What is this Thing Called Happiness?

       Merry Christmas Everyone! When you hear that how do you feel? What do you think? Do you just smile and say the same to you but inside feel like you just wish people would shut-up and go away?
        We don't ever know what's happening with our neighbors, friends and even family much less the strangers who greet us ringing bells or serve us at Restaurants and eve the clerks behind a counter. They happily ask, May I help you? But inside are thinking, just go away, and what's so good about holidays. We're not even supposed to say Merry Christmas anymore in many places.
        But how do we contain that feeling of real happiness or should we? No I don't think we should. Be as real and as honest as you can. But be as sensitive as your inner self tells you to be. You might see a dad shopping and you can just tell he has very little, may not be working and maybe his wife is sick or has passed away. So many possibilities, so tread gently into a life.
        It's hard not to be overjoyed when things in your own life are so perfect. but what about the others? Sure many make their lives they way they are and are happy in their own misery. Heck, they may not even be miserable. It's all relative. Then again some are miserable through illness, poverty, loneliness, job loss and what I think is worse than anything at all, a sick and dying child. Instead of expecting, let's try respecting. Just respect a person's life the way it is right now.  Don't look down on them because of how they dress, wear their hair or the car they own, or the obvious poverty in how their kids are dressed, no haircuts, shabby shoes and more. Just respect they are doing the best they can. Don't feel sorry for them, but ask them if they can help you. Let them know how much or how you can pay, but make sure to let them know also, you need the help.
      A first reaction may very well be even if they don't say it-you're just feeling sorry for me. They retreat knowing, knowing you think you're better and this takes care of your conscience. If you really feel like that, take a hike. No one needs pity, they need help. Most do want to work for it, so have Merry Christmas, be joyful, healthy, happy, silly and a little kid-like, and most of all remember how good you have it if you do. This is the season for giving-from your heart, not just your wallet. Jesus said so!

Across The Field...Those People !

