Book 2 Volume 6
These pages make absolutely no attempt to be a real newspaper. For that one must read the Times News at http://www.tnonline.com/news/ I write this for my own enjoyment. I hope others will enjoy it also.
Queen is my inspiration and greatly augments my efforts. She is my proofreader and censor and the one that attempts to keep me on the straight and narrow! Ha! Her love, support, and help, have been indispensable. She surely has a way of cheering me up when I get discouraged. I do plenty of times.
The new Palmerton Press site is http://www.thepalmertonpress.com/
My web master will post the newest additions as they become available. I prepare and publish them here and then zip them to him in Delaware. He does what is necessary to bring them up to proper form for posting, checking my work and making necessary changes and adjustments. He then posts them on line for me.
The time frame may be somewhat different now. There is a whole lot extra work involved in this new operation from the old method of construction. There is a price for better performance.
The old schedule of Friday publishing may at times not be possible. However I will still try to send individual e-mails to those on my list. For one thing my list lets me know who is getting them.This is valuable information to me!! I am considering asking my web master if it would be possible to have a site on the index page where folks can make comments.
I am particularly interested in reaching not only current Palmertonians, but also former Palmerton residents, who may still find the old town a source of comfort and the remembrances of happy days. Comments are welcome.
My son George, grandsons Andy, and Jason, have been instrumental in making these things appear at all. They supply the technical expertise to put and keep it on line. I can type the words and insert the pictures but they keep the press running! In addition we are trying to put older web pages on line as seen in our index page.
Somehow I believe that my Dad, George Elliston, editor and publisher of the "original" weekly Palmerton Press would be both happy and mighty darn surprised to see my efforts here. I am sure that he
At one time Pattie Mihalik, the local Times News Editor, asked about some materials she needed to research some information about WW II for a story she was writing. I told her that my Dad kept a written diary during those years. She used them and found the information for which she was looking. What surprised me was her statement that when she read them and then read my stuff it was as though my Dad had simply continued writing as he did so long ago. Maybe the apples really don't fall too far from the tree! I never really read his diaries. His handwriting was as bad as mine and I can not read mine!!
Don’t expect much in the way of earth shattering events to appear here. This is how Queen and I live.
To many it is dull and dry as dust but hey for a pair of geezers of 87 and 78 years what do you expect?
I also thank all of my mentors. They all suffer a now 78-year-old fool, well. I wish to express my thanks to everyone.
I deeply appreciate the responses from my readers who seem to enjoy our view of life, as well as the pictures of our town and home.
I want to stress that it is the excellent input from you readers that permit me to put this thing out and on line every week. Some weeks I would not have a clue as to what to write about. However, someone often sends something that gets the ball rolling. I very much appreciate the articles and pictures my readers send me. Please keep up your input.
I am particularly interested in old photographs of town. It would be best if they were sent digitized. Oh I can do it but I might never be able to return the originals because my "great filling system" is a black hole for important stuff. Something right here on my desk can disappear from the face of the earth!! Queen knows all about that!! With the very gracious co-operation of Prolog we now have an up and running web page. This will eventually permit a lot more to be accomplished. My profound thanks to everyone.
Son George is my web master. We both can be contacted through the links on the main Index page.
You may note that this is the sixth volume of the second year of these epistles therefore, at my web master's behest, we are renaming them, Book 2, Volume 6.
Saturday,
December 25, 2004 8:24
AM 17.5 at Slatington E.S. is
and 16 degrees in
the bus stop
"Merry Christmas" to all! It is a beautiful Christmas day today. It is cold though. I haven't been out yet. We decided to walk a bit later. First we finished wrapping the last of the Christmas presents and then took them up to Mike and Jean's home.
We exchanged presents and sat and had a good conversation with them. They are mighty good neighbors to have next door. You can't beat a museum, a cemetery and the best Italian cook in the world for neighbors. Jean's lasagna is without peer!!
Last evening we were over at Tommy Davies for a buffet supper. I stuffed myself with shrimp. It was a lot of fun and we all sat about afterwards and watched the fire in the fireplace. I was a good boy and only had two highballs. I am a wino, not a "haaard" liquor man. [ Boston pronunciation ]
Once a year Tommy has a roaring good fire. I took some pictures as usual. I attempted some movies that were very disappointing.The lighting was insufficient!!
Henry Schwartz and Tom's fire
Tommy and niece Lisa Anthony
When I opened this page this morning I could not control the page. I was unable to scroll down any page nor open any pictures for use here. I ran all the usual cures for problems including going back to yesterday morning with the XP Go-Back feature. Nothing helped and nothing worked!! I couldn't even open my e-mail.
Tonight for supper Queen had a quarter of a chicken breast each, a baked potato, green beens for her and brussels sprouts for me. Then coffee and ice cream for dessert.
Ah a new reader is being added to the list.
Please send a copy of the Palmerton Press to the following e mail address. rstrohl@tampabay.rr.com
I was born in Palmerton in 1935 at First and Lehigh .
My father was Franklin Strohl who worked his entire life at the New Jersy Zinc.
I currently live in Homosassa, Florida about one hour from Mep Moyer.
Your work in publishing the Palmerton Press is just GREAT.
Ron Strohl
Sometimes something happens that makes all of Queen's cookie baking work seem very worthwhile. We delivered a plate of cookies to a very dear friend. She is a widow who lost her son a few years ago and also has some serious medical problems. She is a happy person and a good egg. She is one of Queen's swimming pals who also attends Gretchen's water aerobic classes in August at PMPA.
We thought she would enjoy some of Queen's handiwork. So we drove to her house and I found no one at home, but I was able to wedge the plate of cookies into her mail slot.
Later Queen phoned to tell her that they were in the mail slot. She thanked Queen. In a few minutes she called back virtually in tears. We had made her day. This is what Christmas is all about. We have been helped by so many really nice folks and we certainly do appreciate it. This is but a small part of the joy of being alive! Life is good!!
Sunday, December 26, 2004 7:22 AM 15.9 at Slatington E.S. and 14.4 in the bus stop
I shall be heading out with my 8 o'clock coffee soon.
