The "Power Of The Spoken Word" Story

 It was an ordinary day.  Reading stories, quotes, and just plain words that are capable of changing the course of history.  Words can impart comforting knowledge in the face of adversity as well as inspire others to great feats and discoveries.  Follow along with me and see how many of the following you may remember from the past....

A.  I know I have the body but of a weak, feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too, and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realm. Queen Elizabeth I

In 1588, while awaiting an expected invasion by the Spanish Armada, Queen Elizabeth I addressed her troops gathered at Tilbury, England. Elizabeth, dressed in a white velvet dress and wearing a breastplate, rode among her troops upon a gray horse, cutting an almost mythical figure. While her rousing speech didn’t directly affect the outcome of the failed Armada, the English had a newfound faith in their queen, which would help make the small nation a world power.

B.  That from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. Abraham Lincoln

On November 19, 1863 — a little over four months after Union armies defeated the Confederacy at the decisive Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War — President Lincoln delivered a short speech in honor of those who died in defense of freedom. The total speech was only about 272 words long (the precise wording is disputed), but the Gettysburg Address remains one of the most important speeches in U.S. history and a turning point in the Civil War.

C.  We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.   John F. Kennedy

President John F. Kennedy’s speech at Rice University in 1962 made NASA’s fledgling Apollo program a national priority. In doing so, he paved the way for one of humankind’s greatest achievements: stepping onto the lunar surface in 1969. The speech had far-reaching consequences, not only for the space race but for space exploration for decades to come.

D. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.    Martin Luther King Jr.

On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered what would become a defining moment of the civil rights movement — and one of the most iconic speeches in U.S. history. King addressed the crowd of some 250,000 civil rights supporters from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, calling for an end to racism in the United States, and civil and economic rights for all citizens. 

It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Singing Glasses Star Is No Longer In Sight!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading about Mr. Woody Allen who performed as the title character in "Broadway Danny Rose" in 1984.  He may have been the star of the show, but the person who drew the most recognition was a woman named Gloria Parker who played music by rubbing her moistened fingers along the rims of 28 crystal wineglasses.  Ever try that?  I did and we now have quite a few less wine glasses in the cupboard.  But, that's OK, since we don't invite as many guests over anymore.  Gloria was known as the Jascha Heifetz of this instrument and if you don't know whom Mr. Heifetz might be...well he was considered the greatest violinist of all time. And, to top that off, she is self-taught.  Because of her performance in "Broadway Danny Rose," she had an uptick in other bookings and increased attention for her mastery of the "singing glasses," or glasspiel, which she learned from her grandfather.  She claimed to be an emissary, "God's worker to bring glasses to the world."  Miss Gloria Parker recently died on April 13 on Long Island.  She was 100 years old.  She was said to have conjoled music out of glasses.  She was a multi-instrumentalist who also played the marimba, vibraphone, violin, maracas and tabor which is a type of drum.  At the age of 14 she led an all-girl troupe known as the Rumba Maids who recorded "soundies" which were shown on coin-operated jukeboxes.  In those films, she sang, played the glasses and marimba, and shared the stage with co-stars like Mel Blanc and Lincoln Perry.  She also hosted a show on ABC radio network in the 1950s that featured another band consisting of women known as the Swingphony.  In 1981 she recorded an album, "A Toast to Christmas in the 80's with Singing Glasses."  Gloria was born on August 20, 1921 in Brooklyn NY.  Her dad owned a garage while her mother played violin with Mark Warner & the Hit Parade Orchestra.  At age 8 she learned how to play the glasses from her grandfather who brought the skill to this country from his native Czechoslovakia.  She mastered how to make music with 28 glasses, each filled with white wine to produce particular sounds.  One drop too many or too little made a big difference in the sound.  She could play pop, classical, jazz and calypso music.  She was a guest performer at one time on "The Ed Sullivan Show," "Mike Douglas Show" and "Late Night With David Letterman."  I would have loved to have seen those shows!  She once said that "Benjamin Franklin played the glasses - introduced them to America in 1751, in fact.  They are part of our heritage and now the whole world can see them in the 20th century, and I will be the person affixed to them."  Well said...Gloria Parker, but too bad you won't be here to lead the band with your singing glasses.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "You Only Live Life Once...Or At Least I Think That's How It Works" Story

It was an ordinary day.  My grandson and I just finished our first day of spreading the hugh pile of mulch around the gardens of my home.  We, or should I say "He" works at a good pace, but eventually we both finally got tired and decided to wait until the next day to continue the job.  Life's short so take some time off and have a good time doing something you enjoy from time to time.  One of my fun things to do is read "quotes" that appear on my computer from time to time.  I recently read a column that had 16 quotes on finding the humor in life.  A few were dumb, a few were stupid and the rest appear as my story for today.  Hope you enjoy them as much as I did...

It must be around forty, when you're 'over the hill.'  I don't even know what that means and why it's a bad thing.  When I go hiking and I get over the hill, that means I'm past the hard part and there's a snack in my future waiting for me.  That's a good thing as far as I'm concerned.

Most of the shadows of this life are caused by standing in one's own sunshine.

Man suffers only because he takes seriously what the gods made for fun.  

A good laugh overcomes more difficulties and dissipates more dark clouds than any other one thing.

You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.

We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.

It's your outlook on life that counts.  If you take yourself lightly and don't take yourself to seriously, pretty soon you can find the humor in our everyday lives.  And sometimes it can be a lifesaver.

Life goes by fast.  Enjoy it.  Calm down.  It's all fun.

