What would Andy say?

If Andy Rooney was still with us.. I think he'd be saying 

something like this about those screens and speakers

 at the gas pumps...."I don't like all that pizzazz now at

 the gas pumps..I like it quiet when I pump gas.. I don't 

want to look at some ad for dried out pizza they're selling

 inside for $3.00 a slice..I don't like the rap music.. or

the country rap music..I think rap people need a ruler side

 the head from my old 3rd grade teacher..I don't like the 

station pushing their latest credit card offer while I'm

 pumping my gas...I pay cash...I don't like the gal in a

 skimpy dress on the screen who claims you can't live

 the rest of the day without her sugary soft drink....just let

me get my gas in peace...like the old days...when the guy 

would come out, wipe your windshield, pump you gas and

 check your oil. It's enough to make you go back to riding

 a horse... you had the smell but it sure was quiet... 

just my thoughts."

"I want to know" podcast with Greg Jones

I'm constantly 'conflicted' with the calendar, as I'm sure

many of you are as well, i.e; why the months continue

to 'click' off so quickly!

Looking back at the last twelve months; a whirlwind

describes it best so it seems.  If any of you have not

heard any of my broadcasts, you'll enjoy this one

with Greg Jones, host of  "I want to know" on the

world wide web.  It was 'cast' 11 months ago, but

it seems like we did the program last week... guess

that's age for you Stan!  So if you missed it;

you can COPY and PASTE the link into your browser and

it will take you to the program. Thanks Greg for

some incredible exposure and stimulating

conversation!  The link;

http://iwanttoknowpod.wixsite.com/iwtkshow/single-post/2015/07/15/Stanley-Swan-Undertakings-of-an-Undertaker

Saved by the ......bell?

The funeral industry has had some pretty strange

inventions over the past 200 years. One of the oddest

goes back to the 19th century.. when someone invented,

believe it or not....the safety coffin.

Those two words seem to compete with one another

do they not? The idea of the coffin was simple. A long

rope was tied to the hand of the deceased...fished thru

a home in the lid of the coffin..and I assume thru some

type of cylinder to the top of the grave, and finally

attached to a bell near the headstone. The idea was, if

you were buried prematurely, comatose, whatever....

and if you awakened after burial .. you just pulled the

cord and the bell would be sounded.. summoning

someone to come save you!

The Germans were busy

with this, with over 30 different patents for such

devices. One was so elaborate, it had a cord tied

to each hand and to each foot...so the slightest

movement would ring the bell. They didn't realize

that body decomposition could form gas and

bloating...and could actually cause movement

enough to set off the alarm. Amazing.  And so

comes the terms; 'saved by the bell' ...and

'dead ringer'.....so now you know.

Rain much?

So what's going on with our weather this year?
Last summer, at least here east of Rochester.. we had
an extreme drought...and mowing was maybe a
couple of times over the summer..

This year: complete opposite. We have maybe one
or two decent days, then four, five, six or more
of rain to follow that.  It's been tough on local
farmers this year.. usually most things were in
the ground the first week in May...I saw yesterday,
first week of June, some guys just getting out to
plant... it's going to be a tough year for them.

I expect the grape crop will be good, although
they do need lots of sunny days to go with the
rain.

Things are so unpredictable anymore... is it
just the way it is or is it my interpretation?

Not sure....maybe it's the age thing.

Theme for the summer; keep the umbrella handy.