Lulu Scores Fantastic Dinette on Craigslist

Lulu loves to hunt for bargains. Since we bought the extra property - she has been on a whirlwind shopping expedition. Today she landed a big one.

It is the time of the year when the students are going home for the summer. They are eager to sell their furniture and get on the road. Most of the furniture is junk - but every now and then you find a gem.

$106 Million

"Nude Green Leaves and Bust" by Pablo Picasso recently sold for $106 million. I don't get it.

Brandon Taylor Live From Shanghai

Brandon Taylor has been in China almost a year and he shows no signs of returning to the USA for work. He is a very popular man over there - lives in Beijing - working for an English speaking newspaper. He stands out in this town with his light skin and tall stature.

His company sent him to Shanghai (finally a name I can pronounce and spell) - it looks like he really enjoyed it there.

Long Drive - Safely Home From Fort Lauderdale

Picture - Drew and Robin used to prowl these streets when they lived in South Florida. Nancy and Harry spent their honeymoon here. Now it is Jack's chance to navigate A1A.

Yesterday at 5 PM we pulled into our driveway in Tallahassee. We had left Drew and Jack off at the Fort Lauderdale Airport and drove straight home - if you do not count an hour of shopping at the outlets in Orlando. So it was roughly 8 hours of driving. Lulu had a cooler of food and drinks packed - we shared driving chores - and our Honda Odyssey purred for the 500 mile "odyssey."

"On The Beach" - The Oil is Coming to Our Beach

One of my favorite movies was made in 1959. It is "On The Beach" starring Gregory Peck.

The plot is simple - in the movie World War III occurred in 1964. It was a nuclear holocaust and the radiation fallout was spreading across the planet killing everyone. Australia was the last place where people were alive. It had a very deep feeling of gloom and doom. Everyone longed for the good old days before the people of the world were on a path to wipe themselves out.

This weekend a giant oil spill is working its way toward the best beaches in the world - the Florida Panhandlel. If you have never been there - the sand reminds you of powdered sugar - it is that white and fluffy. The other day - while Florida's legislature was trying to pass a law allowing oil drilling along the coast - a giant oil rig caught on fire and free oil was pouring into the ocean at the rate of 5000 barrels a day.  The super sad part of it is that the oil line break is 3 miles under water - and no one knows how to stop it. The oil rig is owned by British Petroleum - and like Pilot - they are washing their hands - obviously nowhere near their rig.

A Few Days With Drew and Jack

The next four days we will be at a condo on the beach at Fort Lauderdale. While Drew is at a convention - Lulu and I will spoil/watch Jack. Jack will be two in June. It was 30 years ago - when Drew was like Jack - we spent a year in Orlando while Lulu earned her master's at UCF. Then it was my job to stay at home with Drew and Keith - ages 3 and 2. Now Drew is doing the same with Jack - only better.

On Road to Fort Lauderdale

Hot and sunny. One hour to go to our condo in Fort Lauderdale. Lulu is
piloting the Honda van. Ever since our honeymoon in 1971 we have
driven this stretch maybe 60 times.

Jack and Drew are still in Rhode Island. We will get them at the
airport at 3:30.

Drew has a convention and we will have Jack for 5 days. Lulu got a
condo right on the beach - we have all the beach stuff packed.

The Turnpike Is really clear this Sunday morning.

Last night we had supper at the Palma Maria near Orlando. All four
Rosinolas served us. Their food is still tops. I love their peanut
butter pie and banana cream pie.

Next stop - walmart - to stock up on groceries for Jack and Drew - me
too.

Sent from my iPhone

Last Home Game - Beating GTech 2-1 So Far

We lost 5-2  :-(  

Weather was great - we stayed the whole game. This was our last home game.

At least admission was free.

The boys beat Miami with a walk-off homer on the field next door.

Earth Day - We Bought Some Earth

Video - Front and Back of the Ray Prim House

Ever since we bought our home on Seminole Drive six years ago - we dreamed of building a new home in this neighborhood. There were no lots available because the neighborhood is 60 years old and all built out. We could have bought a new home in Southwood - but then we would have been 5 miles farther from campus - we didn't want that.

Happy Earth Day - Big Things Coming

April 22, 1970 - I was a senior at Kutztown State Teachers College - and student teaching at Dieruff High School in Allentown. This was the official Earth Day number 1. After 33 years of teaching Earth and Space Science at PV and 7 years of retirement in Florida - big things are coming on today's Earth Day.

Government to End Social Security Checks

The announcement came just days before the 40th anniversary of Earth Day on Thursday. And although the move is expected to save paper, it is also expected to save the government more than $300 million over the first five years and $125 million each following year. It costs about $1 to cut and mail a check but only 10 cents for a direct deposit. Each year, the Treasury issues more than $135 million benefit payments via paper checks.

8 Days on the Road - Safely Home Before Midnight

We had two good flights - actually got here a bit early. We did not get offered a bump. We did not lose our bags.

In the mail when we got here was the keypad dock for our ipad.

We had a great time - but it is good to be home. It was fun seeing everyone from back home - but 8 days - 4 hotels - 4 cities if you include Tamaqua - and living out of one suitcase.

Time for bed - more tomorrow.

Sent from my iPad

Florida Coal Cracker Returns to His Roots

On Sunday - we told Sherman to set the "way back" machine to 1971 - 2003. Lulu and I had the pleasure of visiting people - places - and times from our early years together as teachers - home builders - and family folks.

Some people will say that Tamaqua and the Panther Valley are in a time warp - things do not seem to change. If you are from the Valley you know that is good because you can improve perfection.

Funny License Plate from The Pennsylvania School Library Association's Convention at State College Pennsylvania

There is No Place like Home - Back in the Coal Regions

We pulled into our Residence Inn near Tamaqua to spend the next two nights. I got on the phone to 4 of my teacher friends to have a "come as your are" party. By 7:30 - the 5 of us were swapping stories and ailments.

Mike Cerimele - Charlie Depuy - Ted Collins - Joe Ligenza - and me. We all worked in the Panther Valley Middle School together. Mike taught reading - Charlie math - Ted Computers - Joe a variety - and Harry science. Charlie and Ted are still in action.

Biking in Chicago

Our hotel in Chicago was on the northern edge of Millenium Park. We were also about  1/4 mile from the Lake Michigan shoreline.

In the park - they rented bikes for $10 an hour. the weather was prefect - approaching 80 - but maybe a bit too windy. We got bikes and rode up the coast. The wind was causing some small waves - there were some people sun bathing - but no one in the frigid water.

In the top picture you can see our hotel. It is the tall brown building with the green pointed roof. The second picture is Lulu on her rental bike.

These pictures were taken Monday.

"Dick" as in Dick Armey is a Dirty Word

I wrote a story about the tea party this morning and submitted it to the Tallahassee Democrat. It kept being bounced back with this message -

"removed the words listed below and resubmit" - Dick

I did not have any editor named Dick so I kept trying to send it in because no words were highlighted in the article. Finally - I wrote to my editor Mark and he said -

The Democrat's computer is flagging the word "Dick" as in Dick Armey!  You are not allowed to use "Dick" anymore in the newspaper or on the web page.

So I changed "Dick"  to "D ick" and it went through. Talk about being politically correct!

Submitted by Harry Everfart