The "Enjoying A Trip To the Grocery Store As Well As A Story in The Fishwrapper" Story

My wife and I recently went to a grocery store known for years as Stauffers of Kissel Hill which is a local, owner run, grocery store that has done well and now has several locations in the Lancaster, Pennsylvania area.  Each store is much the same as the other and sells the exact same items in each store.  My wife and I usually visit the same store every week, since the ride is through the countryside and parking is easy.  One item that I enjoy that I make sure I pick up every time, no matter what location it maybe,  is a free copy of "The Fishwrapper" which is a 16-page pamphlet that has a somewhat religious theme to it.  The 8 1/2" by 11" pamphlet has a variety of stories that are fun and interesting to read as well as quite a few local advertisements.  One recent story I enjoyed was titled "Living Life to the Fullest".  I have passed it along to you today to see if you too might enjoy it.  So......here goes:

A professor stood before his philosophy class with some items in front of him.  When the class began, he wordlessly picked up an empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.  He asked the students if the jar was full.  They agreed that it was.  The professor then picked up a box of small pebbles and poured them into the jar.  He shook the jar lightly.  The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.  He asked the students again if the jar was full.  They agreed it was.  The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.  Of course, the sand filled up everything else.  He asked once more if the jar was full.  The students responded with a unanimous "Yes."  The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, filling the empty space between the sand.  The students laughed.  "Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided.   "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.  The golf balls are the important things --  God, family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions.  Things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.  The pebbles are the other things that matter, like your job, your house, and your car.  The sand is everything else, the small stuff.  If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.  The same goes for life.  If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are really important to you.  "Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.  Honor God in all you do!  Play a game with your children. Take your spouse out to dinner. There will always be time later to clean the house, fix the disposal.  Take care of the golf balls first, the things that that really matter.  Set your priorities.  The rest is just sand."  One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.  The professor smiled.  "I'm glad you asked.  It just goes to show that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a cup of coffee with a friend." 

If you live in the Lancaster, PA area...the next time you pass one of the local Stauffers of Kissel Hill stores, stop and see if you don't enjoy shopping in the store and then on the way out, pick up your free copy of "The Fishwrapper."  I'm sure you will enjoy both your shopping experience as well as your copy of "The Fishwrapper."  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  PS - one final note from my latest Fishwrapper...Just a warning if you're buying a watch on Amazon.  I learned the hard way that if it says you can swim with it on, this only applies if you can already swim without it!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Life In The Good Ole Days" Story

It was an ordinary day.  A very ordinary day back in the year 1955.  Reading a magazine that had a section devoted to a variety of different years in the United States history.   I picked one of the years to share with you so  you could envision what it was like years ago.  Now, for some of us, myself included, the year 1955 wasn't that long ago for us.  I was 11 years old at the time and in grade school at Milton Brecht elementary school in the Manheim Township School District.  My teacher that year was Mrs. Ryder, the mother of one of my school friends, Randy.  Another of my friends was Jerry Herr who lived a few blocks from my home on the last block of North Queen Street, a stone's throw from the Lancaster Train Station.  Funny, but I just talked to Jerry a few days ago, asking how he was doing and how his wife Sue, another graduate from High School with us, was doing.  We talked a few minutes about all our ailments and then wished each other a 'Good Bye!' with a promise to talk again next week.  As far as the year 1955 goes, well...some of the top TV shows that year were: The Lawrence Welk Show, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, Gunsmoke, Cheyenne, Mister Peepers, The 64,000 Question, I Love Lucy, The Ed Sullivan Show, You Bet Your Life, Dragnet, I've Got A Secret, and My Little Margie.  A few movies that I can remember from that year were: The Man With The Golden Arm, The Trouble With Harry, Kiss Me Deadly, and Rebel Without A Cause.  A few of the prices of items that I can remember were: Postage Stamp was $.03, a gallon of gas was $.29 cents, a pound of bacon was $.65 cents, a loaf of bread was $.18, coffee was $.93 a pound, eggs were $.61 a dozen and milk was $.92 a gallon.  A few other items I can remember were the Salk polio vaccine was approved, President Eisenhower suffered a heart attack and Vice President Nixon served in his place, the Salk polio vaccine was approved by the FDA, and Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat to a white passenger and is arrested, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott.  I also remember watching  Elvis on TV, Disneyland opened at Anaheim, California,  the first McDonald's opened, and James Dean died in a car accident at the age of 24.  So where were you in 1955.  Perhaps just a thought in someone's mind.  Can you remember what it was like when you were 11 years old?  Where did you live, go to school, etc.  Fun to go back in time, especially since I can still remember most of what happened in 1955.  Now if I had picked 1943...well, I too was only a thought in someone's mind at the time.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Tick Spit Can Cause Food Allergies" Story

It was an ordinary day.  And, if you thought a few of my latest stories were scary...wait until you read today's story!  All began with the headline in my morning newspaper that read "Tick spit can cause food allergy!"  Seems that there are more than 100,000 people in the United States that have become allergic to red meat since 2010 because of a weird syndrome triggered by tick bites, according to a government report recently released.  But health officials believe that many more have the condition and don't realize it.  But...seems that a second report estimated as many as 450,000 Americans have developed the allergy.  That would make it the 10th most common food allergy in the United States.  Health officials, as of now, are not aware of any deaths, but many people with the allergy have described it as bewildering and terrifying.  One person with the allergy said that they never connected it with any food since it was hours after eating that it occurred.  The reaction called alpha-gal syndrome, occurs when an infected person eats beef, pork, venison or other meat from mammals or ingests milk, gelatin or other mammal products.  It is not caused by a germ but by a sugar, alpha-gal, ...and tick spit!  When the sugar enters the body through the skin, it triggers an immune response and can lead to a severe allergic reaction.  Scientists  have seen the same reaction in patients taking a cancer drug that was made in mouse cells containing the alpha-gal sugar.  