As Queen and I
walked I presumed
that the cookie factory will be in full operation today. She
agreed. Since tomorrow is to be bitter cold she wants to make her
candy
at
that time.
On our walk I was
telling Queen that
since my good
medical news my whole health situation has vastly improved. A whole
lot
of small nagging problems are now seemingly in abeyance or disappeared.
It is amazing
how ones mind can have such a drastic effect on the entire body.
I didn't really
realize that I was that
upset over
my
physical problems but I obviously must have
been. Particularly
my
"plumbing
problems" are vastly improved. My problems in that department simply
disappeared after being my "guest" for almost 5 months. Doctor
Nicholson
kept telling me to relax.
Now this is a bit
hard to write about
but it is
true and it did happen!! After getting out of the Eye Doctor's
office we had
to go to Rite-Aid
where Queen went to pick up a prescription. I am
not a
religious fanatic, nor a fire and
brimstone adherent, nor I do not believe
in a vengeful God. However I do firmly believe in God. Too
many
things have happened in both of
our
lives not to be a believer.
Queen has told me
of sometimes at night
in
her prayers for the family and when she prayed for our late son Jack,
feeling a warmth all about her body. I told her he is hugging
her!!
However
in the
car
waiting for Queen I was sitting there waiting for her
gazing up at the sky and then saying aloud, "Thank you Father
for
your help
today"!! At that
moment I
could
literally feel a weight or something
leaving my body. I don't recall this ever happening to me
before, ever! It was
real and it happened. Believe
me I am not making it up. I told her when she came out that it was
as
though an enormous
weight had been lifted. In general my overall heath is
vastly
improved as is my outlook on life. I am not
ungrateful
to the man upstairs who made it all possible
However Queen and
I still
are
having difficulty handling Walter Guyer's death. Somehow I
still
half
way expect
a call from him about how to do something on his computer at
anytime. How do
I find this or that? He was really trying to learn his computer. As I
have said I wished we had been physically closer so that I could have
supplied a bit of "hands on" aid. For a man 90 years of age he was
remarkable.
Walter was a very
outspoken
conservative
Republican who strongly supported President Bush in his re-election.
Sometimes
we would talk on the phone at length about the subject. He
paid
me
the high compliment of telling me I sounded just like my sister
Dorothy, his late wife. I would tell him not to get too excited about
a
particular facet of a problem in which he had an interest. I still miss
Dot's wise council. Queen and I both miss those who have left us very
much particularly at this time of the year! We both are the last of
our
generation!
In a recent e-mail
from son George, he
speaks about
attending a town meeting concerning a new substation. As Senior Engineer for the Power Company in Delaware, George was in the
unenviable position of
having to propose a project that while unpopular must take place if
everyone wants the lights to turn on when they flick the switch. Here
is his message:
"
Last night
I had to
go to a public zoning hearing in Cambridge MD for a new substation site
we would like to purchase. Didn't get home till 11:30PM.
That didn't go
well at all. The locals were out in force to block us from building on
the site we wanted to purchase. It's the old NIMBY syndrome; "Not In My
Back Yard!" We were able to satisfy all the legal requirements to get a
special exception to build on the site, but two member's of the board
didn't let the
facts guide their decision. We lost two to one. There should have been
five members on the board, but two seats are vacant and haven't been
filled yet. The emotionally overwhelming voice of the "hard working
local community not wanting it near them" guided their decision. Of
course legally, we can get the decision overturned, but it will take
more time and money to do that.
They want
reliable electricity, but don't want the substation near them that
would keep the lights on. The one vote for, was by the chairman, who
seemed to understand the need and weighed all of the facts to guide his
decision. The other two guys made the decision that was popular, not
the difficult one they should have made."
Thus be it always!! It seems
to me that
someone said something about not missing the water until the
well
runs dry!!The very sad thing
about it is that he
is one of the few engineers whose specialty is designing and
installing power substations. It is a very unglamorous branch of
electrical
engineering that no one is learning yet it is absolutely essential for
our modern society to function.
I just got this
from Clarence Heydt:
Subject:
A little prayer
Dear
Lord,
Every
single evening
As
I'm lying here in bed,
This
tiny little Prayer
Keeps
running through my head.
God
bless all my family
For
they're so close to me.
And
God, there is one more thing
I
wish that you could do,
Hope
you don't mind me asking
Please
bless my computer too.
Now
I know that it's unusual
To
Bless a motherboard,
But
listen just a second
While
I explain it to you, Lord.
You
see that little metal box
Holds
more than odds and ends,
Inside
those small compartments
Rest
so many of my friends.
