Old proverb: "To speak the names of the departed is to make them live again."

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Pforzheim Mystery Correction

Steven and Diana both have German connections, and it appears that "Pforzheim" has another meaning.  This is what I found on Opentopia:

A settlement was established by Roman citizens at the Enz river near nowadays Altstaedter Bruecke (old town bridge). Archeological surveys have unearthed several items from that period which are kept and displayed in the Kappelhof Museum. The settlement was located where the Roman military road connecting the military camp Argentorate (nowadays Strasbourg in France) and the military camp at Cannstatt (now a suburb of Stuttgart) at the Upper Germanic Limes border line of the Roman Empire crossed the Enz river. This place was known as Portus (river crossing, harbor), which is believed to be the origin of the first part of the city's name "Pforzheim". A Roman milestone (the so-called 'Leugenstein') from the year 245 and later excavated at nowadays Friolzheim shows the exact distance to 'Portus'; it is the first document about the settlement.

I feel so much better now!

St. Michael's Church, Pforzheim

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Pforzheim Mystery Solved

While cleaning out my email inbox, I came across this message from Diana dated April 19.  Please be advised that it contains a word you may find offensive (though it is something we have all done).

"I am talking to a German woman on the phone and she is telling me the meaning of the word Pforzheim. The real meaning of the word Pforzheim is Farthouse. Did you know that? She says that names were given starting in the Middle Ages and at that time farting was thought to be very healthy. She said it was probably a small town with a wall around it – maybe 5,000 people. So she’s thinking people went there to fart or the people who lived there thought they were healthier – maybe like a farting spa or something."

So now you know......

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Joke Corner

1.  The men's room at a service station was vandalized and all the fixtures were stolen.  The owner asked the police about the case and the officer in charge said, "We have absolutely nothing to go on."

2.  Lady goes to get her hair done and mentions she's going on a European vacation.  "We'll fly Continental to Rome, stay at the opulent Casa D'Oro Hotel and even visit the Vatican and see the Pope!" she exclaims.

Hairdressers sniffs, "Continental's planes are old, the food stinks and the attendants are all old and ugly.  Rome is so hot this time of year, and that hotel?  Seedy and run down.  And if you see the Pope, you'll be so far away he'll look like an ant."

Lady comes back from vacation and goes for a hair cut.  "We got to fly on Continental's newest plane, and we were bumped up to first class (steak for supper -- yum!) and the attendants were young and good looking and so attentive!  A cold front was stalled over Rome and the weather was perfect.  The hotel had been newly renovated, and because they over-booked they gave us the Presidential suite at no extra charge.  Oh, and at the Vatican one of the Swiss Guards tapped me on the shoulder and said the Pope likes to meet a few visitors in person every day!  He ushered us into the Pope's private office and there he was -- I knelt and said a prayer, and the Pope murmured a few words.  What a vacation!"

"Hmph.  What exactly did the Pope say?"

" 'Who messed up your hair??' "

Judy Kestner Directs Three-day Girl Scout Event

On July 6, 7 and 8 your editor directed the annual Summer Fun event conducted by the Lone Star Service Unit of the Girl Scouts of Greater South Texas Council attended by sixty Girl Scouts, fifteen adult volunteers and thirteen camp aides.

The girls learned about patriotism and what makes our country the best in the world at this event titled "Red, White and Blue: Patriots Through and Through."  They learned flag etiquette and history, played games that girls in colonial times played, made their own ice cream and butter in Ziploc bags (just like girls in colonial times) and were entertained by speakers from the VFW, local historical society and a real live female Navy lieutenant who is a pilot and pilot trainer.

Since one of the craft leaders was sick for the last two days I had to wear her hat as well as mine.  That meant that some of the activities I had planned did not come to fruition, and others were not as detailed as I would have liked, but all in all it was a great success, and the leaders even pitched in and bought me a hummingbird feeder (my camp nickname is Bird Lady) and a $50 gift card to Chili's Restaurant.

One of the most helpful aides was, of course, my own daughter, Emilie Kestner, who is proficient in herding cats, and proved to be equally skilled with the little girls.  Emilie even mopped the floor at the end of the last two days while her mother sat, with her tongue hanging out of her mouth, rubbing her throbbing feet.

Fiegs Spend Week at Yosemite National Park

Brother and sister Ed and Lisa Fieg and Ed's son Max recently spent a week at Yosemite National Park in the Yosemite Valley in the Sierra Madre mountain range in northern California.

The trio spent time hiking, sunning and reading while Ed was on call as acting park physician.

The park was full of wildlife and in fact, as the Fiegs were leaving the park three adult bears stopped traffic, presumably in need of medical assistance.

Kyle McGonigal To Address National Forum

We are thrilled to announce that Kyle McGonigal, 27, son of Mary and Bobby McGonigal of Kendall, NY, has been selected to appear on the dais at the annual convention of the National Down Syndrome Congress this week at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL.  Among several speakers scheduled for the week-long event, Kyle will address other young adults about "Golf as a Lifetime Fitness Sport," a subject with which he is well acquainted, having played the game since he was a small boy.

Mary says that Kyle is not the least bit intimidated by speaking before a large group and he handles himself with a great deal of confidence.

For the past several years, Kyle has served as training camp locker room attendant for the Buffalo Bills football team, and when his mother observed Kyle interacting with his good buddy, Buffalo Bills wide receiver Terrell "T.O." Owens at the team's training camp last year, she said "It was hard to tell which one had the bigger ego."   Kyle is well regarded by all members of the team.

Kyle also works security each year during induction weekend at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

His brother, Tyler, 28, is also an avid golfer and is supervisor at the Rockland Lake State Park golf course in Rockland County, NY just north of New York City.

Their cousin, Matt Holm, of Elk Grove, CA is a professional golfer and member of the PGA.

For more information about the National Down Syndrome Congress, go to http://www.ndsccenter.org/news/events.php .

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Don Roman Recovering After Health Setback

Don Roman, son of Dorothy (Fieg) Roman, sustained a mild heart attack very recently and is on his way to a relatively quick return to normal.

Details of this report are sketchy, given the circumstancial logistical limitations, but we are rushing into print because of its importance and magnitude.

Don, being the picture of health and vitality after passing his chronological half-century birthday, certainly has surprised us with this setback, but we are pleased to report that he is in good hands with the services of an individual described as "the best heart specialist in Philadelphia" and, of course, his wife, Jennifer.

Happily, Don was able to break the news to his mother personally by telephone, to buffer the shock, and Dorothy reportedly took it well, all things considered.

At last report, Don was recovering at home and was expected to soon return to work, if he hasn't already. Meanwhile, those who have Don's home phone number and address are urged to pass it on to the appropriate family links as soon as possible. More details will follow.