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Tuesday, April 3, 2007
The April 2007 issue of The People's Press in On-line
Enjoy the April 2007 issue of The People's Press. Don't forget Mom for our May Issue. The deadline is April 23rd for all stories, news, photos and events. Below you will find links to various sections of The People's Press for your further enjoyment.
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April Stories Part 1
April Stories Part 1 brought to you by us so you don't forget MOM!
A Concert for the Shelter
My story ends with the request that you attend a fundraiser that I am co-chairing with the Four Points Sheraton for the Meriden Humane Society on Friday April 13, 2007 from 7:00-11:00 pm. The event will feature a pasta buffet and music will be provided by Wallingford based band, De Novo (www.denovoband.com). Tickets are $25.00 per person.
After losing our cat of 17 years, in December 2005 my husband and I decided it was time to move forward and share our loving home with a cat in need. We approached the Meriden Humane Society (MHS) and were overcome by well cared for cats and the level of thoroughness required to complete the adoption process. The MHS actually called three references before releasing the cat to us! It was love at first site and we will be forever grateful for the wonderful gift that the MHS gave to us. As our last name is “Moore”, it was only fitting that we name him “Archie”. As Archie is now a permanent fixture in our home, it is hard to believe he hasn’t always been there, and without MHS, he wouldn’t be there.
After seeing a news story about how the MHS needs to raise $80,000 by the end of May I decided that I could not stand by and watch them close their doors. It was then that I approached Yvonne deAngeli-Fontanez, Director of Sales at the Four Points and we agreed to partner, together with De Novo, to create an opportunity to share an evening of fun while raising money for this great cause. I encourage everyone to partake in a little pasta, do a little dancing and generously donate in support of a wonderful organization.
-Jean-Ann Moore
Tickets may be purchased at the following locations:
Sales office, Four Points by Sheraton, 275 Research Parkway, Meriden, Mon-Fri, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm.
Meriden Humane Society, 311 Murdock Avenue, Meriden, CT.
Cash donations or cleaning supplies are also gratefully accepted. For additional information, contact savetheshelter2007@yahoo.com
Has photos of cat and band
Photo Caption:De Novo from left to right: Jerry Labriola, Mark Poley, Bill Rogers, Angela Slocum, Ken Sirois, Rob DeSorbo
Photo with this one
Wallingford Resident Named 2006 Volunteer of the Year
The National MS Society, Greater Connecticut Chapter named at its recent Annual Meeting John LeBlanc the 2006 Volunteer of the Year. The award ceremony and annual meeting was held at the Hartford Marriott in Rocky Hill, Conn., on Sunday, March 4.
“A desire to join the fight and make a difference has led Mr. LeBlanc to devote countless hours, days and even weeks to the chapter, photographing its many events,” said Karen E. Butler, vice president of communications. “No other medium can communicate our mission in a more lasting, compelling or meaningful way than through the lens of Mr. LeBlanc’s camera. His photos capture, in a way unsurpassed, the heart, the mission and the devotion of courageous individuals joining us in the fight against MS. Mr. LeBlanc’s snap shots keep us engaged by allowing us to look back to a moment in time where we passionately participated in something significant and life changing.”
LeBlanc, 54, the married father of four and grandfather of six, began volunteering with the chapter in 2005 when he photographed its MS Walk event in West Hartford, Conn. Ironically, LeBlanc, a manufacturing manager with Mallory Industries, Inc., located in Farmington, Conn., was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2003 after suffering optic neuritis. When his sight returned, he devoted himself to capturing and preserving life in action. LeBlanc has since established Creative Captures of Connecticut, a service specializing in wildlife photography and Greater Connecticut Chapter event photography. LeBlanc photographs the chapter’s walk, bike, motorcycle, golf and Women Against MS (WAMS) events.
There are more than 6,000 Connecticut residents, like LeBlanc, diagnosed with multiple sclerosis an oftentimes debilitating disease affecting the central nervous system. The cause is unknown, and, as a result, there currently is no cure. Funds raised through chapter events, such as those photographed by LeBlanc, ensure the continuation of scientific research to find a cure and provide for vital programs and services offered by the chapter to Connecticut residents diagnosed with MS.
LeBlanc’s next photo shoot includes the 2007 Travelers MS Walk to be held in eight locations across Connecticut on Sunday, April 22. To view LeBlanc’s event or Connecticut wildlife photography, please visit www.creativecapturesofCT.com. For more information on multiple sclerosis, the chapter, its efforts to end the devastating effects of the disease and the many ways to help, please go to www.ctfightsMS.org.
Bobbie’s Bevy of Beauties
Anyone reading my article and had not read others I have written will probably think it was written by a lunatic. Although I do have some fans who understand what this is all about. I’ve been sequestered in my nice cozy warm bed of peat moss under the park bench in the back yard since November. After raising my periscope and seeing what the outside world looked like I decided to continue my hibernation until April 1st. Especially after finding out what the March weather was like. But I kept hearing a voice. And it was Andy’s. He only lives two doors away and he can become quite loud and emphatic at times. “Bobbie up and out. Get your story up to me by March 23rd. The deadline date. And don’t forget to make and bring your meatballs along, too!” Can’t imagine anyone being so bananas over meatballs. Especially mine. But he sure is.
I haven’t been able to figure out how to describe the beauty of the muck, leafless trees, brown grass and dirty snow seen everywhere. Outside of cleaning up the debris fall and winter left there’s not much one can do. But there definitely is one something that is a must. The butterfly bush can be cut down to 2 – 3 ft. Hoping the next issue will have some Bobbie’s B of B’s in it. Provided the weather does some cooperating.
And now a little bit about LitlBit our long haired sable colored mini dachshund. We still miss Tahrah terribly since she went to doggie heaven September 29, 2006 but LitlBit has helped to fill the void. I’ve heard from some that the person walking him on those cold blustery days did not resemble my husband, Jimmy but looked more like me. How could that be? Because as you know I had been in hibernation. That’s a mystery I’ll have to try and solve. As I jinxed myself about LitlBit’s house breaking when I said he was doing so well in my last article – November 2006 I’m almost afraid to sing his praises now. But we are 99% there. Here are two snapshots of him. One when he was about three months old and the other one in one of his favorite positions.
Until the next issue. Hopefully by then our yards will have some very perfumed fragrances. But not the ones that come from inside a bottle.
Flowercerely yours, Bobbie G Vosgien
Spring – And Great Lawns
By Pat Sayward – Meriden Feed and Grain
A 4 step program is the way to achieve a beautiful lawn.
In April start with a crabgrass preventive. Even though you don’t have crabgrass now, this is the time to keep it from surfacing in your lawn later in the season. To obtain expected results, product must be lightly watered into the soil immediately after application.
Late April and into May, use step 2, a weed control plus fertilizer. One application provides 2 months of slow release fertilizer and kills dandelions and other broadleaf weeds. It strengthens and greens your lawn from the roots up. Do not water for at least 24 hours after application and do not apply if rain is expected in the next 24 hours. It kills broadleaf weeds through the leaves downward to root systems. Caution: do not apply to a new lawn until it has been cut at least 4 times.
The third step, which many people skip, but shouldn’t, is an insect control. It should be applied in June, July or August. It controls ants, chiggers, chinch bugs, earwigs, fleas, leafhoppers and sod webworms, along with many other smaller insects not visible to the naked eye. Treat the whole lawn, not just yellowed or brown areas.
Step 4, formulated for the fall, will help develop a strong root system for a thicker and more vigorous lawn. It can be applied anytime during the growing season. August – October application will insure a more healthy beautiful lawn more resilient to winter’s cold.
Grub Control is a very important part of your lawn care project. Pesticides, like Grub Ex, Dialox, and Milky Spore should be applied in early spring to early summer. These products treat the immediate problem white grubs before the pupa stage.
Later in the summer a product called Merit, when applied to your lawn will reach areas where pesticides may have trouble reaching. Merit is a systemic insecticide, which means that material is taken up by the root system of the plant. As grubs feed on the plant, they are ingesting the insecticide. The grubs have a sensation of being full … stop feeding and die. Using this product with systemic action means you do not have to depend on the targeted pest to come in contact with applied products.
Helpful hint – Mark your calendar for the proper time periods for applying your 4 step program and grub control plan. Enjoy a beautiful healthy lawn.
EASTER DINNER: GENEROSITY MAKES IT HAPPEN
Turkey, ham, and all the trimmings will be enjoyed by everyone at the annual holiday Easter dinner, noon to 2:00 PM, Easter Sunday, at the First Congregational Church, 23 South Main St., Wallingford. The dinner, sponsored by Parents & Kids Foundation, Inc. and the church, is free and open to all who want to spend the day with others. Transportation will be provided to those needing rides. Meals and visits will also be delivered to the homebound.
These dinners happen every Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter and are fully dependent on donations of food, time and money to be successful. In addition to the dinner at the church, meals and visits are also delivered to the homebound and others in Wallingford, Cheshire and Meriden, unable to participate in the dinner at the church.
At each holiday, we “adopt” children and adults with AIDS, some folds who are differently abled, those who are alone, nursing home residents without family and other entire families as we learn of their particular circumstances. We provide them with food, clothes and gifts as we are able. We write cards and send letters to cheer people. It is incredible to be part of this effort and to see all the good that comes when people give and share. This year we are also raising funds for the Wallingford teachers and students volunteering their time during Spring break to go to Louisiana to help in the Katrina Rebuild project.
As this effort has become so large, it is necessary for us to collect food and other items as early as possible. We are in need of everything. Individuals and businesses that would like to volunteer their time, talents, food gifts, money or services are encouraged to call Nancy Freyberg at Parents & Kids Foundation, Inc., 284-8299. Together we make it better for everyone.
WALLINGFORD COMMUNITY DINNERS
Come celebrate the holiday with us!
