New traffic rules ... again

Time to study that PA traffic manual again.
Who knew that when lanes are marked for left turns at an intersection that it's OK to use them to pass the traffic proceeding straight ahead?
Apparently those are the new rules, at least in Franconia Township. I saw this not once but twice this morning.
The first was about 6:15 a.m. at the intersection of Route 113 and Schoolhouse Road. There was a small truck in front of me and when the light turned green, heading toward Souderton, a small black car blew past us, then using the left-turn lane for the traffic heading from Souderton on the other side of the intersection to complete his pass.
No police in sight, of course.
But wait, there's more.
This lovely maneuver was repeated at the intersection of Route 113 and Allentown Road minutes later, because the poor lad was behind yet another truck.
Who could expect him to follow a truck?
Again, no police.
But then perhaps these ARE the new rules. Go ahead, just use those left-turn lanes to pass that pesky traffic in front of you.
I just MUST get a new driver's manual. It's so hard to keep up with all these rule changes.

Thank you, second-graders!

I recently had a lot of fun reading to second-graders at Gwyn-Nor Elementary School in the North Penn School District, as part of the PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce Community Reading Day.
The children were a delight -- very polite, chimed in with some questions and observations -- as I read "Bats At The Library," a book I found really cool as well.
Here's a photo one of my co-workers, Pam Linderman, snapped that day. Aren't the kids cute?



And I was delighted to receive a huge envelope yesterday filled with thank-you letters from the children. Really, they didn't have to -- but I loved them.

Just a few quotes:
"Thank you for reading 'Bats At The Library.' My favorite part of the story was when the bats were on the printer and printed out copies of them on the papers."... Catherine
"You did an amazing job reading to the class... when I'm older I want to be just like you."... Alexa (gee, thanks, Alexa!)
"My favorite part of the story was when the bats made a monster." ... Ryajiah

Some of the careers the students said they were planning included cruise ship captain, microbiologist, singer/songwriter/fashion designer, businesswoman and teacher.
I'm sure they will accomplish whatever they put their minds to, and that their teacher, Melissa Jefferis, will be an inspiration to them.
Thank you, students. I had a great time.
Keep reading!


A GLIMPSE OF SOME OF THE THANK-YOU LETTERS SENT FROM THE CLASS

Vote, please

Exercise your rights.

Speak your mind.

Show up.

Be a good citizen.

Set a good example.

Don't make excuses.

Just do it ... VOTE!

The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Check out polling places, the ballot, stories on candidates -- all at thereporteronline.com.

My cat was robbed!

This is my cat, Trick.
She likes to purr. A lot. Loudly. With exuberance, using her whole body.
I'm not kidding. I swear it's how she keeps her girlish figure, even at age 9. Her purring basically vibrates her from head to toe.
But she's been robbed of her rightful title. Yes, on Thursday, the Guiness World Record for the loudest purr by a domestic cat was officially bestowed on Smokey, a gray-and-white tabby that hit the big time by having her purr recorded at 67.7 decibels.
Just for comparison, a lawnmower is 90 decibels.
Smokey is a 12-year-old cat who lives in the UK, and whose purr has been described as "akin to the cooing of an angry dove."
See what you think... a video of Smokey is featured below.
Guess I'd better record Trick, and submit her purring to Guiness. But on second thought, that fame would probably just go to her head.
And she might purr even louder.