• Remembering Inspirational Limerick Woman Who Lived and Thrived Despite Numerous Lifelong Challenges

    Remembering Inspirational Limerick Woman Who Lived and Thrived Despite Numerous Lifelong Challenges

    Anastasia Pagan, an inspirational Limerick woman who persevered despite numerous lifelong physical challenges, died on May 20 at 22, writes Gary Miles for The Philadelphia Inquirer.  Pagan was born in Philadelphia with a diaphragmatic hernia, chromosome abnormality, and pulmonary hypertension. She spent the majority of her life with her family in Montgomery County, and in…

  • Weekend Wanderer: Becoming a Guardian in Montco

    Weekend Wanderer: Becoming a Guardian in Montco

    You might think Willie’s recent Alzheimer’s diagnosis could lead to not a lot of funny in this space.  But to quote every cartoon ever, au contraire mon frère.  It is the funny that will save us.  Just look at, for example, the guardianship.  My siblings and I decided to pursue guardianship of Willie. My brother…

  • Phoenixville Man Unearths Rare Purple Pearl in Clam Dish at Delaware Restaurant

    Phoenixville Man Unearths Rare Purple Pearl in Clam Dish at Delaware Restaurant

    Scott Overland, who is vice president of the Phoenixville School Board, was dining out while on vacation in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware last week with his family when he discovered a purple pearl in his clam dish from the seafood restaurant Salt Air, writes Joseph Lamour, for Today Food. “I was the one mostly eating the…

  • Philadelphia Man’s Desire To Become a Better Father Leads To Concept for New PBS Show

    Philadelphia Man’s Desire To Become a Better Father Leads To Concept for New PBS Show

    Manayunk father Joe Gidjunis strives to be a good one to his son, so he started asking other dads and experts about the very topic. That endeavor became the catalyst for a new PBS show, “Grown Up Dad,” led by Gidjunis, writes Rita Giordano for The Philadelphia Inquirer.  The documentary series examines modern fatherhood. “I…

  • Weekend Wanderer: My Mercury Study

    Weekend Wanderer: My Mercury Study

    How, exactly, was my relationship with Indy defined by mercury?  It starts with Discover magazine.  I was on leave from work, out having breakfast with Indy, when Indy slid an issue of Discover across the table to me.  In its back pages, the National Institutes of Health advertised grant money for research on elemental mercury.  …

  • New York Post: Longtime Philadelphia Couple Throws Surprise Centennial Wedding

    New York Post: Longtime Philadelphia Couple Throws Surprise Centennial Wedding

    After dating for over nine years, 102-year-old Marjorie Fiterman and 100-year-old Bernie Littman decided to throw a surprise wedding and tie the knot at the senior living facility in Philadelphia where they first met, writes Christine Rousselle for the New York Post. The wedding was officiated by Rabbi Adam Wohlberg, who noted that the couple…

  • Philadelphia Woman Starts a Family With Help From Abortion, IVF, PA Laws

    Philadelphia Woman Starts a Family With Help From Abortion, IVF, PA Laws

    Philadelphia resident Eliza Hardy Jones was able to start a family thanks to abortion and IVF, writes Ashley Adams for The Keystone. The talented multi-instrumentalist and songwriter and her husband, Andrew Jones, decided to have a baby in 2017. Hardy Jones was 36 at the time. However, their natural attempts were unsuccessful. “I started seeing…

  • Weekend Wanderer: The Mysterious Stock Investments

    Weekend Wanderer: The Mysterious Stock Investments

    So, the stocks.  Let’s start with Indy’s Maryland property, which took me two years to sell.   Just as I had a buyer, Indy went to Marion’s bar in Nepal.  Now, I knew the property was only in Indy’s name. Of course I did. Willie and I reviewed Indy and Willie’s finances years ago.  So I…

  • Penn State Abington to Host ‘Touch A Truck’ Family Event on June 8

    Penn State Abington to Host ‘Touch A Truck’ Family Event on June 8

    Penn State Abington invites families to a fun-filled “Touch A Truck” event on Saturday, June 8, from 9 AM to noon. This free community event is a collaboration with the Abington Township police, fire, and public works departments, offering a unique opportunity for kids and adults alike to get up close and personal with a…

