What's going this weekend!!!!

Are you in Catty and need something to do this weekend?  Well you are in luck, Fest-O -Fall is taking place Saturday. 

I will be at the George Taylor House location with some ladies from my church, Salem UCC with some candy for the children.  Looks like it will be a fall weather day too with cooler temps!

So why not come out an join us.

We Sing Community Chorus-Concert Sunday

I am a member of We Sing Community Chorus and I just wanted to let you know about our Concert this Sunday at 4:30 PM at Salem United Church of Christ located at 615 Third Street, Catasauqua, PA.   The Concert is entitled the Beat Goes On....Hits of the 20's, 30's, 40's 50's and 60's.  There are some really great songs and a lot of fun comes with this concert.

I really enjoy being a member of this chorus, we have a great director, John  and I have a lot of huckleberry friends on this chorus to.  You will know what I mean by that after you hear Moon River!

Admission is FREE and their are refreshments afterwards.  Hey it doesn't get any better than that does it!

Well, I am getting ready to leave for my small vay-cay with the ladies, but I will be back Saturday rested and ready to sing.  I am taking my beach chair - I am going to be optimistic! 

So, don't forget Sunday afternoon when in Catasauqua the music will fill the air and we can say that's......another day in Catasauqua.

On Vacation

Well, I am leaving Catty for a couple of days and heading to sunny, oops, the rainy shore of Ocean City, NJ.  Oh well, I wanted to get aome reading done, I guess this will be the chance. 

On the other hand maybe I will catch the last episode of "All My Children" while we hide out in the room, and who knows, the weather could change and maybe we will have some nice weather. 

I'll let you know when I get back.

Here's wishing you......another day in Catasauqua.

So this is what 6:20 AM is like

As you may know, I have been on a partial layoff since February (this blog started in March when I ran out of stuff to clean).  We just got called back for 3 weeks, we can now work 4 days a week, at least for a little bit.

What I forgot about was, what it is like at 6:20 AM as compared to 8:00 AM, which for the past so many months I was rolling out of bed at.

At 6:20 AM - it is dark.  My mother talks to me endlessly (mostly about Dancing with the Stars and it hasn't even started yet) The dog wants to go for a walk. 

At 7:20 AM when I leave for work there is - so many school buses, school children and lots of traffic and Where do all the garbage trucks come from?

I guess I was spoiled.  This is day two of getting up at 6:20 AM and I am still not use to it.  Thanks to Wawa Pumpkin spice coffee I am more able to cope.

Speaking of pumpkin, this past weekend I was in search of a pumpkin muffin.  We decided to stop at Dunkin Donuts to see if they had any.  The man behind the counter was of Asian decent and he was so delightfully funny.  He says to me "Punkin why all people want punkin, everybody come in and want punkin muffin?"  I said to him it's the season for pumpkin, I then asked for an ice coffee, he replies "You want punkin coffee?  We got punkin coffee, we got punkin everything, everyone want punkin!"  He was so nice, funny and just a joy to talk to he would of brightened any day with or without the pumpkin muffin.

This weekend there seems to be alot of events in Catty to check out, one is at SALEM UCC  - we are having a flea market from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, we will have food, lots of good stuff cheap, a bake sale and silent auction.  Check it out if you are in the neighborhood, because that's ......another day in Catasauqua.

There was a Full House in Catasauqua Tonight

The full house was at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, located on Howertown Road in Catasauqua.  St. Paul's graciously invited the town to a Service of Remembrance in honor of 9/11. 

I decided not to sing in the joint choir, but to instead sit in the congregation with my bff, Cathy.  We were later joined by Pastor Robert "Bob" Lewis, our Interim Pastor at Salem UCC.  We found out later that we had each chosen a different color to wear tonight, I was wearing red, Pastor Bob wore white and Cathy, wore blue.  We were patriotic with out even trying.

The service was wonderful, first there was a candlelight procession.  Down the aisle first was her Honor the Mayor, Barbara Schlegel.  I got a little choked up when I saw Police, EMS, and the Fire Department individuals come down the aisle with candles held high.  And how can you not get a misty eyed when American Legion Post #215 comes in with the American Flag.

The songs were appropriate and one of my favorites was included, "Make me a Channel of your Peace" which I told Cathy, I want sung at my funeral someday. 

Make me a channel of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me bring your love. Where there is injury your pardon Lord.  And where there's doubt, true faith in you.

If we all could just be peacemakers, wouldn't it be such a wonderful world.

Oh, I must mention Elizabeth Knecht, who has a wonderful voice!  She sang two solos and also did a Liturgical dance while the Community Choir sang Let There be Peace on Earth.  AND HEY COMMUNITY CHOIR you did wonderful!!!  What a good turn out of choir members from the Catasauqua area churches!

