Meet Chuck

Hey Gang,
You haven't received one of these emails in a long time.

Today I went to Dollar Tree to pick up a card for dad. I hurried to the door but noticed behind me an older gentleman with a cane walking slowly. I waited the extra 10 seconds and held the door for him. I am glad I slowed down. All it took was for me to hold the door open to make a new friend.

He blessed me and said have a great day. I said well you to. He responded let me give you a great tip, I discovered a inexpensive amusement park nearby, its in Erie, Pa, take 90 and get off at Exit 18, the park is called Waldameer. Its perfect for grandparents because you don't have to pay to enter, just pay for the rides.

He also told me right there is a free science museum that is very nice. And once you go under the roller coaster which goes over the road, to your right there are also two diners across the street. The one has the best foot-longs, its not in the silver diner, but the other. And all of this is right next to Presque Isle state park.

I thanked him again and said I really appreciate this because with the price of gas I look for places within a 100 mile to enjoy.

I started to walk away and he said here is another tip. I will tell you how to make the best windshield washer fluid and its acts like Rain-X. Take regular windshield washer fluid, add 4 tablespoons vinegar and two tablespoons of dish soap like Dawn. Make sure it doesn't have any added hand softeners in it. Your windshield will sparkle.
Then he said for cheap seat covers use extra large T-shirts.

I introduced myself and he said his name was Chuck, an older gentleman maybe about 70-ish.

Chuck then told me the story of how his hat saved his life. He was at a flea market and after walking too much he felt faint. He saw a monster truck with the HUGE tires. He made his way over to it so he could break his fall on the larger tires. Instead his head went over the tire and into the wheel well. Going in wasn't bad but pulling his head out he cut his scalp right across. They rushed him to the hospital and was told if not for the cap the cut would of been much deeper and he would of bled to death.

Yes - I got all these stories and I was happy to listen.

As we went about shopping we swapped stories back and forth of what to look for on cans and products. He also avoids Chinese and Mexican made products as much as possible. Chuck grabbed a bottle of apple juice and said here read this fine print. 15% juice. Never noticed that before, wonder what the other 85% is.

Chuck gave me one last tip before he walked away. There is a store in Shoregate in Willowick called Steals and Deals. One time they had a bunch of irregular and slightly flawed T-shirts on sale for .15 cents. He went through about a thousand of them to pick out the best ones. He said I was so sore I couldn't hardly life my arms when done. I took the 400 shirts I bought and brought them to the homeless shelter.

There is just something about old vets, no matter how much they have given, they still give and show pride doing it.

So just remember, if you see someone behind you slow down and hold the door open for that person, it could be Chuck or a friend you haven't met yet.

Gotta GoGo!!
Carey

My Sunday Drive

  Two weekends ago I wanted to head to Evangola State Park for the Pirate Fest in New York. But it was just to bloody hot! Even though I like heat and hate air conditioning that weekend was beyond bearable. We had temps in the upper 90's in the northeast with a heat index around 110! So even for me that's a wee bit to hot especially when you are planning to drive and sleep in a 69 Dodge with no air and the engine between the front seats.


  So I decided instead to take a leisurely Sunday drive by myself in my little car. (Stay tuned for that story of what I turned my Daewoo into.) I had in mind a trip of no further than about 150 miles. Evangola, NY was still a possibility, so was Tionest Dam in Pa.. I decided about 1 in the afternoon to heads towards Dunkirk, NY and if time allowed continue on to Evangola.

  Here's the route I took from Wickliffe, Ohio: 90 east, exit at Peach Street in Erie, head north till it just about dead ends into Rt. 20, take a right on 20 and head east. That's it.

  The day trip was nothing spectacular but was a nice leisurely Sunday drive passing through a few small towns, with decent scenery and plenty of garage sales and junk shops. In fact, if you drive this on the weekend on the corner of Peach and 20 in Erie is an excellent garage sale/ junk shop that's only open on Saturday and Sundays. It's the kind of store that is a real throwback. Aisles with unorganized shelves and an occasional gem amongst of who is going to buy that piece of trash?

  I made it as far as Dunkirk never making it to Evangola. When you see the signs for Dunkirk get on Rt. 5. The beginning of Rt. 5 starts as a lake shore drive and then winds through the middle of New York. Dunkirk has a pier with some nice little shops.

  After strolling on the pier I made it to a lake shore park that I think was still in Dunkirk. As I was grilling my supper and older gentleman walked by with his dog. We struck up a conversation.

  The mans name was Harold, born and raised and still living in Dunkirk, 85 years old and looking good. I told him I was from Cleveland and he said I just drove through there on the way to Michigan for a wedding. I said that is a state that I think is hit even harder than Cleveland. Harold replied worse than New York? He proceeded to tell me about the economic woes of New York and the shut down steel mills in Buffalo.

  From there we both complained about how things are rapidly changing in America and big box stores with made in China junk. Harold told me his Father use to own a stationery store during the 30's in downtown Dunkirk. The stores are no longer there. Developers a few years ago promised a new mall if they could tear down the old buildings but all that was built was one store, the land is still empty.

  Harold said one good thing with the big box stores is you can get everything in one place instead of driving all over. I myself would gladly give up that conveniance for quality merchandise and knowledgebale store clerks.

Gotta GoGo!!
Carey