I sit in an empty and quiet office this dreary afternoon. It's been a busy couple weeks with numerous 12 hour work days work and having some doctor recommended testing done - the work has been mentally exhausting, there being a lot of new "things" to learn, the testing has left this human pin cushion, black, blue, and yellow.
The results of the testing was good news - the old ticker was unharmed by the blood clots that knocked me off my feet last October - the EKG trace nice and regular with no sign of abnormal valve noises or miscues. The blood thinners continue to do their thing, and the blood remains at a steady "just thin enough" state (which apparently is not usually the case).
This rainy but warm morning, found me at a funeral home some miles away - where my former Scoutmaster Joe Hartman laid in rest. The minister gave a nice talk and asked for people in the audience of about eighty or so to help her celebrate Joe's life by recalling a favorite memory or two.
My brother recalled times long past - events from the mid-1970s... a camping trip in Maine that the Troop took in two vehicles, one van and Joe's orange and white VW micro-bus. To pass the time on the way, we played chess between the two vans via CB radio (there was no such thing as cellphones back then). One of the boys in the troop was a Chess Wizard - he was one of the smartest guys I have ever known.
Once, I took a shuffled deck of 52 cards, and showed him the cards, one by one, but only for a second or so each... 5 minutes later, he said, "Okay, the cards are... and promptly and correctly rattled off the 52 cards, both number and suite, in the right order.
Anyway, he played a chess board in the "Creamsicle," as the VW micro-bus was called...and my brother and I and 5 other Scouts played a board in the van. He beat us all - four consecutive times...and if that wasn't bad enough, when we pulled over at a rest stop, we learned that they didn't even have a chessboard - he did it all from memory!
On the other hand, there was a boy that was, shall we say ... loyal, and dependable... but he really struggled with things. One of the few requirements for "advancement" in the ranks of Boy Scouts is learning First Aid and getting the merit badge. This poor kid just couldn't "get it".
Scoutmaster Joe pulled him aside one camping trip "down the shore" and said, "We really need to get this thing worked out." So the infamous (to us) Calamine Lotion All-nighter was held.
You probably know that Calamine Lotion is pink and is used to ease the itch from Poison Ivy. Well, so did this Boy Scout. But his first aid knowledge began and ended there. Every first aid-related question asked in the First Aid merit badge exam, he answered "Calamine Lotion."
"What is the treatment for Shock?"
"Calamine Lotion...nn?"
"What do you do for a sprained ankle?"
"Umm... You use Calamine Lotion. I think."
...and so it went. My Scoutmaster assigned older boys to drill first aid questions and answers... at first it was two boys, 15-20 minutes each... and then 2 more... and 2 more... and then the rotation started and each boy did 30 minutes....
The sunset on the bay to the sounds of "No, no, noooooo... forget Calamine Lotion!! Think!! Think!!!" and the same sun rose hours later over the ocean to the hoarse whispers of "Oh my gosh! He got one right!!!"
I left the troop that year and it was several years later, when I came across this boy's name in the newspaper. The headline read, "EMT Saves Life of 5 Year Old" and my interest piqued, I read on and found that the EMT had pried open the door of a burning car, pulled the young girl out, and revived her with CPR. I gasped out loud when I saw the name of the EMT... you guessed it, it was none other than Mr. Calamine Lotion. I think I sat there in a daze for quite some time with the newspaper fallen from my hand.
One of my memories was of Scoutmaster Joe having a "who can make the hottest Chili contest." I prided knowing my way around a campstove and made up a batch. Joe sampled it and smacked his lips and said, "Hmmm... Meh... barely warm but no... that's not Chili." I said, "Oh well, more of whatever it is for me!" and about burned my lips off eating it.
Other boys made batches, and my brother, who had cooked a pot of jalapeno peppers and navy beans that left me unable to taste anything at all for 3 days, got a, "Hmm.. getting warmer... that's almost edible chili..." Finally Scoutmaster Joe decided to show us all how it was done. Even though I only had one spoonful, I don't think I could even speak for the rest of the weekend except to ask for a ice cold glass of "WAATT-AHHH!" You've hear tales of coffee being strong enough to stand a spoon in... well this chili was strong enough to melt the spoon! Scoutmaster Joe sat there with a big steaming bowl of the "stuff" and chowed down on it. I don't think there was a single boy in that Troop without wide opened eyes and admiration of his "unique talent"!
