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Anatomy Of A Rummage Sale

Every time I think I’m done with my parish’s annual rummage sale, there is a sweet smiling lady who draws me back in. I just can’t say no to Miss Gretchen. For years, my mother, and sisters and I were among the helpers who worked to get the sale ready each year. In its earlier years, the sale was held in the old gymnasium at St. Michael Church “out the pike.” Then the pastor felt sorry for us working in the summer heat in the non-air-conditioned gym and allowed the sale to be held in the school hall. Each time the sale moved locations, it grew bigger and more work ...

Sleeping Under The Stars

The smell of the old canvas tent never leaves my senses. Even if it has been decades since we spent a weekend camping out, that distinct scent lingers in my mind. Our son recently asked if we still had a camping tent that he could “borrow” for a trial backyard campout with our two young grandchildren. A quick look in the basement and the answer was yes. The neatly rolled up tent was delivered with some hardy good luck sentiments. It is a generous-sized tent that probably could house two adults and a handful of kids. I have a feeling when our son erects this addition to his ...

Stretch Glass Collectors Go for Shimmer

The term “stretch” glass seems a contradiction. Glass is one of the hardest substances known, so how in the world would it stretch? But stretch glass enthusiasts know that this term stands for a sparkling type of Victorian art glass that attracts lots of attention. Ask any one of the thousand or so members of the Stretch Glass Society why they got started collecting this novelty glass and they will tell you that once you discover it — stretch glass just won’t let go. Not to be confused with swung glass, or glass made by swinging it back and forth on a rod, stretch glass is ...

TV Dads Are Far From Real

My father passed away 30 years ago when he was just 68 years old. He was two years older than I am today. He lived enough years to see most of his children leave the nest and to celebrate about one-third of his grandchildren’s births. He was a proud, patriotic man who served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He survived the Battle of the Bulge despite being wounded. He came back to his Wheeling hometown to enjoy a 50-year career with this newspaper. However he could not undo the damage caused by smoking cigarettes from a young age, which led to his early demise. Growing ...

For Father’s Day This Year, Give Dad a Toby or Two

What do you give the father who has everything? A Toby mug of course. These treasures are fun to collect and display, and there are plenty of them to search for which is half the fun. The Royal Doulton company has a long history and is famous for its tobies, among other wares. Doulton and Company of England was founded in 1853 but can be traced back to 1815 when the original partners, John Doulton and John Watts, manufactured utility stoneware and even drainpipes at Lambeth, England. Royal Doulton is the name used on Doulton and Company pottery made from 1902 to the present. ...

Unplugged And Loving It

It is common knowledge that as we grow older, our memories are not always firing on all cylinders. As hard as we try, sometimes we can’t recall pieces of our youth or even what we ate for breakfast. Some folks say they can’t recall any parts of their childhood under the age of 5. Yet I can tell you that at age 3, I can still remember the first time my parents walked me and four siblings up the wide, wooden front steps of the house we would call home for decades. After that day, memories are scattered among backyard swings, welcoming dogs to the family and understanding ...