I just watched the memorial service for Joe Paterno, legendary football coach at Penn State University. My Mom and I cried through the whole thing. The tributes to this fine man were emotional and full of the love and respect that Most of us can ohly hope for.
I've been a coach of soccer for around 25 years, starting out when James was four years old. I helped his coach even though I had no idea what I was doing. Terri and I coached Kyle's team when he was young, and I coached Cory's team when he was a little older. I then had the honor to coach both Kyle and Cory through high school. There were several things that I heard in the memorial service for Joe Pa that reminded me of many things I said and tried to instill in my players. I remember saying to Kyle's team at one of our practices following a game loss, something similar to: "Today you are either going to get better, or you're gonna get worse. Its up to you. Whats it gonna be?"
Even though I never said it in this way, I also tried to instill the thought that my players should remember the acronym TLC, which many thought it meant Tender Loving Care. Though I tried my best to show the kids that they meant a lot more to me than just my players. I loved these kids as if they were my own. And I treated them as if they were my own, if they needed discipline they got it just like my boys, and if they deserved accolades they got that as well. But to me TLC stood for Team, Loyalty, and Commitment. The name on the front of the jersey was more important than the name on the back of it. Loyalty to the team and their teammates remained very important to the success of the team. Commitment dealt with priorities in their lives. Commitment to Family, Faith, Education, and then Team. In that order. I hoped that I taught my players much more than just a game in life. I wanted the kids to learn about life experiences and how to grow up to be successful in life and a contributor to their family, church, school, and community. I look back at my kids who have graduated and gone on to college and I can say that I am extremely proud of each and everyone of them. They are all successful in their lives and are capable of doing great things for their family, church, school, and communities. I had always stressed sportsmanship to not only my players but also their parents. the parents still remember how on several occasions when the games weren't going our way and they started to get out of control with their yelling at the refs, and even their own kids and other players. I would turn my back to the field and glare into the stands until they shut up. I even went to so far during one of my girl's U-14 team's game that I had the referee end the game and forfeited our game because of some unbelievable comments coming from the parents of my girl's. I want my teams to always be humble in their winning and respectful in their losses. Being disrespectful to the referees, their opponents, or their teammates in a loss was never tolerated. Playing a game required sportsmanship. Success with Honor is something that even today when I coach the alumni teams during our annual Alumni Game at the beginning of our season, I still stress it to them now, and my kids haven't let me down. And even the parents remember and don't let me down even after all these years.
I saw the great things that Joe Paterno did as not only a coach but also a member of the Penn State University community. I hope to emulate such a great man and be able to instill these same things in the future teams I have the privilege to coach or be apart of. Joe Pa should be a mentor to anybody who coaches children no matter what age. God Bless you, Joe Paterno, and Rest in Peace, Coach!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Saturday, November 14, 2009
SEASON OF LOVE
We had the awesome experience on Tuesday night of seeing the Broadway tour of the musical production of RENT starring the leads of the Broadway pay and movie production, Anthony Rapp as Mark, and Adam Pascal as Roger. I love this musical as it has a lot of special meaning for me regarding life, especially the song Seasons of Love.
After the death of Angel, a close friend in the cast, from AIDS in act one, act two starts with the rest of the cast in a single line across the stage opening the act singing Seasons of Love. If you’ve ever had a death of a loved one, be it a close friend, or a close relative it will have special meaning to you. When I was in the hospital back in October after having my stroke, I spent a lot of time reflecting on my life, and wondered how would I be remembered if I was to die. This song kept coming into my mind. And I would close my eyes and sing the song in my mind. I thought of the past year.
Of the 525,600 minutes, do I have any regrets? Sure, but then, doesn’t everyone? A harsh word spoken in anger toward a friend or a loved one. A missed opportunity to do something good. A wronged done to someone else. As I prayed to the Lord for forgiveness of my sins, another song came to mind from the show. The song was Life Support and the portion of the lyrics that came to mind was: Forget regret or life is yours to miss. Followed by the final line of lyrics to that song: No day, but today. Some may think that in my older age, I’m going through a state of depression or morbidity. But No, I’m just reflecting on the true meaning of my life. How do you measure your life? I hope, not by regrets. Life is too short to dwell on bad things in the past. Regrets of the past can’t be changed. After having the life altering experience of the stroke on October 1st, I’ve come to appreciate the most important things in MY life that is the loves of my life. To me NOTHING else is more important than the love of my family and friends. My wife and my boys remain the most important things in my life. I plan on living the remainder of my life to the fullest or as the song goes, or life is your to miss.
525,600 minutes, 525,000 moments so dear. 525,600 minutes - how do you measure,
measure a year? In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee. In
inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife. In 525,600 minutes - how do you
measure a year in the life?
How about love? How about love? How about love? Measure in love. Seasons of
love.
SOLOIST 1
525,600 minutes! 525,000 journeys to plan. 525,600 minutes - how can you measure
the life of a woman or man?
SOLOIST 2
In truths that she learned, or in times that he cried. In bridges he burned, or
the way that she died.
COMPANY
It’s time now to sing out, tho the story never ends let's celebrate remember a year in the life of friends. Remember
the love! Remember the love! Remember
the love! Measure in love. Seasons of love! Seasons of love.
You are all a part of my incredible season of love that is much more than a mere 525,600 minutes long. And I thank you all for being a part of my life no matter how long or short we’ve spent together. And Thank YOU , Jonathon Larson for an incredibly wonderful musical that has touch so many. Including an old man like me.
I experienced a phenomenal display of love by some of my very best friends, who I don’t consider my friends anymore. I consider them more like my family. Just after Christmas, Kelly & Mike Andrey opened their home and held a party, inviting not only my family, but some of those who remain holding a very special part of my heart, my soccer boys and girls who I had the absolute privilege and honor of coaching from the time that they were very young through high school. I absolutely love these people, both the kids and their parents, with all my heart, and they remain some of my very best memories sharing with me some of my most fulfilling moments. I have never experienced such an amount of respect and love from nonfamily members as I have from these very special people. I love you all! Kelly you are a wonderful woman and I love you and I thank you for the party. It’s been a long time since I’ve had that much fun and laughed so much for so long. My face actually ached days after the party from the laughing.
