round the contestants had to use a 24-layer chocolate cake, chocolate wine, frozen mixed berries and honey-mustard dressing which drew a smile from Cedric when he viewed the dressing bottle.
The chocolate round presentation.
Up to this point, it was hard to see a smile the entire time on Cedric's face who approached the competition with workman-like vim and vigor. He created what he called his flexible chocolate ganache with honey-mustard whipped cream and a chocolate cake-wine sauce.
Cedric was crowned "Chopped Sweets" Champion.
By the time the final round began, the room tempera- ture was very warm which caused the chocolate to melt faster than it should and he was disappoint- ed in his chocolate dish. When the judge lifted the top on the dessert tray to display the winning entry, Cedric said he was surprised when he was declared champion.
Cedric being congratulated by the judges.
His bakery in downtown Lancaster was probably busy when he returned. Since he has carry-out, his restaurant is still open during the current medical crisis. When Laura won her award I had to visit to buy a few cookies and I will now have to make a visit to sample the sweet treats that the best pastry chef in the United States creates. How many cities in the country can lay claim to two of the best cooks/chefs in the country? One...Lancaster, Pennsylvania! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
It was an ordinary day. Singing along to some of my favorite Ricky Nelson songs as I put frames together and stuff them in boxes for shipping at the gallery where I work part-time. I have listened to the same songs over and over again, since someone bought me "Ricky's Favorite Hits" as a Christmas gift years ago. I know which one follows which one and have everyone of the songs' lyrics memorized. "I'm a Travelin' Man, made a lot of stops, all over the World....", then a five second pause and...."I went to a Garden Party, to reminisce with my old friends..." There are twelve songs on the CD and when it reaches the last song, I hit the play button one more time and..."I'm a Travelin' Man...all over again. Boy, I should have been a musician I keep telling myself. A Rock'n'Roll musician. That's what I wanted to be when I was in high school. But, doesn't everyone want that? I even bought a 6 string guitar and taught myself how to play a few chords. One of my favorite guitarists was Duane Eddy. Boy could he play that guitar. Still can hear "Rebel Rouser" in my head. Even painted across the body of my guitar..."Little Twanger". Made a few people laugh, nah...make that a lotto people laugh...but I was on my way to becoming a rock star. As you may know, I never made I as a Rock'n'Roll star. Probably wouldn't be sitting here typing about it if I had. But, that's OK, since I do enjoy sharing my stories with you. My first brush with music fame came when I was the back-up for the lead in "Amahl and the Night Visitors" which was the retelling of the story of the Magi from the point fo view of a young disabled boy named Amahl, who lives in poverty with his widowed mother near Bethlehem. My friend was the lead and both of us sang in St. James Church boy's choir at the time. He never became ill or lost his voice during the Christmas season, so I had no chance to get onstage. Shortly after that I decided I wanted to play the accordion. My dad had a good friend by the name of Mickey Sinopoli who gave lessons on the accordion. Started with a 12-bass accordion which was perfect for a young boy. In about a year I graduated to the 120 base accordion which I could barely lift. I did OK, but eventually realized I was never going to be a Rock'n'Roll musician playing and singing with an accordion. So, after my final accordion concert with all the other students, where I performed "Lady of Spain, I adore you," I packed up the accordion. I guess I never did like the thing since there was no place to paint anything on it! And, that's when I bought the "Little Twanger" guitar. Well, I still have hopes of becoming a Rock'n'Roll musician and always sing along when Carol and I go to outdoor concerts in the summer to hear traveling groups who play all the oldies. Oh, yeah...and I still sing along with Ricky every day I work, "all over the World." And, it is all summed up in my final sentence! It was another extraordinary day in life of an ordinary guy. PS - And, now...after reading my latest issue of "Saturday Evening Post", I have come to the conclusion that I should become a ukulele musician just like Arthur Godfrey. He could really play his ukulele, but couldn't sing that well. He became a star, so being that I can sing better than him, I still could be a ukulele star! Just thinking...so I am!
It was an ordinary day. Checking out my multitude of online mail and have begun to realize that most everyone has stopped sending mail by placing a stamp on it and putting it in a mailbox and has taken to their computer to send it online. Took me close to five minutes to briefly check mail and send it to the "Trash" before actually pulling up the mail that looks to be promising and begin reading it.
President George Washington smiling with his mouth closed.
