More Prayers Please!

Back on August 16th I put up a post about my good friend Jimmy Gladwell and his family being involved in a terrible accident while on their way to Gettysburg. Jim's wife is pregnant and of course a great deal of concern was for the baby. I am not sure if the current situation is a direct result of the accident but there has been some bad news concerning the pregnancy.

During some test it was determined that the unborn child is a son. These tests also reveled a life threatening situation which must be addressed soon. The procedure is dangerous and quite frankly for Jim and beautiful wife it is extremely frightening.

Jim and I have been friends for quite a while and he and I have have had many discussions about our supreme being. About that that let's just say Jim has some unanswered questions. None the less he has asked that my family, and many other friends say a prayer for his son, wife and himself. With that I extend to you my readers the same request. Jimmy has been a firefighter for a great many years and I have personally witnessed his courage and compassion for the citizens he serves. Now it is time for us to help him in the manner he asks. He asks for prayers.

I extend to you, my readers, a request to please remember Jim and his wife and son in all your prayers until this crisis is over. Please do this for me and my friend Jim and his family.

I will keep this post updated as information becomes available. Thank you in advance from myself and the Gladwell family.

UPDATE: 8/28

On Wend. Sept 2 Jim and his family will travel to University Hospital for testing and possibly a procedure to ease the situation. The test results will determine the next steps to be taken. Jim has now assured me this is not a result of the terrible accident they were in a couple of weeks ago. However because of the accident this problem was discovered sooner than it may have been otherwise. Kindly continue your prayers and thoughts for the Gladwells through this difficult time.

8th Annual Women Supporting Women Walk for Breast Cancer Awaremenss

8th Annual Women Supporting Women Walk for Breast Cancer Awareness To Be Held Saturday, October 10th at Winterplace Park, Salisbury, MD.

On Saturday, October 10th, 2009, Women Supporting Women will be celebrating its 8th Annual Walk for Breast Cancer Awareness at Winterplace Park off Rt. 50 E. and Hobbs Road in Salisbury. PRE-REGISTRATION AND TEAMS ARE ENCOURAGED. Registration is $15.00 per person and canine companions for $5.00. Join either the 3 mile walk or the 1 mile fun walk.

Those registered by September 25th will receive a free t-shirt. The event begins at 9:00 a.m. with registration and team pictures, the walk at 10:00 am, followed with lunch by Texas Roadhouse. Join us to support a worthy cause, be in the fresh air, have fun, good food, and enjoy the music & vendors. All proceeds raised from our walk will go to support all of our free services including educational materials, informational tote bags, wigs, hats, mentoring, and many other items and services offered to survivors and their family and friends right here in the local community. Call Women Supporting Women for more information, vendor and team packets: 410-548-7880 or visit our website at www.womensupportingwomen.org.

Women Supporting Women (WSW) is a 501c3 non-profit organization whose mission is to provide awareness, education and support to all those who are affected by breast cancer. We have four outreach chapters on the Shore in Wicomico, Worcester, Somerset and Mid-Shore (which services Talbot, Dorchester and Caroline counties) in Maryland. We offer a safe, supportive environment, open to all women and men who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. For more information call 410-548-7880 or visit our website at

www.womensupportingwomen.org.

10th Annual Hope is on the Horizon Benefit Dinner

THE AMERICAN DREAMS LONGABERGER BRANCH is proud to present their 10th Annual Hope is on the Horizon Benefit Dinner on Friday, August 21st to be held at a new location, The Fountains in Salisbury. All proceeds will benefit WOMEN SUPPORTING WOMEN, a local breast cancer support organization. Doors open at 4:30 pm and dinner is at 6:00 pm. with a Luau Theme – Hawaiian Attire Optional. There will be guest speakers, a cash bar, live, silent and Chinese auctions, a 50/50 and door prizes.
Tickets are $60.00 in advance and are not available at the door. They include the dinner and a Horizon of Hope Basket. For more information contact Joyce Hickman at 410- 749-2147, or http://us.mc576.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=jhbasketsandmore@comcast.net. Tickets are also available at Women Supporting Women, 106 West Circle Ave., Salisbury, MD 410-548-7880.

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My wife and her mother went to this event last year and they had a great time. The items up for auction were simply beautiful and there were plenty of them and the speaker was absolutely great! No doubt they will be attending again this year. As always, click on the title of this post to be taken to the WSW website for more information about this and other events.