<Later> It really wasn't bad outside sitting at the lower park bench. However it is too cold for Queen to walk as yet. We will go later!!
Rumsfeld "Everything we do here is harder because of television stations like Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabia and the constant negative approach. You don't hear about the schools that are open, and the hospitals that are open, and the clinics that are open, and the fact that the stock market is open and the Iraqi currency is steady and the fact that there have been something like 140,000 refugees coming from other countries back into this country. They're voting with their feet because they believe this is a country of the future. You don't read about that. You read about every single negative thing that anyone can find to report.
I was talking to a group of congressmen and senators the other day, and there were a couple of them who had negative things to say and they were in the press in five minutes. There were 15 or 20 that had positive things to say about what's going on in Iraq and they couldn't get on television. Television just said we're not interested. That's just -- sorry. So it is, I guess, what's news has to be bad news."
Really! The conventional media is so bad. It is as though they want this operation to fail so they can say I told you so or worse. None of them realize that this is every bit as much a war as WW I or WW II. The methods are unconventional but they can be deadly, as was 9/11. They don't realize the import of what they are doing. To me it is nauseating!
We saw this on one of our walks
However I saw this piece of metal laying there in the cemetery frozen to the ground. I picked it up and put it along the side of the back porch. I figured I knew where it belonged. It was part of a chimney cap. Sure enough!! So I put in a call to Mauch Chunk Chimney Sweeps. They installed all the chimney caps in the first place. This is the third time it has blown off the chimney. As I see it, it probably behaves like an airplane wing. When the wind blows across it's domed top, it in all likelihood creates lift, and off she goes!! The other two trips may not have helped it. I doubt if it flys any better!! One of the other times it was down on the sidewalk narrowly missing a parked car.
This morning my weight was 195 and the blood glucose was 136. I will have to go downtown soon. I must go to the Post Office and a few other places.
I am back from my trip downtown. Man it is cold! I stopped at Dr. Nicholson's to deliver the paper and found that they were closed for the week. Then it was on to the Post Office. I met Tommy Ziegenfus in there. He is a retired lineman from the Palmerton Telephone Company. From there I went to IGA and got some oysters and milk for dinner tonight.
Of course I had to stop in at the Times News. Sharon was the only one there. All the rest are either on vacation or otherwise out. She got a phone call early this morning for a house fire. It must have been the one I saw the "West End" fire truck going to a bit after 7 AM.
Apparently it was a smoky house fire up on Straup's Dairy Road. She said the home was up on a hill and it was windy and bitter cold. She showed me her picture and smoke was pouring out of the place. It was the same picture they had in the Times News tonight. The wind did not help a bit.The poor girl was still trying to warm up. I told her it looks as though she is the Times News today!! She hoped it would be quiet for the rest of the day!!
I also told her that when I was in the Post Office I saw a young lady in front of me that from my angle looked just like her. I almost tapped her on the shoulder to say, " Hi, Sharon". Then she turned around and she sure wasn't Sharon. Gee whiz!!
Tonight I am making oyster stew. It turned out very well.
This evening he Lafayette Elliston's stopped by for a visit. It is good to see them. We planned out the menu for the forthcoming New Years Eve meal as we all sat about chatting.
I got this from Bob Green:
ADULT:
A person who has stopped growing at both ends and is now growing in the middle.
BEAUTY PARLOR:
A place where women curl up and dye.
CANNIBAL:
Someone who is fed up with people.
CHICKENS:
The only animals you eat before they are born And after they are dead.
COMMITTEE:
A body that keeps minutes and wastes hours.
DUST:
Mud with the juice squeezed out.
EGOTIST:
Someone who is usually me-deep in conversation.
HANDKERCHIEF:
Cold Storage.
INFLATION:
Cutting money in half without damaging the paper.
MOSQUITO:
An insect that makes you like flies better.
RAISIN:
Grape with a sunburn.
SECRET:
Something you tell to one person at a time.
SKELETON:
A bunch of bones with the person scraped off.
TOOTHACHE:
The pain that drives you to extraction.
TOMORROW:
One of the greatest labor saving devices of today.
YAWN:
An honest opinion openly expressed.
WRINKLES:
Something other people have.
You have character lines.
ENJOY YOUR DAY!
Happy New Year
May it be the best ever
Tuesday, December 28, 2004 7:10 AM 12 deg at Slatington E.S. and 11deg in the bus stop
It is cold this morning as I am about to venture out with my coffee, camera, and dog.
<Later> Boy but it is cold out there! Fortunately there is no wind or else it would be brutal. I find it hard to believe that we have not had a shovel able snow this winter so far. I hope it stays that way.
This is a site
for all you home handy
persons. It is
from "This Old House". It looks quite informative.
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/knowhow/calculator/0,16964,,00.html
We decided to go to Lehighton this morning. Queen wanted a few things. After we got back we went into IGA and then stopped by to see Linda and Sharon, the Palmerton contingent of the Times News this week. They seem to be holding up quite well. The we walked to Rite-Aid where I picked up a prescription for my glucose test strips. Then it was home for lunch.
While we were in IGA they had some very nice chicken legs on sale as well as white meat tenders. Tonight Queen is making chicken soup. I prepared the rest of the chicken for the freezer with the vacuum sealer. That thing is well worth the money. Things keep a long time frozen that way.
Queen had me try on my clothes for tomorrow. I had to pass her inspection! George, Andy, and I are going to Walter Guyer's memorial service. It is to be held at 11:30 am at Christ Church, Short Hills, N.J.
I printed out a series of maps so we can find the Church. Thank God for my relatives who now drive me to places when necessary.
As Alfie Davies used to say, "Don't get old". Not too many years ago this trip would have been no sweat to me. Now, Ha!!!
One thing that amazed me about Walter. For a man of 90 he still got around to the places he wanted and needed to go. It is incongruous that it certainly wasn't his driving that killed him but a driving accident of someone else. We still can't reconcile ourselves to his death!!
I got this from Bob Greenawalt:
I would like to add one note. To those of you I saw yesterday that I told would have their pictures in this page I am acceding to the wishes of my partners, my spell checker Queen and web master George, who thought that personal pictures would be an invasion of your privacy. They are correct.
