Countdown to Post 1000 on CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS

COUNTDOWN TO POST 1000 ON CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS is counting down to a landmark 100th post. Help Carolyn celebrate by sharing links to these countdown posts with Tweets or posting on your blog or Facebook.

Using the comment box below let me know which post on CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS you consider the best reading, the most helpful or the most memorable.

1000

991  WP Daily Prompt 6/3/2013: My Dream “Tourist” Destination

992 On Learning

993 500 Flags Line the Streets in Mercer, PA

994 Father’s Day…I Have No Dad

995

996

997

998

999

June 2013 Welcome Message

JUNE 2013 WELCOME MESSAGE

May brought unexpected activities.

It began and ended with memorial services A 19-year-old New York woman was T-boned, on the driver side of her car, by a tri-axle truck on the driver side of her car. Needless to say, we went to her memorial service. Our friend Russ died and we attended his memorial service in Jamestown (PA). One was a funeral for extreme sadness—that a young woman with so much to offer had her life cut short. The other was a funeral of remembrance of a long life well lived.

In between the memorial services we checked, repaired, and rented an out-of-town apartment from which we’d evicted a tenant.

On May 21 I did my first book (book-under-construction) reading.

I couldn’t keep up with CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS—I’m several posts behind—but I want to note that my I expect to reach my 1000th post this month. Keep an eye out for it…

We were belated on several regular events—mainly birthdays. So happy birthday to my daughter Sandy, neighbors Molly and Dan, and friend Lois, and anyone else I missed.

At the intersection of May and June my neighbor and I had a yard sales (watch for post), held on two beautiful early summer days. It was hectic preparing for the event. But it was a relaxing time once it began.

June is here. My husband Monte will turn 75 June 12. I hope to do better at using the fitness room and pool at the YMCA and the pool in our local community. And I hope to progress on my novel and other writing.

Have a nice month.

Father’s Day…I Have No Dad

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS
FATHER’S DAY…I HAVE NO DAD

 

NOT

Father’s Day.

A regular day, a day without significance for my older sister and me.

The ads for gifts were ignored, the search for the perfect tie unimportant, the drawing of cards meaningless.

What was there to celebrate? We had no father living in our home, nor did we even know who our father was.

Granted, we lived with our grandfather for my first 8 years, and when I was 11 my mother remarried, providing us with a stepfather. Neither man brought the significance of Father’s Day into our lives—I don’t recall my grandparents celebrating holidays except for Christmas, and my mother didn’t encourage our celebrating Father’s Day with our stepfather—with whom we didn’t have a positive relationship anyway.

I don’t recall feeling left out or feeling pangs of pain over the situation. It was what it was.

Father’s Day didn’t hold any significance for me until my husband and I had our first child, a daughter named Sandy. Then less than two years later we had our son, Nolan. Now Father’s Day became a day to celebrate.

NOT

There are many children like us, children who have no

500 Flags Line the Streets in Mercer, PA

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS
500 FLAGS LINE THE STREETS IN MERCER, PA.

On May 25, 2013, my husband Monte and I had occasion to drive through Mercer, Pennsylvania, a borough, having a population of 2,391 in the 2000 census. This seat of Mercer County is named after a physician, Brigadier General Hugh Mercer, who was a close friend of General George Washington.*

Through the years since we moved to Pennsylvania (in 1969) I’ve traveled to and through Mercer numerous times. I worked at the Mercer County Children’s Home for nine months when we first moved to Slippery Rock. It was also on the route between Jamestown and Slippery Rock, which we traveled when Monte worked in Jamestown for five years.

However, on May 25th the borough had a unique appearance. There were flags lining the streets surrounding the courthouse and other streets as well. Flags, flags, and more flags. I became curious about them and searched the Internet for information.

Ten years ago Mark Brown and his wife Linda decided to create a permanent Memorial Day salute to veterans by installing

Father’s Day—Children’s Stories & Poems

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS
FATHER’S DAY:
CHILDREN’S STORIES & POEMS

FATHER’S DAY

For children (of all ages) I surfed the Internet and found the following sites with stories, poems, and finger plays that provide Father’s Day entertainment, especially when waiting to see what sweetheart messages await the reader.