Enjoy turkey and all the trimmings – with music, laughter, and a good time for all!
WHEN: EASTER SUNDAY NOON – 2PM
WHERE: FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF WALLINGFORD 23 S. MAIN ST.
Transportation will be provided
Meals will be delivered to the homebound
Don’t spend the holiday alone!!
For more information:
To volunteer, make a donation, or request a meal, call: Nancy Freyberg at 284-8299
Sponsored by: Parents & Kids Foundation, Inc. and First Congregational Church of Wallingford
Scraps of Ribbon, Scraps of Memory Recall the Beloved Hats of My Youth
By Rose Zocco-Cignatta
A few weeks ago I took my usual train ride to the big city (New York). Every once in a while, I check up on the old place so I don’t lose sight of it. I’m afraid someday I’ll go there and be a stranger like all other visitors. The excitement of the city is like ripping open a surprise package, you never know what to expect and I love the suspense of its unpredictability.
The Fifth Avenue shop windows knew it was springtime and they set their stage with great care. I was reminded of a bear I dated who was a professional window-decorator. We spent many lovesick hours walking hand in hand along the sidewalks on the avenue just looking at department store windows, giving a critique one way or another. Wherever I travel I like to do that because nothing really changes. On this one trip, I noticed that the manikins in the shop windows wore Easter bonnets once more. I was thrilled to see hats in vogue again but I felt a slight twinge as I recalled hearing my mother’s words, “if you live long enough everything comes back.” I felt old.
Belong
There are all kinds of hats and hats that somehow do belong to certain people. The wring had on a head could cause a laughing fit for the observer and an embarrassment for the wearer. A had must be chosen with utmost care and attention. It is only beautiful when it complements the wearer not the milliner.
Thick wooly hand-knitted hats were the ones you wore for school or play. They easily squeezed into holey pockets, rolled into coat sleeves for safekeeping, were used as perfect targets during snowball fights and totally abused during recess chases. These warm cuddly hats survived winter battles of heave warfare and remained most dependable allies. As you got older and appearances took on a sudden importance, much time and work went into the original creation of a special Easter bonnet. Since hats were not cheap enough to be purchased, the fun lay in the challenge of its disguise. During the seasonal preparation, old hats were reshaped, relined, reveiled and reflowered. Everyone contributed to what became a much awaited endeavor.
One day, without any hint of what happened, I surprisingly discovered the overflow of my collection spilling out from the cardboard box covering the closet floor. As I picked them up, I spent long hours reflecting on each donated piece. Sometimes, it was not easy to part with a precious collector’s item.
I remember holding strips of fancy ribbons which once were twisted around my Shirley Temple curls, thin fine laces salvaged from worn petticoats, satins and velvets from my sister’s graduation and another’s prom dress. When I was lucky, there were squares of smooth glasslike silks left over from neighborhood wedding gowns. There was material sent to sweethearts by their servicemen overseas (it was during World War II and many war brides made wedding gowns from parachutes). Men’s wide ties made bright dashing additions swung around a flat pillbox hat “a la Hedy Lamarr” the movie rage then; such a hat was a sure hit with the men particularly. Lest I forgot to mention it, my scrap collection also included oddities that came from some very unsuspecting unusual sources.
Gathering
It wasn’t important that I didn’t always find a use for all of them; keeping them around me was like a gathering together of familiar friends and family, a most pleasant and comforting exchange. There were bird feathers picked up at a park once which just seemed to have maybe the right colors for something. And artificial flowers removed from purple Easter baskets wrapped in a burst of yellow cellophane. The different cellophanes were salvaged for future school projects like geography dioramas requiring sun reflections on rivers and such things. Looking through yellow cellophane stuck against a windowpane painted the gloomiest day cheerful and happy. Imagine changing the weather at will!
Little got thrown out and continued cooperation of what then became a neighborhood interest supported my collection all through my high school years. It’s never quite clear to me precisely when I became the local milliner for everyone but I loved it. Yet the first time I earned enough money from this unexpected source, I ran for blocks to buy a new hat from the store. I was enchanted with the soft weave of the Panamanian straw I got which was trimmed at the brim with the most exotic bunches of orange poppies I had ever seen. I paraded in front of the mirrors so often my brother and sisters became disgusted with my steady performance. Easter Sunday arrived slowly that year while I waited to adorn my head with my new fancy hat.
The Magic of Winter
One morning as my sister and I peered through the frost-encrusted kitchen window, the backyard was dressed in white and silver. It was 10o below. A single white birch bent over like an old lady, her grey tresses covered with iridescent crystals swayed with each gust of wind. The tinkling of her earrings was the only music I heard on that quiet incandescent morning.
The battalion of pine trees, stiff, at attention seemed to be directing traffic. Sentinels all – warning all living creatures not to enter.
Our favorite rose garden took on such grotesque shapes. The Quince, long devoid of its luscious pink/orange fruit, still hid a few dried particles, as did the Hawthorn Bush. There were green droppings and a couple of prints in the snow beneath the tree as some lonely rabbit paid a call.
The snowman, still intact, kept vigil, his red and green scarf blowing erratically in the breeze. Somehow we had a premonition that another storm was brewing. His carrot nose was missing and some beleaguered crow flew overhead with something in his beak.
All the small birds, the chickadees, titmouse, sparrows were hiding in the lower branches of the pine trees locked to its smatter arms.
Only tiny whispers here and there when the wind decided to bring a little excitement to this frozen landscape.
A sense of awe – everything frozen into place. There was a heaviness almost foreboding about this blead day. More snow in the forecast. By now Mom made hot chocolate and marshmallows and we blew our hot breath on the windowpane. Coats, galoshes, hats, scarves and mittens were still hanging in the front closet. Mom gave us that all-knowing look (no venturing out today!)
Marion L. Rogers
A Concert for the Shelter
My story ends with the request that you attend a fundraiser that I am co-chairing with the Four Points Sheraton for the Meriden Humane Society on Friday April 13, 2007 from 7:00-11:00 pm. The event will feature a pasta buffet and music will be provided by Wallingford based band, De Novo (www.denovoband.com). Tickets are $25.00 per person.
After losing our cat of 17 years, in December 2005 my husband and I decided it was time to move forward and share our loving home with a cat in need. We approached the Meriden Humane Society (MHS) and were overcome by well cared for cats and the level of thoroughness required to complete the adoption process. The MHS actually called three references before releasing the cat to us! It was love at first site and we will be forever grateful for the wonderful gift that the MHS gave to us. As our last name is “Moore”, it was only fitting that we name him “Archie”. As Archie is now a permanent fixture in our home, it is hard to believe he hasn’t always been there, and without MHS, he wouldn’t be there.
After seeing a news story about how the MHS needs to raise $80,000 by the end of May I decided that I could not stand by and watch them close their doors. It was then that I approached Yvonne deAngeli-Fontanez, Director of Sales at the Four Points and we agreed to partner, together with De Novo, to create an opportunity to share an evening of fun while raising money for this great cause. I encourage everyone to partake in a little pasta, do a little dancing and generously donate in support of a wonderful organization.
-Jean-Ann Moore
Tickets may be purchased at the following locations:
Sales office, Four Points by Sheraton, 275 Research Parkway, Meriden, Mon-Fri, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm.
Meriden Humane Society, 311 Murdock Avenue, Meriden, CT.
Cash donations or cleaning supplies are also gratefully accepted. For additional information, contact savetheshelter2007@yahoo.com
Has photos of cat and band
Photo Caption:De Novo from left to right: Jerry Labriola, Mark Poley, Bill Rogers, Angela Slocum, Ken Sirois, Rob DeSorbo
Photo with this one
Wallingford Resident Named 2006 Volunteer of the Year
The National MS Society, Greater Connecticut Chapter named at its recent Annual Meeting John LeBlanc the 2006 Volunteer of the Year. The award ceremony and annual meeting was held at the Hartford Marriott in Rocky Hill, Conn., on Sunday, March 4.
“A desire to join the fight and make a difference has led Mr. LeBlanc to devote countless hours, days and even weeks to the chapter, photographing its many events,” said Karen E. Butler, vice president of communications. “No other medium can communicate our mission in a more lasting, compelling or meaningful way than through the lens of Mr. LeBlanc’s camera. His photos capture, in a way unsurpassed, the heart, the mission and the devotion of courageous individuals joining us in the fight against MS. Mr. LeBlanc’s snap shots keep us engaged by allowing us to look back to a moment in time where we passionately participated in something significant and life changing.”
LeBlanc, 54, the married father of four and grandfather of six, began volunteering with the chapter in 2005 when he photographed its MS Walk event in West Hartford, Conn. Ironically, LeBlanc, a manufacturing manager with Mallory Industries, Inc., located in Farmington, Conn., was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2003 after suffering optic neuritis. When his sight returned, he devoted himself to capturing and preserving life in action. LeBlanc has since established Creative Captures of Connecticut, a service specializing in wildlife photography and Greater Connecticut Chapter event photography. LeBlanc photographs the chapter’s walk, bike, motorcycle, golf and Women Against MS (WAMS) events.
There are more than 6,000 Connecticut residents, like LeBlanc, diagnosed with multiple sclerosis an oftentimes debilitating disease affecting the central nervous system. The cause is unknown, and, as a result, there currently is no cure. Funds raised through chapter events, such as those photographed by LeBlanc, ensure the continuation of scientific research to find a cure and provide for vital programs and services offered by the chapter to Connecticut residents diagnosed with MS.
LeBlanc’s next photo shoot includes the 2007 Travelers MS Walk to be held in eight locations across Connecticut on Sunday, April 22. To view LeBlanc’s event or Connecticut wildlife photography, please visit www.creativecapturesofCT.com. For more information on multiple sclerosis, the chapter, its efforts to end the devastating effects of the disease and the many ways to help, please go to www.ctfightsMS.org.
