The "In Memory Of Diederick Cannegieter, 'The Gardener'" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Looking back through my blog to the date when I wrote my first story about a fellow whom I only knew at one time as "The Gardener." It was on Monday, May 19, 2014 that I introduced the world to "The Gardener."  It had been a year before that my wife, Carol, and I had planned a vacation to St. Martin.  To prepare for our trip, I began reading a blog titled "Barbara Talks! A St. Maarten Blog!"  Barbara lived on the island known as Sint Maarten/St. Martin and loved writing about her "Gardener."  One of Barbara's stories talked about a liquor store in the town of Philipsburg known as Cannegie's Liquor Store that was owned and operated by "The Gardener" so when we finally arrived on the island months later, we made a trip to the store and asked the woman at the counter if we could talk to "The Gardener."  The woman had a strange look on her face so I told her that Barbara told us to ask for "The Gardener."  Then the laughter began and she told us "The Gardener" is really Barbara's husband, Diederick!  We spent the next half hour talking with Diederick about his business of 50 years, his wife Barbara and his nickname as "the gardener.".  We had finally  met her "gardener"!  

Diederick Cannegieter 

Over the next half dozen years or more we made yearly, sometimes bi-yearly, visits to the island for vacation and made sure to visit with Barbara and Dee at their house high on a hill above the town of Philipsburg.  We got to know them and their many pets and Carol had a chance to wander through Dee's garden for hours at a time, talking with him about the variety of flowers and vines that filled his half-acre garden.  One year after returning home from our trip to Sint Maarten, Carol dug out a few of her bulbs and we mailed them to him.  

My wife Carol, Diederick and Barbara in Dee's garden.

The following year we got to see how well they had taken to the Caribbean atmosphere.  We met with Dee and Barbara a few times for meals, but it was Dee's garden that drew us back to their home.  Diederick recently died and has left a big hole on the island of Sint Maarten to fill.  We want to give our sincere condolences to his wife Barbara and their family.  Diederick's shoes will be hard to fill, but hopefully his memories will remain forever in their minds and hearts.  The Gardener will no longer be around to tend the garden, but the flowers and shrubs will be a constant reminder of the great guy who tended to them with gentle care for many, many years.  Dear Barbara, we are so sorry for your loss, but at least you know that Dee has been called to tend his Heavenly Garden where he must have been needed.  May you have peace knowing that he is in a heavenly place.  From your friends in Pennsylvania.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Diederick proudly showing the plaque that tells
of his being in business for 50 years.

The "I Know A Story" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading the morning Sunday News which is the Sunday newspaper in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  The Sunday News allows its readers to submit stories or letters to a few different columns and they are always interesting to read.  The story that was submitted and published this past Sunday was written by a fellow who lives in nearby Lititz, Pennsylvania.  His name is Robert E. Barnes.  He submitted a story to a column called "I KNOW A STORY" which is printed in the "Living" section of the paper.  The story must be 600 words or less and sent to Mary Ellen Wright of the LNP editorial department.  It is one of my favorite columns in the paper and Robert's story was the highlight of the newspaper, at least for me.  I have included the story so you too have a chance to read Robert's story about the love of his life.  I hope you too enjoy it!  

          Meeting by chance led to a happy life!

As usual, it was a bitterly cold day in Lockport, New. York, in April 1952.  Twenty-five long-faced draftees stood on the steps of the local post office, waiting to have the group photo taken.  We were already sworn in.  We were GIs - Govermnent issue.  I and 10 others were shipped to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, for basic training.  While there, I became friends with a guy named Mike.  It turned out, at home, we only lived two miles apart.  After eight weeks of basic, I was shipped off to Fort Belvoir, Virginia.  I had no idea what happened to Mike.  I was in the army for three years and, upon discharge, returned to my old life.  After about three months, I was walking across a parking lot and heard, "Hey, Bob!"  It was Mike.  More than three years had gone by, and we met by chance in a parking lot.  We renewed our friendship and, after about a month, he asked me to go with him to visit his sister, who worked for Kodak in Rochester.  I couldn't believe it - his sister, Frieda, single and beautiful.  For about a month, I tried a number of times to get a date with her, to no avail.  Probably a year went by, and I ran into Frieda, who was visiting, and Mike's new wife.  We all went to dinner that night, and Frieda and I really hit it off.  We dated for about six months and got to know each other, and were married in 1960.  I was 28 and Frieda was 27 when we were married.  We always said we just waited for each other.  Frieda passed away nine years ago, and not a day goes by that I think, if Mike had not spotted me in a parking lot, after 3 1/2 years, I would not have had 52 years with a wonderful woman. 

The stories that are featured in the newspaper are both sad and heart-warming.  Some are serious while others are hilarious.  They all are interesting!  I haven't decided what story I should submit to the newspaper as of yet, but someday I will!  If you have been following my blog for the past few years, I'm sure that you more than likely will have already read it by the time I submit it to "I KNOW A STORY".  But then again, I have lived long enough to have stories that could last forever...almost!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "Lancaster Truck Bodies" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading about a company located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania that does business at 310 Richardson Drive.  It is called Lancaster Truck Bodies and has been in business for over 80 years.  With a location in Lancaster, the company claims it can help meet the needs of dealerships, municipalities, contractors, landscapers, plumbers and virtually any commercial truck user.  

An early style contractor's truck with body.

Lancaster Truck Bodies is committed to the continuous improve- ment of all activities.  They strive to attract, train, develop and retain the best employees available anywhere.  The company began in 1936 when Mr. Orville Easton started Lancaster Automobile Spring Company in a small facility in the city of Lancaster.  The following year he incorporated and moved into a larger facility.  At first all he manufactured were automobile springs and "U" bolts.  Then in 1942 Richard Bomberger founded Lancaster Automobile Spring, Inc. and his primary function was to expand the business.  

