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Remember When

  • I forgot about my buried treasure

    In their heyday, Long John Silver, Blackbeard and Jesse James stole plenty of money and jewels.

    Bless Pete, somewhere out there are hundreds of old treasure maps with bloody directions scrawled on ’em as to where all those strong boxes are buried.

    That’s how you keep secrets from prying, greedy eyes.

    It seems foolish to bury good stuff, though, seeing how something always happens to prevent us from digging it up later.

    Sometimes, well-meaning folks will fill boxes with current information and plant it in places they call cornerstones.

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  • Ernest dreamed big, too

    I’ve always heard that our last thoughts or conversations before bedtime may come back to us in our dreams.

    There’s a good bit of truth to that.

    While visiting with family in Maryland on Jan. 17, I noticed the television newscasts were filled with film clips of the late Dr. Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. and the impact his life made.

    There were a lot of announcements of the many downtown activities going on in and around Washington, D.C., on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

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  • I'll let the old folks do the worrying

    Make-believe gives a growing boy the chance to take a magical trip where his imagination rules the roost.

    There are no illegal substances involved, and even better, there are no folks judging or finding fault with your choices.

    That’s the beauty of being a youngster.

    But no matter how hard we try, reality eventually sets in and we have to face the task of returning to the present.

    Try as we might, we just can’t click our heels together and wish change into being. It takes hard work and willpower to get things done.

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  • I will cry when our gas bill gets here

    Somehow during middle of the night, that blanket at the foot of the bed got pulled up snug around my shoulders.

    I felt all comfy and cozy until my feet touched the bare oak floor.

    Bless Pete, it’s cold.

    As I navigated toward the kitchen to flip on the coffee pot, my better half stirred.

    “Turn the heat up,” she said. “We have a baby in the house.”

    You know, I seriously doubt if that child was as frosty as great-grandmama.

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  • Looking up has life looking up

    It’s hard to admit the truth about yourself, but once you do, it’s as refreshing as a cool, crisp morning.

    I don’t drink or smoke and try hard not to fuss (unless I’m in a long line at Walmart).

    For me, worrying is the downfall.

    I guess I’m a natural worrier and fret about all kinds of stuff.

    When I was little, I worried about learning those poems we had to recite while standing in front of the classroom.

    Then, I worried about those fifth grade spelling bees that Mr. Joe Connors held weekly.

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  • 2010 is 'year of the grin'

    The first day of a new year is coming up fast.

    Frankly, I have no idea what 2010 has for any of us.

    Hopefully – if things go my way – I will be 77 years young in February. My family members will also add another candle to their birthday cakes, too. Maybe the extra candlelight will make all of us wiser and healthier. For most of us, the wealthier part is out of the picture.

    During the last few years, I’ve shared many of my memories of growing up on Chesterfield Avenue right here in Lancaster.

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  • I like wearing bathrobe to church

    I guess I was just too young to understand or didn’t know better.

    Having a manger scene in front of the courthouse or in your front yard was an accepted norm.

    Now, as one of the brightest (and best, I dare say) young men on the rolls at First Baptist Church, I didn’t bat an eye when Mama started getting her “boys” ready for the annual telling of the Christmas story out in the church sanctuary.

    She was more than my mom; she taught my Sunday school class, too. 

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  • Fruitcake is the only tradition I have left

    After making a quick dash to the grocery store last week, I found myself pinned against the ice cream case by a faithful reader.

    “You do write a whole lot about times long ago,” she said.

    Well, yeah, I thought to myself. That’s what “Remember When” is all about.

    I share some stuff from long ago, hoping that folks can recall similar events from their younger days, too.

    But that did put me in a thinking mood.

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  • Raincoat makes me a toy soldier

    Up here in Maryland, the cold winds are scattering the remaining  oak and maple leaves across the back of the house.

    And wouldn’t you know it, we’re fresh out of hamburger buns, colas and frozen French fries.

    But we were at a point of no return, having thawed out hamburger patties.

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  • We need to slow down for holidays

    Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m looking forward to Christmas. But I liked it a little better a long time ago when we took it a bit slower.

    Whatever happened to really enjoying Thanksgiving?

    At the rate things are moving, I wouldn’t be a bit surprised to see Cupid hovering above store shelves in the next two weeks.

    Bless Pete, let’s slow down a bit.

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