Bobbie’s Bevy of Beauties
Anyone reading my article and had not read others I have written will probably think it was written by a lunatic. Although I do have some fans who understand what this is all about. I’ve been sequestered in my nice cozy warm bed of peat moss under the park bench in the back yard since November. After raising my periscope and seeing what the outside world looked like I decided to continue my hibernation until April 1st. Especially after finding out what the March weather was like. But I kept hearing a voice. And it was Andy’s. He only lives two doors away and he can become quite loud and emphatic at times. “Bobbie up and out. Get your story up to me by March 23rd. The deadline date. And don’t forget to make and bring your meatballs along, too!” Can’t imagine anyone being so bananas over meatballs. Especially mine. But he sure is.
I haven’t been able to figure out how to describe the beauty of the muck, leafless trees, brown grass and dirty snow seen everywhere. Outside of cleaning up the debris fall and winter left there’s not much one can do. But there definitely is one something that is a must. The butterfly bush can be cut down to 2 – 3 ft. Hoping the next issue will have some Bobbie’s B of B’s in it. Provided the weather does some cooperating.
And now a little bit about LitlBit our long haired sable colored mini dachshund. We still miss Tahrah terribly since she went to doggie heaven September 29, 2006 but LitlBit has helped to fill the void. I’ve heard from some that the person walking him on those cold blustery days did not resemble my husband, Jimmy but looked more like me. How could that be? Because as you know I had been in hibernation. That’s a mystery I’ll have to try and solve. As I jinxed myself about LitlBit’s house breaking when I said he was doing so well in my last article – November 2006 I’m almost afraid to sing his praises now. But we are 99% there. Here are two snapshots of him. One when he was about three months old and the other one in one of his favorite positions.
Until the next issue. Hopefully by then our yards will have some very perfumed fragrances. But not the ones that come from inside a bottle.
Flowercerely yours, Bobbie G Vosgien
Spring – And Great Lawns
By Pat Sayward – Meriden Feed and Grain
A 4 step program is the way to achieve a beautiful lawn.
In April start with a crabgrass preventive. Even though you don’t have crabgrass now, this is the time to keep it from surfacing in your lawn later in the season. To obtain expected results, product must be lightly watered into the soil immediately after application.
Late April and into May, use step 2, a weed control plus fertilizer. One application provides 2 months of slow release fertilizer and kills dandelions and other broadleaf weeds. It strengthens and greens your lawn from the roots up. Do not water for at least 24 hours after application and do not apply if rain is expected in the next 24 hours. It kills broadleaf weeds through the leaves downward to root systems. Caution: do not apply to a new lawn until it has been cut at least 4 times.
The third step, which many people skip, but shouldn’t, is an insect control. It should be applied in June, July or August. It controls ants, chiggers, chinch bugs, earwigs, fleas, leafhoppers and sod webworms, along with many other smaller insects not visible to the naked eye. Treat the whole lawn, not just yellowed or brown areas.
Step 4, formulated for the fall, will help develop a strong root system for a thicker and more vigorous lawn. It can be applied anytime during the growing season. August – October application will insure a more healthy beautiful lawn more resilient to winter’s cold.
Grub Control is a very important part of your lawn care project. Pesticides, like Grub Ex, Dialox, and Milky Spore should be applied in early spring to early summer. These products treat the immediate problem white grubs before the pupa stage.
Later in the summer a product called Merit, when applied to your lawn will reach areas where pesticides may have trouble reaching. Merit is a systemic insecticide, which means that material is taken up by the root system of the plant. As grubs feed on the plant, they are ingesting the insecticide. The grubs have a sensation of being full … stop feeding and die. Using this product with systemic action means you do not have to depend on the targeted pest to come in contact with applied products.
Helpful hint – Mark your calendar for the proper time periods for applying your 4 step program and grub control plan. Enjoy a beautiful healthy lawn.
EASTER DINNER: GENEROSITY MAKES IT HAPPEN
Turkey, ham, and all the trimmings will be enjoyed by everyone at the annual holiday Easter dinner, noon to 2:00 PM, Easter Sunday, at the First Congregational Church, 23 South Main St., Wallingford. The dinner, sponsored by Parents & Kids Foundation, Inc. and the church, is free and open to all who want to spend the day with others. Transportation will be provided to those needing rides. Meals and visits will also be delivered to the homebound.
These dinners happen every Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter and are fully dependent on donations of food, time and money to be successful. In addition to the dinner at the church, meals and visits are also delivered to the homebound and others in Wallingford, Cheshire and Meriden, unable to participate in the dinner at the church.
At each holiday, we “adopt” children and adults with AIDS, some folds who are differently abled, those who are alone, nursing home residents without family and other entire families as we learn of their particular circumstances. We provide them with food, clothes and gifts as we are able. We write cards and send letters to cheer people. It is incredible to be part of this effort and to see all the good that comes when people give and share. This year we are also raising funds for the Wallingford teachers and students volunteering their time during Spring break to go to Louisiana to help in the Katrina Rebuild project.
As this effort has become so large, it is necessary for us to collect food and other items as early as possible. We are in need of everything. Individuals and businesses that would like to volunteer their time, talents, food gifts, money or services are encouraged to call Nancy Freyberg at Parents & Kids Foundation, Inc., 284-8299. Together we make it better for everyone.
WALLINGFORD COMMUNITY DINNERS
Come celebrate the holiday with us!
Enjoy turkey and all the trimmings – with music, laughter, and a good time for all!
WHEN: EASTER SUNDAY NOON – 2PM
WHERE: FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF WALLINGFORD 23 S. MAIN ST.
Transportation will be provided
Meals will be delivered to the homebound
Don’t spend the holiday alone!!
For more information:
To volunteer, make a donation, or request a meal, call: Nancy Freyberg at 284-8299
Sponsored by: Parents & Kids Foundation, Inc. and First Congregational Church of Wallingford
Scraps of Ribbon, Scraps of Memory Recall the Beloved Hats of My Youth
By Rose Zocco-Cignatta
A few weeks ago I took my usual train ride to the big city (New York). Every once in a while, I check up on the old place so I don’t lose sight of it. I’m afraid someday I’ll go there and be a stranger like all other visitors. The excitement of the city is like ripping open a surprise package, you never know what to expect and I love the suspense of its unpredictability.
The Fifth Avenue shop windows knew it was springtime and they set their stage with great care. I was reminded of a bear I dated who was a professional window-decorator. We spent many lovesick hours walking hand in hand along the sidewalks on the avenue just looking at department store windows, giving a critique one way or another. Wherever I travel I like to do that because nothing really changes. On this one trip, I noticed that the manikins in the shop windows wore Easter bonnets once more. I was thrilled to see hats in vogue again but I felt a slight twinge as I recalled hearing my mother’s words, “if you live long enough everything comes back.” I felt old.
Belong
There are all kinds of hats and hats that somehow do belong to certain people. The wring had on a head could cause a laughing fit for the observer and an embarrassment for the wearer. A had must be chosen with utmost care and attention. It is only beautiful when it complements the wearer not the milliner.
Thick wooly hand-knitted hats were the ones you wore for school or play. They easily squeezed into holey pockets, rolled into coat sleeves for safekeeping, were used as perfect targets during snowball fights and totally abused during recess chases. These warm cuddly hats survived winter battles of heave warfare and remained most dependable allies. As you got older and appearances took on a sudden importance, much time and work went into the original creation of a special Easter bonnet. Since hats were not cheap enough to be purchased, the fun lay in the challenge of its disguise. During the seasonal preparation, old hats were reshaped, relined, reveiled and reflowered. Everyone contributed to what became a much awaited endeavor.
One day, without any hint of what happened, I surprisingly discovered the overflow of my collection spilling out from the cardboard box covering the closet floor. As I picked them up, I spent long hours reflecting on each donated piece. Sometimes, it was not easy to part with a precious collector’s item.
I remember holding strips of fancy ribbons which once were twisted around my Shirley Temple curls, thin fine laces salvaged from worn petticoats, satins and velvets from my sister’s graduation and another’s prom dress. When I was lucky, there were squares of smooth glasslike silks left over from neighborhood wedding gowns. There was material sent to sweethearts by their servicemen overseas (it was during World War II and many war brides made wedding gowns from parachutes). Men’s wide ties made bright dashing additions swung around a flat pillbox hat “a la Hedy Lamarr” the movie rage then; such a hat was a sure hit with the men particularly. Lest I forgot to mention it, my scrap collection also included oddities that came from some very unsuspecting unusual sources.
Gathering
It wasn’t important that I didn’t always find a use for all of them; keeping them around me was like a gathering together of familiar friends and family, a most pleasant and comforting exchange. There were bird feathers picked up at a park once which just seemed to have maybe the right colors for something. And artificial flowers removed from purple Easter baskets wrapped in a burst of yellow cellophane. The different cellophanes were salvaged for future school projects like geography dioramas requiring sun reflections on rivers and such things. Looking through yellow cellophane stuck against a windowpane painted the gloomiest day cheerful and happy. Imagine changing the weather at will!
Little got thrown out and continued cooperation of what then became a neighborhood interest supported my collection all through my high school years. It’s never quite clear to me precisely when I became the local milliner for everyone but I loved it. Yet the first time I earned enough money from this unexpected source, I ran for blocks to buy a new hat from the store. I was enchanted with the soft weave of the Panamanian straw I got which was trimmed at the brim with the most exotic bunches of orange poppies I had ever seen. I paraded in front of the mirrors so often my brother and sisters became disgusted with my steady performance. Easter Sunday arrived slowly that year while I waited to adorn my head with my new fancy hat.
