ONE FOUL BALL!

     WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 2024

           ONE FOUL BALL!

     For those who didn't already know,

this is  "National Foul Ball Week!"

When you go to a ballgame and a

foul ball comes your way the natural

instinct is to try to catch it or grab it 

after it lands and then you get to keep 

it!  But that hasn't always been

the case! Up until 1921 if you got a 

foul ball the team made you give it

back! But on May 16th of 1921 a

31 year old businessman, Reuben

Berman, went to the Polo Grounds to

watch the Giants play the Reds. He

caught a foul ball that came his way.

But when an attendant came to retrieve

the ball he tossed it towards other

spectators. Nobody knows who ended

up with the ball. But we do know that

Berman was escorted from the ballpark!

He got his ticket price back but he said

the team had humiliated him. So, he

sued the Giants for $20,000! The case

ended up in the Supreme Court. Berman

won! Bu he didn't get the $20,000, The

court awarded him $100. Still the team

realized that if each foul ball into the

stands cost then $100, it was cheaper

to let the fans keep the balls! So head

on out to the old ball game and if you

should happen to grab a foul ball, you

can thank Reuben Berman! Hope you

do, that you're well, and that all your

NEWS is good

  

PICK YOUR STEP!

      TUESDAY, MAY 14, 2024

         PICK YOUR STEP!

  It's May 14th and a great day to

celebrate. This is  "Stars And Stripes

Forever Day!"  That famous march

was written on Christmas Day

in 1896 by John Phillip Susa! And

it was first preformed in public on

May 14th of 1897 in Willow Grove,

Pennsylvania near Philadelphia.

Perhaps a serenade would be in

order? If you're not the "marching type:

there is an alternative to consider.

You see May 14th is also "National

Chicken Dance Day!" Whichever

you choose celebrate and dance

(or march) to the music! Have a great

time either way and may all your, NEWS

be good!

HOP TO IT!

   MONDAY, MAY 13, 2024

              HOP TO IT!

    Well friends it's May 13th and the
big day is finally here.
     This is Frog Jumping Day!
     What do you mean you've never
heard if it? It's always celebrated on
May 13th!
      Frog jumping can be traced
back to Mark Twain's first short
story "Jim Smiley and his Jumping
Frog."
      There are places where they
have Frog jumping contests every
year on this date! And they can last
for hours.
       We almost had a frog for a pet
one time. My wife captured a
tadpole from an area street and
brought it home in a large glass jar.

It got to the next
stage of development but then it
croaked Too bad. We could either be
entering some jumping contests
today or enjoying Frog legs!
          Well, anyway, now that you're
aware of this unusual holiday I
expect you to celebrate! If you don't
have or can't get a frog you'll probably
just have to hop around all day!
             Hope you enjoy the holiday
and that all your NEWS is good!
       

TODAY'S "OTHER" HOLIDAY!

       SUNDAY, MAY 12TH. 2024

TODAY'S "OTHER" HOLIDAY!

Most folks are celebrating Mother's Day

today and rightfully so. But there's

another holiday to observe today.
May 12th is one of those unofficial holidays
most people don't know about but I figure it's
my job to keep you informed. It's odometer
day! The odometer is that little cluster of
numbers right below your speedometer
that tells you how man miles your vehicle
has traveled since it was built.
The odometer has been around a long time!
There are records showing a primitive
odometer type device being used during
the Roman Empire. Makes you wonder if
pre owned chariot dealers rolled the things
backwards to take off a few leagues!
When I started driving, which was not in
chariots by the way odometers had only
5 digits. We all longed for the day we'd
hit 99,999 miles then drive one more
to set everything back to zero. It was
like having a new car!
Now-a-days the odometers just keep
rolling along, much to the disappointment
of many used car dealers.
 Anyway if you'd like to celebrate the
occasion I'd suggest a drive along the
block at least to turn over a digit or
two. In light of the stay at home
advisory I hope you won't go too far
and that all your NEWS is good. 

REMEMBERING ED LEAR!

    SUNDAY, MAY 1

 REMEMBERING ED LEAR!

  Welcome to May 12th everybody.

It's Limerick day! This particular

date was selected because it is the

birthday of writer Edward Lear who

was famous for his limericks. The

word Limerick comes from Limerick,

Ireland. Realizing this was the day I

quickly tried to compile one of my

own. A Limerick is usually a humorous

verse of 5 lines, the last one rhyming

with the second. So, I offer mine in

celebration.

   I know this in Limerick day.

  But I can't think of just what to say.

  My mind's in a fog.

  But to finish this Blog.....

  Hope your NEWS is all good on this day!

   

 

A GREAT DAY TO CELEBRATE!

    SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2024

A GREAT DAY TO CELEBRATE!

    If you're looking for a reason to

celebrate you've come to the right

day! May 11 is loaded with unusual

"holidays!" It is, for instance, Miniature

Golf Day. It's also National Windmill

Day and National Baby Sitter's Day.

But there are two special observances

scheduled today that may spark your

interest. I'm sure they will for the

young! This is "Eat whatever you want

Day!" Forget the diets and labels. Forget

whether it's good for you or not. Just eat

what ever you want! May night is also

"Stay up all Night Day! And, when

you think about it, if you eat whatever

you want (and as much of it as you

want) you are very likely to find

yourself celebrating "Stay up all

Night Day" too! Well, whatever

you're celebrating, I hope you

enjoy yourself and that all your

NEWS is good!  

THE SENIOR CLASS!

   

    FRIDAY, MAY 10TH., 2024
           THE SENIOR CLASS!
    I know. You're probably thinking

this is all about graduation. Well it's

not. At least not exactly. You see May
is "Older American's Month." You

know. "Seniors!"
    I'm certain I'm one of those older
Americans but I'm not exactly sure
when I, or you, or anybody qualifies
for the category.
    When I was a kid I was pretty sure
somebody was "old" when they were
in their 40's or 50's.
     My timeline for that observation
seemed to increase as I aged.
      I know there was a time when
the term "Senior Citizen" was used
to describe anybody over 65. But my
AARP magazine now makes note
of personalities who attain 50 years
of age or above. If they're 50 I'm still
calling them "kids!"
     Remember all those Senior Citizen
Centers? Now a days they're "Active
Older Adult Centers."
     Whatever we "older Americans" are
being called I appreciate the fact we're
still around. As our former Pastor used
to remind us, "Everybody wants to get
to Heaven but nobody wants to leave
today!" I agree!
     Hope those of you who are older
Americans are enjoying this month
and your life and that all your NEWS
is good!

MISSING!!

  THURSDAY MAY 9, 2024

             MISSING!

     Yesterday was "No Socks Day."
Today we should all pause for a moment
to observe "Lost Sock Memorial Day."
      I'm sure that most of you, like me,
have witnessed that moment when you're
placing your freshly washed socks into
their drawer when you suddenly find
one lone sock without a partner!
       I have three separate piles in my
sock drawer. One is for almost new
socks. One is for those with holes in
various spots (that's the largest stack).
And one with, well, just one sock.
      I tend to believe this phenomena
is more masculine then feminine but
I'm not sure why.
      It has been suggested you spend
some time today searching for that
missing sock. As little time as possible.
      It's also been suggested you toss
the single sock if its mate can't be
located but I'm not one to give up
hope.
      I know it will turn up somewhere
someday! So I'll probably hang on to
my single sock just in case.
      Hope you've got all your socks
in order and that all your NEWS is
good!