I
know so much about them
By
the kindness that they give,
And
this little scrap of metal
Takes
me in to where they live.
By
faith is how I know them
Much
the same as you,
We
share in what life brings us
And
from that our friendships grew.
Please
take an extra minute
From
your duties up above,
To
bless those in my address book
That's
filled with so much love.
Wherever
else this prayer may reach
To
each and every friend,
Bless
each e-mail inbox
And
each person who hits send.
When
you update your Heavenly list
On
your own CD-ROM,
Bless
everyone who says this prayer
Sent
up to GOD.com.
AMEN
You know sometimes God's name
does come up
in my many conversations with my computer but not quite in
this
manner.
Usually some blue smoke issuing from my ears precedes this
conversation!!
Perhaps
I had
best mend my ways. Queen would
appreciate it, I know!
Meanwhile back
at the cookie factory, Queen is
making a chocolate cookie that has a peanut butter filling .
Queen
says that these are not for the
faint hearted
or newbies to baking!
They
are a lot of work to make.
She
said I was telling all her secrets.
They
are on cookie sheets out in the
bus stop while supper is in the
oven.
We are
having the small turkey
breast we just
got this week. If you think cookies smell good the odor of this
turkey is driving me nuts!!
<Later>
Supper is over and
it was very good.
The turkey was nice and moist Stuffing and some green
beans
finished off
a superb meal. Coffee was all I wanted for dessert.
Monday,
December 20, 2004 7:15 AM 0.3
degrees at Slatington
E.S. and 5.9 in the bus stop 1.9 on the east patio It is darn cold
this morning.
Fortunately
there isn't any snow that needs shoveling but we will not be walking
this morning. It is bitter cold outside. I was out for just a
few
moments this morning and I didn't
stay
long. I had to put my tush
cushion on
the snow dusted seat of the lower park bench.
Nan Campton was
out with a girls best friend as both
were bundled up
very well.
Then
I shot a picture of Keck's flag with Marshall's Hill in
the background and I came inside. Brrrr!!!
The
light snow may be pretty
but that is enough. Now, we can start spring any day!!
On Saturday the
Times News ran a front
page article
on Doctor Howard Cyr. It was written by Pattie Mihalik. Doc is a very
unique man.
Throwing
in
the trowel
Retired
Palmerton dentist still drilling but now it's stone instead of cavities
By
PATTIE MIHALIK
While
mid-life career changes are starting to be routine, the career change
made by Dr. Howard Cyr takes the cake.
Or,
at least it takes the trowel.
The
Palmerton man worked as a dentist for 45 years, maintaining a busy
practice at his Fireline Road office.
He
went from drilling cavities to drilling stone. He now works as a mason,
completing projects near and far. But although there is plenty of
manual labor in every job, Cyr insists he's "not working."
"I'm
just keeping busy doing something I sincerely enjoy," he says.
When
someone asks why he turned to masonry, he answers "Why not?" with his
typical dry humor: "After all, my middle name is Mason. It's a family
name."
He
also had a good role model. "My dad died at 93," he says. "The day
before he died, he was laying a cinder block wall. Dad liked to do
masonry so much that my mother used to say she was afraid he would pave
the entire yard with stone work."
Like
father, like son.
The
Princeton University graduate says he planned to be a chemical engineer
like his father. He had worked during summers for New Jersey Zinc and
thought he was destined to follow his father into engineering.
Fate
intervened when he needed a lot of dental work done when he was a
junior in engineering school. His dentist convinced him to consider a
career in dentistry. After graduation from Penn Dental School, he came
to Palmerton to open a dental practice and says he was never sorry
about either decision.
"Dentistry
is very demanding but it is a very good field," he says. Plus, the
precision dentistry demands helped prepare him for masonry where
hair-splitting precision is mandatory. Cyr thinks his engineering
background helps with both.
What
he likes best about masonry, he says, is that unlike other jobs, the
results are tangible.
"A
teacher might reach minds but the results of a day's work aren't
readily apparent. A housewife cooks and cleans all day but the results
of her labor quickly disappear. It's not like that in doing a masonry
project. At the end of the day, you can stand back and see your work.
And maybe it might be there forever," he says.
His
biggest project to date and the one of which he is most proud are the
extraordinary pillars he erected at the entrance of the Michael Carty
estate.
"Michael
put a lot of time and thinking into the design," Cyr credits. "We
traveled around to look at different pillars and Michael kept refining
the plans until he came up with exactly what he wanted."