In 2011 researchers first reported that it could be spread through tick bites, also.  They tied it to the lone star tick, which despite its Texas-themed name is most common in the eastern and southern USA.  One study examined US test results from 2017-2022 and noted the number of people testing positive rose from 13,000 in 2017 to 19,000 in 2022.  Experts say cases may be up for a variety of reasons, including lone star ticks being suspected more and more and more doctors ordering tests for it.  A second study was a survey last year of 1,500 U.S. primary care doctors and health professional.  The survey found nearly half had never heard of alpha-gal syndrome, and only 5% said they felt very confident they could diagnose it.  That information was used to estimate the number of people with the allergy at 450,000.  Those with the syndrome can experience symptoms including hives, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, severe stomach pain, difficulty breathing, dizziness and swelling of the lip, throat, tongue or eye lids.  Some patients have only stomach symptoms, and the American Gastroenterological Association says people with unexplained diarrhea, nausea and abdominal pain should be tested for the syndrome.  Doctors counseled people with the allergy to change their diet, carry epinephrine and avoid tick bites.  The allergy can fade in some people, but it is best to avoid being re-bitten.  The tick bites are central to this since they perpetuate the allergy.    It is also best to avoid eating red meat and dairy products.  Try to make sure you read packaged food labels and avoid foods that could trigger a reaction.  Just so you know...not all doctors are knowledgable about this.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "How Do We Make It End?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  That is until I turned the page of my morning paper and read the headline on page A8 of the Nation & World page.  The story I began reading was titled Schools lack armed staffers!  Article tells the story of a young boy named Journey Jones who is 10 years old.  He was going back-to-school shopping with his mom recently when he asked his mom for a bullet-proof backpack to protect him in case of a shooting.  "It could happen anytime," he told her.  How sad it has become if students in elementary schools in the United States feel safer in school if they have a bullet-proof backpack.  The boy is only 10 years old!! The boy's mother was a former police officer and didn't like that the school where her son attends, Lovejoy ISD, utilizes a school marshal program that allows school staffers to be armed.  Anyone can carry a gun in hand, she said, but training and experience is necessary when it comes to using it.  What happens if school personnel who are carrying a weapon mishandles it or it gets into a student's hand?  Accidents can happen...you know!  Seems that more teachers, administrators and others outside the law will be carrying guns when school is in session because of a new state law requiring armed personnel on every public school campus starting this coming September 1.  Can you believe that!!  It is a state law!!  They said that the change represents legislators' most signifiant response to last year's Uvalde School massacre, where 19 children and two teachers were killed at Robb Elementary School.  A nationwide police shortage and lack of significant new funding has schools throughout Texas struggling to hire additional staff to protect campuses that don't already have school resource officers, namely elementary schools.  To meet the new law, more Texas school districts are considering teachers and other employees to be school marshals or guardians, which allow staff to be armed.  I taught high school in the state of Pennsylvania for almost 35 years.  Never did I fear for my life during that time.  I actually was the coach of the high school rifle team that had 17 high school members who came to rifle practice every day during the winter months and practiced firing a rifle at a target in the high school rifle range which happened to be under the high school stage.  I was the coach for five years and not once did I worry about someone trying to shoot the .22 rifle at another person on the rifle range.  Perhaps I should have been worried!!  A few years ago the schools that were part of the rifle league of teams in Lancaster County changed from using .22 bullets to using air rifles which were less harmful that live ammunition.  Perhaps they suspected what could happen with live ammunition and made the change before something did happen!  The Plano administrators acknowledged at a recent school board meeting that "fully trained, on-duty police officers" are the best option.  However, at a huge cost, it's just not feasible to hire what the district needs to cover 49 campuses.  So...is arming an entire platoon of school teachers and administrators the answer in Texas?  I have no idea what they can do for better protection.  I'm so glad I have retired from teaching and don't have to worry about it anymore.  I only feel bad for those involved in education in the United States who have to worry that someone may enter the school with a weapon and open fire on hundreds of students, teachers and adminsiraors.  Will it ever end?  And, how do we make it end?  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "This Story Is Hard To Believe - Part II" Story

It was an ordinary day.  After getting over the shock of a single Topps 1952 Mickey Mantle baseball card selling for $12.6 million, I continued through the next few pages of my magazine to see what other items might have sold for unbelievable amounts of money.  I found a 1939 Superman No. 1 comic book that sold for another large amount of money.  Story read like this:  In the 85 years since the golden age of comic books truly took flight, no world saving figure has ever touched the cred of Superman, the hero who really started it all in 1938's Action Comics No. 1.  Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster's visitor from another planet inspired some of the most enduring entertainment franchises, including George Reeves' TV portrait in the 1950s, and Christopher Reeve's films in the 1970s and '80s.  While Action Comics No. 1 has always been in demand, the Superman No. 1 comic book, released one year later, has even more fully captured the imagination of current collectors.  Beyond its great beauty - the cover, with the Man of Steel touching down upon a tall building, with glorious yellow background - it's the rarity of the book that truly sells it.  And it's even more rare to find one in great condition.  That's why one issue, graded a mighty high 8.0, sold privately in 2022 for an amazing $5.3 million.  Given that the comic cost 10 cents in 1939, that investment would buy you a ton of kryptonite.  Well, I found just one more item that I would have loved to add to my collection of items I have.  It was a Hot Wheels "Redlines" with a story that read:  Hot Wheels have been raced in many households for over 50 years without losing popularity. One reason why the toy cars are always getting swept off shelves is because their price has always hovered around affordability.  Mattel debuted the "Redline" toy car line in 1968.  It was known as this because on every wheel was a literal red line.  EBay has original Redlines listed for usually around $2,000-$8,000.  So, have you any Hot Wheels in your toy chest that you would be willing to get rid of for...say a couple of thousand dollars.  Hard to believe that people will pay the price that they do for some collectibles, but they do.  I guess some people really do have more money than they know what to do with.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "This Story Is Hard To Believe - Part I" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting in my lounge chair reading my latest copy of the magazine known as "REMIND!"  