So...follow some of the quotes that I have included in today's story and perhaps you will find life to be a bit easier to live.  I try to take myself lightly as many times as I can, and find I'm so much happier because of it.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Best Friends Are Forever! Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a story in the Lancaster Sunday News from a few weeks ago.  Story was titled "A lost friend had shown her a different life."  It was part of a column known as "I Know A Story" which appears in the Sunday News each week.  I found it interesting since I went to Millersville State Teachers College in the 1960s and my wife attended the Penn Manor School System which included Millersville in its territory.  The story was written by Janet Burkey Clarke for the Lancaster News Paper.  I have condensed the story and I hope you will find  it as interesting as I did when I read it a few weeks ago.  Janet had grown up in Millersville around the Millersville College campus.  Her family consisted of her parents, two brothers and herself who lived on North Duke Street in the center of the small college town of Millersville.  They lived at the top of the hill which was great for sledding on snowy days. Her best friend happened to be her next-door neighbor, Joanie Buckwalter.  Joanie was the middle daughter of her family and her father's name was Jack.  He eventually became the president of Lancaster Newspaper.  Janet said she would get the "sillies" from time to time when her dad, whose name was also Jack, would greet their next door neighbor with, "Hi, Jack," and in return would hear "Hi, Jack." Sadly, when Joanie turned 6 years old, her family moved from the neighborhood so Janet needed to find a new best friend.  That best friend just happened to be Kathy Jacobelli who lived at the bottom of the hill.  She was a year older than  Janet.  The two new best friends attended the Millersville Laboratory School which eventually became the Susan P. Luek Hall which was part of the Millersville College campus.  To get to school they had to walk down West Frederick St. past Bill Miller's garage on the left side of the street.  Just so happened that they sold candy there.  They also passed Diebert's barber shop and Rettew's grocery store as well as the creepy old Victorian house on the left.  They eventually came to North George Street where Old Main used to be. It was close to a one mile walk and they were told to never take a shortcut through the Millersvile College grounds. Kathy and Janet did everything together.  One day in 1965 Kathy introduced Janet to one of her friends, Ellen.  Ellen was the daughter of Millersville College's President, Dr. Robert A. Christie.  I remember Dr. Christie well since I was still a student at the college at the time.  Ellen opened Janet up to a totally different world than what she had been accustomed to at the time.  Kathy and Ellen were kind enough to bring her along on their adventures.  Janet was now allowed on campus where the three girls would play hid-and-seek in the President's residence which seemed like a mansion to Janet.  Ellen's bedroom was hugh with a canopy bed and white bookshelf that held every one of Nancy Drew's mystery books.  Janet found it very curious that Ellen called her parents by their first names.  The girls went swimming in the college pool and skated on the college pond.  In summer they would play tennis beside Brooks Hall where I also took a course in tennis.  They would wander down to the pond to see the new white swans that had just found a home in the pond.  One day Janet was invited to Ellen's birthday party where everyone was dressed in their Sunday best.  Janet was awed by the hugh store-bought cake with the big red roses on it.  Eventually Dr. Christie resigned his position at the college and moved to Bridgeport, Connecticut.  Shortly after that her other friend Kathy also moved.  She had lost her two best friends which was tough to handle for an 8-year-old.  Two years after that Janet's mother told her the sad news.  The Christies were traveling and their plane had gone down on May 26, 1970 in British Honduras.  They had all died.  Ellen was 12 at the time.  The mother, Sally wasn't found right away, but was found at a later date.  Janet's story appeared recently in the "I Know A Story" column of the Lancaster Newspaper.  She wanted to write the story as another anniversary of their deaths comes and goes, and to remember those three little spirited girls that once frolicked through Millersville State Teacher's College.  She wanted to write the story to honor her friend, Ellen.  There is a plaque in memory of the Christies on campus.  So, if you would happen to be on the grounds of what is now Millersville University, think about Ellen and her family.  I'm sure you will make one of her best childhood friends, Jane, very happy.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Orange Street As Seen Through The Eyes Of Marion Wallace Reninger" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a chapter in a small hardbound orange book that I had given to my father when he turned 75 on February. 6, 1995.  The book is titled "Orange Street" and was written and signed in 1954 by local author Marion Wallace Reninger.  The book is only 82 pages long, but carries enough history of the street known as Orange Street in the town of Lancaster, Pennsylvania that you need to read it several times over before you can digest all that took place from the Revolutionary War to the mid-1990s.  The foreword ends with a small 9-line verse that reads:

It would indeed be false to say;  That the characters in the book;  bear no resemblance;  to anyone living or dead.  The contrary is true;  in these tales;  of an old street.  Some characters are historical;  Most were or are real people;  A few are fictitious or traditional.

The first chapter of the book is titled "Panorama."  It begins with...Orange Street slopes gradually uphill eastward from Prince Street to Shippen Street.  Old trees arch gracefully over this busy modern thoroughfare from Duke to Shippen, as they did a hundred years and more ago.  There is an air of gentility and dignity in the old buildings.  When I was a child on Orange Street, I remember being awakened before dawn by the ring of horses' hoofs on the cobblestone.  These horses were drawing market wagons laden with country produce to the curb market.  Stalls were set up, the wagons backed to the curb beside them, from below Duke Street, around the corner, and down to the Court House pavements.   This became a busy scene of buying and selling even before daylight.  Lancaster citizens, invariably carrying baskets, jostled each other on the narrow sidewalk. Lighted by the farmer's lanterns, the squeaking chickens were inspected, the dressed fowls duly pinched for tenderness, the cider tasted and apple butter sampled.