The Magic of Winter
One morning as my sister and I peered through the frost-encrusted kitchen window, the backyard was dressed in white and silver. It was 10o below. A single white birch bent over like an old lady, her grey tresses covered with iridescent crystals swayed with each gust of wind. The tinkling of her earrings was the only music I heard on that quiet incandescent morning.
The battalion of pine trees, stiff, at attention seemed to be directing traffic. Sentinels all – warning all living creatures not to enter.
Our favorite rose garden took on such grotesque shapes. The Quince, long devoid of its luscious pink/orange fruit, still hid a few dried particles, as did the Hawthorn Bush. There were green droppings and a couple of prints in the snow beneath the tree as some lonely rabbit paid a call.
The snowman, still intact, kept vigil, his red and green scarf blowing erratically in the breeze. Somehow we had a premonition that another storm was brewing. His carrot nose was missing and some beleaguered crow flew overhead with something in his beak.
All the small birds, the chickadees, titmouse, sparrows were hiding in the lower branches of the pine trees locked to its smatter arms.
Only tiny whispers here and there when the wind decided to bring a little excitement to this frozen landscape.
A sense of awe – everything frozen into place. There was a heaviness almost foreboding about this blead day. More snow in the forecast. By now Mom made hot chocolate and marshmallows and we blew our hot breath on the windowpane. Coats, galoshes, hats, scarves and mittens were still hanging in the front closet. Mom gave us that all-knowing look (no venturing out today!)
Marion L. Rogers
April Stories Part 2
April Stories Part 2 brought to you by Children's First Initiative
Pet Food Recalls
Hi,
I just want to make people aware about the pet food recalls. I have 4 pets, 2 cats and 2 dogs, 3 of them have been diagnosed with Kidney problems, with a vet bill of over $2000.00 in one week! My cat, Kitty will need to have IV's at home twice a day and special food for the rest of her life as she has chronic kidney problems, the dogs, K.C. and Honey are also still on medicine and need close monitoring by the vet and a special diet.
Menufoods are almost impossible to contact.
Walmart still was stocking their shelves with the food as of Tuesday after the re-call! Please remind the people with pets NOT TO FEED their pets any food from the list, it is better to feed the pets dry food only for now. Renal failure is a very painful condition for our pets especially when not treated.
Supposely Menufoods are suppose to repay people of pets that ate any of these foods listed but the big question is when, what about people that can't afford to bring their pets to the Vet as the Vets want payment at the time of treatment? I know having Vet bills now of over $2000.00 for 3 pets in one week isn't something I can keep affording as much as I love my "family of pets" will have to struggle to try to keep them able to live with us longer. It isn't fair to the pet owners to have to deal with all this. Menufoods who have received notice of the conditions of the pets need to talk to the Vets and make arrangements to pay the bills for their mistake not the owners!!
Sincerely, Linda Nordgren
dnordgren@snet.net
“A” is for Apple
By Lisa Zola, MS, MSN, APRN, BC
It is now time to shine the spotlight on apples, as promised in my previous article about bananas. We have all heard of the adage, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” but did you ever wonder why? Not only are they delicious (no pun intended) and come in many varieties, but you might be amazed by their numerous potential health and nutritional benefits.
First, however, it is important to understand what a phytochemical is. Most of the protective effects of fruits and vegetables have been attributed to phytochemicals, which are substances that help to maintain a healthy body, and are currently a hot topic in research. Phytochemicals have been shown to inhibit cancer cell growth, modulate the inflammatory and immune response and protect against oxidative stress in the body. Thousands of phytochemicals have been identified, but thousands more have yet to be discovered. Of those that are known, a major class called flavonoids are found in significant amounts in apples, especially the peels. Keeping in mind the properties of phytochemicals, it is no wonder then, that studies have actually linked apple consumption with a decreased risk for cardiovascular disease, cancer, type II diabetes and asthma.
Apples are a good source of fiber, especially pectin, a type of soluble fiber that helps to reduce cholesterol. On average, a medium apple has 5 grams of fiber. The fiber in apples also helps to maintain a steady blood glucose level, aids digestion and improves bowel function. And, because apples are fat free and low in calories, they help to boost weight loss.
In addition, apples contain boron, an important mineral which promotes bone growth, hardens bones and helps prevent osteoporosis. Did you know that apples also promote hair growth, play a role in anti-aging and help prevent wrinkles? Perhaps it should be an ingredient in an anti-aging, anti-wrinkle cream, though hopefully it would not give you a beard!
In our society, where being overweight has become epidemic, and cardiovascular disease and cancer continue to be the two leading causes of death despite advances in medicine, it is no surprise then that eating a healthy diet which incorporates daily consumption of fruits and vegetables, including apples, may in fact reduce the risk for chronic diseases and help to maintain good health. So, put apples on your “A” list and remember to eat one today.
To read about the health benefits of apples in more detail go to: www.nutritionj.com/content/3/1/5
Lisa Zola is a clinical nutritionist and owner of Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes LLC, a nutrition center located in Wallingford, CT. For questions or comments, she can be reached at (203) 269-2852.
The Secret
By Priscilla Reynolds
During the past month, I have watched "The Secret" on DVD by Rhonda Byrne. It brought back memories of "The Power of Positive Thinking" by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale but my spirits sunk from the DVD, whereas the words of Dr. Peale lifted me up. My friend and I decided to read together some of the pamphlets Dr. Peale had written, back in the 1960s and 1970s, printed by the Foundation For Christian Life. Then, last week, Pastor Eric of The Yalesville United Methodist Church, offered me another book to read for our weekly book study, "Too Busy Not To Pray" by Bill Hybels.
All three of these publications have similarities. The reason I cared less for "The Secret" was the emphasis on material wealth, especially in the beginning; it almost seemed as if the average person would be lured into these principles because material wealth meant most. Does it? All religions teach that a just Supreme Power wants the sick to be taken care of , the poor to be assisted and the rich to give away some of their possessions. "The Secret" does focus on an attitude of gratitude as most spiritual leaders do. It also teaches one not to think about how bad things are; instead concentrate on the positive, celebrate the good feelings and be thankful. It seemed strange to me to hear in "The Secret" similar words to those in the Bible, when advising people to gain what they desired: 1. Ask 2. Believe and 3.Receive.
Dr. Peale writes in one of his booklets, "Try Faith and Watch What Happens"
"To me, one of the greatest and most impressive of all the sayings of Jesus is recorded in Mark 9:23 'If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.' "
Dr. Peale also writes, "Skip the word and concept, 'hopeless.' Bring the hope out of hopeless." Also later he adds, "Things go wrong when you are wrong, so get right."
I could copy the whole booklet but will close with his insight on Jesus' parable about the mustard seed.
"There seems to be in many of us a strong built-in attitude of doubt that any great things can happen through the operation of faith. Yet the Bible tells us that if we 'have faith as a grain of mustard seed....nothing shall be impossible unto you.' That scripture tells us that we do not need a big faith or a lot of faith. Just a little will do if it is real. A mustard seed is very tiny indeed. So you do not require a long-established and well-developed faith to receive the good God's miraculous blessings. All that is required is just to let go of doubt and use what little amount of faith you do possess."
I just started the book, "Too Busy Not To Pray" subtitled "Slowing down to be with God" by Bill Hybels (pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago).
In his chapter on "Your Personal Invitation" he frequently quotes the Bible.
"Pray continually." (1 Thessalonians 5:17
"Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" Matthew 11:28-29.
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Phillipians 4:6
"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" Hebrews 4:16
"You do not have, because you do not ask God." James 4:2.
These quotes are more helpful in leading me to a fulfilled life than the emphasis on acquisition of material goods shown in the DVD, "The Secret".
Happy Easter!
The Portrait
By Valerie Hettrich
Some people are the paint in the portrait of the beauty in life
Their presence, their being, their soul
Paint a picture
They tell a story
A tale of courage
A tale everyone should know
A tale of grace and kindness
Of forgiveness and unconditional love
They give without expectation
They invest in others with no thought to the return
Their support unyielding
They are gracious
They are good
They bring joy, laughter and light
And aspire to do what is right
Some people are the paint in the portrait of the beauty in life
They embody all that is good- though flawed they
As every human can be
Inspiring us to reach beyond our wants and needs
To grab hold of our dreams
Some people are the paint in the portrait of the beauty in life
Don’t you think?
Thanks for Your Continued Support
Oasis “Holy Joe” Coffee Cafe
Written by: Eloise Hudd
What is the Oasis Holy Joe Coffee Cafe? It truly is an Oasis in the middle of Iraq; a place where our military members can sit and relax and have a cup of coffee, tea or other beverage. I know because I spent many hours at the “coffee bar” both socializing and making coffee for others. How did it get started? The assigned Chaplain started a coffee-house like atmosphere, open to any military member, a place to momentarily escape your surroundings and enjoy the company of friends, a true “Oasis”. It was so well received that they built a wrap around deck, strung lights and expanded the tables. They now serve 3,000 cups of coffee a week! Initially the Chaplain paid for all the coffee and the supplies, but at 3,000 cups it quickly became unaffordable. So here’s where you all came in (and continue to come in).
Based on emails to home, the support and donations of coffee supplies multiplied.
The Wallingford and surrounding communities have been extremely supportive of the coffee drive. In fact, thanks to the hard work of Tom Jastermsky, we now have supporters such as Big Y, Ashler Village, Masonic Lodge, Cooper-Atkins Corp., First Congregational Church and numerous other local and out of state churches. In addition, the Chaplain at Sather AB Iraq has contacted other outpost and they are now starting additional “Holy Joe’s” or “The Sandy Bean”, the newest Coffee Oasis in another area. I have included some excerpts from emails from Iraq showing their gratitude to you all.