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JOKES

Father’s Day always worried James. He was afraid that he will get a gift he can’t afford.

More http://www.freetimejokes.com/latest-jokes/jokes/165-fathers-day-jokes/

What did the father ghost say to the naughty baby ghost?
Spook when you’re spooken to!

Teacher (on phone): You say Michael has a cold and can’t come to school today? To whom am I speaking?
Voice: This is my father.

More http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/jokes_for_fathers_day.htm

Science teacher: When is the boiling point reached?
Science student: When my father sees my report card!

Pee Wee: How is the baby bird like its dad?
Westy: How?
Pee Wee: It’s a chirp off the old block.

Jacob: I have a lot of my dad’s genes.
Dave: Really? I bet they

Flag Day—Children’s Stories & Poems

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS
FLAG DAY
CHILDREN’S STORIES & POEMS

FLAG DAY

For children (of all ages) I surfed the Internet and found the following sites with stories, poems, and finger plays that provide Flag Day entertainment and information.

(Subscribe to this site to receive, an email of current posts, by typing your email address in the subscribe post at the top right of this page. You will receive an email asking you to confirm the subscription. Emails will not be published.)

JOKES

What did one US flag say to the other?
(Nothing, it just waved!)

More   http://www.enchantedlearning.com/jokes/topics/usa.shtml

Where is there an American flag which is never lowered never raised and never saluted?

Link   On the moon, left by the astronauts.

What’s red, white, blue and yellow?
The Star-spangled Banana!

What did the patriotic dog do on Flag Day?
He flagged his tail!
More http://www.kidsjokes.co.uk/jokes/holiday/flagdayjokes.html

What’s red, white, blue, and green?
A patriotic pickle.

More http://academictips.org/funny-jokes/fourth-of-july-jokes/

QUOTES

Patriotism consists not in waving the flag, but in striving that our country shall be righteous as well as strong. —James Bryce

True patriotism isn’t cheap. It’s about taking on a fair share of the burden of keeping America going. —Robert Reich

MORE http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_memorialday.html

SONGS

YOU’RE A GRAND OLD FLAG

You’re a grand old flag,
You’re a high flying flag
And forever in peace may you wave.
You’re the emblem of
The land I love.
The home of the free and the brave.

Ev’ry heart beats true
For the Red, White and Blue,
Where there’s never a boast or brag.
But should auld acquaintance be forgot,
Keep your eye on the grand old flag.

MORE http://www.songsforteaching.com/folk/youreagrandoldflag.php

AMERICAN FLAG  (sung to “Frere Jacques”)

What is red? What is white?
What is blue? What is striped?
What has many stars? What has many stars?
Can you guess, how many there are?
Then the kids shout 50.

FLAG SONG  (sung to “Mary Had a Little Lamb”)

Our flag is red, white, & blue red,
white & blue red,
white & blue
Our flag is red, white, & blue
in the U.S.A.

Our flag has 50 stars,
50 stars, 50 stars,
Our flag has

WP Daily Prompt 6/3/2013: My Dream “Tourist” Destination

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS
WP DAILY PROMPT 6/3/2013:
MY DREAM “TOURIST” DESTINATION

FIVE BEACHES IN MAINE AND NEW HAMPSHIRE

I pulled into a parking spot on the Ligonier (PA) diamond just after another car had pulled into an adjacent spot. As I inserted my coin into the parking meter—coins which must cover my time needed, since the meter maid knows our car and must have a sixth sense when the red sign will pop up and my rental fee for the space will immediately increase to $7.00—but I digress.

As I inserted my coin into the meter the woman who pulled in just before me said “I like your jacket. The purple…” She paused as she inserted her coin in the meter.
“It’s from Hampton Beach,” I told her, looking at the iridescent purple with the print letters proclaiming Hampton beach, New Hampshire.

“Ah, the beach, the place to be.”

As we walked down the sidewalk I asked her if she knew where Hampton Beach is.

“No.” It was an expected answer.

