For Sale by Owner

On Thursday, April 24, 2008 I walked over the Parkiomen Trail to the junction with the new Skippack Township Trail. I had heard rumors of an old car deep in the 100 acre woods. While I didn't find Pooh Bear or Tigger or even Piglet, I did find (and ingested) thousands of gnats, lots of Virginia Bluebells (hitherto called "FBWF"), some stinging nettles** and the old car.

**Wearing shorts, my legs were badly stung. I tried Witch Hazel, Calamine Lotion, and in the end, the only thing that worked was Preparation H.


The Skippack Trail runs along side the Perkimon Creek for a half mile

As you can probably see why, I enjoy walking this section of the trail and do so fairly regularly.


Ye Olde Car

I guess the little white haired lady that only drove this car to church, missed a turned one day on way home. I am sorely puzzled by the lack of orange coneheads in the vincinity. Perhaps they have enough sense to avoid the nettles.


Ye view from the other side

I think some prospective buyer probably kicked a tire a wee bit too hard.


Virginia Bluebells and Gnats in the setting sun

Legs stung, but photography mission accomplished, I bailed out of there. I hope you don't mind, but I decided this car wasn't "good enough" for the spindle.

Puzzle Picture

As of April 26, 2008 at 8:00 AM
Steps: 2,587,972
Miles: 1083.43


Taken with the IggyCam
- near the Lansdale, PA Post Office on April 23, 2008

Hmmm... shall I get a 500, 750, or 1,000 piece puzzle? I think even 30 would be difficult enough for me.

It's National Be Nice to OSB Day

As of April 25, 2008 at 8:00 AM
Steps: 2,568,984
Miles: 1075.65

The Federal Communications Commission Equal Time rule requires us to have a National Be Nice to Orange Striped Barrel Day since we had one for the Orange Coneheads. Ugh. Do we have too?!? Oh well here is it. Restrain your exuberance and shouts of joy, please.


If they are lonely, consider getting them a pet, maybe an alligator



If they are stuck in plastic, think about finding the store manager to get 'em out



If you wear one, consider wearing underwear



If you got your camera and it is out and handy, and you feel like it, take a picture of one and make it feel good



If you find one next to a port-a-john, you might want to call the highway department and have it moved a little further away



If you dress up like one on Halloween, you might tell people its an Orange Striped Barrel instead of a creamsicle like you usually do



If you wear one to work, you might tell people, oh just tell them you are unemployed



If you are a true geek, you could put them on wheels and make robots out of them



Lastly, you could to this...



...so they get all the dents out of them, and be nice and not tell them you are gonna run them over and put the dents back in tomorrow

There could be a lot of things you could do on National Be Nice to Orange Striped Barrel Day, if you feel like it, I guess.

My Grandmother

It occurred to me, that I have never included a picture of my Grandmother in any of my entries on her. last night I found some pictures of her in an envelope in my desk. I have a great many memories of her but in this entry I recall some of those that make me smile.


My Dad's Mother

My Grandmother drove some of us batty with a couple things she did...

The one thing that stands out in my mind was she always spent two days cleaning the house, even taking the mattresses off the beds to clean the bed slats - before the cleaning lady came. When the cleaning lady did come, Grandmom would spend the entire time she was there talking to her in the kitchen seated at the table drinking coffee and sharing apple cake. They were best buddies :)


Me, my Dad (in the back), and his Dad
- with some fish at Beach Haven, NJ, Summer 1973

My Grandfather always winked at me and said he didn't care who or how the house got cleaned, the money he spent resulted in a spotless house.

Grandmom lived through the Great Depression too... but even 40 years later, when she would go to a restaurant, she would take the packages of salt, pepper, sweetner, ketchup, jellies, and even the sheets of paper towels from the bathroom and sneak them into her purse. I remember my Great-Aunt (My Grandmom's Sister) taking us to the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego, CA for lunch, and bear in mind, lunch was expensive even then! I think this was 1972-ish judging by the date of the fish picture with me wearing a San Diego t-shirt.

After lunch in the lobby, my Great-Aunt in a very loud voice after my Grandmom had swiped some towels from the ladies room, "For GODS SAKE Edith!!! If you are so poor, I'll BUY you a roll of paper towels!!!" The whole lobby fell into a hushed embarrassing silence.


Grandmom with my two brothers
- outside her house in Philadelphia, February 1973

But you know... she was like a Momma bear and her Grandsons like bear cubs... she loved us, no matter what awful things we did... unconditionally and totally completely. The worse scolding she ever gave us was a rigorous shaking of a big wooden spoon she used to use while cooking pies and cakes for us, saying "You better behave!!" all the while smiling at us.


Grandmom and Me
- outside her house in Philadelphia, February 1973

Gosh I miss her and yea, she was and is loved very much.