Strangeness in the Night

Oh, the hazards of setting up camp after dark. In August 1977, Betty and I drove from Atlanta to NYC and then on to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to visit a friend in New York City and the parents of friends in Coal Center, Pennsylvania. I’ll save that Coal Center story for another time—it’s a story all to itself!

The Search for a Room

We were getting pretty weary of driving and decided we’d just get a hotel room. For miles, we searched for a room. This was in the 1970s, so there were no cell phones or internet. Everywhere we saw a high hotel sign, we’d exit the highway, park the car, go into the lobby, and inquire about a room.

None were available.

Hotel after hotel.

No room at the inn.

There was some type of colossal car racing event taking place in Virginia, and there were no rooms available for a hundred-mile radius, we were told.

A Night to Remember

It was 1:00 AM, and we desperately wanted sleep. We found a campground via our good old trusty paper map and pulled in. Since it was after hours, the sign said to pick a spot, camp, and pay in the morning.

We picked a spot, parked Betty’s green Grand Torino, set up our tent, and fell asleep. By that time, it must have been 2:00 AM. It hardly seemed like we’d been sleeping when we began to hear footsteps, voices, and laughter. Poking our heads out of the tent, we were astonished to see a steady stream of people. We looked beyond the people and saw the brick building.

Where were we?

Oh, my gosh, we had set up our tent on the pathway to the bathroom. No wonder people were laughing at six o’clock in the morning. We made haste to get dressed and take down our tent.

Adventures and Fencing

Isn’t life a barrel of monkeys? Especially when you go on an adventure. As I’ve quoted from The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien before, “It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.”

Where are you going today? Are you ready to be swept off by your sense of adventure?

It’s always the perfect time to think about your next fencing adventure, whether small or grand. We wouldn’t have staked our tent there if that bathroom had been fenced in! I’m thankful it wasn’t. Who wants fences in campgrounds?

But you have an idea for your property, backyard, and private oasis. If a fence will help you keep intruders out, let’s go for it!

Call our fence expert, Terry. She’s been providing fence solutions for 24 years! I shout her accolades from the rooftops!

All my best regards,

Debbie Page

CEO, Louis E. Page Inc – Woman-owned business and Family-owned since 1893. (So 131 years ago our family ancestor Louis E. founded the company!)

Aunt Martha's Peeping Tom

I’m a bit of a practical joker. The things Christie and I did in nursing school—I don’t remember if I’ve ever told my children. This story has nothing to do with the jokes in nursing school but everything to do with Aunt Martha.

A Vivacious Couple

Aunt Martha and Uncle Harold lived in a nice suburban neighborhood outside Atlanta. They were about 80 at the time of this incident. They were not spring chickens, but they were still a vivacious couple thoroughly enjoying life. Aunt Martha had a morning ritual: wake up, shower, and go to the sunroom for breakfast, all while Uncle Harold slept in. She cherished her quiet mornings. But this morning would prove to be different.

An Unusual Morning

As was her habit, after her shower, she liked to walk around and eat breakfast in the buff—naked (nekkid in the South). After finishing her breakfast this morning, she started to go back into the house. Alas! The door was locked. She knocked and knocked, but Harold didn’t wake up.

What was she to do? She could wait, or go to the bedroom window. Out of the sunroom, she stealthily made her way across the backyard and to the bedroom window. She knocked and knocked, but Harold didn’t come to the window.

Now, what to do? She was getting cold. She wanted clothes. She walked between the bushes and the house to the front door. Rang the doorbell and took cover behind the bushes again. Thank goodness Harold answered the door! She was saved. But not without guffaws from Harold!

The Aftermath

So that’s the story. But there’s a bit more. The following week, I was in the car with Aunt Martha and her nieces, though she was their age. She had been born late in her mother’s life and grew up playing with these nieces. She told the story of being nekkid at the front door. We all howled.

Later that week, I decided to write a little note to Aunt Martha.

“Dear Martha,

What a show. I mean, WHAT A SHOW! Thanks for making my day.

Yours truly,

Your very own Peeping Tom”

So that’s the end of the story. Aunt Martha’s Peeping Tom and me.

Fencing Solutions

Though her backyard was fenced, her front yard wasn’t. And would it have made any difference when she was standing naked at the front door?

Take a peep at our fencing solutions. And if you want to eat your breakfast naked in the sunroom, make sure the door is unlocked.

P.S. Yesterday’s story about the generator. Of course, we all know the generator had to be outside, behind Dave’s tent! But I failed to mention it. No carbon monoxide deaths wanted!

All my best regards in gratitude,

Debbie Page

CEO, Louis E. Page Inc – Woman-owned business and Family-owned since 1893. (That’s right! A little more than 131 years ago our family ancestor Louis Everett Page founded the company in Boston)

Silencing the Noise in the Woods

Friends Jerry and Ramona used to do a great deal of camping with friends in Texas. Then, along came another friend, Dave, who caused a significant shift in their sleeping arrangements.

A Peaceful Start

They arrived by noon on that autumn day, unpacked the car, and set up camp. Off to the lake for kayaking, they had a merry afternoon exploring the lake’s nooks and crannies. Once back at camp, they began preparations for a simple chili and cornbread dinner. Everyone was ready for sleep after a few rounds of songs by the campfire. Ahh… falling asleep to the sound of crickets is delightful.