One such email dealt with a fellow by the name of George Washington. Oh, yeah! I know him. He's the guy who chopped down a cherry tree one time and after being caught by his dad, admitted to the feat since he could not tell a lie. But, as I read on...he never really did that! According to legend, Washington took a newly-received hatchet to his father's cherry tree and damaged it. When confronted, the young boy fessed up for his wrongdoing and earned the praise and respect of his father. But, that never happened. It was a made-up story by Mason Locke Weems, author of "The Life of Washington." He added the story to a biography he wrote on Washington after our fifth President had died. So...there was no one to tell the world that it never happened. But, because of it, everyone respected George a bit more.
The Capitol; not his resting place!
Didn't you? Well, there are quite a few more stories attributed to President George Washington that really aren't true...or at least not totally true. Another story has to do with him being buried within a crypt beneath the U.S. Capitol. False! But, it is sort of true, since on December 23, 1799, the House and Senate decided that, with the permission of his family, the body of George would be buried under a marble memorial at the United States Capitol. Martha Washington agreed, despite her husband's wish to be buried in Mount Vernon. But, the cost was found to be too high, so his body remained at his plantation. Then in 1832 another attempt was made to relocate his body, but the owner of Mount Vernon at the time, Mr. John A. Washington II, refused to disturb his ancestor. So, even though most people think he is buried beneath the capitol, he is really resting nicely at Mount Vernon.
The White House wasn't occupied until the Adams moved in.
And then there is the story about he and his wife, Martha, being the first couple to live at the White House. Not true! The White House wasn't even started until after George's first year as President. Then, it wasn't finished until it was time for John and Abigail Adams to move in as its first occupants. Oh, yeah! How about the story that his teeth were made of wood. Now, that one I never heard of until I began reading a bit more about his life. Seems like George was plagued with dental issues most of his adult life and started to lose his teeth in his twenties.
George Washington's teeth as seen in The Smithsonian.
But, the teeth weren't made of just wood. Instead, they were a mix of human teeth, metal fasteners and hippo- potamus ivory. Yep! Hippo ivory. Now that would have been neat. But, they were extremely painful to wear and he couldn't take them out since they were held in place with gold wire and screws. Now, that would have to hurt. I guess that's why I have never seen a photo of George smiling. So what else don't we know about George Washington? I'm sure there a a few other items, both true and false, but you now know that he never chopped down a cherry tree as a child. Heavens, I can't even cut a pine tree down with a hand saw as an adult! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
George showing his father the tree he had attempted to cut down.
It was an ordinary day. Reading about one of my favorite duos of all time, Simon and Garfunkel. It has been 50 years since the duo last recorded any songs. They, along with The Everly Brothers, The Smother Brothers, Jan and Dean and The Righteous Brothers were perhaps my favorite recording musical duos of all time. But, the unique harmonic sound of Simon and Garfunkel brought a special brand of folk-rock to the world 50 years ago that has never been heard since then. And, their signature song of all time has to be "Bridge over Troubled Water."
Art Garfunkel and Paul Simon as "Tom & Jerry"
The history of the duo goes way back to elementary school where they became best friends in 1953 as sixth graders. They sang in a doo-wop group as well as performing as a duo at school events. At the age of 15 they traveled to a Manhattan studio where they recorded a song that got them their first recording contract. That song, "Hey Schoolgirl", made it to #49 on the charts and got them a trip to Philadelphia to play on American Bandstand in 1957. At the time they called their duo Tom and Jerry. After graduating from High school the following year, they headed to different colleges in New York City.
"Bridge Over Troubled Water" album cover.
It wasn't until they were no longer in college that they began to perform together in 1963. It was at that point that their genre changed from doo-wop to folk and they changed their name to Kane and Garr. While playing at a location in Greenwich Village, Tom Wilson, a music producer, heard them and helped them get a contract with Columbia Records. But, shortly after, Garfunkel decided to return to college and Simon headed to England to sing as well as returning to school in the States. While in England he recorded his first solo album.
Garfunkel (left) and Simon.
But, the duo got back together once again and when "The Sound of Silence" hit the airways it landed in the Hot 100. By 1966 it was the #1 song on the charts. Their success grew when they contributed to the soundtrack of the movie "The Graduate." But, eventually they parted due to Simon's desire to do solo work as well as Garfunkel's dream of appearing in film. It was in 1969 that they recorded their final studio album, "Bridge over Troubled Water." It was released in 1970 and won the Grammy for Album of the Year as well as being the best single-selling album of 1970, '71 and '72. It was 50 years ago that it became #1 title track on the charts. "Bridge over Troubled Waters" was one of the most-covered songs of the 20th century. But after the success, they both went their separate ways.