LTC Michael Coggins, USAF, Sather AB, The Holy Joe/Oasis Coffee Cafe: “We are concerned about their welfare, morale and quality of life here at Sather AB. That’s where the Oasis Coffee Cafe comes into play; it is a quality of life initiative that helps boost troop morale-and that’s extremely important in a combat environment”
SSG Buffie Hall, USA, VBC, The Sandy Bean, Coffee Oasis: “Your care packages and gifts allows the soldiers to feel closer to home. Before the troops go out on different missions, they come through my office, the Chaplains office, for a cup of hot coffee or chocolate. Some soldiers have said that this is the best part of their entire day...”
CH Joe Riley, USA, Camp Liberty “We have a lot of coffee drinkers here...Coffee should be in the Regular/Ethel/High Test version...Having a cup of Joe lifts the spirit...and for a brief moment with a cup of Joe in hand, transports us out of the combat zone...I appreciate what you are all doing in bringing some cheer to a sometimes not so cheery place....Thank you for helping in this way”
This article is meant as a THANK YOU and asks for your continued support. Coffee and coffee supplies (sugar, sugar substitute, and creamers) can be dropped off directly at the Wallingford First Congregational Church, 25 S., Main St, office hours are M-F, 9-5 or mail monetary donations, made to First Congregational with ‘Holy Joes” written in the memo. For more information or to see the photo display contact Tom Jastermsky at 203-697-1042.
You could always send your warm wishes and letters to the following “Holy Joes” Coffee Cafes:
SSgt Buffie Hall LTC Coggins Maj Joseph Riley
MNC-1,89th MP BDE 447 AEG/Chaplain 3-2 SBCT, HHC
APO, AE 09321 APO, AE 09321 Unit 43318 APO, AE 09344
Pet Food RecallsHi,
I just want to make people aware about the pet food recalls. I have 4 pets, 2 cats and 2 dogs, 3 of them have been diagnosed with Kidney problems, with a vet bill of over $2000.00 in one week! My cat, Kitty will need to have IV's at home twice a day and special food for the rest of her life as she has chronic kidney problems, the dogs, K.C. and Honey are also still on medicine and need close monitoring by the vet and a special diet.
Menufoods are almost impossible to contact.
Walmart still was stocking their shelves with the food as of Tuesday after the re-call! Please remind the people with pets NOT TO FEED their pets any food from the list, it is better to feed the pets dry food only for now. Renal failure is a very painful condition for our pets especially when not treated.
Supposely Menufoods are suppose to repay people of pets that ate any of these foods listed but the big question is when, what about people that can't afford to bring their pets to the Vet as the Vets want payment at the time of treatment? I know having Vet bills now of over $2000.00 for 3 pets in one week isn't something I can keep affording as much as I love my "family of pets" will have to struggle to try to keep them able to live with us longer. It isn't fair to the pet owners to have to deal with all this. Menufoods who have received notice of the conditions of the pets need to talk to the Vets and make arrangements to pay the bills for their mistake not the owners!!
Sincerely, Linda Nordgren
dnordgren@snet.net
“A” is for Apple
By Lisa Zola, MS, MSN, APRN, BC
It is now time to shine the spotlight on apples, as promised in my previous article about bananas. We have all heard of the adage, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” but did you ever wonder why? Not only are they delicious (no pun intended) and come in many varieties, but you might be amazed by their numerous potential health and nutritional benefits.
First, however, it is important to understand what a phytochemical is. Most of the protective effects of fruits and vegetables have been attributed to phytochemicals, which are substances that help to maintain a healthy body, and are currently a hot topic in research. Phytochemicals have been shown to inhibit cancer cell growth, modulate the inflammatory and immune response and protect against oxidative stress in the body. Thousands of phytochemicals have been identified, but thousands more have yet to be discovered. Of those that are known, a major class called flavonoids are found in significant amounts in apples, especially the peels. Keeping in mind the properties of phytochemicals, it is no wonder then, that studies have actually linked apple consumption with a decreased risk for cardiovascular disease, cancer, type II diabetes and asthma.
Apples are a good source of fiber, especially pectin, a type of soluble fiber that helps to reduce cholesterol. On average, a medium apple has 5 grams of fiber. The fiber in apples also helps to maintain a steady blood glucose level, aids digestion and improves bowel function. And, because apples are fat free and low in calories, they help to boost weight loss.
In addition, apples contain boron, an important mineral which promotes bone growth, hardens bones and helps prevent osteoporosis. Did you know that apples also promote hair growth, play a role in anti-aging and help prevent wrinkles? Perhaps it should be an ingredient in an anti-aging, anti-wrinkle cream, though hopefully it would not give you a beard!
In our society, where being overweight has become epidemic, and cardiovascular disease and cancer continue to be the two leading causes of death despite advances in medicine, it is no surprise then that eating a healthy diet which incorporates daily consumption of fruits and vegetables, including apples, may in fact reduce the risk for chronic diseases and help to maintain good health. So, put apples on your “A” list and remember to eat one today.
To read about the health benefits of apples in more detail go to: www.nutritionj.com/content/3/1/5
Lisa Zola is a clinical nutritionist and owner of Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes LLC, a nutrition center located in Wallingford, CT. For questions or comments, she can be reached at (203) 269-2852.
The Secret
By Priscilla Reynolds
During the past month, I have watched "The Secret" on DVD by Rhonda Byrne. It brought back memories of "The Power of Positive Thinking" by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale but my spirits sunk from the DVD, whereas the words of Dr. Peale lifted me up. My friend and I decided to read together some of the pamphlets Dr. Peale had written, back in the 1960s and 1970s, printed by the Foundation For Christian Life. Then, last week, Pastor Eric of The Yalesville United Methodist Church, offered me another book to read for our weekly book study, "Too Busy Not To Pray" by Bill Hybels.
All three of these publications have similarities. The reason I cared less for "The Secret" was the emphasis on material wealth, especially in the beginning; it almost seemed as if the average person would be lured into these principles because material wealth meant most. Does it? All religions teach that a just Supreme Power wants the sick to be taken care of , the poor to be assisted and the rich to give away some of their possessions. "The Secret" does focus on an attitude of gratitude as most spiritual leaders do. It also teaches one not to think about how bad things are; instead concentrate on the positive, celebrate the good feelings and be thankful. It seemed strange to me to hear in "The Secret" similar words to those in the Bible, when advising people to gain what they desired: 1. Ask 2. Believe and 3.Receive.
Dr. Peale writes in one of his booklets, "Try Faith and Watch What Happens"
"To me, one of the greatest and most impressive of all the sayings of Jesus is recorded in Mark 9:23 'If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.' "
Dr. Peale also writes, "Skip the word and concept, 'hopeless.' Bring the hope out of hopeless." Also later he adds, "Things go wrong when you are wrong, so get right."
I could copy the whole booklet but will close with his insight on Jesus' parable about the mustard seed.
"There seems to be in many of us a strong built-in attitude of doubt that any great things can happen through the operation of faith. Yet the Bible tells us that if we 'have faith as a grain of mustard seed....nothing shall be impossible unto you.' That scripture tells us that we do not need a big faith or a lot of faith. Just a little will do if it is real. A mustard seed is very tiny indeed. So you do not require a long-established and well-developed faith to receive the good God's miraculous blessings. All that is required is just to let go of doubt and use what little amount of faith you do possess."
I just started the book, "Too Busy Not To Pray" subtitled "Slowing down to be with God" by Bill Hybels (pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago).
In his chapter on "Your Personal Invitation" he frequently quotes the Bible.
"Pray continually." (1 Thessalonians 5:17
"Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" Matthew 11:28-29.
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Phillipians 4:6
"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" Hebrews 4:16
"You do not have, because you do not ask God." James 4:2.
These quotes are more helpful in leading me to a fulfilled life than the emphasis on acquisition of material goods shown in the DVD, "The Secret".
Happy Easter!
The Portrait
By Valerie Hettrich
Some people are the paint in the portrait of the beauty in life
Their presence, their being, their soul
Paint a picture
They tell a story
A tale of courage
A tale everyone should know
A tale of grace and kindness
Of forgiveness and unconditional love
They give without expectation
They invest in others with no thought to the return
Their support unyielding
They are gracious
They are good
They bring joy, laughter and light
And aspire to do what is right
Some people are the paint in the portrait of the beauty in life
They embody all that is good- though flawed they
As every human can be
Inspiring us to reach beyond our wants and needs
To grab hold of our dreams
Some people are the paint in the portrait of the beauty in life
Don’t you think?
Thanks for Your Continued Support
Oasis “Holy Joe” Coffee Cafe
Written by: Eloise Hudd
What is the Oasis Holy Joe Coffee Cafe? It truly is an Oasis in the middle of Iraq; a place where our military members can sit and relax and have a cup of coffee, tea or other beverage. I know because I spent many hours at the “coffee bar” both socializing and making coffee for others. How did it get started? The assigned Chaplain started a coffee-house like atmosphere, open to any military member, a place to momentarily escape your surroundings and enjoy the company of friends, a true “Oasis”. It was so well received that they built a wrap around deck, strung lights and expanded the tables. They now serve 3,000 cups of coffee a week! Initially the Chaplain paid for all the coffee and the supplies, but at 3,000 cups it quickly became unaffordable. So here’s where you all came in (and continue to come in).
Based on emails to home, the support and donations of coffee supplies multiplied.
The Wallingford and surrounding communities have been extremely supportive of the coffee drive. In fact, thanks to the hard work of Tom Jastermsky, we now have supporters such as Big Y, Ashler Village, Masonic Lodge, Cooper-Atkins Corp., First Congregational Church and numerous other local and out of state churches. In addition, the Chaplain at Sather AB Iraq has contacted other outpost and they are now starting additional “Holy Joe’s” or “The Sandy Bean”, the newest Coffee Oasis in another area. I have included some excerpts from emails from Iraq showing their gratitude to you all.