In
addition to their aesthetic appeal, the solid concrete and steel twin
pillars are made to withstand tremendous force, Cyr observes.
"If
a Mack Truck hit the pillars, the truck would shake and quiver but the
pillars would still stand," he says.
That
building project, which lasted several months, had more challenges than
most jobs demand. Just getting the specially designed capitals on top
of the pillars was a major ordeal that was further complicated by a
comedy of errors on the part of the factory that made the 1,500 pound
custom tops.
The
first special order capital was so big and heavy that it crashed down
on the pillar as it was being lifted by a huge crane. It knocked off
the corner of the piece and marred the column which Cyr had to repair.
The
second one slid off the truck as it was being delivered.
The
third one was damaged in the shop.
And
the fourth one was finally put in place, much to the delight of the
"sidewalk superintendents" who got a kick out of watching the project
progress. But the end result, all agree, is a magnificent job of which
Cyr rightfully can be proud.
"He
was very exacting and did a super job from start to finish," says a
pleased Michael Carty.
While
most of his jobs aren't that demanding, each one presents its own
challenges," Cry said. "That's part of the appeal for me ] working it
out in my head then seeing the finished project."
"Mostly
though, I do a lot of little jobs ] the kind that home owners have a
hard time getting people to do."
If
he had to make a living from his masonry work, Cyr says he would starve
to death. "With all the equipment I have to buy, I just about break
even," he says. (What he doesn't add is that he often donates his labor
for non-profit groups.)
He
admits he never seems to run out of equipment he needs to buy.
"My
wife isn't too thrilled with how I keep filling up the house with this
stuff," he says. "I filled up the garage, the bedroom, the middle
bedroom and I keep looking for where I can put more equipment."
He
chuckles when he tells how his wife came home and found him warming
masonry glue in the kitchen. "She said, 'Oh, no! Now you're taking over
the kitchen, too.'"
Although
it was Cyr's idea to replace the pavement in front of Palmerton library
with pavers, he got sick and wasn't able to do the job. But there are
plenty of projects around the town that have benefited from his
considerable masonry talent, including the borough park and bandstand
step.
Even
when he's on vacation at his Ft. Myers Beach home, Cyr finds masonry
projects to do. He says the seawall he built around his property
probably saved the place from the hurricanes that pounded the Gulf
coast . He's now going to build one for a neighbor, too.
While
masonry might not be most people's idea of fun, it makes Cyr as happy
as a kid making mud pies.
His
"fun" is definitely carved in stone.
Here are a two pictures of mine of this job
This
morning about 10:30 AM I went down town on some errands and the
temperature on
the
Keystone sign said 7 degrees. That is cold. I miss our morning walks.
I
got this from Helen
Truesdale Tucker I just love it.
A
New Christmas Story....Gold,
Common Sense and Fur
By
Linda C. Stafford
My
husband and I had been happily (most of the time) married for five
years but we haven't been blessed with a baby. I decided to do some
serious praying and promised God that if he would give us a child I
would be a perfect mother, love it with all my heart and raise it with
his word as my guide.
God
answered my prayers and blessed us with a son. The next year God
blessed us with another son. The following year, he blessed us with yet
another son. The year after that we were blessed with a daughter. My
husband thought we'd been blessed right into poverty. We now had four
children, and the oldest was only four years old. I learned never to
ask God for anything unless I meant it. As a minister once told me, "If
you pray for rain, make sure you carry an umbrella."
I
began reading a few verses of the Bible to the children each day as
they lay in their cribs. I was off to a good start. God had entrusted
me with four children and I didn't want to disappoint him. I tried to
be patient the day the children smashed two-dozen eggs on the kitchen
floor searching for baby chicks. I tried to understand when they
started a hotel for homeless frogs in the spare bedroom, although it
took me nearly two hours to catch all twenty-three frogs. When my
daughter poured ketchup all over herself and rolled up in a blanket to
see how it felt to be a hot dog, I tried to see the humor rather than
the mess. In spite of changing over twenty-five thousand diapers, never
eating a hot meal and never sleeping for more than thirty minutes at a
time,
I
still thank God daily for my children. While I couldn't keep my
promise to be a perfect mother (I didn't even come close), I did keep
my promise to raise them in the Word of God. I knew I was missing the
mark just a little when I told my daughter we were going to church to
worship God, and she wanted to bring a bar of soap along to "wash up"
Jesus, too. Something was lost in the translation when I explained that
God gave us everlasting life, and my son thought it was generous of God
to give us his "last wife."