They did reunite from time to time for special concerts and short tours as well as an appearance on Saturday Night Live. In 1981 they played a show in front of a sell-out crowd of 500,000 in New York's Central Park which was recorded live. That album sold two million copies. They haven't sang together since, but is it their hope? Probably not. My wife and I saw the Everly Brothers sing together in 2013 at Lancaster's American Music Theatre even though they came in separate vans and didn't seem to talk much on stage. A few months later Phil Everly died. So sad that music didn't draw these groups together instead of tearing them apart. But, fame and fortune tends to breed greed instead of friendship. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
It was an ordinary day. Reading my Sunday LNP newspaper. Opened the B-section of the paper, known as "Lancaster Living," and after turning to page 2 saw the headline under the "Lancaster That Was" sub-head: Swarr murder case was finally closed in 1995. The "Lancaster That Was" section highlights stories from past newspapers, usually 5 years to up to 50 years from the current date. Today the lead story talked about 1995 when the last chapter of the 1979 murder case was closed with a guilty plea from the man who masterminded a burglary that resulted in the deaths of two senior citizens who were siblings. I remembered the case well and thought I would search the newspaper's archives to read about it one more time. Within a few minutes I was reading a story written on Wednesday, January 18, 1989.
Headline in the January 18, 1989 newspaper.
Then for some reason I saw the staff writer's name who had written the article. Guy by the name of John M. Hoober III, or "Bones" to me. He was a friend since elementary school and he was even more skinny than me when we were little. Graduated with him in 1962 and lost touch with him until our 25th Class Reunion. "Bones" wrote the story of Horace J. Swarr, 81, and his sister Mary Amanda Swarr, 87, who were murdered in 1979 by at least two well-dressed robbers who traveled from out-of-town to the Swarr home on West Walnut Street and posed as Social Security officials to get inside.
Horace and Mary Swarr who died after being robbed.
The two were from Maryland and had heard the Swarrs kept a large amount of cash and valuables coins in their home at 432 W. Walnut St. The robbers bound and gagged the elderly couple, stole what they could find and then made an anonymous call to the police. They told police a robbery had taken place, but gave the wrong address. As a result, the couple was not found for several days and slowly died from lack of food and water.
This graphic showed where the crime took place.
A Lancaster Newspaper carrier noticed papers piling up on the Swarr porch and reported it to his boss at the newspaper who informed the police who entered the home on September 17. Mary was found dead from dehydration and starvation while Horace was barely alive. He died the next day. At least four men came to Lancaster, but only two went to the house. Two men were eventually taken into custody and charged with two counts of criminal homicide and conspiracy. The other two suspects were not identified, but evidence is being mounted for future arrests. The two men arrested were Robert O'Neill , 40, and John Askey, 51, both from Maryland. The Lancaster Police Chief said the arrests climax a decade-long investigation that was never closed and that ultimately involved local state and Maryland investigators. The big break in the murder mystery came in November, 1987, eight years after the crime, when someone told Baltimore County police that he had information about a murder and robbery of an elderly couple in Pennsylvania. When it was determined the tip involved the Swarr murders, a crack group of detectives began working on the case. After 14 months enough evidence was obtained and the arrests were made. A suit that one of the men wore was obtained for analysis. The other two were still being sought.
Photo of friend Mary Biting who lived next door to the Swarr's on Walnut. Street.