They began selling truck bodies and doing truck modifi- cations such as: four man cabs, right hand driver, wheel base and frame alterations, extra axles, 4-wheel drive conversions and custom bodies manufacturing.  Business grew and they moved to a larger facility on Manheim Pike.  In 1972 Ron Hill purchased the company from Orville Easton and Richard Bomberger.  Later that year he sold the business to one of his employees and changed the company name to Lancaster Truck Bodies.  

A truck body made to transport gasoline.

Five years later Dick Toriello came to work for Lancaster Truck Bodies and the company moved to its current location on Richardson Drive.  In 1983, Lancaster Truck Bodies opened its first branch location in Concordville, PA.  Then in 1995 The Kennett Square facility was purchased.   Lancaster Automobile Spring Co., Inc., doing business as Lancaster Truck Bodies, was purchased by Luis C. Torres (President) and Maria H. DeFaria (Vice-President) from Ronald C. Hill's Trust, Robyn Hill and Richard Toriello, former President on August 21, 2007.  

They make bodies for hauling trash.

Mr. Toriello stayed on temporarily as an adviser to Torres and DeFaia.  Once again the business is sold, this time in 2014 to Paul Statler, President from Luis Torres.  After this purchase it was agreed that Luis Olmneda, grandson of Luis C. Torres, would stay as Vice President and General Manager.  

Truck body to hauling road salt with plow in front.

So, for over. 60 years Lancaster Truck Bodies has been one of the leading companies serving customers in the truck equipment industry in the United States.  The Lancaster Company still serves dealerships, municipalities, contractors, landscapers, plumbers and commercial truck users.  

They make bodies for fire trucks.

If offers a wide range of products which include dump trucks, flatbed bodies, life gates, plows, spreaders as well as municipal equipment.  They are an authorized distributors of Swaploader Hooklift system.  Some of the most unusual as well as really neat looking trucks can be seen on the property of Lancaster Truck Bodies.  If you need a specific style or unusual working truck body and I'm sure they can help you.  Check out some of the neat photos of some of the trucks that have come from the company.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Refridgerated Trucks

Trucks for long hauling with a sleeper cab.

The "Just How Safe Is Drinking Untested Well Water?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting in my lounge chair with a cat on my lap and my Sunday LNP newspaper in my hand.  Ready for an hour of reading and entertainment.  But, then my eyes drifted to the bottom right of the front page of the paper.  Under the sub-title of PUBLIC HEALTH read Water well pollutants vex owners.  The story told of local experts saying that the EPA safety standards for home well water should be re-examined.  Story was about a local couple from nearby Denver, Pennsylvania who were sure their home was getting clean drinking water from the brand-new well on their property.  Then it struck me!  My daughter, son-in-law and two granddaughters recently purchased a home in neighboring Maryland that had a new well on the property.  Needless to say, I continued reading.  The couple in Denver had just moved here from Florida and found out that well water in Pennsylvania is not regulated.  I'm not sure about the state of Maryland, but my guess is they probably have the same regulations as next-door neighbor Pennsylvania.  Being concerned, the couple in the newspaper article called a local company and had their well water tested for purity.  The company can test for lead and bacteria in the well's drinking water.  

How safe is your water if you are using a well?

The state of Pennsylvania has no water regulations except for water that comes from a public water system that serves at least 25 people or more for at least 60 days a year.  There are at least 1 million private wells that are not regulated by any government agency.  Being that most home well water doesn't fall into that category, you are responsible to have your own water tested.  In Lancaster County last year, 62% of the wells tested had water that had either excess bacteria or nitrates.  Now, having some nitrates isn't always bad, but lead and excessive nitrates can cause blue-baby syndrome.  That condition occurs when nitrates block the body's ability to carry enough oxygen to cells throughout the body, resulting in the person appearing blue.  The toxicity is especially dangerous for infants and pregnant or breastfeeding women.  Another problem with higher than acceptable nitrates is an elevated risk of cancer.  But, Pennsylvania doesn't require you report this condition to the state!  And, last year alone, excess nitrates in the drinking water was found in 2,300 of the 12,594 wells tested.  The safest recommended level for nitrates in drinking water is 10 ppm.  Many medical officials would like to have that number lowered.  If you have low contaminant levels in your water, it may not pose an immediate risk, but over time it will create problems.  As for lead in the water...well that's a total no-no!  Doctors do have a problem diagnosing a condition if it is due to drinking water, so it has to be up to the individual homeowner to have their well water tested themselves to make sure it is safe to drink.  If you are not sure about your drinking water it is suggested that you immediately begin cooking with and drinking only bottled water until you can have your water tested.  Anyone who has a compromised immune system; children and pregnant or breastfeeding women, should be provided with an alternative water supply until an adequate water system is in place in their residence.  There are a few methods to correct the problem if you do have contimaneted water.  Installation of an ultraviolet light filtration system and ion-exchange resin filter tank are good precautions against possible contaminants.  As a quick solution, using only water purified in a pitcher with a carbon filter may help.  But the filter will not do the same job as a corrected system.  Most of us have a tendency to put things off, but this is not something to fool with or waste time in having it tested.  It could affect your health for the rest of your life!   It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Cleaning House" Story

