THE HOMECOMING REVISITED!

      MONDAY, JUNE 1ST., 2020
THE HOMECOMING, REVISITED!

  My wife and I had a good laugh this
morning when the Facebook Memory
page showed a blog I wrote on this
very date three years ago. It related my
getting ready for her to come home
after surgery in Philadelphia. She
suggested I re-post it...so here it is!

HOMECOMING?

It now seems likely my wife will
be released from the University of
Pennsylvania Thursday or Friday to
continue her post heart surgery recovery
here at home.
I have been doing a lot of planning
for her return.
I remembered to pack up the
garbage and dump the waste baskets
so the trash will be waiting for the
weekly pickup this morning.
I went to the store and picked
up some fresh fruit and a half
gallon of milk that has an expiration
date that's a week or so in the future.
I dumped the old milk down the
drain despite the fact it was still white.
After consulting with several
friends and family members I abandoned
my plan to stock up with a month's
supply of Spam for her dining pleasure.
My advisors didn't seem to think my
idea was all that brilliant.
I still have a couple last minute
decisions to make. She won't be allowed
to lift anything over 10 pounds for a
number of weeks.
That means I have to either
bundle the laundry in 9 pound packs,
do it myself, which could easily be
a disaster, or ask one of my daughters
to help.
It will be great to finally have
my wife at home again. I miss all
those conversations we have as
she speaks in her light toned voice
and I answer...."What?"
Hope she likes "fast food" and
that all her, and your, NEWS is
good!

SMILE!

SUNDAY, MAY 31ST., 2020
            SMILE!

  A number of holidays, official
and unofficial, have fallen victim
to the virus pandemic. Imagine my
frown when I learned that National
Smile Day, today, was one of them!
Most, if not all of the special events
planned for this day have been
cancelled.
   As you might have expected
National Smile Day was the brain
child of a couple of dentists. They
made it up to encourage good dental
care.
    I didn't much like going to the
dentist when I was kid but I have
a good one now. He even gives me
a new tooth brush every time I visit
(if I'm good). The only part that
bothers me is trying to answer his
questions when my mouth is wide
open and filled with instruments!
      Anyhow, all is not lost, World
Smile Day is coming up in
October and you can start rehearsing
right now!
       Hope you have a great day and
that all your NEWS is good! 

ENJOYING THE MOMENT

SATURDAY, MAY 30TH., 2020
   ENJOYING THE MOMENT

  I spent a pleasant morning on my
front porch Friday. The temperature
was comfortable. Not too hot. And
a constant breeze had my wife's
wind chimes, well, singing, while
her lawn ornaments spun as that
breeze blew through!
    A storm was on the way. No doubt
about it, But I wondered as I sat there
if we often spend a little too much
time worrying about the storms to
come and far to little just enjoying
the moments we're in at the time?
     Hope your days, and moments,
and enjoyable and that all your NEWS
is good!

SIGNS IN THE SKY

FRIDAY, MAY 29TH., 2020
      SIGNS IN THE SKY

  I took my grandson to the park Thursday
to ride his bike. There were signs of rain
in the sky. Nothing major. Not enough to
make puddles. Just enough for a light
mist in your face.
   The other day my wife and I took a
top down ride in the Miata. The sun was
shining but there were signs of a possible
story. And, sure enough, a dark cloud
eventually drifted in above us. A light
rain began to fall but we ignored it. When
you're cruising along the wind takes the
drizzle right over your head. Then it got
a little darker and the rain came down a
nit harder. We just ignored it and continued
along our way with just a few drops hitting
our faces. Them the sky opened up and we
tried to put the top back. But the cool rain
shrunk the fabric just enough to prevent us
from putting it in place! We got soaked!
You can only mess with Mother Nature
so long! Then you learn your lesson!
Hope you're well and that all your NEWS
is good!

SIMPLE TRUTHS

It's often said the truth is the truth. But that's not
necessarily true! Sometimes the truth  depends
on an individual's observation or perception. I
may see a big tree. To my grandson it's a gigantic
tree. Today I'm thinking about "simple truths."
They may vary by location and often vary from
person to person.
Consider these simple truths based on  my own
personal experience.
If you buy a snowblower, it will not snow.
If there are no bathrooms nearby, you will need one.
If you've got 6 letters to mail you will have 5 or less stamps.
If you waited a day to buy gas the price will have gone up.
If you are determined to leave early for appointment you'll
be lucky to make it on time!
And the more you press 2 to get on their DO NOT CALL
list, the more the car warranty people will call.
I just thought you should know.
Hope you're well a

FIRESIDE CHAT!

   TUESDAY, MAY 26TH., 2020
             FIRESIDE CHAT!

    I have spent the past two evenings
sitting around a campfire with members
of my family. It's a tradition for us
stemming from the days when we had
a small travel trailer and drove all over
the east coast on vacations. My Dad was
with us most of the time and while we
all enjoyed the evening campfire he and
my wife probably would have stayed
around it all night if they had their
choice. Camping and campfires bring
families together. There's plenty of
talk, mostly old family stories, and
sometimes a song or two to blend
with the smoke filling the night air.
     Ironically, however, my most
memorable campfire  was during a
Columbus Day holiday many years
ago when my best friend and I were
camped in woods near my uncle's
cabin. My friend was proud of his
fire building skill and his blaze was
rather large when a car stopped on a
nearby dirt road . We began to extinguish
the fire and it drove away. A short time
later we headed for that same dirt road to
get back to my uncle's place. After a
very short distance we realized two men
were right behind us and one of than
put a pipe up to my head. Except it
wasn't a pipe. It was a pistol. Seems
two boys had escaped from the nearby
Kis Lyn Reformatory and they figured
we were them! I believe that's the night
I learned how to ad lib! I explained that
we too had seem the fire and were
looking for whoever started it! We spent
the next half hour helping the guys
search.
    Some memories like fires, are
best extinguished. But I can't put that
one out.
    At least it's a story for another
campfire! Hope you're well and
that all your NEWS is good!

MEMORIAL MEMORIES

         MONDAY, MAY 25TH., 2020
           MEMORIAL MEMORIES!

   When I was growing up Memorial Day
was always observed on May 30th.
    Of course not everybody called it
Memorial Day. When I was born it was
called Decoration Day.
     It started right after the Civil War. In
fact the community of Boalsburg, Pa, is
one of several communities claiming to
have initiated the holiday.
     It began, and remains, a day to honor
honor those who died for our country
although many bring flowers to the cemetery
to remember family members who have
passed, military or not.
        I only  become a Federal holiday in
1971 when the  Government's Monday
Holiday Act became law..
          It's also the unofficial beginning of
Summer with when, under normal
circumstances,people would get together
for family picnics and outings. Many of
those activities have been cancelled because
of the pandemic but we were able to enjoy
the day with our son and his family at their
campground which has reopened for the
year.
        There were plenty of people at their
own campers but. as my grandson and I
discovered, the fish are still apparently
observing social distancing as we had no
bites. Of course we also had no worms.
And fish, it seems, aren't big on fruit
snacks!
        Hope you'll take a moment to
remember what this holiday is all about
and that all your NEWS is good!