Through An 'Old Timer's' Eyes
By Howard 'Mac' McDonald

Modern-day marvels can confuse older people and I guess today is one of those days for me.

This contraption with a screen and a keyboard doesn't do the things I ask it to do. There are some emails that I would like to read, but when I try to see it everything comes up except the message. Maybe they will send it again and I will learn what lurks behind this screen.

Although I criticize the modern marvel of the computer, I will admit that it is because I am not really all that knowledgeable about how to run it. I know just enough to be dangerous.

After many months, I have started to understand the workings of the marathon. Endeavor News is available on the Internet and can be read all over the world, which is amazing to me. That modern marvel hit home to me last week when a small padded white envelope arrived at the Endeavor office addressed to me from Audiobookman in Phoenix, Ariz.

Inside, I found a pair of compact discs enclosed in a real attractive cover. It was an audio book, "My First 100 Years: A Look Back from the Finish Line." This was the autobiography of R. Waldo McBurney from Quinter, Kansas. He is a 105-year-old beekeeper, gardener and runner.

R. Waldo McBurney

It was an amazing story covering his winning five gold medals, setting records in international track and field events. Waldo attributes his longevity to faith, exercise, nutrition, and positive thinking and living.

As I read more from the letter, I found that the sender spent the first 14 of his 55 years in Sinnemahoning. In 1967, his family moved to Phoenix, where he resides today. He goes on to say that he retains fond memories of his birthplace, and keeps up with the hometown through Endeavor News Online.

He mentioned his grandfather was Charlie Snyder, from up Sizerville Road. I remember Charlie and so do all the members of the Liars Club at the Cabin Kitchen. He used to repair lawnmowers and chain saws.

Audiobookman is Terry W. Lessig. If you would like a copy of this book, contact me at the Endeavor. If you decide to listen to Waldo's story, you can truthfully say the he deserves the title of, "Through an Old Timer's Eyes."

Last weekend, 21 Cub Scouts from Pack 591 participated in their annual fishing derby at Clear Creek Lake, where Gary Brown has the Clear Creek Fish Hatchery. They camped out and were treated to a pancake, sausage and bacon breakfast.

Sonny Abriatis and Harry Mansfield were on hand to see that everything ran smoothly. There was lots of help from the women folk, too.

In the cobwebs of my mind, I have searched to see if I could remember when things were worse in this fair land of ours during my lifetime. The Democratic National Convention is coming up and they better have a lot of security. I remember one Democratic Convention in Chicago when the hippies caused a big fracas and old Mayor Daley called in the troops.

I predict that the Republicans will take the White House again. Some members of the Liars Club disagree. I don't see how we can hold for another four years while the "conservatives" spend $300 billion a week in Iraq.