 It was an ordinary day.  Packing a few more large boxes of items to take to my brother to try and sell online. Worked out a deal with my brother that I would bring him all the items my wife and I no longer wanted and he would take care of listing them online and packing and shipping them after they were sold.  In return, we would split the money.   Great deal for both of us and I don't have to worry about the stuff once I have unloaded it at his house in nearby Ephrata, PA.  Today's haul may bring some extra money since what I packed isn't really junk, but treasures from the past; the distant past.  I have packed a few letters that were typed or written by Mr. Jimmy Durante and sent to my wife's grandmother, Fannie.  Also found a letter from entertainer Eddie Cantor that had written to Fannie on February 13, 1954.  Both entertainers got to know my wife's grandmother since they both performed live at Lancaster's theaters and got to know Fannie's husband during their trips to Lancaster.  I also packed several old "Life", "Look," and "Post" magazines which are in fair condition and were from the 1960s.  I acquired these magazines from a neighbor whom Carol and I helped when she lived next to us in the Grandview Heights section of Manheim Township.  Her husband had died and I helped her with house repairs and we invited her on a regular basis to holiday meals with our family.  In return she gave us a few boxes of old magazines and local newspapers.  Finally thought it was time to sell them and see if they may be worth anything to a collector.  I have included most of what I will take to my brother after I finish my story today.  I'm sure he will be excited, as he always seems to be, when I arrive with my old treasures that may have found their way into the trash had it not been for him telling me I could possibly get rich off of my junk.  Time will tell!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

  

The "Foreign Ransomware Attack Limits Production Of The Lancaster Newspaper" Story

 It was an ordinary day.  Just finished re-reading my story I had posted on October 5 which was titled, "A Crime Against A Newspaper?  What's Next?"  Story told of the Lancaster County Newspaper being hacked by someone or some organization.  Seems like the Lancaster Newspaper was not the only one that was affected by foreign ransomware.  The Lancaster Newspaper officials hired a cybersecurity firm and has been working to evaluate the scope and nature of the attack on the company's systems since it was first discovered on September 30.  The attack has been described as a "significant criminal act" which has been reported to the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Several newspaper systems have been shut down by the newspaper to avoid the spread of the attack.  The newspaper said that customer payment information has not been affected and the company's Internet systems have been shut down to eliminate customer's information from being stolen.  I have noticed that my morning newspaper is only about half the size as it usually is and some parts of the paper are entirely missing.  I do appreciate that the company is trying their best to keep it's customers informed the best they can.  Printing processes such as pagination, layout, advertisement building, photo toning, plate making and control of the press are being done manually to prevent the culprits from interfering more with the production of the daily newspaper as well as the Sunday News.  The newspaper IT experts could not talk about the specifics of the attack while an investigation is taking place.  The identity of the ransomeware attackers is still unclear, but federal law enforcement have issued warnings in recent weeks about a sophisticated Russian outfit known as Conti.  Conti has conducted ransomeware attacks on hundreds of companies, municipalities, police and health care systems by using malicious email attachments, bogus links and other nefarious practices. When the Lancaster Newspaper was attacked they found that the first 48 hours were the hardest to overcome, but the production and press crews have slowly rebuilt some of their capabilities without access to that particular network of computer systems needed to print the newspaper.  I noticed that a day or two after not receiving the newspaper, the paper was once again being delivered, but in a much smaller size and format. Seems that the automated systems that were in place to do the layouts, print and distribute the paper had to be changed back to the method used before the paper became totally digital.  Many of the processes are now being done manually or through new time-consuming processes.  I certainly appreciate all the effort that has been put forth to deliver the newspaper to me every morning.  Many processes that were done digitally are now done manually, thus the processes are much slower.  The FBI reported earlier this year that Conti was responsible for ransomeware attacks on more than 400 companies, including 290 in the United States.  They have demanded as high as $225 million from some companies.  Conti employs hackers who attack companies, but it also markets its ransomware tools to independent hackers, who in turn give Conti a share of the ransom. 

The Lancaster Newspaper still has no idea how their system was attacked.  Attacks such as Lancaster Newspapers has experienced have grown in frequency over the past two years and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in May that the number of ransomeware cases quadrupled in the United States in 2020.  One reason they are attacking so many organizations is the fact that those companies that are attacked are too quick to pay the ransom because they're able to get reimbursement through insurance policies.  Eventually, insurance companies will not be able to pay the ransom and then what will happen?  The Ransomware attackers typically steal or encrypt files, servers and workstations and threaten to sell the information stored on them or publish it online.  Some attackers actually offer customer support after receiving their ransom payment.  Back in 2018 the Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun and Hartford Courant all were hacked while in 2018 Cox Media was hit by a ransomware attack that disrupted several of its TV and radio stations.  In June of 2019 the Lancaster Laboratories Eurofins announced they had been attacked which disrupted many of its IT systems in several countries.  This past February a cyberattack on nearby Millersville University's computer network exposed the personal information of a handful of people which prompted the University to cancel in-person classes.  Millersville immediately shut down its computer systems to prevent the attack from spreading.  Millersville consulted with cybersecurity experts and the FBI and decided it would not pay any ransom had it received such a demand.  Every time a ransom is paid, it encourages more of the same behavior.  But, when you are the business or institution that is threatened, how can you not pay the demands.  If you do not pay the ransom, might your business go bankrupt?  Tough decision to make.  I'm glad I'm not in charge at the Lancaster Newspaper.  What would you do?  Must be tough sleeping at night!  My newspaper is still about half the size it was before the attack, but I do at least have something to read every morning.  Life will go on with only half a newspaper!  Good luck to all who have to deal with the situation.  I'm glad I totally retired this year and will never have problems such as the paper now has to deal with.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Miss Chiquita Banana" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Checking the fridge for a snack when I came across two small plastic containers that had cantaloupe pieces in one and honeydew melon pieces in the other.  Finished both in short order!  Then I noticed the fruit bowl on the kitchen counter had one final banana in it and I devoured that also.  As I was discarding the banana peel I noticed that it had a Chiquita Banana label on it.  Wasn't long ago that I read an online story telling about the Chiquita banana and the fact that the banana is America's favorite fruit.  Not necessarily so in my household, but we do buy bananas from time to time.  Good to cut up for the top of cereal in the morning as well as a snack during the day.  The online story I read told about the United Fruit Company that was founded in 1899.  