My
proudest moment came during the children's Christmas pageant. My
daughter was playing Mary, two of my sons were shepherds and my
youngest son was a wise man. This was their moment to shine. My
five-year-old shepherd had practiced his line, "We found the babe
wrapped in swaddling clothes." But he was nervous and said, "The baby
was wrapped in wrinkled clothes."My four-year-old "Mary" said,
"That's not wrinkled clothes silly. That's dirty, rotten clothes." A
wrestling match broke out between Mary and the shepherd, which was
stopped by an angel, who bent her halo and lost her left wing. I
slouched a little lower in my seat when Mary dropped the doll
representing Baby Jesus, and it bounced down the aisle crying,
"Mama-mama." Mary grabbed the doll, wrapped it back up and held it
tightly as the wise men arrived. My other son stepped forward wearing a
bathrobe and a paper crown, knelt at the manger and announced, "We are
the three wise men, and we are bringing gifts of gold, common sense and
fur." The congregation dissolved into laughter, and the pageant got a
standing ovation. "I've never enjoyed a Christmas
program as much as
this one," Pastor Brian laughed, wiping tears from his eyes. "For the
rest of my life, I'll never hear the Christmas story without thinking
of gold, common sense and fur."
"My
children are my pride and my joy and my greatest blessing," I said
as I dug through my purse for an aspirin.
Supper is
over and Queen had chili tonight. The cookie factory has shut down and
the candy factory is open for business.
I really can't say
that I accomplished
much today
but I was busy. We really missed our walk Now it is time for
bed!
Tuesday,
December 21, 2004 7:22 AM 8.3
at Slatington E.S. and 9.2 in the bus stop It is
a cold day this
morning but not as
bad as yesterday. My blood glucose is 128 and my weight 194. I will be
taking my 8 O'clock coffee, camera, and dog and head outdoors to check
for myself.
.
There really wasn't much doing outside this morning. The cold still
precludes a joint walk.
This
is from
Bob Green. (NOTE:
It has been
edited by me and is a modern version
of "A Night Before Christmas". It is politically correct.)
Subject:
Don't sue me if your
Christmas isn't Merry!
Subject:
Holiday Greeting
In accordance
with the rich traditions steeped in
antiquity regarding this annual electronic mail, the following amusing
text is offered:
Whereas,
on or about the night prior to a
particular celebratory event during the winter solstice holiday season,
there did occur at a certain improved piece of real property
(hereinafter "the House") a general lack of stirring by all creatures
therein, including, but not limited to a mouse ("Mus musculus").
A variety
of foot apparel (e.g. stocking,
socks) had been affixed by and around the chimney in said House in the
hope and/or belief that a particular individual (hereinafter will be
referred to as "Sarbox Clause" to avoid copyright lawsuits) would
arrive at sometime thereafter.
The minor
residents (a.k.a., "children",
"offspring", or "rug rats") of the aforementioned House were located in
their individual beds and were engaged in nocturnal hallucinations
wherein vision of confectionery treats, including but not limited to,
candies, nuts and/or sugar plums, did dance, cavort and otherwise
appear in said dreams.
Concomitantly,
the party of
the first part - being the
joint-owner in fee simple of the House with the party of the second
part (hereinafter
"Partner") -
and said Partner had retired for a
sustained period of sleep.
Incidentally,
and for the singular
purpose of providing context, the
parties were clad in various forms of headgear (e.g. kerchief and cap.)
Suddenly, and
without prior notice or warning, there
did occur upon the unimproved real property adjacent and apparent to
said House, (i.e. the lawn), a certain disruption of unknown nature,
cause and/or circumstance.
The party of
the first part did immediately rush to
a window in the House to investigate the cause of such disturbance.
At
that time, the party of
the first part did observe, with some
degree of wonder and/or disbelief, a miniature sleigh (hereinafter "the
Vehicle") being pulled and/or drawn very rapidly through the air (in
direct violation of several physical laws) by approximately eight (8)
reindeer. The driver of the Vehicle appeared to be and in fact was, the
previously referenced Sarbox Clause.
Said
Sarbox Clause was
observed providing specific direction,
instruction, and guidance to the approximately eight (8) reindeer in
accordance with generally accepted Project Management Office
principles. Sarbox Clause specifically identified the animal
co-conspirators by name: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid,
Donner, and Blitzen. A subsequent taxonomy
analysis
further classified the
animals as Animalia Chordata Mammalia
Artiodactyla Cervidae Odocoilinae Rangifer Tarandus (hereinafter "the
Deer"). Upon information and belief, it is further asserted an
additional co-conspirator named "Rudolph" ("Nosus Illuminatus") may
have been involved.
