We weren't in our motorhome more than (5) min when our phone rang; it was Gary, my "air traffic controller" buddy. Gary talked loud & emphatically; he & Rosemary were in Spangler; they just finished going to church & now, he can't get his son, Dan's, car started.
"It won't even turn over" he told me. "Can you come down here & help me get this thing started?" he asked. "Wait a minute! Is this some kind of trick?" I questioned. "No it's not," he persisted!
"As you come into Spangler, just go straight across the street & climb the hill to the church. We want to get out of here now & I know you can help me." Gary was getting louder, more intense & sounding desperate. "Ok...ok!" I told him. "Should I bring some tools?" "No, no! I have tools. I think it's the battery. Just get down here!"
After I hung up the phone, I told Kathy that I've never heard Gary sound so troubled & somewhat distressed. I started to change clothes & Kathy asked me...why I was changing clothes? I don't want to get these good clothes dirty, I told her. When I started toward the door, she acted like she was going to go with me. I stopped her & insisted that she should simply walk over to the Nicktown Hotel Bar & wait for Nick & the gang to join her. "After I get Gary's car running, maybe he will join us for a beer," I told her. She stood @ the top of the stairs & wished me luck.
Lickety-split down the hill I went; in Spangler, waiting for the signal light to change, I could see (2) people @ the top of the hill, probably Gary & Rosemary, I thought. I've always felt good about helping people who need help & are not being lazy about helping themselves.
"Where's Kathy?" Gary asked. "She's back @ the motorhome & will walk over to the Nicktown bar shortly," I told him. "Oh, you shouldn't have left her!" he said. "Well, she has to greet the gang over @ the Nicktown bar, & let them know that I'll be there soon. Maybe you & Rosemary can join us," I suggested.
Then I followed Gary over to where the car was parked. He told me he had trouble opening the hood the 1st time & then he closed it. Now he was fiddling with the latch & struggling again to get it open. Jeez, I thought, he's a worse mechanical guy than I realized.
He wouldn't let me move my hand over to where the latch mechanism was.... & finally, he raised the lid. "See, the battery looks good but I don't know why the engine won't turn over" he mumbled. Then he started talking about Kathy again; "you should call Kathy, he said." "Why?" I asked. "Tell her this fix will take longer than you expected & maybe Rosemary could use your car to go get her." "Nah, I said." "Well at least you could call her"....as Gary was sort of encouraging me to walk up a ramp.
"There is a phone you can use right inside the door of this building (the old school)." "No, I'll just use my cell phone to call her, just to make you happy Gary!"
About that time, I was only a few feet from the door, trying to get my cell phone from my belt when Gary opened one of the double doors & from inside, a rather large crowd of people started singing: "Happy Birthday."
I hid behind the other closed door for a few seconds because I didn't think this BIG CELEBRATION was for me since I'd already had my big surprise celebrations.
This festival took some real long term, serious planning. Again, I had no idea of this happening either. A LOT of people knew about this setup & said nothing! As I gazed around @ the people, I saw some of our kids: Nick, Zack, Eriko, with Momoko, & my sister Mary Jo, who flew in from Lodi, CA on Wed evening, of which, I knew nothing.
My sister Corinne, Zack's fiancée, Katie, grandson Jerry, my buddy Gary, who opened the door for me tonight, & Melissa over in the corner....
Quite a few of my 1st cousins were here tonight: on the right side, Bernie (only eye glasses can be see), Rita (same birthday date as mine...age 92) Lou Ann, husband Herk, & Louise with husband Jimmy.
Quite a few Koffee Klub members can be seen mingling with my 1st cousins.
More KK members mingling with my 1st cousins.
Time for dessert: from left to right:Orange Cheese Cake; Ice Cream Cake, Butter Pecan cake, & the brownies from IUP. The 3 cakes were made by the team of Katie, Melissa, & Katrina. Nick of course was the supervisor..
Since I have had so much experience blowing out candles lately, I was called to do the final dessert candle blow out.
Just in case I ran our of steam, my windy back up crew was standing by.
I cannot personally thank our Kids & others involved enough to have done so much to recognize their ole man's 70th birthday. It wouldn't have been as much fun for me & maybe for them also, if I had knowledge of all the surprises that suddenly popped up along the way.
I have great admiration for all of you. And I sincerely & humbly thank you guys for all you have done.
This week of having fun, adventures & unbelievably nice surprises will remain in my heart & mind for as long as I can remember it.WE are so lucky to have such a wonderful family,cousins & friends.
Opening a few birthday cards & boxes....plus a cherished amount of my inspiration to wash the daily dishes...."Lindt Intense Dark Chocolate, 70% cocoa."
Our terrific growing family
So, now I know why my brother had to go to "Johnstown" on Wed evening...he & Josie were actually going to Pitt to pick up Mary Jo who has been kept in hiding from me until this evening.
And who said there are no secrets in a small town?!
And so, the thickened plot has been revealed. Melissa seemed a bit more anxious than usual that we leave her house & not be late for church...what I didn't know was that as soon as Kathy & I left, (3) cars from the Foote Castle headed in (3) different directions.
Food had to be picked up from IUP; cakes taken from their hiding places at the Footes & brought to the meeting place at Holy Cross School & the building had to be opened & set up; beer, wine & soft drinks had to be purchased.
Of course, the get together at the Nicktown Bar was just a ruse to get me back to Nicktown from Indiana.
And Gary's "car trouble" was the final piece in the puzzle to get me up the hill to the old Holy Cross School since there would be no other reason for me to go up there.