                     A Stock Certificate from the United Fruit Company
It began when the Boston Fruit Company, which was owned by a Captain Baker and Andrew Preston, and the Minor C. Keith railroad company.  They merged and before long became known as Chiquita Brands International Inc.  By 1944 Chiquita was teaching Americans how to eat the yellow fruit from the Caribbean and why not to put it in their refrigerator.  To help in their ad campaign they created a mascot known as Miss Chiquita who found fame in the fruit aisle as an animated banana.  

An advertisement from a magazine.

Cartoonist and illustrator Dik Browne provided the face for Miss Chiquita.  She in turn showcased a festive and fun personality as the resident expert for everything you wanted to know about bananas.  She wore a red skirt and wide brimmed hat filled with bananas and sang along to her catchy jingle while educating viewers on why bananas have to ripen to be at their most delicious.  Told the tale that the banana was best consumed when flecked with brown and with a golden hue.  A singer by the name of Patti Clayton provided the voice for Miss Chiquita.  If you might have heard the original jingle, you perhaps remember that a piano and a box of paper clips that were shaken simulated the sound of maracas to go with Patti's voice.  By the end of WWII the jingle and Miss Chiquita became a big hit which led to bananas being one of the most favorite fruits of the era.  To top that off, Chiquita stickers were placed on each bunch of bananas and to this day still appear on Chiquita bananas everywhere.  

Mr. Oscar Grillo, artist and creator of The Pink Panther, transformed Miss Chiquita from an animated banana into a woman in 1987.  Today she appears as a real person on the stickers.  She still wears a hat covered with a fruit cornucopia, her red skirt swapped out with a stylish blue dress and heels.  For the past 18 years Miss Jenny Canales has been the public face of Chiquita when she was chosen through a national search to become the legendary icon.  She is now 70 years old, but remains the indisputable first lady of bananas.  I must admit that when I finished off the last banana on the counter, I did stop and look at the young lady staring back at me from the label on the banana.  But, she certainly didn't look to be 70 years old.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.    

The "Elephant Ears That Are Bigger Than Real Elephant Ears" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Getting ready for our grandson Caden to help my wife and I cut and bag the yard full of Elephant ear plants that have grown to record size this past summer.  Caden had helped in the spring with the planting of the bulbs and today he will help cut the huge leaves from the plants and dig up the bulbs that must certainly be close to a foot deep in our backyard.  I have done the chore for over 20 years, but find I can't physically do the job anymore so we have enlisted the help of our very muscular grandson to help with the removal of the roots and storage of them until next Spring.  The growing season this Spring and summer has been remarkable.  Carol had a large variety of plants that added color and variety to our back deck as well as the fountain and pond area which we added close to 20 years ago. Take a look at a few of the different ornamentals that have grown in our garden this past summer as well as the blue-ribbon elephant ears.  It was another extraordniry day in the life of an ordinary guy.  PS - Our pond has been the home to one very large goldfish for the past 6 years.  We originally purchased a dozen small goldfish and most became a meal for the local herons, but this one goldfish loved our pond so much that he managed to survive to the point that he is close to 10" in length.  He knows the perfect spots to hide when the herons arrive from time to time.  He even survives the cold winter months when the ice covers the pond to about a depth of 6".  

Variety of Daylilly

One of a few types of grasses

Mums

Petunias

African Violets

Elephant Ears

This will give you an idea as to how large the
Elephant Ears have grown this year.
Caden is well over 6 feet in height and weighs over 200 pounds.

The "Albatwitch Celebration" Story

It was an ordinary day.  October 9, 2021 and it was Albatwitch Day in nearby Columbia, Pennsylvania. The Albatwitch was first sighted in 1950, but it took until 2014 before it was discovered that revenue could be raised by celebrating a day for the creature.  It was in 2014 that organizers in Columbia decided to put together a day to celebrate the Albatwitch which is an elusive creature that is said to be a hairy humanoid creature with a penchant for apples.  

The legend of the Albatwitch is thought to stem from Germanic folklore or Susquehannock Indian stories.  For young and old alike, the Albatwitch is a scary animal, reptile, person, etc., etc., etc.  On Saturday, October 9, the legend caused people to gather in the small Lancaster County town of Columbia which is along the mighty Susquenahha River which separates Columbia from the York County town of Wrightsville.  The Albatwitch is said to be about 3-5 feet in height with a humanoid shape, covered with black hair and looking scary.  My guess is that the day was established to help increase sales in the town of Columbia.  You can take the daytime haunted trolley tour for $5 and watch several live musical performances from bands with names such as Dilweed, the Swamp Thumpers, cryptic-themed band Beach Creeper and a hard rock band known as Tang Moon.  

The name Albatwitch is Lancaster County's very own legend and has it's roots in both Germanic and Susquehannock Indian lore.  Lectures and demonstrations from paranormal authors and researchers were  featured.  I'm sure if I were a child I would be scared half-to-death of the thing.  Actually, if I ever saw it in person, I would probably run the other way.  The name "Albatwitch" is a play on the words "apple" and  "snitch" and the Albatwitch is said to always carry apples and will throw the cores at trespassers near it's home in Columbia.  I'm sure there are many events in small cities and towns all over America that are similar to Albatwitch Day in Columbia, Pennsylvania.  Great way to draw out the citizens of the town as well as nearby visitors to celebrate the town and help raise money for the town.  If you are ever near Columbia, Pennsylvania in the fall of the year, check out the date for Albatwitch Day and see if you may have the time to visit for the day.  I'm sure you will be scared to death if you happen to see it!  I have lived a long life due to the fact that I never set eyes on the scary beast.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
 