Some of the other folks at the funeral were neighbors of 45 years... recalling rides my Scoutmaster had given them when their cars broke down; and snow plowing help; and being offered dozens of plump red tomatoes from his garden; and help finding lost dogs and dog sitting at a moments notice and all the things only the best neighbor in the whole world would do...
Some of the folks were members of the local RV club - and recalled RV trips over 15 years - where the story was the very same - ever dependable - always available to lend a hand...
I was honored to be ask to be a pallbearer. The ground was wet and muddy. The rain came down. It mattered not at all... I was privileged to have been there for part of his journey through life... and truly honored to be there to bear the burden of his final one.
I've been mentally worn down of late - and as I sit in this empty office... the sun has burst through the clouds... and I feel less worn and will in a few days, be ready to get back into work... and hopefully catch up with what all of you have been up to.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
The Final Voyage
Yesterday, I got a phone call telling me that my former Boy Scoutmaster was in the hospital. While working on his car, he had had a stroke and a severe brain hemorrhage. He was in a coma and wasn't expected to pull through.
Joseph Hartman was a everything a Boy Scout is supposed to be - Trustworthy. Loyal. Helpful. Friendly. Courteous. Kind. Obedient. Cheerful. Thrifty. Brave. Clean. Reverent. He was truly a one of the "good guys". I didn't get a chance to say "goodbye and smooth voyaging."
Last night he crossed over the lake - to the other side.
He leaves his wife, a son and daughter, and many now-full-grown "boys" that have wonderful memories of summer scout camps and weekend trips to the woods.
He was an inveterate car-tinkerer, forever "messing" with some offbeat cars, like a VW Beetle, a VW minibus (the hippie mobile) and lastly a Honda Prius hybrid. He was a modest engineer that watched the computer grow from the days of the vacuum tube with awe and sense of boyish wonder that said, "Oh, this is so neat!"
He taught me how to paddle straight, to be patient... kind... helpful... and showed me the way I wanted to live.
I offer these words to the Great Voyager in the Sky in his honor and in his memory -
For Food, For Raiment,
For Life And Opportunity,
For Sun And Rain,
For Water And Portage Trails,
For Friendship And Fellowship,
We Thank Thee, O Lord.
Amen.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
New Years Day With the Birds
About halfway between my house and my parents house, just outside the town of Doylestown, is the Peace Valley Nature Center, located on the end of Lake Galena.
Having been asked to stop at the Doylestown Mennonite Church to see if a certain Godshalk family was buried in the church yard cemetery, I made plans to meet my mom afterwards at the nature center, which is just up the road a piece.
In the quiet stillness, surrounded by old stones, I found the gravestones of William (1781 - 1837) and his wife, Magdalena Kratz Godshalk (1782 - 1868). I've never seen a gravestone quite like this one. The green stone says, "In memory of William Godshalk who died the 12th day of December 1837, aged 56 years (obliterated) month and (obliterated) days. I saw that his wife outlived him by many years.
At the nature center, located on Chapman Road, is a bridge over the Neshaminy Creek.
This bridge, now closed to vehicle traffic, is no spring chicken, having been built in 1886.
From Chapman's Bridge, one can see down the 3-mile long, man made, Lake Galena, created when Bucks County flooded the valley in 1972.
Before that time, much of the lakebed had been part of the village of Leven, the economy of which was based largely on lead ore (known as Galena) mining. Mining of galena (in addition to small amounts of zinc, silver, copper and gold) had been mildly successful since the 1860's.
Down beneath the surface of the water, near the center of the 3-mile long lake, are the long abandoned lead mine shafts and smelting operations.
Water from the lake is used to provide cooling water for the PECO*-owned Limerick Nuclear Power Plant and for augmenting public drinking water supplies. It is also used for recreation by man and by "more than 250 species of birds."
*Philadelphia Electric Co.
The nature center end of the park has miles of trails winding through the woods along the bank of the Neshaminy Creek. Neshaminy is a Native American word that means "the double drinking place," or "where we drink twice".
On New Years Day (and the week later), the recreational folks were out in force, enjoying the unseasonably warm weather - and so were the birds.
I saw a pair of Snow Geese, much to my mom's excitement, as we've never seen them before in Pennsylvania (they cover the empty corn and wheat fields in Maryland when they migrate.)
Lurking around the rocks at the foot of the dam, I spotted a Great Blue Heron. I think this one was actually a little smaller than most as they run to 4 feet tall. They usually eat small fish, though they will feed on a wide range of shrimp, crabs, aquatic insects, rodents and other small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and small birds. Herons locate their food by sight and usually swallow it whole. It is quite a sight to see the lump in their necks as they strive to "get something down."