The cover of ORANGE STREET

As daylight arrived the market continued in full swing.  When their goods were disposed of, the plain people; Mennonites, Amish and Dunkards-brought their horses from the nearby livery stables at the "Leopard" or "Swan" Hotels, hitched them to the wagons, and returned to their farms in time for a day's work in the field or barns.  There were other sales made on Orange Street.  I recall a colored "Crab Man" who came up Orange Street every Friday noon.  His high piercing cry "Crabs for Sale" - "Hot Deviled Crabs For Sale" brought housekeepers to their front doors.  Hot from the oven these dainties were wrapped carefully in clean linen and packed in chip baskets.  In our house on Orange Street near Shippen, there were many rings of the door bell.  Scissor grinders appeared periodically. Members of a German band group, after two or three selections, would ask for contributions.  A special treat was the visit of the hurdy-gurdy man, complete with his monkey, tipping is cap spasmodically in thanks for pennies from the audience.  In the early spring, farmers' wives went from door to door selling fresh dandelion greens, acclaimed widely as a spring tonic.  Fall was the season when the country gardens contributed wagon loads of gorgeous, colorful bouquets, along the Orange Street scene.  Handsome and spirited horses, harnessed to carriages called traps, surreys or Germantowns, trotted lightly out East Orange Street, after the hard pull upgrade from Lime to Shippen Streets.  At afternoon calling hours, ladies in vicrotias, holding small parasols over their silk or satin costumes, were occasionally to be gazed at and admired.  On Sunday morning, just before church time, there was a universal outpouring from the houses along Orange St.  The procession, on its way to the various churches, was worth seeing. Everyone, in Sunday best walked sedately and were conscious of Orange Street propriety.  On Saturday evening at five o'clock, all the church bells sounded sweet and clear on Orange Street.  This was an old custom reminding people to prepare for the Sabbath.  All the hours were struck loudly by the clock on St. Anthony's Catholic Church, both day and night.  It was a reassuring sound, when one was anxious to get to school on time, or meet some friends for a picnic on the Reservoir grounds.  When bicycles became popular, most of the Orange Street families built small "sheds" in the rear yards to house their "wheels."   Later autos began to appear, one by one, among the vehicles on Orange Street.  We stopped in our tracks to note the auto riders in linen dusters and the women's flowing veils.  During the early 1900's on Saturday evening about eight o'clock on Saturday evening about eight o'clock at the corner of Orange and Shippen Streets, twenty or more neighborhood children would gather for the weekly trek of walking down to Duke Street for ice cream at Miss Lizzie's confectionery parlor.  They often sang as they marched and took over all the tables of that little place while slowly savoring the delightful flavors of creams and ices--a very special treat in those times.  Customs have changed.  The traffic of the National Lincoln Highway now passes along Orange Street.   It is interesting today to recall some of the people who have made their way along this historic pathway of Lancaster.  Other chapters in the book are titled Peggy Shippen, Properties, Processions, Presidential Romance, People, Prisoner and Counterfeiter, and Philanthropists.  I have read the book several times and learn something different every time I read it.  Inside the front cover is pasted a piece of paper that reads...The R. Theodore Bixlers' Collection of Lancaster Authors.  I have been thinking of offering the book to another person, but the book seems to mean too much to me to give it up.  Thank you Mrs. Marion Wallace Reninger for your great job of covering "Orange Street" in such great detail.  I have walked it's sidewalks many times in my lifetime and still find special memories each and every time I lay my foot to it's sidewalk.   It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Ten Historic Quotes From The State Of The Union Address" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading page after page of quotes that told of just about everything from imagination of artists to historic quotes from the State of the Union.  Today I would like to share with you what at one time was known the "annual message" for most of the United State history which today is referred to as the State of the Union message.  It all began as a largely straightforward report of all the events, foreign and domestic, that impacted the United States, and grew into a prime-time television event.   Today, the President is invited by the Speaker of the House to give an address at the House of Representatives, where the President stands at the podium, flanked by the Vice President and the Speaker of the House.  At one time it was a bit different. Washington and Adams gave speeches to Congress, but in 1800, Thomas Jefferson, believing the whole speech thing to be a bit monarchical, began a new tradition of simply sending a written address over to Capitol Hill.  In 1913, Woodrow Wilson brought back the in-person speech, and it's been delivered as such ever since. (In 1981 lame duck Jimmy Carter delivered his speech only in writing).  The State of the Union is usually more concerned with policies and political agendas than the florid words extolling the importance of freedom that fill most inaugural addresses.  What follows are ten quotes from State of the Union addresses that speak to deeper wisdom beyond politics, and continue to echo down the halls of history.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

10 Historic Quotes from the State of the Union Address...

Knowledge is in every Country the surest basis of public happiness. -- George Washington in 1790 urging the pursuit of science in his first address.

The dogmas of the quiet post are inadequate to the story present...fellow citizens, we cannot escape history.  -- Abraham Lincoln in 1862 on the imperative on winning the Civil War.

We may either fall greatly or succeed greatly; but we can not avoid the endeavor from which either great failure or great success must come.  -- Theodore Roosevelt in 1902.

Social justice comes first.   Law is the machinery from its realization and is vital only as it expresses and embodies it.  Woodrow Wilson in 1913.

We look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms.  The first is freedom of speech...the second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way...The third is freedom from want...The fourth is freedom from fear.  Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1941.

The mere absence of war is not peace.  The mere absence of recession is not growth.  We have made a beginning -- but we have only begun.  John F. Kennedy 1963

Very often the lack of jobs and money is not the case of poverty, but the symptom.  The cause may lie deeper in our failure to give our fellow citizens a fair chance to develop their own capacities.  Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.

There are no constraints on the human mind, no walls around the human spirit, no barriers to our progress except those we ourselves erect.  Ronald Reagan in 1986.

And to the children and young people...fix your vision on a new century --- your century, on dreams we cannot see, on the destiny that is yours and yours alone.  George H.W. Bush in 1990. 

Unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.  Barack Obama in 2016.

The "Cute Little Guys Are The Biggest Pests! Story

It was an ordinary day.  My wife, Carol, had just returned from an hour-long, multi-mile walk when she told me about the multiple trees in the neighborhood that are covered with spotted lanternflies.  The little black buggers with tiny white spots on them can be found clustered on trees on just about any tree in the neighborhood.  A few residents have placed traps made of sticky-paper on their trees and shrubs, but it seems like it may be of no use.  It was back in 2014 that they were first noticed in Berks County, Pennsylvania.  47 out of 67 counties in Pennsylvania now have reported seeing the lantern flies.  They manage to spread so easily since they are very mobile and can fly or hitch rides from one area to another in no time at all.  One of the more unknown aspects of the spotted lanternfly has been how nimble it's been since being discovered in the United States.  An environmental analyst, Rachel Cook, who is earning her master's degree at Purdue University in Indiana, released a study late last year on the movement of the insect.  Her sister resides in Philadelphia so she also gets to spend time in this area learning about the species.  She is trying to measure the annual movement of the insect, either on its own or by hitching rides on cars, trains or anything that moves.  An estimated spread rate of around 25 miles per year by one insect is beginning to scare many who worry about the spread of the insect.  In many states you are prohibited from transporting landscaping or construction waste, firewood, grapevines, packing materials, recreational vehicles and tarps.  When my wife returned home from her walk I grabbed my camera and began to walk east along the street that runs in front of our home.  

Hundreds of spotted lanternflies stick to the paper wrapped around this tree.

