Our Neighbors - The McLemore's Are Devoted Seminole Baseball Fans

Scott - Mary-Sue - Bear

Scott - Mary-Sue and their son Bear at yesterday's Super Regional game. They can always be found in those seats. They are smart - they have seats in the shade and have a Big Ass Fan overhead. No really - that is the name of the fan company. The fans are about 20 feet in diameter.

A couple years ago - they moved 4 doors down the street from us. They home is directly across the street from our brick house.

In the picture - for today's game - Lulu and Danny's seats are at the same level but about 200 feet to the left.

The Noles lost a heart breaker yesterday 10-9. Indiana has a good team and it could be over as early as today. This is the first time a Big 10 team advanced this far in the NCAA baseball tournament. Each team had 10 hits and 3 errors.

Mimi The Gladiator With Fellow Professor Lori In Rome

When you get drunk in a Roman restaurant - you do not leave your helmet - shield - and sword behind. Some tourists will mug for the camera with them. I am more interested what was the drink with the long blue straw. 

We Had Great Seats for the Hoosiers and Noles

Mike Martin Field in Dick Howser Stadium. There is something wrong with naming the field after the head coach. How do you flunk a nun?

The Noles lost 10-9. Indiana shot ahead 10-6 - then the Noles scored 3 in the last two innings. The winning run came to the plate - flied out - and it was over.

My friend Danny Callison is here for the games. He is a retired IU professor. He drove from Bloomington yesterday by himself - it took 14 hours. 

I told him I hope for 3 games for him because he drove so far. Now I hope there are 3 games for FSU to come back.

I got great seats for Lulu and Danny - the same section but 10 rows back. They are under the shade and a big fan. They will not roast. If there is a 3rd game - we will all go together. 

FSU at Noon Playing Indiana at FSU in NCAA Playoff

Today at noon. Super regional. I am going with Danny from IU.

Will be sitting behind home plate - row 7. Just a little to camera left.

MiMi Johnston Is At A Conference In Rome

Mimi Johnston at the Vatican

Dr Mimi Johnson is traveling the world spreading the word on library science. She was one of Lulu's best students and quickly landed a job as a professor at Kentucky. Now she is a professor at Alabama - but she enjoys packing and may someday break Lulu's record for library travels. She is Lulu's mini-me - that is why I call her Mimi. 

Her trip was slowed down with a few delays - and then her bags did not get there in time. She just sent this picture from the Vatican. I told her that guy was looking for a wife. I told her anyone who married him should not sign a pre-nup and the kingdom could be hers. 

Judge Scraps Pennsylvania Governor Corbett's Lawsuit Against The NCAA

HARRISBURG — A federal judge on Thursday threw out the Pennsylvania governor’s lawsuit against the NCAA over sanctions against Penn State related to Jerry Sandusky, calling his argument “a Hail Mary pass” that easily warranted dismissal.

U.S. Middle District Judge Yvette Kane’s decision puts an early end to the antitrust lawsuit Gov. Tom Corbett filed in January in which he sought to overturn a $60 million fine, a four-year bowl ban, scholarship limits and other penalties.

She said she could not “find any factual allegations supporting (Corbett’s) allegation of ‘concerted action’ that might nudge its conspiracy claim into ‘plausible’ territory.”

The NCAA said it was “exceedingly pleased” and hoped the ruling would help heal divisions caused by the Sandusky scandal. In an emailed statement from his office, Corbett expressed disappointment and said he was analyzing the ruling to determine options.

Interim Seminole Athletic Director - Vanessa Fuchs, 34, regarded as smart, driven

From the Tallahassee Democrat - 

Once Florida State supporters digested the news late Wednesday and Thursday that Randy Spetman had been removed as the university’s athletic director, many were left with one immediate question:

Who is Vanessa Fuchs, and why was she chosen to lead the Seminoles’ athletic department on an interim basis?

