Sad to report the passing of John William "Bill" Barnhart of Newport. He had been a fellow member of Bob's club . . . June was not a good month for sales despite our discount offer. But with the economy unstable and job security at a low point I can understand why everyone (including me) is reluctant to spend . . . It looks like the Commonwealth will have a budget on time or almost. Unfortunately, one of the big "losers" is our library system. Historically usage of libraries soars during recessionary times, so why do legislators always find these institutions such an easy mark when it comes to restricting funds? Their mindset is mind boggling . . . Just received a new shipment of greeting cards from Laughing Elephant and Green Tiger Press. They draw their images from old-time book and magazine illustrations and are quite charming. The one shown says Here's a hug for you . . .

The neighborhood was rattled about 5 a.m. this morning when a huge limb on the big tree in MacNett’s back yard came crashing down for no apparent reason . . . Hot off the Press: EASY AS PIE ($12.95). Everyone’s favorite pies presented in a nostalgic format with illustrations from magazines in the 1950s and earlier. Bob, our resident chef, gives this volume a “thumbs up.” Covers all the basics plus desserts like cranberry meringue and orange blossom pies . . . All of our neighborhoods have been under siege by dog owners who do not clean up after their pets. We now have a news report that one owner, a city policeman, was attacked by some passers-by who maintain he was one of the culprits. He claims he wasn’t. Don’t know how this will play out in court now that those who confronted the officer have been arrested, but I do have a burning question: Is there a bag of “evidence” to be used in the trial? . . . JJ just called me to report that our new Kipper DVD is very good. I will have to see for myself . . .

Joanne and Eric spent Saturday afternoon on the river. They paddled their kayaks from Fort Hunter south to City Island, exploring all the islands en route. They were very enthusiastic about the experience and think they might even invest in kayaks of their own. For this trip they rented equipment from Susquehanna Outfitters on the island and felt the money well spent. They would encourage others to try it--even me, who is afraid of the water. Eric promises that for the most part the water would be only waist deep on my six-foot-plus frame . . . Our collection of 30 old-time Fourth of July postcards is only $9.00 and would be a fun way to show your patriotism (or to invite people to your cook-out) . . . Both Bob and I finished the mystery novels we were reading and are looking forward to another. In the meanwhile I just watched my new DVD, a gentle tour of the boat canals of England, Wales and Scotland. Think I could overcome my fear of water to take one of these rides, though the cruise along Loch Ness sounds a little hairy . . .

Having annihilated the sea dragons, built the sand castles and conquered the waves our weary warriors head for home and the mundane life at daycare . . . Uncle Ronn is headed for his favorite deck chair (in the shade) to solve the case of the Merlot Murders while Uncle Bob will putter in the kitchen and whip up a summertime treat or two . . . Hopefully this blog will become more interesting once the heat wave abates . . . Keep cool, everybody . . .

HOT HOT HOT. No one on the street today. Guess everyone is being cozy with his a/c . . . Bob and I have done nothing but read for the past week. Even the Father's Day cards have not been put away yet. It is just too hot to do anything . . . We can thank Ed Marsico for this Remembrance of Things Past . . . Does it make you feel any better? . . . North Street from Green, looking west . . .

Tyler Simmons will be six tomorrow . . . A massive power outage in the U.K. has knocked my streaming webcams off the Internet and has damaged equipment as well so there is no telling when they will be back on-line. I miss them already; never realized how much I count on them to entertain me . . . Other international communications systems were disrupted as well so don’t try to “tweet” your sister in Manchester just yet . . . A company in Belgium has the right idea, not that it will ever get implemented. They want to establish dot xxx (.xxx) to indicate porn sites on the Internet. Porn providers would register with them for a fee, some of which would then be contributed to agencies protecting children. It would simplify the search for porn sites (estimated at 50,000) for those so inclined. Even better, computers could be easily programmed to filter out such sites, thus protecting the youngsters at home . . . That all seems logical, but of course it will open another can of worms: some groups (indeed, some countries) will attempt to declare anything they disagree with “pornographic” . . . Our thanks to Jacquie Kirby Hensel; she was the first to “review” The Bare Wall on PennLive . . . JJ called Uncle Bob from the beach to say he was having fun but that the waves kept knocking him down . . .

