1856 barn , corner of Spiller Rd and 114 Gorham, Maine demolished from a microburst July 18th, 2008              


It has been a long week with many items of interest.  I walked down to Sebago Lake Station boat ramp where I see a large 4x8 sign showing me the level of threat from a terrorist attack, courtesy of Homeland Security. Of course it is always, ELEVATED since September 11th, 2001. Are these the same folks that issued all those fallout shelter signs for the schools and municipal buildings that I remember so fondly from my youth? Hurry off to buy some canned peas and lock yourself in the basement. Some of this hysteria is justified but it seems a little bit of overkill. To be honest, I pay more attention to the Smoky the Bear signs outside the fire stations alerting us to levels of fire danger. At least that changes. No, I don’t feel any safer than I did in 2001. I don’t think we are meant to feel safe all the time. The last time I was really safe was probably in my mother’s womb. After this week, I am not sure anyone is really safe. Up here in Standish on 114 where I live, only two miles up the road, a barn blew over sideways. A couple in Standish were struck by lightning when running outside to retrieve a pair of glasses from the dog who was probably startled by the crashing Thunder and Lightning storm. Hail that accompanied the Microburst ripped through parts of Gorham, toppling over 100 trees. I can tell you that I really wasn’t thinking about the level of threat of a terrorist attack. As far as I am concerned, our own government is to blame for letting down the walls of National Security. The Homeland Security signs are much too late. We are not the fools that they think we are. I won’t bore you with any more politics. It is not my passion.
                 I have been very busy researching some stories which I will post shortly regarding the murder of a Portland Cop in 1930 and another interesting man who came from Germany in the 1800’s and played a significant role in the success of the Haskell Silk Mill in Westbrook. Still have a passion for writing more about Redbank Village. Please check the new additions to my friend’s site www.redbankstreets.com. There are thousands of stories of growing up in a neighborhood. 
                 I went to visit my Uncle Phil on a lunch break last week in the facility where he lives, for memory impairment patients. When I arrived carrying pizza and a photo, I wanted to share with him; he was using his walker and heading off to play bingo. I asked him if he wanted to go to his room and have a slice of pizza but he said he wanted to stay busy and was playing bingo. I walked down to the bingo area with him chatting along the way. I showed him a picture of a neon sign my father had made. I intended to talk about the sign business with him, but plans changed. It will have to be another visit. Uncle Phil is the one who snapped that B & W photo that is on the Redbank Plane Crash featured on the website I mentioned above.
                 I may go to visit another relative in a nursing home who has Alzheimer’s to ask him what he may recall about the Portland Cop that was murdered back in 1930. His father was one of the pallbearers. Life is full of little connections. Hope you are all enjoying the stories. Thank You


 A photo from my collection of the barn above, taken this winter 2007-8