       With a big smile in my heart I was just reminded of a time on December 22, two years ago when a few men showed up one Saturday morning, not that I forget at all. How do you ever forget goodness? This is about those men and the People across the field.
          I want to go back some years. For the people across the field who know me pretty well know about my grammar school principal Mr. Vitalo, the most important man in my life as a kid, one who had morals, ethics, built kids up, stood up for them and did anything in his power to help if you let him. I knew that was key, if I let him. Pride and fear get in the way with people. I wrote a lot on this blog about Mr. Vitalo so I won't delve into that again now. As the years passed no could or ever would measure up to even ten percent of that man until...
          I met a man across the field. I didn't have any idea who he was except some guy with a wife and a few kids who moved in and I hope I could hire one of the boys to mow my lawn. That's all I cared about. I wanted to keep my distance. If I paid then there isn't any connection. If I knew then what I know now:)
         Life is funny that way. It gives what you need sometimes weather you want it or not. So I knocked not expecting anything. This guy comes to the door smiling!
I thought what's he smiling about, I haven't said anything yet. He was welcoming me, but he was new. His wife stood by also smiling. Are these people nuts? Did I spill something on my top-again? Anyway I introduced myself and got to the point.
      He looked at his wife and said yeah, I think we can do that. We made arrangements and in a few days he showed up with his son. They looked around the field, and said they'd be back tomorrow. That first time both guys mowed using  a tractor and hand mower for the steep hill in front. After that it was always Sten, my favorite kid mower then. There is a season...
        As time and years passed I found myself learning more about The Family Across the Field, just as they learned about me. we shared many laughs and that guy who I didn't know anything about, well his name is Witmer as I started to call him, as well as some of the kids. One was just Little Witmer. There are so many memories about the talks, the laughs and the help. You see it wasn't just mowing, it was also shoveling snow.
         Before I get to that, once Sten was grown and moving, his brother Eric took over, and he was my favorite kid mower for that stretch. I love having kids around and they always gave more that they got in return. Each son had his own personality and they put up with me yakking at them. What respect! One day big Witmer shows up with Little Witmer. A hot summer day she had the hand held mower, hair up in a pretty pony-tail, and jeans! Long jeans rolled at the bottom mowing in that heat! What a family. If anything humbles a person that family can do it. There kindness and goodness is overwhelming.
     Winter arrives every year. See how smart I am-smirk. I love the winter and as much snow as we can get after all, I am a viking. The summer heat and I don't agree at all, but give me cold weather and I am so happy. So one day during a winter I called over to the House Across The Field and this nice voice answers, yup Lady Witmer. She tells me hello and how are ya doing kind of thing, chit chat a little, then I ask do you think maybe a Witmer could shovel? Of course but first he's shoveling...wow a professional shoveler!
      I love to shovel too, but sometimes my back doesn't help out. Well one winter night I hear Witmer with a shovel and at that time I have three boys here for a short time. They asked if they could go out and I say yes, but stay away from the driveway, Witmer is working. Oh boy you won't believe what happened next, I didn't.
     It wasn't long before I heard what sounded like yelling and shouting, giggles, laughing and plain old ruckus! Those kids! I walked out my side door,( can't tell ya what I was thinking) dark as night can be except for  aside light, see one of the boys who said faster than fast, "we're not doin' nuttin, it's them" pointing to the Witmers,  and I see  Big Witmer standing there, shovel in hand, turns around, says with a grin, hey Costa, hope you don't mind, we're just having a little fun. Little Witmer just gets back up the hill, says Hi Costa, we're sledding. I was so happy. My first thought was the boys were doing something to cause a problem, but oh no it wasn't.
If I remember correctly just one Witmer was missing, oh wait two. Lady Witmer was usually home, fires burning, hot cocoa ready doing school or church stuff/work! So Big Witmer told my boys to jump on ad take a ride. Three boys got on a sled and the block could hear them yelling with unleashed happiness. With that I just heard from a boy who remembers the Witmer family. He said his happiest times as a kid was living here, and knowing the Witmer, that he learned from them and he keeps them in his prayers. Kool huh?
      Well they all played a while longer, then finished the drive-way. Over the years any children who lived here were always treated the same by that family across the way, and I could always bounce stuff for ideas with Lady Witmer. We've been invited to church many times. I love to hear Lisa Carpen sing most of all and I remember one night near Christmas, Sten was going to do a piece of art work, then Lisa sang. Her voice, her passion is enough to make anyone change, and more over the years I could vent stuff to Big Witmer too about this and that, and how to repair some things. I like to do as much as I can myself, but then a biggie happened.
         My basement flooded. I talked to Those People Across the Field and Lady Witmer said, I'll ask Todd to come over and look at it. So Big Witmer did come over and he saw the problem. By then I had mold about two feet high and spreading near and wide across paneling, What a mess it was.
         One December morning I get a call. It was Big Witmer. Now he called me the day before asking to come see the water tank, get specks etc. information he was passing on to some guy. Well the very next morning I get another call from Big Witmer. he said we'll be over in about fifteen minutes; I wanted to give you a warning. Fifteen minutes!!! Even Batman doesn't get ready that quick! But I did, not too sure what was coming. Then this wonderful white truck pulls up. My dream is to have a big truck, or just a truck, but has to be able to hold kids:)
       So this truck has a guy, a kid and another guy. I was introduced to them as the men from the Nehemiah mission at the Witmers' church. The little guy was a grandson. We all went to work and on top of that Bob found the leak. It came from a cold water copper pipe leading into my washing machine. John, Witmer, myself and the grandson along with a little guy who was living here at the time worked for three hours, ripping out walls, loading scraps into Witmers truck, hauling out all the basement water which was too heavy. Those men! While I know how strong I am that water was too heavy for me, and smiling Witmer said here Costa, I got it. John and Witmer hauled just about all of the standing water out. Bob installed the new water tank, but it was one always helping the other. They brought in tools, found electric lines, water lines and all for the love of Jesus and their love of helping thy neighbor.
      I couldn't believe it only took three hours. There were times I would go in the basement and feeling overwhelmed, sit on a step and think, how am I going to do this; where will I start? The answer came December 22nd.
      Now after all this, a few months ago I needed to have a hole dug for the septic system to be cleaned and inspected. I called a young Witmer. He was actually getting ready to go back out west, but he came over anyway, putting someone else ahead of himself. That kid! That wonderful kid dug about two hours straight. He looked at a map, listened to the zoning officer to learn, and that was after the fact.
 He dug about four feet down, and close to two and half feet across. It was so professional. You knew this was a young guy with a conscience, a work ethic, and values. The night before he and his sister came over for  a visit. He was tanned and tired and I wasn't sure as tired as he was he would be able to dig. But sure enough, I heard that familiar sound, the shovel. In Winter, summer, a special need, the shovel, those People Across the Field are worthy of whatever goodness in life, that life brings them.
    Oh what I left out; I never knew Witmer was a pastor for many years. He never preached at or to me, not one word, but something about him, his family made me wonder. I wonder a lot . So to address him as Witmer for me seemed normal. Then chatting with Lady Witmer one day, I learned he was a pastor. Like a scattered puzzle coming together, it all made sense. Just like Mr. Vitalos' goodness.  Later in life meeting him again I learned he was studying to be a priest, but the war called and that seemed to change his life's direction, but not for a moment his dedication.
To everything there is a season