This morning Queen and I went food shopping. We went to Aldi, Giant, and home to IGA. As we we leaving the Giant parking lot, I saw son George's car there also. I stopped at Radio Shack to get new 9 volt batteries for all the smoke detectors for the new year.
Friday, December 31, 2004 7:27 AM 37.2 at Slatington E.S. and 37.7 in the bus stop
This morning on the last day of 2004 my blood glucose was 124 and my weight 195. Showers are predicted for today. As soon as the coffee is ready I shall be headed for one of the park benchs. If at all possible to do they make a wonderful spot to get one's head on straight first thing in the morning. Somehow the picture below sort of makes me think. The dawn's early light with Timmy DeSousa's night light still on and the tombstones in the foreground are a reminder of our own mortality. There is always a beginning and an end to everything. Someho, I still expect a phone call from Walter to find something for him on the computer or a question as to how to accomplish some task. I will really miss that.
I saw the Clarence Heydt's walking down Columbia Avenue however they didn't see me up on the upper park bench this morning.
Then after Queen got up we went for our full one mile walk. While it was not a beautiful sunny day however it was a very nice morning for us to walk. It is going to be a busy day today.
George and Andy will come up to help us dispose of some excess furniture. We have furniture here from two homes and it is just too much. They will help move stuff out of here. This is a long needed thing that we are at least starting to do.
They were up this morning and they really did a great job of getting Queen and I on the right track.
I got an e-mail from Steve Jensen once again. I shall insert it here for your perusal.
Bob:
In case anyone would like to see what it looks like inside the renovated Mooneys Variety Store at 2nd & Delaware, I am submitting the attached, showing the general layout which features a long corridor providing access to the suites. Vinny's Nail Salon occupies the first. The next two are still vacant and the third houses H&R Block, though no one was in at the time I took the photo. According to the sign, they're only in on Tuesdays. Was this at all the way you remember it from years gone by?
/Steve
It did not look anything like this that I can recall in my day. It was a typical grocery store. The food was on shelves, there were clerks, butchers, and the whole works. Clerks actually got what you wanted using a ladder and a pair of pincers to get items off the highest shelves and that was pretty much it. They also offered home delivery with their own brand of revolving credit, basically with no interest. Ralph Mooney and most of the others kept folks "on the tick". Pay when you can.
Fritz Nothstein's Regent Meat Market and Heintzelman's Meat Market both offered a mobile butcher shop. Ralph Snyder had a green grocery in the Palm Theater building. They all made deliveries. It was a different food retail world in those days. Ralph had a peanut roaster in front of his store. In the summertime one could smell it's aroma over at the Palmerton Printing Company building on Third Street.
I had to go downtown this morning to pay some bills and I stopped into see the staff at the Times News and they are back to full muster. Pattie and Joel were back but Linda was out. These are my last pictures of this year of our good friends.
This evening we will be having guests here for dinner. The Lafayette Avenue Ellistons, Tommy Davies, and George Ashman will be here to help us celebrate the New Year. Oh I expect the New Year to begin much as the last few New Year's have done. Queen and I in her bed watching the crazy people milling about Times Square waiting for the ball to drop for the New Year.
With this I shall stop for this week. Have a very happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year.
Love, Mom and Bob [ Queen and Bobby]
"Merry Christmas" to all! It is a beautiful Christmas day today. It is cold though. I haven't been out yet. We decided to walk a bit later. First we finished wrapping the last of the Christmas presents and then took them up to Mike and Jean's home.
We exchanged presents and sat and had a good conversation with them. They are mighty good neighbors to have next door. You can't beat a museum, a cemetery and the best Italian cook in the world for neighbors. Jean's lasagna is without peer!!
Last evening we were over at Tommy Davies for a buffet supper. I stuffed myself with shrimp. It was a lot of fun and we all sat about afterwards and watched the fire in the fireplace. I was a good boy and only had two highballs. I am a wino, not a "haaard" liquor man. [ Boston pronunciation ]
Once a year Tommy has a roaring good fire. I took some pictures as usual. I attempted some movies that were very disappointing.The lighting was insufficient!!
George
Ashman and Queen
Henry Schwartz and Tom's fire
Tommy and niece Lisa Anthony
Honestly sometimes I
wonder why I ever got myself into computers. It took me much of day
straightening out a problem that appeared late last evening.
When I opened this page this morning I could not control the page. I was unable to scroll down any page nor open any pictures for use here. I ran all the usual cures for problems including going back to yesterday morning with the XP Go-Back feature. Nothing helped and nothing worked!! I couldn't even open my e-mail.
After
a lot of blue smoke
and
considerable consternation
I finally
found it.
By now it was a
process of
elimination. When I
disconnected
the USB plug from cordless mouse that was
it!!
I spent a half a day looking
for it. I simply could not operate the way it had been. I got nothing
done all morning and into the early afternoon. The symptoms seemed to
me to be very obscure. Very likely had I simply rebooted the device
not
just reboot the computer it
would have cured it.<Sigh> The thing is I
didn't cause it. Many of my problems are of my own making but not this
time! Geez!!!!!! I suspect some of my labor saving devices
are
out to
get me! Well, this one certainly did!!Tonight for supper Queen had a quarter of a chicken breast each, a baked potato, green beens for her and brussels sprouts for me. Then coffee and ice cream for dessert.
Ah a new reader is being added to the list.
Please send a copy of the Palmerton Press to the following e mail address. rstrohl@tampabay.rr.com
I was born in Palmerton in 1935 at First and Lehigh .
My father was Franklin Strohl who worked his entire life at the New Jersy Zinc.
I currently live in Homosassa, Florida about one hour from Mep Moyer.
Your work in publishing the Palmerton Press is just GREAT.
Ron Strohl
Sometimes something happens that makes all of Queen's cookie baking work seem very worthwhile. We delivered a plate of cookies to a very dear friend. She is a widow who lost her son a few years ago and also has some serious medical problems. She is a happy person and a good egg. She is one of Queen's swimming pals who also attends Gretchen's water aerobic classes in August at PMPA.