1961 Ford Falcon - My Second Car - "Keep You Eyes On The Falcons Going By"

1960 Ford Falcon

1960 Mercury Comet

Tennessee Ernie Ford used to sing - "Keep You Eyes On The Falcons Going By" He was plugging one of the Ford best sellers. 

In the summer of 1967 - after one year at Kutztown State Teachers College - my 1956 VW was pretty much dead. It was May and I was pretty happy having 1/4 of my college education over. 

I convinced my Dad that I needed a car to take a summer job. I was hired at the Lamp Factory in Slatington which was about 25 miles from home. Dad was driving a light blue 1963 Ford Falcon wagon - so when we passed Kovich Chevrolet on Route 309 - another little Ford caught my eye. It was a 1961 Ford Falcon two door with $295 written on the windshield in white shoe polish. 

FSU Fires Athletic Director

Florida State Athletics Director Randy Spetman has been moved to an advisory role in the athletic department and Vanessa Fuchs has been named interim athletics director.

From the Democrat
FSU President Eric Barron made the announcement late Wednesday afternoon, and said he was beginning a national search for a new athletics director.

Neat New VW Camper At About $100,000

You can keep it in a regular garage.

The Lake Behind Our House

That is our backyard where my golf cart is. You can also see George's house 3 doors to the left.

Yesterday I went down to our lake front to cut the grass and weeds. The lake is about 100 yard from our house and about 30 feet lower in elevation.

A couple of weeks ago some guys that live across the street asked if they could fish in the lake/pond. Of course I said sure. I have been living here 9 years and have not cast a line in the water the whole time. Later - I saw the guys pretty excited. They got 11 hits in a half hour. We are not just talking sunnies here. They showed me a picture phone of a 15 inch large mouth bass!

They even left a small boat with an electric motor and battery. What the heck - no one was around - why not take a little boat ride?

It was pretty neat. The lake looks so quiet and peaceful. You would never think you were only 1 miles from the Capitol Building - right in the middle of a noisy town.

I had my camera with me - so I shot this video.

At the Red A is the Capitol Building - in the lower right corner is our pond. You can also see the construction of our new park just southeast of the Capitol.

My First Real Car Was A 1956 VW that Looked Similar To This

This 1978 VW is on Craigslist today - a guy wants $4500 for it. My first car was a 1956 VW that looked like this. I paid $100.

Today on Craigslist I saw this car. It is the closest look I can find to what my first car looked like. This is a 1978 VW. My first car was a 1956 VW convertible - this color of body and top. 

In 1966 - close to high school graduation - I bought a 1956 VW convertible for $100. It was 10 years old and in horrible shape. The 36 HP engine leaked so badly that I had to keep a piece of cardboard under it - and that was on the street - we didn't have a driveway or garage. It had a 4 speed transmission that had to be completely stopped to shift into low gear - that is the way they were then. It had no gas gauge - you had a lever to flip on the floor when you ran out of gasoline. That gave you maybe one gallon more to find a gas station. 

My VW had no heater - so in the winter I used to buy army surplus cans of "canned heat" and burned them on the back floor - that is the little bit of floor I had. Mine was rusted through so badly - I would run along as I drove. My friends used to use those floor holes as one of the first camper toilets. It had tiny 5 inch wide by 15 inch tall tires. The speedometer cable ran into the front left wheel to measure your speed. 

The floor was so rusted out - that I carried a roll of aluminum flashing - tin snips - and a pop riveter to make repairs. One time I was showing off at the local drive-in - the Napoli. I was going to do a "wheelie" imagine that with a 36 HP engine. VW batteries were under the back seat then. When I popped the clutch - after a whole bunch of noises - the battery fell thru the floor and out onto the street. As the crowd roared - I got out - re-installed the battery - started her up - and zoomed off - not to be seen again for a month. 