LTC Michael Coggins, USAF, Sather AB, The Holy Joe/Oasis Coffee Cafe: “We are concerned about their welfare, morale and quality of life here at Sather AB. That’s where the Oasis Coffee Cafe comes into play; it is a quality of life initiative that helps boost troop morale-and that’s extremely important in a combat environment”
SSG Buffie Hall, USA, VBC, The Sandy Bean, Coffee Oasis: “Your care packages and gifts allows the soldiers to feel closer to home. Before the troops go out on different missions, they come through my office, the Chaplains office, for a cup of hot coffee or chocolate. Some soldiers have said that this is the best part of their entire day...”
CH Joe Riley, USA, Camp Liberty “We have a lot of coffee drinkers here...Coffee should be in the Regular/Ethel/High Test version...Having a cup of Joe lifts the spirit...and for a brief moment with a cup of Joe in hand, transports us out of the combat zone...I appreciate what you are all doing in bringing some cheer to a sometimes not so cheery place....Thank you for helping in this way”
This article is meant as a THANK YOU and asks for your continued support. Coffee and coffee supplies (sugar, sugar substitute, and creamers) can be dropped off directly at the Wallingford First Congregational Church, 25 S., Main St, office hours are M-F, 9-5 or mail monetary donations, made to First Congregational with ‘Holy Joes” written in the memo. For more information or to see the photo display contact Tom Jastermsky at 203-697-1042.
You could always send your warm wishes and letters to the following “Holy Joes” Coffee Cafes:
SSgt Buffie Hall LTC Coggins Maj Joseph Riley
MNC-1,89th MP BDE 447 AEG/Chaplain 3-2 SBCT, HHC
APO, AE 09321 APO, AE 09321 Unit 43318 APO, AE 09344
April Stories Part 3
April Stories Part 3 brought to you by Rose Flowers and Gifts
“Sheltering an Animal’s Perspective”
by Gregory M. Simpson
It’s a shame that some folks cannot appreciate the joy that animals bring to the world. As a social worker in child welfare and from my avocation in animal welfare, I have caught glimpses of personalities forming, personalities that will grow to love animals – or not.
I believe that children start out loving animals. I see this when soliciting donations for the Meriden Humane Society in front of department or grocery stores. A child in tow of a parent exiting a store, when asked, “Would you like to donate to help homeless animals?” will inevitably tug on the parent’s coat and say something like, “Mommy, mommy, we have to give….” How that parent responds gives a clear message, surely repeated many times over, that animals either deserve care – or not.
There are qualities in children which can become socialized away. Those believing in psychic abilities inform that children have extrasensory skills which are routinely squelched because of the widespread disbelief that such skills exist. Take another more common example – laughter. By the time a child reaches nursery school, he or she will laugh about 300 times daily. Compare this to adults who laugh on average 17 times a day. Clearly, children lose things along the way.
Unfortunately, many children experience more than the normal travails of childhood. Hundreds of thousands of children experience neglect and abuse of varying kinds and degrees. With 872,000 confirmed cases of child abuse or neglect in the U.S. for 2004, the result is over half a million children in foster care at any given time.
A survey of pet owning families with substantiated child abuse and neglect found that animals were abused (usually by the parent) in 88% of homes where child abuse was present. Another study of women seeking shelter at a safe house showed that 71% of those having pets indicated that their partner had threatened, hurt or killed their companion animals and 32% of mothers reported that their children had hurt or killed their pets.
The anthropologist, Margaret Mead, warned, “One of the most dangerous things that can happen to a child is to kill or torture an animal and get away with it.” As a youth, Albert DeSalvo, the “Boston Strangler” who killed 13 women, trapped cats in orange crates and shot arrows through the boxes. The first act of violence in Carroll Edward Cole’s childhood, one of the most prolific killers in modern history, was to strangle a cat. As the humanitarian, Albert Schweitzer, pointed out, “Anyone who has accustomed himself to regard the life of any living creature as worthless is in danger of arriving also at the idea of worthless human lives.”
Children’s reports of animal abuse in the home need to be taken seriously. Animal abuse, by either a parent or a child, is an indication that the child may be at risk of abuse. Early intervention may prevent the child abuse from happening, although animal abuse can also signal that child abuse is already occurring. Some children who will not talk about their own abuse will share what is happening to their pet. If a child describes animal abuse in the home, they should be interviewed further to determine if he or she is also being abused. In addition, the local animal welfare agency should be notified so that they can check on the care of the animals in the home.
There are a number of states that have mandatory cross reporting laws. In these states, when child abuse has been substantiated, an accompanying report must be made to the animal protection agency should there be animals in the home. Conversely, if animal protection authorities substantiate animal abuse in a home where there are children, then an accompanying report must be made to the child protective services agency. Although legislation of this type has been discussed in the Connecticut legislature in the past, no such law was ever passed. With studies showing the direct connection between animal and child abuse, time is overdue to revisit this type of legislation.
Yes, it is a shame that some individuals cannot appreciate the joy that animals bring to the world. There are reasons for this and they are not random. A child learns what he or she sees and the eyes of a child are always watching. A child will understand the value of animals only through what he or she is taught – and every day holds many teaching moments.
Gregory Simpson’s animal welfare involvement spans over 25 years, having provided leadership for several Connecticut organizations, as well as having served as state advisor to the national Friends of Animals. Chosen by CAT FANCY magazine as one of the ultimate cat lovers in the U.S., he is also a member of the Cat Writers’ Association.
Costumes, Treats, and Fun ... in March?
by Joan Goodman
Ah, the month of March. Time to look forward to spring, celebrate my husband’s birthday, and dress up in costumes and eat treats. What? No, we’re not reading the calendar wrong, and we’re not having Halloween in March. In our family early Spring is the time to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Purim.
Purim is a joyous holiday which commemorates the rescue of the Jewish people of Persia in the fifth century B.C.E. by Queen Esther and her cousin Mordecai. Achashverosh, the King of Persia, appointed an evil man named Haman as his second in command. Haman wanted everyone to bow down to him, and when Mordecai refuses, Haman convinced the king to order the killing of all Jews in the kingdom. Haman casts lots (Pur) to determine the day of the execution.
Mordecai asked Queen Esther to plead for the Jewish people. The king did not know that Esther was Jewish. At great risk, she appeared before the King and invited him and Haman to a banquet. (A person had to be invited by the King to speak with him otherwise he could have them killed.) She told the King she was Jewish and about Haman’s plan to kill her and her people. Haman was executed. The King issued a new order allowing the Jews to defend themselves and fight their enemies. The Jews were victorious and a celebration was held.
The rejoicing continues, thousands of years later. This year Purim began at sunset on March 3rd. We celebrated at Temple B’nai Abraham with a Purim Party and reading of the biblical scroll of Esther, otherwise known as the Megillah. The students from the Adult Hebrew Class (including me) read part of the Megillah for the first time. It was quite an honor.
My kids love this holiday because every time the word Haman is mentioned in the story people get to shout out and shake noisemakers to drown out his name. How often do kids get to make noise in a service?
At Temple B’nai Abraham’s Purim Party we saw all kinds of costumes, from characters in the story (Queen Esther, Haman) and other biblical characters (our leader, Rabbi Gloria S. Rubin was Moses and her husband was Aaron), to hula dancers, firefighters, and clowns (me). There was a costume parade and contest with winners receiving huge candy bars.
The kids also enjoyed sweet treats. Rabbi Rubin asked questions about the story and all who answered correctly had the chance to try and knock down the pinata. Of course, all of the children answered brilliantly and all enjoyed playing and winning the candy, even though a grown up had to open the pinata to get the candy out (just like at a birthday party).
The celebration continued the next day with our annual Purim Carnival. My boys love to play all of the games - golf, fishing, bean bag toss, shave the balloon, etc., and win prizes! My four-year old especially liked whacking the golf ball like a hockey puck and seeing it ricochet off the game, walls, other people’s shows etc. He much preferred his enthusiastic version of golfing than learning the nuances of putting, and jumped up and down with glee every time he earned more Purim dollars (like Monopoly money) to use to buy prizes later.
Other Purim traditions are to send mishloach manot (gifts of food and drink) to family and friends, and to help the poor. In our family we make dozens of hamentaschen cookies and send them to our family and friends. According to Alfred J. Kolatch in The Jewish Book of Why, hamentaschen is a German word meaning “Haman’s pockets.” Some say Haman filled his pockets with bribe money. The cookies are a triangular shape and are filled with poppy seeds or fruit filling. The shape is said to represent Haman’s three cornered hat, or the three patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who gave Esther strength.
So, if you saw our family driving down East Main Street in early March wearing costumes, we’re not mixed up on the date, we were on our way to a Purim celebration!
For more information on the Purim celebrations at Temple B’Nai Abraham in Meriden, please call Linda at (203) 235-2581.
