The Bombs Bursting In Air!

 
   I'm happy to report to Francis Scott Key,
and everyone else, that our Star Spangled
Banner yet waves! There have been plenty
of people waving it over the last few days
as we celebrated the 4th of July!
    We even heard our National Anthem
sung at a wedding reception on Saturday
night. A little unusual. But very appreciated!
     Most of us got a chance to see the Rocket's
Red Glare at anyone of the many community
fireworks displays that began the day before
Independence Day!
     But now,a few thoughts about the Bombs
Bursting In Air!
     How is it, in a State that has so many
regulations about firecrackers, that our days
and nights continue to echo with the
reverberation of explosions that, in some
cases, shake our windows? Long about 1am
they surely shake us!
     Could I be the only person that does
not have a cache of Cherry Bombs, M80s,
or Quarter sticks?
     Not that I'd want them!
     My personal use of exploding devices
with short fuses ended many years ago when
the mail slot flipped shut a second before I
was able to toss my Cherry Bomb out onto
the front porch to celebrate our independence!
      I was at least, able to get it a few inches
away from my hand which limited the damage
to something akin to "Shell Shock."
     Perhaps it's Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
that has me jumping a bit every time a neighbor
sets off whatever they're exploding this week.
     And that's another thing. I can understand
the skyrockets and blasts on July 4th or even
the day before of after. But we've been hearing
the booms for at least a week. And, if last year
is any indication, they'll be going off for at least
another week.
     Lately some folks have either been saving
some of their ammunition or buying a new
supply for a number of other holidays! I suspect
Labor Day has already been targeted!
     Hope you've got a long fuse or a quiet
neighborhood....and that all of your NEWS
is good!

 

Celebrating Our Fifth!

  We celebrated the 5th yesterday!
  Admittedly our happiness was
mixed with a few melancholy tears.
  What's so melancholy about the
5th you may ask? It's because I'm
not writing about the date. But, rather,
our trusty 5th Wheeler!
    Yesterday my wife and I sold our
5th Wheel Travel Trailer.
     Of course, in our case, the term
"travel trailer" was a bit of a misnomer.
 We never traveled anywhere in it!
 We always traveled to it!
     We bought it, in place at an area
campground, 10 years ago from a guy
named "Buck." He was a fine old
gentleman who really enjoyed the place
but had some health issues.
     Ironically we found some of Buck's
medicine when we were cleaning the
place out last week. It was from some
Pharmaceutical Company called
"Jim Beam."  Now that I think of it, it
may have been a fifth! We were tempted to
take a "dose" in his honor. But, since we
were about to drive away, our
sentimentality was tempered by our need
to adhere to Pennsylvania's Open
Container Law!
     We spent many pleasant days with
family and friends enjoying hot dogs on
the grill, fishing, boating, or just sitting
round a campfire.
     My wife and I especially enjoyed an
occasional fall or early winter visit to the
camper where we sat inside watching a
movie or, better yet, gazing at the view
from the large window that highlighted
the unit.
     We envisioned spending far more
time there when we retired. But, since
that happened, we've been busier than ever!
Instead of having more time to enjoy the
camper we've found ourselves committed
to other activities including travel to many
exciting destinations that don't require a
trailer!
     There were financial considerations too.
 Lot rent, launching fees for my two yachts
 (a paddle and an 8 foot Jon boat), entrance
 fee for any guests, and  other assorted bills.
     When we divided the cost by the times
we've been able to go we realized that
Disney World is cheaper........... per visit!   
      Fortunately we found a young couple
who plan to gaze through our favorite
window at another location !We were
happy to turn our keys over to them!
      We'll still have the view, without the
window, through the remainder of this
season. After that, who knows? Maybe
Disney World!
       Hope you've got a good view of things
and that all your NEWS is good!

            

My Hospital Visit!

