The Thread Of A Doubt!

    We begin our return trip from Florida with
a mystery left unsolved!
     My sister-in-law, like all the women in our
family, often looks for and finds bargains! One
is a small portable sewing machine.  
     My wife had occasion to put it to use during
our visit and her first effort proved very
successful. Since we had to leave for awhile,
however, the finishing stitches on her project
had to wait a few hours.
    What could have happened during the brief
absence? When we returned the machine no
longer functioned!
     My wife, who has worked with all kinds
of sewing machines and her brother, who once
labored in a Garment Shop repairing them,
could not find what caused the problem and
did not know how it could be fixed.
     Most of you would, logically, say "Read
the directions." But there were none to be found!
     That's when I decided to take a shot at being
the hero and got on my laptop. I explained that
we could not thread the bobbin on the machine
and asked anyone with information to send an
email. I also fired off a separate email to the
company listed on the box that distributed
the unit.
     Several consumers with similar problems
had already posted notes suggesting "timing"
was often a problem with this machine. I
included that information in my message to
the company.
     A gentleman named Ken wrote and asked
that I send a photo of the machine to help him
help me. Meanwhile, the company sent a 4-
page-instruction booklet.
     The directions, however, didn't tell us
anything we didn't already know. So I wrote
again asking about the timing.
     Ken got back in the debate and, although
he never saw this type of machine before,
offered some general steps for adjusting the
timing on sewing machines.
     The company that sold the product sent an
email which read..."What do you mean, timing?"
     I wrote back again typing..."You Tell Me!"
     The long and short of it is this. The machine
isn't designed to be dissected so Ken's helpful
advice, unfortunately, won't work.
     The company has been virtually no help at
all!
     Perhaps I should mention....the company is
in Brooklyn. Ken lives in England!
     To Ken I say "Good show old chap." As far
as the company is concerned.....I think I know
why the Dodgers went west!
     Hope I've left you in stitches and that all
your NEWS is good!

The Ties That Bind

        THURSDAY, MARCH 13TH

  Family members all gathered together for
our last day in Ruskin, Florida. We shared
spaghetti, meatballs, and family stories.
  We recalled a beautiful week spent
together and then worked together to solve
a family problem.
   My brother-in-law Bud and I have been
dealing with a frustrating situation that must
confront all men at one time or another.
   The shoe laces provided with our sneakers
are far too long for the foot ware! We now
realize why inmates have them taken away1
    Even when double knotted the ends stick
out far enough so that we eventually step on
them and untie our own sneakers while we
walk!
   The combined minds of three sisters, their
brother, and Bud concluded that the laces
should be shorter. Brilliant, right?
    So began a somewhat scientific process
which involved a scissors and the flame from
an ignitor. The laces were carefully....well
maybe not carefully.....but quickly trimmed
by several of the women and Bud while my
brother-in-law George burned the freshly
cut edges so they might be reinserted into
the empty eyelets.
    Minutes later, it did seem like a half hour,
Bud was able to place the sneakers back on
his feet and tie the lace with a much shorter
overhang of extra length.
   It seems to be working well. We'll call
later this week to see how many times he's
either fallen or had to retie the sneakers.
  The next step will be marketing the extra
lengths of shoelaces we trimmed away! 
  Hope everything fits for you and that all
your NEWS is good.

Together Again!

     It was good to see the couple together
again and back "home" when we visited
Sarasota, Florida yesterday.
     The two had been involved in a car
accident in 2012 and were rehabilitated
in New Jersey. Seems like a long way?
     Perhaps I should mention the two are
not real people. Although, they represent
real people.
     I refer to a statue that is entitled
"Unconditional Surrender."
     It depicts a sailor kissing a nurse and
was based on a photo taken on August
14th., 1945,,,,,,,the day Japan surrendered
to the United States, ending World War 2!
     This particular statue, there are four,
stands near a very busy intersection in
Sarasota. Some gal was either trying to
get a closer look or not looking at all
when she rammed the sculpture nearly
two years ago.
     The sailor's leg was damaged and cracks
in the structure had local officials worried
about additional problems should it collapse.
     So, the sailor and nurse, locked in a
perpetual embrace, were loaded onto a
tractor trailer and shipped to New Jersey
where the artist repaired the damage.
     So, the two are together again, posing
for thousands of tourists and their cameras!
     Hopefully we'll all remember what it
represents and that all our NEWS, like
that of August 14th., 1945, will be good!

One With Everything?

   We've been to Florida 4 times in as many
years. Each time we see something new.
    But there are some places that demand a
return visit!
    Goodson Farms is one such place!
    The strange thing is most every tourist we've
run into knows about the place. "Locals"
seem to find out about it from the tourists!
     Goodson is a Strawberry Farm!
     You can, of course, buy the berries
there. But it's the menu board that has long
lines of people waiting to order Strawberry
based goodies.
      There is Strawberry Shortcake. There
are Strawberry sundaes. There are Strawberry
Milk shakes.
       But wait.....there's more.
       This joint even offers a Strawberry Pizza!
Wait till Old Forge gets wind of this! It's so
special you have to place your order one
day in advance if you want an entire pie.
       Of course I'm not sure if it's available
with mushrooms and pepperoni! And I don't
expect you could get delivery in Pennsylvania!
       Since Strawberries are plentiful the dough
must be hard to get because a single slice sells
for 4 bucks! I wonder if they'll eventually offer
it in Sicilian?
      No matter. I just settled for a good old
fashion Strawberry Milk Shake!
      Hope the fresh Strawberries have made it
to your grocery by now and that all your NEWS
is good!