After the death of Angel, a close friend in the cast, from AIDS in act one, act two starts with the rest of the cast in a single line across the stage opening the act singing Seasons of Love. If you’ve ever had a death of a loved one, be it a close friend, or a close relative it will have special meaning to you. When I was in the hospital back in October after having my stroke, I spent a lot of time reflecting on my life, and wondered how would I be remembered if I was to die. This song kept coming into my mind. And I would close my eyes and sing the song in my mind. I thought of the past year.
Of the 525,600 minutes, do I have any regrets? Sure, but then, doesn’t everyone? A harsh word spoken in anger toward a friend or a loved one. A missed opportunity to do something good. A wronged done to someone else. As I prayed to the Lord for forgiveness of my sins, another song came to mind from the show. The song was Life Support and the portion of the lyrics that came to mind was: Forget regret or life is yours to miss. Followed by the final line of lyrics to that song: No day, but today. Some may think that in my older age, I’m going through a state of depression or morbidity. But No, I’m just reflecting on the true meaning of my life. How do you measure your life? I hope, not by regrets. Life is too short to dwell on bad things in the past. Regrets of the past can’t be changed. After having the life altering experience of the stroke on October 1st, I’ve come to appreciate the most important things in MY life that is the loves of my life. To me NOTHING else is more important than the love of my family and friends. My wife and my boys remain the most important things in my life. I plan on living the remainder of my life to the fullest or as the song goes, or life is your to miss.
525,600 minutes, 525,000 moments so dear. 525,600 minutes - how do you measure,
measure a year? In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee. In
inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife. In 525,600 minutes - how do you
measure a year in the life?
How about love? How about love? How about love? Measure in love. Seasons of
love.
SOLOIST 1
525,600 minutes! 525,000 journeys to plan. 525,600 minutes - how can you measure
the life of a woman or man?
SOLOIST 2
In truths that she learned, or in times that he cried. In bridges he burned, or
the way that she died.
COMPANY
It’s time now to sing out, tho the story never ends let's celebrate remember a year in the life of friends. Remember
the love! Remember the love! Remember
the love! Measure in love. Seasons of love! Seasons of love.
You are all a part of my incredible season of love that is much more than a mere 525,600 minutes long. And I thank you all for being a part of my life no matter how long or short we’ve spent together. And Thank YOU , Jonathon Larson for an incredibly wonderful musical that has touch so many. Including an old man like me.
I experienced a phenomenal display of love by some of my very best friends, who I don’t consider my friends anymore. I consider them more like my family. Just after Christmas, Kelly & Mike Andrey opened their home and held a party, inviting not only my family, but some of those who remain holding a very special part of my heart, my soccer boys and girls who I had the absolute privilege and honor of coaching from the time that they were very young through high school. I absolutely love these people, both the kids and their parents, with all my heart, and they remain some of my very best memories sharing with me some of my most fulfilling moments. I have never experienced such an amount of respect and love from nonfamily members as I have from these very special people. I love you all! Kelly you are a wonderful woman and I love you and I thank you for the party. It’s been a long time since I’ve had that much fun and laughed so much for so long. My face actually ached days after the party from the laughing.
My Speech before City Council March 2009
In this time of economic strife throughout
our country and
even the world, it seems that when governments, especially local governments
have to cut back in order to balance the budget, Police and Fire Departments
are always the first to feel the pinch. When listening to the government
leaders who make these tough decisions, it always irritates me when they try to
justify their rationale in the establishment of their civic priorities, with
high priorities always given toward hockey and soccer Moms to keep the Parks
open so they have a place to drop their kids off and not have to pay a
babysitter.....
I’m at the end of my career as a thirty
year fire captain with the City of Elyria, Ohio Fire Department having suffered
a stroke while on the job in October 2008. This is very unfortunate
because I wasn’t planning to retire at this point in my career. I truly
loved the job and the service I have given to my community. ....
However because of the stroke and some subsequent residual problems from the
episode, I will be unable to return to the job I’ve loved for all these
years. It was also because of the stroke that it was discovered that I
have a mild cardiac related problem that could possibly manifest itself to a
more serious nature if I were to continue on the job. I’ve told my fellow
fire fighters who were on hand to assist me when I was in need, who I feel were
ultimately responsible for saving my life, that this would be the ONLY time
that I’d let them wheel me off from the job, as I would never let the City Administration
have another opportunity to take me from my family, especially in light of the
pending cuts proposed for the Fire Department.....
I can remember the day I was sworn in as a
Fire Fighter for the City of Elyria, having resigned from my job as a Deputy
Sheriff for Lorain County. My Father was an Assistant Chief on the
Department serving as the City’s Fire Marshall and stood at my side when I
raised my right hand and recited the oath before the Mayor Bowman, the Safety
Service Director, my wife, and my Mother . ....
Having been involved in the hiring process as the Department’s Training
Officer, I likewise have been present at several swearing in ceremonies for new
hires, into a job I feel is the best in the world. However, it is the
City Administrative Officials who are tasked with swearing in these young men
and women who fail to understand just what our job entails. They fail to
ask the pertinent questions to understand what our job entails, and I’m not
speaking just for the job as Fire Fighter, but also as a Law Enforcement
Officer. I know for a fact that just about every member of this City
Council were invited to the Office of the Fire Chief where Interim Fire Chief
Joe Pronesti did his very best to educate you about our job as Fire Fighters
and the state of the Elyria Fire Department
Administrators and citizens alike fail to recognize that local members
of the safety forces are the first line of defense in our communities in our
established Homeland Security. ....