An Unexpected Disturbance

And then it happened. A noise so loud it awakened and scared Ramona. “What is that noise?” she declared to her sleeping husband.

“I don’t know,” uttered a sleepy Jerry.

“Well, get up and find out!” demanded Ramona.

Jerry got to his feet and poked his head outside the tent. The noise was coming from the tent next door. Puzzled, he walked over and tapped on the tent. No answer. He tapped harder. No answer. Then he called out Dave’s name. Finally, the zippered door opened, and out stepped Dave.

“What’s the matter, Jerry?” asked a bewildered Dave.

“What’s that noise in your tent?” asked Jerry.

“A generator,” replied Dave.

“A generator? Why, on earth, are you using a generator?” quizzed Jerry.

“To power my CPAP machine,” Dave responded. (CPAP: Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, treats sleep-related breathing disorders including sleep apnea.)

Jerry returned to his tent and wife and gave her the information she had wanted. “Now, go back to sleep, Ramona.”

“Are you kidding me? You think for one minute that I can sleep with that blasted noise next door?” squawked Ramona.

Ramona marched her petite self over to Dave’s tent and informed him that he needed to move his tent far away from theirs. Dave obliged her and relocated a grand distance away.

Back in her tent, Ramona settled into her sleeping bag and fell fast asleep. Now she laughs when she tells the story, but that was a night from hell, she says!

Fencing Solutions

Well, a fence wouldn’t help in that situation unless it was a noise-blocking fence. Maybe that would deafen the noise some. There must be other alternatives for CPAPs in the woods. Write to me and let me know!

Check out Louis Page for fantastic fence solutions! We've got the best.

Kind Regards,

Debbie Page

CEO, Louis E. Page Inc – Woman-owned business and Family-owned since 1893. (It adds up to over 131 years owned and run by our family. Think about it: Nobody stays around in business that long without really supporting customers so they want to come back!)

How Restful Are Your Sundays?

I love Sundays because they allow me to rest and restore my spirit, my soul, and my inner being. Most of us rush through the week, including Saturday. There’s always something to do to keep us fast-tracking through the day, but then Sunday arrives. It’s time to take a deep breath of relief. Your rest has come.

The Joy of Sundays

For many people, Sunday is the day for worshipping and coming together with like-minded people. They may gather in a church, a home, or on a mountaintop, but they gather and encourage one another. They sing familiar songs or hymns in worship.

The Benefits of Singing

Singing, especially singing as a group or congregation, has tremendous benefits. It releases endorphins and oxytocin, the feel-good hormones. Singing boosts your mood and increases your pain threshold. It reduces stress and helps your mental health. I’ve started singing throughout my day. It’s a fantastic exercise that brings joy and relaxation.

I recommend gathering with others on Sundays and singing together. Both will boost your mood. Every Sunday, as I prepare for worship, I remind myself of the third of the Ten Commandments: “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.”

Take Time for Rest

Take time for yourself. Make rest a part of your week. Sing to your heart’s content.

Reflecting on God's Goodness

Does this have anything to do with fencing? Perhaps you can think about Psalm 100:4, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.” Each time you walk through a gate, stop, reflect on God's goodness, and sing praises.

Your Fence Project

Call Terry about your latest fence project. If you know and appreciate her as I do, sing her praises! You’ll make her day.

All my best regards,

Debbie Page

CEO, Louis E. Page Inc – Woman-owned business and Family-owned since 1893. (So 131 years ago our family ancestor Louis E. founded the company!)

Naked or Nekkid: The Charm of Southern Accents

My children spent their early years in the South before we moved to New England. To this day, my heart responds with fondness to Southern accents and phrases.

The Diversity of Southern Accents

There's no fence separating the South from the North, and the accent doesn’t necessarily get stronger the further south you travel. The accent varies from state to state and even within each state. I’ve heard much deeper drawls from Virginia than from Greenville, South Carolina, where I grew up. Charlestonians have a much stronger accent than those from “Hotlanta.” The accent is even stronger when you get to Alabama, especially LA (Lower Alabama).

The Flavors of Regional Pronunciations

I love the flavors of the different regions of the States, especially the pronunciation of certain words. I remember my Massachusetts daughter-in-law saying “bot-tul,” with a definite emphasis on the second “t.” In the South, we say “bod-ul,” as if it only has one “t” that sounds like a “d.”

A Tale of Southern Pronunciation

Daniel moved with me to New England when he was nine years old. He certainly brought along lots of Southern pronunciations and accents. I remember his embarrassment when he was reading out loud in his eighth-grade English class. He pronounced “naked” as “nekkid.” His English teacher was quick to point out that “nekkid” was not a word! The poor child was mortified. I doubt he even realized there was another way to pronounce it! Oh well, we can’t escape mortification as we grow up. It just happens, even as adults.

Fencing in the South

Do you want to fence off a section of your farm? Daniel recently added more fencing to his property, and when Rachel asked him, he said it was the southern section of the pasture. I stopped and looked up at the sun on his mountaintop so I could determine the direction. I don’t usually think in directional terms.

Louis Page: Your Fencing Treasure Trove

Louis Page is a treasure trove of fencing supplies. If you need help, call Terry at 978-486-3116 or email her at sales@louispage.com.

All my best regards in gratitude,

Debbie Page

CEO, Louis E. Page Inc – Woman-owned business and Family-owned since 1893. (That’s right! A little more than 131 years ago our family ancestor Louis Everett Page founded the company in Boston)