Today two of my great grandmas celebrate birthdays. Well they would if they were still with us or the keep track of that sort of thing in heaven.

My 2nd Great Grandma Mary A Shoenfelt Ritts was born 181 years ago in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. She married John Ritts and had six children including my great-grandpa Harry.  Mary's life was tragically cut down when the trolley she was riding went off the bridge and plunged into the Juniata River. In the subsequent trial, her husband was awarded $1200. Family Tree of Mary A Ritts

Harriet Slyder lived her life in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Married to Jacob Embich in 1838, Widowed in 1854 at age 37 Harriet was left with six children; John age 13, William 11, Mary 10, Emma 8, Jacob 3 and 2 month old Harriet. The young family survived off of Jacob estate until after the Civil War marched it's way through Chambersburg as part of the Battle of Gettysburg. To defend family and home, son John took up arms joining the Union Army. After the war Harriet took up jobs housekeeping and sewing to support her family. My 3rd great-grandma at age 68 was buried in the First Lutheran Church Cemetery, Chambersburg. Family Tree of Harriet Embich

Happy Birthday Grandmas!

Happy Birthday Dr Seuss!

Today is Dr Seuss's 110th Birthday. Theodor Seuss Geisel wrote 46 wonderful children's stories that have inspired imaginations for generations. His stories have spawned cartoons, movies, amusement park rides and a Broadway musical.  

To celebrate Dr Seuss's birthday and inspire reading libraries and schools across the nation will be participating in Read Across America. The Roxbury Library held their event yesterday. County Freeholder Kathy DeFillipo and Robury Councilman Marty Schmidt read "Cat in a Hat" to the 100 kids and parents that attended the program. 

Presley & Melody rocked the house with an interactive music and video party. The kids had a great time singing and dancing. 

Everyone has their favorite Dr Seuss story. I still have Hop on Pop in my library, what is your favorite?

Today's Google Doodle Honors a Legend

My dad has had a lot of cool jobs and worked with lots of cool people. He's even worked for a legend. Today Google is honoring a computer pioneer and my dad's old boss, Admiral Grace Hopper on what would have been her 107 birthday. As many American's did, Grace Hopper joined the Navy during World War II. Unlike most American's she remained in the Navy until 1986, when she was retired for the last time as the oldest active-duty commissioned officer.The Navy wisely assigned the newly minted officer with a Phd in mathematics to the Bureau of Ships Computation Project and the results have changed our world. Techno geeks can wax on about her contributions to the 1st computer, invention of the COBOL and more. I will remember her from the stories my dad would tell. 

The most famous computer bug

When I complained about a bug in a program, dad asked, do you know why it's called a bug? And launched into the story of how one day his boss was working on a programming problem on a computer so big you could literally walk thru it. When a glitch occurred, workers would have to visually inspect the entire computer looking for the problem. On this particular day, the culprit was a moth stuck to a component. Grace proclaimed the problem fixed and the computer "de-bugged". The term stuck. For that matter, so did the moth. It is permanently stuck in the log book and on display at the Smithsonian's Museum of American History. 

Dad says Admiral Hopper was a character. The thing that sticks out in his mind most is her habit of picking up an object and chucking it at an employee crying "let's play". The recipient of the object would sit down to chat with Grace. On one such chat with her, she encouraged dad to go back to school. He complied and earned his masters at night from UPenn's Wharton School. After watching this clip of Admiral Hopper schooling David Letterman, I can imagine her "let's play chats". 

I've met many of my dad's bosses. I wish I could have met fellow DAR sister, the dazzling daughter Grace Murray Hopper. Happy Birthday, 'mam.

Happy Birthday Twinkie

Today Twinkies turn 80 years old today April 6^th.  How surprised was I to visit the official Twinkie website to find nothing about this big milestone. Come on Hostess you can do better than an out of date web page featuring the “upcoming” Twinkie recipe book for the birthday child.  I was given a copy of that book last year!  

The book was a gift from the church for giving them a Twinkie cake. Guiding Light fans will remember the Twinkie cake. Bill & Lizzie made it for their wedding after their original cake fell out of the car Bill was driving.

Here’s another bit of trivia for you: the brainchild of James Dewar, Twinkies were originally filled with Banana cream; then came rationing of bananas during World War II forcing Hostess to switch to vanilla cream.  The Twinkies you and I love are still made with vanilla cream.


Celebrate with a Twinkie today.