Over the past several years with the rise
in fears of global terrorism, and witnessing firsthand the affects of terrorism
on the shores of America, and significant natural disasters in the forms of
hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes, only those communities who have
adequately
prepared and planned for these disasters have made it through the rough
times. However those communities who have struggled with the emergency
responses, in particular New Orleans with Hurricane Katrina,
the Mayor was the first to criticize the Federal Government in how they
responded to the unfolding disaster. In reality, such first response
capabilities for local resources must be able to maintain initial response
actions for up to the first 72+ hours. Emergency Services remain the
first line of defense in the Homeland Security hierarchy. ....
Yet these services are being decimated to curtail the budget overspending so
that the niceties and not the necessities remain. God forbid that it would
happen here, but consider a Columbine type incident here and not having the
available on-duty resources to be able to provide at a minimum first responder
capabilities. We have been working with
the schools with the establishment of their Emergency Action Planse keep
in mind that it will be the local first responders who come under fire by the
community and ultimately the City Administration for their delayed or
undermanned response to handle the emergency situation. An excellent
example of how Emergency Action Plans are supposed to work comes with how the
incident at Lorain County Community College was handled, especially by the
college staff and security. There was an
orderly evacuation of all the students form the buildings. There was a check of
the rooms by personnel to assure that everyone was out of the buildings, which
resulted in all students , instructors, staff, and visitors were out of the
buildings requiring no emergency rescues required. Everyone there knew their jobs and
responsibilities and performed them well.
Will we be able to say the same at our next major emergency???....
We were lucky that the first fire truck
located only 1 mile down the road arrivewithin minutes after the receipt of the
alarm. Initial actions by firefighters
would have been dramatically different had that Station been closed and that
Engine Company been placed out of service thus adding several minutes for the arrival of the first Fire
Department units. And then once they arrived, the limited fire Department
manpower and resources would have been required to perform the same duties: making
entry into the smoke filled structures to assure that all students, staff and
security had safely evacuated the
buildings, checking every room, stairwell, and hallway, while at the same
time attempting to assess the situation, establishing an uninterruptible water
supply, stretching thousands of feet of hoses from the fire hydrants to the
pumping apparatus and then to the seat of the fire located underground in the
utility tunnels under the campus. The heat in the underground reinforced
concrete tunnels intensifying by the minute with near zero visibility.
The Incident Commander, knowing that the fire will double in size every 20-30
seconds, thus adding to the overall damage and structural instability , possibly
leading to collapse of the tunnels, and knowing that his limited
resources are taking one hell of a beating in the cavernous tunnels, and that
any stoppage of fire operations would allow for progression of the fire
from it’s original point of origin. A call for Mutual Aid from
surrounding communities for additional personnel and equipment is a last resort
call, not to be used for everyday responses that should be able to be handled
by the community Fire Department. The concept of Mutual Aid is that other
communities will provide assistance provided it can be reciprocated by the
requesting community. When that occurs resources from our community
respond to their need thus limiting the resources needed to protect our own
community, thus requiring the call of off-duty personnel to man the equipment,
apparatus and stations affected by the Mutual Aid call out so that our
community is not left any more shorthanded in case of an emergency need by our taxpayers.
We were lucky on the day of the college incident, because the fire station
located just down the road was not closed yet, and the Engine Company with its
three firefighters
were able to respond to the scene within minutes, followed several minutes
later by the remaining resources from all the fire stations located throughout
the city. Firefighters were injured at this fire in the performance of
their duties. Thank goodness their injuries were not serious. Though one
did require treatment at the Emergency Room.....
I would like you
all to consider the following: Fire fighters and police officers are people
who, at one point in his/her life, wrote a blank check made payable to
‘The Citizens of their Community ' for an amount of 'up to and
including their life.' This is something that we have all come to expect
as part of the job. We don’t go to work in the morning expecting
something to happen to us on the job, but when we kiss our loved ones goodbye
as we leave, we know that there is the possibility that we may not return. We
hear members of the community praising those responders and their survivors
when they suffer the loss of a loved one while in the line of duty. But
these are the same ones to cast their dispersions on those same individuals for
working the hours and hours of
overtime, that takes them away from their families in order to serve their
communities. And yet l hear the Mayor and members of his Administration
bad mouth the members of the Department chastising them for the amount of money
requested in their budget, saying in a public forum, a City Council Meeting,
“ITS NOT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE SPEND WITHIN THE
FIRE DEPARTMENT… BUT FOR ME WE’VE BEEN SPENDING MORE THAN THEY SHOULD NEED…
IT’S
THE VALUE OF WHAT WE’RE GETTING OUT OF THAT DEPARTMENT THAT'S IN QUESTION.”........
That
statement alone is a slap in the face to all of the brave member of both the
Fire Department AND the Police Department.....
I suffered a stroke while on duty stressing
over these issues and how it would affect not only the citizens of the City of
Elyria, of which my wife and children and many other family members are
included, but how it would also affect the safety of those firefighters tasked
to protect life and property. We have Department heads who are tasked
with providing the leadership as professionals who have worked their ways up
the ranks within their Departments to provide the leadership and
professionalism to perform the duties tasked to the personnel within their
departments. For years the Fire Chiefs have constantly been providing
information to the Mayor, but it seems that they’ve continually fallen on deaf
ears. For years the turnover rate within the Fire Department has been an
issue. Due to retirements, long term injuries and illnesses and military
leave which has taken some of our youngest and brightest members to wars in
both Iraq and Afghanistan. Thank God our members have returned safely
from war. However, the hiring’s have not kept pace with the
retirements. The Mayor has said that it’s cheaper to pay the overtime
than to maintain the minimum manning requirements by hiring new firefighters.
Yet in Public Forums, he blames the Firefighters for the budget crisis because
of the overtime they get!....
