My career as an author of books is off to a rocky start. When the publisher sent out the first copies of Ava Meets a Gnome, the last chapter was missing in action. When they sent over the final proofs earlier, they did not include the last chapter, so they are doing a reprint. If you haven’t ordered a book yet, don’t. Wait a few weeks. I’ll say when. If you have ordered and received a book, … [Read more...]

A popular attraction in Lancaster County is an Amish Buggy Ride and that’s one thing Nancy and were committed to doing. We found a Buggy operation (there are many along the rural highways) in a town called Intercourse, so named because of the confusing criss-crossing traffic in the middle of town. A young Amish lady hitched our team, gave the reins a tug and we were off, quickly taking a turn from … [Read more...]

Have you checked car prices recently? The used car business may be hotter than real estate at this point. That’s because many car buyers don’t want to have a $600 monthly bill for the next 7 years if they spring for a new car and used cars are rapidly increasing in demand. The last car I bought was a 2008 Jeep Liberty. I bought it for about $6500 at Madison Motors and drove it for 6 ½ years. I … [Read more...]

Reid’s made a serious effort at saving their business as creditors closed in, and they really succeeded by mostly refilling the shelves against great odds. But ultimately, the value of their real estate on Preston Avenue was too great to ignore, and they sold their land to Twice as Nice, a used clothing boutique. I think Reid’s had the best chicken and the best pork in town. Don’t know their … [Read more...]

Chugging up the Mississippi, we pulled into small town ports at St. Francisville and Natchez where we set our clocks back about 200 years to a time of plantations, cotton fields and the pleasant life before the great Civil War. At St. Francisville, we boarded our bus and visited Rosedown Plantation, Circa 1833, one of the South’s most intact manor homes. The 3,455 acres of Rosedown were formed … [Read more...]

Our kitchen cabinets needed painting. They had chipped and scuffed over the years and needed either replacing or some serious painting. We went with painting, but cabinets aren’t like walls and ceilings. They need special care, the right paint, and the right painters. In the old days, we could call one of our painter friends, but most are now long gone, and we had no painter contacts. We called … [Read more...]

Back in the late 60’s, the area along 29 north of the Hydraulic Intersection was largely rural. There was a cattle farm behind what was once K-Mart and hayfields extended north. Then, 29 began to develop. I can recall – the early 70’s as I remember – when the Caravan Restaurant opened beside what was the R.M. Davis car lot. There weren’t that many fast-food joints back then – we didn’t even … [Read more...]

I took a walk around our neighborhood after one of our many rains and it looks like a mushroom farm. Every yard that had not mowed in the last 24 hours had mushroom patches. My neighbor on the corner must have had 75 beneath a tall oak. I am no mushroom-ologist, but I think most of the mushrooms I saw were common field mushrooms – and they are edible. Deer love them, by the way. Fall seems … [Read more...]

It was looking pretty grim for Reid’s Super-Save Market on Preston Avenue. In the aftermath of COVID, creditors tightened the squeeze, many shelves were barren of goods and the end appeared to be in sight. Then, the community stepped in. We shopped there whenever we could, ignored the lack of many products but stocked up on things Reid’s were known for – like produce and meats – and now, the store … [Read more...]