Magazine features stories, items, etc. from the past.  Love going through it to get another chance to look back into history to see items from my childhood as well as more recent items.  The first story inside the cover, after the Table of Contents, was a story titled "They're Over The Top".  First page began with a paragraph that read....San Francisco private detective Sam Spade, played in 1941's The Malte Falcon by Hollywood legend Humphrey Bogart, holds in his hands the black enamel statue of a bird.  He'd been led to believe that it is worth more than he could possibly imagine, but it's now been found to be a fake.  "What is it?" a local police detective asks of the weighty sculpture.  Spade ponders what might have been, and then, he utters one of the most famous lines in movie history. "The stuff that dreams are made of."  It's hard to imagine a better description for the sky-high-level collectibles that occasionally sneak into the market and fire our imagination with big-money prices.  Who knows what might be sitting in our own attics?  You can bet that if something like any of these most valuable items ever are up there collecting dust, you'll be wealthy once the dust settles.  Well, one of the first items that was introduced to the readers of the magazine was a Topps 1952 Mickey Mantle Baseball Card.  Remember the Mick?  The story about the card went like this..... That was essentially the scenario when renowned New Jersey baseball  card collector Alan "Mr. Mint" Rosen got a call in the 1980s from someone in Boston who claimed to have his father's mint condition collection of 1952 Topps cards sitting around.  At first skeptical, Rosen later bought them all...some 5,500 cards...for $125,000 after taking a look and realizing the guy was right:  The cards were in perfect condition.  Specifically, the Mickey Mantle card, an item treasured by hobbyists and fans, was judged an eye-popping 9.5 out of 10 from grading company SGC, and Rosen quickly sold it for $1,000, only to buy it back years later, selling it again for $40,000 to Anthony Giordano in 1991.  The card is a beaut: "The Mick" with a face full of resolve, foretelling a banner season ahead.  And "banner" well captures the path this baseball card took as it mirrored the climbing market.  In August 2022, Giordano and his sons sold the card they'd held on to for decades through Heritage Auctions.  The haul: an astonishing $12.6 million.  And...so ends the story!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "Bringing Back Memories Of Times Past At The Beach! Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading about the weather in Key Biscayne, Florida.  The headline of the story I was reading stated "It's so hot even the water doesn't refresh!"  Story begins by telling readers that in the sweltering summer heat, no one tries to cool off by jumping into a hot tub.  In parts of Florida, however, that's what the ocean has felt like.  I can remember when I was a young child, going to Crystal Beach in Maryland with my Mom, Dad, brother Steve, Aunt Doris and Nannan (my grandmother).  The weather was much like it is today...so hot it's hard to walk on the beach without burning your feet.  And...the water was so hot it wasn't even refreshing.  You had to go far out into the water to even feel cool water.  That was in the state of Maryland, not Florida!  Well, seems like that is what it is like all up and down the Eastern seaboard the past few days.  It has been a sweltering summer and the water in parts of Florida feel just like it did back in the 1950s in Maryland.  Earlier this week the sea surface temperatures reached 101.2 degrees F around the state's Southern tip in Manatee Bay.  It was reported that there was no difference between the humidity of the air and going into the water.  It was like trying to cool off by jumping into a hot tub.  Luckily a storm finally came through which helped the water temperatures drop down to the high 80s.  We humans naturally look to water for a chance to refresh.  But, when water temperatures get too high, some of the appeal is lost.  When it's hot, the body cools down by sweating, which evaporates and releases heat.  Dipping into the ocean is typically refreshing because heat efficiently transfers from your body into the water.  But as water temperatures climb, that effect diminishes and you lose less heat less quickly.  A stretch of ocean water hotter than body temperature reverses the transfer of heat into your body.  That's not a pleasant experience on a sizzling, humid day no matter where you may be.  It would feel like you are swimming in soup.  High temperatures anywhere make swimming less pleasant.  Now, if you are in a pool instead of the ocean, you could always throw a few ice blocks into the water to cool it down.  Plus...you could set up some fans to create your own flow of air which may make the experience a bit cooler.  One way or another...if the water temperature is too hot, swimming in a pool, or the ocean, is no fun at all.  Sure hope the temperatures of both the air and the water drop in the near future.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Left In The Dark About Toxic Trains!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  That was until I began reading my latest Sunday Newspaper.  Shortly after I turned to the Sunday "Opinion" page of my Sunday News, I began to do some figuring. Went like this.... how far am I from the railroad tracks that I cross perhaps a few times every day?  Then I began to get worried.  And...how far is my new home at Woodcrest Villa from those tracks?  The title of the story on the "Opinion" page read "Left in the dark about toxic trains."  Seems that trains that run on about 135 active miles of rail in Lancaster County can at any point be carrying hazardous material according to Lancaster news reporter Ann Rejrat.  But, getting real time information on those materials is nearly impossible because in a post-9/11 environment, railroads aren't required to share that information.  Reporters for Lancaster Newspapers and TV station WITF sought detailed information about train cargo from 12 central Pennsylvania counties.  Only three of those counties said they had lists of specific chemicals being carried by trains.  None had real-time information.  That secrecy means emergency responders might not know what hazardous materials they're dealing with until they reach the scene, and that there is no single, consistent way to find the information at the scene....all of which could slow response time or put them in danger!  If that's not scary enough...I sometimes cross those tracks several times each day when I go to the grocery store, doctor's offices and a variety of other stores every day!  And...then I began to do some calculations...and I really became alarmed.  I might possibly live within the distance that can be harmful to myself and my wife if a hazardous material leak might happen on one of those trains!!  And, not only me, but the entire Woodcrest Villa development.  And, then I began to think about all those homes that are within a stones-throw of the railroad tracks!  The newspaper article said that they requested information about the hazardous materials that are carried on the trains and exactly how harmful the hazardous material might be and how far it can travel in distance of the tracks if it would spill due to a train accident.  Seems there are about 115,000 households within a recommended evacuation distance of the railroad tracks!  If something awful did happen, what would those 115,000 households do?  Would emergency responders be able to reach the area?  And, if they could reach the area...would they help...not knowing what to expect?  