I hadn't walked more than 25 feet when I came upon a bush that was covered with the spotted lanternflies.  A few neighbors had placed "traps" on their trees and shrubs while others, including myself, had not done so yet.  I had not done so since I hadn't heard of their arrival in my neighborhood until this morning.  I will have to buy some "traps" and place them on my trees as soon as I can.  I will head to the hardware store tomorrow for the lantern fly "traps" to keep the little guys, and gals, from destroying all my shrubs and trees.  They are rather harmless looking and are neat looking bugs that are black with white specks on them as nymphs.  As a nymph they are about 1/4" long and then morph into flying technicolor adults over the summer.  They tend to attach themselves to vehicles or rail cars and transport themselves miles at a time.  They spread so fast since they feed on over 70 species of plants and lay eggs almost anywhere.  In the fall they can ride on thermal currents for miles. The pest originated in China and southeastern Asia and goes through various life stages, and colors, before emerging as a 1-inch long adult with wings.  They are deadly to grape vines. The grape growers have put up a good fight and are finding ways to eliminate them.  Insecticides are an option, but homemade products should not be used.  The state of Pennsylvania has a spraying program, with the active ingredient of the insecticide bifenthrin.  Neighborhoods must be careful not to use products they aren't familiar with, since it could be highly toxic to fish and bees.  Homemade products are illegal in Pennsylvania.  So, for now the little pests look like they have the upper hand.  But...don't we always win these battles.  It's just a matter of time!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "Queen Elizabeth Is How Old!!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Looking at the images that have been projected on the surfaces of Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England.  Each image is to illustrate one decade in the life of Queen Elizabeth of England which is to mark her Platinum Jubilee.  The Queen of England, who is 96 years old, appeared with her family 87 years ago on Buckingham Palace's balcony to mark her grandfather George V's Silver Jubilee.  She is now expected to take the same balcony this week to smile and wave to millions celebrating her 70 years on the throne.  How can she do that?  Wouldn't you think she would be bored to death having to do this all the time?  She's 96 years old...for goodness sake!  I know...I know...the balcony appearance is the centerpiece of almost all royal celebrations in Britain, a chance for the public to catch a glimpse of the family which assembled this week for a grand photograph to mark weddings, coronations and jubilees.  Its been that way every June so that everyone can get snazzed up in their finest uniforms, hats and frocks and gather to celebrate the Queen's birthday.  A military parade, known as Trooping the Color, takes place with the event ending at the balcony.  In 1945 Elizabeth donned her military uniform and stood alongside Winston Churchill to celebrate the end of World War II.  Then, eight years later she wore the Imperial State Crown and regal robes to greet a sea of ecstatic subjects after her own coronation. Wouldn't you think she would tire of all this fancy, schmanzy stuff?  She will now celebrate the family's Platinum Jubilee balcony appearance with only working members of the royal family and their children.  This means that Prince Henry and his wife Meghan, who moved to California in 2020, and their young children will be excluded.  Now that's got to upset quite a few people, wouldn't you think.  And to top that, Prince Andrew will not be on the balcony either, since he has been disgraced by a sex scandal.  Harry and Meghan, known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have said they will fly to the U.K. with their two young children and that they look forward to joining the long weekend of festivities.  The decisions made mean that the queen will be flanked on the balcony today by her 73-year-old heir, Charles, and his wife Camilla; Prince William, the second in line to the throne, with his wife Kate and their three children; and Charles' siblings, Princess Anne and Prince Edward, along with their spouses.  Most everyone is hoping the queen will be present to greet the public and make her public appearance.  Should be an exciting time with all those old people there.  I would certainly fit in!  God Bless The Queen!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Memories Of A Winning Track Team!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a story that was written by "The Scribbler"; better known as Jack Brubaker.  His story dates back to 1942 when the Junior High track and field team of James Buchanan School, which was in the School District of Lancaster, PA. was the best around.  In May of that year the team totally dominated the Junior High division and captured the trophy for winning the most track meets in Lancaster County.  It happened to be the third year in a row that the team won the Junior High trophy.  The trophy sat in the display case at James Buchanan School for years until Wheatland Middle School was built and Buchanan became an elementary school rather than a Jr. High School.  At that time the trophy was moved to Wheatland where it was once again displayed for all to view.  Recently, it was found that Lancastrain James B. McMullin became the last surviving member of the winning team of 30 boys coached by Mr. Fred Engle.  He wasn't necessarily the team's best athlete, but he did compete in the sprints, relay races and the broad jump.  Well Mr. McMullin, now 94 years olds,  recently found out about the trophy and decided he wanted to see it one last time and have his picture taken with it to show his  living relatives.  So, he wrote a letter to Wheatland Middle School asking if it would be possible to have the photograph taken.  Well, time went by and he had no answer.  But, he wasn't forgotten!  Seems the school's resource officer, Scott Neff,  wanted to polish the tarnished trophy before Mr. McMullin came to visit.  He wanted it to be a surprise and wanted to have a photograph taken of Mr. McMullin with the trophy.  In the meantime, Mr McMullin was getting anxious and wrote a letter to the Wheatland Middle School asking more about his request.  He still didn't get an answer.  Eventually the school located a relative who could bring him to the school to where the newly polished trophy was located, and have a few photos taken with him and the trophy.    His daughter, Sandy Bloom, who lives in nearby Manheim Township took him for a ride around town one day and happened to stop by Wheatland Middle School.  Sandy and her dad entered the school and were greeted by Mr. Neff and others, along with the shiny trophy, waiting for Mr. McMullin.  Mr. McMullin stated in a newspaper article that..."They kept it a secret from me.  

Mr. James McMullin looking at the special trophy.
Photo taken by Sandy Bloom

I was just so  emotional."  80 Spring track seasons have passed, but Mr. McMullin still has fond memories of the last team that won all-star team honors.  Memories that have been with him for years and will now be relived once again.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "You'll Have To Bear With Me," Story

It was an ordinary day.  Stopping to drop off a few items at our daughter-in-law's home when we walked towards the rear of their house.  As we reached the rear, our daughter-in-law, Barb, pointed toward a home in the distance, behind the house, and said that they saw a bear recently in the wooded area near the house.  Seems that there had been several bear sightings in the nearby area and Barb said they were afraid of leaving their dogs roam free in their yard for fear the bear might attack them.  Our son and his family live in what is known as Hempfield.  

A sighting in a neighborhood backyard.

There were bear sightings recently in the area and the local TV station had shown photographs of the bear during their newscasts.  The bear was seen walking near a Wells Fargo Bank as well as a Friendly's at the Centerville Shopping Center.  The head cook at Friendly's said he saw the bear checking out the dumpster behind the restaurant.  He must have returned later, since all the leftover food in the dumpster had been eaten.  A few photographs had been taken of the bear in the township, but the police weren't able to locate the bear.  One photo captured the bear near a shopping center while another one showed it along State Route 30 near what is known as Centerville Road.  Barb worries that if they leave their two dogs out in the rear of their house, near the wooded area, that the bear might attack them.  

Another sighting near a shopping center

Multiple sightings had been made the past week of a black bear in West Manchester Township in York County, but that area is across the Susquehanna River and it would be a real chore for a bear to cross the river to the other side.  Black bears are typically found across about 75% of Pennsylvania, however, there have ben confirmed sightings in every county of Pennsylvania according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission.  The Game Commission estimates that there are about 18,000 bears in the state, but that doesn't take into consideration hunting season and new cubs.  According to the West Hempfield Police, the Game Commission has been looking for a black bear for two days.  More than likely it is the bear in question that they are searching for at present.  It was last seen in the areas of Fairview Road, Farmdale Road and Centerville Road near the Hempfield Green Development.  

And yet another sighting in a neighborhood.

