Hark the Herald Choirs Sing.....in Catasauqua

A few years ago my church Salem UCC,  combined with St. Paul's Lutheran Church to do St. Paul's Annual Candlelight Concert.  At the time we were experiencing some "dark times" at Salem and with out the help of St. Paul's and Pastor Gary Walbert, I think  a lot of us would of been without Christmas Spirit. 

Sometimes I think, oh, I don't want to take the time and participate, but then I do and I am glad I did;  and the night of the concert......all I can say is that sometimes, it takes my breath away.  If you have never gone, go this year.  It is tomorrow afternoon, December 11, at 3:30 pm.  Elizabeth Knecht is performing, she is an excellent dancer and soloist.  The voice of an angel.  Mike Fister on the organ at ear splitting volume.  Maybe it's because I sit to close to the speakers.  Besides the combined Choirs (St. Paul's and Salem), there is The James Ruhf Bagpipe Band.  When they come in, omg, it is awesome.  We are suppose to sing "La's" while they play Highland Cathedral, but I am always crying, sorry.

I also see in the bulletin that besides Pastor Gary, our own Pastor Elect Michael Smith will be there.  For those who don't know Pastor Mike will be our new permanent Pastor starting in January. 

There is refreshments afterwards and if that is not enough to make you come, well, I'll be playing the Bongo - yup I am!!!  For real!  I am all excited.  Maybe one day I'll get a drum solo!

Now, if you are still in the mood for music, then next Saturday, December 17th,  you are invited to Luminary Night in North Catasauqua.  The North Catasauqua Community Chorus "We Sing!" will perform a concert in the North Catasauqua Park beginning at 6:30 PM.  North Catasauqua (and parts of Catty) will be all a glow with luminaries throughout the town and around the Park. 

Music is always special, but Christmas songs, well they warm your heart and your soul.  We sing fun songs about reindeers and Santa Claus, but it is those songs about a special baby,  born in a manger that gives that true glowing feeling.

I love Christmas and I love Christmas music and in Catasauqua and North Catasauqua music will fill the air and dispell the darkness of night, because you are never alone when you can find the Light and Love of Christmas. And that's......another day in Catasauqua.

It's Beginning to Look alot like Christmas

I have been trying to get a moment to write for days, but it seems there is always something to do at this time of the year.  For only the 2nd time in 33 years did I have off on Black Friday.  First I was low man on the totem pole and later, we were busy or someone else took the day off.  It is not that I want to shop, but I want to start decorating.

I tried to be "cute" and post of facebook as I brought down my totes last week that hold my Christmas stuff, but somewhere around 8 I started to fizzle.  Truth be told I have 15 totes that hold my Christmas decorations, Christmas Plates, my Christmas socks and yes, even Christmas Pajamas.  It took Friday, Saturday and Sunday to finish decorating.  Nothing is untouched by Christmas around here.  From the Advent Candle ring to the Village on top of my piano Christmas is in every corner.

Christmas has been popping up all over Catasauqua to!  From decorations and lights to North Catasauqua's Tree Lighting last week (my favorite part is the hot chocolate, boy could I use a cup of that now)  and Catasauqua's Tree Lighting tonight.  We had breakfast with Santa yesterday at Salem UCC and there are still a lot of events to come all over town.

Well, it's time for me to clean up from baking, so back to work, maybe I'll save you a cookie and with that.....it's another day in Catasauqua.

Thanksgiving

What am I truly thankful for this Thanksgiving?  Well, I still have a job, and for only the 2nd time in 34 years I have off Black Friday.  No, I am not going out shopping either after midnight or tomorrow in the wee AM hours.  I prefer shopping online.   Although I am tempted to run to Walmart after 10pm for the Waffle Iron for $2.97.

I am thankful for Parke, my mom and my son and daughter-in-law and my 3 beautiful grandchildren.  This is my family along with a Aunt and few cousins.

I am thankful for my church family, choir and sunday school. 

I am thankful to and for God, I know He is there even when I forget He is.

I am thankful for good health and good friends.

Thanksgiving is like no other holiday. The turkey is probably the best known symbol of Thanksgiving, however, the turkey does not deliver any presents or eggs and candy, instead we eat it.    Pumpkins that we carved into scary creatures of the night, well, we eat it them now.   The apples we bobbed for at the Halloween Party, yup we eat them to baked into a pie.   Da Pennsylvania Dutch filling, we eat that now once, along with sweet potatoes, green bean casseroles and crescent rolls.  Thanksgiving celebrates the harvest and yup, we eat it.  I seem to be capturing a theme here.  But it is a theme seeped in tradition, since the beginnings of Thanksgiving in 1612. 

Well, Thanksgiving is almost over, the leftovers are packed away in the fridge for another day, and yes, Annette, I have the filling corners packed up just for you.  The desserts are still on the table but they will remain their for breakfast tomorrow, and Parke is snoring in the other room.  Ah yes, everything is right with the world at this moment in time. 

Oh I forgot one thing, I am thankful for you dear readers of this blog and for another day in Catasauqua.

You know you are a Rough Rider when Thanksgiving is more than Turkey

On each Thanksgiving Day, the Catasauqua Rough Riders play a non-league game against their rival, the  Northampton Konkrete Kids. The game is not sanctioned and does not count as a win/loss for official standings with regard to playoff consideration within the PIAA. The rivalry which started in 1925 has been ongoing.  When I was really young I can remember Mr. Pfiefly, our gym teacher telling us that if Catty would win the game we would have off Monday after Thanksgiving.