The
party of the first part
witnessed Sarbox Clause, the Vehicle,
and the Deer intentionally and willfully trespass upon the roofs of
several residences located adjacent to and in the vicinity of the
House, and noted that the Vehicle was heavily laden with packages,
toys, and other items of unknown origin or nature.
Suddenly,
without
provocation, prior invitation, or permission,
either express or implied, the Vehicle arrived at the House, and Sarbox
Clause entered said House via the chimney.
Said
Sarbox Clause was clad
in a red fur suit, which was to a
degree covered with partially combusted hydrocarbon residue from the
chimney, and he carried a large sack containing a portion of the
aforementioned packages, toys, and other unknown items. He was smoking
what appeared to be tobacco in a small pipe in blatant violation of
local ordinances and health regulations.
Sarbox
Clause did not speak,
but immediately began to fill the
stockings of the children, which hung adjacent to the chimney (the
stockings, not the children), with toys and other small gifts. Said
items, however, were within the guideline definition of "token nature"
and therefore permissible to retain, presuming the relevant annual
report is filed pursuant to the applicable Code of Conduct provisions.
Upon
completion of the
aforementioned distribution task, Sarbox
Clause signed off on the Form 120, touched the side of his nose and
flew, rose and/or ascended the chimney of the House to the roof where
the Vehicle and Deer waited and multitasked as sentinels. Sarbox Clause
immediately departed for an unknown destination.
However,
prior to the
departure of the Vehicle, Deer, and Sarbox
Clause from said House, the party of the first part did hear Sarbox
Clause state and/or exclaim:
"Merry
winter solstice celebratory
event to all, and to all a good
night!"
Or
words to that effect (said
owner paraphrased for clarity)
Note:
Some restrictions may
apply. This greeting is subject to
clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no
alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the
wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or
others, is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole
discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected
within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year,
or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes
first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance
of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.
I am not
sure what Queen has on the fire this morning. She needed some
supplies for the candy factory so I went downtown to get what was
required. Of course I took the camera along. As I was
entering
IGA the
fire siren was blowing. After I left I stopped on Delaware Avenue and
shot some pictures. Palmerton's "Patches" was still sitting
there
in
the small plaza next to the new Borough Hall. Then I shot a
picture up
Delaware Avenue.
As I was taking
these photos the
Aquashicola fire
trucks were returning. I used the movie mode in the new Canon camera.
The picture quality is startlingly clear. I wish I could reproduce them
here. It would mean I would have to enable some kind of a player here
on this site but
so
far that is
beyond my poor powers.
We decided to take
the car and go
downtown. Queen
wanted some chocolate chips for the candy factory so we parked at the
Keystone Bank and walked to Country Harvest and back. I took some
pictures
of Delaware Avenue at dusk. It was very nice. Evening and dusk pictures
are very hard for me.
One
of the nice people we met out our
walk was Sandy Hook. She was on
her way to work at the library. On our way back from the store I dropped
in at the library for this picture. I was in a hurry and the focus is a
bit off.
<Sigh>
We both needed a walk. It was not too cold besides I like to
walk
with my sweetheart. Tonight she is making a pan "tuna
casserole". It
is a
favorite of this old man.
Queen is still
making candy. This
afternoon she
made the filling for "Buckeye" balls.They had to cool in the bus stop
and
now after supper she is coating them with chocolate.
Now
I am her "go-fer". She makes them and I transport them back and forth
to
the bus stop between processing
operations. It is
plenty cold
out
there at 21.8 degrees and that is what she wants. I think she is done
now at 8:32 PM.
She worked hard at
all the cookie and
candy
business. I really doubt if those who eat
these various goodies have any idea the amount of work that goes into
them. If you had to buy them at a fair market price considering
materials and labor, no one could afford to buy them.
Wednesday,
December 22, 2004 7:30 AM
20 degrees at Slatington E.S. and 19 Deg in the bus stop
It
is cold this morning and I shall
be
heading out soon with my coffee, camera, and dog.
The inside
of the bus stop
smelled
wonderful this morning. When I went to get my tush cushion. It
smelled like Willie Wonka's Chocolate factory with
Queen's candy inside.
There was not much
doing outside at all
this
morning. I guess we will be doing our food shopping because the weather
tomorrow is predicted to go down the tubes!
This is Walter Guyer's
obituary as seen in today's Morning Call.