Eventually the mastermind was arrested and pled guilty to the murders. I also located a story written Wednesday, January 18, 1989 that was titled "Neighbors recall 'nightmare'." Tells about the neighbors on West Walnut Street who have not forgotten the murders of their neighbors. One woman, Mary Bitting,...wait a minute! I stared at the photograph of Mary and realized I sang in the St. James Church choir with her. She sat right in front of me during choir practice as well as in the choir stalls. Often would talk to me about my children and my wife Carol. At the time she was a retired school teacher who happened to live right next door to the Swarr's. Said she couldn't sleep after she heard about the murder that happened in the other side of the duplex where she lived. She did tell me that she was so glad that the murder was finally solved and the culprits were in jail. The mastermind of the entire crime was Donald W. Nelson of Virginia who had learned of the wealth of the Swarr's from their nephew. He ended up serving 10 years in prison. There were also stories in the "Lancaster That Was" from 1970, 1945 and 1920, but those stories will have to wait for another day. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
It was an ordinary day. Checking my email and found the latest entry marked "The Caribbean Journal". One of my favorite emails to open each day. Every day there are anywhere from three or four entries to over half-a-dozen or more. Today's lead entry had five stories to read; one having the title of "A Dreamy Little Caribbean Island." As soon as I saw the accompanying photograph, I knew the island was Pinel. I have written a few stories about one of my favorite spots in the Caribbean Sea, Pinel Island, but I never tire of sharing my love for the island that is part of the French side of the island known as St. Martin/Sint Maarten (both French and Dutch). So, sit back, take your mind off all your troubles and enjoy a bit more about the little tropical island on the north end of St. Martin which is a few hundred yards off the northwestern end of world famous Orient Beach. The island is a tucked-away gem off the coast of Cul de Sac and long a Mecca for beach aficionados. The best way to reach the island is by water-ferry which leaves from Cul de Sac a few times a day and returns to the same location on return trips. The water is very shallow on the west side of the island which makes it great for visiting with friends in the warm waters while holding a cool drink. The island is uninhabited except for a rather large "mess" of iguanas. There are two beach bars: Karibuni and Yellow Beach, each with fresh seafood, hand-crafted cocktails and great sandwiches. Service is available at your beach chair if you desire. Two reclining beach chairs and umbrella costs about $25 for the day. Most of the rest of the island is grass covered, but there is another very small sandy area on the opposite side of the island. My wife and I enjoy walking to the top of the island each visit to take a photograph to compare with the photograph from other years. Seems the beach changes from year to year depending upon the tides and weather patterns. Check out the photos which were posted by "The Caribbean Journal" as well as photographs which I have taken over the past 20 years. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - You too can visit each day by viewing www.caribjournal.com and joining their email list.
Photograph of Pinel Island as seen in The Caribbean Journal. Click on images to enlarge.
Waiting for the Ferry
Arriving at Pinel on the Ferry
Yellow Beach is one of two that rent chairs for the day.
Neat view of bathers looking toward St. Martin
Chef preparing lunch while an iguana waits for some scraps.
View from the top of the hill overlooking the beach.
The backside of the island which has a small beach.
Selfie as we cross to the island on the ferry.
This map shows the island in reference to the ferry dock and St. Martin.
Connie Mack Stadium at 20th and Lehigh in Philadelphia
It was an ordinary day. April 10, 1971 and the Philadel- phia Phillies had just opened their new Veterans Stadium. The $50 million stadium was to be home to the baseball Philadelphia Phillies and the football Philadelphia Eagles. Fans had waited for years to watch a game in the new stadium, but to tell you the truth, I enjoyed watching them play at Connie Mack Stadium where they played from 1938 to 1970. I can still remember getting on the train at the station across the street from where I lived in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and heading to Philadelphia. We made a stop or two along the way to pick up other Phillies fans and when we reached 30th Street Station we would get off the train and walk to the ball park. I can also slightly remember the Whiz Kids who had Hall of Famers Richie Ashburn and Robin Roberts on the team. In 1950 they were leading most of the season until one of their best pitchers, Curt Simmons, had to report for National Guard duty and the team lost 8 of their next 10. On the last day of the season the Phillies hung onto a one-game lead when Dick Sisler's dramatic tenth-inning, three run homer against the Brooklyn Dodgers clinched the Phil's first pennant in 35 years. But, the hated Yankees beat them four straight in the World Series. At the time, Philadelphia also had another baseball team called the Philadelphia A's. The A's finally moved, in 1954, to Kansas City leaving the Phillies the sweethearts of Philadelphia. When I met my sweetheart, she and her mom and dad as well as myself traveled by train to see a game or two and got to see a game that should have been two games. Ended in extra innings with the Phils scoring over 20 runs. Not sure of the final result, but the game seemed to drag on forever.
Aerial view of Philadelphia's Veterans Stadium during opening day on April 10, 1971.
The $50-million stadium was home to the Phillies and Eagles. At the center you can
see the Spectrum indoor arena which was home to the Flyers. At the very top
you can see JFK Stadium. The Philadelphia Naval Yard is in the background.