Our thanks to all who sent their congratulations on the anniversary of the blog. It was especially nice to hear from Alan Peters in Palm Springs. It has been almost two years since Alan left Harrisburg for his oasis in the desert . . . Brief visit from Liz Gomes who we haven’t seen for a while . . . I love sitting out in the evenings to spot the occasional lightning bug that flits by. I am sure that I have one “buddy” but Bob insists that it cannot be the same one every night. Being country folk, we both miss those summer evenings when as twilight gathered a horde of fireflies would rise from the wheat field and entertain us for an hour or so. And what kid hasn’t lined a jar with grass, punched holes in the top and gone off in search of enough bugs to brighten his bedroom at night? Somehow neither of us ever collected enough, and we couldn’t understand why they were all dead by morning . . . Wonder if there are fireflies in Palm Springs. We will have to ask Alan about that . . . PennLive has upgraded its business listings so that consumers can rate their shopping experiences at various venues. You can “review” The Bare Wall and give it a rating yourself by going to http://businessfinder.pennlive.com/1791795/Bare-Wall-Gallery-Harrisburg-PA . . . The rating box is on the left part way down the page . . . (Posting early since severe storms are predicted for this afternoon and evening) . . .

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

DAILY DIARY

This is the first anniversary for our blog and we haven’t the foggiest idea how to celebrate the event. Bob suggested we review the highlights but then discovered that there weren’t any. I guess we should begin by thanking all of you who check in with us every now and then to see what gossip, if any, two aging old farts have overheard. Just as many are more interested in JJ and Cecilia and what they have been up to. Thanks to all who have shared their news and provided ideas for stories . . . The original purpose—promoting our wares—seems to have been forgotten . . . Some days are more newsy than others; this happens to be one of the “no news” days . . . But thanks to all for your kind words and encouragement. We will keep at it—for a while, at least . . .

Things do not always go as planned. During an early Arts Festival at the museum we decided that more public participation was called for. We settled on the idea of a mural that would be created by visitors; a large white panel was erected and all were invited to wing a paint-filled balloon at the “canvas.” It seemed like a good idea at the time . . . At the opening ceremonies our chairman Dean Gross (former Dauphin County Library director) described the plan and invited a youngster from the audience to make the first pitch. Mounting the stage, the child (I don’t remember whether it was boy or girl) selected a balloon and we all prepared to applaud . . . However, kids are curious and with this squishy mass in hand the child gave it a squeeze. In less than a second the center section of the audience was sprayed bright blue! After a second or so of shocked silence everyone including the “victims” roared with laughter. It was quite a kick-off to the weekend’s events—even better than we could have hoped for . . . Dean immediately announced that the Arts Council would pay all the cleaning bills, but if memory serves no one tendered a claim . . . The illustration shows Earl Blust at work during a demonstration of painting by the Seven Lively Artists at the 1969 festival . . .

Say Happy Birthday to Doug Hill tomorrow . . . Mark Stevens celebrates his birthday on Wednesday . . . For some unannounced reason the 25 residents of a 15-year-old homeless camp in South Harrisburg near the Department of Transportation building have been given until the weekend to move out. Admittedly some of these people are homeless by choice but they were, in their own way, a neighborhood of souls caring for each other. The star resident, according to the Pat-News, was a youngster attending HAAC. Their “eviction” comes at a difficult time since a lot of social service agencies have lean budgets in these unfortunate days. Let us hope that the property owners are soon to announce a major building project that will put a lot of people to work . . .

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

to Daddy Eric

from JJ and Cecilia

If you have not yet heard, the State Museum will shorten its hours and raise its prices beginning July 1. New hours are Thursday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, noon till 5 p.m. Those 13 and older will now pay $5, and those below (even 1-year-olds) will pay $4. The third Saturday of each month will be free to all . . . The current gift shop will be closed and a new one will take its place in the fall according to TheBurg . . . Bryan and Jaime MacLeod celebrating their first wedding anniversary today . . . Jack Barnett is offering a major discount to people from the Harrisburg area who book into his Shire-Max Inn in Provincetown, Ma., this summer . . . Back (way back) in my journalism days I had thoughts of becoming a novelist. I had stacks of notebooks and scraps of paper documenting my ideas for my New York Times best seller which I would knock out just as soon as I had the time . . . Well, the time never came and all those notes have long since disappeared. I did, however, write a poem which I think deserves a place in some anthology, so if anyone knows someone who is assembling a book of verse, please feel free to pass along my creation (with proper credit, of course) . . .


