The Real Housewives of Catasauqua

Last week the ladies of "Keep me in Stitches", which is a crochet and knitting group at the Catasauqua Public Library, were having a conversation when one thing led to another in my mind, what would a Real Housewives of Catasauqua show be like?

We were talking about Dancing with the Stars and Erika Jayne.  Someone asked who she was.  I said I think she is from one of those Housewives shows; which led to the above question as to what would a Real Housewives of Catasauqua show be like?  (We had some answers that actually kept us in stitches)

Who would star in the "The Real Housewives of Catasauqua"?  

I found an article that explained the casting of the show as follows:

1) There is no such think as too much personality.

2)  A sense of humor is a must.

3)  Friends of the housewives are preferred.

4) A willingness to be open is essential.

5) You don't have to be a wife (that is just too funny)

It seems that BRAVO has redefined the term"housewife", being that most of the women on these shows have probably not done any actual domestic chores.  

Think of what our women could do in Catasauqua - they could brunch at the new Bridge Street Restaurant.  They could visit an Art Exhibit at Gallery 415 or take swing lessons at The Gas House Dance Hall.  THINK of all the possibilities!!!!   They could even drink too much at the Auquasat Lounge and enter rehab which is conveniently located across the street at the Malvern Institute.  Do you notice how I managed to do all that in basically a two block radius - imagine the infinite scenarios involving the whole town!  Maybe we could even include North Catasauqua in the show.  

So, I ask you, fellow Catasauqians, who would star in The Real Housewives of Catasauqua?

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

A Stitch in Time saves Nine - Nine What?

When I started to write today's blog I decided to use the old saying a stitch in time saves nine and then I realized that I didn't have the foggiest idea what then meant.  Nine what and how do you stitch time.  So I did what anyone would do - I googled.

If you say it slightly different it makes a tad more sense - one stitch in the nick of time will save you nine stitches later. It is an incentive to not be lazy.  If you have a small rip - stitch is now, if not it will lead to more work later.

Whew, now that I got that out of the way let me tell you about my new hobbies, which I learned at the CATASAUQUA PUBLIC LIBRARY.

Crocheting and knitting.  Yes, and I learned it at the public library.  The Catasauqua Public Library is not the old dreary library that you might remember from your youth.  Although I didn't mind it so much when I was a kid, I loved to read and the place was full of new adventures, love stories and information.

The library has a new head librarian who has been implementing new programs and activities, like our group called Keep Me in Stitches.  I never thought that I would get the opportunity to learn crocheting or knitting and now I can do both.

The best part though of the whole time together, which is Monday nights at 6:00 PM until 7:30 PM is the friendship.  It is the quickest hour and one-half in my life.  Sitting, talking and learning is so much fun.

Last week as I sat there working on a scarf for my mom (don't tell her) I listened to all kinds of talk. Some of it was just Catty gossip, there were stories, the who is seeing who and a little history all thrown in to the mix.  I stopped and said that I felt like this was a book I once read. Women sitting around talking, knitting and crocheting, I am thinking  the next thing to do would be to solve a mystery, or be involved in a love story or maybe a little magic.

Yes, the library is a great place and in case you haven't been there for a long time they now have computers, internet, a children's room, story time and even visits from everyone including Snow White to wildlife.

So if you find yourself in the vicinity of Third and Bridge Streets in Catasauqua, stop in and check out the library.  If you do it on a Monday evening chances are you will find me at a table knitting a sweater, or knot (pun intended); and that's another day in Catasauqua.

  

The Catasauqua Playground Celebrating 100 Years!!

Since this weekend was the 100th year celebration for the Catasauqua Playground I wanted to re-publish two blogs I wrote back in 2011 - I was laid off at the time and spent some time researching the history of Catasauqua.  On Friday night I was down at the park to hear the Large Flowerheads.  Deb Mellish did give a little of the park history - so it made me look back - please enjoy this blog from June 2, 2011 -

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So, I just rediscovered a great place in Catasauqua and that is the Catasauqua Public Library. Got myself a new Library card, haven't seen my old one for over 25 years probably. But, I wanted to do research on the Catty Swimming Pool and couldn't find the information online so it was off to the Library. I must say I will be stopping in more often they have a lot of James Patterson books, who I love to read and since I am not working and I am almost through the books I had piled to read, it will be a great place to go.

Anyway, I found what I wanted and so much more. Here we go. John and Lesher Yeager sold 15.728 acres of land for $3,145.60 to the newly formed Catasauqua Park and Playground Association, with the stipulation that the area remain as a playground for 30 years. In 1921 the Association bought the area known as "the Dips". Bascom and Sieger Construction was hired in to do the work of building a playground and on July 3, 1916 the playground opened with 2 basketball courts, 4 tennis courts, 2 volley ball courts and a band shell.

A hand dug lake which was dammed below Bridge Street was built. The lake was 600 feet by 100 feet and was 5 to 6 feet deep.

During the post war years the park and playground where the hub of the community.

The only disappointment was the lake, the water was good for a couple of years, but then it began to drain. It became muddy after rains, it developed sink holes and eventually turned into a marsh, which kids loved to muck through.

There was a park curfew at 9:00 PM, the whistle from the water works would blow and it was time to go.

Improvement came to the Catasauqua playground in in the form of funds from the WPA Program (Works Projects Administration) and the Borough used these funds to develop the playground.

The Works Progress Administration (renamed during 1939 as the Work Projects Administration; WPA) was the largest and most ambitious New Deal Agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects. It fed children and redistributed food, clothing, and housing. Almost every community in the United States had a park, bridge or school constructed by the agency, which especially benefited rural and Western areas

There are TWO (we all know the pool was one, but what was the other?) great projects that were built by the WPA at the playground, and I will discuss them in my next blog and with that...... it's another day in Catasauqua.