This past week a trap had been set in the Centerville area where the bear was last seen.  So, what are the chances they will catch it before someone is hurt?  I guess it depends on the food supply that can be found in dumpsters and trash cans.  Parents with children should be very careful when their children are outside.  The police and Game Commission have given a telephone number to call (1-833 PGC-WILD) 1-833-742-9453 if you might see the bear.  Three photos of the bear have been taken so far at different areas of the township, so the bear is on the move or there is more than one bear.  It is more common for bears to travel in populated areas, since they don't seem to be afraid of humans as they once were years ago.  So...if you live in or near the area, and happen to see a big bear, call 1-800-957-2677.  I will update this story if there is more news about the bear.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "Lancaster's Original Hard Rock Band" Story

Preface:  The story which you are about to read was originally written by Mr. John Earl Hambright. I would love to give you some information about Mr. Hambright, but as of this time, have not been able to find any such information.  So...you will have to read the story knowing that it is more than likely true.  One way or another, it still makes for a good read!

It was an ordinary day.  Typed in the name of John Earl Hambright on my keyboard and hoped for the best.  Did get some rather interesting information, but couldn't document that it was written by or about Mr. John Earl Hambright.  Story dealt with Lancaster's historical monument that sits at the intersection of King and Queen Streets in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  So, my story begins by telling you that there is no harder rock than what came out of Westerly Rhode Island many years ago.  And, there was no harder working rock band 150 years ago than the one from Hartford, Connecticut that consisted of Carl, Jimmy, Danny, Charlie, Frank and Fortunato who were the talented gang that created the forever centerpiece in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  

The rock band, alias workers, who worked on the monument in the center of  Lancaster,  PA

These men and boys, most of whom were born in Italy, worked at the Hartford, Connecticut firm that was first called Batterson's Monument Works and later New England Granite.  This was the group of stone cutters and sculptors that produced the Soldiers and Sailors memorial that has occupied the heart of our fair city of Lancaster since July 4, 1874.  James Batterson was New England Granite's owner. His highly prized white stone came from a quarry close to the sea in Westerly, Rhode Island not far from the Flying Horses -- the oldest continuously operated carousel in the USA -- and, more recently, the beachside home of Taylor Swift.  After Lee's surrender to Grant at Appomattox, orders for Civil War monuments poured into Batterson's from cities and towns all over the North and later the South.  The profits would eventually fund Mr. B's founding of Travelers Insurance company, sponsor of Hartford's iconic PGA golf tournament.  

The sculpture standing in the center of Lancaster, PA

The old daguerrotype was produced as a 3-D stereopticon card Batterson's sent to prospective customers all over the country.  You notice anything familiar?  Look closely and you'll spot one of Lancaster's sculptures.  It's the soldier resting on his rifle which is labeled INFANTRY on the monument in Penn Square.  The statue, which would spend many years guarding the Fulton Bank and Vic the Bookie's soft pretzel stand had just been completed when this photograph was made.  But, then there was a hitch.  Isn't there always?  The rifleman almost didn't come our way.  The financial panic that began in late September, 1873, threatened to put the kibosh on Lancaster's plans to unveil its Civil War memorial on July 4, 1874.  What happened next is the stuff of legend, as you'll learn in the upcoming final episodes  of the continuing story we've been calling LADY IN OUR MIDST.  In the meantime, though, I couldn't wait to share this remarkable picture of the boys in our very first rock band.  Viva, Fortunato!  Or did they call him Rocky?  I never tire of trips to visit the monument to take photographs of it.  Seems that every time I make a new visit, I find something that I hand't seen the time before.  How lucky can I be that my home town, the city known as Lancaster, Pennsylvania had enough foresight to take photographs of the new monument as it took shape in the center of town.  And, if you ever have the chance to visit Lancaster, please make a stop and visit the monument in the center of our city.  Take a photograph and make sure you touch the monument that holds so much history in Lancaster as well as in our state and country.   And, thank you Mr. John Earl Hambright, wherever you may be, for writing the majority of my story today that I have in turn shared with all my readers.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.   

The "Were You Born In A Barnyard?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a story in my local newspaper that reminded me of my friends Jere and Sue.  The three of us graduated from high school together.  The two of them had dated during high school and eventually fell in love and got married.  My wife Carol and I have become good friends with Jere and Sue, who moved to State College a few years ago.  We try to visit with each other from time to time, but visits have been scarce the past few years due to COVID as well as a few medical problems in both our families.  One thing that both families have been doing since Jere and I retired together in 1999 from working at Manheim Township High School, our old alma mater, has been to keep scrapbooks of our vacations we have taken together since that year.  Trips to Hawaii as well as multiple Caribbean islands have filled numerous scrapbooks which are still fun to share when we visit each other.  But, Sue has also kept scrap books of her and Jere's life together which reminded me of the story I read in today's Sunday newspaper.  Story of a fellow named Bob who grew up in Elburn, Illinois which is a farm town of about 600 people.  Corn is the primary crop, but cattle farming also fills the time of most farmers in town.  Bob's birth certificate tells he was born in Copley Hospital in Aurora, Illinois in 1936 as does his passport application.  Seems that Copley is the nearest major hospital, so no one ever noticed the differences in the towns.  But, when Bob's mother died when he was in his 50s, he discovered something quite different.  His mother was buried in a family plot in the cemetery at the south end of Elburn.  The family recently gathered in the basement of the old family home in St. Charles that his parents built and lived in until Bob's Dad retired and moved to a retirement community with his wife.  Bob's brother, Malcom then moved into the home.  As the family was visiting in the basement of the home once again, Malcom appeared with a newspaper clipping he had saved for years in a series of scrapbooks housed on wooden shelves in the basement.  Seems he had saved these clippings for years and years in the basement; clippings from the Elburn weekly newspaper which told the life of he and his family.  Exactly what Sue has been doing for her family since she and Jere were married years ago.  Well, one of the clippings that Malcom produced told the story about his mother, aided by his father, giving birth to a baby boy in the barnyard.  That baby would have been Bob.  He then began to wonder what it would have been like had he known this small fact years ago.  Back in those days, the 1940's and 50's, if a kid left the door open when going out or coming into the house, someone would holler, "Close the door---were you born in a barn?"  If he had known about his birth he could have replied, "No, a barnyard!"  But, recently he did find an opportunity to use his unusual birth story when a hostess at a party challenged her guests to a game where each player wrote down three things about themselves...one of which was not true.  When he wrote down "born in a barnyard," all the other players chose that as his false story.  Needless to say, he had a bit of explaining when he told them it was really true.  So...you have any stories to top this one?  I'll bet not!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Thanks For The Honor Bestowed On My Blog" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting in front of my TV, reading the morning Sunday News with my wife sitting a few feet away from me with her iPhone in her hand, doing some searching on the web.  All of a sudden she said, "Hey...you were picked by Kevin Landis as Best Local History Blogger on the Internet on his Facebook page "Lancaster PA in photos, Video, etc."  I instantly clicked on the link to the site and sure enough, there was his Facebook page which I have been reading daily for years. I have enjoyed Kevin's Facebook page and have used some of his pictures and stories as a basis for the research about topics I have written about. Great that we can both use some of the same antique photographs to tell much the same story, but in different manners and through the eyes of two different administrators. It was back on September 2, 2009 that I wrote my first blog story that I titled "The White Rat." Its was about a box full of white rats that my Grandpap had bid on at a local farmer's market in Lancaster, Pennsylvania for me when I was about 10 years old. He won the bid and my blog became history. Since that first story in 2009, I have penned 4,678 stories about everything imaginable I have encountered in my life. As you may have read, I wrote a story yesterday about my Granddaughter, Camille graduating from high school in nearby Maryland. Most of my stories are history related, thus Mr. Landis' pick for Best Local History Blogger. I'm not quite sure how long Kevin has been publishing his Facebook page about Lancaster's history, but I have made good use of it for a few years. If you might be interested in the history of Lancaster County and surrounding area, check out his Facebook page which you can access at... "Lancaster PA in photos, Video, etc."  I'm sure you will enjoy it if you have any interest in history.  And, you won't find a larger collection of historical photographs of Lancaster County, PA anywhere.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Grandchild #2 Graduates With Honors" Story