MY SHOELACE

I’d rather not . . . Have the knot . . . I’ve got.

I knew you would like it . . .

Bryan MacLeod celebrated his birthday today; wife Jaime was distressed because the gifts she had ordered on line were not delivered for the event as promised . . . Dr. Bob Coldren and Jack Barnett back from a few weeks on Cape Cod . . . Sorry to report that Joe Theurer fell at home and broke his collar bone . . . Friends have gathered tonight to celebrate Janet Foreman's retirement . . . Eric and Joanne are celebrating six-months of marriage . . . Filming has been completed on the entire Harry Potter saga; the three stars are wondering where their careers go from here . . . Some have wondered about the lack of police and fire reports which used to pepper these posts. Last fall our emergency agencies quietly shifted to digital communications rendering our scanner obsolete. In addition, the police department scrambled several of its channels to befuddle the bad guys, so to buy new equipment would be foolish . . .

Beating a dead horse . . .

The Patriot-News editorial today was a defensive move of sorts aimed at quelling criticism of its sponsorship of ArtsFest where, for the first time in its more than 40-year history, an admission fee was charged. (It graciously did not mention that it did not know of the charge when it agreed again to be the sponsor.) I was not the only one disgruntled by this effort to whitewash a situation full of unanswered questions; the comments on PennLive were sometimes vehement and those I pose here are questions others are asking as well . . . An effort to “justify” the charge by comparing our free event to others which charge is pretty lame. In its current format even with a well-paid staff ArtsFest has not been a money loser. Vendor and artists’ fees and sponsorships have more than covered the costs with nothing but the location being free. Security details—in the past the city police—and city trash hauling have always been in the budget and paid for. Why these costs suddenly require an admission has not been satisfactorily explained . . . For myself, I am primarily interested in the attendance; in the past Parks & Recreation has estimated 265,000. The ArtsFest group has even suggested a much greater figure when looking for vendors. This year’s report of 20,000 attendees (hailed as a great success though a 20% drop from previous years) really doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. (And, yes, I have heard that Mayor Thompson sneaked in the exit without paying.) Someone needs to step forward and explain. The editorial did nothing to illuminate . . . Okay, sure, I was one of the original founders of the Greater Harrisburg Arts Council and involved in the very first festival of 1968 and several beyond that. And, yes, that first year—a week long—was a disaster thanks to heavy rains for most of the events. Costs were underwritten by the Greater Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce . . . 1969 was the banner beginning and a much larger undertaking than the festival today. Everything was driven by volunteers—local Boy Scout troops were “on KP” to cart away the trash, for instance. The cost? $2000 provided by AMP, the State Museum being our free venue . . . I am an old fart frequently suffering from bouts of nostalgia but still feisty enough to complain when a community asset like the festival becomes greedy (and exclusive) for no reason. I am looking forward to an accounting of the distribution of the “surplus” funds to local arts groups as the ArtsFest organization promised. Even if they give away a million dollars I doubt that I will be happy . . . And I bet that next year every supplier will be upping its rates since there is “new” money to be shared . . . Click picture to enlarge and notice "without charge" . . .

Well, we certainly had fun with yesterday's post: in search of coffee downtown at 3 a.m. Judy Robinson e-mailed to tell me that I forgot to mention the Alva Restaurant on South Fourth Street. Indeed, in its heyday the place was open at all hours and was a hangout for men working on the railroad; they may even have rented some of the upstairs rooms for their lay-overs. At that time the police department was in Old City Hall, and the Alva was the officers' eating place; there was a section of tables always kept open just for them . . . spoke with Ned Hofner who works at the hospital and learned that the lobby coffee shop closes once visiting hours are over. There does happen to be a vending machine for the staff on the eleventh floor outside the restaurant there, but, of course, it would not do our man any good since at 3 a.m. outsiders are not admitted . . . Since we have uncovered this oversight, it is time for an entrepreneur to step forward; despite the fact that we could use the income The Bare Wall has no intention of filling this void . . . but maybe there is a market for designer thermoses? . . .

