Tis' the Season

There was the laughter of children, some shrieks, screams and the occasional crying child with a father saying "that's it we're going home."  What can incite all these different responses?  Well, Santa of course, especially when Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive by firetruck for the annual lighting of the North Catasauqua Christmas Tree. 

I almost didn't go this year.  Most of the bff's I go with are sick and I didn't feel like going by myself even though I was going to be singing with "We Sing" North Catasauqua's Community Choir.  So I called one of my other bff's Shirley and went up with her.  Let's face it, I really go for the free hot chocolate and cookies, but the atmosphere is great.  I don't know where all the people come from. 

One of the highlights are all the Gingerbread Houses that you can judge, my personal favorite was the one the marshmallow wall. 

All in all it is a great way to start the Chrismas Season.  There is something about standing out on a really cold night singing Christmas Caroles and watching Santa light up the tree that warms the heart.

So, You better watch out, you better not cry, better not pout, I'm telling you why....that's Another day in Catasauqua 

I'm Back!!!

Hi everyone.  I guess you might of wondered what happened to me.  After the passing of our beloved dog, Digger, I could't find the inspiration to write.  THEN we decided to adopt a dog from the Lehigh County Humane Society.  We adopted Petey and he is more work than I remembered a dog ever being.  He is also more work than having a baby.  Between Vet visits, Obedience School and training I haven't found the time to think, let alone write.  Besides whenever I tried to get on the computer he was sitting right by me being a pain in the you know what.  Usually chewing something to get my attention.  He is a little better now.  More settled and only seems needy 23 hours a day now.

This is what I see when trying to write

 Mind you, his 60 pound plus body is sitting on my lap while I am trying to type.

So what do I owe the inspiration to blog again to.  Well, a lady sitting out on the curb.  No, she wasn't begging, she wasn't hurt - she was painting our fire hydrant on the corner with a picture.  A while ago I featured a blog on all the painted hydrants in Catasauqua.  The project is called "Catasauqua Hydrants, Revitalization through Art".  You can read that blog here:  http://dayincatasauqua.blogspot.com/2011/07/catasauqua-hydrants-that-are-work-of.html

There it is - my house!!! How cool!

Anyway - the real exciting news about this picture on this hydrant is that IT IS MY HOUSE.  It is an inspired work of art featuring the first four houses on the block.  WOWSERS, my house has been immortalized; and you can bet that I won't be letting Petey pee on this fire hydrant. 

I am excited to be back.  There has been much I haven't written about.  The mural in Catty is done, we have had a lot of events and even about Petey.  So I will try to write a little more often.  Time to open my eyes and ears to Catty again. 

I better go - Petey is acting suspicious - I better see what kind of trouble he is in.

So watch out, you never know where me and my little dog will show up.....and that's another day in Catasauqua.

Chilling in the backyard with Oakley

It's been a little over a month since our dog Digger passed away and it has been more than a little lonely without him.  Parke and I find ourselves getting all misty eyed at the most smallest things.  Like having left over french fries at the restaurant, first instinct is to get a doggy bag because Digger would of loved them.  Eating supper and being full and having no one to give the end of the meatball sandwich to.  Silly stuff, I know but it was part of everyday life.   But one thing that I haven't done this past month is sit out in the backyard.  That's because there is no Digger to pest me. Digger either wanted his headed patted or his butt scratched so sitting out on the back porch and not being bothered was to sad to handle.  Until today.

Today after we got done cutting the grass, Oakley, the neighbors cat, decided to visit.  I decided to join him in the backyard with the newspaper, I knew I wouldn't be alone.  There was something comforting about reading the paper with a cat under the chair.  He then decided to sit on the chair next to me, I wanted to get a picture of this, but when I moved, he followed.  After I sat down again, he joined me again.  He even walked up and down the yard with me, I guess he is kinda like a dog.  Maybe Oakley just knows what I needed today, a pet underfoot, someone to pat on the head, and obviously someone to guard the newspaper so no one can read it.  That's what cat's do best. 

Thanks Oakley, for being a friend, and that's another day in Catasauqua

A Night at the Islands

Well, maybe not the islands, but definitely a special night in North Catasauqua.  I wrote about this last year, and it bears repeating, The Caribbean Steel Rhythms are great!

The Caribbean Steel Rhythms, formally known as the Valley Steel Drum Ensemble, first came together in 2007 at Christ United Methodist Church in Easton.

The group is made up of players from the Caribbean and the Lehigh Valley. They are the only known steel drum band in the area, bringing a unique musical sound to the region.

This is the 2nd time I have heard them play at the North Catasauqua Playground, and if it is possible, they were better than last year.  They played everything from reggae to pop, Christmas music to oldies.  The BF's Shirley, Beckah and I were singing along to "I can't help falling in Love" and "My Girl".  There was huge crowd tonight, another friend, Carol,  told me that someone said 600 people were in attendance tonight.   I can believe it, the crowd was so large I had to text BF Nancy just to find her!