It was to Fellowship Hall afterwards for some delicious cookies.  When I was done, Pastor Bob leaned over and said, "You know what this is don't you.......another day in Catasauqua!"

Remember 9/11

On September 10, 2001, the evening news had a lead story about two pekingese dogs waiting for their master to come home from work.   Parke turned to me and said "I guess it is a slow news night."  We did know what would be happening the next day.

I can't believe that ten years has passed since that terrible day.  I remember it well.  I was at work, and my bff Cathy called. "Bev " she said "the World Trade Center has been hit by an airplane."   I was shocked, I couldn't comprehend what she was telling me, I turned to Oliver who I worked with at the time and told him, he was trying to look on CNN but there wasn't anything there yet.  The next thing she told me was that another Tower was hit by a plane.  She was watching Good Morning America  and they didn't really know what was happening, they were showing you live what was going on. 

My first words were is Missy okay.  That's Cathy's niece and my daughter-in-law's sister.  Cathy assured me that she didn't work anywhere near the World Trade Center.  But we found out different a little later, Missy indeed was there, had just gotten out of the subway after the first plane hit and saw the second plane.  She did make it to safety and after a long day of travel made it home to her apartment. 

At work, we could only hear it on the radio, we did get some images from CNN, but the internet was bogged down just like the phone lines.  I couldn't  reach my son or daughter-in-law, they lived outside of DC in Virginia.  I heard from them late in the day and found out that they were safe.

They day seemed endless at work, the radio was reporting about the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the plane that went down in Pennsylvania.  I was so overcome with emotion I went out to another bff, Annette, with whom I have worked with for 33 years now.  I looked at her, she looked at me and we started to cry and hug each other.  We didn't know what to think, we didn't know what was going on, there was a lot of speculation and it was not until I got home and could watch it on TV that I fully understood what was happening. 

I called my Pastor at the time and asked if we could open the Church, I felt like I needed to be in the safety of my church's sanctuary even if it was for quiet prayer.  She wasn't certain people would come, I made a few phone calls and that night our church was full.  I guess I lot of people felt like I did.  I even remember the neighbor across the street calling over to me and saying are you having a service and I said, "Yes" and she came right over.  Catasauqua came together as a community while Americans came together all across the United States that night and many nights after to pray.   We came together as a Nation that day, we held hands with each other and we were proud to be Americas.  The American Flag flew from everywhere you looked.


It wasn't until one year later, when I took the day off and watched Good Morning America replay what had happened a year earlier did I understand what Cathy was watching and trying to explain to me.

I get emotional when I think about 9/11, I didn't loose anybody and for that I am grateful, but it still left a whole in my heart.  I love Catasauqua, but I also love New York and had been there dozens of times for the Letterman Show and the taping of the View.  I have seen Broadway Shows, been to the top of the Empire State Building and been in the World Trade Center.  I've seen the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island where my grandfather's family came to America.

I think in Catty as well as in many towns across America, we take our Freedom for granted.  We don't fight wars here on our soil.  We have the freedom to do as we please as long as it is within the law and that day a little piece of our freedom was taken from us.  We grew up a little, our innocence was taken away, civilians not soldiers died that day.  Fireman and Policeman were in the front lines, many of them loosing their lives in the process, protecting the people they are sworn to protect. Real heroes. Real American Heroes.

I found myself wishing that the biggest news on TV would be those two pekingese again
 
From the song Proud to be an American -

And I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘ Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.

and with that it's......another day in Catasauqua

Rain Rain Go Away

View of the 1942 flood

In a book from the late 19th century, the lyrics are as follows:  Rain, Rain Go Away, Come again April Day, Little Johnny wants to play.

I agree with Johnny, the rain seems to be never ending,   I just checked the WFMZ website and there is more rain to come.

Thanks to the Facebook site "You Know you're from Catty or North Catty..."  I read that Catty has experienced flooding at least 2 times in history.  First, from May 20 to May 23, 1942, 5 to 7 inches of rain fell flooding an area that started in Walnutport  to Catasauqua.  There is a high water marker located on Canal and Mulberry Streets, which Bob LeFevre found and has posted over on Facebook.   I would go find it for this blog except, I am in my PJ's right now and really don't feel like changing until I have to.


On August 19,  1955, the Lehigh River in Bethlehem reached its highest recorded flood crest:  25.9 feet.  The flooding occurred because Hurricane Diane deposited heavy rainfall on the city and in the drainage basin of the Lehigh River, as well as on many other river basins of Central and Eastern Pennsylvania. Just a few days previous to Hurricane Diane, Hurricane Connie tracked across the region and soaked the soil.  The additional rain from Diane had no place to go except directly to the local streams, which quickly swelled and expanded to flood levels all across Northeastern Pennsylvania. (the previous month of July was the driest in 55 years)

Well, we have seen some minor flooding this summer between Hurricane Irene and now this endless rain, I am just hoping that we don't have anything major at this time.  In the meantime I better get dressed for work, and head out with my umbrella because that's.......another day in Catasauqua.