The "Otis & Carol Star On The Cover Of The Intel" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading the Thursday, May 3, 2007 "Lifestyle" section of Lancaster Newspaper's Intelligencer Journal.   The headline of the story I was reading was titled "FDA may put end to flavoring pet medications."  The story told about drug compounding to add flavoring to drugs to make them taste better for adults and children as well as animals.  But, the Food and Drug Administration warned some compounding pharmacies that they cannot sell reformulated medicines for pets or people.  Our veterinarian, Dr. George Nyland, orders compounded drugs for kittens, puppies small dogs and animals who are difficult to give a pill to such as cats.  He said it would be a problem if he can't get compounded medicines for his customers.  Many other vets also commented for the article telling of the hardships that will be created without the use of compounded drugs.  Most pet owners see compounding drugs as a necessity.  What will happen if vets can't create compounded drugs.  Perhaps the FDA will allow vets and those pharmacies that make pet medicines to continue to make compounded medicines.  This article I recently found was dated 14 years ago and I assume that compounding of pet medicines still exists so the FDA must have changed their mind on the topic.  In the article that I had found, a few local pet owners were asked to give comments about how they would handle giving their pet medicines if they could not be flavored or made into smaller pills.  One pet owner was Phyllis Bath who has to give her 14-year-old cat high blood pressure pills.  She hated them, so the vet made them into a liquid and now the cat has no problem taking them.  

A second cat owner who was interviewed was my wife Carol, who is holding our cat Otis for a photograph.  She told the newspaper that Otis takes a compounded fish flavored liquid that she squirts directly into his mouth.  Without the compounded liquid I'm not sure what we would have done.  Otis and Carol had their photograph taken for the story, which was part of the article, in black and white and then we realized that their color photograph happened to be on page 1, dead center at the top, with a headline that read "Pet meds."  

Front page of the daily newspaper in Lancaster, PA.
Carol and Otis are featured on the cover!

Both photographs were taken by my friend Dan Marscha who is one of the photographers for the newspaper.  Wasn't long before the calls began to flood our phone which was followed by envelopes that contained both photographs from the newspaper.  Pretty neat to have a cat as the star of a newspaper article.  Otis is no longer with us, but he will never be forgotten due to his photograph being on both the cover as well as in the article in the Lifestyle section.  I suspect his handsome face may have something to do with both photographs being part of the story.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "Don't Blame It On The Cow" Story.

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a few of the emails I had recently received when I came across a rather interesting one that told the story of the 150th Anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire.  It was on October 8th of 1871 that Catherine O'Leary fed her horses and then led them to her barn before retiring for the evening. The farm was located in Southwestern Chicago where she and her husband Patrick lived.  He was in bed when she returned from feeding and placing the horses in the barn that fateful evening.  Catherine and Patrick were in bed when a neighbor alerted them to the flames that were growing out of control in their barn that windy night.  The dry and windy conditions that evening allowed the fire to grow out of control and within ten minutes two blocks were ablaze.  It eventually consumed five square miles.  Yes...you read that correctly.  It took two days and nights, but the fire consumed five square miles.  The fire became known as the Great Chicago Fire with more than 17,000 buildings burned to the ground and 300 people died.  I scanned the story over and over again and no where did I find that Mrs. O'Leary's cow kicked over the lamp which started the fire.  Never mentioned that she had a lamp!  A story in the Chicago Tribune from October 11, 1871 said that "At 9:30 a small cow-barn, attached to a house on the corner of DeKoven and Jefferson streets, one block north of Twelfth street, emitted a bright light, followed by a blaze, and in a moment the building was hopelessly on fire.  Before any aid could be extended the fire had communicated to a number of adjoining sheds, barns and dwellings and was rapidly carried north and east, despite the efforts of the firemen.  The fire seemed to leap over the engines, and commenced far beyond them, and working to the east and west, either surrounded the apparatus or compelled it to move away.  In less than ten minutes the fire embraced the area between Jefferson and Clinton for two blocks north, and rapidly pushed eastward to Canal Street."  Chicago was incorporated in the 1830s and grew to become the world's largest grain port by the 1850s.  The city was built of wood and was prone to fires.  It had been hot and dry that fall and the area was experiencing a drought.  When the O'Leary farm began to burn, the tinderbox conditions quickly led to a firestorm that was unstoppable.  There was nothing the firefighters could do to stop the firestorm and to top that off, the flames burned the city's waterworks which cut off water to the hydrants.  Before long it had jumped the south branch of the Chicago River and destroyed much of Central Chicago and then jumped the river again and consumed the Near North Side.  The fire continued another day unchecked.  The Schultze family reported that the fire had started on a Sunday evening after supper.  By 2 a.m. the family were awakened by a knock at the door telling them that the fire was sweeping the city and their home was in the path of the fire.  Mr. Schultze dug a hole in the front yard and dumped in the family linen, silver, dishes, bedding and furniture.  The family gathered the rest of the household items and set out on foot towards the home of a friend,  Several days later they returned to find the smoldering foundation of their home.  As they explored the ruins, hot ashes burned the soles of their shoes off.  After the fire had diminished, over 100,000 people had been left homeless.  The Chicago Tribune was unable to publish a paper on October 9th and 10th and on the 11th described the scene like this:  "This city has been swept by a conflagration which has no parallel in the annals of history."  Reconstruction began almost immediately, and relief poured in from around the country and abroad.  Railroads offered free passage to those who wanted to leave.  Improved building techniques and updated fire standards helped Chicagoans rebuild and emerge as a modern city.  Just two decades later, Congress named Chicago the host city for the 1893 World's Fair.  So...if you learned in school that Mrs. O'Leary's cow started the fire, someone was just feeding you a line of hogwash.  I for one know that a cow would never do that...at least on purpose!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "You Could Almost Predict The End" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Going through a few more of my myriad of books to see what I might want to get rid of during my brother's annual garage sale in the nearby town of Ephrata, PA.  Opened one of the books that sat on the shelves in my office and began leafing through it to read a bit more about Time Magazine's "Great People of the 20th Century."  Wasn't long before I had reached the final few pages of the book, but found these pages to be the best of the book as far as I was concerned.  A double-page spread wrote of John, Paul, George and Ringo, also known as "The Beatles", but I suppose you already know about them.  One other page carried the single, one word title, "PRESLEY."  Directly below the heading read..."Have you heard the news? If there's good rocking' tonight-you can thank Elvis Presley."  Just had to read the glossy black and white page to see if they had written anything that I didn't already know about one of my all-time favorite performers.  Was going to write "favorite musicians", but this guy was more than a musician as you probably know if you have every heard him sing.  Story began by telling that Elvis had only a year's passing familiarity with a recording studio when he cut his first classic record in the winter of 1955.  At the time I was eleven years old, but still old enough to enjoy the new musical genre known as "Rock-'n'-Roll".  

