Two friends of mine went to a Reading Phillies game the other night and couldn't stop raving about what a great time they had. In addition to the baseball game itself, there was plentiful entertainment, including guys dressed up as vegetables having a foot race and an excellent, loud, half-hour fireworks display after the game, topped off with a very good rock band, Burning House.
"All this for nine dollars!" my friend exclaimed in disbelief.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Let's twist again
The Fallowfield Historical Society is holding a craft festival from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 28, to commemorate the 135th anniversary of the deadly Great Tornado that hit the village of Ercildoun on July 1, 1877.
"In keeping with the tornado theme, there will be a twist contest held at 2 p.m., with a cash prize to the winning couple," says the press release for the event. Other entertainment with include a DJ and a performance by the Coatesville Cultural Society, and Triple Fresh will be selling BBQ chicken.
The village of Ercildoun is on Route 82 at Buck Run Road in East Fallowfield Township. Rain date is Sunday, July 29.
You can find a fascinating and extraordinarily detailed account of the storm's path online.
The tornado, which started in Lancaster County on that hot Sunday afternoon back in 1877, traveled 22 miles through Sadsbury, Highland, East Fallowfield and West Bradford, wreaking a path of destruction 150 to 300 yards wide. Mary Hopkins of East Fallowfield was crushed to death when her house was overturned. Jacob Eisenberger was picked up by the tornado as he was walking along Strasburg Road. It carried him 200 yards and dropped him in a field; he suffered a broken jaw, a fractured shoulder blade and other injuries. Another man, Samuel Jackson of Parkesburg, was also badly hurt when he was hit by a door, breaking several ribs. Horses, cows and chickens were killed.
The tornado destroyed the Ercildoun Academy, razed or damaged several houses and barns, uprooted trees, ruined crops, tore apart railroad rails and dislodged a railroad bridge; property damage was estimated at $36,000. The storm was so violent that it was the subject of a lecture at the French Academy of Sciences the following year.
"In keeping with the tornado theme, there will be a twist contest held at 2 p.m., with a cash prize to the winning couple," says the press release for the event. Other entertainment with include a DJ and a performance by the Coatesville Cultural Society, and Triple Fresh will be selling BBQ chicken.
The village of Ercildoun is on Route 82 at Buck Run Road in East Fallowfield Township. Rain date is Sunday, July 29.
You can find a fascinating and extraordinarily detailed account of the storm's path online.
The tornado, which started in Lancaster County on that hot Sunday afternoon back in 1877, traveled 22 miles through Sadsbury, Highland, East Fallowfield and West Bradford, wreaking a path of destruction 150 to 300 yards wide. Mary Hopkins of East Fallowfield was crushed to death when her house was overturned. Jacob Eisenberger was picked up by the tornado as he was walking along Strasburg Road. It carried him 200 yards and dropped him in a field; he suffered a broken jaw, a fractured shoulder blade and other injuries. Another man, Samuel Jackson of Parkesburg, was also badly hurt when he was hit by a door, breaking several ribs. Horses, cows and chickens were killed.
The tornado destroyed the Ercildoun Academy, razed or damaged several houses and barns, uprooted trees, ruined crops, tore apart railroad rails and dislodged a railroad bridge; property damage was estimated at $36,000. The storm was so violent that it was the subject of a lecture at the French Academy of Sciences the following year.
Planning
Do you remember the scene in "The Day of the Jackal" when The Jackal is at a fork in the road, assessing how much the police have learned about his deadly plans and whether he needs to tweak his strategy posthaste? He makes a quick decision, raises the roof of his convertible and speeds off over the mountains.
I feel that way sometimes at the end of my driveway. Left or right? There's a gym, a grocery store, and a Starbucks to either the left or the right, pretty much equidistant. The post office is to the left. My family is to the left, my most-visited friends to the right. I try to map out the most efficient errands strategy, though blackmail-minded forgers and libidinous aristocrats aren't usually on my agenda.