To read more about Purim some suggested sources are:
1. The Jewish Book of Why by Alfred J. Kolatch
2. Jewish Literacy by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin
3. Jewish Family & Life by Yosef I. Abramowitz and Rabbi Susan Silverman
NOW It Is Spring in the West, East, North and SouthKatrina S. AxelrodOK. Now it is spring on the West side of Meriden, the East side of Southington, the North side of Cheshire, and the South side of Berlin.I submit, for your appreciation, the following:1. The Daffodil stems are 2 inches high all over Hubbard Park, (the Daffodil Festival is just a month away),2. The Red-Wing Blackbirds are going SKEE-RACK!!,3. The Peepers are out at night, singing their song for just the right Peeper, (how can they tell in the dark?and4. The Geese are crossing West Main Street to make their nests in the lawns.Regarding number 4 - please be careful as you drive, the geese are famous jay-walkers, and they are just ornery enough to challenge drivers of every machine type. We who drive this way frequently, (taking students to Platt High School has become a favorite hobby of mine, I also indulge myself by bringing them back home again), must be on notice to allow a couple of extra “geese minutes.” Once I had to get out of the car to escort them across the street. It was at the behest of my fellow ‘geese waiter’ coming the other way, who made the bad decision to honk at the geese. Don’t do that. It distracts the poor things, keeps them fulfilling their quest for lawn and slows down the whole process. Their orneriness kicks in. (Mine does too, but that is for a different reason, I am assuming). So, the guy who honked slowed down the parade he was hoping to speed up. He probably had to go to the bathroom, I can’t imagine why else anybody in their right mind (assumption again here) would honk at three large (large) geese completing an obviously instinct-written scenario. But, he did, I got out, and ask them firmly to move on. I didn’t get bitten, but there was a lot of hissing was exchanged, and the geese were noisy, too. Don’t do this if you don’t understand geese- you can get bitten and it hurts. The guy in the car calmed down, and he was on his way before I could get back in my car. I’m sure he was crossing his legs. So, some words to the busy- slow down for geese in front of Hubbard Park for the next couple of weeks. Stop when necessary. Smile to the other drivers when they stop, some people need reinforcement that they are doing the right thing. We have had one fatality a couple of years ago- the goose carcass was along the side of the road, right in front of both the park and a house. I almost cried. I did swear. I didn’t want my kids to see it, but they did. I was awful. Please be careful. You don’t want gooseguts on your car or on your conscience. Go Lady Owls- Division II Champs Southern CT State University Owls!
Dear Housewives – Central Connecticut’s Know It All Gals
Dear Readers,
Do you have a question regarding family life, budgeting, customer service issues, DVD or book reviews, or home organization? We will give you our candid advise from a family perspective. Contact The Peoples Press by e-mail or phone with your confidential question and we will answer it in the next issue.
June and Flora
Dear Housewives,
I have had several male friends that I really wanted as a boyfriend but it has not materialized - what should I do? Anonymous
JUNE: My, oh, my you are a sly fox aren't you? You make the boys your pals then hope they fall in love. But, it isn't going your way so what is a girl to do? First thing to say is there is no magic potion- No love potion # 9, no cupid's arrow and no witchcraft to make this happen. You can not make someone fall in love. These guys like you as a friend. Try to separate the friendships from guys you want to have relationships with because if it doesn't work you also loose a good friend. By the way, Mr. June added a man's opinion of view on this one and said that guys are dumb. They may not even know you like them or that you are sending "vibes" out to them. You essentially need to hit a guy over the head with the obvious. He thinks you should make things quite clear when you like a guy rather than just be friends and hope they make a move. Good luck Anonymous.
FLORA: Keep looking for the right guy Anonymous. If there is one special guy and you feel romantically attached to them, just be open and honest. Take the chance and see if the feeling is mutual. Maybe the activities you are doing with these guys, (are they: sport watching, fishing) they may think you are one of the guys.
Dear Housewives,
My sister's baby shower is coming up soon. I don't want to go because her husband's sister will be there and she has to debate me on some topic every time I see her. Although we don't get heated I dread getting into a debate; I always end up feeling mad. Should I ditch my sister's shower? Had enough in Meriden
FLORA: Go to the shower. It's your sister. Who are you two like? Lincoln and Douglas? My instincts tell me that she wouldn't disrupt a shower with deep discussions. If something does comes up, breathe deep and nod and say "Oh, I see your point of view." It doesn't say that you agree with it, you just see it. And leave it at that. Try not to get cornered by her. Enjoy the day. Remember it is about the baby and your sister. Stay focused on that!
JUNE: Suffice it to say that I bet you have never been on the debate team in college. Well, don't be afraid of a little debating; all the great ones do it. You can't expect everyone to have the same opinion as you and you can't expect to get through life with out discussing your opinions with someone else. Be a big girl, wrap your diaper genie, congratulate your sister and polish up on your foreign policies. After the great debate you and the husbands sister can go enjoy a mimosa.
Lincoln and Douglas Flora? Who the hell are they?
MOVIE REVIEW
JUNE: Hi Flora--I will review "The Illusionist" for the next Housewives at the request of a reader. I didn't have the time by this printing. We did see "My Super Ex-Girlfriend" with Owen Wilson and Uma Thurman. I hate to say but it was actually pretty good. I didn't think I would like it but it was done pretty well. It is about a woman (Uma) super hero who falls in love with a man (Owen). When he tries to dump her all hell breaks loose. "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" is the best way to describe it. Cute movie to rent.
FLORA: We will review "The Illusionist" next time. A terrific rental is the film: "One Night with the King" PG. It tells the incredible story of a young Jewish girl, Hadassah, who goes on to become the biblical Queen Esther. Queen Esther saves her people. The Jewish holiday Purim celebrates it. If you aren't familiar with the story, rent it. You won't be disappointed.
JUNE: Zzzzzz. Oops, sorry Flora, I dozed off with that movie pick. Hey, friend, do you ever rent any mainstream movies that more than 10 people have seen? Our fans want to be thrilled and dazzled. What is next on your rental list, "Yentil"?
It’s Spring! 2007
Two weeks of winter.
The snow fell down,
all around,
one whole foot high!
My boots came out!,
The wind blew across the lake,
was cold,cold,cold.
Three days later, the snow melted,
I went walking in the slush,.
Thanks, blanket of snow for keeping
the snowdrops snug and warm
Spring is here?
BY PHYLLIS
Hypnosis Defined
James Vumbaco
Hypnosis, what it is and how it can help you, is not fully understood by many individuals. A recent advertisement on the NCAA tournament broadcast is not helping the image of hypnosis as an alternative solution to wellness in America. In the advertisement, a hypnotist in the front seat of a car providing a ride to two referees hypnotizes them to call a foul on an opposing team in a critical situation. It certainly is entertaining, but adds to the stigma that reinforces the age-old misconception that the hypnotist can control a person’s mind. It is from “stage hypnosis” that most of the myths about hypnosis evolve.
A recent study appearing in the Journal of Health and Social behavior shows that baby boomers, looking to exert more control over their health care to prevent illness and to heal the body naturally, turn to alternative medicine more than generations before them did. Thousands of people cope with daily stress, fears and phobias that affect their everyday life. People face the inability to lose weight or to stop smoking that adds to life’s disappointments. Many just give up and continue to live their life without conquering these health related issues. They should not despair. Hypnosis can help with these problems. Before we discuss how hypnosis can help (to be presented in a series of future articles to come), the idea of what hypnosis is needs to be addressed.
Hypnosis is a natural state of mind that allows access to a person’s subconscious mind. It is a state of heightened susceptibility to suggestion, along with a state of deep relaxation. It is not sleep nor is it a state of unconsciousness. Hypnosis is a natural state we slip into and out of many times in our daily lives. Your mind is not controlled by anyone but yourself. A person cannot be made to do something they do not want to do nor would they accept a suggestion to do things that go against their morals, ethics and common sense.
The mind works on two levels, the conscious and subconscious. People make decisions, think and act with the conscious mind. The subconscious mind controls a person’s habit. During the relaxed and heightened state of awareness known as hypnosis, positive suggestions to overcome the roadblocks that keep one from attaining their personal goals, such as stop smoking or loosing weight, are made. A person feels relaxed, hears everything and can come out of hypnosis any time one chooses. One has complete control and I would like to stress again, will not do or say anything that they would not normally say or do. There is absolutely no way a person would violate his or her own personal sense of morality.
Studies have shown to make permanent changes in your life, it is necessary to get your subconscious mind in agreement with what you want to accomplish, rather than struggling and fighting against the change. The only way to succeed in life is to recognize the things holding us back and change them. Hypnosis is the tool than can help a person accomplish this objective.
Hypnosis has been practiced for hundreds of years and has been an effective means of helping people for generations. Over the recent years, hypnosis has gained acceptance as a viable means of treatment in the medical community and is now recognized by the Mayo Clinic and the National Institutes of Health. The American Medical Association (AMA) in 1958 recognized the use of clinical hypnosis.
Hypnosis can improve your focus and concentration, help quit your addictions like smoking, can address anxiety, panic, and phobia related problems, help with weight management, help cope with stress, help improve your over-all performance and increase self-esteem. With all that hypnosis can do, no wonder hypnosis is considered a powerful tool in achieving the goals we have.
“Sheltering an Animal’s Perspective”by Gregory M. Simpson
It’s a shame that some folks cannot appreciate the joy that animals bring to the world. As a social worker in child welfare and from my avocation in animal welfare, I have caught glimpses of personalities forming, personalities that will grow to love animals – or not.
I believe that children start out loving animals. I see this when soliciting donations for the Meriden Humane Society in front of department or grocery stores. A child in tow of a parent exiting a store, when asked, “Would you like to donate to help homeless animals?” will inevitably tug on the parent’s coat and say something like, “Mommy, mommy, we have to give….” How that parent responds gives a clear message, surely repeated many times over, that animals either deserve care – or not.
There are qualities in children which can become socialized away. Those believing in psychic abilities inform that children have extrasensory skills which are routinely squelched because of the widespread disbelief that such skills exist. Take another more common example – laughter. By the time a child reaches nursery school, he or she will laugh about 300 times daily. Compare this to adults who laugh on average 17 times a day. Clearly, children lose things along the way.
Unfortunately, many children experience more than the normal travails of childhood. Hundreds of thousands of children experience neglect and abuse of varying kinds and degrees. With 872,000 confirmed cases of child abuse or neglect in the U.S. for 2004, the result is over half a million children in foster care at any given time.
A survey of pet owning families with substantiated child abuse and neglect found that animals were abused (usually by the parent) in 88% of homes where child abuse was present. Another study of women seeking shelter at a safe house showed that 71% of those having pets indicated that their partner had threatened, hurt or killed their companion animals and 32% of mothers reported that their children had hurt or killed their pets.