  • Abandoned Puppy Found Tied Outside Pennsylvania SPCA’s Philadelphia Headquarters Finds Her Forever Home

    Abandoned Puppy Found Tied Outside Pennsylvania SPCA’s Philadelphia Headquarters Finds Her Forever Home

    A five-month-old puppy with teary eyes left tied to a pole outside of the Pennsylvania SPCA’s Philadelphia headquarters on May 8 with a note saying she is a “good puppy” has found her forever home, writes Bailey Richards for People. The note left with the pup reads: “Cane Corso – pit mastiff. Born 12-15-23. Good…

  • Weekend Wanderer: A Curious Discovery in an Old Car

    Weekend Wanderer: A Curious Discovery in an Old Car

    “You might want to brace yourself,” my husband said, handing me a small pleather portfolio and shaking off the day’s rain.  He shook his head as I took the portfolio from him. “Your parents,” he said, his tone both rueful and amused.  “Lutheran Brotherhood” shimmered in gold lettering on the portfolio’s front. A stack of…

  • Weekend Wanderer: My Secret Admirer

    Weekend Wanderer: My Secret Admirer

    You want to know who sent the roses, am I right?  The significance of the roses was easy. I was — Sorry. Give me a minute here.  I was turning 50 that week.   Fifty.  Cliff Clavin — from Cheers — his mom was portrayed by a 52-year-old actor.  And Cliff Clavin was, like, a grown-up. …

  • Weekend Wanderer: An Odd Letter in the Afternoon Mail Had the Whole Family Abuzz

    Weekend Wanderer: An Odd Letter in the Afternoon Mail Had the Whole Family Abuzz

    “You,” my husband said, gazing at me over the mail, “are never dull.”  He passed me a letter from that afternoon’s mail delivery, addressed to him alone.  “Do you know who this is?” he asked, pointing to a name in the letter.  It was a name common on Indy’s side of the family.  “I don’t…

  • Women in Pennsylvania Are Giving Birth Later

    Women in Pennsylvania Are Giving Birth Later

    The number of Pennsylvania women who are deciding to have babies in their 30s and 40s has increased significantly compared to 25 years ago, according to provisional CDC data, write Carly Mallenbaum and Mike D’Onofrio for Axios. This has moved age 35 from the start of “geriatric pregnancy” to possibly a maternal-age sweet spot. Today,…

  • Weekend Wanderer: A New Diagnosis Means There’s More to Those Unfiled Taxes Than I Initially Thought

    Weekend Wanderer: A New Diagnosis Means There’s More to Those Unfiled Taxes Than I Initially Thought

    So, January didn’t just bring a new year.  It brought a new diagnosis for Willie.  Alzheimer’s disease.  I was stunned. I couldn’t believe it. I was just — Wait. What do you mean you knew?   How?  I mean, yes. She utterly failed to file her tax returns. And sure. She eloped from the hospital last…

  • Zayn Malik Opens up About Life in New Hope and Raising Daughter

    Zayn Malik Opens up About Life in New Hope and Raising Daughter

    Former One Direction member and singer Zayn Malik, recently opened up about his life in New Hope, writes Gabrielle Rockson for People.   In an interview on April 17 with Capital Breakfast, Malik revealed he has been living on a farm in New Hope for about five to six years, which he shares with various…

  • After Hiding Gold Coin Collection in a Vault for Over a Century, Philadelphia Family Finds Much More Than Expected

    After Hiding Gold Coin Collection in a Vault for Over a Century, Philadelphia Family Finds Much More Than Expected

    A Philadelphia family that securely stored a coin collection for over a century in a bank vault recently found out that it is worth much more than they ever thought, writes Josephine Fuller for The U.S. Sun. The collection, now known as The Henry Chapman Collection, was assembled by the legendary Philadelphia coin dealer and…

  • Weekend Wanderer: I Can’t Sleep

    Weekend Wanderer: I Can’t Sleep

    I haven’t slept in days.  It started with our security alarm, triggered at one o’clock in the morning.  The alarm system texted me — kind of creepy in and of itself — that the breach occurred at my back door.  Um, OK. Terrifying.   Like, scuba terrifying.  Did it help that my horror movie podcast just…