Several people including a representative of a center-city law firm responded with a "thumbs up" for Cartridge World and the services they offer. The prices cited run about $10 below the box store price. One reader does caution that using anything other than the manufacturer's recommendation could invalidate your printer warranty. I think mine now falls outside those perimeters, however . . . The Summer of Solutions fund raiser mentioned yesterday will be held at Isaac's Deli near Bass Pro Shops, 421 Friendship Road, on Monday, June 21, from 5-9 p.m. More info by e-mailing hbgsummerofsolutions@gmail.com . . .

Java, 3 a.m.

A young man working late on a project complained on FaceBook recently that there is nowhere in downtown Harrisburg to get a cup of coffee at 3 a.m. I couldn’t think of any place either, not even a vending machine. (Are those still around, by the way? I haven’t noticed one in years.) . . . Back in the ‘60s he would have had a couple of options. There was the Davenport chain with locations near the train station, on Market Street and on North Second. All were open late, and the Market Street one was open all night. It provided a “home” for the street people on cold nights. (There were a lot fewer of them back then) . . . and of course there was the original Spot that was demolished for the new city hall on Market Square. It was a popular after-hours eatery despite the greasiness of the food . . . the all-night Commerce Diner (somewhat seedy, as I recall) was wedged in sideways on a small plot on North Second near State Street—part of the lot cleared for the now-defunct luxury hotel plan and soon (hopefully) to house an office building. It was across the street from the gay-friendly Clock Bar (now Egypt, unless the name has been changed again) and young men old enough for companionship but too young to drink would gather there in the wee small hours to meet those men coming out of the bar at closing. It was almost “cosmopolitan” to see such a lively place in the middle of the night; it gave little Harrisburg a big-city aura . . . The Toddle House stood near the intersection of North Third and Forster (now a little parking lot across from One Stop). It served coffee and tiny hamburgers similar to those at White Castle. I don’t recall the hours there; maybe a reader does . . . Before my time there was also a diner at North Third and Liberty (now a parking lot) . . . Perhaps it should be noted that in the ‘60s one could safely walk the streets in search of coffee at that hour without encountering roving gangs of armed muggers—or is my memory playing tricks on me? . . . So where does the 4 a.m. shift get its coffee downtown? If anyone knows, please e-mail me; address to the left . . .

Green Street was again closed this morning. Will this never end? . . . Happy Birthday today to Brian Wall (and his twin brother); train engineer George Miller will celebrate his natal day tomorrow . . . Have I missed it? I have been waiting (im)patiently for the Greater Harrisburg Arts Council to declare its gate receipts from ArtsFest and thus far I haven't seen or heard anything. Are they still counting their money? This delay raises a lot of questions in my mind . . . A flyer came through my door in response to yesterday's post. Kathy Panza operates a Cartridge World franchise (?) at 28 South Third Street. Apparently one can have his old ink cartridges refilled there at a price cheaper than the new-boughts. The flyer didn't suggest prices, but it might be worth checking out. Anyone out there use this service? . . . I told you about Harrisburg Summer of Solutions a few days ago and Peter has provided a lot more info, almost too much to mention here. For starters you can check the website which is currently being updated: http://www.grandaspirations.org/apply/harrisburg.html. . . . For those of you on FaceBook: Harrisburg Summer of Solutions on Facebook. (Actually, this got me no where; I am not a computer guru so I must be doing something wrong and JJ isn't here to give me guidance!). . . There is a fund-raiser planned for Summer of Solutions on Monday, June 21, and I will give you that info later in the week . . . WELL, WELL, WELL . . . I no sooner posted this entry than we heard from the Arts Council. They claim admissions amounted to only $100,000 or attendance of only 20,000 visitors. A far cry from former estimates in the 250,000 to 300,000 range. Were former figures that much over inflated? Something seems amiss to me . . .