Labor Day - what's it all about?

What is Labor Day to you?  The end of summer, the beginning of the football season, a reason to eat hot dogs and potato salad or a reason to party. 

Well, Labor Day is a US Federal Holiday observed the first weekend in September to celebrate economic and social contributions of workers.  (That's me and you).

The first big Labor Day in the United States was observed on September 5, 1882, by the Central Labor Union of New York.  It was proposed in May of 1882 after witnessing a labor festival in Toronto, Canada by Peter J. McGuire of the American Federation of Labor.

Oregon was the first state to make it a holiday in 1887. By the time it became a federal holiday in 1894, thirty states officially celebrated Labor Day.  Following the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the US military and US Marshals during the Pullman Strike, President Cleveland reconciled with the labor movement.  Fearing further conflict, legislation making Labor Day a national holiday was rushed through Congress unanimously and signed into law a mere six days after the end of the strike.

The form for the celebration of Labor Day was outlined in the first proposal of the holiday: A street parade to exhibit to the public "the strength and spirit of the trade and labor organizations", followed by a festival for the workers and their families. This became the pattern for Labor Day celebrations. Speeches by prominent men and women were introduced later, as more emphasis was placed upon the economic and civil significance of the holiday.

There are still a few parades around here and there.  It's the last day of the Allentown Fair ( which I missed this year, darn) and I am sure there are some picnics, even though it's raining outside.   I guess with the current economy in the United States,  if we have a job,  it is probably a reason to celebrate. 

So roll out the potato salad and fire up the grill that's....another day in Catasauqua.
 

Boy, am I tired.....

This blog will probably have a lot of typos compared to my others because I am so very tired.  This weekend was wonderful.  A celebration of love, a wedding of my bff Cathy's daughter Jaime.  Jaime married Rami this weekend which seemed like a two day celebration, which started with the rehearsal dinner. Rami's family comes from the Middle East and the rehearsal dinner was a delightfully delicious buffet of middle eastern food.  It was super yummy since I love middle east cuisine. 

And, let's not forget the middle eastern music and dancing, oh my I am getting more tired thinking about it.  But I was up clapping and my attempt at wiggling these old hips to the music.  Rami's family was delightfully trying to teach me and others how to dance.  We had so much fun and danced all night.  I had to get up early the next day to help make the wedding bouquets. 

Specially thanks to another bff of mine, GRACIE, who is just so crafty.  She helped me with the flowers, her designs flow better than mine, I tend to balance my designs.  Between the two of us we made some nifty bouquets, my favorite was the brides. 

The wedding took place at Lehigh University's Packer Church and the reception at the Iacocca Hall, both of which were very impressive.  I partied until 10:15 pm and got lost on our way home, but some how I just kept driving figuring out that sooner or later I see something familiar.

During the wedding service I  read the scripture 1 Corinthians 13 - the Love scripture, you know which one - love is patient, love is kind, which I kept repeatedly reminding myself on the trip home (love is patient - love is patient) as Parke was trying to read the instructions, and I couldn't see the forks in the road or any street signs because it was too dark. 

It was a wonderful weekend and I still have two days off yet to recuperate, which reminds me - when I get done writing this blog - I am going to take a shower and head to bed.  I must be getting old, I use to party without getting tired, those were the good old days.

Well, I end this blog with best wishes to the bride and groom for a long and happy marriage.  And with that it's ...... another day in Catasauqua.

Earthquakes, hurricanes and floods

So let's see, I wrote about an earthquake, my birthday, oh yes, and now a Hurricane.  Hurricane Irene blew through this past weekend causing wind damage and flooding in the area.  I personally faired off quite well, except somehow, during the whole thing I managed to catch  a cold.  But the basement didn't flood and our electricity stayed on.  I was ready for the worse, I had the freezer packed full of ice (something I learned on the weather channel--fill ziploc bags with water and put it in between the food in your freezer).  I had a case of water, I filled jugs with water, I lined up the flashlights, matches and candles.  Along with a radio with batteries and I was ready.  We secured the outdoor furniture and garbage cans in the shed. 

The good thing was that I didn't need any of the above items, however a friend of mine did, her electricity came on yesterday after having no electric for 4 days. 

Hopefully we won't see a plague of locusts next.

On the brighter side, I am getting ready for a wedding this weekend.  Yeah, my bff Cathy's daughter is getting married.  It is  shaping up to be a fun event, but darn I forgot to buy a hat to wear, you know like they do in England.  Oh well, that's probably a good thing to.

Well, I am off...and that's.....Another day in Catasauqua