I’m getting off my soapbox now; this just
aggravates the hell out of me and I can feel my blood pressure rising again.
Before it gets out of control and leads me to another stroke I’m gonna quit
this tirade. ....
To the Department Heads in the City, I urge
you to carefully read over and study the City’s Emergency Operation Plan which
addresses each Department’s responsibilities should a disaster strike in the
City. The Plan is currently effective,
having been approved by the Administration following countless hours spent
working on the development of the City’s Plan by Assistant Chief Bob Dempsey
from the Fire Department, Captain Dan Jaekle from the Police Department, Mr.
Tom Kelley from the Lorain County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland
Security, and Myself. We missed an ideal
opportunity to practice the Emergency Plan with the Snow Storms we’ve had the
past couple years. Instead we operate in
responsive actions instead of predetermined actions, even when we knew up to
five dasy ahead of time before the storms struck and the snow began flying.....
To the Citizens in the City of Elyria I urge you to practice fire safety and
make sure your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are working and
have fresh batteries in them. This coming weekend when we turn the clocks
ahead for Daylight Savings Time, take the time to change their batteries. Along with that make sure that your family
has an escape plan in case you are faced with a fire or CO emergency.
Don’t wait or hesitate to call 911 in an emergency. The longer you wait
to call, the longer it will take for the first responders to get to your
location. I urge the citizens to become involved in their Neighborhood
Block Watch Programs through the Police Department and Community Emergency
Response Team Program through Emergency Management Agency. We all need to be aware of what’s going on
around us in our neighborhoods and take care of each other, because despite
what the Mayor says, I strongly
feel that his priorities place the niceties over the necessities!....
.. ..
our country and
even the world, it seems that when governments, especially local governments
have to cut back in order to balance the budget, Police and Fire Departments
are always the first to feel the pinch. When listening to the government
leaders who make these tough decisions, it always irritates me when they try to
justify their rationale in the establishment of their civic priorities, with
high priorities always given toward hockey and soccer Moms to keep the Parks
open so they have a place to drop their kids off and not have to pay a
babysitter.....
I’m at the end of my career as a thirty
year fire captain with the City of Elyria, Ohio Fire Department having suffered
a stroke while on the job in October 2008. This is very unfortunate
because I wasn’t planning to retire at this point in my career. I truly
loved the job and the service I have given to my community. ....
However because of the stroke and some subsequent residual problems from the
episode, I will be unable to return to the job I’ve loved for all these
years. It was also because of the stroke that it was discovered that I
have a mild cardiac related problem that could possibly manifest itself to a
more serious nature if I were to continue on the job. I’ve told my fellow
fire fighters who were on hand to assist me when I was in need, who I feel were
ultimately responsible for saving my life, that this would be the ONLY time
that I’d let them wheel me off from the job, as I would never let the City Administration
have another opportunity to take me from my family, especially in light of the
pending cuts proposed for the Fire Department.....
I can remember the day I was sworn in as a
Fire Fighter for the City of Elyria, having resigned from my job as a Deputy
Sheriff for Lorain County. My Father was an Assistant Chief on the
Department serving as the City’s Fire Marshall and stood at my side when I
raised my right hand and recited the oath before the Mayor Bowman, the Safety
Service Director, my wife, and my Mother . ....
Having been involved in the hiring process as the Department’s Training
Officer, I likewise have been present at several swearing in ceremonies for new
hires, into a job I feel is the best in the world. However, it is the
City Administrative Officials who are tasked with swearing in these young men
and women who fail to understand just what our job entails. They fail to
ask the pertinent questions to understand what our job entails, and I’m not
speaking just for the job as Fire Fighter, but also as a Law Enforcement
Officer. I know for a fact that just about every member of this City
Council were invited to the Office of the Fire Chief where Interim Fire Chief
Joe Pronesti did his very best to educate you about our job as Fire Fighters
and the state of the Elyria Fire Department
Administrators and citizens alike fail to recognize that local members
of the safety forces are the first line of defense in our communities in our
established Homeland Security. ....
Over the past several years with the rise
in fears of global terrorism, and witnessing firsthand the affects of terrorism
on the shores of America, and significant natural disasters in the forms of
hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes, only those communities who have
adequately
prepared and planned for these disasters have made it through the rough
times. However those communities who have struggled with the emergency
responses, in particular New Orleans with Hurricane Katrina,
the Mayor was the first to criticize the Federal Government in how they
responded to the unfolding disaster. In reality, such first response
capabilities for local resources must be able to maintain initial response
actions for up to the first 72+ hours. Emergency Services remain the
first line of defense in the Homeland Security hierarchy. ....
Yet these services are being decimated to curtail the budget overspending so
that the niceties and not the necessities remain. God forbid that it would
happen here, but consider a Columbine type incident here and not having the
available on-duty resources to be able to provide at a minimum first responder
capabilities. We have been working with
the schools with the establishment of their Emergency Action Planse keep
in mind that it will be the local first responders who come under fire by the
community and ultimately the City Administration for their delayed or
undermanned response to handle the emergency situation. An excellent
example of how Emergency Action Plans are supposed to work comes with how the
incident at Lorain County Community College was handled, especially by the
college staff and security. There was an
orderly evacuation of all the students form the buildings. There was a check of
the rooms by personnel to assure that everyone was out of the buildings, which
resulted in all students , instructors, staff, and visitors were out of the
buildings requiring no emergency rescues required. Everyone there knew their jobs and
responsibilities and performed them well.
Will we be able to say the same at our next major emergency???....