Camille receiving her diploma from the H.S. Principal

It was an ordinary day.  Thursday, May 26 and our daughter-in-law Barbara was in the driver's seat.  She had agreed to drive Carol and I to the Mount St. Mary's University's  Knott Area  PNC Sports Complex at Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Maryland to see our Granddaughter Camille Mencarini graduate from Urbana High School.  Urbana High School opened in 1995 and graduated their first class in 1999.  The school was enlarged in 2006 to accommodate a growing population.  When today's seniors were sophomores, the school was designated a 2019 National Blue Ribbon School in recognition of their exemplary student achievement.  This year's graduating class is the 24th for the high school which has traveled a unique path, since during the spring of 2020, they finished their sophomore year via virtual instruction due to COVID.  

Camille receiving another congratulation!

During their junior year they attended classes virtually and in-person.  This past fall they once again began school in person at the high school.  And, today they will again be graduating in person.  Despite the challenges they experienced, they have excelled in academics, the arts and athletics and continue to emulate the Core Values of respect, unity, integrity and pride.  Camille is our "middle" grandchild and second grandchild to graduate from high school with our oldest, Courtney having graduated from Urbana H.S. two years ago.  The major difference between the two graduations is the fact that Camille got to march down the aisle and up on stage to receive her diploma while Courtney's graduation was online due to the COVID virus.

Mom Brynn, Graduate Camille, sister Courtney and Dad Dave.

Carol and I asked Barb if she wanted to go with us to Maryland to see the graduation as well as drive and she was nice enough to agree to go with us to the graduation ceremony.  Took about 90 minutes from our home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania to the campus of Mount St. Mary's.  We arrived at the college about 45 minutes early and had an easy time finding a parking space.  The three of us met our daughter Brynn and son-in-law Dave as well as grand-daughter Courtney outside the Sports Arena and found our way into the building where we headed to the balcony where most of the seating was for visitors.  By 2:00 PM the place was packed as the Prelude began and then the Processional began to Pomp & Circumstance.  

A girl's affair...Grandmother Linda Mencarini, mom Brynn, Camille,
sister Courtney, Aunt Barbara Woods, Grandmother Carol Woods

A "Welcome" and "The National Anthem" followed with an Introduction, Greeting, Superintendent's Comments, Senior Speaker, Musical Selections, Senior Speakers and finally the Presentation of Graduates.  The class of 2022 had 470 members.  The entire program took 1:15 minutes!  Now...they know how to run a graduation!  Everyone was well-behaved and the people in the stands were likewise well-behaved.  This is the type of graduation that is fun to attend.  About 15 minutes later I had the chance to give my grand-daughter a hug and kiss and congratulations for four years of hard work.  Camille was one of 24 class members who received four graduation awards; an award for Highest Honors, an award for National Honor Society; an award for CTC Completer and an award for Maryland Scholar.  She had a fantastic high school career and Carol and I are very proud of all she accomplished in the past four years.  She now will continue her quest to become a nurse.  She already has a head-start with a program she has been working on for the last half of her senior year.  Carol and I couldn't be anymore proud of her than we already are and wish her the best as she progresses through her nursing program.  We headed to a nearby restaurant for an after-graduation meal and then Carol and I hopped in the car with Barb in the driver's seat for our trip back to Lancaster.  We all had a great time!  Next in line will be the graduation of grandchild #3, Caden Woods who will graduate next year from nearby Hempfield High School.  A much easier drive!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "Grandpap And My Trips To Armstrong Cork Company" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Driving south on Prince Street in the city of Lancaster when I drove past my Grandpap's old house at 617 S. Prince St. It was the same house where my mother grew up before she met my dad, they married and began a home of their own.  I never got to know my Grandma since she died when I was a young boy, but I did get to know my Grandpap quite well over the years.  He enjoyed taking me for rides in his car and during those rides he often took me past the place where he worked.  The location that I remember the most was on West Liberty Street which was four blocks from where I grew up as a young boy on North Queen Street.  He often would tell me about Armstrong and the types of products they would make at the plant where he worked on Liberty Street.  He was responsible for creating linoleum products, mostly rolls of linoleum used for flooring.  I recently was reminded of my Grandpap, as well as the cork products that Armstrong sold, while reading a short story about Armstrong Cork Works, which at the time was located on New Holland Ave, east of Plum Street in Lancaster city.  At the time, it was in the early 1920s and cork was beginning to fade as king of the bottle stopper industry.  The Armstrong plant on New Holland Ave. was staffed with mostly women who worked on cork tapering machines.  This particular Armstrong plant began on Plum Street in 1893 by Richard Dodge.  

Corks being made at Armstrong Cork Company.