Street closed briefly this afternoon as another repair was made in the 800 block. Let us hope that this is the last for a while . . . After overcoming a few solicitation "glitches" in the mayor's office it was announced today that there is money for fireworks over the Fourth . . . The "mystery man" in our neighborhood who was asking women to see their electric bills has been unmasked by Eric Webb. Please go to his website for a full explanation and a caution. You can access the site by clicking under "links" on the left . . . I have always been in favor of the Sixth and Riley site for the new Federal courthouse, but I was distressed to learn that people would be displaced. I do not recall the Right Site Committee telling me that a little neighborhood of eight families would be wiped out. I was led to believe that the choice of this plot would not disrupt anyone . . . Dr. Cary Cummings was pleased with my latest blood readings and is even allowing me one Spam sandwich in the coming six months . . . Whoopee . . .

Heard that a man was in the neighborhood this morning pretending to be from a utility company and he attempted to enter some young ladies' apartment. Fortunately they were suspicious and refused entry. Please be alert. Legitimate employees will have identification and you should demand to see it . . . Happy to report that Rick Miller is out of the hospital and recuperating at home with the help of parents and sister . . . Went to Staples this afternoon for a few needed supplies. I cannot believe the cost of my HP printer ink cartridges. There has to be a cheaper generic brand that will work. If anyone can help, PLEASE do. One black and one color cartridge cost me $48, which is more than we took in for this whole week . . . (well, almost.) . . . Will learn from the doc tomorrow just what a good boy I have been in the last six months. NO French fries, NO honey buns, NO high-fat frozen dinners and NO Oreos . . . (sob) . . . if my figures aren't any better I plan to feast on all of these immediately . . .

The day was hot, sticky and devoid of income. I spent some time on the computer riding trains in England and touring the countryside. I am certain that in a former or future life I am destined to live in the Cotswolds. Such a beautiful place. Our English friend Catherine was in the store one day gathering some gifts for family; she was going home for a visit. We asked her to please find us a cottage in the Cotswolds. She looked at us with a fake superior air and said (probably with some truth): "You can't afford the Cotswolds." . . . Well, at least I could visit as this woman did. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHy2sXRe9dA. . . .

Kim Summerlot celebrates her birthday on Sunday. Give her your best wishes . . . Mary Ann Furedi and Rick May have added some flowering plants to the greenery on the Forster Street median in the 200 block . . . I rather like the new signs that warn pedestrians of the number of seconds they have to cross an intersection. In some instances the time allotted would make us Olympian Gold Medalists in track. A fellow with a cane or walker is certainly taking his life into his own hands . . . Crossing Forster Street is especially perilous for anyone, not just the elderly. Motorists speeding down the Camp Hill By-Pass and flying across Taylor Bridge forget that they are now in the city and not on an expressway especially when the lights at Front and Second are in their favor. There have been numerous accidents on this stretch (Bob was a victim) and at least one pedestrian death that I can remember . . . I have long advocated that the reduction in speed limit to 35 or less should begin at the Wormleysburg entrance, not at the Front Street exit, on the bridge. And somewhere in the middle should be a large sign announcing traffic lights ahead . . . (Click picture to enlarge.) . . .

The author of The Blue Orchard, the book about Harrisburg that just about everyone is reading or has read, will be speaking on Saturday, June 26, at 7 p.m. in the Midtown Scholar book store on North Third Street. Should be quite a turn-out . . . Dan Miller has offered his leadership to the CAN community in its fight with City Council over new restrictions on parking at meters in our neighborhood. Council recently rescinded decade-long privileges to permit holders at certain meters, anticipating a monthly income of $130,000+ which I find exceedingly optimistic. Even with neighborhood privileges many of the metered spaces stand empty during the day. Dan is compiling a list of the meters in question and will formulate a proposed amendment to the ordinance that council recently adopted. We applaud his efforts on our behalf and are annoyed with members of council which voted unanimously for the changes . . . Mode Magazine this month features a large picture of a trash-strewn street in the Uptown area. It notes that this area is the mayor's own Adopt-a-Block responsibility. While the mayor's oversight is worth noting, I have noticed in my travels that there are many blocks in this program which are no longer maintained. Several, in fact, had been "adopted" by businesses or organizations long defunct, and the signs merely add to the streetscape litter. If there is someone at City Hall responsible for this project he/she ought to monitor the program more closely and make adjustments where necessary. Otherwise the program is a sham . . . (The North Street Cafe went out of business years ago and was succeeded by at least two others; the space is now empty. Click to enlarge.) . . . I have been doing this diary for nearly a year now thanks to Eric Webb (our "anniversary" is June 23) and yesterday's little blurb about JJ and Bear generated more phone calls and e-mails than anything I have written previously. Bear was rescued from a pound when quite young, lived for 10 and a half years and eventually was incapacitated by arthritis. He is remembered fondly by many, many people . . .

