Rise and Shine --- Come on now!

Good Morning and we are really lucking out this Fall!

Let's get real for a minute here, folks. Saw the results of a survey yesterday that said 52 percent of businesses can't find people to fill open positions.
Really? Unemployment sits at 9 percent and those responding to this poll say they can't find workers?
The poll also said 42 percent of businesses say those applying for jobs are under-qualified.
Really? I know people with college degrees (some with masters) who are unemployed. They would certainly be over-qualified for any job, but can't get a hit.
Why don't we just say what it is? These places don't really want to hire people or if they do they don't want to pay a fair wage.
It's in the best interest of some places to keep unemployment high right now to try and force a change in the White House. If there is a fundamental change in government, maybe those tax perks and what-nots will continue to stay around.
So, when you hear polls about jobs and how there aren't people to fill them, well, let's really look around at reality.

Rise and Shine --- Two wheels!

Good Morning and welcome to the week before Halloween!

One of the things we like to do in the summer is ride bikes. So, with everybody getting a little bigger, two new (actually used) bikes were purchased last spring. The problem for one was that meant no more training wheels.
So, we tried in the spring. We tried at various times throughout the summer. We tried before school started. Still, the one couldn't get over the fear of falling.
That's OK, I kept saying, you'll get it. Until then, we'll put the training wheels back on your little bike.
"No," was the answer. "I'm not a little kid. I don't need a little bike."
So, the Not Little Kid used a scooter instead. Road up and down in front of the house. Mile after mile throughout the early fall.
Then on Saturday, the scooter went away and the bike came back out.
"I can do it now," the Not Little Kid said. "Watch."
So, moments after jumping on the bike (her brother's, but let's not quibble), it was back and forth on two wheels.
"I can do it! I can do it! Look Daddy! I Can Do IT!" the Not Little Kid yelled with joy.
Yeah, you can do it. You're right, you're not a little kid any more. :(

Rise and Shine --- How's it going?

Good Morning and, that's right, here we are again!

So, how is everybody doing today? Everybody feeling OK? Well, if you're under the weather or above the clouds, this should bring a smile to your face.

Clinton Foundation: Celebrity Brainstorm from President Bill Clinton

Rise and Shine --- Fall

Good Morning and wouldn't it be nice to have a week without rain?

While we could skip winter and it would be OK with me, I really do look forward to the changing of the seasons.
It's tough to give up the summer and all that comes with it (trips to the beach, swimming), there is something special about the Fall.
The vibrant colors of the leaves as you drive from here to there are very cool. The temperatures isn't so bad as long as you can convince everybody to wear a jacket.
On Saturday, we (along with seemingly the rest of Delaware County) decided to take a ride up to Linvilla Orchards for our annual pumpkin-hunting quest.
Each one is put under scrutiny. OK, this one is a little flat on the back, but it's perfectly round on the front. Perfect for a Jack O'Lantern. Wait, that one over there is pretty good too. Hey, can't we all get a pumpkin.
Getting caught up in the season, well, of course.
So, this year, we ended up with a record-breaking 81 pounds of pumpkins (breaking the old record of 72 set in 2009).
Now, who's going to start cutting?

Rise and Shine --- World gone to pot

Good Morning and how come it seems like every team can hit except the Phillies come playoff time?

So, a neighbor A didn't like what Neighbor B was doing on his own property. Neighbor A becomes so enraged, he kills Neighbor B.
Uh, OK. Sure, that's the logical conclusion. Get your gun and shoot down somebody you don't like. Of course, we need to have said guns handy in case aliens attack or some such ... stuff.
The more I see this kind of stuff happening, the less I can listen to gun right's advocates make their argument.
I've seen neighbors do plenty of annoying things. I've had neighbors make a lot of noise. I've been so annoyed with neighbors that I looked out the window to make sure they weren't there before I left the house.
Getting a gun and shooting them dead? Never once ever crossed my mind.
Now, I believe most people have that ability to differentiate between crazy and sane. There is a large group that can not, though.
So, next time somebody tells me they need a gun in the house, I'll give them a feather.

Rise and Shine --- Oh boy, what a day at the beach

Good Morning and welcome to another blue Monday!

The best thing about having these warm, sunny October days is you can ignore such a pathetic performance by Philadelphia sports teams.
Truth be told, if I wasn't in the office yesterday, I would have found something better to do than watch the Eagles.
Anyway, I was here, having left Ocean City, N.J., early Sunday morning. With the sun gleaming off the water, that was no easy task.
Even though we went through a warm summer with plenty of sunny days, it's something special when that weather sits around for a weekend in October.
Sure, the cold air will be here soon. That's going to happen in Pennsylvania. It's not like we were suddenly transferred to San Diego or something.
So, we enjoyed the weekend and will enjoy the next couple of days before the rain comes in to ruin the party.
For now, though, we can only dream.

Rise and Shine --- To heat or not to heat

Good Morning and it's time to change the pitcher!

As this wacky weather year took a chilly turn this week, the first thing I heard after school yesterday was 'It's cold in here.'
OK, you might need to put away the shorts for the season, but it's not cold. Maybe a sweatshirt instead of the T-shirt would help.
One thing that's not happening is the heat is not going on yet. Maybe I'm still stuck in the summer or maybe I'm looking for one month of a decent PECO bill, but the heater will not kick in this week.
Or next week.
My rule is the heat doesn't go on before Halloween. Yeah, yeah, yeah, things could change. The way the weather has been going, would it surprise anybody if we saw snow in October?
Now, though, the after-school crowd is going to have do deal with it. After all, there are plenty of blankets.

Rise and Shine --- Taking a tour

Good Morning and welcome to the beginning of another long week!

As the minutes ticked away while not being able to fall asleep last night, I kept thinking "I could have gone to bed at 10 and it wouldn't have made any difference."
That's what happens when you stick through a Phillies playoff game that stretches past midnight and is one of those frustrating games the Phillies always seem to play.
Well, at least the rest of the weekend (despite trying to battle through an early-Fall cold) was busy but fun.
It all started Friday morning when I was invited by one of the Delcotimes.com bloggers, Chef Jacquie (CHECK OUT her web site here), to take her culinary tour of the Italian Market.
Now, I've been to South Philly's Italian Market. I like to get down there maybe once a month or so to pick up some fresh fruits and vegetables.
This tour was a little more, though. There was history (one of the businesses had been there since the early 1900s), there were stories (one shop was opened in the 1930s when a competing shop wouldn't let workers take a day off Jan. 1) and there was food. Lots and lots of food.
We started out with a caramel and chocolate covered apple, followed with a couple of different cheeses, a cheesesteak, a hoagie, pizza and finished with cannolis.
Now, I have to figure out when I can get back.