A/C Jimmy Gladwell & Family (Update for Tues 8/18

PRAYERS PLEASE!

My good friend, Assistant Chief Jim Gladwell, and his beautiful wife were on their way to Gettysburg this past week when they were involved in a horrific accident in Cambridge MD. The story is they were stopped at a red light when a vehicle struck them from behind causing them to hit the vehicle in front of them. The impact than shoved them through the intersection and beyond. It was said the driver causing the accident never touched his brakes and that he struck Jimmy at hi-way speed.

Mrs. Gladwell is currently hospitalized and is about 12 weeks pregnant with their first child. Jim suffered a back injury but I am told he was treated and released.

I ask for you prayers for Jimmy and his family. They are wonderful folks and great friends.

I will update this post as I get more info. Thank You! for your thoughts and prayers.

(Thank you Wayne Barrall for the photo)

UPDATE 1:oo pm 8/16

We just left PRMC visiting w/ Jim and his bride. She is doing better but will remain at the hospital for a few more days. The baby is O.K. Jim looks quite tired and is some discomfort w/ his back but seems to be doing well.

UPDATE 9:00 am 8/18

Mrs. Glawell has returned home. Plese check the comment section of this post for an update from Jim. His words are better than mine. Thank all of you for prayers and thoughts.

The Queen Arrives @ The Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire

August the 8th was opening day for the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire and we were there! Much as changed since my last visit about 15 years ago. New battlements have been built around the entrance, a new large gift shop now stands out side the mansion, and as we learned a little later the entire shire is now blacktopped. The blacktop is a bit of a disappointment as it seems to take away some of the flavor of the shire but it was a welcome relief to have good footing about. It also keeps the dust down and it make it some easier for wheelchair and handicap access. Beside, isn't imagination what it’s all about anyway? Another great addition is modern restrooms and running water for hand washing. No doubt this makes for a healthier environment to the faire in general. The faire seemed to be bigger than I remember with a lot of new shops and shows. It’s not possible to see it all in one day so a two day pass is a great bargain. Ticket sales begin at about 10:00 am and the gates to the Shire open at 11:00. Advance tickets can be purchased online.

We arrived early and visited the gift shop and generally just did a “people watch”. There is a discount for showing up in costume so there were many, many people dressed for the occasion. One family, pictured here, stood out among all others. They had beautiful costumes and I believe they were homemade. If I remember correctly the family name was “Rholer”, but since I forgot my notebook I just wrote the name on a scrap of paper that was in my wallet and naturally I can't find it now. Perhaps if they read this one of them would kindly let us know for sure and tell us a little about themselves and their costumes.

There was also a gentleman in costume who proclaimed himself a “Bubble Wright”. He had a marvelous homemade bubble machine that produces a myriad of bubbles with little effort. Now this may seem a little strange for a Renaissance Faire but he assured us that bubbles did indeed have a place in the period portrayed by the faire and he was one of few true bubble wrights to be found. He also proudly proclaims that being a bubble wright is not a job but a lifestyle.

I can’t attest to those claims but I can tell you this---his marvelous machine delighted children of all ages! And what a bargain! Bubbles were 3 for a quarter or as many as you can stuff in your pocket for a dollar! The bubble wright, by given name, is Felix Cartagena and he hails from Newark Delaware. He is a delightful person indeed.

Shortly before the gates open to the masses the Mayor, Sheriff, his deputy and other members of the shire stood upon the battlements and bade welcome to all visitors. News of the Queen arriving today was welcomed by all and one of the first stage shows was the Queens court. Of course the humorous activities here set the stage for the rest of day with the human chess match taking place late that afternoon. I’m sorry to say we missed that show as we left before its scheduled time.

Through out the day the actors and characters greeted with the visitors and the interaction was great! Many craftsmen displayed their work from glass blowing to music, to archery and much, much more. We also found that the folks at the aid station were more than willing to assist with a minor problem we encountered and for that we were grateful.