We were lucky that the first fire truck
located only 1 mile down the road arrivewithin minutes after the receipt of the
alarm. Initial actions by firefighters
would have been dramatically different had that Station been closed and that
Engine Company been placed out of service thus adding several minutes for the arrival of the first Fire
Department units. And then once they arrived, the limited fire Department
manpower and resources would have been required to perform the same duties: making
entry into the smoke filled structures to assure that all students, staff and
security had safely evacuated the
buildings, checking every room, stairwell, and hallway, while at the same
time attempting to assess the situation, establishing an uninterruptible water
supply, stretching thousands of feet of hoses from the fire hydrants to the
pumping apparatus and then to the seat of the fire located underground in the
utility tunnels under the campus. The heat in the underground reinforced
concrete tunnels intensifying by the minute with near zero visibility.
The Incident Commander, knowing that the fire will double in size every 20-30
seconds, thus adding to the overall damage and structural instability , possibly
leading to collapse of the tunnels, and knowing that his limited
resources are taking one hell of a beating in the cavernous tunnels, and that
any stoppage of fire operations would allow for progression of the fire
from it’s original point of origin. A call for Mutual Aid from
surrounding communities for additional personnel and equipment is a last resort
call, not to be used for everyday responses that should be able to be handled
by the community Fire Department. The concept of Mutual Aid is that other
communities will provide assistance provided it can be reciprocated by the
requesting community. When that occurs resources from our community
respond to their need thus limiting the resources needed to protect our own
community, thus requiring the call of off-duty personnel to man the equipment,
apparatus and stations affected by the Mutual Aid call out so that our
community is not left any more shorthanded in case of an emergency need by our taxpayers.
We were lucky on the day of the college incident, because the fire station
located just down the road was not closed yet, and the Engine Company with its
three firefighters
were able to respond to the scene within minutes, followed several minutes
later by the remaining resources from all the fire stations located throughout
the city. Firefighters were injured at this fire in the performance of
their duties. Thank goodness their injuries were not serious. Though one
did require treatment at the Emergency Room.....
I would like you
all to consider the following: Fire fighters and police officers are people
who, at one point in his/her life, wrote a blank check made payable to
‘The Citizens of their Community ' for an amount of 'up to and
including their life.' This is something that we have all come to expect
as part of the job. We don’t go to work in the morning expecting
something to happen to us on the job, but when we kiss our loved ones goodbye
as we leave, we know that there is the possibility that we may not return. We
hear members of the community praising those responders and their survivors
when they suffer the loss of a loved one while in the line of duty. But
these are the same ones to cast their dispersions on those same individuals for
working the hours and hours of
overtime, that takes them away from their families in order to serve their
communities. And yet l hear the Mayor and members of his Administration
bad mouth the members of the Department chastising them for the amount of money
requested in their budget, saying in a public forum, a City Council Meeting,
“ITS NOT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE SPEND WITHIN THE
FIRE DEPARTMENT… BUT FOR ME WE’VE BEEN SPENDING MORE THAN THEY SHOULD NEED…
IT’S
THE VALUE OF WHAT WE’RE GETTING OUT OF THAT DEPARTMENT THAT'S IN QUESTION.”........
That
statement alone is a slap in the face to all of the brave member of both the
Fire Department AND the Police Department.....
I suffered a stroke while on duty stressing
over these issues and how it would affect not only the citizens of the City of
Elyria, of which my wife and children and many other family members are
included, but how it would also affect the safety of those firefighters tasked
to protect life and property. We have Department heads who are tasked
with providing the leadership as professionals who have worked their ways up
the ranks within their Departments to provide the leadership and
professionalism to perform the duties tasked to the personnel within their
departments. For years the Fire Chiefs have constantly been providing
information to the Mayor, but it seems that they’ve continually fallen on deaf
ears. For years the turnover rate within the Fire Department has been an
issue. Due to retirements, long term injuries and illnesses and military
leave which has taken some of our youngest and brightest members to wars in
both Iraq and Afghanistan. Thank God our members have returned safely
from war. However, the hiring’s have not kept pace with the
retirements. The Mayor has said that it’s cheaper to pay the overtime
than to maintain the minimum manning requirements by hiring new firefighters.
Yet in Public Forums, he blames the Firefighters for the budget crisis because
of the overtime they get!....
I’m getting off my soapbox now; this just
aggravates the hell out of me and I can feel my blood pressure rising again.
Before it gets out of control and leads me to another stroke I’m gonna quit
this tirade. ....
To the Department Heads in the City, I urge
you to carefully read over and study the City’s Emergency Operation Plan which
addresses each Department’s responsibilities should a disaster strike in the
City. The Plan is currently effective,
having been approved by the Administration following countless hours spent
working on the development of the City’s Plan by Assistant Chief Bob Dempsey
from the Fire Department, Captain Dan Jaekle from the Police Department, Mr.
Tom Kelley from the Lorain County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland
Security, and Myself. We missed an ideal
opportunity to practice the Emergency Plan with the Snow Storms we’ve had the
past couple years. Instead we operate in
responsive actions instead of predetermined actions, even when we knew up to
five dasy ahead of time before the storms struck and the snow began flying.....
To the Citizens in the City of Elyria I urge you to practice fire safety and
make sure your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are working and
have fresh batteries in them. This coming weekend when we turn the clocks
ahead for Daylight Savings Time, take the time to change their batteries. Along with that make sure that your family
has an escape plan in case you are faced with a fire or CO emergency.
Don’t wait or hesitate to call 911 in an emergency. The longer you wait
to call, the longer it will take for the first responders to get to your
location. I urge the citizens to become involved in their Neighborhood
Block Watch Programs through the Police Department and Community Emergency
Response Team Program through Emergency Management Agency. We all need to be aware of what’s going on
around us in our neighborhoods and take care of each other, because despite
what the Mayor says, I strongly
feel that his priorities place the niceties over the necessities!....
.. ..
I Wish You Could Know my Job as a Firefighter
..
.I wish you could feel the sense of pride I have when I raise my hand and take the oath for.my position in the Fire Department.
I wish you could see the sadness of a business man as his livelihood goes up in flames, or that family returning home, only to find their house and belongings damaged or lost for good.