We thought she would enjoy some of Queen's handiwork. So we drove to her house and I found no one at home, but I was able to wedge the plate of cookies into her mail slot.
Later Queen phoned to tell her that they were in the mail slot. She thanked Queen. In a few minutes she called back virtually in tears. We had made her day. This is what Christmas is all about. We have been helped by so many really nice folks and we certainly do appreciate it. This is but a small part of the joy of being alive! Life is good!!
Sunday, December 26, 2004 7:22 AM 15.9 at Slatington E.S. and 14.4 in the bus stop
I shall be heading out with my 8 o'clock coffee soon.
<Later> It really wasn't bad outside sitting at the lower park bench. However it is too cold for Queen to walk as yet. We will go later!!
7:45 AM
and then a bit later
Snow is supposed to be on the way.
I was
watching Donald
Rumsfeld on the news
the other day. This time his visit was not a setup by a
reporter
when he secretly flew into Iraq
to visit with the troops over Christmas.Rumsfeld "Everything we do here is harder because of television stations like Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabia and the constant negative approach. You don't hear about the schools that are open, and the hospitals that are open, and the clinics that are open, and the fact that the stock market is open and the Iraqi currency is steady and the fact that there have been something like 140,000 refugees coming from other countries back into this country. They're voting with their feet because they believe this is a country of the future. You don't read about that. You read about every single negative thing that anyone can find to report.
I was talking to a group of congressmen and senators the other day, and there were a couple of them who had negative things to say and they were in the press in five minutes. There were 15 or 20 that had positive things to say about what's going on in Iraq and they couldn't get on television. Television just said we're not interested. That's just -- sorry. So it is, I guess, what's news has to be bad news."
Really! The conventional media is so bad. It is as though they want this operation to fail so they can say I told you so or worse. None of them realize that this is every bit as much a war as WW I or WW II. The methods are unconventional but they can be deadly, as was 9/11. They don't realize the import of what they are doing. To me it is nauseating!
We saw this on one of our walks
Last
week I got an
e-mail from Steve Jensen about a point of interest in this area. The
Berksy Railroad terminating at Slatington and going back to Reading, Pa.
Bob:
I recall you mentioning having traveled on the Berksy to Emerald. I've been trying to learn about the Slate Heritage Trail that's supposed to run on the Lehigh Valley Railroad's branch line to Slatedale that ran partway on the Berksy's right-of-way and then forked onto its own track between Emerald and Slatedale. I just found the attached LVRR timetable for the Slatedale branch. So I was wondering whether you ever saw or even rode on this obscure line.
/Steve
Steve,
I have not forgotten you, but I have been as busy as a one armed paperhanger with the itch. No, I never personally rode the "Berksy" but I recall it very well when we had to meet someone to or picked up from the Black Diamond or one of the other Lehigh Valley Railroad passenger trains at Slatington. It was often there at the station waiting to make connections to points towards Reading. It stopped at every village along the way. I am not sure if it was still operating in the 1950s. I seem to remember seeing it on our early days in the television repair business travels. I am not sure about that.
I recall it was a gasoline powered combination engine, baggage car and sometimes a passenger car. I recall it was still in operation for quite awhile. I am going to put this on the web page and hope we can get something started in the way of a conversation. Bob
There was a similar gasoline powered rail car operating on the Hazleton Branch of the Lehigh Valley railroad. I recall it well because my brother Dick and I were installing a rooftop antenna on the Lehighton Moose building. It had a nice flat roof and it overlooked the Lehigh Valley station directly below. When it pulled in one could really hear it up there. It was very similar to the Berksy engine.
This is probably the funniest date story ever, first date or not!!!
This was on the "Tonight Show" with Jay Leno. Jay went into the audience to find the most embarrassing first date that a woman ever had. The winner described her worst first date experience. There is absolutely no question as to why her tale took the prize!
She said it was midwinter... snowing and quite cold...and the guy had taken her skiing to Lake Arrowhead. It was a day trip (no overnight). They were strangers, after all, and truly had never met before. The outing was fun but relatively uneventful until they were headed home late that afternoon. They were driving back down the mountain, when she gradually began to realize that she should not have had that extra latte. They were about an hour away from anywhere with a rest room and in the middle of nowhere! Her companion suggested she try to hold it, which she did for a while.
Unfortunately, because of the heavy snow and slow going, there came a point where she told him that he had better stop and let her pee beside the road, or it would be in the front seat of his car. They stopped and she quickly crawled out beside the car, yanked her pants down and started. Unfortunately, in the deep snow she didn't have good footing, so she let her butt rest against the rear fender to steady herself. Her companion stood on the side of the car watching for traffic and indeed was a real gentleman and refrained from peeking. All she could think about was the relief she felt despite the rather embarrassing nature of the situation. Upon finishing however, she soon became aware of another sensation.
As she bent to pull up her pants, the young lady discovered her buttocks were firmly glued against the car's fender. Thoughts of tongues frozen to pump handles immediately came to mind as she attempted to disengage her flesh from the icy metal. It was quickly apparent that she had a brand new problem due to the extreme cold. Horrified by her plight and yet aware of the humor she answered her date's concerns about "what is taking so long" with a reply that indeed, she was "freezing her butt off and in need of some assistance"!
He came around the car as she tried to cover herself with her sweater and then, as she looked imploringly into his eyes, he burst out laughing. She too, got the giggles and when they finally managed to compose themselves, they assessed her dilemma. Obviously, as hysterical as the situation was, they also were faced with a real problem. Both agreed it would take something hot to free her chilly cheeks from the grip of the icy metal! Thinking about what had gotten her into the predicament in the first place, both quickly realized that there was only one way to get her free. So, as she looked the other way, her first-time date proceeded to unzip his pants and pee her butt off the fender.
As for the Tonight Show... she took the prize hands down... or perhaps that should be "pants down." And you thought your first date was embarrassing.
Jay Leno's comment - - - - This gives a whole new meaning to being "pissed off".