When you have an event such as a train derailment...that's bad enough, but to throw a couple train cars filled with hazardous material on top of that...well, you just know something bad is going to happen.  And, I live within that area!!  My wife and I moved to Woodcrest Villa about 9 months ago and never gave living that close to the railroad tracks a thought.  Maybe I have nothing to worry about...but...!  The newspaper story read...It seems ludicrous that railroad companies are not required by law to make that information available to emergency responders.  The reason for the secrecy---that information might fall into the hands of those intent on causing maximum harm---doesn't seem adequate, particularly as one of the lessons of 9/11 was the critical need to be prepared to deal with unthinkable catastrophes.  And, the state of Pennsylvania only requires county officials to compile hazardous commodities transportation lists every five years.  At least Lancaster County requires a list every other year.  Trains must carry a manifest, or train inventory, that must be kept within arm's reach of the train's engineer.  But, if the train's engineer is injured, that wouldn't be of much help.  I did read that the state of Pennsylvania has now proposed a bill that to transport hazardous material on a train, a manifest must be carried on the train.  Yeah...yeah...yeah!!  Here's hoping that.....It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Proud To Be A 'Blue Streak' All My Life" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a sad story in my morning newspaper that was titled "A Bright Light," which was a story about a young man named Lucian Li who was a graduate of Manheim Township High School, my alma mater!  The name "Lucian" in Latin means 'light shines' and Lucian's father, Eric Chen-Ta Li, wanted his son to be just that.  Lucian was born on November 1. 2003 to Eric and Sarah Popdan Li in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  Li went on to live up to his name, impressing coaches, teachers and even strangers whom crossed his path during his short lifetime.  Then, on July 18, Lucian died as a result of an automobile accident in Chester County caused by a wrong-way driver.  Former teachers, coaches and administrators told about Lucian and his outgoing personality and ability to relate to strangers as well as friends.  "He was a bright light in a lot of people's lives," as stated by his high school football coach Mark Evans.  Another of his high school teachers, Lance Wagner, said that, "He could have done anything."  Lucian was known as a goober which is a slang term for goofy, and is used to describe Lucian in an obituary written by his mother.  He was a standout athlete whose athletic career was somewhat limited due to concussions.  He did run cross country  where he was known for sprinting at the start of a race to get in the front of the pack before his teammates passed him as he began to tire.  An article in the Lancaster Newspaper reported that legend had it that Lucian once did cartwheels for the majority of the race while trying to bring levity to those around him.  His basketball team coach said he was great for the morale of the team.  Lucian began playing lacrosse in sixth grade and later became a two-time Lancaster-Lebanon lacrosse first-team all-star at long-stick mid-fielder for the Manheim Township varsity squad.  Lucian was bilingual in English and Chinese, studying biology at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio.  He talked about maybe working for UNICEF or Doctors Without Border.  Chen-Ta Li said the family is taking some comfort in knowing his son's organs were donated, giving a second shot at life to others, including someone in New York who received his heart.  The motorist who caused the accident died at the scene.  In the wake of Lucian's death, his father created a GoFundMe with the intention of using the money to create a scholarship in his son's memory.  The fundraiser has now surpassed $77,700 as of this past Friday.  Lucian's legacy will live on in the scholarship, just as it will in the hearts and minds of others on whom he made an impact.  I never knew Lucian, but years ago was part of the Manheim Township student body and later as a teacher and coach at MTHS.  I too have children and grandchildren and can only imagine the pain that his family is going through.  A few more prayers will be sent along to Lucian and his family.  God Bless You All!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Are Ants Harmful To The Garden?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading an article in my LNP that was titled "Are Ants Harmful To The Garden? Usually Not!"  A sub-head continued with..."But they sometimes harm aphids and protect pests from predators, which can imperil the plant."  The story was written by Associated Press writer Jessica Damiano.  She began by writing...I replanted some of my containers last week, swapping out dead pansies for petunias, which will better withstand the heat as summer progresses.  As I  removed the spent plants from their pots, a swarm of ants immediately covered my bare arms.  Seems that wasn't the first time that she disturbed an ant's nest in her garden. But, each time she disturbed the ants, they immediately covered her bare arms!  I guess if I were an ant...I would do the same think, also.  Well, when she did disturb the ants, each encounter ended with her racing into the house, removing her clothes as quickly as possible, placing then directly in the washing machine and hoping in the shower.  It is not pleasant to stumble upon a colony of ants, but are the tiny little insects actually harmful to our plants?  Myths abound as to that particular question.  I've heard gardeners attest that peonies won't bloom without ants.  That is simply not true!  In reality, ants and peonies share a mutually beneficial relationship: Peony buds exude a nectar that attracts and feeds the ants, who in return protect the plant from insect pests.  Now...this doesn't refer to carpenter ants, fire ants or leafcutter ants which can pose serious threats to structures, people, and plants.  If you would notice leaves on a plant turning black and, upon inspection, find an army of ants on its stems and foliage, it's not the ants that are damaging the plant.  They're innocent bystanders whose presence indicates that the plant is infested with aphids, the real threats in this scenario.  After they suck the sap from the plant, aphids excrete a sweet, sticky substance called honeydew, on which black, sooty mold tends to grow.  The ants are attracted to the honeydew and eat it without harming the plant.  The common yellow ant actually "corral" aphids to a plant's root zone to protect the aphids from natural predators like ladybugs.  That ensures the survival of the ants' literal sugar daddies, who provide a continuous supply of food but can imperil plant roots.  Ants dabble in pollination, break down organic matter, eat the eggs of some harmful pests, and are a food source for birds, frogs and insects higher up the food chain.  They also tunnel through the soil, creating air pockets that deliver oxygen to plant roots and improve drainage.  That tunneling also moves seeds through the soil, which is necessary for the propagation of self-sowing plants, including wildflowers.  Ants are like a sanitation crew.  When there's a dead bird or mouse, they are among the first to reach the carcass, competing for resources with the filth flies, and that reduces the number of flies that carry disease and visit your potato salad.  If you would happen to spot both aphids and ants on a plant, it's probably best to wash them off with a stream of hose water.  That way you will be sure that the plants will survive.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "The Era of Global Boiling Has Arrived! Will It Be The End Of All Of Us???"

