York Fair 2011

The York Fair  September 11, 2011

We had a wonderful time at the York Fair!  A special thank you to John for letting me have Tesla for half the day and an even bigger thank you to Dale for taking all of us.

Pictures range from the rides, including a little boy who only had tickets so I volunteered to stand beside him and SpongeBob on the carousel.  I didn’t want to see his dad have to waste 3 tickets to stand beside him while I had a wristband. 

I also took a picture of the back of a man’s head.  He was watching his son get thrown off the mechanical bull, meanwhile I was transfixed by the rolls of fat on the back of his head.  Is there an exercise to improve fathead rolls?

My mom entered a Christening gown she crocheted and took third place…GO MOM!  There were hundreds of pictures and paintings.  I was quite taken by Deb Lentz’s underwater acrylic painting.  It took first place and I’m curious if she would be interested in selling it.

We had a great day and only got a little sunburn.  Just as we pulled out of the fair gates, it started to rain.

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Once we arrived home the sun broke through and we saw God’s work of art.

Carnies are scary,

~P.

Mud Lot

Photo by Beckie Rineholt

SIGN IN RED STATES: AREA PRONE TO FLOODING
 

Photo by Kari Delaney

 
The clean-up of mud from the tiny stream crossing through York College was quite an undertaking.  When the stream broke its banks the water poured into the commuter parking area and surrounded the parked cars.  Many were driven to higher ground but some needed towed out.  Of course there were a few stragglers that remained, slowing down the massive clean up.
 

Mudslide

 

Big Boy Toys Required

 
 
The clean-up is complete and a word to the wise….don’t park in the York College Mud Lot when the forecast calls for rain!
 
Stay dry,
~P.

Squirrels, not rats

When I look out the window I almost expect it to be raining.  It seems God is really letting us have it with all the precipitation.  Just this morning I walked outside to the mailbox and noticed a grey blob on the ground.

Holy shit, there is a dead rat in my yard!”

I looked over towards the big tree and saw another one.

“What the hell?!”

it did look like a rat!

Upon closer inspection, I realized they were squirrels and not rats.  I suppose drowned squirrels in my yard is much better than rats but either way, it’s just gross.  The trash already went.  Why didn’t I notice them earlier?  I think I’ll bag them up and walk across to Rutter’s.  They are not sitting in my trash can until Monday.  Maybe the coffee smells from inside will wake them.

squirrel down

Ok God, we’ve had enough rain now.  When the squirrels are dropping out of the trees to their death, it is clear.  No one is going to run their well dry anytime soon and I don’t want to keep finding dead squirrels in the yard.

No more drownings please,

~P.

 

Flooding in York County

Just driving 3/10 of a mile from home and the road was closed.  People just ignored the road closed sign and cones across Carlisle Road.

Idiots

The basement is dry

they float

 

new meaning to car wash

 
 

Tee Time

NOT so WHITE

Mill was built for the water to pass underneath

 
 

Coolers, gas cans, propane tanks...Oh my!

 

Bird Down

Bird #2

 

almost to the bridge

The bridge on Carlisle Road over the Little Conewago. 
 
 
 

Detter's Mill Bridge over The Conewago Crick...I mean creek.

  

My favorite Bridge #209 at Beaver Hole. 

Impressive

I had to walk across a field because Bull Road to Beaver Hole was flooded.
 

The log was in the way

 

No lane bridge

 
 

Bridge 209 has serious foundation issues

I was told the bridge would be repaired this summer.  Now I think York County is just waiting for it to collapse.
 
 

Pinchot Park Boat Mooring Area

 

No one will be fishing from the dock

Couldn't get to the benches

 This is normally a little peninsula.
 
 

No picnics today

 
 
 Stay safe everyone….no driving through the closed roads!
 
It’s still raining,
~P.

Christian

An art classmate of mine named Christian is a unique, intelligent person.  I had met him at a Fourth of July party at Mark and Kristin Hoke’s house.  He tagged along with a friend (party crasher) and I never learned his name that night.  Everyone referred to him as “McLoven” and he just laughed along with the rest of us.

That fall I found myself sitting across from “McLoven” in creative writing class.  He wrote a crazy and silly story titled Gerhard Wintsler: Chicken Snatcher.  The class enjoyed his circus story and with Christian’s permission, I will post it on my blog in the near future.

This fall, I found myself sitting beside “McLoven” in art class.  He can not resist picking on me and I get a huge kick out of him.  Today he felt the need to comment on my age multiple times and I threatened to write about him in my blog.  He didn’t seem scared until I mentioned his nickname.

On lunch break, the cafe’s credit card machine was down and I didn’t have my student ID to pay for my coffee and bagel.  Christian insisted on paying for it and I said “Awww see you are nice to me!”  He immediately denied this, of course.

When we got back to class and he resumed his constant chatter, changing his mind what his sculpture looked like multiple times.  The sculptures we are working on are not supposed to look like anything, so I’m not sure why he was so worried about it.  He slipped back into “pick on Pattie” mode and I said in front of our classmates, “I think you like me and that’s why you pick on me.  You even bought my lunch.”

“Oh no!” he said, quickly denying the thought.  “You are not in my age group!” he explained.

“Really?” I asked in a serious tone.  “I’m 31, so I guess I am to old for your age group.”

He paused and said, “Oh, that’s not old.”

I don’t know how I should feel about our conversation.  Happy that he believes I am 31 years old, or bad because otherwise, I am old.

Like fine wine…getting better with age,

~P.

When will it rain?

A better, more appropriate question would be “when will it stop raining?”