A young Elvis

Here was this 20 year-old truck driver who had this amazing voice and performing style who walked into Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee with $4 to see if he could pay them so he could make a record for his mom for her birthday.  At the time, the boss at Sun Records, Sam Phillips, was looking for a "black sound inside a white boy" to make a national star.  He got just that in Elvis Presley!  The song that came from the meeting was "That's all right, Mama" which became a local hit.  After the next four songs did the same, Elvis hooked up with promoter Colonel Tom Parker who landed him a contract with RCA.  In 1956 "Heartbreak Hotel" was released and the "Rock-'n'-Roll" era had begun.  Then one Sunday evening I had the chance to see Elvis on "The Ed Sullivan Show."  Mom and Dad thought he was terrible with his suggestive, lewd and greaser persona, but I loved him.  As I think back over those times, I believe that evening might have been the downfall of the young man known to all as Elvis Presley.  I just loved his musky voice and his wavy hair which all my friends tried to grow, including me.  During the next couple of years he served his time in the Army and kept on making records.  When he got out of the Army he appeared in 33 movies, played in Vegas, got married and sold millions of records, some of which were purchased by me.  But, as he aged he shifted towards spirituals rather that all R'n'R.  His music began to bore him and he was more interested in his celebrity.  He lived by the rocker's code which was "live fast and die young."  He thought it was better to live fast and die young rather than burn out and fade away.  On August 16 of 1977, when I was at the Jersey Shore with my young family, I heard the news: "Elvis Presley had died right on schedule!"  

The end of an icon.

No more records by one of my all-time favorite musicians, but as I think back over the final years of his life, I still believe that evening he appeared on "The Ed Sullivan Show" was the beginning of the end of one of the best singers ever.  Funny that his story appeared at the end of the book that I had been reading.  Only the Beatles story came after...and we know what happened to them.  Perhaps the author of that book which I had read knew more than he realized.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Do You Remember..." Story

It was an ordinary day.  Asking my wife if she might remember what TV series began its run 50 years ago.  Tough question I know, and probably wasn't fair to ask her the question, but when I told her the answer, she found it hard to believe.  And...I sort of find it hard to believe also.  But, it didn't begin its run on television.  It began on the printed page in the short story, "May I Come In."  The character known as Columbo was created by writers Richard Levinson and William Link in the March, 1960 issue of Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine.  The first time the character appeared on TV was later that year on the anthology series The Chevy Mystery Show on NBC.  OK...I must admit I never heard of that show either.  Well, Bert Freed played detective Columbo on that show.  The episode led directly to a stage play titled "Prescription: Murder."  It debuted in San Francisco in 1962 with Thomas Mitchell as Columbo.  Remember Thomas Mitchell?  Nah, me neither!  Anyway...by 1968 NBC wanted to make the play into a stand-alone television Movie of the Week and the director of the show, Richard Irving, wanted Peter Falk who had earned nominations for both Emmys and Oscars in 1961 and 1962.  But, Levinson and Link were skeptical since Falk, at the age of 41, was much younger than the other actors who had played the character in the past.  But, Irving prevailed and the TV movie version of "Prescription: Murder" was a major hit.  NBC decided to make another Columbo TV movie as a pilot to see if an ongoing TV series could happen.  The second film was seen in 1971 and was called "Ransom for a Dead Man" which was also a big hit.  They decided they needed to continue with a weekly show with Falk as the star.  Peter Falk wasn't interested in a weekly show because of the grind of a weekly TV show.  So...NBC began a rotational series with Rod Serling's "Night Gallery", McCloud, and Columbo rotating in the same time slot every three weeks.  Eventually McMillan & Wife joined McCloud and Columbo.  The main draw for the viewers was Peter Falk's performances where he wore his own clothes, including his famous raincoat.  He frequently would wander the set during shots on purpose as a way of keeping his castmates off-balance and on their toes.  He earned an Emmy for the role during his first season and two more in later years.  Many of his episodes were written by Stephen Bochco and directed by the up-and-coming youngster Steven Spielberg.  All three shows were a huge success for years.  

Columbo wound down its original run in May of 1980.  Then in 1989 ABC resurrected the mystery wheel concept with The ABC Mystery Movie in 1989.  Falk returned as Columbo with Louis Gossett, Jr as Gordon Oliver and Burt Reynolds as B.L. Stryker.  But, the show stopped after the first year.  Peter Falk continued to play Columbo in an ongoing series for 14 TV movies for the next 13 years.  In 2011 Peter Falk died, closing the book on one of the great TV detectives.  Peter's run began 50 years ago and entertained everyone whom watched his character on television.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Boy...Did I Make The Correct Decision!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just made a trip to the Manheim Township Landis Run Intermediate School to drop off a box of sample yearbooks I had accumulated over the past 9 years.  Ever since the school, which includes grades 5 and 6, opened I was responsible for completing the school yearbook.  The school principal asked if I would be interested in working on the yearbook, since I had worked on the High School yearbook for over 30 years and after retiring from teaching at the high school, had worked on the Middle School yearbook for another 20 years.  