It was an ordinary day.  Just got back from the grocery store and finished putting the groceries away.  Told my wife, Carol, that I was going to head across the drive to check and see if we got any mail before I began helping run the vacuum in our villa.  Returned as fast as I could since it was so hot that the grass is beginning to break off when I walk on it.  That, plus the bottom of my sneakers are beginning to get so soft from the driveway that I swear they are about to melt while on my feet.  We don't have an outdoor thermometer, but I bet the temperature outside is close to 100 degrees and the temperature of the blacktop I was walking on has to be close to 120 degrees.  And...that's with a layer of puffy white clouds in the sky.  I guess the story I just read in my morning newspaper must be true!  The morning headline by the Associated Press Science Writer, Seth Borenstein,  read "Scientists calculate July will be the hottest month on record!"  I can remember my dad telling me when I was a young boy how hot it was when he was a child during the summer months.  Well...I can now tell my children that the summer months are the hottest that it has ever been.  And, I have an article from the newspaper to prove my claim!  A bit of information from the newspaper article read that July has been so hot thus far that scientists calculate that his month will be the hottest globally on record and likely the warmest human civilization has ever seen, even though there are several days left to sweat through.  And, to top that off, the World Meteorological Organization and the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service on Thursday proclaimed July's heat is beyond record smashing.  They said Earth's temperature has been temporarily passing over a key warming threshold: the Internationally accepted goal of limiting global warming to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit.  Temperatures are 2.7 degrees warmer than pre-industrial times for a record 16 days this month, but the Paris climate accord aims to keep the 20- or 30-year global temperature average to 2.7 degrees.  A few days of temporarily beating that threshold have happened before, but never in July.  July has been so off-the-charts hot without waves blistering three continents - North America, Europe and Asia - that researchers said a record was inevitable.  The U.S. Southwest's all-month heat wave is showing no signs of stopping while also pushing into most of the Midwest and East with more than 128 million Americans under some kind of heat advisory this past Thursday.  It is almost certain that we will break the record for the warmest month on record.  Scientist say that such shattering of heat records is a harbinger for future climate-altering changes as the planet warms.  Those changes go beyond just prolonged heat waves and include more flooding, longer-burning wildfires and extreme weather events that put many people at risk.  Climate Change is here.  It is terrifying.  And, it is just the beginning!  The era of global warming has ended; the era of global boiling has arrived!  The reason that setting new temperature records is such a big deal is that we are now being challenged to find ways to survive through temperatures hotter than any of us have ever experienced before.  Soaring temperatures place ever increasing strains not just on power grids and infrastructure, but on human bodies that are not equipped to survive some of the extreme heat we are already experiencing.  It's no accident that the hottest July on record has brought deadly heat waves to the U.S., Mexico, China and Southern Europe; smoke-causing wildfires and heavy floods world-wide, said Imperial College of London climate scientist Friederike Otto.  Pay attention everyone!!!  OR..... IT MAY BE THE END OF BOTH YOU AND I!!!  And, in that case...it really doesn't matter where you heard it first!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "A Visit From Friends" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Standing in front of my home at Woodcrest Villas, helping a neighbor with her boxes of trash which seemed to be overwhelming to her.  Just as I had finished helping her, my friends Hal and Jeff pulled into a parking space across from my front door.  I knew they were coming and ushered them into my home for some friendship as well as information.  Jeff and Hal were returning from a visit with another good friend, Barry, who taught Industrial Arts with the three of us for many years at Manheim Township School District in Neffsville, Pennsylvania.  They stopped at Woodcrest Villas so Jeff could see what the villa that Carol and I have been living in for over half a year might be like.  Seems he and his wife may also be interested in moving to a retirement home sometime in the future.  Carol ushered both Jeff and Hal around our home and then we sat down for some refreshments before they had to leave.  Hal and I have both been retired for some time now and thoroughly enjoy retirement living.   Jeff was a student at Manheim Township in both my classes as well as Hal's classes.  Jeff later began teaching at the Industrial Arts Department at Manheim Township after graduating from Millersville University.  Each one of us had taught a variety of Industrial Arts classes when we taught at Manheim Township School District.  I took Jeff around our villa so he could see the size of the rooms and how much of his furniture could be accommodated in a villa the size that Carol and I have.  Not sure how soon he might want to move into a villa, but he now has an idea as to the size of one of the units that can be found at Woodcrest Villas.  Wasn't long before Hal and Jeff departed and headed home.  The longer Carol and I live at Woodcrest, the more visitors we entertain so they too can see what retirement living might be like.  We are glad we made the move, but still miss features we had in our last home on Harrington Drive in Manheim Township.  Over our married lifetime we had shared three homes together and we have fond memories of all three.  Our main reason for our last and hopefully final move was due to maintenance and upkeep on our last home which was beginning to overwhelm us.  At our villa we have the best employees to help us if and when we might need help with something.  You will see how much that means when you reach retirement age.  Maintenance is a phone call away when we need help!  Fantastic help I must admit and we have told all our friends about how much we enjoy living our lives without all the chores needed to keep our house in good condition.  We have never regretted our move to retirement living.   It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Sighting A Hudsonian Godwit at Middle Creek" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Grabbed the morning newspaper and began searching the paper to see what might be happening in good 'ole Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  There on page A7 was a bird I had never seen before.  The rare bird was known as a Hudsonian godwit.  Not sure if I had ever seen one before, but was getting a chance to see one now.  And....It was the only one on Middle Creek!  The newspaper said that the bird was last seen in the county in September of 2019 on the Conejohela Flats, a group of islands in the Susquehanna River near Washington Boro.  Before that date, the last sighting of the bird was at Middle Creek nearly 40 years ago.  