Found photo frames and photos and even one of our wedding albums. That photographer just ... /breathing deeply .... water under the bridge. I found a "Gardens Map" from our trip to Longwood Gardens this summer with the girls. There was no special reason for the day trip, except that I had found half off coupons on Groupon and it was too good a deal to pass by. I remember going there often with my grandfather (he was a painter there) and my cousin Beth. She is a week older than me so we ended up at our grandparents normally at the same time.
The Chamber - the Southern Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce - was celebrating its 50 year in 2005. Our banquet theme that year was "Bridging the Past & the Future." I recall doing the program book that year. It was nice. It included a brief history of the Chamber and its accomplishments, list of past presidents, current members, ads from current businesses and of course the program for that evening.
Some pages are simply notes on the family, as if I was researching somewhere or visiting with someone who offered new or confirmed information. In January we attended the funeral for Verna Anderson at the Zion UCC in New Providence. We evidently ran into Virginia Ringer there, one of Glenn's cousins on his Eckman side. There are some notes about meeting up with Virginia to discuss the Eckman branch. Glenn had his car accident in the beginning of February that year. He had been on his way to pick up the twins from kindergarten and someone came off the ramp from Route 30 onto Oregon Pike and did not stop, plowed right into the back of Glenn.
On 24 February 2005 a note reads a lady from church, Mary Masculli, had passed after suffering a stroke a few days earlier. A close family friend, Roschelle Stutman, was found dead on 3 March. My notes that day indicate the doctors think she had a heart attack earlier in the week and died of hypothermia. What a sad horrible was to pass. Her funeral was 7 March in Philadelphia. On 11 March Yia Yia passed. She is Basil Athas' mother. Basil is Glenn's kum (godfather).
Glenn's sister, Wilma Lee, went into the hospital on Saturday, 9 April. I have a note that day that her sugar (she was diabetic) was 501 and her breathing was labored. The next day we evidently skipped church and spent the day at the hospital with her. She had a heart attack over night and had been put on dialysis. Her potassium levels had been 6.2 but by Sunday were down to 4.1 and her blood pressure was acceptable. By the 15th, she was on dopamine and sick to her stomach. Her kidneys had also started to fail. She passed away at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, the 26th.
When I first joined Holy Ghost UOC, the priest was Father Stephen Hutnick. His mom, Anna, passed in April as well. She was buried on the 13th. One of our parish elders, Mike Buckel, also passed in April. His funeral was the 20th. One of Glenn's brother Masons, Dan Edwards, is also a cousin. His father passed on 21 April.
As it does, life went on in the following months. Days were filled with business and various jobs, extra activities and church. That year, still 2005, at Family Day we celebrated the graduates within our parish family. My cousin Dave was among those graduating college.
It looks like I started applying for several jobs in addition during this time. On 26 October, I started working part time at Lancaster Farming. I was just hired to work one day a week doing markets but it ended up more than that. I learned a lot while there.
Despite the hardships and losses throughout the year, I was reminded of friends who passed through our lives at much needed times. I am thankful for them. Some we lost contact with over the years and some have stayed active in our lives. It seems fitting - for that reason alone - that even though this is a Sorting Saturday post, I am writing it on Thanksgiving Day.
Sorting Saturday is a genealogy prompt of GeneaBloggers.
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