 

TAKEN!

       OK. Let's talk about Saturday night!
       I was TAKEN!
       My sister-in-law suggested we all go
to the dance at her campground's clubhouse.
       Allow me to clarify my feelings about
these rituals. Yes I used to be a DJ and
played music for similar events. But except
for an occasional Twist, I was not big on
dancing.
       I never even bothered with my High
School Prom choosing, instead to go to a
movie at the local Drive In. And that was
back in the days when the people dancing
to Rock & Roll were actually teenagers.
      The prospect of attending a dance
featuring my oldies and the teens who have
now, themselves, become oldies didn't
seem like my best deal of the day.
       Add to that the fact that my wife didn't
plan to dance and I was seconds away from
a decision to visit the local Drive In Theater!
        Counter arguments, from my sister-in-
law, rationalized that we weren't really
going to dance but, rather, to "socialize"
as we talked with one another. Then too,
she suggested, I did like that old time Rock
and Roll. Sensing support from my wife
for that argument I agreed to attend.
       I had been TAKEN!
       The "oldies" I expected did show up,
some dressed in period costume. As for the
"conversation", it was pretty much drown
out by the music which was provided, live, by
a man and woman team.
      The gal wasn't half bad. The gentleman
had a high pitched voice that didn't really
match some of those recording stars you might
remember from the 50's and 60's although he
undoubtedly had been around during and, very
likely, well prior to those years.
     It's the first time I've ever heard Johnny
Cash sound like Charlie McCarthy (Kids
will have to check that reference with their
parents!." We did join with him as he gave
us his version of "Pretty Woman." We all
called out for "Mercy" during the chorus!
    My brother-in-law, who had also been
TAKEN to this affair, was in the same boat
as me and if seemed to be sinking.
    With Daylight Savings Time just hours
away I suggested we move the clock ahead
an hour quickly so everyone might think it
was time to leave.
     Unfortunately we couldn't make it to the
clock!
      My brother- in- law and I have made a
pact. To those who would grab us again for
such an occasion...."We will find you, and
we will kill you!"
      Hope you spent a peaceful evening at
home and that all your NEWS is good.

Sure Signs!

         SUNDAY, MARCH 9TH

    My sister-in-law set her clocks ahead
way before the appointed hour. So, the
way I figure it, my Sunday Blog is going
out according to those clocks!
    As I slept on Friday night my thoughts
were probably of home. I was cold!!!
    We had come south looking for warmth
if not summer. Some members of our
Florida family suggested we might have
left a door open in Pennsylvania which
allowed the cold air to seep south!
    Then came Saturday and, with it, some
sure signs things were about to improve.
    First, that bright sun up in the sky. It's
been a few days since we've seen it.
    And let's face it...we know from living
in the northeast a bright sunny day does
not, in and of itself, prove it will be a warm
day!
    I needed more proof!
    I did spot flowers. There were growing
all by themselves in sandy soil of a local
park. These were not Greenhouse blooms!
They, and the warmth I was beginning to
feel on my back, were more positive signs
of a summer-like day!
    Then, the final sign. The clue on which
a good attorney would confidently say " I
rest my case."
     It came from some children who were
close by. They were shouting to each other,
"Marco--- Polo!" And YES they were swimming
in the waters rolling in from the Gulf of
Mexico!
     Hope some of this follows us home so
that all of our NEWS will be good!

See You Later Alligator!

     SATURDAY,MARCH 8TH

   Our Florida visit included a tour of
a popular Fruit Farm on Thursday.
   With temperatures still hovering
around the 60 degree mark it was
easy to tell the northern "tourists"
from the local folks.
   My sister-in-laws, for instance,
looked like two Amish women as
they huddled in our tram car with
heads carefully covered against the
 "frigid" wind!
   Cold as they considered it to be
my trusty Wind Breaker suited me
just fine as we checked out all kinds
of Fruit trees and a very interesting
Animal Preserve located on the farm.
   Rescued animals are brought here,
rehabilitated in a local Animal
Hospital, then released  if feasible
or relocated to shelters where they
can be cared for during their remaining
years.
   I was impressed.
   I actually though about adopting one
or two of these creatures.
   The pig, for instance, was raised as
 though he was a dog. So, he acted like
 one. He would be easy to care for and,
 if things didn't work out, you know how
 much I like bacon!
    I thought about the Tortoise too. But,
on second thought, you'd probably need
six weeks to take it for a walk around the
block!
   I liked the Alligator best! It might be
the ultimate solution to all those cats
running loose around our place! Just
imagine their surprise! And his delight!
   I suppose in the end, however, I suppose
I'll just have to be satisfied to bring home a
few fresh oranges!
   Hope my relatives "warm up soon" and
that all your NEWS is good!