I wish you could feel the fear of being handed a pink slip telling me that in two weeks I will no longer be employed as a Firefighter due to being laid off, and not knowing where I could find a job doing the thing that I have grown to know not just as a job, but as a passion.
I wish you could know what it is like to search a burning bedroom for
trapped children, flames rolling above your head, your palms and knees burning
as you crawl, the floor sagging under your weight as the kitchen below you
burns.
I wish you could comprehend a wife's horror at ..3 a.m... as I check her husband of 40 years for a pulse and find none. I start CPR anyway, hoping to bring him back, knowing intuitively it is too late. But wanting his wife and family to know everything possible was done too try to save his life.
I wish you knew the unique smell of burning insulation, the taste of
soot-filled mucus, the feeling of intense heat through your turnout gear, the
sound of flames crackling, the eeriness of being able to see absolutely nothing
in dense smoke-sensations that I've become too familiar with.
I wish you could know how it feels to be standing at the nurses station in the hospital's Obstetrics Unit waiting to sign the birth certificate of a baby who just minutes ago I helped to deliver before the mother had the chance to make it to the hospital.
I wish you could understand how it feels to go to work in the morning
after having spent most of the night, hot and soaking wet at a multiple alarm
fire.
I wish you could read my mind as I respond to a building fire "Is
this a false alarm or a working fire? How is the building constructed? What
hazards await me? Is anyone trapped?" Or to an ..EMS...call, "What is wrong with the patient? Is it minor or life threatening? Is the caller really in distress or is he waiting for us behind a closed door with a baseball bat or a gun?"
I wish you could be in the emergency room as a doctor pronounces dead
the beautiful five-year old girl that I have been trying to save during the
past 25 minutes. Who will never go on her first date or say the words, "I
love you Mommy" again.
I wish you could know the frustration I feel in the cab of the engine,
the driver with his foot pressing down hard on the pedal, my arm tugging again
and again at the air horn chain, as you fail to yield the right-of-way at an
intersection or in traffic. When you need us however, your first comment upon
our arrival will be, "It took you forever to get here!"
I wish you could know my thoughts as I help extricate a girl of teenage
years from the remains of her automobile. "What if this was my sister,
my girlfriend or a friend? What was her parent’s reaction going to be when they opened the door to find a police officer with hat in hand?"
I wish you could know the anguish I feel when having to defend myself at a worker's compensation hearing, in order to get my medical bills paid for because of injuries or illnesses sustained while in the performance of my duties as a firefighter.
I wish you could know how it feels to walk in the back door and greet my family, not having the heart to tell them that I nearly did not come back from the last call.
I wish you could feel the hurt we feel as people verbally, and sometimes
physically, abuse us or belittle us for what I do, or as they express their attitudes
of "It will never happen to me."
I wish you could feel how we are chilled to the bone when fighting a fire or performing a rescue in the dead of winter with snow or freezing rain soaking us and freezing our fire gear to our skin.
I wish you could realize the physical, emotional and mental drain or
missed meals, lost sleep and foregone social activities, in addition to all the
tragedy my eyes have seen.
I wish you could see the pain and terror in the eyes of our family members as they are ushered to our bedside in the Emergency 'Room after we've fallen ill or are injured in the line of duty, not knowing the acute or chronic effects of the problem, or if the injury or illness may lead to our death.
I wish you could know the frustration we feel when we are blamed for the closing of fire stations and resulting delayed responses to emergency calls and for the subsequent increase in citizens property insurance premiums when in reality it is due to the mismanagement of city funds by the City Administration in their attempts to make us appear to be the bad guys.
I wish you could know the brotherhood and self satisfaction of helping
save life or preserving someone's property, or being able to be there in time
of crisis, or creating order from chaos.
I wish you could know the pride I feel when a little child comes up to you and says, "I want to grow up and be a firefighter just like you!"
I wish you could understand the happiness we feel when we are approached by a young student while we are off duty, who with pride, introduces us to their parents explaining to them that we were at their school and taught them what to do in case of a fire.
I wish you could understand what it feels like to have a little boy
tugging at your arm and asking, "Is Mommy okay?", not even being able to look in his eyes without tears from your own and not knowing what to say. Or to have to hold back a long time friend who watches his buddy have CPR performed on him as they take him away in the ambulance. You know all along he did not have his seat belt on. This is a sensation that I have become too familiar with. Unless
you have lived with this kind of life, you will never truly understand or
appreciate who I am, we are, or what our job really means to us.... but, I
wish you could though.....
.. ..
.. ..
-author
unknown.....
.I wish you could feel the sense of pride I have when I raise my hand and take the oath for.my position in the Fire Department.
I wish you could see the sadness of a business man as his livelihood goes up in flames, or that family returning home, only to find their house and belongings damaged or lost for good.
I wish you could feel the fear of being handed a pink slip telling me that in two weeks I will no longer be employed as a Firefighter due to being laid off, and not knowing where I could find a job doing the thing that I have grown to know not just as a job, but as a passion.
I wish you could know what it is like to search a burning bedroom for
trapped children, flames rolling above your head, your palms and knees burning
as you crawl, the floor sagging under your weight as the kitchen below you
burns.
I wish you could comprehend a wife's horror at ..3 a.m... as I check her husband of 40 years for a pulse and find none. I start CPR anyway, hoping to bring him back, knowing intuitively it is too late. But wanting his wife and family to know everything possible was done too try to save his life.
I wish you knew the unique smell of burning insulation, the taste of
soot-filled mucus, the feeling of intense heat through your turnout gear, the
sound of flames crackling, the eeriness of being able to see absolutely nothing
in dense smoke-sensations that I've become too familiar with.
I wish you could know how it feels to be standing at the nurses station in the hospital's Obstetrics Unit waiting to sign the birth certificate of a baby who just minutes ago I helped to deliver before the mother had the chance to make it to the hospital.