Seems that every few years, one shows up somewhere in the state.  The Hudsonian godwit is about 14 to 17 inches tall with long legs, neck and bill. They're a type of shorebird that feeds on mudflats, using their bill to pluck out invertebrates to eat.  The Hudsonian godwit migrates from the tip of South America to the northern part of North America, and has one of the longest migrations.  The bird that was seen at Middle Creek was said to perhaps be a failed breeder that's just heading back out a little earlier than normal.  It was said that the Pennsylvania Game Commission deserves the credit for the bird being in the area and shows that they create an inviting habitat for birds of all types.  Anyone caring to see the bird in Pennsylvania can visit the eBird website run by the Cornell lab of Ornithology at bird.org.  Those that manage and take care of the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area should be complimented on the fantastic work they do to keep the wildlife in the Middle Creek area.  If it wasn't for that group, the Hudsonian godwit wouldn't even be in the area.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

                                                        

The "A Heartbreaking Story In Today's Newspaper

 It was an ordinary day.  Saturday, July 22, 2023 and I just sat down to read my morning newspaper.  Same usual stories on page one about farmer's 'grieving' after floods that we have been having in Lancaster County.  Another story tells about Pennsylvania's jobless rate falling 3.8% in June and another story telling about local Lyme disease cases reaching a high.  The biggest headline reads "ALL SET TO BEGIN" and tells the story of area schools announcing when their academic years will start.  Oh, yeah....schools will begin in another month!  As I turn the page I am hit with a few stories on page 3 that are both interesting as well as disturbing.  One story reads "SOUNDS OF SUMMER" which is a story about Lancaster's nonprofit "Music for Everyone" which features monthly free concerts across the downtown area of Lancaster.  The story gives a link to a site that will tell you where the concerts were and will be in the near future.  A large photograph features the group "band 3" which performs at the Pennsylvania College of Art & Design's Art Park during the summer months.  A few other stories also appear on page 3 that are rather disturbing.  One headline reads: Defendant in shooting death waives hearing," and tells the story of a man who will face homicide and weapons charges in the May killing of an East Hempfield trailer park.  The final story on page 3 is a rather unusual one.  It tells the story of a "Wendy's" manager who is charged with theft.  Seems that a young woman named Linda admitted to fabricating an employee and collecting his wages for herself.  Haven't heard that one for years!  Seems the "Wendy's" manager has been accused of stealing nearly $20,000 from her employer by fabricating a "ghost" employee who appeared to clock in and out for close to a year.  Police said the lady worked as a general manager of the Wendy's in Manheim Township when the owners of the franchise called police to report fraud.  The owners said the woman created an employee who never actually worked at the restaurant, and she was personally collecting that employee's wages.  A forensic audit showed the ghost employee made $19,898.15 over 22 pay periods.  The woman manually entered 128 shifts.  Only the manager could have done that if it wasn't the actual employee.  Manheim Township Police said that the person's name that was used by the women is a real person known to the woman.  The woman admitted creating the work profile and giving him shifts he never worked.  The money she had posted to her own account was used to care for her children.  The woman was charged with one count of theft by deception.  Her whereabouts are unknown and a number was listed that you could call if you had any information.  How sad the story is to read.  The woman is more than likely poor and needed the money to raise her children.  I know...that's not a good reason to steal, but how heartbreaking to think that now that woman will not be around for her children when they need her the most.  I'm so glad that story was the last story on the page, since I wasn't ready for any more stories such as that! It was another extraordinary story in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "A Tribute To Musician Tony Bennett" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Saturday, July 22, 2023 and the headline on page A11 of my Lancaster Newspaper read "Masterful musician dies at 96."  Wow!!  If you haven't heard or read about  it by now, that masterful musician was no one other than Tony Bennett.  Tony was the eminent and timeless stylist whose devotion to classic American songs and knack for creating new standards such as "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" graced a decades long career that brought him admirers from Frank Sinatra to Lady Gaga, died Friday, July 21.  He was the last of the great saloon singers of the mid-20th century who said that his lifelong ambition was to create "a hit catalog rather than hit records."  He released more than 70 albums, bringing him 10 competitive Grammies, all but two after he reached his 60s, and enjoyed deep and lasting affection from fans and fellow artists.  Tony was said to be...A tenor who sings like a baritone!   Lancaster County fans of the late singer had to travel to see him perform, but occasionally he performed nearby.  In 1955, at the beginning of his career, he performed at the Ephrata Legion Park.  An advertisement in the morning Intelligencer Journal listed the August 14 concert as "rain or shine".  At that show, Tony shared the stage with Claude Thornhill and his orchestra.  Ever hear of Mr. Thornhill?  It was decades before he returned to the area.  He did perform in the 1980s and 1990s at the Valley Forge Music Fair which was a venue in Devon, Chester County.  In 1987, just as he was making a comeback, he played two shows at the Hersheypark Amphitheater as part of the park's Fourth of July celebrations.  In September of 2008, in his 80s and still going strong, Bennett performed at the Whitaker Center in nearby Harrisburg.  He did return to Lancaster County in 2011, performing at the American Music Theater on June 25.  Prior to that show, the Lancaster newspaper interviewed Bennett about his lengthy career and his dual creative passions of singing and painting.  "There are a lot of similar principles between singing and painting," he said.  "You need to know what to leave in and what to leave out, balance and tone.  But I had gotten some very good advice from Duke Ellington, who told me it was better to do two creative things than just one, so I really began to work on my painting very seriously."  Tony returned a few more times to the America Music Theatre in subsequent years, mostly in 2018.  He did release one final album in 2021 titled "Love for Sale," which featured duets with Lady Gaga on the title track, "Night and Day," and other Porter songs.  Tony would go on to win Grammys for his tributes to vocalists Billie Holiday and Duke Ellington.  He also won Grammys for his collaborations with other singers: "Playin' with My Friends" and "Bennett Sings the Blues.  What a life he lived!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.   