  I headed for the hospital yesterday
afternoon. No, I'm feeling just fine
thank you. But an old friend of mine
is dealing with some serious medical
issues and I wanted to pay a visit to
show my support.
   It was an interesting visit......to say
the least!
   First, as I arrived, I saw what I
initially thought was a 4th of July
celebration. Lots of people walking
to and from a tent set up on the
sidewalk, several carrying American
flags.
   These marchers, however, were
nurses who were beginning a pre
planned 5-day-strike in an effort to
secure what they consider to be a fair
contract. There were a couple kids
on the picket line. I'm assuming they
were family members. The thought
of a 12-year-old nurse seemed a little
scary tome!
    Speaking of scary......I took the
elevator to the8th floor where my
friend has been undergoing treatment
for several weeks.
    The floor seemed strangely dark
as I approached the rooms. The area
where the nurses usually sit was empty.
Surely someone had to be around.
    The door to my friend's room was
closed so I knocked before I went in.
     Inside......just an empty bed!
     Now I've seen enough movies to
know what it means when there's an
empty bed in the room where the
patient is suppose to be!
      Before I completely let panic set
in I picked up a wall phone and
dialed the operator. She informed me
that my observations were correct. There
was no one on the floor. Patients throughout
the hospital had been moved closer
together so the smaller replacement staff
could more easily watch over them.
      I found my friend two floors away
and was able to enjoy a nice visit.
      Then I took advantage of a handy
hospital service and pulled the card out
of my pocket that reminded me where I
had parked! I'm glad they do that. I don't
think I could have handled another scare!
       Hope the nurses go back in, my friend
gets back out, and that all your NEWS is
good!

   

Yankee Doodle Dandies!

  George M. Cohan may well be the most
famous person "Born on the 4th of July."
He wrote Yankee Doodle Dandy, It's
A Grand Old Flag, and Over There just
to name a few.
  Only thing is....he wasn't actually born
on July 4th. In fact historians still aren't
sure whether his actual birth date was the
3rd or the 2nd of July.
  He just claimed the 4th to help promote
his patriotic image.
  And some of those who can really claim
an Independence Day Birthday aren't
very Yankee Doodle at all!
  Take Iva Toguri D'Aquino for example.
Most people remember her better as
Tokyo Rose, the Japaneese  propagandist
during World War II.
   And even though she was born in the
USA, Leona Helmsley was better know
for tax evasion rather then her July 4th
Birthday.
   Of course you don't have to be a Yankee
to be a Dandy! Gina Lollobrigida is celebrating
her Birthday today! She's 87!
    One Dandy who was surely a Yankee was
George Steinbrenner who was born on this
day back in 1930. For the three of you don't
know the late Mr. Steinbrenner owned the
New York Yankees.
    America's 30th President, Calvin Coolidge,
was born on the 4th of July as was the late
Gloria Stuart who played the elderly Rose
Dawson in the movie Titanic.
    There's a long list of people, American and
not, who enjoy (or enjoyed) a July 4th
Birthday.
    And Since George M. Cohen can't really
claim the day I suppose we'll give the title of
the Most Famous July 4th personality to
JOSH!
    Josh who, you say?
    Why, Josh Boub of course! My Son-In-Law!
    Hope you all celebrate Josh's Birthday (along
with Independence Day), and that all of your
NEWS is good!
                                                          
 

Singing In The Rain!

   A whole mess of family members decided
to get together yesterday to spend some
quality time with our niece and her boyfriend
from San Francisco who are visiting
Pennsylvania for a few days.
   Our planning, which began a couple weeks
ago, included a picnic at Hickory Run State
Park.
   So, there we gathered, greeted one another,
and looked towards the sky! The term "Dark
and Threatening" would be an understatement!
    Fortunately, after consulting with a Park
Ranger, we learned there was a small
pavilion which, if not reserved, is open to all
on a first come, first served basis.
    We found it empty and quickly set up
shop!
     Next we worked on firing up the grill.
     We learned that "Instant Start Charcoal"
isn't always quite so instant! A quick trip to
the near by Camp Store and a can of lighter
fluid corrected that problem.
     But, by then, the rain began to fall!
     We decided to adopt a "Gene Kelly"
approach to the storm and carried on,
safe and dry under our pavilion cover!
      We did a bit of singing in the rain,
coupled with some games, a lot of good
food, and great companionship the rain
couldn't dampen!
      In fact the youngest member of our
troupe took advantage of the drizzle to
take a bathing suit shower!
     A break in the storm even allowed time
for a game of Horseshoes!
     Seems like the family that ignores the
rain together, plays and stays together!
     Hope you were safe and sound with
loved ones and that all your NEWS is
good!