The Landis Run Intermediate School

The Landis Run Yearbook was only 64 pages in length, so I agreed to take over the book.  Well, due to a few medical problems and the fact that the COVID-19 virus was still with us, I finally declined to do both the Middle School and Landis Run yearbooks this year.  I had saved a copy of each yearbook I ever did and thought the two schools would appreciate having copies of the books to guide the new advisors in preparing a book for this school year.  Well, today my worries became history when I read in the morning LNP newspaper that the Landis Run Intermediate School will temporarily shift to virtual instruction beginning today and running throughout the next week.  This came from a directive from the State of Pennsylvania Department of Health.  

The cover of last year's yearbook

The school spent the entire last year in virtual instruction with neither the students or the teachers favoring the procedure, but for safety's sake, they had to do so.  Now it has struck again.  This past week the district has experienced 24 cases of the virus with 11 of those cases being in the Landis Run Intermediate School.  With 11 cases in one school, that can quickly spread and create medial problems for the students as well as the teachers and administration.  Lucky for me that at the end of the last school year I notified both the Middle School and the Landis Run Intermediate School that I no longer would be doing either book.  Was getting to be too much of a job for me having to travel to both schools a few times a week for candids and choir, orchestra, band, clubs, etc. photographs.  And, since the school was going to be back to regular attendance instead of virtual attendance, I chose to give up the job I had loved for over 50 years.  When I opened the newspaper yesterday I said to my wife, "Boy, did I make the right decision!"  She looked at me as I continued with, "Landis Run is closing and going to a virtual schedule since they have too many COVID cases."  Well, I wish the best for the school and hope they can stop the spread of the virus before it becomes a real threat to all the school buildings in the district.  Perhaps if they ever give approval to vaccinate children as young as grade school (6 and above) they will be able to finally get back to normal and not have to worry about the spread of the disease.  Years and years from now those who will have to go through another round of virtual learning will tell their children what it was like when they were in school and the COVID-19 took over their lives.  But, for now...staying at home is the right thing to do!  And, I am so glad I am not working on either book this year!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Ivermectin...Healer Or Powwow Drug? Part II" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Trying to figure out why anyone would want to take Ivermectin, a medicine used to treat parasitic infections in animals.  Do they know something that no one else knows?  And, it's not just a few irrational people who are taking the drug, but thousands of people who think they can bypass COVID-19 by taking the stuff.  So far, at least two people have died after taking Ivermectin while many others have suffered serious complications such as heart irregularities.  The drug is supposed to be used in small quantities to cure internal and external parasites in humans.  The medicine is also given to treat horses, cows and chickens, but has never been approved in any form to treat COVID-19 in humans.  Yes, I realize it is also used to treat humans with river blindness which is a disease caused by infection from the parasitic worm Onchocerca volvulus.  Symptoms include severe itching, bumps under the skin and blindness.   It is the second-most common cause of blindness due to infection, after trachoma. So...why are humans taking the stuff?  They tend to believe that the government doesn't want us taking Ivermectin since doctors and treatment facilities can't charge you large sums since the drug is very low in cost.  But, there is no scientific evidence, actually zero, that says that the drug can be used to treat COVID-19.  It's as if we have gone back to powwow medicine again.  Powwow medicine originated in Europe and early settlers to Pennsylvania brought it with them from Europe when the States were first discovered.  Powwow is an English term for Brauche or Braucherei, a term in German and Pennsylvania Dutch that means healing.  Some believe the English called the practice "powwow" because it reminded them of certain American Indian healing practices.  In the Christian religion, faith and powwow are very much intertwined.  Many cures that were administered were done so by powwow doctors.  Today, in central Pennsylvania, there are still powwow doctors who secretly practice their trade and who advocate using Ivermectin to cure COVID-19.  And, what's worse is the fact that people actually believe them and that it will work.  And, there was a "bible" of powwow that was known as "The Long Lost Friend" that was assembled by a fellow known as John George Hohman which was published in 1820.  Powwowers seldom use this bible anymore for treatments, but many still believe in the Bible's healing practices.   But, powwow is not the method that should be used to treat COVID-19.  Scientific methods such as vaccinations should be the method to keep all of us safe.  Will that ever happen.  Of course not, since there are still so many gullible people that will believe just about anything can cure them.  And, you might as well search for the cheapest method to heal you which I'm sure doesn't include the vaccination that is being recommended; even though it is free.  Life will go on; at least for those that practice legitimate medical treatments.  Please get vaccinated so we can beat this beast!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "Ivermectin...Healer Or Powwow Drug? Part I" Story