I can remember when they moved to Veteran's Stadium. Walking into the stadium for the very first time and seeing that bright green artificial turf was amazing. Then in 1980 the Phils won their First World Series by beating the Houston Astros in five games. Four of the five went to extra innings. Then in 2008 they won the World Series once again. I have written about that before since we were on our way back from a vacation to the Caribbean when they won the championship.
Opening night at the Vet on April 10, 1971.
The pilot was a Phillies fan and he called the entire last inning over the planes speaker system. What a thrill. Almost like being there. The plane erupted with cheers when the pilot called the final out. Veterans Stadium was also home to the Eagles who played their NFL games on the notoriously hard Vet artificial turf. But, that very first season in Veterans Stadium was fun. The very first game played ended with the Phillies beating the Montreal Expos by the score of 4-1. Jim Bunning gave up only one run in 7 1/3 innings and Joe Hoerner got the last five outs for the save. Anyone remember some of the names I have been typing? During that first game, Boots Day was the lead-off hitter for the Expos and later became the hitting coach for the Lancaster Barnstormers. Good question for a trivia quiz. The Phils played their final game in Veterans Stadium on September 28, 2003, then the Phils moving next door to the new Citizen's Bank Park. I enjoy watching games at the new ball park, but will never match the very first time I saw on that green field at the Vet. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
It was an ordinary day. Looking back over a story I had posted on Sunday, May 6, 2018 telling about the pole vaulting skills of a young woman, Mackenzie Horn, who was a student athlete at Manheim Township High School where I had taught for many years. I had made a trip to the high school to watch her practice as well as take a few photos of her practice session to share with you.
Mackenzie Horn clearing the bar in 2018.
She was a remarkable athlete who was one of the best high school pole vaulters in the state of Pennsyl- vania. She eventually set the state outdoor record in the pole vault at 13 feet, 7 1/4 inches. It still stands today. At the time of my visit, I also took a few photos of her younger sister, Sydney, who was also an accomplished pole vaulter. But, at the time, she wasn't as successful as her sister. Well, that was two years ago and now the limelight is on Sydney...sort of! The only problem is there is no venue for Sydney to showcase her prowess, since the entire track and field season in the state of Pennsylvania has been canceled for this school year. Hours and hours of practice and participation in track and field meets over the past few years may all be for naught if she can't perform.
Sydney preparing to clear the bar...
Sydney won the Class AAA pole-vault title at the state track and field meet last spring as well as winning the indoor title in 2019 and again last month at Penn State University. She is an All-American and the third-ranked female vaulter in the country. But, there still is a chance that she may be able to perform and try and break her sister's outdoor record. The New Balance Outdoor Nationals, scheduled for Jun 18-21 at North Carolina A&T University in Greensboro, has not been cancelled...yet! Sydney believes if she's given one more chance she may break all the records. In order to keep in shape, with the track and pole vault pit closed at the high school, she has been staying in shape by running, including sprint work and doing core and strength training at home. But, as reported in an article in the Lancaster Newspaper, pole-vaulting is technique-driven, and Sydney hasn't had a chance to pole-vault in over a month.
...and making it!
But, I suspect her competition may be in the same situation. Everyone is hoping that the meet will be held and Sydney will have her one last chance at a record before she heads off to college at High Point (North Carolina) University. And, that is where the story will continue, being that her sister, Mackenzie, will be her teammate once again next fall. Let the competition begin...once more! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
It was an ordinary day. Friday, and it's shopping day at the grocery store. For the past 20 some years, after retirement from teaching, Carol and I have usually gone to the grocery store together. I would push the cart and she would check her list and fill the cart with items we would need for the upcoming week. On Friday we would head to our nearby chain grocery store, Giant Supermarket, while on Saturday or Sunday we would head to a local grocery store for specialty items that they would make themselves. The local store we would frequent the most was known as Stauffer's of Kissel Hill that is located to the north of our home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Well, when COVID-19 came along, our daughter said she would feel better if we both didn't go the store at the same time. So, we began to take turns going to the store. Most times I would go to the Giant and she would go to Stauffer's.
Only two pieces of Carol lemon poppy-seed cake remain...