With a great commotion, a large flock (or brace) of Mallard Ducks took to the air when disturbed by a large raptor. In this case, I think it was a Sharp-shinned Hawk, looking for dinner. I got a blurry shot of the hawk (here).
Circling the lake, we returned to Chapman's Bridge, where the widening of the Neshaminy Creek makes a small pond that holds fish, snakes, and my favorite, turtles. Even unseasonable weather wasn't going to bring the warm sunshine loving turtles out of their winter hibernation, buried in the mud.
As I mentioned, Chapman's Bridge is closed to vehicle traffic. A braided wire, strung between two bollards and into this (un?)fortunate OCHA's head, blocks the road at one end of the bridge. I thought it had pierced ears, but Ladystyx tells me this OCHA is a rare Nordic Viking. My mom thinks it's a University of Texas Longhorn fan. What do you think?
Peeking into the Nature Center's giftshop, I spotted a couple t-shirts that made me laugh loud enough to have the saleswoman come over to see if I was alright. My mom wanted to know if I was taking my medication regularly, like I'm supposed to.
Well... I thought it was funny.
:)
Having been asked to stop at the Doylestown Mennonite Church to see if a certain Godshalk family was buried in the church yard cemetery, I made plans to meet my mom afterwards at the nature center, which is just up the road a piece.
In the quiet stillness, surrounded by old stones, I found the gravestones of William (1781 - 1837) and his wife, Magdalena Kratz Godshalk (1782 - 1868). I've never seen a gravestone quite like this one. The green stone says, "In memory of William Godshalk who died the 12th day of December 1837, aged 56 years (obliterated) month and (obliterated) days. I saw that his wife outlived him by many years.
At the nature center, located on Chapman Road, is a bridge over the Neshaminy Creek.
This bridge, now closed to vehicle traffic, is no spring chicken, having been built in 1886.
From Chapman's Bridge, one can see down the 3-mile long, man made, Lake Galena, created when Bucks County flooded the valley in 1972.
Before that time, much of the lakebed had been part of the village of Leven, the economy of which was based largely on lead ore (known as Galena) mining. Mining of galena (in addition to small amounts of zinc, silver, copper and gold) had been mildly successful since the 1860's.
Down beneath the surface of the water, near the center of the 3-mile long lake, are the long abandoned lead mine shafts and smelting operations.
Water from the lake is used to provide cooling water for the PECO*-owned Limerick Nuclear Power Plant and for augmenting public drinking water supplies. It is also used for recreation by man and by "more than 250 species of birds."
*Philadelphia Electric Co.
The nature center end of the park has miles of trails winding through the woods along the bank of the Neshaminy Creek. Neshaminy is a Native American word that means "the double drinking place," or "where we drink twice".
On New Years Day (and the week later), the recreational folks were out in force, enjoying the unseasonably warm weather - and so were the birds.
I saw a pair of Snow Geese, much to my mom's excitement, as we've never seen them before in Pennsylvania (they cover the empty corn and wheat fields in Maryland when they migrate.)
Lurking around the rocks at the foot of the dam, I spotted a Great Blue Heron. I think this one was actually a little smaller than most as they run to 4 feet tall. They usually eat small fish, though they will feed on a wide range of shrimp, crabs, aquatic insects, rodents and other small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and small birds. Herons locate their food by sight and usually swallow it whole. It is quite a sight to see the lump in their necks as they strive to "get something down."
With a great commotion, a large flock (or brace) of Mallard Ducks took to the air when disturbed by a large raptor. In this case, I think it was a Sharp-shinned Hawk, looking for dinner. I got a blurry shot of the hawk (here).
Circling the lake, we returned to Chapman's Bridge, where the widening of the Neshaminy Creek makes a small pond that holds fish, snakes, and my favorite, turtles. Even unseasonable weather wasn't going to bring the warm sunshine loving turtles out of their winter hibernation, buried in the mud.
As I mentioned, Chapman's Bridge is closed to vehicle traffic. A braided wire, strung between two bollards and into this (un?)fortunate OCHA's head, blocks the road at one end of the bridge. I thought it had pierced ears, but Ladystyx tells me this OCHA is a rare Nordic Viking. My mom thinks it's a University of Texas Longhorn fan. What do you think?
Peeking into the Nature Center's giftshop, I spotted a couple t-shirts that made me laugh loud enough to have the saleswoman come over to see if I was alright. My mom wanted to know if I was taking my medication regularly, like I'm supposed to.
Well... I thought it was funny.
:)
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