Towels

Wear green today for St. Patrick's Day Happy St. Patrick's Day! Are you wearing green? With all the talk of green, I can't help but look outside and appreciate that Mother Nature has started to don a bit of green lately and I could not be more pleased. Serve up a healthy portion of corned beef today and let's all bring out a bit of Irish in us. Good news, bad news about town happenings OK, do you want the good news or the bad news first? Personally, I would prefer the bad news and then the good news.

"We need to leave by a quarter 'til four, so make sure you're ready," I told my daughter as I walked through the kitchen on a recent Sunday. After delivering an item to another room, I returned to the kitchen to find her still looking at the clock. "What time is a quarter 'til four, Mommy?" "Quarter 'til four is a time, dear," I said distractedly, hurrying on to the next task. Still she stared at the clock. I noticed her finger moving in the air, stopping at five-minute intervals, with her lips silently mouthing the numbers.

WILLIAMSPORT martinsburg@herald-mail.com Wonder Woman was a man whose long black wig stayed in place. Batman was a woman who wore a mask and a skimpy bikini. Santa Claus gave out candy to children before diving headfirst in the Potomac River still wearing his red suit, hat and black boots. Most of the 150 or so people who took part in The Polar Bear Plunge at River Bottom Park in Williamsport on Sunday wore nothing more exciting than bathing suits, shorts and T-shirts, but those who donned costumes made it memorable.

It's not your fault. You don't know what you don't know. When you got your health club membership, you went through the standard sales presentation from the sales guy, the "three free sessions" with one of the club trainers, and then you were thrown in the deep end of the proverbial pool without a set of floaties. You learned how to use the machines, what the child care hours were and what day the gym will take your money every month. Through all this, you never learned what is commonly considered proper gym etiquette until "Joe the Bench Presser" is all over you for a flagrant violation of one or a few. Here are the most violated rules of gym etiquette, and how to be a courteous exerciser: Personal hygiene No one likes to work beside a stinky person.

"My name is Mary and I'd really appreciate it if you would print this. I live in Clear Spring and I'm formerly from Williamsport and Mississippi and I would just like to let everyone know that I declare myself an orphan from my family. " "This goes out to anyone and everyone who gets a newspaper delivered to them. If you had to get up early in the morning or take time out in the afternoon to serve the community, you'd see that it isn't the easiest job to do especially if your house number is not visible.

Club meetings Tri-State Singles WAYNESBORO, Pa. - Potluck picnic, Wednesday, Aug. 21, arrive between 5 and 5:30 p.m., eat at 6 p.m., Red Run Park, Pa. 16. Bring a dish to pass. Beverages will be provided. For information about the group, call Dick, 301-824-5200; or Virginia, 301-739-8990. Washington County Pomona Grange 15 Thursday, Aug. 22, 6:30 p.m., WaCoHu Grange Hall, Huyetts Crossroads. The meeting will start with a covered dish meal. A business meeting will follow at 7:30 p.m. Carpenters Retirees' Club Monday, Aug. 26, 8 a.m., Williamsport Red Men Lodge 84, Md. 68, Williamsport.

You'll have to pardon me if there aren't as many picks as usual this week. I'm a little distracted. It's hard flipping coins, crunching numbers and throwing darts while blindfolded when you have this much on your mind. Thanks to my keen eye, discerning taste and that I have a lot of time on my hands - and because I make a heck of a chip dip - I have been elected as a member of a committee to try and clean up sports. I'm honored to take the position. I was notified by SPIRAL - Stout Prognosticators In Real Awful Lingerie - after that little Terrell Owens-Nicolette Sheridan incident before Monday Night Football.

waynesboro@herald-mail.com WAYNESBORO, Pa. - A Harrisburg, Pa., real estate developer whose company lost out to a Pittsburgh firm to bring a Wal-Mart store to Washington Township, said Wednesday that the 120-acre Diller farm behind Wayne Heights Mall is destined for residential development. George S. Lulos' firm, CB Richard Ellis, holds an option on the Diller farm. Efforts by his company to bring a Wal-Mart shopping center to the property have been on and off for several years.

HAGERSTOWN -- The rough-and-tough rivalry football game Sunday between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens was highlighted locally by hundreds of fans of both teams who turned out at the HagerHall Conference and Event Center for a party. A big party. An estimated 430 people filled a large conference hall to watch the game on a big-screen television that was as big as the stage in the room. Steelers fans and Ravens fans were divided down the center of the room for the AFC Championship Game, although Steelers fans appeared to be the bigger presence, making up about 65 percent of the spectators, said Michael Malone, part owner of the conference center at 901 Dual Highway.

The Humane Society of Washington County is seeking donations of blankets, comforters, and bath towels (no sheets or pillowcases, please). It also needs Purina Cat Chow. With winter on the way and the facility being at capacity, it is experiencing a shortage of usable blankets and comforters for bedding and warmth, and bath towels for bathing animals and to be used as cat beds. Donations may be taken to the shelter at 13011 Maugansville Road in Hagerstown. For more information, call 301-733-2060 or go to www.hswcmd.org .