But, last week we switched and when I came home from Stauffers on Saturday, she knew it was a mistake. Seems I like sweets and Stauffers has a huge selection of items I love. I guess I should also tell you that Carol baked one of my favorite homemade cakes on Friday, a Lemon Poppyseed, that is great for dunking in milk. And, then our son Derek and daughter-in-law Barbara stopped to check on us and brought a half-dozen Long John's for us.
And...only one Long John remains
Oh yeah, we also had 6 boses of Girls Scout cookies delivered the middle of the week. As I unpacked the bags from Stauffers I pulled out a quarter of a Key Lime Pie, a bag of white and brown cream-filled cookies, a bag of Chips Ahoy! cookies, three boxes of Tastycake cupcakes, a plastic tray of vanilla wafers and a container of nonpareils. Oh yeah...I did buy a chicken, a big piece of pork and two very thick steaks, but I guess that didn't equal the half-dozen items loaded with sugar! Well, Carol was happy to have me go to the store, but wondered how I was going to eat all the desserts I had bought. Well, that was three days ago and the cake is almost gone, the Long John's have one remaining and half of the container of milk is gone. Hey, by next Friday all the treats, except the Girl Scout Cookies, will be gone and ready to be replaced. Now, I'm not sure if I'll have to go to Giant or have yet another chance to go to Stauffers. Carol is hoping the pandemic will end soon so we can get back to regular grocery shopping and I won't eat my way through yet another week or more of sugar-laden treats. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
The 1/4 piece of Key Lime Pie.
Container of home-made vanilla wafers.
Package of chocolate Nonpareils.
Package of Chips Ahoy! Yeah, I had to open these on the way home if you're
wondering why the package looks as if it was opened.
4 of the 6 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies we ordered. Not sure what happened to the other 2 boxes!
Brookside's dual swimming pools in Manheim Township.
It was an ordinary day. Just finished lunch at Brookside Swimming Pool along Harrisburg Pike in Lancaster, Pennsyl- vania. My mother would often take my brother, Steve, and I swimming in the summer months at Brookside, and after eating we were made to sit and wait an hour before we got back in the pool. "You'll drown if you don't wait an hour!" she would tell us. And...I believed her. Not sure if my brother did, but he didn't listen to most of what she told him anyway. Summer vacation was usually a week or two at Crystal Beach in Maryland. We would share a cottage with my Aunt Lillian and my two cousins, Judy and Georgie. And...once again, after eating lunch on the beach, we all had to wait an hour before we jumped back in he river. We were always told that if you didn't wait an hour for your food to digest you might drown. And...I actually believed that!
A day at Crystal Beach. Left-right: My Aunt Lois who was my mother's sister who
was only a year older than me, cousin Judy, cousin George, me standing next
to my mom, Mom and my brother Steve. The beach is on the upper
Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Elk River.
So, is there any truth to the myth that you have to wait an hour before getting back in the water? Hey, in 1908 the Boy Scout Handbook had a section in it warning scouts to not go swimming for at least 90 minutes after eating. It read, "If you did end up drowning after eating, it would be your own fault." Actually said that!! Must have scared the crap out of scouts for years until they wrote another Scout Handbook. So, did you believe you had to wait an hour after eating? Seems that most of us who grew up in the 40s, 50s and even the 60s believed the One Rule of Summer: Thou shalt not swim for exactly one hour after eating. When I got married in 1967 my wife Carol told me that throughout her childhood, so also was told not to swim for an hour after eating. So, we told our children the same thing...until we began to hear otherwise. Seems that after eating, blood is sent to the digestive tract to help in the digestion of your food. Without enough blood flowing to your arms and legs it may be tougher to stay above water. So, would you drown in that case? Nah, you may get a cramp, but you're not going to drown. Seems it's been a myth for ages. A couple of years ago Carol and I made a visit to my brother and his wife, Kathy, who live in nearby Ephrata, PA. They had just put a new pool in their backyard and were having a picnic to celebrate. Their children and grandchildren were there along with Carol and myself. We swam for an hour or so and then had a great meal of burgers, chicken corn soup and Carol's famous Wacky Cake. Wasn't more than 2 minutes after the kids had finished that they jumped back in the pool. I yelled to my brother to get them out of the pool so they wouldn't drown. "Nah, they won't drown. I never did when I went in the river years and years ago at Crystal Beach. He knew I was joking when he saw the big smile on my face. Some myths will never go away! But, that's OK, since it makes good fodder for stories. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
Another neat aerial photograph of Brookside's Twin Pools