  

  

FREE YOUR FEET!

     WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 2024

       FREE YOUR FEET!

   This is "No Socks Day!" 

Supports (of the day, not the socks)

say it is a day to free your feet from

the confinement of socks and

stockings. A day to expose your

feet to fresh air. A day to walk

through the grass barefooted!

I complimented our grandson

for observing the day but he

didn't even know it existed! He

said he just happen to be swimming

and doesn't usually wear socks

when he's in the pool! No wonder

mine are always wet!!! Hope you

take the time to go sockless today

and that all your NEWS is good!

P.S. Watch where you step!

WHO DO YOU KNOW?

   MONDAY, MAY 6, 2024

    WHO DO YOU KNOW?

  It's May 6th friends. The beginning

of "Update Your References Week !"

Good references are very important.

They are people who know you, know

your work history and ethics, and are

willing to vouch for you and your

character! I haven't thought much

about references or resume's since

I retired. But I recently signed on

to the "Linked In site" which

connects people in similar

professional fields. One of the

benefits offered is a list of

current job opportunities. 

Initially it got me to thinking

about the fact my resume'

hasn't been updated for years.

I'm always had a list of prominent

individuals willing to speak up

for me. But the only way to reach

most of them these days would be

to hold a seance!!! Maybe my

wife would.......no....on second

thought that probably wouldn't

work! Perhaps I'd better just

stay "retired!" Hope your

references are up to date and

that all your NEWS is good!  

TO INFINITY, AND BEYOND!

     SUNDAY, MAY 5, 2024

 TO INFINITY, AND BEYOND!!  

 

  May 5th is "National Astronaut Day"

in honor of  the day in 1961 when Alan

Shephard became the first American in

space.

      Although many of you may not know

it I count myself as a true pioneer of the
space program!
    I have an extensive history of looking
into space. I did a lot of it in school. I
called it research. Various teachers used
some other descriptive terms.
    Truth be told my interest in outer
space probably started with those glow in
the dark stars that were pasted on my
bedroom ceiling.
    Then, there was Flash Gordon and his
arch enemy...Ming The Merciless! Now
there's a real villain's name! I watched
those chapters on TV as often as I could
get away with skipping Sunday School.
They always ran on Sunday mornings.
     Next, I enlisted in the Rocket Ranger
Corps! It was a television series about
space and I even got an official Rocket
Ranger shirt! My wife tucked it away in
one of our closets waiting for the day I'm
called back to active duty.
   I still remember our song...well at
least the last part. "From the sands of
Mars out to the distant stars, we're the
Rocket Ranger Corps!"
    Lest you think all of my space activities
were limited to movies and TV I think it
only fair to tell you I was trying to launch
a rocket into the atmosphere long before
NASA!
    I had a red rubberized rocket that was
suppose to lift off with pressurized water.
    It worked. But not to my satisfaction.
    So, being a sort of "Scotty" of my time
(Star Trek people will understand) I tried
using a Cherry Bomb as the power
source.
     I don't know exactly how high the
rocket went. But I do know I saw some
stars!
     The authorities (in this case my
parents) prohibited any further
experimentation on the proving grounds
(my back yard) and so, my career hopes
were dashed! At least at that time.
     I still find myself staring into space.
     And I'm pretty sure I still have that
red rocket packed away somewhere around
here! Now, if I can just find a Quarter Stick,,,,
who knows have far I can go?!

      

GRUMPS KEEP OUT!!!

  

     SATURDAY, MAY 4, 2024

      GRUMPS KEEP OUT!!!

   This is May 4th. It's also "Grump

Out Day!" We all see enough grumps!

They're out there every day just waiting

to cross our path. So, this unusual holiday

was set aside to ignor everything grumpy

and replace it with everything positive

you can think of! Maybe some jokes.

Maybe a call to and chat with an old friend.

Maybe work on a project you've been thinking

about. This is a day for smiles. Not for Grumps!

So spread some cheer and enjoy a "grumpless

day!" That way all your NEWS is sure

to be good! 

CLASSICS FOR THE KIDS!

      FRIDAY, MAY 3, 2024

    CLASSICS FOR THE KIDS!

 This week is "Children's Book Week!"

I should point out there's another in

November too. It may surprise you

to know it is the longest running

literacy initiative in the country

having been started in 1919! It's an

effort to get kids involved in reading

at schools, libraries, and at home

and encourages adults to partner with

the children by reading to and with 

them. It's time to pull out the old

classics like the Little Red Caboose

and the Little Engine that Could. I

have a small collection of children's

books that I share with our grandkids.

I've alls written some kids stories

featuring a character I call Prince

Claude. A bumbling monarch who

goofs up everything he does and

makes a mess of things. Of course

my wife is convinced those stories

are actually my autobiography!

Hope you and your kids or

grandkids will do some reading

and that all your NEWS is good!

TRAPPER DAVE

    THURSDAY, MAY 2, 2024

           TRAPPER DAVE

   I've been "on the hunt" lately

and, I must say, with some degree

of success! I have captured 5 skunks

over the past month. How do you

capture a skunk you may ask?

Carefully. You set a trap, place the

bait inside, then cover the trap. The

cover keeps the animal calm and

the trap prevents the skunk from

raising its tail to be able to spray!!!

Now, however, there is a new

concern. I have a mouse. The 

trap won't work on mice. So I

set out to find, rather than build, a

better mouse trap. I found several 

at a local market but they all

work on the same principal. A

sticky surface on a small pad

can literally trap the mouse in

his, or her path! But...what do you

do with a rodent trapped on a sticky

pad? I wasn't very impressed

and elected to go with a old fashion

trap that will dispatch the mouse

very quickly! Hope to get rid of

it by the time you read this! Hope

you're mouse and skunk free and

that all your NEWS is good!

  

 

THE EGG AND I !

      WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2024

          THE EGG AND I!

  Welcome to a brand new month!

The month of May. And here's 

egg-actly how to enjoy it! Have an

egg!  It's no yoke, I mean, joke! You

see May is "National Egg Month."

This sometimes underrated

food can be very beneficial for you!

Eggs can improve your muscle strength,

brain function, eye health, and even

help you with weight management!

And there's so many ways to enjoy

them. You can have them scrambled,

over easy, even hard boiled. So begin

the month with some eggs! You're

bound to feel "sunny side up!" Hope

you do and that all your NEWS is

good!

A WARD OF OUR OWN!

   TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2024

    A WARD OF OUR OWN!

    Well my wife made it home on

our Anniversary! Sort of! She was

allowed to leave the hospital where

she has been fighting pneumonia

but she remains a patient as part

of a new program that brings the

hospital into your home! An

electronic system sends all of her

vital signs to a 24 hour monitoring'

station in real time. She wears

what amounts to a transmitter on

her wrist and she's hooked up to

an oxygen system which can be

regulated here depending on her

needs. Two nurses set up the

"DeCosmo Ward" and explained

all the apparatus and set a

schedule of tests she will administer

herself. There's a table with a built

in Zoom connection to a doctor 

who can brief her whenever

needed. All she needs is an in

house nurse. Looks like that might

be me! A day or two of that could

find her reapplying for a room in

the hospital! Still, there's nothing

like healing at home! Hope you're

all well and that all your NEWS

is good!

the   

CELEBRATING!

 MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2024

        CELEBRATING!

  It's April 29th my friends and

as of today my wife, Leona, and

I have been married 55 years! I

has some thoughts about ways to

celebrate this past weekend and

into today but my wife was a bit

under the weather so we had to

come up with other options. I

had one I thought would be perfect

for her! I checked her into a plush

resort overlooking Wyoming

Valley. She was escorted there

in a sort of "limousine" and

her her own private room 

waiting. Three delicious meals

every had and "servants"  coming

in and out all the time to address

any needs she might have! The

staff is very friendly and 

attentive. The place is called

Geisinger Wyoming Valley.

The only "problem" is the

fact that the reservation is only

for one. That left me at home

to cook my own Spam, do the

dishes (I'll get to them), and

feed the fish. I'm sort of hoping

she checks out soon so we, that

is both of us, can enjoy an

anniversary celebration! Hope

you've got something to

celebrate and that all your NEWS

is good!

READING IN RHYME!

    THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

         READING IN RHYME!

   This is one of those "unusual holidays" I

truly enjoy! April 28th is "Great Poetry

Reading Day." I like poetry! My Mom was

a very good poet. Her verses were gathered

together by my Dad but never published.

They probably should be. And I have done

some poetry writing on occasion. I thought,

in view of this special "holiday: I'd share

one of mine with you! It;s called Grandpa's

Cheeks.

Well that's my contribution for "Great Poetry Reading Day."

Get yourself some poetry, I surely wish you would. And

until we meet tomorrow, I hope all your NEWS is good!

TIME FOR A RHYME!

    SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2024

           TIME FOR A RHYME!

    This is "Poem In Your Pocket Day!"

April is National Poetry Month and each

year one day during the month is picked

as Poem In Your Pocket Day. It's a day

to encourage poetry reading and to share

pomes in person or on line. In honor of

the day I've decided to get serious and

share one of my pomes as part of my

Blog. I've written a number of poems.

Tow have been turned into songs and

I won a poetry contest aboard a train

in Canada a few years back. Today I'd

like to share a poem I call "The Stories

My Picture Tell." Here it is:

   The Stories My Pictures Tell

   I find myself looking at photos

   of times that I call "used-to-bes."

   They carry me back to days now long gone.

   And revive loving memories.

   Some that I see show small children.

   That now stand much tallen that I.

   Some are of family no longer around

   that may well bring a tear to my eye.

   All make a treasure more precious than gold. 

   But don't lock it away in some case!

   They're meant to be shared and meant to be seen

   So those memories cannot be erased.

    Take new ones whenever the chance comes along.

    So that someday when "this time" is old,

    Others may look at the memories you've shared,

    And learn from the stories you've told.   

    My photos will be here long after I'm gone.

    Please look at them once in awhile.  

    Remember the Love that went into each one.

    Then remember me too, with a smile!     

    If that's too calm for you keep in mind I'm

also the guy who wrote:  "Little Birdie in the

cage. How I wonder what your age.......is."

I call that blank verse. Enjoy Poem In Your

Pocket Day and may all your NEWS be good!

TWIST AND SHAKE!

    TWIST AND SHAKE!

FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024

        No! This is not a new dance!

It's April 26th and I had to make

a decision. You see I found two

unusual "holidays" listed for this date.

Rather than skipping one I found a way

to observe both. I'll give each one a

theme song! For the first I've selected

Chubby Checker's "The Ewist!" You

see it's National Pretzel Day amd who

hasen't enjoyed one of those double

twisted hard pretzels at one time or 

another. The first were baked right

here in Pennsylvania by Julius Sturgis!

We'll kick off our second holiday 

observation with Elvis's "All Shook Up."

April 26th is also "Richter Scale Day!"

It marks the birthday, in 1900, of Charles

Richter, the man wgo invented the scale

by which the strength of earthquakes

are measured! Which ever, if either,

you are observing, I hope you're well

and that all your NEWS is good!

 

THEY'VE GOT YOUR NUMBER!

      THURSDAY, APRIL 25,2024

  THEY'VE GOT YOUR NUMBER!

  Yesterday I told you about the first

family to make a cross country car

trip from California to New York  It

was 1908 so there's a good chance

they had a license plate on their

Packard even if they were from

California. New York was the first

State to require license numbers on

cars. As a matter of fact it happened

on this very date in 1901! But while 

the State required license numbers, it 

did not provide the license plates! That

was up to the car owners! Some painted their

numbers on pieces of wood or even

on the side of their vehicle! Imagine

how that system would work in

Pennsylvania today where the State

allows motorists 280 choices for license

plate categories! It's also one of the

States that only requires a license plate

on the back bumper. Easier to spot a

get away car than one heading towards

you I suppose! At least we know license

plates serve a good purpose in Florida.

You can always tell when its Fall in the

Sunshine State!

The license plate colors change there

like the leaves do here! All the plates

from "up north" start showing up there!

Hope your registration is up to date

and that all your NEWS is good!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

ROAD TRIP!!!

     WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 2024

                ROAD TRIP!       

   April 24th is a big day in automotive

history. On April 24th of 1908 Mr. and

Mrs. Jacob Murdock and their children

set out in Jacob's Packard in an attempt

to become the first family to travel across

the United States by car! Their trip began

in Los Angeles and their destination was

New York City. They made it! The trip

took a total of 32 days, 5 hours and 25

minutes! An amazing accomplishment.

But just imagine poor Jacob hearing

"Are we there yet?," for 32 days, 5 hours,

and 25 minutes!!! Hope your travels are

fun and that all your NEWS is good! 

JUST KEEPS ROLLING ALONG!

   TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2024

BLOGGING ALONG TOGETHER!

       You need a license for
all kinds of things these days.
       I have a Driver's License,
a Fishing License and what you
might call an "Artistic License!"
       On April 22nd., 2011,
in a moment of insanity, I
decided to begin a Blog!
       I had officially
retired from the main stream
media. But I still had a desire
to write and had seen others
fulfill that ambition with a
blog. I wasn't sure if it would
be a weekly or a monthly
effort. But before I could give
it a second thought I was
authoring an essay every day!
     Most have been based on
personal events in my day to
day life. Some are prompted
by web sites where I have
found some very unusual
holidays that few people
know about.
     Occasionally over these
past 6 years I've repeated a
couple of my posts. That's
either because I find they are
well worth revisiting or
because my mind has gone
blank. Of course some would
say many of my original
writings suggest a blank mind
anyway!
      So here we are, 13 years
later with Blog number 4,865!
       I got another License on
April 22nd. But that one came
55 years ago!
     It was my Marriage License!
My wife (then my fiancée), her
mom and I, showed up at the Luzerne
County Courthouse with the
required fee to get our license.
We needed her mom too because,
back then, you had to have a
parent's signature if you were
under 21. That didn't effect me.
I didn't even get carded!
      Fortunately my mother-in-
law to be agreed to sign and we
got our license. 

      Hope neither has expired....and

that all your NEWS is good!