It was an ordinary day.  There on page A7 of the morning paper was the 48 point headline that read: "Health officials link ivermectin to deaths."  Story told of the misinformation that has been printed and believed by many who decided to take the dewormer ivermectin to help them rid their body COVID-19.  I've read similar headlines over the past year or so, but not a single one of the stories tells how the person taking the medicine rid their body of the virus.  Funny that the story appeared in our local paper, since it was only a few days ago that another story appeared in the paper titled "NOT MAGIC."  That story told of the gentleman who lives in nearby Lititz, Pennsylvania who helped develop the dewormer ivermectin and who has been cautioning people against the drug's use as a COVID-19 treatment.  And...who better than one of the medical experts on the drug than the guy who developed it!  Man's name is Dr. Kenneth Brown who wrote the Merck & Co. research protocols to study ivermectin as a treatment for RIVER BLINDNESS.  Did you read that carefully?  The fellow is a medical doctor and the drug is meant to treat River Blindness!!  If you are not sure what River Blindness might be, here is exactly what it is:  Onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness, is a disease caused by infection with the parasitic worm Onchocerca volvulus.  Symptoms include severe itching, bumps under the skin and blindness.   It is the second-most common cause of blindness due to infection, after trachoma.  Not a single word in the definition is spelled COVID-19.  Dr. Brown told the newspaper that he realizes that everyone would like to have a cure for COVID-19, but that hope isn't by using his drug.  He did say that, "While ivermectin does impede COVID-19, the dose to achieve this far exceeds what's considered safe.  It is a danger to trust the dream we wish for rather than the science we have.  Ivermectin is a gift, not magic and not a panacea."  This Doctor/Scientist should know!  In the article he went on to say, "Ivermectin is an anti-parasitic drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat river blindness, intestinal roundworm infections and head lice in humans.  It's also used to deworm pets and livestock."  No where did he say that the medication was a "cure" for COVID-19.  Federal agencies, medical associations and even the Australian researchers who discovered ivermectin inhibits SARS CoV-2 have all cautioned against using it to cure COVID-19.  As I wrote at the beginning of my story today, the drug is "NOT MAGIC."  But, some evidently don't read the information printed about the drug and swear that the drug can cure COVID-19.  According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, prescriptions for ivermectin skyrocketed across the United States in January from an average of 3,600 per week from March 16, 2019 to March 13, 2020, to a peak of 39,000 in the week ending Jan. 8.  And so, too, have calls to poison control centers. Unfortunately, Fox News hosts like Laura Ingraham have pushed dubious COVID-19 “remedies” including ivermectin, as has U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, a Wisconsin Republican who generally favors dangerous conspiracy theories over reliable science.  The conspiracy theory around ivermectin holds that Big Pharma “doesn’t want the public to use ivermectin as a COVID-19 cure because the pharmaceutical companies don’t make vast sums of money on what is, essentially in the U.S., a horse dewormer.”   The truth is that doctors don’t want people to use a livestock dewormer because humans are not livestock. It seems self-evident that a drug formulated for a 1,400-pound horse or cow would be dangerous for a human who weighs one-seventh that.   A doctor in nearby Lancaster General Hospital stated, "It's not a treatment that we're using now!  We're going to keep sticking to science!"  Dr. Kenneth Brown is proud of his association with ivermectin since more than 4 billion doses of ivermectin (renamed Mectizan) have been administered globally in the effort to eliminate river blindness, the leading cause of preventable blindness worldwide.  River blindness is transmitted by the bites of black flies that breed near rivers and streams and is prevalent in 36 countries in Africa, Latin America and Yemen.  Dr. Brown now tracks questionable claims about medicines as a retirement job. The questionable claims around ivermectin are a classic good versus evil theory intended, according to the misguided belief, to keep the drug out of the public's hands.  Many believe that Big Pharma doesn't want the public to use ivermectin as a COVID-19 cure since they can't make vast sums of money on what is essentially a horse dewormer.  Ivermectin actually does not have established safety protocols.  Dr. Brown says, "Don't get your information or medical advice from Facebook or Instagram.  No social media platform can be reliably accurate."  Please heed his advice!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "A Crime Against A Newspaper? What's Next?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Heading out my driveway to pick up my morning newspaper.  If you have been a reader of my blog for any length of time, you more than likely know that I love my morning newspaper.  If it's not on time I more than likely will give the newspaper office a call to remind them that I am still waiting for my morning paper.  For years and years it was the morning Intelligencer Journal during the week and the Sunday News on Sunday.  Then a few changes were made by the newspaper company and the weekly newspaper is now known as the LNP/LancasterOnline while the Sunday News is known as the Sunday LNP/LancasterOnline.  To me...they are still the same thing with a different headline.  Great reporting with some of the best photojournalists in the country.  Then...one morning a few days ago, no paper appeared on my driveway.  Rather than call...I turned on my computer and read the online edition which is exactly the same as the printed edition.  Wondered at the time why I didn't have to go through all the questions asking if I was a subscriber, etc.  The following day I found the reason why I didn't have to prove to them that I have a subscription to the daily newspaper.

In a light gray box on the right side of the front page was an 8" X 3" column with a small headline that read: "Note to our readers."  It read:  Dear readers, Steinman Communications is the victim of a significant criminal act that has limited its ability to print LNP and its other newspapers.  The company immediately began investigating the incident, discovered on Thursday, and has reported the matter to federal law-enforcement officials. The specific nature and scope of the crime remain unclear, and no one has been charged. But it has dramatically limited our company's ability to publish complete newspapers, respond to customers and work with advertisers.  Our staff will work to continue publishing smaller editions of each of our newspapers- the daily LNP and weekly Lancaster Farming, Ephrata Review, Lititz Reord, Elizabethtown Advocate and The Caucus.  We have also made access to Lancaster Online.com., our flagship website, free to everyone until we're able to resolve the problems.  With the help of industry experts, we are working as quickly as possible.  Because of the signifiant technical challenges we face, our deadlines will be earlier in the evening.  Coverage of Friday night's high school football games was published on LancasterOnline.com immediately and appears in today's LNP.  I cleanly understand your frustration.  LNP is an important part of your life.  I ask for your patience and hope you'll continue reading.  Tom Murse, Executive Editor.  Now I have my answer to my question as to why I didn't get my paper.  I have known Tom for many years, since he was a student at Manheim Tonship HIgh School were I taught for many years.  His dad was one of my coaches on a few of the little league baseball teams I coached and his brother Jeff was the star player on the team.  I feel so bad for Tom and his struggles, since I'm sure he is trying his best to correct the situation for the readers of the Lancaster newspapers.  I must admit that I can't see why someone would want to sabotage a newspaper company unless they think they can ask for money to stop the problem.  To be the editor of a newspaper is a big enough job, but to have to put up with criminal activity in order to publish it must be awful.  Thanks, Tom for all you do for the citizens  of Lancaster and I'm sure we all hope that the culprit, or culprits who have committed this awful crime will be caught soon so you can get the newspaper back to normal once again for all your readers.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.