PEACE & HARMONY!

 WEDNESDAY, JULY 8TH. 2020
    PEACE AND HARMONY!

  There's an old saying. Don't judge
a book b y its cover. Should't that
apply to people too?
   We're all aware of
efforts to remove statues of
individuals who fought for the
Confederacy during the Civil War.
    But it seems a little unfair to
judge the life of those individuals
strictly by the uniforms they wore
on the battlefield.
    John Pemberton, for instance,
was a biochemist who fought for
the south during the Civil War.
    In 1865 during the battle of
Columbus a Union saber cut deep
into his chest. His recovery left
him addicted to morphine.
     There's a statue of John  in
Atlanta, Georgia and I hope it is
left in place!
        You see John kept experimenting
with different concoctions to try to
kick his addiction and that research
lead to his invention!   Coca-Cola!
          Perhaps that "Johnny Reb"
deserves a statue. Hope you're well
and that all your NEWS is good!
     

REMEMBERING!

   TUESDAY, JULY 7TH., 2020
           REMEMBERING!

  I can't help but be impressed with your
collective memories. Yesterday I wrote
about our drive in a very rural area where,
along a quiet mountain road, we discovered
an old telephone booth! Many of you
responded, writing about your memories
of telephone booths. Even those wooden
ones where you used to be able to make
a call for just a dime.
    It's so great to be able to remember.
Places we've been. Things that we've
done and people that we've met.
    I pride myself on being able to
remember which is why I was so surprised
when I got in my Suburban for the first
time since last Thursday and realized I'd
forgotten to shut the Sun Roof!!!!
     Now I'm trying to remember how
many times it rained in those 5 days the
car just sat there!
      Oh well, you can't remember
everything! Hope you're well and that
all your NEWS is good!
 

ALONG A RURAL ROAD!

        MONDAY, JULY  6TH.,2020
         ALONG A RURAL ROAD!

  Years back a popular radio commentator
used to begin his daily broadcast with the
words "It's a beautiful day in Pennsylvania."
    Well Sunday proved to be one of those
beautiful days. Perfect for a top down ride
in our Miata along some of the roads less
traveled. You just never know what you're
going to see along those back country roads.
It's not uncommon to see a deer or two along
side the roadway. Perhaps even an eagle or
a hawk. But nothing could have prepared us
for the sight we saw along that rural mountaintop
road in Sullivan County! It was a telephone
booth! A standing monument to communication
of days gone by! Now telephone booths are not
extinct. But you're more likely to find onr near
an old country gas station or, perhaps, a rural
post office. This one was pretty much in the
middle of nowhere! Not a house or cottage
that we could see for a good 5 or more miles!
I'm thinking the phone company simply forgot
it! Or, maybe, Big Foot has need to make a call
now and then! Wonder where he keeps all those
quarters? Keep your eyes open out there! Hope
you're well and that all your NEWS is good!

ALL THE STARS AREN'T ON FLAGS!

        SUNDAY, JULY 5TH., 2020
ALL THE STARS AREN'T ON FLAGS!

  I may be getting old. I got that impression
at our Independence Day gathering when I
casually mentioned that July 4th was Gina
Lollobrigida's birthday! You could have
heard a pin drop! Only one person nearby
knew of whom I spoke!
   For the others, and anybody else who
doesn't remember, Gina was an Italian movie
actress who starred in some 65 films from
the late 40's till her last big screen
role, paying herself, in 2011. Some of her
films were made in Italy but many made in
the United States. She shared the screen here
with some other stars you may or may not remember.
   In Trapeze she worked with Bert Lancaster
and Tony Curtis. In Come September she
stared with Rock Hudson, Bobby Darin, and
Sandra Dee. Yes, there was a Sandra Dee. Not
juts a song title from Grease!
     You can still see Gina's movies on TV or
dvd's. She was a  good actress and a good looker!
And though her movie career is over her life
is not! The birthday she celebrated yesterday
was her 93rd! Must be that Italian wine!
Happy Birthday Gina! To the rest of you, hope
you're well and that all your NEWS is good.

INDEPENDENCE DAY (S)

    SATURDAY, JULY 4TH., 2020
      INDEPENDENCE DAY (S)

   Well Friends it's July 4th! It's our
son-in-law Josh Boub's Birthday. The
real reason for all those fireworks!
    I know. Some of you are celebrating
Independence Day. But is this climate
of political correctness, revising history,
and tearing down statues, let's be clear
on that!
Delegates from 12 of our original
13 colonies approved a declaration of
independence from Britain on July 2nd.,
1776. Then they argued about the wording
for the next two days agreeing on the
final version on July 4th. But they didn't
sign it! Kind of like having a check that
hasn't been endorsed!
    The signing took a lot longer. Most
signed on August 2nd. A few signed it
days later and a couple never signed it
at all!
     When George Washington read a
copy of the document to a large group
of people in New York they immediately
torn down a statue of King George.
       Guess that's when that trend
actually started! Happy Birthday Josh
and, whatever you're celebrating.
I hope you're well and that all of your
NEWS is good (and accurate!)

IT ONLY TAKES A MOMENT!

       FRIDAY, JULY 3RD., 2020
   IT ONLY TAKES A MOMENT!

   They say change happens in a moment.
In the blink of an eye. I caught it, though
ever so slightly Thursday.
    My 4-year-old grandson and I were
back at a playground. One of our usual
stops. That's where I noticed something
rather unusual!
    For the first time in our playground
experiences he didn't need any assistance
on any of the equipment. Maybe just a
push on the swing. But I didn't have to
lift him on to it or hold his hand as he
balanced on one of the walking bars.
   This small change happened in the
blink of an eye. Only, happily, I didn't
blink. I caught it. I realized he had
taken another small step towards
"growing up." It's good to capture
those small moments, They are
treasures, not to be missed!
      Hope you're well and that all
your NEWS is good!

UNEMPLOYED!

  THURSDAY, JULY 2ND., 2020
           UNEMPLOYED!

  Well friends I must tell you that for
the 2nd time since 2009 when I left
WYOU TV I find myself with out a
job!
    Last week I ended my ten year series
of weekly programs at Electric City
Television in Scranton. I promised to
help out with specials if needed but 10
years of producing, interviewing, and
anchoring, all as a volunteer, was
beginning to be just a bit too much.
    Yesterday I learned that, at least
for the time being, the Scranton Times
has halted publication of an insert
called "Good Times" for which I
wrote a Grandparents column every
other month.
      My wife and I are still escorts for
Travelworld in Scranton and Kingston
but while the agency is anxious to get
back on the road Europe won't let us
in!
      So, if you're in need of a dependable,
hard worker for any kind of task just
give me a call. I'll try to find somebody
for you! I'm busty writing BLOGS!
      Hope you're well and that all your
NEWS is good!
   
    I