PLAYING SAFE!

   MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2024

         PLAYING SAFE!

  Today begins "National Playground

Safety Week." Kids still love playgrounds

and, fortunately, the newest ones all put

safety on top of their priority list! Most

equipment is produced with soft, but

solid, pieces with no sharp edges to be

found. If a child should happen to fall

they are likely to land on a soft surface

like cork or sawdust. "Back in the day"

our playgrounds were fun but, sometimes,

a bit dangerous. We not only had sharp

edges. They often included rust. And

when we fell, sometimes head first,

we handed hard. My wife says "That

explains  a lot!" Play safe everybody!

Hope you're well and that all your

NEWS is good.

STARTING EARLY!

   SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2024

      STARTING EARLY!

  This is "Kindergarten Day!" April

21st was selected because it marks

the birthday of Friedrich Frobel, the

man who invented kindergarten in

Germany in 1837. These days mots

every child goes to kindergarten

and many attend preschool even

before that. But when I was growing

up my school district didn't offer

kindergarten until I was in second

of third grade. I'm sure there are

a lot of people, maybe you, who

missed it as well. That means we're

at least a year behind!! But here's

a thought. My daughter teachers 

kindergarten on line! Maybe we

could lobby for a post graduate

kindergarten class to bring us up

to date! What do you think? I'm in

.........if.......there's recess! Hope

you're well and that all your

NEWS is good!

 

POT LUCK!

      SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2024

                POT LUCK!

    It's April 20th friends. And for many

in the counter culture world this has been

a "holiday" for years. 4/20 has become

known world wide as "Pot Smokers Day."

It's said to have begun at a high school in

California back in 1971 when a group of

pot smokers met at 4:20pm each day to

partake of their "weed." I remember

being in Hawaii on April 20th of 2015.

We went to a Pot Luck dinner on the

beach and ours was one of the only "pots"

that contained actual food. Most everyone

else was having marijuana for their dinner!

The growth of cannabis based products

has grown tremendously as they have

been accepted as medical applications

helping those with various ailments.

Hard to believe anything allegedly

helpful to someone can smell so darn

bad! Well whether you're a "pot head"

or not I hope you enjoy a beautiful

April day and that all your NEWS is

good.  

    

AH, THE AROMA!

  FRIDAY, MARCH 19, 2024

       AH, THE AROMA!

  Today my friends i "National

Garlic Day!" This vegetable, a member

of the onion family, is native to Asia

and has been around for at least 7,000

years. It's been used in cooking for

about that same amount of time,

Those who consume too much will

likely reflect its presence on their

breath for several feet and several

hours. Garlic is also know to have

medicinal qualities. Many people

use it to fight colds. It can lower

blood pressure and cholesterol!

I'm not especially fond of garlic

but I usually keep some around.

You see it's also said to keep

vampires away. That's probably

just an old wives tale but, hey,

why take a chance? Enjoy your

day and your garlic and may all

your NEWS be good! 

IT'S A TOSS UP!

  

 THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2024
             IT'S A TOSS UP!

   So,as it turns out, April 18th., is
"International Jugglers Day!"
   It is a day, according to
holidayinsights.com. to celebrate
the skill of juggling, and those talented
people who can juggle many balls and
objects at a time. Common objects
include: balls, clubs, swords, plates,
rings, and flaming sticks.
    I have juggled schedules, and
paychecks over the years. But I
don't believe that qualifies me as
a juggler.
    My son can juggle.
    I've tried. But I can only handle
two softballs at a time and only if'
I don't toss them too high.
      The best jugglers can juggle up
to ten balls at a time!
       You might want to give it a try
in honor of the day. I would suggest,
however, sticking with rubber balls
as opposed to things like fire sticks,
knives, and chainsaws.
        I will watch Facebook for photos
of your success or notices of your
hospitalization.
        Hope all your NEWS is good!
      




   

MY PART OF THAT HERD!

 

    WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17TH., 2024
            MY PART OF THAT HERD!

   April 17th, for those who didn't already
know, is "Ford Mustang Day!"
    It's the date, back in 1964, when the
first Mustangs first showed up in Ford's
showrooms across the country.
    I had a Mustang in 1968. It was a red
two door hardtop.
    It wasn't exactly the car I was looking
for. I was trading in a used Chevy Impala
convertible with a Corvette engine and a
4-speed Hurst shifter. I probably would
have kept it but my wife-to-be was not
fond of the color. It was lavender.
    I wanted another convertible but I
couldn't afford it and the hardtop was
the next best option with windows that
opened the front and back to the fresh
air.
    It was a pretty good car. The only
problem I had was a break in the
driver's seat after awhile but a welder
fixed it good as new.
    I saw a new Mustang today, I heard
it too! It roared by me several times.
(I kept catching up with it at traffic
lights).
     The straight 6 in my 68 didn't make
that much noise. I'm pretty sure it didn't
burn as much gas either! It wasn't near
as fast as the new one although those
traffic lights seemed to even us out!
      There's another factor. My Mustang
cost about one tenth of what the new
ones are selling for!
       I still like Mustangs and I'd love
to have a new one if someone decides
to make it a gift. If someone does, I'm
ready to saddle up!
       Hope it's a convertible and that
all your NEWS is good!

IT ALL ADDS UPS!

   TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2024

           IT ALL ADDS UP!

   Welcome to April 16th. An 

unofficial holiday called "National

Bean Counters Day!" It's the idea

of a professional accountant and it's

been around for just a few years,

 He believed that he and all his

associates, who have worked

days and days to meet the tax

deadline, deserved a day of

celebration. His logical choice

for that day was April 16th, the

day after Tax Deadline Day!  

I'm not much with figures so

I'll honor the profession by

opening a can of beans and

count them all. Hope you

appreciate their work, have 

your taxes filed, and that all

your NEWS is good! 

WHAT DO YOU THINK!

 MONDAY, APRIL 15, 2024

   WHAT DO YOU THINK?    

  It's April 15th friends! This is

"Take A Wild Guess Day!" It's a

day when you are encouraged to

trust your instincts! Go ahead.

Guess how many M&Ms are in

that jar. Predict the outcome of

a sporting event. It was a day

created by a professional

speaker, James Barber who though

we ought to enjoy a diversion on

Tax Filing Day. Of course when

it comes to your tax figures, taking

a wild guess could quickly turn

the day into "Take A Big Chance

Day!" Anyway trust your instincts

today. Or at least give it a try. Hope

it works out well and that all your

NEWS is good!

REACH FOR THE SKY PARTNER!

        SUNDAY, APRIL 14, 2024

  REACH FOR THE SKY PARTNER!    

     

   Don't worry. This is not a hold

up. It is a recognition that April

14th is "National Reach As High

As You Can Day!" It is a day

in which we are all encouraged to

let our reach exceed our grasp!

It is a day to pursue your goals.

Perhaps it's something you wanted

to get done as soon as possible.

Or maybe it's a life long goal.

Reach for it today. The victory

is in trying! It's a great idea but

I made one mistake. I told my

wife about it and she handed me

a duster to reach the highest

corners of our walls. Now here

I stand...reaching high above my

head. Hope I get things as clean as

she wants and that all your NEWS

is good! 

A BIRTHDAY DECLARATION!

  SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 2024

A BIRTHDAY DECLARATION!

     

     Today we celebrate a birthday! It's

Thomas Jefferson's birthday! He was

born on this day in 1743. Thomas

Jefferson was the third President of the

United States. But he's probably best

know and remembered as one of the

main authors of the Declaration of

Independence!As such he is considered

by many to be a true American Hero!

I wanted to show you a picture of

Thomas Jefferson in honor of his

birthday but it's on a two dollar bill

and my wife dosen't like me carrying

around that much money! Maybe

you can find a photo on line? Hope

you do and that all your NEWS is

good!

OH DEAR ME!

     FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2024

                  OH DEAR ME!

    This is April 12th which just happens

to be "D.E.A.R. Day!" Now it has 

nothing to do with your loved one or

those animals that often dash in front

of your car when you're driving through

wooded areas. I loved this day the

moment I learned about it! You see

the D.E.A.R. stands for "Drop Everything

And Read!" It's a day devoted to promoting

reading. I was just about to sweep the floor

and mop the kitchen when I heard about

this wonderful unofficial holiday. So I

dropped the mop and the broom and

picked up the closest comic book!

Enjoy your reading! Hope all your NEWS

is good!

AN OLD FAMILY "FRIEND."

    THURSDAY, APRL 11, 2024

  AN OLD FAMILY "FRIEND!"

   Today we're saluting an old

family friend that's probably been

at your house at one time or

another. Mr. Potato Head! Invented

by George Lerner was back in 1949.

Mr. Lerner came up with a set of

facial features designed to be inserted

into things like potatoes. But they were

originally also used in things like

carots or onions and the like. He

eventually sold his idea to a company

that was to become Hasbro and, in

1952, that company launched the first

television ad for a kid's toy...Mr. Potato

Head. That also became the first so 

called "Pester Ad", designed to get kids

to perter their parents to buy the toy. At

that point the facial parts were made to

be used on a potato or a Styrofoam base.

That became a problem because those

parts had to be sharp and regulators didn't

like the idea of sharp pieces being used

for kids. So the toy was redesigned with

the plastic base we see still today. Mr

Potato Head, a popular toy my wife

insists was named for me! Hope you're

still enjoying Mr. Potato Head and that

all your NEWS is good!  

MAKING A POINT TO PAY HIS DEBT!

      WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 2024

MAKING A POINT TO PAY HIS DEBT!         

    

   Today we salute one of the most

important inventions every created

for mankind! It was on this date in

1859 that Walter Hunt got a patent

for the Safety Pin! Walter owned a

friend $15 and decided the quickest

way to make some money was to invent

something. He quickly can up with the

idea for the safety pin. Then he sold the 

patent for $400, paid his friend the 15

bucks and pocked the rest. Of course he

lost out on all future revenues from the

safety pin. They used every day for pinning

cloth to cloth. name tags, and, in my case

to hold my trousers together when I pop

that center button! You get the point!

Use them carefully, that point can  be very

sharp! Hope you're well and that all your

NEWS is good!

The Day The Sun Went Dim!

 April 9, 2024

THE DAY THE SUN WENT DIM!

  My wife and I escorted 54 excited people to Glen's Falls New York Sunday tru Monday on a Travelworld adventure to see the solar eclipse! Our tour began in Saratoga Springs Sunday where we got a chance to walk around town then get a bite to eat. Later that day we checked into the historic Queensbury Hotel in Glen Falls which was built in 1926 and was renovated recently. Our evening diner included musical entertainment. We were even able to get our bus driver, Rondel, to help our entertainers with I guess what you'd call a clylypso!Monday afternoon saw us in a park along Lake George where we had a fantastic view of the eclipse from the comfort of our lawn chairs and wearing protective glasses provided by Travelworld. We saw 98 percent totality! Afterwards a tour around the beautiful lake area. If you missed it you'll have another chance if you can stick around till 2044! Hope you do and that a

 

DRAW A BIRDIE!

 MONDAY, APRIL 8, 2024

      DRAW A BIRDIE!

       !

      Don't worry! This Blog

 does not involve sketching a golfer    /       

just under par. This unusual "holiday" is 

"Draw a picture of a bird day." It may sound

a bit crazy but consider the story that 

lead to this observation. In April of

1943 7-year-old Dorie Cooper visited

her uncle in a hospital where he was

recovering from a war wound. He was

feeling depressed but responded to

Dorie's request that he draw a picture

of a bird. When she saw his drawing

she said "this isn't very good but I'll

put it on my wall anyway." Her response

drew smiles from her uncle and other

wounded men in the ward. Each time

she returned everyone in the ward had

hand drawn pictures of birds to give to

her. Unfortunately, three years later,

the little girl was struck and killed by a

car. Since then April 8th, her birthday,

became "Draw a picture of a bird day."

So whatever your drawing skills, or

lack thereof, consider taking a moment

and drawing a picture of a bird today in an 

effort to bring a smile to someone's face.

Hope yours is better than mine and that

all your NEWS is good.     

HOW DO YOU MEASURE UP?

   SUNDAY, APRIL 7, 2024

HOW DO YOU MEASURE UP?

   It's April 7th which happens to be

"Metric System Day!" The metric

system is, of course, a standardized

digital system of measurements used

almost everywhere in the world.

Everywhere except the United States!

While it may come as surprise to some

of you Congress passed the "Metric

Conversion Act" in 1975. It was

legislation designed to get us, Americans,

to convert to the metric system. But the

legislation was not mandatory. So most

folks here in the U.S. decided a pound

in the hand was worth a kilogram in

Europe somewhere! Some products

include metric measurements on their

labels but U.S. measurements such

as pounds or inches are displayed

as well. There are still efforts being

made to force us to use the metric

system but, in my opinion, they

won't succeed. Not by a country

mile. Or Kilometer if you'd dather.

Hope you measure up and that all

your NEWS is good!

SOME PILLOW TALK!

    SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 2024

      SOME PILLOW TALK!

   It's April 6th my friends. The first

Saturday in April and that makes this

"International Pillow Fight Day!" It's

a fairly new "holiday" with it's official

beginning in 2018. It has been

described as a great way to relieve

the stress of life. There are some

rules and some recommendations.

Participants must use soft pillows

and those with feathers are

discouraged by some animal

rights organizations. I wasn't

going to even mention the day

until........my wife belted me

with one. Guess she's playing

this year! Guess I'd better duck!

Hope you're playing fair and

that all your NEWS is good!

HOW TO GET THERE FROM HERE!

        FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2024

HOW TO GET THERE FROM HERE.

  

   Most all of us have a Garmin or

similar electronic direction device

in our car these days.

       And a few of us have  heard
that little voice in our device tell us
to "Turn Right", or some similar
command, when there's no road or
street on our right onto which to turn!
They're not accurate all the time.
       But there is an option. And this
is the perfect day to discuss it. This
is "Read A Roadmap Day!"
       The paper Roadmap was once
our only way to navigate over
highways, back roads, and city
streets. Most of us picked up a fresh
edition every year either from our
local legislator, Triple A, or where
ever. Gas stations had them too. But
you had to buy them there.
        You usually keep them in your
glove compartment. If you can refold
them to get them back in there.
        We still carry a couple roadmaps
in our car. And we've used them from
time to time. Especially when our
GPS and common sense don't seem to
jive!
        And if we're still confused we
just follow the late Yogi Berra's advice.
"When you come to a fork in the road,
take it!"
        Hope you turn right (correctly
that is) and that all your NEWS is
good!