Kudo's to the North Catasauqua Playground Committee for making it such a great night, with free popcorn, ice tea and some spicy Caribbean Jerk Chicken.  And thank you for my glow in the dark necklace!  North Catasauqua does a great job when it comes to providing free entertainment and refreshments and even setting the mood with some tiki torches.

And now, dedicated to the lady who was sitting in front of me, who could not remember the name of this song by Abba:

 Can you hear the drums Fernando?
I remember long ago another starry night like this
In the firelight Fernando
You were humming to yourself and softly strumming your guitar
I could hear the distant drums
And sounds of ...........another day in Catasauqua!

Saying Goodbye to a Our Best Friend

I was on vacation for the last three day's with some of my bff's at Hershey, PA.  We went to see Joyce Meyer along with shopping and chocolate.  It was a very spirit filled three days and I was very uplifted.   But today, when I got home I went out in the yard to greet Digger, our dog.  Digger is usually happy to see me after I have been gone for awhile.  Heck he was even happy to see me if I went out the back door and came to the front.  You would think I was gone for weeks.  But today was different.  You see, Digger was born with a congenital hip problem, he had no ball and socket joint at his hips, which we did not find out about until 3 years ago.  When the vet told me, I couldn't believe it.  Since I have had Digger all he has ever done was run.  He ran grooves into the back yard.  He was King of the back yard watching over the neighborhood and barking at strangers and just about everything else.  .

We had Digger since he was 9 months old, we got him in September of 2000 so Parke figured we would call him the millennium dog and celebrate his birthday every News Year Eve.  Every year we would yell Happy New Years and then Happy Birthday Digger and he would run circles around the house.

Winters were steadily getting harder for Digger.  We would have to make an annual visit for pain medications  and about 3 years ago I started walking him every day so I could monitor his hips.  Every morning once around the block.  Digger loved other dogs, we would stop to see several of them sometimes.  His buddy Bandit down the street would wait for us every day at the fence.

A few weeks ago Digger started to stumble and fall.  At first I thought he was just not watching were he was going.  We found out he was blind in one eye.  But it got worse and we called the vet.   I thought maybe there was something wrong with paws, maybe his nails were too long, but after many tests they told us his hips were worse and there was nothing to do but keep him comfortable.  We  got some pain pills and after a week or two we had to stop walking him around the block, even though every day he would still stand at the door waiting. 

Today when I got home though something was different, I called and he didn't come, he was just sitting, his eyes said to me "Mom, I can't make it right now"  I went out to him and he stood then and made it just barely into the house.  I wanted to believe he was okay but he had really gone down hill in the last three days.  Parke didn't want to tell me while I was away. 

We went food shopping and them when I got home he had not eaten, I changed the food in his dish and called him but he wouldn't step into the kitchen.  Even though we had rugs covering the floorhe would slip out there. So I took his food into the living room.  I watched him and my heart broke, he got his front paws up but drugged his back end over to the food. 

I called Valley Central Emergency Veterinary Hospital in Whitehall.  I told them it was time to say goodbye. They were caring and compassionate.  They explained everything over the phone and I took him right over.

  Digger got up one last time, because I had the leash in my hand.  That dog was determined to go for a walk, but I lifted him into the car.  They came with a gurney to get him out because he would not have been able to walk on their floor.  They took him in the back and took us to a special room. I cried so much I could hardly breath.  I thought I was at Brubakers.  Big wooden chairs and lots of tissues.  They brought Digger in and I took his muzzle off.  He wanted to get up, he kept lifting his head up as we talked to him, and then it was time, and it was quick.  I cried some more while I petted him.  He looked like such a rag-a-muffin, he would not let me brush him these last few weeks. 

But that's not what I am going to remember.  I am going to remember the dog who like to herd things into a circle.  Who liked cats, bunnies and birds, but not opposums.  The dog that, like his name suggests, dug holes all over the yard - even up to last year when I saw my bushes in the backyard leaning to one side because he dug a huge hole behind it.  The dog that was  scared of squeaky toys and thunder.  The dog that would put his head on my shoulder when I was outside trying to read and his paws on my lap when I was trying to watch TV.  The dog that loved toast with peanut butter.  The dog who never let me eat pretzels alone.   The dog that drooled every time he would smell another dog on me.  The dog who use to run and greet me, running circles up and down the yard when I would come home, sliding to a stop and rolling over to pet his belly.  The dog with crazy eyes who would always got so excited about anything and barked at everything.

Yes, I will remember my "world's best dog" and I told him so tonight.   Run with big dogs in heaven sweet Digger, I will see you again.