Actually, I’m not complaining.  I don’t mind rain in the least.  Imagine if all this rain were snow!  It could be the beginning of the Snowpocolypse.  About 15 years ago

I said to a friend of mine, “what if instead of flooding the earth again, it just didn’t stop snowing?”  My Jehovah’s Witness friend laughed while we watched the snow fall out the window.  Now I hear there is an end of days rumor by way of snow.

There is water slowing trickling into my garage.  I just sweep it back outside with a broom.  That is much easier than the “shop vac” or “subpump” method I’ve used in the past.  I’m thankful nothing is going to be ruined in the garage.  Everything is either in a plastic bin or stacked on chairs along the wall.  I see no reason to flee this home due to flooding, mold or mildew.

Well, I better get ready for classes.  I didn’t make Square Dancing this morning.  Ridding the garage of water was my priority and wet sneakers on the gym floor was not appealing.  Imagine 40 pairs of wet shoes squeaking to the tune of “Beer Barrel Polka.”  Yeah, gonna pass.

I wonder how Beaver Hole Bridge is holding up.  I haven’t been there in months.  The county was scheduled to repair the falling down bridge this summer.  Should I think believe that York County actually got around to it?

Grab your floaties,

~P.

 

El companero de cuarto

Un residencia estudiantil

Dos estudiantes

Trece papeleras

Cuatro sillas

Cinco libros

Seis examenes

Siete plumas

Ocho profesoras

Nueve cuadernos

Diez fotografias

Nueve cervezas

Ocho pelotas

Siete plantas

Seis roja tazas

Cinco amigos

Cuatro Chicas

Tres televisiones

Dos poetas

Un bano

overwhelming response

Today was the first meeting for the York College newspaper, The Spartan.  Usually we meet in the Spartan newsroom to talk over upcoming events, assign articles and discuss what is “going down” on campus.  That was not the case today.

Mid-day we received an email directing us to Humanities room 218.  This is a large auditorium type room for lectures, visiting speakers etc.  The overwhelming response of new people interested in becoming involved in the college paper was fantastic!  The majority were freshmen, but there were newbies that are currently juniors and seniors as well.

We are all looking forward to publishing The Spartan for our fellow classmates, professors and campus staff.  I will also publish my articles on my blog site. (possibly other writers, with their permission)  Next Tuesday I am participating in a workshop offered by the York Daily Record for freelance writers looking to be published in York’s newspapers.  I have to miss half a day of school, but it will be worth it!

Soooooooo excited,

~P.

Art Sculpture Picks

For Art Class we are to choose multiple examples of sculpture that we find appealing.  I made my choices and would like to share them with you.  🙂

Artist: Ken Clark

Artist: Shiraz Yanir

Artist: Li Xiaofeng

Artist: Aaron Ristau

I viewed this collection when it was in Baltimore, MD.

Cadavers as art…..was amazing and didn’t even smell.

Artist: Itoh Hirotoshi South Africa

Artist: UnknownReminded me of all the vines growing in the woods at my parents.

Artist: Dale Chihuly

Reminded me of the glass sculptures in Atlantic City.

Artist: Barbara Gilhooly

This heart….makes me think of my heart.

Thanks for checking out my sculpture picks!

Art in many forms,

~P.

You can make a baby

Tesla and I were in the kitchen and she noticed Heather’s volunteer name tag sticking on the freezer door.  I had pasted it there when it stuck to my fingers going through Tesla’s co-parent folder.   THAT is how I knew about Heather volunteering in Tesla’s room.  I didn’t expect Tesla to recognize what the name tag was, an error on my part.

Heather King  (new last name?)  Sept 1. 2010  9:10 AM  Destination:  Ms. Dettinger

Tesla said “You came to my class mom.” and I responded, “Yes, but not that day and that isn’t my tag.”  She said “Yes it is.”  I said, “No that was Heather’s tag when she came to help in your class.”  She immediately denied Heather being there and said, “no, it was you mom.”  I didn’t argue with her but said, “I’ll just throw it away ok?” and she nodded her head.

Suddenly told me I needed to go up to her room with her.  I asked why and she “we need to talk.”  My thought, this will be interesting…

So we went up and sat on her bed and she said, “I want you to have a baby.”

WHOA!  Where is that coming from?  My best guess is she was loving all the babies at the block party we attended yesterday here at the townhouses.  She was fascinated by me feeding the neighbor’s granddaughter a bottle.

I asked her if she liked the babies at the party and she said “yes” followed by “you have one!”

I told her, “I can’t have a baby.”  She retorted with “yes you can” tilting her head and raising her palms.

I said “It takes two people to make a baby, I can’t do it myself.”   She responded, “Yes you can, you made me.”

I supposed I could make a baby myself.  She doesn’t know this, but it took insemination at a fertility clinic to “make” her.

I replied, “Yes, but 50% of you came from Daddy.  Half of you was made by Daddy.”

She thought that over for a little bit and I half expected her to say “Dale can be the daddy” but she didn’t.  Instead she asked again, why I can’t have a baby and I replied with the truth.

“I’m too old.”  She seemed to accept that and I was off the hook.  We read a couple of books with her knowing many of the words.  I find it hard to believe she needs “Title 1” support.  What I really think is she needs more one on one with her mother, who loves to read and write.  She could quickly become gifted at reading if I had more time during the week to work with her.

So my daughter is trying to put ideas of babies in my head.  Who is supposedly influencing who here??  Honestly, I would love to have another baby, but I am old and financially, I can not support another child.  Though welfare would cover my medical costs and lots of other needs, I will not be taking advantage.  Also, I don’t want to get pregnant while I’m married to someone else.  At this point I have the most reliable form of birth control, an IUD.  That will keep me from getting pregnant until 2015!

No pregos,

~P.