         

         

BREAKING NEWS!!!

   THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2024

         BREAKING NEWS!

     Today's unusual holiday might better

be suited for the 1st rather than the 4th
of April! That, after all, is April Fools
Day.
     But it's official! April 4th is "Hug
A Newsman Day."
     I don't ever remember hearing about
this when I was on the regular news beat.
     It's probably not a very popular
holiday. The days when Walter Cronkite
was the most trusted person in America
are long gone.
     Cries of media bias and "fake news"
are so common you'd think reporters
would want to remain anonymous.
      I probably would have enjoyed
celebrating this day when I was single.
On the other hand I'd have to wonder
how many "huggers" would now be
claiming harassment! Times have
changed!
       Perhaps, these days, a nice pat on
the back and a comment of "good job"
would be best for the newsman, or
woman you admire.
       Of course I'm still accepting
hugs from by biggest fan and most
loyal supporter. My wife!
        Hope all your NEWS is good!

     
   

CALLING OFF?

   WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2024

            CALLING OFF?

     This is "Don't Go To Work...

Unless It's Fun Day!"

      Wouldn't it be nice to wake up

in the morning and decide whether

you will go to work? If it is going to

be fun at work, you get up and go.

Otherwise, you turn over and go back

to sleep.

      Holiday Insights.com which

compiles a list of strange holidays

was unable to find the creator of

this one. It's likely, however, it

was not originated by anyone in

management.

      Since I am technically "retired"

I'm not facing this decision today.

 So it's all up to your working

folks. If you have fun at work go

in. If you don't, stay home.

    One suggestion if you're not

going in. You may not want to

mention this "holiday" as your

reason for calling off. I'd suggest

a cough as you phone in "with a

cold!"

     Hope it works one way or the

other, and that all your NEWS is

good!

PB&J

    TUESDAY, APRIL 2, 2024

                   PB&J

    April 2nd is "National Peanut

Butter and Jelly Day!" So common

a combination you'd think they had

been around forever. But that's not

the case. In fact peanut butter didn't

really hit the nation's fancy until

the Chicago World's Fair of 1883.

It was a home economist from New

England, Julia Davis Chandler, who

first published a recipe for peanut

butter and jelly in a Boston Cooking

magazine. And that wasn't until 1901!

You have to wonder what was so

special about that recipe unless, perhaps,

she cautioned followers to put the

peanut butter down first!

Peanut butter and jelly came along

before pre-sliced bread hit the shelves.

That showed up in 1928! These days

you can even get peanut butter jars with

the jelly already inside! And, of course,

there are all kinds of peanut butter.

I was going to tell you the rumor

about "Chunky style" peanut butter

but my wife told me not to "Spread

it around! Enjoy your PB&J and I

hope all your NEWS is good!

   

MY DAILY BLOG!

   MONDAY, APRIL 1, 2024

       MY DAILY BLOG!

 Time for today's blog friends! It's the

start of a brand new month and I'd like

to say thank you to all of you to check

out my daily essay! Many check "Like"

on Facebook and some offer comments

as well. Today, praise from Caesar! Got

a note from my wife. It reads......."Just

wanted to tell you how proud I am of

your daily Blog. It's humor and wisdom

demonstrate how very talented and clever

you are. It's no wonder so many people

are impressed by your brilliant writings!

Your wife.

P.S. It's April Fools Day!

Thanks dear! Hope you're all enjoying

the day and that all your NEWS is

good! (No fooling!)

AN EASTER STORY.

  SUNDAY, MARCH 31, 2024

      AN EASTER STORY.

  Today is Easter. Probably one of

only two days throughout the year

when most churches are at near

capacity. The Covid epidemic

forced people away from church

and many have not returned. Most

churches now broadcast their

service on line in an effort to

reach people in their homes.

But you just can't beat a good,\in 

person, service to get people

involved. One of our former

pastors had a great way to

involve the congregation in our

worship service. We called it

his "Shoe Box Challenge."

Each week a different member

of the congregation would place

something in the shoebox. The

pastor would open it before his

sermon at which time he was

challenged to tie the object,

whatever it was, to the day's

sermon. It was a real challenge

on most Sundays but I must say

he usually came through with

flying colors. I had the shoebox

one Easter Sunday. Some people

were surprised when the pastor 

opened it. It was empty!

But......so was the tomb!

Happy Easter everyone. I hope all

your NEWS is good!       

AROUND THE WORLD -AT HOME!

    SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2024

AROUND THE WORLD AT HOME1 

   It's March 30th friends. " National Virtual

Vacation Day! This is a day created in

2016 by Terrance Talks Travel. It's a day

to remind you don't have to wait for

retirement or your scheduled time off

to get the feel of a nice trip. No bags to

pack, no airline boardings to deal with.

You're only limited by your dreams.

There are several ways to take your

virtual vacation. You might go through

your albums from trips you've made

years ago and relive some of those

great memories. Or head to your laptop.

There are live cameras in vacation

hot spots all around the world, Pick

one and enjoy the live video from

places like Rome, the Matterhorn,

or whatever moves you. It's an easy

way to "get away" for a couple hours.

Or maybe you can checkout the

Travelworld web site and get an\

idea about future tours that are

coming up. Leona and I will be

escorting two trips to New Hampshire

this year and there's still space on

our busses. We'd love to have a

few of you BLOG readers join us.

Meanwhile enjoy your virtual

vacation day. Hope all your NEWS

is good! 

NIAGARA, ON THE ROCKS!

       FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 2024

     NIAGARA, ON THE ROCKS! 

   This is a very big day at Niagara Falls.
   But it's no Honeymoon!
   March 29th is "Niagara Falls Runs Dry
Day!"
   Local residents, and tourists, will be
celebrating an event that took place on
March 29th of 1848!
   Ice blocked the river on that day and
literally shut off the falls!
   I saw the same thing! But it was in
1969! Yep! I saw Niagara Falls turned
off!
   My wife and I were on our Honeymoon
at the time and Niagara Falls was on our
list of places we wanted to see.
   Imagine our surprise when we got there
and found the falls, at least the American
falls, dry!
    It wasn't some David Copperfield trick
or the biggest plumbing problem you
ever saw. It was science.
    A team of engineers was conducting a
survey to determine how quickly the edge
of the falls was deteriorating. To do that
that had to stop the flow of water. So they
built a earth dam upstream and diverted
all of the river water over to the Canadian
falls.
    Any would be dare devil, thinking of
that old "over the falls barrel trick," probably
had second thoughts if he or she saw what's
really under those thousands of tons of
water that pour over the brink every second!
    People riding aboard the popular "Maid
of the Mist" got an up close view of boulders
as big as the iceberg that sank the Titanic!
    It was probably the biggest thing at the
Falls since 1953 when Marilyn Monroe
filmed a movie there!
    Of course the water is flowing again
these days. But the community, on both sides
of the border, is always looking for a reason
to celebrate. And you can be sure that none
of the pubs there will be "dry" today!
    Perhaps toss an ice cube into my wine
and raise a toast to the falls today!
    Hope you'll get there one of these days
and that all your NEWS is good!

