Thanks Ruly

I received a real nice reply to a letter I wrote Ruly Carpenter, the owner of the Phillies.

I could tell it was personally written---it was hand written---I really appreciated it.

That was quite a thrill to receive the latter.

May goodness and mercy follow you all the days of your life!

My first 200 game!

I bowled my first 200 game tonight (actually, it was a 204) at Cottman lanes--the 3rd game.

I needed a 10 pin spare in the 10th to get it--I got it, then struck with the final ball.

Thanks Dave

My buddy Dave talked me into going into the North Catholic lockerroom before the end of lunch period bell rang---and we, and some other violators of the rule, were 'asked' to come after school to clean out the locker room prior to the Christmas vacation.

I was really looking forward to accompanying my father and going for a Christmas tree at Penn Fruit--now it will have to wait for about two hours.

To top it off, cell phones haven't been invented yet, there are no pay phones inside the school that I can use, and he has no way of knowing that I will be late.

Bummer--thanks Dave.

By the way, that is the last time I will ever violate a rule.

Wow---I just passed my driver's test!

Just passed my driver's test on the first try at Neshaminy---too bad I almost wrecked the family car on the way home on I-95.

Watch out for those blindspots!

Christmas 1970

It's Christmas time, 1970, and my father is on strike from General Electric so we won't have much of a Christmas this year...or so we thought.

Christmas isn't about gifts.

Christmas 1970 for me anyway turns out to be one of the best I can remember---cold, a bit of snow, my mother made a delcious turkey, and I got a pair of hush puppies as a gift--really all I wanted.

I do need to thank my beloved Aunt Bernice for giving me a bunch of gifts---but again, Christmas is not about gifts.

Hopefully I'll always remember this lesson learned---even in 2008 when the next Great Depression hits the country.

Happy New Year!

January 1st, 1970---wow, we're out of the 60's into the 70's---can you believe it?