No one had invented reclining seats yet - but I had a solution. After a little seat hacksawing - and a couple of bolts - I could drop the passenger seat to make it into a level bed. It would go down with a thud. Sometimes going down the road - I would hit a bump - there would be a thud - and my passenger would be in the supine position. With that reclining seat - and the cans of "canned heat" - even during a heavy snow storm - my VW was ready for action at the Lakeside dances. All the cars would be covered with snow - except my bright green VW - people swore I had washed it during the driving snow - it shined so much - clean and dry.

Another neat thing - that car was so light - and the tires were so tall and skinny - and the engine was in the rear - it was an excellent snow car. I was able to get into the snow and ice ruts - take my hands off the steering wheel and the car would "steer itself" like on rails. 

One night 6 of us piled into it and went to NYC. We didn't start that way. A friend needed a ride to Palmerton. When we got to Palmerton - the sign said NYC was 80 miles. That seemed easy enough. It was 10 PM - traffic was light and Route 22 beckoned us. With 6 passengers - that is 6 HP per passenger - the car barely got up to 50 MPH. But as the clock struck midnight we crossed under the Hudson River in the Holland Tunnel. We were greeted by bums and panhandlers as we put up the tattered soft top for protection. The car had no heater - and we were not even aware that air conditioning existed - so it was a muggy New York August night with 6 sweating unbathed teenagers. We did not stay long - as we cruised up 9th Avenue. 

The VW was getting weaker and weaker as we went - due to an exhaust pipe break - the engine got louder and louder and seemed weaker and weaker. Around 5AM as the sun was slowly appearing in my rear view mirror - we limped up over the Blue Mountain on Route 309 in 2nd gear. If we made it to the top we could almost coast the last 10 miles back to Tamaqua. The Blue Mountain always reminded me of the mountain chain across the island where they found King Kong. On the north side was a strange forbidden land - the Coal Regions. No one ever got out of there alive. But the VW made it - at least for one night. 

It is funny how a stupid Craigslist car ad can jog all that out of this old brain. 