Say Happy Birthday to Jack Brandt tomorrow . . . Received a letter from Mayor Thompson today. She is asking all of us to contribute to the $20,000 "fire-works fund" for her Jazz and Multi-Cultural Festival over the Fourth of July. The request is divided into categories and recommended amounts. Surrounding municipalities: $5,000; Elected Officials: $2,500-$5,000; Businesses and Clubs: $1,000-$5,000; Non-profits and Churches: $500-$1,000; Individuals: $100-$500. I'm not so hot at math, but I figure that if everyone comes across for the mayor she could pay off half the incinerator debt and redecorate her office . . . Remember when the banks and radio stations coughed up the cash for this extravaganza? I am afraid she hasn't the clout that Mayor Reed had . . . It has been almost two years since he left us, but people still ask for "the big dog" that used to lounge on our doorstep every evening. "Bear," owned by Larry Kirkhuff and Jon Carfagno, was the neighborhood's dog, more or less (a crown now shared by Cooper and Luna). Despite his size (which occasionally caused some to cross the street "just in case") he was very gentle if you didn't grasp his front paws--he was touchy about that for some reason. He would let a very little JJ crawl all over him without complaint. He enjoyed the attention that everyone gave him and some evenings he would refuse to leave when Jon called; Bear would simply stretch out and close his eyes. He never left an uneaten treat behind; he carried it home himself and had quite a stash of half-gnawed ham bones scattered around the house . . . A few weeks ago JJ was curled up on my lap on the stoop when Jon dropped by to say hello. JJ looked at him strangely as if he could not quite place him. "You know Jon," I said. "He brought his dog to see you several times a week. Remember?" JJ asked where the dog was and I told him that Bear had gone away. JJ thought a moment and then, leaning very close to my ear, he whispered "Did he go to Heaven?" I nodded, and I think we both got a little teary-eyed . . .

Spent part of yesterday afternoon speaking with Stephanie VanSickle, Christopher Siennick and Peter Roquemore, three college students who with a group of volunteers have formed Harrisburg Summer of Solutions. It is an Environment-friendly youth program with three objectives: urban gardening and beautification, bio-diesel recycling program (fats used in cooking, if I understand correctly) and community-approved Street Art. As soon as I know the website address I will pass it on . . . I can certainly applaud the first two efforts. However, I am one of those old fogeys who are not amused by murals on buildings, painted hydrants, or graffiti, no matter how creative. I believe buildings can be appreciated for their architecture even if it is mundane, and I support historic preservation and renovation rather than coating over what some consider blighted buildings with what I consider an even greater blight . . . We wish the young people success, however. I am all for gardens in empty lots, flower boxes and blooms in unused plots along the street . . . As an aside, I have found on my morning walks a lot of good intentions; flowers have been planted but are now neglected. This is not a once-and-done activity. Watering and weeding are needed weekly throughout the season . . . and there is a lot of weeding to be done if our streets and sidewalks are to be beautified . . . Enough of that . . . Eileen Young is already hard at work preparing for the Harris Street Church fall bazaar. The date has been set, so mark your calendars--October 31. Isn't that Halloween? . . .

Up way too early for me this morning; blood work at the hospital . . . Spent another half hour on the phone trying to give back the $500 that Citizens' Bank gave me in error over a week ago. This is getting to be a pain in the checkbook. Bet if I spent it they would wise up soon enough . . . Say Happy Birthday to Craig Peiffer tomorrow . . . Three fully-armed black men mugged a neighbor Sunday night around eleven p.m. at Green and Boas Streets, taking a wallet and cell phone and flooring the victim with a fist to the jaw. Some moments later another mugging took place at Third and Calder and the descriptions were the same. Response to the first incident was delayed two hours when the two calls for help were mistakenly regarded as a single event by the police department . . .