I just came back from turning on the heat and plugging in the fridge at the Elliston residence on Lafayette Avenue. They will be here tomorrow. Now at least they won't freeze.They keep the place at 55 deg when no one is there. It would be a bit chilly. Besides it takes a while for the furniture and other fixtures to warm up.
Tonight for supper Queen had some of the turkey leftovers. They were very good and there is nothing left over now.
Monday, December 27, 2004 7:08 AM 15.5 at Slatington E.S. and 18.2 in the bus stop
Bah Humbug!!! It is white outside this morning. I must say though that some very nice person swept our walks this morning. I strongly suspect neighbor Mike since tracks in the snow point in that direction!!!
Ah, if only!!
Bob:
I recall you mentioning having traveled on the Berksy to Emerald. I've been trying to learn about the Slate Heritage Trail that's supposed to run on the Lehigh Valley Railroad's branch line to Slatedale that ran partway on the Berksy's right-of-way and then forked onto its own track between Emerald and Slatedale. I just found the attached LVRR timetable for the Slatedale branch. So I was wondering whether you ever saw or even rode on this obscure line.
/Steve
I have not forgotten you, but I have been as busy as a one armed paperhanger with the itch. No, I never personally rode the "Berksy" but I recall it very well when we had to meet someone to or picked up from the Black Diamond or one of the other Lehigh Valley Railroad passenger trains at Slatington. It was often there at the station waiting to make connections to points towards Reading. It stopped at every village along the way. I am not sure if it was still operating in the 1950s. I seem to remember seeing it on our early days in the television repair business travels. I am not sure about that.
I recall it was a gasoline powered combination engine, baggage car and sometimes a passenger car. I recall it was still in operation for quite awhile. I am going to put this on the web page and hope we can get something started in the way of a conversation. Bob
There was a similar gasoline powered rail car operating on the Hazleton Branch of the Lehigh Valley railroad. I recall it well because my brother Dick and I were installing a rooftop antenna on the Lehighton Moose building. It had a nice flat roof and it overlooked the Lehigh Valley station directly below. When it pulled in one could really hear it up there. It was very similar to the Berksy engine.
It
was in all probability an EMC engine much like these
The
rail car below is one made by Brill. This one was on the Lehigh and New
England Railroad.
. The
Berksy was similar to these.
A Budd car at the Lehighton Station
Here is another good
one from Helen Tucker.A Budd car at the Lehighton Station
We did
go for a walk
this morning after
it warmed up a bit. It was good getting out. As we neared home we met
Nan Campton and her dog.
Of course Butternut was up on the front porch taking great exception to Queen's petting another dog! Ha!
I got this one from Lee Bollinger!!
Golly, wouldn't you like to know the status of yours, or your neighbor's driver's license?
Go no farther. http://www.license.shorturl.com/
Of course Butternut was up on the front porch taking great exception to Queen's petting another dog! Ha!
I got this one from Lee Bollinger!!
Golly, wouldn't you like to know the status of yours, or your neighbor's driver's license?
Go no farther. http://www.license.shorturl.com/
This is probably the funniest date story ever, first date or not!!!
This was on the "Tonight Show" with Jay Leno. Jay went into the audience to find the most embarrassing first date that a woman ever had. The winner described her worst first date experience. There is absolutely no question as to why her tale took the prize!
She said it was midwinter... snowing and quite cold...and the guy had taken her skiing to Lake Arrowhead. It was a day trip (no overnight). They were strangers, after all, and truly had never met before. The outing was fun but relatively uneventful until they were headed home late that afternoon. They were driving back down the mountain, when she gradually began to realize that she should not have had that extra latte. They were about an hour away from anywhere with a rest room and in the middle of nowhere! Her companion suggested she try to hold it, which she did for a while.
Unfortunately, because of the heavy snow and slow going, there came a point where she told him that he had better stop and let her pee beside the road, or it would be in the front seat of his car. They stopped and she quickly crawled out beside the car, yanked her pants down and started. Unfortunately, in the deep snow she didn't have good footing, so she let her butt rest against the rear fender to steady herself. Her companion stood on the side of the car watching for traffic and indeed was a real gentleman and refrained from peeking. All she could think about was the relief she felt despite the rather embarrassing nature of the situation. Upon finishing however, she soon became aware of another sensation.
As she bent to pull up her pants, the young lady discovered her buttocks were firmly glued against the car's fender. Thoughts of tongues frozen to pump handles immediately came to mind as she attempted to disengage her flesh from the icy metal. It was quickly apparent that she had a brand new problem due to the extreme cold. Horrified by her plight and yet aware of the humor she answered her date's concerns about "what is taking so long" with a reply that indeed, she was "freezing her butt off and in need of some assistance"!
He came around the car as she tried to cover herself with her sweater and then, as she looked imploringly into his eyes, he burst out laughing. She too, got the giggles and when they finally managed to compose themselves, they assessed her dilemma. Obviously, as hysterical as the situation was, they also were faced with a real problem. Both agreed it would take something hot to free her chilly cheeks from the grip of the icy metal! Thinking about what had gotten her into the predicament in the first place, both quickly realized that there was only one way to get her free. So, as she looked the other way, her first-time date proceeded to unzip his pants and pee her butt off the fender.
As for the Tonight Show... she took the prize hands down... or perhaps that should be "pants down." And you thought your first date was embarrassing.
Jay Leno's comment - - - - This gives a whole new meaning to being "pissed off".
I just came back from turning on the heat and plugging in the fridge at the Elliston residence on Lafayette Avenue. They will be here tomorrow. Now at least they won't freeze.They keep the place at 55 deg when no one is there. It would be a bit chilly. Besides it takes a while for the furniture and other fixtures to warm up.
Tonight for supper Queen had some of the turkey leftovers. They were very good and there is nothing left over now.
Monday, December 27, 2004 7:08 AM 15.5 at Slatington E.S. and 18.2 in the bus stop
Bah Humbug!!! It is white outside this morning. I must say though that some very nice person swept our walks this morning. I strongly suspect neighbor Mike since tracks in the snow point in that direction!!!
Golly, but it looks cold
and desolate out there!!
Brrrr!!!