I wish you could understand how it feels to go to work in the morning
after having spent most of the night, hot and soaking wet at a multiple alarm
fire.
I wish you could read my mind as I respond to a building fire "Is
this a false alarm or a working fire? How is the building constructed? What
hazards await me? Is anyone trapped?" Or to an ..EMS...call, "What is wrong with the patient? Is it minor or life threatening? Is the caller really in distress or is he waiting for us behind a closed door with a baseball bat or a gun?"
I wish you could be in the emergency room as a doctor pronounces dead
the beautiful five-year old girl that I have been trying to save during the
past 25 minutes. Who will never go on her first date or say the words, "I
love you Mommy" again.
I wish you could know the frustration I feel in the cab of the engine,
the driver with his foot pressing down hard on the pedal, my arm tugging again
and again at the air horn chain, as you fail to yield the right-of-way at an
intersection or in traffic. When you need us however, your first comment upon
our arrival will be, "It took you forever to get here!"
I wish you could know my thoughts as I help extricate a girl of teenage
years from the remains of her automobile. "What if this was my sister,
my girlfriend or a friend? What was her parent’s reaction going to be when they opened the door to find a police officer with hat in hand?"
I wish you could know the anguish I feel when having to defend myself at a worker's compensation hearing, in order to get my medical bills paid for because of injuries or illnesses sustained while in the performance of my duties as a firefighter.
I wish you could know how it feels to walk in the back door and greet my family, not having the heart to tell them that I nearly did not come back from the last call.
I wish you could feel the hurt we feel as people verbally, and sometimes
physically, abuse us or belittle us for what I do, or as they express their attitudes
of "It will never happen to me."
I wish you could feel how we are chilled to the bone when fighting a fire or performing a rescue in the dead of winter with snow or freezing rain soaking us and freezing our fire gear to our skin.
I wish you could realize the physical, emotional and mental drain or
missed meals, lost sleep and foregone social activities, in addition to all the
tragedy my eyes have seen.
I wish you could see the pain and terror in the eyes of our family members as they are ushered to our bedside in the Emergency 'Room after we've fallen ill or are injured in the line of duty, not knowing the acute or chronic effects of the problem, or if the injury or illness may lead to our death.
I wish you could know the frustration we feel when we are blamed for the closing of fire stations and resulting delayed responses to emergency calls and for the subsequent increase in citizens property insurance premiums when in reality it is due to the mismanagement of city funds by the City Administration in their attempts to make us appear to be the bad guys.
I wish you could know the brotherhood and self satisfaction of helping
save life or preserving someone's property, or being able to be there in time
of crisis, or creating order from chaos.
I wish you could know the pride I feel when a little child comes up to you and says, "I want to grow up and be a firefighter just like you!"
I wish you could understand the happiness we feel when we are approached by a young student while we are off duty, who with pride, introduces us to their parents explaining to them that we were at their school and taught them what to do in case of a fire.
I wish you could understand what it feels like to have a little boy
tugging at your arm and asking, "Is Mommy okay?", not even being able to look in his eyes without tears from your own and not knowing what to say. Or to have to hold back a long time friend who watches his buddy have CPR performed on him as they take him away in the ambulance. You know all along he did not have his seat belt on. This is a sensation that I have become too familiar with. Unless
you have lived with this kind of life, you will never truly understand or
appreciate who I am, we are, or what our job really means to us.... but, I
wish you could though.....
.. ..
.. ..
-author
unknown.....
World Traveling
I can’t believe it, my baby boy has left home for another adventure of a life-time. To go to the last great frontier, Alaska and attempt to conquer the tundra. After seeing his excitement after he returned from his summer job last year, I knew that he was hooked and it would be just a matter of time before he returned. But then again, after seeing some of his pictures and hearing some of his stories, I want so bad to take a trip up there after I retire. Terri and I need to spend some time together, so an Alaskan Cruise is in the planning stages. We’ll probably fly to Vancouver to meet the cruise ship to take the inland passage and up to Seward. Then I’d like to catch the train for an inland trip to Anchorage, Fairbanks, and then to the Kenai Peninsula. That will be the trip of a lifetime for ME, because I’ll probably never find anything to surpass it or the other trips I’ve enjoyed over the years. In my life I’ve had the unique experiences to travel with the Oberlin Choristers as a chaperone for three of their trips: to England, and Italy with Kyle, and Hawaii with Cory. Due to the time of the year, early summer, Terri wasn’t able to go because she was needed at work. But in my retirement, I hope to make it up to her. I’d love to take her to Italy. That is the most beautiful place I believe I have ever been to. Rome, Florence, Vatican City, all were spectacular venues to visit. Although England was nice, Italy was spectacular!!! If I was to return to England, I’d definitely take the Beatles tour and visit Liverpool, the Cavern, and then on to London. But one place I haven’t been to yet, that I would love to explore by bicycle, would be Ireland. Another place I would love to visit would be Omaha Beach, Normandy and the military cemetary there.
The only problem is time. I don’t know how much quality time I’ve got left. Not to sound morbid or anything, but after suffering one stroke, I wonder just how much time I’ve got before suffering another stroke, or heart attack. I’m trying to take good care of myself, but after having had one episode like the one I had in October, I think its only a matter of time before the next one. I feel guilty for having taken these trips without Terri, but she insisted that I go just to be there with our boys. I hope I’ll be able to repay her with at least one of the trips I’m planning. Before something happens.
The only problem is time. I don’t know how much quality time I’ve got left. Not to sound morbid or anything, but after suffering one stroke, I wonder just how much time I’ve got before suffering another stroke, or heart attack. I’m trying to take good care of myself, but after having had one episode like the one I had in October, I think its only a matter of time before the next one. I feel guilty for having taken these trips without Terri, but she insisted that I go just to be there with our boys. I hope I’ll be able to repay her with at least one of the trips I’m planning. Before something happens.
