Search This Blog

Wednesday, October 11, 2023

My Dad Lived Here - Miners Street - Seek - Coaldale PA

Pictured owned by Francis Otterbein

 

This is what my Dad's hometown of Seek looks like today. He lived there from 1916 to 1941. His house is long gone - it burned down. It was where that sidewalk is on the right. There is a two car garage there now. 

They were called patch towns. The mining company would built basic frame homes and rent them to the miners - taking the rent out of their pay. My grandmother Bertha Hontz lived there alone with 4 small kids. She made ends meet doing piece work at home. The kids would help. She later took a job with the Atlas Powder Company - making dynamite. 

My Dad's Number 8 Mine was about 1 mile down the road. His high school was up on the hill. He eventually moved to Tamaqua - about 3 miles away - but he remained loyal to Coaldale High School. He had a high school class reunion every year - and never missed it. He died at 66 of black lung - miner's asthma. He almost made his 50th class reunion. 

Wednesday, October 04, 2023

Cordless Robot To Clean Pool

Wybot pool robot vacuum

My apologies for not being up to date on my web page. People asked if I am sick - I am not - just busy. 

This robot has a battery - you plug it in for 2 hours - then it cleans the pool for 2 hours. It even climbs the side walls and cleans the border perimeter. It climbs steps too. 

You can control it with your iPhone - it has wifi. It has a 2 year warranty - it was $500. It is sorta like a Roomba but for in the water. 

Yes - we built a pool in the yard. A big story is coming when it is done.