Ah, if only!!
As I was sitting
there the fire siren blew. About five minutes later a fire truck from
the "West End" came down Columbia Avenue and turned up Third Street. I
went into the cemetery at the corner of our property to watch for more
fire engines. None ever came.
However I saw this piece of metal laying there in the cemetery frozen to the ground. I picked it up and put it along the side of the back porch. I figured I knew where it belonged. It was part of a chimney cap. Sure enough!! So I put in a call to Mauch Chunk Chimney Sweeps. They installed all the chimney caps in the first place. This is the third time it has blown off the chimney. As I see it, it probably behaves like an airplane wing. When the wind blows across it's domed top, it in all likelihood creates lift, and off she goes!! The other two trips may not have helped it. I doubt if it flys any better!! One of the other times it was down on the sidewalk narrowly missing a parked car.
This morning my weight was 195 and the blood glucose was 136. I will have to go downtown soon. I must go to the Post Office and a few other places.
I am back from my trip downtown. Man it is cold! I stopped at Dr. Nicholson's to deliver the paper and found that they were closed for the week. Then it was on to the Post Office. I met Tommy Ziegenfus in there. He is a retired lineman from the Palmerton Telephone Company. From there I went to IGA and got some oysters and milk for dinner tonight.
Of course I had to stop in at the Times News. Sharon was the only one there. All the rest are either on vacation or otherwise out. She got a phone call early this morning for a house fire. It must have been the one I saw the "West End" fire truck going to a bit after 7 AM.
Apparently it was a smoky house fire up on Straup's Dairy Road. She said the home was up on a hill and it was windy and bitter cold. She showed me her picture and smoke was pouring out of the place. It was the same picture they had in the Times News tonight. The wind did not help a bit.The poor girl was still trying to warm up. I told her it looks as though she is the Times News today!! She hoped it would be quiet for the rest of the day!!
I also told her that when I was in the Post Office I saw a young lady in front of me that from my angle looked just like her. I almost tapped her on the shoulder to say, " Hi, Sharon". Then she turned around and she sure wasn't Sharon. Gee whiz!!
Tonight I am making oyster stew. It turned out very well.
This evening he Lafayette Elliston's stopped by for a visit. It is good to see them. We planned out the menu for the forthcoming New Years Eve meal as we all sat about chatting.
This
is almost our treetop ornament!! "Dufas" didn't get all of the top!!
I got this from Bob Green:
ADULT:
A person who has stopped growing at both ends and is now growing in the middle.
BEAUTY PARLOR:
A place where women curl up and dye.
CANNIBAL:
Someone who is fed up with people.
CHICKENS:
The only animals you eat before they are born And after they are dead.
COMMITTEE:
A body that keeps minutes and wastes hours.
DUST:
Mud with the juice squeezed out.
EGOTIST:
Someone who is usually me-deep in conversation.
HANDKERCHIEF:
Cold Storage.
INFLATION:
Cutting money in half without damaging the paper.
MOSQUITO:
An insect that makes you like flies better.
RAISIN:
Grape with a sunburn.
SECRET:
Something you tell to one person at a time.
SKELETON:
A bunch of bones with the person scraped off.
TOOTHACHE:
The pain that drives you to extraction.
TOMORROW:
One of the greatest labor saving devices of today.
YAWN:
An honest opinion openly expressed.
WRINKLES:
Something other people have.
You have character lines.
ENJOY YOUR DAY!
Happy New Year
May it be the best ever
Tuesday, December 28, 2004 7:10 AM 12 deg at Slatington E.S. and 11deg in the bus stop
It is cold this morning as I am about to venture out with my coffee, camera, and dog.
<Later> Boy but it is cold out there! Fortunately there is no wind or else it would be brutal. I find it hard to believe that we have not had a shovel able snow this winter so far. I hope it stays that way.
Somehow
the Church belfry and our top-less chimney cap looked like a
typical
winter picture this morning.
The
almost full moon as seen this morning in the north western sky
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/knowhow/calculator/0,16964,,00.html
We decided to go to Lehighton this morning. Queen wanted a few things. After we got back we went into IGA and then stopped by to see Linda and Sharon, the Palmerton contingent of the Times News this week. They seem to be holding up quite well. The we walked to Rite-Aid where I picked up a prescription for my glucose test strips. Then it was home for lunch.
While we were in IGA they had some very nice chicken legs on sale as well as white meat tenders. Tonight Queen is making chicken soup. I prepared the rest of the chicken for the freezer with the vacuum sealer. That thing is well worth the money. Things keep a long time frozen that way.
Queen had me try on my clothes for tomorrow. I had to pass her inspection! George, Andy, and I are going to Walter Guyer's memorial service. It is to be held at 11:30 am at Christ Church, Short Hills, N.J.
I printed out a series of maps so we can find the Church. Thank God for my relatives who now drive me to places when necessary.
As Alfie Davies used to say, "Don't get old". Not too many years ago this trip would have been no sweat to me. Now, Ha!!!
One thing that amazed me about Walter. For a man of 90 he still got around to the places he wanted and needed to go. It is incongruous that it certainly wasn't his driving that killed him but a driving accident of someone else. We still can't reconcile ourselves to his death!!
I got this from Bob Greenawalt:
Subject:
NOAH'S ARK
Noah's
Ark
Everything I need
to know, I learned from Noah's Ark.
ONE: Don't miss the boat.
TWO: Remember that we are all in the same boat.
THREE: Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.
FOUR: Stay fit. When you're 60 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.
FIVE: Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.
SIX: Build your future on high ground.
SEVEN: For safety's sake, travel in pairs.
EIGHT: Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
NINE: When you're stressed, float awhile.
TEN: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
ELEVEN: No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting.
Most people walk in and out of your life......but FRIENDS leave footprints in your heart
December 29, 2004 7 AM 26 degrees at Slatington E.S. and 26deg in the bus stop
I shall be leaving for my trip about 9 AM. More later.
<Later> I have returned. We had a very good trip. My chauffeurs were superb. We got to the Church about 11 am. I was surprised to see snow still on the ground over there.The temperatures were not all that cold but it was brisk.