Lost Loves
Lost Love
I’ve been keeping track of friends and family members through two of the most popular social networking sites on the internet, Facebook and MySpace. Some of my friends and kids from school have been changing their relationship status about as much and as fast as I change my socks. I get sad when I see this knowing that if they are anything like me, any change in my previous relationship statuses was a major trauma for me. It hurts when you are faced with a breakup of with someone you thought you loved. It took me a very long time to get over my break ups. I’m sure the young ladies that were in my life at that time likewise felt the pain of the breakup as well. When my boys went through their traumatic breakups with their longtime girlfriends, it brought to mind the same pain I suffered way back when. After many years past my breakups as I’m sure it is the same with everyone, you wonder what has happened to the significant other. You wonder where their life has taken them. You wonder if they’re happy after moving on with their lives. And you also wonder if they ever think about you, as you sometimes think about them.
Just recently, I heard an old song on the radio that got me thinking more about this. The song was by the Moody Blues. For those of you not old enough to remember this group, The Moody Blues were best known for fusing an orchestral sound with rock and roll, as seen in one of their most popular songs, "Nights in White Satin." The Moody Blues were originally a British rhythm and blues-based band; they later became best known for early progressive rock. The Moody Blues originated in Birmingham, England. The song I mentioned was entitled, “In Your Wildest Dreams”. The lyrics from the first verse got me thinking about the kids today and how they’ll feel in the coming years after having traumatic breakups of their relationships over insignificant immature issues.....
Once upon a time
Once when you were mine
I remember skies
Reflected in your eyes
I wonder where you are
I wonder if you
Think about me
Once upon a time
In your wildest dreams
I can remember those days of young love, even during those early days of dating my wife… Once upon a time, when we were happily in love (or so we thought). Those days of lovingly staring into each other’s eyes, remembering those reflections we saw. And wondering if they ever think about you, remembering those great times you shared together, and hopefully not remembering those not so great times. But you wonder if they think about you even if its in their wildest dreams. Using Facebook, Twitter, or MySpace, you may be able to find out, even in your own wildest dreams. Knowing the results of others who have found their long lost loves, be careful what you look for. The pain may easily return as your wildest dreams may turn into a wild nightmare.....
I’ve been keeping track of friends and family members through two of the most popular social networking sites on the internet, Facebook and MySpace. Some of my friends and kids from school have been changing their relationship status about as much and as fast as I change my socks. I get sad when I see this knowing that if they are anything like me, any change in my previous relationship statuses was a major trauma for me. It hurts when you are faced with a breakup of with someone you thought you loved. It took me a very long time to get over my break ups. I’m sure the young ladies that were in my life at that time likewise felt the pain of the breakup as well. When my boys went through their traumatic breakups with their longtime girlfriends, it brought to mind the same pain I suffered way back when. After many years past my breakups as I’m sure it is the same with everyone, you wonder what has happened to the significant other. You wonder where their life has taken them. You wonder if they’re happy after moving on with their lives. And you also wonder if they ever think about you, as you sometimes think about them.
Just recently, I heard an old song on the radio that got me thinking more about this. The song was by the Moody Blues. For those of you not old enough to remember this group, The Moody Blues were best known for fusing an orchestral sound with rock and roll, as seen in one of their most popular songs, "Nights in White Satin." The Moody Blues were originally a British rhythm and blues-based band; they later became best known for early progressive rock. The Moody Blues originated in Birmingham, England. The song I mentioned was entitled, “In Your Wildest Dreams”. The lyrics from the first verse got me thinking about the kids today and how they’ll feel in the coming years after having traumatic breakups of their relationships over insignificant immature issues.....
Once upon a time
Once when you were mine
I remember skies
Reflected in your eyes
I wonder where you are
I wonder if you
Think about me
Once upon a time
In your wildest dreams
I can remember those days of young love, even during those early days of dating my wife… Once upon a time, when we were happily in love (or so we thought). Those days of lovingly staring into each other’s eyes, remembering those reflections we saw. And wondering if they ever think about you, remembering those great times you shared together, and hopefully not remembering those not so great times. But you wonder if they think about you even if its in their wildest dreams. Using Facebook, Twitter, or MySpace, you may be able to find out, even in your own wildest dreams. Knowing the results of others who have found their long lost loves, be careful what you look for. The pain may easily return as your wildest dreams may turn into a wild nightmare.....
LIFE IN 1500s
This is not an original writing. The author for this is unknown, but I found it interesting and hope you do too.
The next time you are washing your hands and complain because the water temperature isn't just how you like it, think about how things used to be. Here are some facts about the1500s:
Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.
Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water.The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, Don't throw the baby out with the Bath water.
Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof. Hence the saying. It's raining cats and dogs.
There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house.This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.
The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying, Dirt poor. The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until, when you opened the door, it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entranceway. Hence the saying a thresh hold.
(Getting quite an education, aren't you?)
In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme, Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old..
Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could, bring home the bacon. They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and chew the fat.
Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.
Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or the upper crust.
Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a wake.
England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house, and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift.) to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be, saved by the bell or was considered a ...dead ringer.
And that's the truth. Now, whoever said History was boring ! ! !
Educate someone. Share these facts with a friend.
The next time you are washing your hands and complain because the water temperature isn't just how you like it, think about how things used to be. Here are some facts about the1500s:
Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.
Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water.The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, Don't throw the baby out with the Bath water.
Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof. Hence the saying. It's raining cats and dogs.
There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house.This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.
The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying, Dirt poor. The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until, when you opened the door, it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entranceway. Hence the saying a thresh hold.
(Getting quite an education, aren't you?)
In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme, Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old..
Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could, bring home the bacon. They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and chew the fat.
Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.
Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or the upper crust.
Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a wake.
England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house, and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift.) to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be, saved by the bell or was considered a ...dead ringer.
And that's the truth. Now, whoever said History was boring ! ! !
Educate someone. Share these facts with a friend.
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