Walter
R.F. Guyer
Walter
R.F. Guyer of Short Hills, N.J., died December 14, 2004, in
Morristown (N.J.) Memorial Hospital. He was 90. Born in Elmira, N.Y.,
his family moved to Allentown. He was a 1932 graduate of Allentown High
School. He then moved to Roselle, N.J., before moving to Short Hills 51
years ago. He earned a bachelors degree in chemical engineering in 1936
and a masters degree in 1938, both from Lehigh University, and went on
to received a doctorate in physical chemistry from Princeton University
in 1940. He was a research chemist for Exxon, starting at the Linden
lab in 1940 and retiring in 1982 from Exxon Enterprises, New York City,
working for Exxon for 42 years. For many years he was an active member
of Christ Church, Short Hills, and a past president of the
Milburn-Short Hills Art Center and Milburn-Short Hills Old Guard. He
was the husband of the late Dorothy Elliston Guyer. Survivors: Sons, W.
Richard Guyer and his wife Katherine of Bethlehem, Dr. David E. Guyer
and his wife Leslie of new Providence, N.J.; grandchildren, Courtney
Guyer, Kendall Ritz, Christopher, Richard, Thomas and James Guyer.
Services: memorial, 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Christ Church, 66 Highland
Ave., Short Hills. Relatives and friends are invited to attend.
Arrangements, Bradley, Smith and Smith Funeral Home, Springfield, N.J.
Contributions: In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his
memory to a favorite charity.
Published
in the Morning Call on 12/22/2004.
Last evening son
George sent me some pictures of their tree decorating party. It looks
as though everyone had a good time!! I am putting them in here for all
to share. Grandson Jason had his girl friend, Christine
Wisowaty there with them for the festivities.
Andy
Christine, Kathy and
Jason
Jason
and
Andy
Kathy
and Christine
George
and Oscar
Andy and
Jason
Christine
and Jason
Christine
and
Andy
We did our
shopping this morning and the
stores were
crowded and the parking bad but it wasn't impossible to get
around. I took a
picture in Giant but with the lighting there I find the color
balance in that store is terrible. Oh
well.
This afternoon after our naps we went for a short walk down Columbia
Avenue. There was still some light so I shot these pictures.
George
Ashman's house and Mrs Carl
Kegel's homes are decorated for the season.
This has been a hectic week for us. Queen is tired and has
obviously overdone her energies this week. The combination of
the
cookie factory and then the candy factory has been hard on her
endurance.There isn't much point in berating her because I can't change
her. However we are both frazzled. So far I really don't know what we
are going to do about Walter's funeral services. I know I no longer
feel comfortable driving over there and back. Then too there is the
problem of what to do with Butternut if we are gone for any period of
time. We have never kenneled him so that is also a matter of
concern.
To be there by 11:30 AM will be a bit hard to do.
Thursday,
December 23, 2004 7:12 AM 40 degrees at
Slatington E.S. and 19Deg in the bus stop
It looks like a rainy day on hand this
morning. It
has not started here yet but it is on the way. This morning my blood
glucose is 136 and the weight is 195.
We decided to go for a short
walk. We
went about half way down the 400 block and returned. It was blowing and
it
was raining but
not hard.
Nonetheless Queen pointed
out to me
that my bitching about
how the blowing wind making my hearing aid virtually useless
was
kind of silly because here I
am feeling so much better and still complaining about something as
trivial as that! She does have a way of pointing out correctly some
of
my frailties, which I do need!<Sigh>
We called Kathy last
evening to sing "Happy Birthday" to her. She and Queen carried on an
extended conversation that was
good.
One of the things
she told Queen was
that today she
had
her last
appointment with her Gynecologist doctor. She has gone to him for over
30 years and now he is retiring. His reason for retirement is
very unique. His wife of many years has a brain tumor and is slowly but
steadily getting worse. He loves her so much he does not have the
heart to put her in a "home" or other care program.
Therefore
he is retiring to care for her himself at home. Now that is love!! Then
I complain about my dumb hearing aid!!!
We have some
shopping we want
to do this
morning.
<Later> We got home about 1 PM and it
rained pitchforks and hammer handles most of the trip. In fact now at
4 PM it
still is raining quite hard.
On the way we delivered
some Christmas cookies and
we
mailed Dr. Jane's assortment to her in Florida. We finished
our
Christmas shopping. Queen and I got presents for each another. It was a
very satisfactory trip in spite of the lousy weather.
Of course an
afternoon nap is absolutely
necessary.
Now this is the
kind of health news that
this old
man loves. It is from Web MD and can be found at http://my.webmd.com/content/article/98/104833.htm
Dec.