Deb Miller in town to visit brother Rick who will undergo surgery later this week . . . Jaime MacLeod celebrating her Master's degree from Penn State Harrisburg . . . Mark Stevens back from Cape Cod for a few days . . . Erica Gordon attended her class's fifth anniversary at F&M this weekend . . . Angela Lawson home after a week in the Caribbean. One of the highlights was a visit to the Bobsled Bar where the sled used by the Jamaican Olympic team was on display . . .

Hot, humid and very slow day. Our lone customer was teacher Frank Hummert who has two days to go before retirement. Our congratulations to him . . . Again, please note our discount offer on the left. Temperatures are set to recede next week so we hope to see a lot of you here . . .

Well, it looks like we forgot to mail the June Sale card. Just noticed the entry in last year's financials. So we will try something new. Look to the left. Come in, spend $15, mention the blog, and we will knock 15% off your total. Sorry, items on sale do not count. This offer continues through the month of June, so shop often . . . Several people have asked what the ArtsFest attendance was and how much money was raised. Thus far we haven't seen an accounting ourselves. Hopefully there was so much money that they are still counting it . . .

Was enjoying my coffee and was on the computer about 8:30 this morning when there was a big BOOM and the house shook. It sounded as if a huge armoire had toppled on the first floor. A quick check of the building top to bottom revealed nothing. Some time later I consulted with my neighbor Crash Webb and his house had been shaken too. He thought it might have been a delivery service dropping off one of those huge dumpsters. It wasn't until much later that we learned there had been an earthquake in the Dillsburg area big enough to have been felt here . . . Our neighborhood is under attack by dog owners who refuse to clean up after their pets. Several of us are alert and armed with cameras but the culprits have eluded us thus far. Trouble is, so many residents are insulted by this offense we are at a point where the signs telling owners to scoop are creating more litter than the dogs . . . Told you in January about my new Maytag dishwasher that Bob bought as a holiday gift. Today the company announced a major recall because of a fire hazard, but if I am reading the numbers right, my model is still safe . . .

Noticed on my walk this morning that the linden trees are wonderfully fragrant and I paused for a few deep breaths. Mistake. My nose was running and my eyes nearly closed by the time I got back to the store. Took a pill and drowsed off and on all afternoon. Thanks, Bob, for manning the fortress . . . UGI is still digging in the 800 block so Green Street is closed at Forster. For that reason, unfortunately, Bob didn't have much "manning" to do . . . John Zimmerman back from a vacation in Provincetown and environs. Encountered Mark Stevens, our holiday employee, who is house manager at the Shire-Max Inn there . . . An old customer and friend, Kaitlin (Kate) Mussomeli was in town over the weekend and spent some time with Bob. Kate is considering a return to the Harrisburg area, and the news couldn't be more welcome. Her holiday cookie baskets are spoken of fondly every Christmas . . . When I wasn't napping I was following the shootings in Cumbria, UK, through the foreign media on the Internet. Tragic. "Just like in America," one bewildered villager said . . .

Happy birthday to Charles Fetterhoff . . . Our thanks to Kim and Erica for bringing us goodies from their beach holiday . . . According to Wall Street pundits, Harrisburg is now the "junkiest" city in America meaning that all our promissory notes and bonds are all but worthless . . . From our Who Would Have Thought It file: I was speaking with friend Ed Freed over the weekend about the local railroad footage I had found on YouTube and he wondered if there might also be something on the state's historic canal system which passed through Harrisburg. So I dutifully searched "Pennsylvania Canals." I got a mention or two of the tourist attractions in the Bucks County area and one about the portage of boats over the Allegheny Mountains. But what I got most were Pennsylvania dentists advertising their "root canal" expertise . . . Still lots of chat on PennLive about the $5 admission fee for ArtsFest. The Greater Harrisburg Arts Council has yet to announce just how much they collected. Based on past numbers and their promises to vendors on their website, I am betting the figure should be in excess of $1.2 million . . .