    

All Hands On Deck!

   My wife and I and two of our best friends
spent the better part of yesterday "on deck!"
   Actually, our task was to take a deck apart!
   Of course all I know about decks is that
you're suppose to sit on them. Usually with
friends and a favorite brew.
    This particular deck was already in place
when we bought our camper some ten years
ago. I don't know who built it. But I suppose
it didn't just "grow" there.
     My wife did some extensive beautification
work last year, coating the entire 8 by 22 foot
surface with some sort of neat stuff that the
weather ate up during this past winter!
     Usually I'm pretty good at taking things
apart. Except, in my case, it's usually by
accident.
      In order to try to avoid any of those,
accidents that is, I'm usually not allowed to
handle tools. Certainly nothing sharp!
      Fortunately my buddy is not only good
with tools..he seems to own at least one of
anything you might possibly need for any
particular job.
      His plan involved sawing the deck into
sections and then stacking them for some
future owner who might want to reassemble
the parts. He brought his Power saw along
to do the job.
      I was not allowed to help with the sawing.
      I was asked to help with the stacking.
      Each of us lifted one corner of the
individual sections to carry it to the designated
stacking point. My corner seemed to be heavier
than the others, although my companions
suggested it had more to do with age than weight.
I don't see why the wood in my corner would be
any older than the wood in theirs!
       Anyhow, after hours of sawing, removing
nails and screws, lifting, and stacking, the deck
is now set aside in neat parts, waiting to serve
someone, somewhere else.
       I have returned home with all fingers and
toes in tact and basically unharmed...except for
the large band aid covering the cut and bruises
where my screen door hit me the other day.
     NO...I wasn't working on it at the time!    
     Hope I get to try the saw someday...and that
all your NEWS is good!   

Just When I Thought I was Out!

    "Just when I thought I was out, they
pull me back in!"
     I had to wonder if that quote from
Michael Corleone in "The Godfather
III" might have been going through my
buddy's mind when we fired up the
lights and the camera for my weekly
program on Electric City Television
yesterday.
     It's been a couple years....OK....
maybe more.....since Barry Finn sat
in a TV studio.
     But he bravely accepted my
invitation to serve as co-host for my
program "ECTV Live" which airs
several times each day on Comcast Ch
19 in northeastern Pennsylvania.
     Barry and I worked together, but not
usually physically together on Ch 22 for
many years.
     Barry was a Meteorologist. Most of us
us call them Weathermen.
     I was a reporter. Most people thought
I was a weatherman because I always
seemed to be reporting in the middle of
nowhere from a spot where the snow was
three feet deep and rising and the temperature
was about 3 degrees and falling.
     After my report I'd throw it back to the
studio (the warm studio I should mention)
where one of the forecasters would stand in
front of a map and tell you when the storm
was expected to end and how much snow we
might get.
      Barry was one of the weather guys who
liked to go out in the field.
      Of course the weather guys didn't
usually have to ask questions.
      So, in a sense, I suppose my invitation
to appear on our "talk show" could have
been a real challenge for some forecasters.
      But Barry is an "old school Pro" and,
as it turns out, can ask a good  question
just as easily as giving you the temperature!
      It was great to get him back on the tube
for my show which airs about a dozen times
during the week. He was a real "Hit", and not
in "The Godfather" sense of the word!
      I intend to ask him back!
      Hope it's an offer he can't refuse and that
all of your NEWS is good!