16, 2004 --
Here's
a
new recipe for heart disease prevention: Grab a
handful
of dark chocolate, a couple of almonds, some fruits and vegetables, and
a sprinkle of garlic. Wash it all down with a glass of wine. Do this
every day, and researchers say you'll cut your risk of heart disease by
a whopping 76%.
The diet, dubbed the "Polymeal," is a
combination of
foods that have been individually shown to reduce one's risk of heart
disease. It includes all of the above-mentioned items, eaten on a daily
basis, plus fish four times a week. Ingredients can be combined as a
meal or taken individually throughout the day.
Scientists, reporting in next week's
issue of the
BMJ, reviewed the impact of each ingredient on blood pressure,
cholesterol, and the overall risk of heart disease and calculated a
combined effect. For example, about 4-5 ounces of wine (a standard
glass) reduces the risk of heart disease by nearly one-third. The
researchers also say that eating fish four times a week reduced heart
disease risk by 14%.
According to the journal study,
combining seven food
components (dark chocolate, wine, fruits, vegetables, garlic, almonds,
and fish) significantly increases the life expectancy of people over
age 50 and reduces heart events by more than two-thirds.
Excluding any ingredients caused a
slight decline in
the overall heart protection benefits. However omitting wine reduced
the meal's beneficial impact the most -- by 10%.
The recipe for heart success has the
biggest impact
on men. Men who dine on the Polymeal program every day increase their
total life expectancy by more than six and a half years compared with
men not on the Polymeal. They also were able to prevent the onset of
heart disease for nine years.
Women
eating
the Polymeal would live about five years longer than women
not eating it. They keep heart disease at bay for eight years.
In 2003 researchers introduced the idea
of the
"Polypill," a pill combining common medications used against different
risk factors for heart disease. They showed that combining these drugs
into one pill would reduce cardiovascular disease by more than 80%.
Oscar Franco's team in the Netherlands
wanted to
come up with a nonpharmacological option.
"Following
the
Polymeal promises to be an effective,
nonpharmacological, safe, and tasty means to increase life expectancy
and reduce heart disease across the population," the authors concluded.
Golly
Queen and I have been
eating like this for years!
Friday,
December 24, 2004 7:17 AM 26.2 at Slatington E.S. and 28.1 in the bus
stop
It is
Christmas Eve here in Palmerton and I guess we are as ready as we can
expect. Tonight we are invited to Tommy's home for his usual
Christmas Eve get together.
I have orders from the boss that today
we must put
on a grand push to clean the house. George and family are expected
Monday. We don't want them to see how filthy we actually live here!
Ha!!! Today
the
blood glucose is higher at 143 and the weight 196.
The
following was in last night's
Times News. It is something both men
richly deserve.
Palmerton
Council recognizes
George
Ashman, Dick Nothstein
By
PATTIE MIHALIK
Palmerton
Borough Council this
week honored two men who are among those
who make the town "a nice place to live."
George
Ashman, Dick Nothstein and
representatives of the Blue Mountain
Health System and Life Care Holdings were given special recognition for
dedication, showing community support and providing for the needs of
citizens.
Randy
Gursky, council member,
presented the first recipient, George
Ashman, with the award for his dedication and countless hours of
volunteer time to the community. Ashman has served on the board of the
Palmerton Memorial Park Association since 1984. He has promoted and
organized the local bloodmobile for over 10 years. As a member of the
Palmerton Historical Society, he handles publications and newsletters,
organizes Heritage Day activities, helps maintain the Historical
Society property, and played a major part in preparation of the
Historical Society's historical tour pamphlet.
For
the past 15 years Ashman has
been a volunteer with Meals on Wheels
and delivers food each week to local residents and has been helping
with the Palmerton CACPAC Food Pantry for nearly 20 years. "I
appreciate this honor very much," said Ashman. He went on to say he
admired the true volunteers of Palmerton such as the area firemen and
people who keep our town safe.
Dick
Nothstein was recognized for
his dedication to the community.
Nothstein has served as a committee member for Relay for Life, a
representative to the Private Industry Council, a representative to the
Market Town Initiative, and a church deacon and elder. He organized and
financially sponsored the Holiday Homecoming musical production at
Penn's Peak as a fundraiser for CACPAC. He supports local charities and
organizations, including the Pregnancy Care Center of Carbon County and
scouting programs.
His
grocery store donates to
charitable organizations and the needy and
provides free apples to Appalachian Trail hikers who stop in Palmerton.
Councilman Chris Olivia was the presenter of this award. Nothstien
thanked his parents for being the ones that have enabled him to be able
to do what he does today.