Since then I have bought and sold many cars - 

1965 Honda 50 cub red   $225/$150

1956 Volkswagen convertible green  $100/$0

1961 Ford Falcon blue    $250/$250

1960 MG-A Twin Cam roadster blue   $750/$900

1969 Volkswagen Beetle blue   $1849/$1200

1970 MG-B roadster yellow  $2600/$2300

1960 Mercury Comet wagon white $20/$0

1971 Chevrolet Vega panel truck white $2200/$1800

1961 Auston-Healey Sprite convertible orange  $100/$650

1972 Honda 600 sedan yellow $1525/$400

1964 Ford F100 pickup red $550/$375

1974 Ford Mustang coupe silver  $2400

1975 Auranthetic electric motor cycle $525

1977 Chevrolet Chevette  red $2700

1977 Scamp travel trailer white  $2400/$2200

1978 Thomas Chevrolet bus green  $10700/$11000

1978 Vespa Ciao moped red $700

1970 Coleman tent trailer green $400

1967 Chevrolet Camaro convertible yellow  $700/$1200

1978 Chevrolet Camaro blue $99 lease

1980 Renault LeCar red  $4000

1976 Cadillac Fleetwood blue  $900/$2200

1982 Chevrolet Chevette blue $4400

1975 VW Dune buggy red $1800/$1500

1981 Cadillac diesel brown $7100

1984 Suzuki Samurai red  $6000

1984 Small trailer K-Mart red  $200

1985 Subaru wagon silver $10700

1988 Trax moped red $800

1988 Plymouth Horizon blue  $9000

1981 Volkswagen van yellow  $2200/$2900

1990 Honda Accord black  $19000

1972 International school bus yellow  $1200/$0

1988 Dodge Shadow turbo red $6600

1993 Plymouth Voyager van green 

1980 Nissan pickup truck white

1997 Honda CRV black  $22000

1997 Honda Del Sol black $20000

1997 Trailer small covered gray  $1600/$1000

1988 Suzuki Samurai gray  $700/$2800

1986 Dodge 600 convertible white  $2700/$1500

2002 Mazda Miata green

1976 Dodge Coachmen camper orange  $1000/$1000

1972 Argosy camper brown

1989 Ford Coachmen camper red  $9000/$7000

1995 Chevrolet Coachmen camper blue $14000/$13000

2002 Tomos moped black

2002 Tomos moped blue

2001 Volkswagen Jetta blue  

2008 Harbor Freight trailer red    $200/$250

2004 Honda van silver   $13000/$9000

2007 Vespa LX150 scooter blue   $4400/

1986 Dodge 600ES convertible white  $4000 

2003 Carry-on Trailer black $250

1977 Scamp Travel Trailer white  $2400/$2000

1972 Taurus Terry Travel Trailer yellow $1800/$1200

2005 Yamaha Vino 125 maroon  $2600/$2300

2009 Honda Ruckus scooter black   $1300/$1900

1997 Toyota Tacoma truck maroon  $2000/$3500

2005 Vespa LX50 scooter black  $1500/$2200

1997 Ford Ranger truck white  $3500/$4100

1990 Mercedes diesel white    $2000/$4300

1997 Ford F150 truck maroon $5200/$6500

2008 Club Car Precedent Golf Cart maroon  $3000

2010 Honda SH150i Scooter maroon  $2200/$3500

2001 Ford F150 Truck silver  $4500/$6100

1963 Ford Falcon Ranchero blue   $2500/$5900

1994 Dodge Conversion Van $1200/$3400

1986 Honda Helix Scooter $1750

2008 Toyota Prius red  $18000

I had 69 - cars - scooters - campers - trailers - buses - trucks - golf carts. In 48 years that is almost 1.5 per year.  

Henry David Thoreau said - "The man is the richest whose pleasures are the cheapest." 

If a man can live on the seat of those cheap pleasures - he never has to work a day in his life.  I said that......that and marry a pretty college professor.

This Mover - Ducky Johnson - Has Expressed An Interest In the Seminole Drive Brick House

The Ducky Johnson Company has expressed an interest in the brick home at 1816 Seminole Drive.

I offered it to them for free - if they take it away.

Ducky is no longer alive - but the rest of the family still enjoys moving homes.

55 Years of Swimming at The Bungalow in Tamaqua PA

The Bungalow Bridge - where spring water ran into the pool. This must have been 1944 - because sister Gail is sitting on the left - my Mom holding onto her. The two ladies on the right are Kathryn "Everhart" Pisanick and Grace "Everhart" Schleicher - Dad's sisters. I am guessing Dad took this picture. This was 2 years after Grandfather Roy Everhart died - and no one knew anything about it. The other kids in the pictures are - cousins Bob Schleicher - Ruth Pisanick - and Kathleen Pisanick.

When I was a kid - a summer in Tamaqua PA was mainly spent at the Bungalow. That was the unofficial name of the community swimming pool. Folk lore had it that one time there was a real bungalow built there - but it was long gone before my first visit in 1948.

We were members of the Bethany Church and summer picnics were a way of life - this was before the Phillies were on television. One of my favorites was the penny hunt. They would dump a big pile of sawdust on the ground and mix in jars of pennies. We would dig for "hours" looking for the loot.

Originally the swimming pool was fed by a very cold spring from the mountain. It ran down a small aqueduct - under a small stone bridge build by the WPA government work force. Water temperature ranged from the low 60s to the low 70s. Just when it was getting warm on Sunday evening - they would drain the pool! They did not have a filter then - and on Monday morning they started filling it up again with frigid water.

Later during my college days - I had one of the best summer jobs in town. For 30 hours a week - I was a life guard - and enjoying the sights and sounds of the 60s. On one of the best days of my life - I met Lulu and her bikini. In the summer of 69 - I invited her to go to a rock festival being held in Bethel NY - something called Woodstock. Her Mom did not agree that it was the thing to do. So off I went in my new VW with two friends Bob from town - Bob Roland and Bob LeMasters.