The "Can Anyone Be That Good?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading my Sunday News with one of my cats lounging on my chair with me.  Made my way through the multitude of Sunday News sections until I came to my favorite...the "Sports" section.  The lead story immediately caught my eye!  It read "Kurtz eyes top spot in '24 draft".  Story was about a young man by the name of Nick Kurtz who has been picked by Baseball America to be picked as the No. 1 pick in this year's Major League Baseball draft.  Wow!  Someone from Lancaster is going to get a big payday in the near future.  As I began to read the article, I realized that Nick is the son of my daughter Brynn's friend, Marie, whom she went to high school with a few years ago.  Marie went on vacation with us a few times when she and Brynn were in their pre-teens and early teens.  And now...her son...might be picked as the #1 Major League Baseball pick in the country!!  How neat is that!  As I continued on in the story I read that Nick's baseball coach in high school was a fellow named Matt Kirchoff.  Matt Kirchoff!!!  Hey, I coached Matt when he was a young boy playing Little League Baseball with my son Tad!  As I continued on in the lead story, I began to feel that perhaps I had something to do with this young man being such a good baseball player.  Maybe he held his bat the way that I had taught Matt and whom might have passed that on to Nick!  Nick was an all-Lancaster-Lebanon League Section One selection for the Manheim Township Blue Streaks as a high school freshman.  His brother, Brandon, was an assistant coach at Township and his dad Jeff, pitched at William Paterson University in New Jersey.  Matt Kirchoff said in the newspaper article that "When he'd get in the batting cage, you could see the power.  At the same time, he's always been a tireless worker."  After Nick's freshman year at MT, he transferred to the Baylor School, a boarding high school in Chattanooga, Tennessee.    This past year, as a college sophomore at Wake Forest College, he hit .353 with a .527 on-base percentage and a .784 slugging percentage.  When he was a freshman in 2022 he led the Atlantic Coast Conference in batting average (.422) and on-base percentage and .784 slugging average.  Nick is a 6 foot 5 inch, 235 pound left-handed hitter and thrower and considered a very good defensive first baseman.  But his defense is second behind his great offense!  The website Prospects Live calls him "A mountain of a human being, the offensive profile is scary good!"  I never had the chance to meet or coach Nick, but, as the Lancaster Newspaper finished their story about Nick, they wrote...It's easy, and tantalizing, to imagine what's coming next.  Move over Babe!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.         

The "Playing The Game Of Pool!" Story

It was an ordinary day. Just finished my lunch and watching the noon news on WGAL-TV. Told my wife I was heading up to the VIVA Center to play a couple games of pool with a few of the new friends I have made since moving to Woodcrest Villa in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  She wished me "Good Luck" as I grabbed my "pool glove" and headed out the door.  The VIVA Center is few blocks from our Villa, so I can walk the distance without too much trouble.  I began playing pool when I was about 12 years old and my Aunt Doris had just married a fellow who happened to have a full-sized pool table in his basement.  Uncle Paul was a fantastic pool player who enjoyed showing me how to play the game.  That was over 60 years ago, but I can still recall some of the tips that he gave to me when we visited his home on West Chestnut Street in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  Woodcrest has a few beautiful  pool tables on the second floor of the VIVA Center which look to be fairly new, since they have been taken good care of by those that use them on a daily basis.  When I first began to play pool at Woodcrest  I met a few gentlemen who had been playing for quite some time based on how good they were at putting the ball into one of the six pockets on the felt tables.  I introduced myself and before long I began to feel like one of the guys who play on a daily basis.  Both gentlemen, Ned and Jerry, were good with all phases of the game and gave me quite a few tips, even as I watched them play against one another.  We would play game after game after game of eight-ball, with the winner of each game taking on the fellow who happened to be sitting out the previous game.  If you aren't acquainted with the game of pool, eight-ball is played with one white "cue ball" and 15 numbered balls - including one black "8-ball."  One player is trying to pocket the solid-colored balls ("solids," numbered 1-7) while the other player tries to knock in the striped balls ("stripes," numbered 9-15). A player cannot sink the 8-ball until he or she has pocketed all of the appropriate balls (stripes or solids).  The first player to pocket the 8-ball wins the game.  Took me a few days of losing games before I began to win a game or two each day I played.  I must admit that the main reason I did beat either Ned or Jerry was because they were giving me tips during every game I played against them.  Perhaps the day will come when I actually win a game without any helpful hints from my opponents.  I can tell I am beginning to get better at playing 8-ball, but will require a few more months of playing the game before I can feel that I won a game without any help from my opponents.  Thanks guys for all the help you have given me as I begin to understand  the game of pool once again.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "How Ben Beat The Counterfeiters" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading an article in my local newspaper that was written by David Hamilton and was titled "How Ben Beat The Counterfeiters."  The story told how one of our founding fathers, Ben Franklin, laid security groundwork in printing the US paper dollar.  If you have been reading this blog for the past eight years, you might remember that I taught Industrial Arts at Manheim Township High School with my main courses being in the Graphic Arts and Printing.  I realize that Ben was so busy as an inventor, publisher, diplomat and U.S. founding father that it's easy to lose track of his accomplishments.  Well, if you haven't heard, Ben was an early designer of paper money to try and stop the constant threat of counterfeiting.  He was an early innovator of printing techniques that used colored threads, watermarks and imprints of natural objects such as leaves to make it harder for others to create knockoffs of his paper bills.  A team at the University of Notre Dame has shed light on his methods using advanced scanning techniques that reveal some of Franklin's methods in greater detail.  His research was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and describes data gathered with techniques such as spectroscopy and florescence tests which use light to identify elements such as carbon, calcium and potassium in test samples.  