Whatcha Gonna Do when The Book Bounty Hunters come for you.

The Mission

Today, I and my team became aware of over due books at the Catasauqua Public Library.  Our job was to check the shelves, to see if perhaps the books were returned and not properly checked in.  Well let me tell you, there are a lot of overdue books out there Catasauqua, and perhaps; yes, just perhaps, we're coming for you......WE ARE the Book Bounty Hunters. 

Book Bounty Hunters are on the right side of the Library Law tirelessly bringing in the over due books and encouraging those who forget to return them to FIND them.

BB, Catt & Basket Lady

My team of  Catt (Cathy), Basket Lady (Carol) and me,  B.B (Bev), are experts in our field and I am not sure that you want us showing up at your door.  Oh - I forgot to mention our own "Charlie" like in Charlies Angels: DON and Don will back us up.  He will be with us on every mission, about two blocks away hunkering down in his car because he is a little embarassed to be seen with us.  BUT none the less - he will be there.

So I suggest, check your book bags, underneath the bed, in the sofa cushions and underneath all the mail on the dining room table. 

Don - you never see his face

Check and find that book on The Art of Flower Arrangements, How to start a Small Business on $20 or perhaps you borrowed Heidi, but find it and find it now and return it.   Because if you don't  you just never know what might happen.

Remember - a book can't be a blessing if it's not being read and if it is hiding under your bed, it can not be enjoyed by others.

So remember to return you books to the Library because if not, just maybe, more probably not, you might see us at your door. 

So from Catt, Basket Lady and B. B. remember this "BRR" - Borrow, Read and Return and that's another day in Catasauqua

Halupkies and Fond Memories from my Childhood

Today is the start of my halupkie making season.  It is when I start making halupkies for the different events at Salem UCC, such as the one this Saturday, March 8, our Annual Mardi Gras.  Now I know we are a couple days late, sorry, but Salem has a program where we volunteer in the community the first Saturday of the month.     It's called the First Fruits Program.  I volunteer at the Catasauqua Library.  So we had to move Mardi Gras to the 2nd Saturday.

There will be lots of good food, including my halupkies, along with haluski, hot dogs, barbeque and much more.  I think we might even being having a breakfast.  Along with the food is a big  FLEA MARKET and a wonderful "Tricky Tray" or some say "Basket Raffle".  There is also a beautiful afghan, made by one of my bff's Roseanne, that is being raffled off.  Plus a bake sale and a children's corner.   There is even rumor that TWINKLE STAARR the Clown might appear to do face painting and balloon animals.

But back to the halupkies.  Many people have, over the years, volunteered to help me.  I always turn them down, saying that my kitchen is to small. I really don't need the help.  Those are both true.  But the real reason that I like to do them by myself is that they bring me closer to a childhood memory of my Grandfather, George Temos.  Uncle Georgie to my counsins, Pappy to me. 

Pappy with his passion - his car

He was a tall man.  I was looking for a picture of him and almost always his head is cut off in the pictures.  It was always tan, he worked at the Bethlehem Steel as a rigger.    He died many years ago when I was young, somewhere around 5th or 6th grade.  But I always remember him is some of the traditions I still keep.  His family was from Poland, the only one in his family to be born in America.  He would not teach me Polish because he said we are in American - you speak American.   The only polish I can remember is dobro pivo, which means good beer.  I guess I really don't need to know anything else! 

He was the only male figure in the family, I have never met my dad, so he was everything to me.  He use to teach me to fix things, he would say, "you never know when you might not have a man to help you."  So when I make halupkies, which was one of the Sunday Dinners he would prepare, I think of him.  He taught me to brown the hamburger first, that comes from growing up on the farm, all our meat was well done.  More importantly he taught me how to roll them so that the don't fall apart. After you put the hamburger and rice mixture in the center of the cabbage leaf it is - fold the bottom up - fold left in - right in and squish the top down into the center with your finger.  Every time I hear the squishy sound I think of him saying "That's it Beverly, you got it."

So you see, my kitchen is quite crowded, and I am never really doing the alone, Pappy is right here with me saying - Beverly, you got it.

Love you Pappy........and that's another day in Catasauqua
 

Volunteering in Catasauqua

My Pastor, Pastor Michael Smith, of Salem UCC in Catasauqua, along with his wife, Meghan, have initiated a volunteer program called "First Saturday".   Every first Saturday of the month volunteers from Salem go out into the community and volunteer at various places. 

This Saturday I chose The Catasauqua Public Library.  Along with BFF's, Cathy, Tammy, Don, Carol and Carol we ventured out this morning and reported for duty promptly at 9:30 AM.  We chose papers that assigned us to different jobs. 

First Tammy and I worked on the video section pulling out duplicate movies.  Then later I was assigned to stamping DISCARD into the books that the library puts out as free for the taking.  Now, if you ever saw me at work with the VOID stamper, you know that I love to stamp.  So stamped I did.   I was in my glory.  In between stamping and dating the books,  I perused around the library and found more books that I hadn't read by my favorite author, Janet Evanovich.  I didn't know that she wrote these other series so I was so excited that I renewed my Library Card and borrowed "Metro Girl" to read. 

Cathy working

Then, in the discard pile I found another book that I wanted to read! A book I never heard of by Jacqueline Susann entitled "Yargo".  It is kind of a "Valley of the Dolls" meets "Star Wars", looks strangely interesting.

 Oy,  all I can say, good thing I wasn't assigned to an Animal Shelter, because I probably would of came home with 2 more dogs and cat.  This way I only came home with 2 books and a renewed Library Card and renewed love of the Library.

Thanks Meghan and Pastor Mike, for getting me off my butt and getting me out there into the community, into my community.  And that's another day in Catasauqua.