The interior
ONE: Don't miss the boat.
TWO: Remember that we are all in the same boat.
THREE: Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.
FOUR: Stay fit. When you're 60 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.
FIVE: Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.
SIX: Build your future on high ground.
SEVEN: For safety's sake, travel in pairs.
EIGHT: Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
NINE: When you're stressed, float awhile.
TEN: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
ELEVEN: No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting.
Most people walk in and out of your life......but FRIENDS leave footprints in your heart
December 29, 2004 7 AM 26 degrees at Slatington E.S. and 26deg in the bus stop
I shall be leaving for my trip about 9 AM. More later.
<Later> I have returned. We had a very good trip. My chauffeurs were superb. We got to the Church about 11 am. I was surprised to see snow still on the ground over there.The temperatures were not all that cold but it was brisk.
Christ
Church Short Hills,
N.J.
The interior
In spite of the sad occasion it was really wonderful seeing so
many of my late sister's New Jersey family. I really enjoyed seeing and
speaking with them. The last time I was in that Church was in August a
couple of years back for Dot's memorial service. It was mighty hot at
that time.
In speaking with my nephew Dr. David Guyer, he explained the bizarre circumstances of Walter's death. Apparently he had been to the dentist in Montclair N.J. and was walking back to his car when a student driver with her instructor rounded a corner and somehow lost control of her vehicle. She was not driving fast, however, she apparently struck a parking sign which came down on the back of Walter's head like a knife blade causing massive trauma from which he never regained consciousness.
I am really glad George was able to take me to the Memorial service. Those things are always difficult. I used to think funerals, wakes, and memorial services a painful imposition on those attending but now I think they are necessary to really make closure for each us in our own minds. When the Rector places the dirt on the urn that is darn final. Ashes to ashes and dust to dust. I guess we all have our time and as our family doctor, Dr. Nicholson, told us "When the man upstairs calls your name, that is it!!"
The service was much like my sister Dorothy's memorial service. The family spoke most of the eulogies. All of the grandchildren spoke about their Granddad. It was serious but filled with good humor and wonderful memories that they all shared with us. In addition, Jim Farney, who was Walter's nephew spoke about their long association and friendship. It was a very good eulogy and well presented. Dick's wife, Kitsy, spoke for Dick who had a cold.
Kitsy is a marvel of bubbling over efficiency. She is a wonderful person who has a talent for making friends and for organizing things that need to be done. She very efficiently operates her own travel agency. I suspect Dick did not trust his voice to hold out.
Dr. David also presented a loving story of his Dad. It was wonderful. It was very well don, heart felt and very comforting. Everyone acquitted themselves very well.
As they were proceeding down the aisle in the final processional, Dr. David Guyer's wife, Leslie pulled me aside to go along to the burial service in the courtyard. This is the same place where my sister Dorothy's commitment to the earth was done. In that place the burial prayers are said and the Rector had one of the youngest of the children go with him about 20 feet away where the youngster gave a massive bell three tolls for Walter.That was well worth the trip. He got a good send off!! No dry eyes there!!
Thursday, December 30, 2004 7:13 AM 33.8 at Slatington E.S. and 33.9 in the bus stop
Blood glucose was 127 and the weight was 195 this morning. It is a murky day this morning. I shall be heading out with my 8 O'clock coffee to sit and rearrange my thoughts particularly after yesterday's events.
This morning I was dragging our large garbage bag to the alley and noticed that our neighbor above us, Frank Gula, had his car parked at the end of his driveway. He was taking his garbage from the car to the alley. However what really struck me was the severe limp he had. He used his car three times to get it all down there. As I was struggling with ours I remarked to him about it being "Hell to get old." He agreed with me. I never noticed a problem with him as severe as he had today. When I told Queen about it she mentioned that we should count our blessings. Very true!!
Oy Vey! That damn beagle's nose gets Butternut into more trouble. We went for a short walk and left him on the porch. I forgot that I had left a new bag of Purina One there for his future meals. Well the future was this morning. When we got back he had the bag torn open and had very generously helped himself!
Walter's service was not somber but really a celebration of his life. As well as I knew him I learned facets of his life that I had never heard previously. It was well worth the trip. During the service there was a prayer for the woman who caused the accident. That was very fitting. She must be a tormented soul.
As we were leaving the church for the lunch at the Beacon Hill Club in Summit, a man said to me "Hello Bob!!" It was Alfred Stevens one of the readers of these pages. He recognized me right away. Golly the price of fame!! Ha!! Alfred is a very interesting friendly man who has a marvelous sense of humor. I met him many years ago and did not recall him at all. I liked him as soon as I met him. In fact that was true of others I met there also. Alfred too is learning computers. More power to him. As you readers know I am a strong advocate of computers.
In speaking with my nephew Dr. David Guyer, he explained the bizarre circumstances of Walter's death. Apparently he had been to the dentist in Montclair N.J. and was walking back to his car when a student driver with her instructor rounded a corner and somehow lost control of her vehicle. She was not driving fast, however, she apparently struck a parking sign which came down on the back of Walter's head like a knife blade causing massive trauma from which he never regained consciousness.
I am really glad George was able to take me to the Memorial service. Those things are always difficult. I used to think funerals, wakes, and memorial services a painful imposition on those attending but now I think they are necessary to really make closure for each us in our own minds. When the Rector places the dirt on the urn that is darn final. Ashes to ashes and dust to dust. I guess we all have our time and as our family doctor, Dr. Nicholson, told us "When the man upstairs calls your name, that is it!!"
The service was much like my sister Dorothy's memorial service. The family spoke most of the eulogies. All of the grandchildren spoke about their Granddad. It was serious but filled with good humor and wonderful memories that they all shared with us. In addition, Jim Farney, who was Walter's nephew spoke about their long association and friendship. It was a very good eulogy and well presented. Dick's wife, Kitsy, spoke for Dick who had a cold.
Kitsy is a marvel of bubbling over efficiency. She is a wonderful person who has a talent for making friends and for organizing things that need to be done. She very efficiently operates her own travel agency. I suspect Dick did not trust his voice to hold out.