Hot Hot Hot in Catasauqua

Whew baby it is hot outside, so what's a girl to do.  I decided to clean the basement.  But every so often I take a break and surf around the web.  I though maybe I should blog about the heatwave.  So I was checking some historical heatwaves.   A 1936 heatwave was the most severe heat wave in the modern history of North America.   It took place in the middle of the Great Depression and Dust Bowl of the 1930s, and caused catastrophic human suffering and an enormous economic toll. You gotta remember that this was before air conditioning.  Some of the records from 1936 still stand today, maybe I shouldn't say this but the the heat wave of 1936 was followed by a winter with record breaking cold temperatures.

There was another record setting heat wave in the area in 1995 and from what I have been reading on line 2012 is turning into another record setting year.

Now, while I was popping around looking for Catasauqua facts I found some interest sites that I did not know existed.  First on Facebook, I found the Catasauqua Emergency Management Agency, which lead me to http://readycatasauqua.tumblr.com which had some great hot weather survival tips on it; and http://www.catasauquaema.org, along with a twitter account are all sites of the Catasauqua Emergency Management Agency.    I guess you can never be too ready. 

You can check out their sites but in the meantime here are some hot weather tips from the CDC - The Center for Disease Control and Prevention

• Drink more fluids (nonalcoholic), regardless of your activity level. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink. Warning: If your doctor generally limits the amount of fluid you drink or has you on water pills, ask him how much you should drink while the weather is hot.
• Don’t drink liquids that contain alcohol or large amounts of sugar–these actually cause you to lose more body fluid. Also, avoid very cold drinks, because they can cause stomach cramps.
• Stay indoors and, if at all possible, stay in an air-conditioned place. If your home does not have air conditioning, go to the shopping mall or public library–even a few hours spent in air conditioning can help your body stay cooler when you go back into the heat. Call your local health department to see if there are any heat-relief shelters in your area.
• Electric fans may provide comfort, but when the temperature is in the high 90s, fans will not prevent heat-related illness. Taking a cool shower or bath, or moving to an air-conditioned place is a much better way to cool off.
• Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
• NEVER leave anyone in a closed, parked vehicle.
• Although any one at any time can suffer from heat-related illness, some people are at greater risk than others. Check regularly on:
  • Infants and young children
  • People aged 65 or older
  • People who have a mental illness
  • Those who are physically ill, especially with heart disease or high blood pressure
• Visit adults at risk at least twice a day and closely watch them for signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Infants and young children, of course, need much more frequent watching.

If you must be out in the heat:

• Limit your outdoor activity to morning and evening hours.
• Cut down on exercise. If you must exercise, drink two to four glasses of cool, nonalcoholic fluids each hour.  A sports beverage can replace the salt and minerals you lose in sweat. Warning: If you are on a low-salt diet, talk with your doctor before drinking a sports beverage. Remember the warning in the first “tip” (above), too.
• Try to rest often in shady areas.
• Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat (also keeps you cooler) and sunglasses and by putting on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher (the most effective products say “broad spectrum” or “UVA/UVB protection” on their labels).

This information provided by NCEH's Health Studies Branch.

Well that's it for now, back to basement for me and remember......BE SAFE - STAY COOL and that's another day in Catasauqua

Happy July 4th!!!!

It's been a great July 4th so far.  It started for me last night at the Iron Pigs game where I got to see Ryan Howard hit a home run, some strongmen and then  fire works.  Since the Pigs hit over 5 runs it also meant that we received coupons for free 6 inch subs at Subway which are our lunch today.

This morning my bff,  Cathy,  and I headed to the George Taylor home for the reading of the Declaration of Independence.   The Declaration of Independence was a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American Colonies, then at war with Great Britain, regarded themselves as independent states, and no longer a part of the British Empire.  It was read by Daniel K. McCarthy, an Attorney at Davison & McCarthy.  Mr. McCarthy has practiced law in the Lehigh Valley for over 35 years and he is a member of the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners.

The Declaration of Independence is interesting reading - after hearing parts of it this morning (3 yup 3 airplanes went over during the reading) I decided to read it on line.

We know the most famous part of it - the 2nd sentence -

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."  which has become a major statement of human rights.  But it then goes on to a list of grievances against King George III.  It calls him, "A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people."

The Declaration ends as follows:

"We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."

Here is some July 4th Trivia -

• Betsy Ross, according to legend, sewed the first American flag in May or June 1776, as commissioned by the Congressional Committee.
• Independence Day was first celebrated in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776.
• The word patriotism comes from the Latin patria which means homeland or fatherland.
• Both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on Independence Day, July 4, 1826.
• The 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence did not sign at the same time, nor did they sign on July 4, 1776. The official event occurred on August 2, 1776, when 50 men signed it.
• The names of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were withheld from the public for more than six months to protect the signers. If independence had not been achieved, the treasonable act of the signers would have, by law, resulted in

 And, of course, one of those signers was George Taylor.

Happy 4th of July Catasauqua, be proud to be an American and show that pride today and every day, and that's another day in Catasauqua