Those Rutters' KIds York New Salem Pa.

       Just want to give a thank you, to those kool young people at Rutters. I stop in  a lot as many do and notice how they treat people. One young lady always offers a smile to just about everyone, and gives a hi, how are you?  She asks questions, not too personal, but enough to let a person know she cares and  not let a line form. When a line happens she is right there pitching in, so Miss T, thank you for all of your hard work and kindnesses. BONUES TIME RUTTERS?
       Now I don't want to single out just one person, but like many who stop in we relate to whomever we have the most contact with at any given time. Some people just have a more reserved personality, want to do their work and not reach out. That's really okay too. No one is rude, short tempered, but just being them selves.
Sometimes it takes a smile to get one. Sometimes it takes offering a kind word, let people know you notice how devoted they are, after all we don't know how the upper crust treats their employees. BONUS TIME RUTTERS?
    Some are part-time BONUS TIME RUTTERS? and I may not see them much, but I do see too how the guys also work. We forget when we talk about companies who have more females and the guys get stuck on the back burner, not noticed as much. Well the two guys I see most are on the ball as well, and goal oriented. They have pleasant personalities and like the ladies offer kind words, short funny stories and take care of business at the same time. I have seen other young guys who, when I come in are working, so again... BONUS TIME RUTTERS?
     So to all of the Rutter Employees at York New Salem, I appreciate the people you are, the work you do, and how you make a day better for this consumer, which in turn makes me want to continue to patronize this particular store.