Two years later the company was acquired by Armstrong Cork Co. and began Armstrong's first local operation.  During the years that followed, millions and millions of cork stoppers were produced until the1920s when the demand for cork stoppers began to decline and new products began to demand more easily applied and less expensive devices.  Armstrong began installing new equipment for the production of crown caps that would eventually lead to the elimination of the machines that are pictured here.  The production of corks was finally discontinued in 1932 and The Cork Works was renamed the Closure Plant.  The Closure Plant still made closures for bottles and like items, but it eventually was used for the manufacture of linoleum for flooring.  As a child, I lived in the last block of North Queen Street which was about a half dozen blocks from the building that ultimately made linoleum.  My Granddad would have me make visits with him from time to time and he would show me how the large rolls of linoleum were made. At he end of the day we would go to his car and he would give me a ride home.  At times we would head to Roots Sale for something to eat, but you probably already read about that in this blog.  Armstrong sold the Closure Plant to Kerr Glass Manufacturing Co. in 1969 when it divested itself of ll packaging operations.  Armstrong is no longer Armstrong Cork Company, and is now Armstrong World Industries.  How much longer Armstrong will still be in Lancaster is hard to tell, but it doesn't look promising that it will be in Lancaster much longer.  As it is said...good things don't last forever.  But, I will never forget my trips to Armstrong to visit my Grandpap!  Memories for me will last foreve! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Keys For The City" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Actually, a beautiful, ordinary day and I thought I should get out and take a few photographs in my hometown, Lancaster, Pennsylvania which is known as the Street Piano Capital of the World!  Guess you didn't know that, did you?  Well, a few days days ago, "Keys for the City" began for the summer with 12 custom-designed pianos that were displayed throughout the city of Lancaster at various hot spots and sidewalk locations which are accessible to the public at all times of the night and day.  And...at these locations are placed pianos which are meant to foster creativity through music and build a sense of community among the public and in the process raise resource awareness for local music and visual arts eduction initiatives.  

Prince St. Garage, 111 N. Prince St., Lancaster

Lancaster's program has been going on for the past thirteen summers, with a brief respite the past few years for COVID.  But, this year the program is in full throttle with 12 pianos in the city and one more in the nearby city of Lititz, Pennsylvania.  My chore for the day was to try and locate all of the pianos and take photos of each one as well as try and play a song on each one.  I was lucky enough to locate all but one piano in Lancaster as well as the one in nearby Lititz.  I took photographs of all that I found and did manage to sit at a few of them and play a tune or two before I headed to my next destination.  My song of choice was "Lady of Spain."  You never heard of that one before?  I used to play that song and sing along when I played my accordion years and years ago. 

LDub playing one of the many pianos.

Actually, 65 plus years ago!  Mr. Sinoppoli, my accordion teacher would have been proud of me for remembering that song after all these years.  Actually, I only know the righthand part since the pianos I had found today didn't have buttons anywhere on them like my accordion did.  At one location today, someone stopped and offered to take a photo of me while I was playing and singing.  

Piano that was in Lancaster's Musser Park at 135 N. Lime Street

Too bad they were too young to remember the song or maybe they might have sung long.  The "Keys for the City" mark the annual return of the "MFE" Street program.  "MFE" means "Music For Everyone" if you didn't already know.  "MFE" is a non-profit with a mission of cultivating the power of music.  The 12 pianos have been been placed at various locations in Lancaster city, with one in the nearby town of Lititz.  They will be available to the public 24/7 until mid-October.  Whether people stop by to play a few notes or join in the music with voices, it still joins people together through music.  

Piano at the Lancaster Arts Hotel at 300 Harrisburg Ave.

The pianos have all been  painted and a few have special themes to them.  Take a look at a few of the pianos and see if you don't agree with me that the artwork is amazing.  If you live closeby Lancaster, please stop by one of the addresses listed below and take a look.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

A better view of the piano I was playing!

Musical locations are: (1) Ware Center: 42 N. Prince Street; (2) Prince St. Garage: 111 N. Prince St. (3) PA College of Art & Design: N. Prince & Chestnut Sts; (4) Lancaster Public Library, 125 N. Duke St.; (5) The Lumber Yard, 555 N. Charlotte St,; (6) Penn Square: 1 Penn Square; (7) Tellus360, 24 E. King St.; (8) Tabor Bldg., 308 E. King St.; (9) Musser Park, 135 N. Lime St.; (10) Wells Fargo Bank, 100 N. Queen St.; (11) Lancaster Arts Hotel, 300 Harrisburg Ave.  PS: There is one more location in nearby Lititz Called Pebbles and Lace which is at 56 E. Main Street, Lititz, PA. 

The "Lancaster's Gilded Age In Architecture" Story

 It was an ordinary day.  Driving through the quaint, little city known as Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  I know that to many, Lancaster is no longer quaint or little, but to me, a life-long citizen of the city of Lancaster, it will never be anything but both of those adjectives.  I recently read a full-page story in Lancaster's newspaper titled "Our Gilded Age" which recalled the downtown Beaux Arts era with included beautiful white facades, strong symmetry, decorative and textured walls and sculptured stonework.  Easy to identify all the photographs that were taken by the author of the story, Interior Designer Gregory Scott.  I had a few hours to kill so I hopped in my car and headed downtown to take a few more photos to further illustrate what Mr. Scott had written about in the Lancaster Newspaper.  Beaux Arts is characterized by order, symmetry, formal design, grandiosity, and elaborate ornamentation. Architectural characteristics include balustrades, balconies, columns, cornices, pilasters, and triangular pediments.  Interiors are typically polished and lavishly decorated with sculptures, swags, medallions, flowers, and shields. Interiors will often have a grand stairway and opulent ballroom. Large arches rival the ancient Roman arches.  It is the showy, almost operatic, manner in which these elements are composed that gives the style its characteristic flavor.  Because of the size and grandiosity of the buildings, the Beaux-Arts style is most commonly used for public buildings like museums, railway stations, libraries, banks, courthouses, and government buildings.  So, take a look at a few of the buildings that call the city of Lancaster home and also illustrate the Beaux Arts era of architecture.  

The Kirk Johnson Building on West King Street. 

The Harolds Building on West King Street

The Hagar Building on West King Street

A department store at 50 N. Queen Street dated 1911

Kirk Johnson Building on West King Street

The old Watt & Shand Building that sits at the intersection of Queen and King Streets.