"If
I could live anywhere, I would
choose three places, third would be
Palmerton, second would be Palmerton and the first would be Palmerton!"
said Nothstein.
The
Palmerton Borough Council also
recognized the Blue Mountain Health
System and Life Care Holdings for their dedication to the community.
The Palmerton campus has the new assisted living facility known as The
Village at Palmerton to provide for the needs of our citizens. This new
facility at 71 Princeton Ave shows its continued commitment to
Palmerton and area residents.
Accepting
the award from
councilman, Philip Binder, on behalf of the
Village, were Joyce Schultz, marketing director, and Mary Jane Dugas,
executive director of the facility. "We are thrilled to receive this
award. We look forward to taking care of the adults in the area and
also be able to add more employment to Palmerton," said Schultz.
Fritz
Williams' Class of
1954 reunion picture was also in the paper. I can see that Doctor
Harry
Snyder and Frank Susanin were there with Fritz. Many of the
others names are familiar but I can't place the faces. As with all of
these things it is a picture of a lot of old people!! Ha!! Golly.
This
is from Bob Green:
The
Supreme Court ruled there
cannot be a nativity scene in Washington,
DC this Christmas.
This
isn't for any religious or
constitutional reason, they simply have
not been able to find three wise men and a virgin in the
nation's
capitol. There was no problem however finding enough asses to fill the
stable.
I was out on the lower park bench this morning and was greeted by the
Clarence Heydts on their morning walk
It looks as though Bernice Kleintop has her daughters with her over
Christmas. That is good.
We went for our full mile walk this morning. On the way back we were
hailed by Judge Webb who is having a family get together this
evening. He said it is unusual when both boys, who are
policemen, to be able to get off duty at the same time. I am sure
family
means a lot to the Webb family. I know it does to us.
.
Once
again as has become my tradition is this reprint from The Wall Street
Journal:
December
24, 2004
In
Hoc Anno Domini
December
24, 2004; Page A10
When
Saul of Tarsus set out on his journey to Damascus the whole of the
known world lay in bondage. There was one state, and it was Rome. There
was one master for it all, and he was Tiberius Caesar.
Everywhere
there was civil order, for the arm of the Roman law was long.
Everywhere there was stability, in government and in society, for the
centurions saw that it was so.
But
everywhere there was something else, too. There was oppression -- for
those who were not the friends of Tiberius Caesar. There was the tax
gatherer to take the grain from the fields and the flax from the
spindle to feed the legions or to fill the hungry treasury from which
divine Caesar gave largess to the people. There was the impressor to
find recruits for the circuses. There were executioners to quiet those
whom the Emperor proscribed. What was a man for but to serve Caesar?
There
was the persecution of men who dared think differently, who heard
strange voices or read strange manuscripts. There was enslavement of
men whose tribes came not from Rome, disdain for those who did not have
the familiar visage. And most of all, there was everywhere a contempt
for human life. What, to the strong, was one man more or less in a
crowded world?
Then,
of a sudden, there was a light in the world, and a man from Galilee
saying, Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's and unto God
the things that are God's.
And
the voice from Galilee, which would defy Caesar, offered a new Kingdom
in which each man could walk upright and bow to none but his God.
Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren,
ye have done it unto me. And he sent this gospel of the Kingdom of Man
into the uttermost ends of the earth.
So
the light came into the world and the men who lived in darkness were
afraid, and they tried to lower a curtain so that man would still
believe salvation lay with the leaders.
But
it came to pass for a while in divers places that the truth did set man
free, although the men of darkness were offended and they tried to put
out the light. The voice said, Haste ye. Walk while you have the light,
lest darkness come upon you, for he that walketh in darkness knoweth
not whither he goeth.
Along
the road to Damascus the light shone brightly. But afterward Paul of
Tarsus, too, was sore afraid. He feared that other Caesars, other
prophets, might one day persuade men that man was nothing save a
servant unto them, that men might yield up their birthright from God
for pottage and walk no more in freedom.
Then
might it come to pass that darkness would settle again over the lands
and there would be a burning of books and men would think only of what
they should eat and what they should wear, and would give heed only to
new Caesars and to false prophets. Then might it come to pass that men
would not look upward to see even a winter's star in the East, and once
more, there would be no light at all in the darkness.
And
so Paul, the apostle of the Son of Man, spoke to his brethren, the
Galatians, the words he would have us remember afterward in each of the
years of his Lord:
Stand
fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free and be
not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Copyright 2004 Dow
Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This
copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and
use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by
copyright law.
In
the words of Tiny
Tim," bless us all everyone"