Celebrate Kids-what they do for us !!! U Two n' Montana

              Awesome was made for them. They were born to be awesome, but how many times have we overheard, you idiot! Hey Stupid what did I tell you? I've done it too, but in my own defense ( I know, oh sure) I like moron and only as a joke, only if I know the older kid can take it and know too that he can give it right back. Maybe in that I should stop because we never know what a kid really thinks we think when we/I do that. So I will do better.
              I remember no matter how young or old I was or am, somehow kids made me happier. In them I see proof that a future can be better for the world, that a future is possible. As a young teen feeling very little hope for the future, I still had to be responsible for my little brother and taking his two year old hand I would pretend at times to be his mom since I was with him almost every hour of the day. His future was planned. In my mind he would grow up to be a person who valued others first, didn't curse , drink or swear and would grow trees and climb mountains, yet we lived in Brooklyn New York. I was a fresh air kid so I knew it was possible for city kids to farm, climb mountains, plant a garden and from being a fresh air kid I knew too and learned about respect. They were Amish.
              That Amish family taught me more in two weeks about family values, worship, nurturing and more, than I learned in ten years at home. The youngest child on the farm had family responsibilities and that opened my eyes more to what children give to us. Returning to Brooklyn I watched little kids younger than I take out trash, empty bottles, run to the store, get mom a drink, pick up something mom or dad dropped, help the baby, get the mail, sweep the floor and so much more.
      As I grew up I saw my friend Sandy had some of the same responsibilities when it came to babysitting her sibling. Maybe we had to do it so much because our parents were afraid of what was "out there". But I doubt it. Anyway from then on, I saw my own brothers earn spending money shining shoes and selling newspapers. While they did that, most kids on the block ran to stores, washed halls, helped clean, did some babysitting and as they became teenagers, well that's when I really saw how kids work! Sure many to earn money, but they worked like some grown men wouldn't or couldn't.
       In a local butcher shop one kid Joey cleaned like a cyclone, always sweeping in and out, delivering orders on his bike no matter how hot or cold. Oh yeah he thought he was a grown-up with a cigarette behind his ear, but the butcher Big Joe took care of that. On a Saturday night Joey was washing the giant plate glass window while friends were on their way to a dance, and he quit smoking.
        Another local grocery store had a family who ran it, and yes the family children all worked there all to make it come together. Many, many time those kids had school books, sitting on crates reading and when a customer walked in, up one jumped to take care of the customer. That was family and work values in one, working for the good of the whole, no one more important or less than another.
     Today we see kids behind fast service counters and expect it fast, at gas stations, movie theatres, on farms, in churches. As adults we watch them and see who we have raised grow into who they want to be. We hopefully raise our children to be able to take care of themselves, respect others, do work that is honest and meaningful and to think for themselves. We raise them to do better and be better in whatever capacity that can be and we love them no matter what.
     I think I have been more fortunate than many adults, not that I'm always adult-like, but have known many kids. I've had a couple of neighbor kids, now young men living in Montana and I know how proud their parents are as they are of their daughter. I love those three kids. To me they will always be as if my own in some ways. Looking out my kitchen window I still see a twelve year old blond haired kid with a giant grin on a  Nine n ford tractor, mowing and waving. Time passed then I see a darker haired younger brother then about fourteen brother going over the same ground, and more time passed. The brothers were making changes as they were becoming men. One day I heard mowers. Huh? I knew the boys were away. It was The dad and his daughter on a hot summer day, she looking so cute in jeans with rolled up cuffs, too hot to mow but being that same good and caring extension of her family. She was the one whose voice I heard in a high school hall one day yell my name with me wondering, who knew me here? She saw me, I didn't see her until then. She went out of her way to say hi. I have to move on or...well you know.
           Lets' celebrate all kids and the foundations they stand on. Sure as parents own in other small children.
Look at the wonder in their eyes and wonder who they are. Take time to meet, to know and learn more about who may stand before you the next time you're on line in a fast food restaurant, getting gas, buying movie tickets or shopping. Give them a special thanks. They don't forget. Did you?
              

Septic help? York, Enviroclean AMERICAN co. PA.

          This past year has been a doozy for many Americans which is why we want to support American businesses as much as we can, and we all need all kinds of services.
     If you or anyone you know lives in the York, Delta or Brogue area, Seven Valleys and need a Septic Service these are the best, nicest, honest and most efficient people to call. You won't be sorry. I wish I could say more, but it's always better to talk to the people who own the business. Since I have used them I can now say I am biased. When I meet people who I know are true to their word and work, those are the people I want to support.
    Here is a link bkauf125@verizon.net   My experiences with these people doesn't even come close to what others have offered in the way of friendliness, helping in other ways as to make suggestions that you can only get from experience, and prices. While some may be close, all around this company is better than number one.

Leading Lawns-Year end clean-up? York Pa.

       Hello York and surrounding areas.

                     I wanted to pass along some good information and now is the time as well as getting back to you in the Spring. So first if you have a 2012 calendar write this number down. You can't go wrong. 717-683-8007-This is a very small and private lawn service, LeadingLawns owned by Erik Waltz, a guy with a conscience and hard work ethic. I have had the pleasure to have him mow my lawn as well as his father who I believe are partners.
        Everyday men, these two are caring about the work and you. This is a perfect example. How many mowing services would travel to your home, knock on your door and give you the opportunity to say yes or no as to needing another mowing?
       Rare at it's best. I think most services would have simply unloaded, mowed and left a bill, and drove off. George, the dad, came to the house, knocked and asked, said it was up to me, and yes, I knew that in case you may be thinking otherwise. He said it's looks, well, and I jumped in with iffy, so we agreed it looked iffy, like it could go either way. I felt to do it. First because he was considerate enough to ask, not wanting to mow simply because it meant an extra fee. Second he didn't just mow and leave. Last of all because there have been times when my yard isn't always picked up and George has moved, put aside, asked and has just been so nice about things. Erik, the owner as I knew him first, is just the same, kind ethical, considerate, gets to work to do a great job and leaves.
    Actually call then now and get a quote on this years prices for next year...here's a link, you won't be sorry... LeadingLawns@yahoo.com