 

The "Trying To Stay Healthy Is Tough As A Senior" Story

 It was an ordinary day.  Laying on my towel on Orient Beach in St. Martin when my wife said to me, "I just noticed that you have a rash all over your leg up to your waist.  I instantly reached to the back of my leg and felt the rash she was talking about.  It began behind my kneecap and ran to the middle of my back, a few inches above my waist.  It seemed to be oozing, but for some strange reason, I had no pain or itching sensation.  Neither one of us knew what to do, so we just spent the remainder of the day laying on the beach as I tried to keep my leg  covered from the sun.  I did enter the salty sea water in hopes it would make the rash disappear.  It eventually was diagnosed as Shingles by my wife, since she had also recently had them. I should add that a doctor in the nearby town of Philipsburg had no clue as to what it was until my wife suggested Shingles and he agreed with her.  I recently read that Shingles is a serious ailment and you should know the "Sneaky Symptoms" which come with them.  It is one of four serious ailments that can cause serious health problems if not detected quickly.  The others are "Age Related Macular Degeneration", "Dementia", and "Chronic Kidney Disease."  Perhaps you have had one or more of these diseases such as Carol and I have, and were as lucky as Carol and I that you survived them without too much of a problem.  Shingles takes most people by surprise with only general symptoms, such as the onset of unexpected localized pain, chills, fever and a blistering rash on one area of your body.  The virus is more than likely triggered by stress, trauma or a disease that suppresses the immune system.  Seems like just about anyone can get them.  If was thought that if you had chickenpox as a child, you were more than likely going to get shingles also.  But, that's not so.  Early treatment with antiviral medications is important in preventing posttherpetic neuralgia, a burning pain that can occur after an outbreak.  There is a two-part shingles vaccine you can get after the age of 50, and I would suggest you get it if possible.  I was one of the lucky ones who had no bad results except for the awful rash that oozed all over my clothes for a few days.  Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)  is the most common cause of vision loss in people over the age of 55.  This causes part of the retina to become damaged.  Dry AMD is the most common form and occurs when tiny protein clumps called druse build up and cause central vision loss.  Wet AMD is more serious and involves abnormal blood vessels growing under the retina and causing bleeding and damage.  Risk factors are age, family history and being overweight.  What makes it hard to tell if you have it is that we all have two eyes and the disease can affect just one eye and you might not know it.  Vitamins known as AREDS 2 helps slow AMD progression.  About 5% to 8% of people over the age of 65 have dementia which is a general term for memory loss related to many health conditions. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia.  We all will begin to have slight memory loss as we age, such as forgetting the names of people or where you put the ice cream the night before, but these are not serious problems.  Getting lost in a familiar place or not recognizing loved ones are a bit different.  You can be screened for the problem and an early diagnosis is important for establishing a solid support system.  Please don't put it off!  Finally, the kidneys are your body's taskmaster being they remove toxins and excess fluid to regulate bone health.  About 37 million people in the U.S. have chronic kidney disease which puts them at risk for kidney failure.  If your kidneys operate less than 60%, you have the disease.  Those with Diabetes and high blood pressure are most likely to have the disease.  If you have low energy, poor appetite and nausea you may have the disease.  A simple blood test and urine test can help determine if you have the disease. There are treatments and catching the disease early will give you the best chance of stopping further kidney damage.  Well, I hope you have found my story for today a help in staying fit for the future.  You are aging, even as you read my story today, so you are not alone in fighting any of these diseases.  Stay alert for signs your body is sending you.  I wish you the best and a healthy life. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Smokey The Bear Is Lost Once Again" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sunny with a chance of reaching 95 degrees today.  And...if that's not enough, we have to watch out for a big black bear roaming the neighborhood.  A few days ago our daughter-in-law, Barbara, called to tell us that she had sighted a big black bear ini her neighborhood in Hempfield Township which is about a 15 minute drive from our home in Manheim Township.  She was leaving their dogs out in their backyard when she saw something unusual for the neighborhood.  A big black bear!  She managed to get the dogs back in the house before they saw the bear...or the bear saw them... and began calling everyone to tell them about the bear.  Well, wasn't long before we heard from another person about a black bear who was spotted near Lancaster's channel 8 station on the Columbia Pike which is a good 10 minutes from Barb's house.  So, the bear is on the move!  

A young black bear was seen in Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Then we heard that the Pennsylvania Game Commission had placed a trap between the two sightings in hopes of capturing it and moving it to a safe place.  The newspaper later claimed that the bear was sighted near a Wells Fargo bank as well as Moe's and Friendly's at the Centerville Shopping Center.   Hey...the bear knows exactly where the food is located!  This is the biggest news we have had for quite a few days in Lancaster.  But, the last thing we need is for the bear to see a small child playing in one of the local neighborhoods.  Back in 2019, wildlife conservation officers spotted a black bear in the city of Lancaster.  It eventually captured it in the backyard of a home on West Chestnut Street in the city.  Where do these animals come from and how do they get the entire way across the city of Lancaster before someone catches them?  That particular bear was captured and released on State Game lands in Lebanon County.  I know that Lancaster County is known as the Garden Spot of America, but how do these bears find out about it.  Could someone have a pair of bears as pet in their backyard who mated and the cub escaped the back yard?  Someone will eventually catch the bear or perhaps it will find its own way to the State Game lands.  Everyone just has to hope that it doesn't grab a young child before it gets captured and released into the wild.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Winning The Big One With One Of My Former Players!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Friday morning and I had just returned from the end of my driveway with the morning newspaper. One of the first things I do, after feeding our two cats...Snickerdoodle and The Gray Lady, is to read the LNP morning newspaper.  Now, I assume, since I never read it anywhere, is that LNP stands for Lancaster News Paper.  If not, it should!  Anyway, my three favorite parts of the newspaper are the front page that usually has all of the big news on it, the obituary page which has stories and photographs of all those who won't sadly be reading the the big news anymore, and the sports.  My story today deals with the later of the three.  The headline, about halfway down the page told it all...CROWNING NEW CHAMPS.  Story's sub-head read "Streaks reach goal" and directly under it told how the Blue Streaks, the teams nickname, buried the memory of last year's season when they beat the team from Ephrata 11-2.  Last year the team was 20-0, but lost in the quarterfinals of the league playoffs.  Both my sons played for Township with my oldest son helping the team win the playoffs and making it part-way through the State playoffs before losing.  Another player whom I coached years ago was a young man named Matt Kirchoff who happens to now be the head coach of Manheim Township's high school team.  Matt was one of my best players years ago and led us to the Lancaster County "New Era" Championship which is the highlight of the summer season for Lancaster County baseball players.  He was one of the best players I every coached during my 20 some years of coaching Little League baseball.  Seems he has transferred most of his knowledge of winning baseball games to his players.  Last year I went to a game at the Manheim Township field to watch my grandson Caden, who plays for neighboring Hempfield High School, when I heard someone out yell to me.  It was Matt yelling and waving to me as I was watching the game.  Never had the chance to visit with him after the game, but it was nice to know I still must have looked the same to him after all these years.  Great to see that Matt is teaching his players some of the same things I taught to my teams from the past.  So glad that Matt's teams have been so successful over the years and I'm sure his players have benefited from having someone like Matt coach them.  They have a few more games to play before they can claim the State Title, but with a bit of luck they could become State Champs.  Good luck to Matt and the "Blue Streaks".  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Matt Kirchoff is on far left.