The Faire can be done as a day trip from Salisbury but it may make for a long day. Like I said earlier you can’t see it all in one day so a two day pass and an overnight stay may be the way to go. Advance tickets can be bought online by visiting their site and you can do that by clicking on the title to this post. I also suggest you look closely at the schedule because each weekend has a slightly different theme and some week-ends have special pricing that may be of interest for your visit. Weapons are discouraged inside the shire but if your in a costume that comes with a weapon it will have to “peace tied” before entering the shire. Security is on hand to do that for you. Bags are allowed but will also be checked prior to entering as food and drink (except bottled water) are not allowed to be brought it. A picnic area is located out side the shire if you desire to bring your own refreshment. Food and drink is sold inside the shire and the prices are reasonable.

I suggest you carry some bottled water, sanitary hand wipes, maybe some sun block and wear comfortable shoes. And above all---Have fun!

(Click any of the above photos for a larger view)

Gettysburg Segway Tour

The wife and I returned to Gettysburg this year for our vacation. Not so much to see the battlefield again this time but to see the new Visitors Center and to view the Cyclorama since it has been restored. While in the motel lobby we looked at the rack containing all the brochures of the attractions around the town with restaurants and museums first on the list and we had some favorites to revisit as well. Almost immediately one little brochure for a battlefield tour caught our eye. Tour the battlefield on a Segway! This was new since the last time we visited and we thought we would give it a try.
I was a little apprehensive at first because I had never ridden one of these contraptions and I was pretty sure that before it was all over a hospital stay was in the works. We called the number, made a reservation and soon enough all my worries were put to rest. Let me assure you, Mr Bob Velke and his staff the absolute greatest! They asked that we arrive a little early so that we could practice on the machines and learn all about riding a Segway. They were extremely patient with everyone and made absolutely sure we were ready for the streets before starting the tour. The learning process takes about 15 to 20 minutes and even though you may not be an "expert" in that time you can be proficient enough to take the tour and totally enjoy yourself.

Safety is a key issue with the these folks and I promise you will reminded the entire tour of the safety practices. I was very impressed with the way they kept a sharp eye out for hazards and traffic and their diligence in making the tour safe and enjoyable. Two tours are available and we took the longer of the two, the western tour. Each rider is given a radio receiver and during the tour we listened to a recording by a licensed battlefield guide of the highlights of the battle for the areas we were covering. The recording doesn't run constantly and information is intermixed with your live guide riding with you. Live guides ride in the front, middle and rear of the tour in order to watch all the riders carefully and to assist with traffic. On the western tour four rest stops are factored in and the tour guides carry snacks and water for the riders.

Now there is a down side to this tour but it is a slight one and really is no different than any other guided tour. That being the tour is done with a bit of a time constraint which means that a lot of monuments are passed by and you just get a fleeting glance of them. On the other hand, this tour does tend to point out most of the highlights of the battlefield and many of the monuments that mark the major events of the battle. It is not possible to see the battlefield in one day anyhow so if you have but a few hours hours to spend then the Segway tour is the a great way to go. Even if you have been before, this tour gives new flavor to the battlefield and a great new perspective of the events there in July of 1863.

You can get more information on the Segway Tour of Gettysburg by clicking on the tile of this post. Doing so will take you to their site for a brief explanation of the tours and a short film on the ride. Trust me! We had a blast riding the tour and would do so again in a heartbeat.

A real tip of the hat to Mr. Velke and his staff! Thanks for a great tour!

Maryland Renasaince Faire Begins August 29th

Don't forget! The Maryland Renaissance Faire opens in Crownsville Md. on Saturday, August 29th. The Faire will run o weekends until October 25th. This is a great attraction and lots of fun for the entire family.

Just remember a few tips:

Go early! The Faire fills quickly and little wait outside the gate is worth it.

Wear comfortable shoes. With the exception of a few boardwalks it's all natural ground there.

Take a backpack or fannie back with hand/face wipes. The restrooms are port-a-potties and there is no running water for washing before eating. Bottles water may be a good idea for the packs as well.

Take a camera! There is a lot you will want to remember.

Costumes are allowed and encouraged, but NO WEAPONS, real or fake, are allowed at this Faire.

Plan the day. You can't see it all so take a few minutes to look at the schedule and decide what you want to see. Get to the arenas and stages early for the best seats.

Have Fun! Also, plan a return trip to see what you missed the first time.

For more info, click on the title of this post. It will take you to the Faires home page and there is a discount coupon for opening week-end admission.

I went to the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire opening on August 8th this year and had a great time. I will have more posts and pictures of this later this week.

SEE YOU AT THE FAIRE!