Two years later - Lulu and I were married. The local bank had faith in us - and gave us the money to build a house on a hill across the street from the place we met. For 30 years - we walked hand in hand to the old swimming hole together. Lulu and our sons Drew and Keith all served as life guards at The Bungalow.

The pool is officially run by the town - but when we were kids - it was customary to "sleep out" in the park at night. As long as we stayed in the park - the police pretty well let us alone. And then there was Bungalow Bill - before the Beatles made the song. Billy Brooks slept almost the entire summer in the park in protest to his Dad having him work on the ice cream truck. Everybody spent a night or two with Bill. Bill went on to raise a family of 5 daughters - 5 of the nicest kids I taught at Panther Valley.

When John Morgan died - the inventor of thermal underwear - he left an endowment to care for the park. That money also built the beautiful concession stand by the pool and provided free admission to the residents for a few years.

Leo Schilling - our best neighbor - build a brick house in 1948 on our hill. From 1973 to 2003 - we could not have had a better neighbor. Son Lee still lives in that brick house.

Many of these pictures are from opening day this year - June 5th 2010. A few old pictures I found in my archives.

I wonder if the water is over 70 yet this year.

The most popular dive was the cannon ball.

CLick this picture to enlarge and see our brown house next to the Leo's green awning.

Next to the diving boards was the life guard chair where Lulu drew my attention.

In the 1950s - they drained the pool every Sunday night. We swam while it filled on Monday.

This must have been 1948 - because they are building Leo Schilling's house.

Note the Bungalow Bridge on the right. It is the same bridge that was in the first picture above. Click picture to enlarge to see our house in the hill next to the green awning.

In the 60s - there was no diving well - we would dive into 8 feet of water!

The John Morgan Foundation built the new concession stand. Note the Bungalow Bridge in front of the stand.
This is my Dad holding me at one of the Bethany Church picnics. It must have been 1950 - because I look about 2 years old. That would have made Dad 34 years old. He had already served 16 years in the Coaldale Number 8 Mine. 9 years later - the mine closed. Dad had 25 years in - he was out on the street - jobless - with lungs full of anthracite.

Student Suspended For Writing An Essay Saying His Teacher Was Hot

Here come the thought police.

Charlie Watts - Rolling Stones Drummer - Is 72 Today

My favorite band growing up was The Rolling Stones. And among the extravagant members of that group was one plain looking drummer - Charlie Watts. He was born on June 2, 1941 in a pre-fab home in Wembley - England during the war. He went to art school - married his childhood sweetheart and is still married to her today - 47 years later.

He enjoys playing jazz more than roll and roll. He is one of the stable rocks on which the Rolling Stones were built. Charlie also breeds fine horses.

He is normally a very quiet guy - very little bravado - he likes to be in the background. He has been picked as one of the best dressed men in the world.

Once in the middle of the night - he was sleeping and lead singer called him up saying - where's my drummer? Watts got up - showered - shaved - got dressed and walked down to the studio to meet Jagger. When he entered the studio - he floored Jagger with one punch. He then said - Don't ever call me your drummer - you are MY singer.

I hate commas and quotation marks  :-)

The Rolling Stones fooled the world playing the role as the rebels of rock compared to the fluffy suited Beatles.  Mick Jagger the lead singer had a degree from the London School of Economics and kept the bad boy image of the band going for 50 years. No one is quite sure how guitarist Keith Richard is still standing.

This summer I plan to visit Charlie's boyhood home in Wembley. Maybe I will arrange a 5 stop tour of the original Rolling Stones' homes.

This House Down The Street Went For $79000 At Auction Today

This rancher at the south end of Seminole Drive was auctioned off today.

We just had a public auction down the street about 1/2 mile south of our house. A brick ranch home sold for $79000. The home looks about 40 years old - and it looks like no improvements were made since. It had 3BRs and a 2 car garage. The roof looked okay. 

Some people in the neighborhood are shocked that it went so low. Of course it concerns them with the value of their own home. It concerns me because I am considering building a $400k home just 1/2 mile up the same street.