I’m not going to chat much this time as you will see there
are so many important dates to get in of the Reunions and other
data (anyhow, I’m a mite busy and excited as the house is
buzzing with first’s around here. Donald who will be six in
June had his first experience today with school as we went for the
pre-school test, which of course was preceded by two trips to the
and got her one too (she always wants what Donnie gets). Then
coming up tomorrow night is the BIG night for No. 1 Son (nearly
seventeen and going to his first big Junior-Senior Prom and
Banquet. Many of you can look back and remember those affairs with
your children, the excitement and babbling and air of ecstasy that
goes only with this type of wonderful experience corsages, white
coats, gowns, last minute details and oh yes he has priority for
the family car that night. He’s also Master of Ceremonies which
also adds to the happy excitement for this household. And then
Dana, who has just reached the glorious age of twelve and now in
sight of the wonderful teens is anticipating a school trip to
Washington and has already had her first camping trip of the season
with the Girl Scouts so you can see I haven’t much to do or get
excited about. (Hubby informed me the other day I’m getting
some gray hairs and they really show next to black but I heaved a
sigh and emoted, ‘Yes, but at least I’m earning them.’)
I wouldn’t change anything though, I just hope other folks are
as happy!
We have a new book advertised the first time this issue entitled
‘Traction Engine Troubles’ and it’s real purty in its
bright red coat sort of makes a nice companion to the ‘Steam
Engine Guide’ and here’s a hint it would make a real nice
Christmas present to get them both for someone one is green, the
other red now isn’t that accommodating?
Had a letter recently from Mearl Bollman of Everett, Pa., who
told us of a spring trip he and his wife enjoyed, just visiting
with steam engine friends; among those were the Amos Ebersoles,
Melvin Stolfus, the Everett Young’s and Mrs. Arthur Young, the
Arthur Kauff-mans, then to the Bob Montgomery’s of Rimersburg
and saw Bob’s Peerless which has wooden wheels. It’s really
a nice one and also he has a Russel 7? x 10 on his farm that’s
owned by Marvin J. Bentley of Franklin, Pa. Mearl says he felt lost
though, as none of the engines had water in them yet and it was
impossible to operate them. (I imagine he felt like the kids
sitting in school dreaming of the ‘ole swimming place’) The
Bollman’s visited Kinzers and looked over the equipment while
on their little jaunt, and also went to Morgan Hill at Linesville
and saw quite a few engines, including one that once belonged to
President James A. Garfield, which is a Case Portable, 8 or 10 hp.
Sounds like they are really getting a start on the ‘engine’
season this year!
That’s it for this time and I’ll leave with a few
thoughts to ponder. You cannot get lost on a straight road. Times
are always hard for those who seek soft jobs. Our true selves are
usually revealed in our seemingly trivial acts. When you want to
break bad habits, drop them. And George Bernard Shaw said, ‘We
have no more right to consume happiness without producing it than
to consume wealth without producing it.’