I feel that way sometimes at the end of my driveway. Left or right? There's a gym, a grocery store, and a Starbucks to either the left or the right, pretty much equidistant. The post office is to the left. My family is to the left, my most-visited friends to the right. I try to map out the most efficient errands strategy, though blackmail-minded forgers and libidinous aristocrats aren't usually on my agenda.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
See ya, seafood
The Kennett branch of Hill's Seafood has shut its doors. It's moving to a new store in Brinton Lake, set to open July 16. When I drove by the old store on July 10, workers were removing the fixtures. I don't know what the next incarnation of the former Boston Market will be.
And in Jennersville, Sweet Peas, the florist, just moved around the corner into the former Mr. Mulch building on Route 796. The former Sweet Peas building now houses a clothing consignment shop called Dressy Deal.
And in Jennersville, Sweet Peas, the florist, just moved around the corner into the former Mr. Mulch building on Route 796. The former Sweet Peas building now houses a clothing consignment shop called Dressy Deal.
RIP
A reader just passed this horrible news along to me:
Sarah Libby Greenhalgh, a steeplechase racing writer and photographer for the "Horse of Delaware Valley" and a reporter for the "Winchester (Va.) Star," died in a fire in her home Monday, July 9, near Upperville, Va. The fire is still under investigation by the Fauquier Sheriff’s Department; they are considering it a possible homicide.
I have been reading her stories for years and am in shock.
Sarah Libby Greenhalgh, a steeplechase racing writer and photographer for the "Horse of Delaware Valley" and a reporter for the "Winchester (Va.) Star," died in a fire in her home Monday, July 9, near Upperville, Va. The fire is still under investigation by the Fauquier Sheriff’s Department; they are considering it a possible homicide.
I have been reading her stories for years and am in shock.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Mail call
A gym friend of mine from West Grove was thrilled and relieved to receive a letter from her son, who just started Army basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.
He said he's meeting nice people from all over the country, he finds the mental rigor harder than the physical challenges so far, and he misses his family. He also said he has two nice drill sergeants.
"I was like, WHAT?!" said my friend. "They must have been standing over him making him write that."
I looked at Fort Jackson's website to learn about the lad's experiences, and the person who wrote the copy clearly is a master of understatement: "The Army trains for about 12-14 hours a day, Monday through Saturday. We try to avoid too much sitting in a classroom...but it does happen. We also spend a little bit of time outside; getting some fresh air and, when the opportunity presents itself, a little exercise."
He said he's meeting nice people from all over the country, he finds the mental rigor harder than the physical challenges so far, and he misses his family. He also said he has two nice drill sergeants.
"I was like, WHAT?!" said my friend. "They must have been standing over him making him write that."
I looked at Fort Jackson's website to learn about the lad's experiences, and the person who wrote the copy clearly is a master of understatement: "The Army trains for about 12-14 hours a day, Monday through Saturday. We try to avoid too much sitting in a classroom...but it does happen. We also spend a little bit of time outside; getting some fresh air and, when the opportunity presents itself, a little exercise."
911 funding
The West Marlborough supervisors have gone on record as agreeing with other local municipalities that any additional funds needed to operate the county's 911 emergency system should be collected by the county, not individual townships.
At the July 3 meeting, Bill Wylie, who heads the township board of supervisors, said they would write a letter to the county commissioners "that lets them know townships don't have extra cash floating around these days" and that the supervisors believe the $5-per-resident fee would be "more efficiently collected at the county level."
Township resident Bernie Langer emphasized to the board how important the 911 system is and urged that it be supported by whatever means necessary. He said he spoke from personal experience: he recently used the emergency system to summon an ambulance, and without their prompt response, "you'd have one monkey off your back."
At the July 3 meeting, Bill Wylie, who heads the township board of supervisors, said they would write a letter to the county commissioners "that lets them know townships don't have extra cash floating around these days" and that the supervisors believe the $5-per-resident fee would be "more efficiently collected at the county level."
Township resident Bernie Langer emphasized to the board how important the 911 system is and urged that it be supported by whatever means necessary. He said he spoke from personal experience: he recently used the emergency system to summon an ambulance, and without their prompt response, "you'd have one monkey off your back."
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