             Niagara Falls 1969

 

 

LET'S TALK WEEDS!

   THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2024

        LET'S TALK WEEDS!

   It's March 28th. "Weed Appreciation

Day!" Now to fully appreciate your

weeds you've got to know what they

are. Actually ANY PLANT IS A WEED if it's

growing where you don't want them to

grow. So, any flower can be a weed!

The dandeline is a good example. It's

a plant used in salads and often turned

into wine. But find a collection of them

scattered throughout your back yard and

chances are you'll pull them out as weeds.

Of course there's another plant usually

just called "weed" that probably shouldn't

be growing in your back yard! Hope you're

appreciating your weeds, like dandelions,

and that all your NEWS is good! 

LITTLE RED WAGON DAY!

  WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2024

    LITTLE RED WAGON DAY!

   The last Wednesday in March, and

that would be today, is observed

annually as "Little Red Wagon Day!"

The famous little red wagon, often a

"Radio Flyer" which encouraged kid's

imaginations! To them that wagon

could be a sports car, a jet place, or

even a Rocket ship! How to celebrate?

Well there's a docudrama called

The Little Red Wagon. You might

consider gathering round as a family

to watch that and have some pop

corn! Better yet, encourage the kids

to get out and play with their little

red wagon. You may even want to

take a turn yourself to relive some

childhood memories! Be careful if

you do! It's much harder to get in

and out of them these days! Have

fun and I hope all your NEWS is

good.

TAKE YOUR PICK!

   TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2024

        TAKE YOUR PICK!

   I love telling my readers and

viewers about the many unofficial

and unusual "holidays" I find 

listed on various web sites

throughout the year. March itself

is filled with unusual holidays.

But here's one you should really

appreciate. Marc 26th is "Make

Your Own Holiday Day!"

That's right. This is a day for

you to come up with your own

holiday idea! I for one plan one

that calls for rest, relaxation and fun.

How about you? If you come up

with something neat let me know.

Maybe I'll share it with the rest

of this BLOG family! Hope you

create a great one and that all

your NEWS is good!  

HIGH STAKES!

   MONDAY,MARCH 25, 2024

          HIGH STAKES!

     Seems there's one Pennsylvania

industry that's doing pretty darn well

in spite of the high gas prices!

It's the Gambling industry! In

2021 the state took in 4.73 Billion

dollars in gambling revenues. It's grown

since then! There's plenty of cars parked

at all of our area casinos and thousands

of lottery tickets are sold every single 

day for all of the many games played daily!

I mention this because March happens to be

"Problem Gambling Awareness Month!"

Most folks who gamble don't have a problem

with it except, perhaps, for losing money

they might better use somewhere else. But

others become obsessed and keep wagering

and waiting for that big jackpot that surely

will come along any time. It could happen.

But don't BET on it! The "House" most always

wins! Still, I hope your luck and all your NEWS

is good!

 KES!

LOOKING FOR CHICKS!

     SUNDAY, MARCH 24, 2024

      LOOKING FOR CHICKS!

   It's Spring everybody. I know it's

been pretty cold around these parts for

the past couple of days. But it's Spring!

That brings me back to my youth in

my home town of Hazleton when I

always searched for chicks around

this time of the year. You had to know

where to find them. But I knew just

the place to find some pretty ones

And I found them. Problem is, I

wasn't allowed to take one home.

Oh, I should probably mention I

was talking about the chicks, peeps

if you will, they gave away at a few

local gas stations around Easter every

year. You could get one with every

five dollars of gas you purchased. My

Dad said we need the gas but not the

chicks so it was a "no go" for me.

Years later I resumed my search for

"chicks" but not at the gas station.

I finally found a good one and now

she's my wife! Hope you got

your "chick" and that all your

NEWS is good! 

OK DAY!

   SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 2024

                  OK DAY!

   March 23rd is "OK Day" on our list of

unusual "holidays." We use the phrase

OK everyday probably without ever giving

it a thought. But think about it. Where did

the term "OK" come from? The most popular

story suggests that "OK" was born in a

Boston newsroom back in 1839 when a

group of editors were joking around about

abbreviations. One suggestion was that

the letters O and K be used as an

abbreviation for "All Correct." The idea

could have just faded away. But 1840

was an election year and the abbreviation

turned into a campaign slogan for

President Martin Van Buren who was

seeking reelection. Van Buren came

from the community of  Kinderhook,

New York. His supporters began to

call him "Old Kinderhook" and then

used the town's initials in a slogan,

calling out "OK is OK!" Ironically

everything was not OK for Old

Kinderhook as he lost the election

to William Henry Harrison! Well,

here's hoping everything is OK with 

you and that all your NEWS is good!

NOTHING DOING!

   FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2024

        NOTHING DOING!         

       

        I know I'm repeating myself or, rather, my

blog. But how could I not make sure you were
all aware of this important though unofficial
"holiday/" 
     Saint Patrick's Day and all of its related
parades and celebrations seem to get all the
attention during March.
      That's too bad because there are a lot of
other things well worth celebrating in this
month which heralds the arrival of Spring.
       Take today, for instance, This is
"National Goof Off Day!" It was created
by Monica Dufour of Davison Mi. and her
grandfather. He had a radio show and was
encouraging people to call in with ideas.
She disguised her voice and called with
a suggestion that there be a "Goof-Off Day."
A newspaper heard the call and printed a
story supporting the idea. So there you
have it!
    I've been rehearsing for this day for
many years! I think I've just about got it
down to a science.
        They did a survey a few years back
and found that most of those who
"celebrated" this unusual holiday did so
by playing video games.
       That seemed a bit strenuous for me.
       I elected to just sit around as much
as possible and do pretty much nothing!
       I would have no objections to
extending this observance to a week or
more. In fact "National Goof Off Month"
seems to offer a lot of potential to my
way of thinking.
      One small bit of advice. If you plan
to celebrate by taking the day off from
work you might be better off suggesting
you're ill rather than citing this holiday
as the reason. Some bosses don't observe
the day.
      Hope you'll mark it on your
calendar and that all your NEWS is good!

        

I ALMOST FORGOT!

  THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2024

      I ALMOST FORGOT!

  March 21st is "National Memory

Day." Our ability to remember things

is an important part of our human

existence. We evolve based on the

things we learn and remember. The

research world tells us too many

people are relying on technology,

such as smart phones, to remind us

of things that must or should be done.

It's suggested you write things down

as a means of helping your memory.

So lte's all celebrate! Teel your friends

so everyone of us can observe.....ah...

what did I say we were observing? Oh

yes. Memory Day. Hope you remember

to celebrate and that all yoru NEWS

is good.

APPRECIATING AN AMPHIBIAN!

   WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2024

   APPRECIATING AN AMPHIBIAN!

   Well it's come everybody. A day you

have waited for. Well, maybe not. March

20th is "World Frog Day!" The biological

name for the Frog order is Anura. They make

up 7486 of the 8478 known species of

amphibians on our planet! But the Frog's

habitat is shrinking around the world and

several species have been placed on the

endangered list! I spoke with my 8-year-

old grandson Anthony about this and asked

if he knew why that was a problem we

should be concerned about. He said "Yes.

