THE TWO I NEVER KNEW!

    SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH., 2019
        THE TWO I NEVER KNEW!

   Whether you know it or not this is a
National Holiday. September 8th., is
"National Grandparent's Day."
    President Jimmy Carter made it
official in 1978. It's always the first
Sunday after Labor Day.
    I have been a grandparent for
21 years and now claim the title of
Grandpa for a total of 6 kids!
    I truly enjoy the role, But I didn't
have a lot of training!
    My grandmother DeCosmo
passed away when I was about three.
    My Grandmother Singley passed
when I was in 4th grade.
    But I never knew either of my
Grandpa's! Both of them passed away
before I was born.
     I think that's part of the reason I
have spent every available minute I
could with my grand kids.
      I want to make sure they have a
grandpa to remember.  And I'd like to
believe the two I never knew would
be proud of me for being the grandpa
they couldn't be for me.
        It's not always easy. My wife and
I have often found ourselves running
from one school or tow to another to
be there when the grand children are
involved in sports or special activities.
        I spend more time on the floor
with my 4-year-old grandson playing
with trains and toy cars than I did
with my friends when I was 4!
       But it's much harder to get back
up these days!
      That said, it's worth every minute!
      Hope you've got pleasant memories
with your grand parents and are making
some with your own grand-kids!
      Happy Grandparents Day and may
all your NEWS be good!

AH YES, I REMEMBER IT WELL!

   SATURDAY. SEPTEMBER 7TH., 2019

    AH YES, I REMEMBER IT WELL!

   I returned to my old radio home at WILK
yesterday. Sort of. I didn't get my own show.
   Actually I joined the ranks of those who
called in to the Jason Barsky Show.
   I don't make many calls to talk radio primarily
because the talk usually centers on politics. I've
spent all of my broadcasting career trying to be
totally neutral and objective on that subject and
political commentary isn't my thing.
    But Jason wasn't talking politics Friday. He
was talking memories. And I've got lots of
those!
    Specifically he asked listeners to reflect on
their earliest memory! An interesting challenge
for a guy my age!
     And yet, I have a memory that goes back to
the crib! I remember looking out a window and
seeing evergreen trees swaying in the breeze!
     Now, to be totally honest I had no idea what
a window was at the time and certainly could
not have identified the species of trees which
captured my attention. Still, I remember the
sight and it's the first memory I can recall.
      I impressed myself. Especially since I
can't recall what I had for lunch yesterday!
      I think I'll call whats-his-name back
again sometime. If I remember the number!
      Hope you remember to read my blogs
and that all your NEWS is good!
     

COULD THE ANSWER BE BLOWING IN THE WIND?

               FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6TH., 2019
COULD THE ANSWER BE BLOWING IN THE WIND?

   One of the many people hoping to be the President was
criticized Thursday for a tweet in which she suggested
that people might turn Hurricane Dorian away from land
by collectively thinking it into turning a different way.
    I, on the other hand, applaud this unique approach
to dealing with weather!
    In fact that concept may have been what kept my
grandson and I dry for the past two days when local
weather forecasters were reporting we'd likely see
afternoon showers both days.
    I kept thinking "don't rain" and it didn't! And that was
just me!
    For years I have been suggesting our area
might avoid major rain or even snow storms by
gathering the population together and, at a given
signal, blowing into the air in the direction of the
approaching storm.
      Imagine the collective force of that blast of air!
      We could increase the velocity exponentially
by having all of our politicians join in! Their
cooperation would also warm our blast for
obvious reasons!
    Mark Twain was often quoted as saying "Everybody
talks abut the weather but nobody does anything about
it." So give that candidate, and me, some credit for
trying to do something! Heck, maybe that's why
Dorian didn't hit Alabama!
     Hope our ideas work and that all your NEWS is
good

OUT OF AMMO!

   THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5TH., 2019
                    OUT OF AMMO!