Dr. David also presented a loving story of his Dad. It was wonderful. It was very well don, heart felt and very comforting. Everyone acquitted themselves very well.
As they were proceeding down the aisle in the final processional, Dr. David Guyer's wife, Leslie pulled me aside to go along to the burial service in the courtyard. This is the same place where my sister Dorothy's commitment to the earth was done. In that place the burial prayers are said and the Rector had one of the youngest of the children go with him about 20 feet away where the youngster gave a massive bell three tolls for Walter.That was well worth the trip. He got a good send off!! No dry eyes there!!
Thursday, December 30, 2004 7:13 AM 33.8 at Slatington E.S. and 33.9 in the bus stop
Blood glucose was 127 and the weight was 195 this morning. It is a murky day this morning. I shall be heading out with my 8 O'clock coffee to sit and rearrange my thoughts particularly after yesterday's events.
This morning I was dragging our large garbage bag to the alley and noticed that our neighbor above us, Frank Gula, had his car parked at the end of his driveway. He was taking his garbage from the car to the alley. However what really struck me was the severe limp he had. He used his car three times to get it all down there. As I was struggling with ours I remarked to him about it being "Hell to get old." He agreed with me. I never noticed a problem with him as severe as he had today. When I told Queen about it she mentioned that we should count our blessings. Very true!!
Oy Vey! That damn beagle's nose gets Butternut into more trouble. We went for a short walk and left him on the porch. I forgot that I had left a new bag of Purina One there for his future meals. Well the future was this morning. When we got back he had the bag torn open and had very generously helped himself!
Walter's service was not somber but really a celebration of his life. As well as I knew him I learned facets of his life that I had never heard previously. It was well worth the trip. During the service there was a prayer for the woman who caused the accident. That was very fitting. She must be a tormented soul.
As we were leaving the church for the lunch at the Beacon Hill Club in Summit, a man said to me "Hello Bob!!" It was Alfred Stevens one of the readers of these pages. He recognized me right away. Golly the price of fame!! Ha!! Alfred is a very interesting friendly man who has a marvelous sense of humor. I met him many years ago and did not recall him at all. I liked him as soon as I met him. In fact that was true of others I met there also. Alfred too is learning computers. More power to him. As you readers know I am a strong advocate of computers.
This
is the Christmas tree at the Beacon Hill Club
I had the chance to speak
with Dr. David's
wife Leslie at length. She too is one of those folks that one just
instantly likes. Leslie was the first to
be able to get
to the hospital after Walter's accident. She said the doctors told her
that Walter had the
internal organs of a man in his 60's and was in remarkable physical
condition for a man of 90 years.I would like to add one note. To those of you I saw yesterday that I told would have their pictures in this page I am acceding to the wishes of my partners, my spell checker Queen and web master George, who thought that personal pictures would be an invasion of your privacy. They are correct.
This morning Queen and I went food shopping. We went to Aldi, Giant, and home to IGA. As we we leaving the Giant parking lot, I saw son George's car there also. I stopped at Radio Shack to get new 9 volt batteries for all the smoke detectors for the new year.
Friday, December 31, 2004 7:27 AM 37.2 at Slatington E.S. and 37.7 in the bus stop
This morning on the last day of 2004 my blood glucose was 124 and my weight 195. Showers are predicted for today. As soon as the coffee is ready I shall be headed for one of the park benchs. If at all possible to do they make a wonderful spot to get one's head on straight first thing in the morning. Somehow the picture below sort of makes me think. The dawn's early light with Timmy DeSousa's night light still on and the tombstones in the foreground are a reminder of our own mortality. There is always a beginning and an end to everything. Someho, I still expect a phone call from Walter to find something for him on the computer or a question as to how to accomplish some task. I will really miss that.
I saw the Clarence Heydt's walking down Columbia Avenue however they didn't see me up on the upper park bench this morning.
Then after Queen got up we went for our full one mile walk. While it was not a beautiful sunny day however it was a very nice morning for us to walk. It is going to be a busy day today.
George and Andy will come up to help us dispose of some excess furniture. We have furniture here from two homes and it is just too much. They will help move stuff out of here. This is a long needed thing that we are at least starting to do.
They were up this morning and they really did a great job of getting Queen and I on the right track.
I got an e-mail from Steve Jensen once again. I shall insert it here for your perusal.
Bob:
In case anyone would like to see what it looks like inside the renovated Mooneys Variety Store at 2nd & Delaware, I am submitting the attached, showing the general layout which features a long corridor providing access to the suites. Vinny's Nail Salon occupies the first. The next two are still vacant and the third houses H&R Block, though no one was in at the time I took the photo. According to the sign, they're only in on Tuesdays. Was this at all the way you remember it from years gone by?
/Steve
Here are his
pictures.
It did not look anything like this that I can recall in my day. It was a typical grocery store. The food was on shelves, there were clerks, butchers, and the whole works. Clerks actually got what you wanted using a ladder and a pair of pincers to get items off the highest shelves and that was pretty much it. They also offered home delivery with their own brand of revolving credit, basically with no interest. Ralph Mooney and most of the others kept folks "on the tick". Pay when you can.
Fritz Nothstein's Regent Meat Market and Heintzelman's Meat Market both offered a mobile butcher shop. Ralph Snyder had a green grocery in the Palm Theater building. They all made deliveries. It was a different food retail world in those days. Ralph had a peanut roaster in front of his store. In the summertime one could smell it's aroma over at the Palmerton Printing Company building on Third Street.
I had to go downtown this morning to pay some bills and I stopped into see the staff at the Times News and they are back to full muster. Pattie and Joel were back but Linda was out. These are my last pictures of this year of our good friends.
This evening we will be having guests here for dinner. The Lafayette Avenue Ellistons, Tommy Davies, and George Ashman will be here to help us celebrate the New Year. Oh I expect the New Year to begin much as the last few New Year's have done. Queen and I in her bed watching the crazy people milling about Times Square waiting for the ball to drop for the New Year.
With this I shall stop for this week. Have a very happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year.
Love, Mom and Bob [ Queen and Bobby]