If we don't do something about it those

frogs with croak! Enough said. Hope

you're frogs are well and all your NEWS

is good!   

WHAT ARE YOU CELEBRATING?

        TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2024

     WHAT ARE YOU CELEBRATING?

   Don't feel down. I know St. Patrick's

Day is over and there's a lot of time from

now till the next official holiday. But

there's still plenty to celebrate and today,

March 19th, is a perfect example. Today

is National Sports Car Racing Day! It's

Certified Nurses Day! March 19th is

also National Corn Dog Day and 

National Backyard Day. You probably

never noticed that March 19th is

National Poultry Day in addition to

National Chocolate Carmel Day. And

if that's not enough to make you smile

this is also the day the Swallows return

to Capistrano! The Robins haven't

shown up here yet but there's still a

few hours till Spring begins so they're

bound to be around soon! Hope you're

celebrating something and that all your

NEWS is good!

 

CHAPIN'S TRAGIC INSPIRATION!

      MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2024

CHAPIN'S TRAGIC INSPIRATION!

    Today we remember an are tragedy that

led to a popular song! It was on this day in

1965 that driver Gene Sesky was driving

his loaded truck into Scranton. Family

members said the clutch gave out as Sesky

was headed down the steep Moosic Street

which prevented him from shifting into a

low gear. Sesky could have jumped but

didn't. Instead he yell to people and 

sounded the truck's air horn as he

tried to steer around traffic and people

in the area. It's estimated the truck

reached a speed of 100miles per hour

before it crashed at South Irving Avenue.

Sesky was killed instantly! Years later,

in 1974, singer Harry Chapin recounted

the crash in a song appropriately titled

"30,000 pounds of bananas!" That's

what Seky was hauling! He is remembered

as a hero for sticking with his runaway

truck in an attempt to save others. Hope

you remember and that all your NEWS

is good. 

THAT "SINKING" FEELING!

    SUNDAY, MARCH 17, 2024

    THAT "SINKING" FEELING!

    And I'll bet you thought all the excitement

centers on Saint Patrick's Day! Nope!
    As the title revels, this is "Fix A Leak
Week!" It "runs" through March 24th.
    According to the statistics household
leaks waste about a trillion gallons of
water across the United States annually!
    Of course you're encouraged to fix
them as soon as they happen rather than
just waiting for this week. This is just a
time to remind you to pay attention to
that drip in your house. (The water one!)
      If you haven't done it lately you should
check your faucets, shower heads, and
toilets to make sure they're not leaking.
      Should you find a leak you should
repair the problem or call someone who
knows ho to do it. In my house, for
instance, I'd call my wife!
       Leaky pipes aren't that terribly
difficult to find and repair. There are
other leaks, however, that are much
harder to handle. Most of those leaks
are found in government!
       Unlike water leaks, sometimes
governmental leaks can be good!
They can expose problems far worse
than broken pipes that need more than
a plumber's attention!

       I was all set with hammers, a

wrench, and pliers to stop the leak

in out kitchen sink when my wife came

in and simply turned off the water! 

I think she said something about there

still being "One big drip" in the room.

I don't like the way she looked at me

when she said that!!

       Hope we're all looking for and
fixing any problems related to leaks
this week and that all your NEWS

is good!

 

TIME TO GIVE YOU SOME LIP!

    SATURDAY, MARCH 16, 2024

   TIME TO GIVE YOU SOME LIP!            

  Welcome to March 16th." Lip 

Appreciation Day!" Most people

don't give much thought to lips

except for the females who apply

lipstick for every occasion. But

lips are very important. They help

protect our teeth from the elements.

They're essential for eating and

drinking, and they help us present

a pleasant smile! I appreciate my

lips. I had cancer in the lower one

and had to have surgery. A skin graft

was taken from behind my ear to

complete the reconstruction. I guess

that's why I can hear myself whistle

much better now than before. Of course

I must admit I appreciate other lips,

my wife's, a lot more than my own!

Hope you appreciate yours and that

all your NEWS is good!

THE IDES OF MARCH!

      FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2024

           THE IDES OF MARCH

  "Beware the Ides of March!" That

warning came in a play about Roman

Emperor Julius Caesar written by

William Shakespeare. In real life

Caesar was assassinated on March

15th 44 BC.  But even before the

Roman Emperor was slain the day

was know as the date when one's

debts were to be paid. So you might

want to make good on all your

IOU's today and be sure you don't

have a "friend" named Brutus!

I hope all your luck, and NEWS,

is good today!   

ALONG CAME A SPIDER!

   THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2024

      ALONG CAME A SPIDER!

   This is one of those unusual "holidays"

I don't believe many of your will be

celebrating or observing. March 14th is

"Save A Spider Day!" I don't believe too

many of us are prone to saving spiders

or appreciating them in nay way! We

are told, however, that spiders do have

some redeeming qualities. Sime spider

venom is used to make new medicines.

And engineers study spider webs which,

ounce for ounce, is stronger than steel!

Our son found a spider, a rather large one,

in his bedroom the other day. Unfortunately

for that spider it was not "Save A Spider

Day" and it was not spared! Whatever

your view on spiders may happen to be

I hope you'll note the "holiday" and that

all your NEWS is good!.

LENDING A HAND!

        WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2024

                    LENDING A HAND!

     It's March 13th which just happens to

be "Good Samaritan Day." It is a day when

we are encouraged to lend a hand and help

those who may need assistance, as in the

story of the good Samaritan from the Bible.

Of course being helpful can sometimes

lead to some strange situations. Like

that of the homeowner who was

awakened by a knock on his door one

very stormy night. He answered it only

to find an intoxicated man outside

who said he needed a push. The

homeowner shouted "No" and

slammed the door. But, once back

in his bedroom his wife reminded him

of the parable of the Good Samaritan.

The homeowner went back to the

door and yelled "Are you still there?

Do you still need a push?" "Yes," the\man

replied. "Where are you asked the

homeowner? " The reply........"I'm

over here on the swing!"

Hope you're helping others where

and whenever you can and that all

yoiur NEWS is good!  

.  

CANDLES ON THE COOKIES!

   TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 2025

 CANDLES ON THE COOKIES?

   Guess who's 112 years old today? It's

the Girl Scouts. Well, not the girls. It's
the Girl Scout Organization! I don't
believe any of the original members
are still around.
    Juliette Gordon Low started the first
 Girl Scout group in Savannah Georgia 
with 18 girls on March 12th., 1912.
That was a month before the Titanic
went down!
    Girl Scouting runs in our family
although I've never been one myself.
I was a Scout for awhile. A Cub
Scout.
      My wife was a Scout Leader
when my daughters were involved in
the program and both of our older
granddaughters were Girl Scouts
for a time. Our youngest granddaughter

was a girl scout and our daughter-in-law

helped with the meetings and activities

in her troop.
      These days there are Boy Scout
Troops that are enrolling girls. 
However you feel about that it
probably would have kept me in
Scouting a lot longer if they did
it when I was a Cub!
       Thankfully, one tradition
remains unchanged. The Girl
Scouts still sell cookies! 
       Hope you're ordering
some from your favorite
Girl Scout and that all your
NEWS is good.