  I'm hoping there's no direct connection
between my recent acquisition of a .22
cal. target rifle and Walmart's decision
to stop selling ammunition.
   I've only purchased ammo twice and
both times were at Walmart!
   It was an extremely pleasant experience
for me. They asked for my ID to prove I
was old enough! I look old enough to
be ordering musket balls for a flintlock!
    In fact my first purchase was similar
to musket balls, I was buying a tube of
BB's!
     By the way, on both occasions I
passed the age requirement!
     I'm not overly upset by Walmart's
decision. There are other places in
the area where I'll be able to get my
bullets and bb's.
      I'm not sure how those particular
armaments pose much of a threat to
anyone with the possible exception
of the expressed danger of  shooting
my eye out with the bb gun!
      I don't intend to boycott Walmart
over this issue. As long as I can still
buy my Cherry Pepsi there I'll continue to
shop. I'll just miss getting "carded."
      Hope there's a sale on their remaining
stock and that all your NEWS is good!

TOO MUCH TO BEAR!

   WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4TH., 2019
             TOO MUCH TO BEAR!

     When will it end!
     First this huge bear scares me half to
death as I leave my porch and see him
standing 7 feet away raiding our bird
feeder.
      Next he makes off with my garbage
can and scatters the contents he doesn't
eat over a dirt road nearby.
       He was next seen camping out
beneath the Pear tree right across the
street devouring some of the fruit we
usually harvest when the property
hasn't been rented.
       On Monday, as reported, I went
for some pears of my own and stepped
into the do do he left behind!
        I thought I'd escape all this
nonsense by taking my wife to our
favorite auction on Tuesday/ And
what's the first thing I see on the
auction floor?! A bear!
        No it wasn't "my bear." Would
that it were. This one was stuffed,
Some lucky hunter already caught
this bruin. Maybe under somebody
else's Pear tree!
         I must admit a thought crossed
my mind. If I bought this taxidermied
critter and set it out in front of my
place might the trespassing bear flee
thinking he's invading another bear's
territory?
         It might have been worth a try
had the bidding not started out at
a hundred dollars and climbed from
there!
        I can buy a lot of pears for a
hundred dollars!
       Hope the winner has a big
Living room and that all your NEWS
is good!

THE BEAR TRAP!

  TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3RD., 2018
               THE BEAR TRAP!

  As I told you, there's a bear roaming
around our neighborhood! It's a big
one!
   I haven't seen him for over a week
but a worker renovating the place
across the street spotted him again
just the other day.
    He's been seen several times under
the Pear tree right across the street
which is a particular concern to me
for two reasons.
     First, that's way too close.
    Second he's probably getting
some of the pears we usually pick
when there's no tenant in the
mobile home there.
      I decided to take action! That's
where the Bear Trap comes in.
     My plan was to pick as many of
the pears as I could before the bear
did.
     But after grabbing the first one
I could reach I detected a "squish"
beneath my right foot and immediately
detected a very unpleasant odor!
      Seems the bear had left a trap
behind after his last visit and I
stepped right into it!
       The next hour was spent
cleaning my sneaker and airing
it out.
       Any further pear picking will
have to be done with the realization 
the tree stands in the middle of a
"mine field!"
       Hope the air clears by then
and that all your NEWS is good!

THE RIFLEMAN

   MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2ND., 2019
                 THE RIFLEMAN!

      It's been about 62 years since I was
President of the Rifle Club at the old
YMCA in Hazleton. I still have one or
two of the targets I shot at and the
Bull's eye is pretty much obliterated!
       I was a decent shot!
       But our club used Air Rifles. BB
guns if you will.
       This year my grandson, now 16.
expressed an interest in hunting. His
good friend and his friend's father
enjoy the sport and he'd like to join
them.
        He passed the hunting course
offered by the Game Commission
and now has an arsenal consisting
of a hunting power rifle and a 22
for target shooting.
         I've never been a hunter but
remembered enjoying the target
shooting from the old club and some
experience at camp.
         A couple weeks ago, realizing
my interest, my brother-in-law gave
me his old 22 which happens to be
a duplicate of the one my grandson
now owns.
         After a family gathering on
Sunday my grandson and his buddy
made plans to visit a target range
for some practice.
         I was unable to join them but
their enthusiasm sparked by interest
again.
         After returning home I fetched
my trusty 22 and headed to a wooded
hill not far from my house. I didn't
have any of those old targets we used
at the "Y." But I'm happy to report
I found an old soda can and am
still able to hit my mark!
          If they decide to bring back
"The Rifleman TV series" I'm going
to audition or the part!
          Hope nobody needed that
old can and that all your NEWS
is good!