been thinking about that turkey and Thanksgiving, and the folks in need.
Folks without jobs, behind on their payments. Nice turkey for dinner reminds them of family and hopefully
gets family together in a good way. Safely.
So I'm going to buy three more turkeys, think I'm going to call manager on duty and ask he/she to put away three of their least expensive per pound
turkeys aside for me, at a charity price since they are going to our local food pantry in Lambertville NJ, just over the Delaware River. Was always a sister town
to New Hope PA, still is in many ways, PA and NJ sharing the same pretty part of the River, connected by an old narrow steel bridge. One like many on the Delaware that have had
hard times due to floods. This local bridge went down in 1955, one of the impetuses for building the new giant toll bridge just North of both towns. Lot of concrete, not going to wash away
easily. But the old bridge hums a little as you drive over the open metal grates under you. 15mph and it goes from downtown New Hope to downtown Lambertville, truly connecting the heart of each little town to each other.
But the other side of the River was NJ, like a foreign land. I only knew of the old Trenton train station, where my father got the train
or in Princeton Junction to take to NYC every day.
Wow what a pit that Trenton station was early on. Full remodeled now, no longer 3rd world.
The transient local walking population near the train station never was going to win any Pulitizer awards, very rough neighborhood.
Lot of street crime. So unlike the quiet and peacefulness of the family farm. We were always glad to get out of
Trenton and get back over the bridge.
Which was immediately the upmarket Upper Makefield area, moving North to New Hope, Solebury (where I live), Lumberville, Tinicum areas.
Where there was very little crime.
So the other side of the River was always the other side of the tracks too for us. Those NJ folks were just different, different accents to their speech.
Foreign....
Of course much of NJ was farm land then, so if we went anywhere beyond Lambertville or Flemington, we went to Trenton. Where I think one of the world's first
McDonalds was opened, on North Olden Ave and yup, we would make the drive over, usually an excuse to go looking for adventure when you were stuck home on the homeland
working constantly. To see the first signs about millions and millions of burgers sold. The first time they were advertising
how big and popular they were, back in 60s. I wonder what the count is now...billions for sure
And as of a year or two ago, it was still there, and likely still is. A very successful business.
Trenton was known for the state capital, in a terrible downtown area, and the Burb, aka Chambersburg, where
if you knew the right places you could get some seriously fine Italian food, either simple or in tuxedo'd linen on the table restaurants.
Where I went many times on company lunches with the owner. He was buying so why not.
Shows how one needs to get out and see the world
There is so much to see and so much to learn. So when you come home, you will
truly appreciate what you have. And understand better what you don't.
Like living in an oppressive police state. Bad news.
or....
Like living in an area where folks would not think/dream of throwing something out their car window on your lawn.
But for some, the world is just their ashtray.
So far my front lawn is clean as can be. Helps the police station and township maintenance building are 1000 feet away.
time to head downtown for my turkeys.
