Category Archives: Lansdowne

Snail Mail

Classmate Nancy L. Musser has a treasure-trove of high school memorabilia that she has sent to me over the years by “snail mail.”  Most of it I have published here, and each time, I thanked her via email. Now, I … Continue reading

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Window Repair

My house is about fifty years old and some of the windows are deteriorating.  I thought I would just get new windows installed until I learned the price, and, I just did not like the look of the new windows.  … Continue reading

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The Sad Decline Of Newspapers

“Hard News,” by Jill Lepore. The New Yorker, 1/28/2019. This is a report on the decades-long decline of newspapers and its consequences. Don’t read it. Nothing can be done. Society has changed and there are no bad guys to blame. … Continue reading

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Wayne Kressley’s Photos

A few year’s ago, our classmate Wayne Kressley approached me while I was volunteering at Longwood Gardens. I am glad he did, because I probably wouldn’t have recognized him, at least with not enough certainty to say something. I wear … Continue reading

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Dick Kitts Dies

The obituary of our classmate Dick Kitts was in today’s (March 1) Wilmington News-Journal. He lived about a mile from me. He had been part of my high school social group and we did many things together.  We called him … Continue reading

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Flemish Bond Brickwork

Flemish bond is the arrangement of bricks on the Peirce–du Pont house at Longwood Gardens. A wall is formed of two bricks laid side-by-side (stretchers) and a brick laid lengthwise (header) on either end to tie the first two together. … Continue reading

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Phil Herr Died

Classmate Phil Herr died October 5. His obituary was in the Inquire (Philly.com) under “Death notices,” linked to Legacy.com. He died in Ocean Grove, NJ, but had been living in Radnor, and was a partner in the law firm of … Continue reading

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Bill Rumberger Dies

Thanks to Fred Weinstein for alerting me to Bill Rumberger’s obituary in the October 2 edition of the Philadelphia Inquirer. (For some reason, I am prevented from adding a hyperlink to it.  You will have to look it up yourself.  … Continue reading

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Renewing Sewer Pipes

The old way: Dig up the street where the pipes are, haul the old pipes away, lay new pipe, connect the side pipes leading to the houses, refill the trench, repave the street. Time required: most of the summer. The … Continue reading

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John McCain And Aging

Poor John McCain, fumbling around at the Comey hearings, confused, not making sense. We can sympathize. We are about the same age (John was born in August, 1936, so he is technically still 80, technically a year younger than me), … Continue reading

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