The reason for doing all this research was to learn about the materials that Franklin used and his network of printers and how they served to distinguish their bills from cheaper copies.  The researchers examined why Franklin used watermarks in printing bills to stop others from copying them.  Franklin also used "nature printing" which was a technique by which he transferred the detailed vein patterns of tree leaves to printing plates.  Franklin made it as hard as possible to copy his own methods when he used paper with dyed threads in his techniques.  Eventually, the Revolutionary War brought on such a surge of counterfeiting that the U.S. Government shunned paper bills for decades in favor of coinage.  It wasn't until the Civil War in 1861 that the federal government first authorized the printing of dollar bills called "greenbacks."  The features of those bills were colored threads.  These bills remain in use today, but in a more modern form.  Today's currency features "a security thread" which is a vertical band embedded in bills worth $5 and more that fluoresces under ultraviolet light.  Did you know that?  Give it a try sometime so you can see it for yourself.  Pretty neat how Ben beat the counterfeiters!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "Ready For A Visit To St. Martin/Sint Maarten To Catch Some Rays & Visit With Friends" Story

It was an ordinary day.  My dear wife and myself were recently counting all our blessings we have accumulated during our marriage.  We have three wonderful children with three fantastic grandchildren and quite a few loving pets along the way.  We also have had the chance to travel to many locations in the world.  A few of our favorite beach locations have been the Chesapeake Bay Area, the Jersey Shore, Hawaii, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  We also have enjoyed trips to Virgin Gorda and Tortola in the British Virgin Islands as well as our most favorite vacation spot...St. Martin/Sint Maarten.  St. Martin is the French side of the island while Sint Maarten is the Dutch side of the island.  Carol and I have made over a dozen trips to St. Martin/Sint Maarten during our married life and we haven't yet crossed it off our travel list for the near future.  We love the island because of the beautiful beaches, fantastic food and the super friendly people that live on the island.  The Capitol of French St. Martin is Marigot while the Capitol of Dutch Sint Maarten is Philipsburg.  We have made many friends during the many visits we have taken to the island.  We have been renting from a fantastic young woman named Magali who lives in the Orient Bay Area.  She knows the size and location of the places we enjoy staying on our trips.  We have been renting locations in the Orient beach area for over a dozen or more years.  But, one of our favorite island destinations each vacation is a trip to the Dutch side to visit with long time friend Barbara Cannegeiter who is originally from the Williamsport area of Pennsylvania.  We always make sure we get to visit with Barbara on each trip we make to the island so we can get a chance to talk with her as well as visit with Anna, her pet macaw, and her two dogs Scarlett and Amber.  We always enjoy giving her the news from the States as well as getting her island news.  Due to Covid, we haven't made any trips to St. Martin for over three years now.  We are hoping to get a chance in the near future for one more visit.  Our favorite past-time while on the island is visiting with old friends as well as making visits to Orient Beach where the sun always seems to shine and bathing suits are optional!  A vacation to French St. Martin is never complete without a trip to the beaches where you never have to worry about tan lines.  Carol and I are hoping we will get at least one more trip to St. Martin/Sint Maarten to visit with friends and get our vacation overall tan.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "Ever Feel Like The Day Can't Get Any Worse?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Told my dear wife that I was going to take a drive to downtown Lancaster to take a few photographs of the place where my dad went to school to learn his trade of being a watch maker.  I recently posted a story about Bowman Technical School which was in downtown Lancaster at the corner of East Chestnut and North Duke Streets.  My dad was a student at the school after he had returned home from serving his country in the United States Army.  He learned just about anything and everything needed to repair any type of watch or time-piece that existed at the time.  After learning his trade, he managed to get a job about a block away from Bowman Technical School at a watch and jewelry store on West Chestnut, about two blocks from center-city Lancaster.  Store was known as Meiskey's.  I can still remember my dad taking me with him to Meiskey's on week-ends to show me what he did and to have me help him do packaging of customers items that had been sent to Meiskey's for repair or cleaning.  Well, I decided to make a visit to the new Bowman's to see if it was still the same as it was back in the 1950s and 1960s.  A story had been published a week ago in the LNP newspaper telling about the new opening of Bowman's and I just had to see the interior of the building.  Found a parking space and parked my car.  Hopped out of my car and began the half-block walk to the corner of West Chestnut and North Duke.  As I reached for the front door, I realized the place was dark!  Sign on the front door told me, and anyone else who may have wanted to see the new store, that the business will not open for another few weeks.  After all the stories and photographs published in the newspaper about the new Bowman's Jewelry Store opening this week, and now this!  I know it will open sometime in the future, but I was as anxious as anyone to see what the interior of the place looked like and if I might have known anyone who worked there.  Oh, well!  I guess I can wait another week or two.  Headed back to the car and decided to stop at the horse barn which is on the property of Lancaster's Long's Park on the Harrisburg Pike.  It's on my way home anyway...so it's not out of the way.  Thought I would take a photograph or two of the horses that are housed at the Lancaster Police horse barn that is part of Lancaster's Longs Park which is half-way between my new home at Woodcrest Villas and downtown Lancaster.  Wound my way through the park, parked my car once again, and headed to the barn.  When I went to enter the area where the horses are kept, I rang the bell and was told no one can have access to the horses anymore.  Well, I seemed to have struck-out today, so I got back in my car and headed back home.  My wife asked me why I'm home so early and the result is this story that I am sharing with you today.  Needless to say...there are no photos to share with  you showing the interior of the new store or photos of the horses.  At least I got to use my laptop and exercise my fingers!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.