“It’s in New England.”

In so many words she responded that she yearned to go to New England, the end of our conversation as I reached the door to the diner and she continued on.

I, too, yearn for the New England beaches, a destination I love. However, I cannot select one as a dream tourist destination. Actually, the New England isn’t exactly a tourist destination for me.

It’s a visit to the land of my roots…

There are five beaches that equally top my list as a “tourist” destination.

Wallis Sands Beach at the end of my beach-walk

In 2003, the year my husband Monte retired, I decided I not only wanted to go to New England for three months, but I wanted to walk all possible mainland beaches (not island beaches) between Lamoine Beach in downeast Maine and Wallis Sands beach in Rye, New Hampshire.

Along my beach-walk I discovered Popham and Old Orchard beaches.

Thus, the four #1 New England Beaches that make up my dream “tourist” destination are, from north to south, Lamoine, Popham, Old Orchard, Wallis Sands, and Hampton.

LAMOINE BEACH, Downeast MAINE

The first time I stepped onto Lamoine Beach I felt a mysterious

Falling Into Glass Doors Can Be Fatal

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS
FALLING INTO GLASS DOORS CAN BE FATAL

Glen Brunken, 69, tripped and fell through the glass door of Bob’s Sub & Sandwich Shop in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania. Although conscious when the ambulance arrived, he died later.

My husband Monte said he taught at Slippery Rock University during the time Monte taught physics there. In fact, both arrived to teach in 1969.

Although Monte retired in 1982 to change careers, Glen retired in 2009.

At the time of his death he walked with a cane. It isn’t known he fell.

Reading about Glen brought to mind a bizarre experience I had while traveling on a Greyhound bus.

Monte had traveled to Berkeley, California, for a 6-week Department of Energy workshop. My children, Sandra (4) and Nolan (2), and I planned on joining him the last week.

Our friends, Shirl and Wayne Murray, drove the kids and me to the bus station in Youngstown, Ohio. We boarded the bus to begin an interesting journey.

Only we didn’t know how interesting it would be.

As we were settling in we noticed a woman who appeared to be

Tenant Connects Phone in 10-year-old’s Name

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS

TENANT CONNECTS PHONE IN 10-YEAR OLD’S NAME

PA…Identity theft suspect used identifying information of a 5-year-old child…to open telephone and Internet service…incurring a bill of $941/32. After suspect was identified by state police, victims declined to prosecute.¹    

The report reminded me of former tenants  (I’ll call them Phil and Rose) who rented the efficiency apartment in the basement of our home, which was also rented out. We lived an hour away due to my husband’s work.

We also owned a four-apartment building down the hill from the house.

Almost immediately after they moved in we received complaints about the couple from renters in the house and tenants in the apartment building. Allegedly, the husband had beat the wife, and she ran screaming down the hill to the apartment building  and left bloody handprints on the wall of the inside corridor.

The violence disrupted the lives of the house tenant.  One of them stayed up all night because they had heard threats of arson during the couple’s fighting.

“I’ll burn this house down like

On Learning

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS
ON LEARNING
Nancy Briskay Cornell Lipsius

Nancy (Briskay Cornell) Lipsius graduated from college in her early 70s and dreamed of attending seminary.

I thought I would not have enough topics to write about but last evening’s class provided me with just the one more that I needed.

I was asked how my schooling was different from the schooling of today and I’m afraid, being very nervous when speaking in a group, that I really did not touch on the real differences.

Although certain subjects were taught differently than present times, it was the times and the attitudes that were different prior to World War II.

I can only touch on this subject from my own experience in my own family and school system and my particular group of friends. And when it came time for high school it was my parents who selected my direction. Not too many girls at that period of time expected to go on to college but my parents expected me to progress from high school to the University of New Hampshire to become a Latin teacher. I was not consulted as to what I would like to do, just as my parents made all my choices up to that point.

That started my first rebellion. I did not want to become a teacher. So then the only other choice I had was to become a secretary and it was off to business school to gain the skills which I have been using regularly since that time.

My parents also made other choices for me. My friends were selected on the basis of not being