It was such an exciting time and it still is for Catasauqua Students.  Back then we had the Bonfire, the Pep Rally, Homecoming and the big game.  Now they even do more!  I just read on facebook that one of my friend's home and been toilet papered, that's because I senior lives there.

That's my name, last one on the right.

I am so glad that the Catty vs. Northampton game is a Thanksgiving tradition.  I see students wearing some great shirts now, wow-wish we had them back in the day.  We got programs, which we use to autograph for each other.  By some miracle my Grandmother kept all my stuff in the attic and as you can see I have the books for 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973.

I was reading some of those autographs, oh boy, did I laugh.  But ah....memories. 


Well, the turkey is hopefully thawed enough and the rice pudding and apple crisp is done.  Time for me to head to bed and prepare for.....another day in Catasauqua.

Catasauqua Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service

Tonight I ran into a friend of mine from school, and reader of my blog, Yvonne, which reminded me to blog tonight about something we both attended this evening and that was the Catasauqua Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service at The Presbyterian Church of Catasauqua.  I sang with the joint choirs tonight and we sounded good! Even if I must say so myself.  The music was fantastic and the singing of the Lehigh Valley Christian High School Chorus was refreshing. 

Rev. Walbert from St. Paul's gave an inspiring sermon and I was happy to see our interim minister from Salem UCC, Pastor Robert Lewis and our soon to be minister, Pastor Michael "the Voice" Smith both participating tonight.  However, I am not sure how to take Rev. Walbert warning Pastor Mike about me, especially since I don't go to St. Paul's.   Really all those rumors about me, not true. 

Anyway back to the service.  It was wonderful and it reminded me really of what Thanksgiving is all about - giving thanks!!!!

This was in the bulletin:  As the pioneers of the Plymouth colony gathered around the feasting table with Native Americans in 1621 to give thanks for all that they had been given by our Bountiful Provider, so we too gather to offer thanks for all those gifts which the Lord has seen fit to give us. Especially for our country, our state and our town.

Yes, I am thankful for much this Thanksgiving, even if times are a little tougher and as Rev. Walbert said in his sermon, it's easy to whine about these tough times, there is so much still to be thankful for.  So dear readers, I am thankful for you, a roof over my head,  and the waffles I had for dinner.  I am thankful for the Ministers of Catasauqua, the people who participated tonight and the people who came for the service.  I am thankful for the little things like a cup of joe in the morning and a Fiber One Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie at night (yeah it doesn't take much to make me happy). 

And yes, I am thankful for my town....... and that's another day in Catasauqua.

Catasauqua's new book and my Monkey Ghost.

My mother bought me Martha Capwell Fox's new book "Catasauqua and North Catasauqua Revisited".  I am really enjoying it especially since it has pictures of some people that I know or knew when they were still with us. 

The first people from the past that I saw were Grace and Ernie Hilficker.   I can't go a Sunday without thinking about Ernie.  There is a certain benediction and there was one line that the tenors sang and to this day I can still hear Ernie at that line.  Even though they are both gone they are not forgotten.   There are also people that I still see regularly in the book, so I am wondering whether I should start getting their autographs.  That might be fun.

I must say, that I really am enjoying this book.

The other night one of my friends, Nancy Balliet, showed me something in the book that I entirely missed.  MY HOUSE.  Yeah, can you believe it!  There is a picture of my house in the book and it reads "The Mark House at 703-705 Howertown Road, still stands on the corner of Walnut Street and retains the original porches.  The girl on the left appears to be holding a monkey."  A MONKEY, that explains all the crazy things in this house, I betcha we had Monkey Ghost. 

When we first moved into the house there were a lot of unexplainable things, things that went bump in the night, a shadow seen out of the corner of your eye.  Lights going off and on.  A few years ago most of it stopped after we did a "house cleansing" given to me by my Reiki Teacher at the time.  But now we know who to blame.  Monkey Ghost.

and that's another day in Catasauqua.

When feet take flight

This morning I was doing my usual walk through Catasauqua.  If you know me, you know I am not in the best of shape, but I have been going out and trying to walk every day and even did a 5K walk last weekend.  So every day this week I got out for a walk.  Since today is my day off I decided to take a long walk up to Northampton and back, it's just a little over 2 mile walk.

My goal is to be able to run one day.  You see, old age, bad knees and a big butt has kept me grounded and I am even unable to run across the street.  I've tried. I even ask Parke "how do run?"  He tells me it's just like walking but both feet come of the ground.  It's been very frustrating.  Occasionally I try to run across an alley on my walks and it just doesn't happen.

Well, that's until today.  I was on my last couple of blocks on Howertown Road, and Lady Gaga came on my ipod shuffle singing "The Edge of Glory"  and the strongest wind came along blowing the direction I was walking and it practically pushed me.  I smiled and thought "God, you don't have to give me a push, I can make it home." The last couple of blocks I power walk and with the Edge playing in my ears and the wind at my back. it suddenly happened, I was running.  I was practically giddy.  I can only compare it to a plane that has been taxiing on the runway forever and suddenly, magically it takes flight and is airborne.

This sudden euphoria lifted my spirits and my feet.  I had done it.  For a moment I glimpsed youth, health and well being.  Eventually I thought chest would explode so I went back to my power walking.  No not really, but I managed to run about two blocks. 

What a beautiful morning in Catasauqua to take a walk, and even to take flight.

And that's another day in Catasauqua.