Ah, Gary, what are friends for but to help out?!
Another WOW! What a GREAT DAY!!
Lights out: 11:46pm.
"It won't even turn over" he told me. "Can you come down here & help me get this thing started?" he asked. "Wait a minute! Is this some kind of trick?" I questioned. "No it's not," he persisted!
"As you come into Spangler, just go straight across the street & climb the hill to the church. We want to get out of here now & I know you can help me." Gary was getting louder, more intense & sounding desperate. "Ok...ok!" I told him. "Should I bring some tools?" "No, no! I have tools. I think it's the battery. Just get down here!"
After I hung up the phone, I told Kathy that I've never heard Gary sound so troubled & somewhat distressed. I started to change clothes & Kathy asked me...why I was changing clothes? I don't want to get these good clothes dirty, I told her. When I started toward the door, she acted like she was going to go with me. I stopped her & insisted that she should simply walk over to the Nicktown Hotel Bar & wait for Nick & the gang to join her. "After I get Gary's car running, maybe he will join us for a beer," I told her. She stood @ the top of the stairs & wished me luck.
Lickety-split down the hill I went; in Spangler, waiting for the signal light to change, I could see (2) people @ the top of the hill, probably Gary & Rosemary, I thought. I've always felt good about helping people who need help & are not being lazy about helping themselves.
"Where's Kathy?" Gary asked. "She's back @ the motorhome & will walk over to the Nicktown bar shortly," I told him. "Oh, you shouldn't have left her!" he said. "Well, she has to greet the gang over @ the Nicktown bar, & let them know that I'll be there soon. Maybe you & Rosemary can join us," I suggested.
Then I followed Gary over to where the car was parked. He told me he had trouble opening the hood the 1st time & then he closed it. Now he was fiddling with the latch & struggling again to get it open. Jeez, I thought, he's a worse mechanical guy than I realized.
He wouldn't let me move my hand over to where the latch mechanism was.... & finally, he raised the lid. "See, the battery looks good but I don't know why the engine won't turn over" he mumbled. Then he started talking about Kathy again; "you should call Kathy, he said." "Why?" I asked. "Tell her this fix will take longer than you expected & maybe Rosemary could use your car to go get her." "Nah, I said." "Well at least you could call her"....as Gary was sort of encouraging me to walk up a ramp.
"There is a phone you can use right inside the door of this building (the old school)." "No, I'll just use my cell phone to call her, just to make you happy Gary!"
About that time, I was only a few feet from the door, trying to get my cell phone from my belt when Gary opened one of the double doors & from inside, a rather large crowd of people started singing: "Happy Birthday."
I hid behind the other closed door for a few seconds because I didn't think this BIG CELEBRATION was for me since I'd already had my big surprise celebrations.
This festival took some real long term, serious planning. Again, I had no idea of this happening either. A LOT of people knew about this setup & said nothing! As I gazed around @ the people, I saw some of our kids: Nick, Zack, Eriko, with Momoko, & my sister Mary Jo, who flew in from Lodi, CA on Wed evening, of which, I knew nothing.
My sister Corinne, Zack's fiancée, Katie, grandson Jerry, my buddy Gary, who opened the door for me tonight, & Melissa over in the corner....
Quite a few of my 1st cousins were here tonight: on the right side, Bernie (only eye glasses can be see), Rita (same birthday date as mine...age 92) Lou Ann, husband Herk, & Louise with husband Jimmy.
Quite a few Koffee Klub members can be seen mingling with my 1st cousins.
More KK members mingling with my 1st cousins.
Time for dessert: from left to right:Orange Cheese Cake; Ice Cream Cake, Butter Pecan cake, & the brownies from IUP. The 3 cakes were made by the team of Katie, Melissa, & Katrina. Nick of course was the supervisor..
Since I have had so much experience blowing out candles lately, I was called to do the final dessert candle blow out.
Just in case I ran our of steam, my windy back up crew was standing by.
I cannot personally thank our Kids & others involved enough to have done so much to recognize their ole man's 70th birthday. It wouldn't have been as much fun for me & maybe for them also, if I had knowledge of all the surprises that suddenly popped up along the way. I have great admiration for all of you. And I sincerely & humbly thank you guys for all you have done.
This week of having fun, adventures & unbelievably nice surprises will remain in my heart & mind for as long as I can remember it.WE are so lucky to have such a wonderful family,cousins & friends.
Opening a few birthday cards & boxes....plus a cherished amount of my inspiration to wash the daily dishes...."Lindt Intense Dark Chocolate, 70% cocoa."
Our terrific growing family
So, now I know why my brother had to go to "Johnstown" on Wed evening...he & Josie were actually going to Pitt to pick up Mary Jo who has been kept in hiding from me until this evening.
And who said there are no secrets in a small town?!
And so, the thickened plot has been revealed. Melissa seemed a bit more anxious than usual that we leave her house & not be late for church...what I didn't know was that as soon as Kathy & I left, (3) cars from the Foote Castle headed in (3) different directions.
Food had to be picked up from IUP; cakes taken from their hiding places at the Footes & brought to the meeting place at Holy Cross School & the building had to be opened & set up; beer, wine & soft drinks had to be purchased.
Of course, the get together at the Nicktown Bar was just a ruse to get me back to Nicktown from Indiana.
And Gary's "car trouble" was the final piece in the puzzle to get me up the hill to the old Holy Cross School since there would be no other reason for me to go up there.
Ah, Gary, what are friends for but to help out?!
Another WOW! What a GREAT DAY!!
Lights out: 11:46pm.
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