The anthropologist, Margaret Mead, warned, “One of the most dangerous things that can happen to a child is to kill or torture an animal and get away with it.” As a youth, Albert DeSalvo, the “Boston Strangler” who killed 13 women, trapped cats in orange crates and shot arrows through the boxes. The first act of violence in Carroll Edward Cole’s childhood, one of the most prolific killers in modern history, was to strangle a cat. As the humanitarian, Albert Schweitzer, pointed out, “Anyone who has accustomed himself to regard the life of any living creature as worthless is in danger of arriving also at the idea of worthless human lives.”
Children’s reports of animal abuse in the home need to be taken seriously. Animal abuse, by either a parent or a child, is an indication that the child may be at risk of abuse. Early intervention may prevent the child abuse from happening, although animal abuse can also signal that child abuse is already occurring. Some children who will not talk about their own abuse will share what is happening to their pet. If a child describes animal abuse in the home, they should be interviewed further to determine if he or she is also being abused. In addition, the local animal welfare agency should be notified so that they can check on the care of the animals in the home.
There are a number of states that have mandatory cross reporting laws. In these states, when child abuse has been substantiated, an accompanying report must be made to the animal protection agency should there be animals in the home. Conversely, if animal protection authorities substantiate animal abuse in a home where there are children, then an accompanying report must be made to the child protective services agency. Although legislation of this type has been discussed in the Connecticut legislature in the past, no such law was ever passed. With studies showing the direct connection between animal and child abuse, time is overdue to revisit this type of legislation.
Yes, it is a shame that some individuals cannot appreciate the joy that animals bring to the world. There are reasons for this and they are not random. A child learns what he or she sees and the eyes of a child are always watching. A child will understand the value of animals only through what he or she is taught – and every day holds many teaching moments.
Gregory Simpson’s animal welfare involvement spans over 25 years, having provided leadership for several Connecticut organizations, as well as having served as state advisor to the national Friends of Animals. Chosen by CAT FANCY magazine as one of the ultimate cat lovers in the U.S., he is also a member of the Cat Writers’ Association.
Costumes, Treats, and Fun ... in March?
by Joan Goodman
Ah, the month of March. Time to look forward to spring, celebrate my husband’s birthday, and dress up in costumes and eat treats. What? No, we’re not reading the calendar wrong, and we’re not having Halloween in March. In our family early Spring is the time to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Purim.
Purim is a joyous holiday which commemorates the rescue of the Jewish people of Persia in the fifth century B.C.E. by Queen Esther and her cousin Mordecai. Achashverosh, the King of Persia, appointed an evil man named Haman as his second in command. Haman wanted everyone to bow down to him, and when Mordecai refuses, Haman convinced the king to order the killing of all Jews in the kingdom. Haman casts lots (Pur) to determine the day of the execution.
Mordecai asked Queen Esther to plead for the Jewish people. The king did not know that Esther was Jewish. At great risk, she appeared before the King and invited him and Haman to a banquet. (A person had to be invited by the King to speak with him otherwise he could have them killed.) She told the King she was Jewish and about Haman’s plan to kill her and her people. Haman was executed. The King issued a new order allowing the Jews to defend themselves and fight their enemies. The Jews were victorious and a celebration was held.
The rejoicing continues, thousands of years later. This year Purim began at sunset on March 3rd. We celebrated at Temple B’nai Abraham with a Purim Party and reading of the biblical scroll of Esther, otherwise known as the Megillah. The students from the Adult Hebrew Class (including me) read part of the Megillah for the first time. It was quite an honor.
My kids love this holiday because every time the word Haman is mentioned in the story people get to shout out and shake noisemakers to drown out his name. How often do kids get to make noise in a service?
At Temple B’nai Abraham’s Purim Party we saw all kinds of costumes, from characters in the story (Queen Esther, Haman) and other biblical characters (our leader, Rabbi Gloria S. Rubin was Moses and her husband was Aaron), to hula dancers, firefighters, and clowns (me). There was a costume parade and contest with winners receiving huge candy bars.
The kids also enjoyed sweet treats. Rabbi Rubin asked questions about the story and all who answered correctly had the chance to try and knock down the pinata. Of course, all of the children answered brilliantly and all enjoyed playing and winning the candy, even though a grown up had to open the pinata to get the candy out (just like at a birthday party).
The celebration continued the next day with our annual Purim Carnival. My boys love to play all of the games - golf, fishing, bean bag toss, shave the balloon, etc., and win prizes! My four-year old especially liked whacking the golf ball like a hockey puck and seeing it ricochet off the game, walls, other people’s shows etc. He much preferred his enthusiastic version of golfing than learning the nuances of putting, and jumped up and down with glee every time he earned more Purim dollars (like Monopoly money) to use to buy prizes later.
Other Purim traditions are to send mishloach manot (gifts of food and drink) to family and friends, and to help the poor. In our family we make dozens of hamentaschen cookies and send them to our family and friends. According to Alfred J. Kolatch in The Jewish Book of Why, hamentaschen is a German word meaning “Haman’s pockets.” Some say Haman filled his pockets with bribe money. The cookies are a triangular shape and are filled with poppy seeds or fruit filling. The shape is said to represent Haman’s three cornered hat, or the three patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who gave Esther strength.
So, if you saw our family driving down East Main Street in early March wearing costumes, we’re not mixed up on the date, we were on our way to a Purim celebration!
For more information on the Purim celebrations at Temple B’Nai Abraham in Meriden, please call Linda at (203) 235-2581.
To read more about Purim some suggested sources are:
1. The Jewish Book of Why by Alfred J. Kolatch
2. Jewish Literacy by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin
3. Jewish Family & Life by Yosef I. Abramowitz and Rabbi Susan Silverman
NOW It Is Spring in the West, East, North and SouthKatrina S. AxelrodOK. Now it is spring on the West side of Meriden, the East side of Southington, the North side of Cheshire, and the South side of Berlin.I submit, for your appreciation, the following:1. The Daffodil stems are 2 inches high all over Hubbard Park, (the Daffodil Festival is just a month away),2. The Red-Wing Blackbirds are going SKEE-RACK!!,3. The Peepers are out at night, singing their song for just the right Peeper, (how can they tell in the dark?and4. The Geese are crossing West Main Street to make their nests in the lawns.Regarding number 4 - please be careful as you drive, the geese are famous jay-walkers, and they are just ornery enough to challenge drivers of every machine type. We who drive this way frequently, (taking students to Platt High School has become a favorite hobby of mine, I also indulge myself by bringing them back home again), must be on notice to allow a couple of extra “geese minutes.” Once I had to get out of the car to escort them across the street. It was at the behest of my fellow ‘geese waiter’ coming the other way, who made the bad decision to honk at the geese. Don’t do that. It distracts the poor things, keeps them fulfilling their quest for lawn and slows down the whole process. Their orneriness kicks in. (Mine does too, but that is for a different reason, I am assuming). So, the guy who honked slowed down the parade he was hoping to speed up. He probably had to go to the bathroom, I can’t imagine why else anybody in their right mind (assumption again here) would honk at three large (large) geese completing an obviously instinct-written scenario. But, he did, I got out, and ask them firmly to move on. I didn’t get bitten, but there was a lot of hissing was exchanged, and the geese were noisy, too. Don’t do this if you don’t understand geese- you can get bitten and it hurts. The guy in the car calmed down, and he was on his way before I could get back in my car. I’m sure he was crossing his legs. So, some words to the busy- slow down for geese in front of Hubbard Park for the next couple of weeks. Stop when necessary. Smile to the other drivers when they stop, some people need reinforcement that they are doing the right thing. We have had one fatality a couple of years ago- the goose carcass was along the side of the road, right in front of both the park and a house. I almost cried. I did swear. I didn’t want my kids to see it, but they did. I was awful. Please be careful. You don’t want gooseguts on your car or on your conscience. Go Lady Owls- Division II Champs Southern CT State University Owls!
Dear Housewives – Central Connecticut’s Know It All Gals
Dear Readers,
Do you have a question regarding family life, budgeting, customer service issues, DVD or book reviews, or home organization? We will give you our candid advise from a family perspective. Contact The Peoples Press by e-mail or phone with your confidential question and we will answer it in the next issue.
June and Flora
Dear Housewives,
I have had several male friends that I really wanted as a boyfriend but it has not materialized - what should I do? Anonymous
JUNE: My, oh, my you are a sly fox aren't you? You make the boys your pals then hope they fall in love. But, it isn't going your way so what is a girl to do? First thing to say is there is no magic potion- No love potion # 9, no cupid's arrow and no witchcraft to make this happen. You can not make someone fall in love. These guys like you as a friend. Try to separate the friendships from guys you want to have relationships with because if it doesn't work you also loose a good friend. By the way, Mr. June added a man's opinion of view on this one and said that guys are dumb. They may not even know you like them or that you are sending "vibes" out to them. You essentially need to hit a guy over the head with the obvious. He thinks you should make things quite clear when you like a guy rather than just be friends and hope they make a move. Good luck Anonymous.
FLORA: Keep looking for the right guy Anonymous. If there is one special guy and you feel romantically attached to them, just be open and honest. Take the chance and see if the feeling is mutual. Maybe the activities you are doing with these guys, (are they: sport watching, fishing) they may think you are one of the guys.
Dear Housewives,
My sister's baby shower is coming up soon. I don't want to go because her husband's sister will be there and she has to debate me on some topic every time I see her. Although we don't get heated I dread getting into a debate; I always end up feeling mad. Should I ditch my sister's shower? Had enough in Meriden
FLORA: Go to the shower. It's your sister. Who are you two like? Lincoln and Douglas? My instincts tell me that she wouldn't disrupt a shower with deep discussions. If something does comes up, breathe deep and nod and say "Oh, I see your point of view." It doesn't say that you agree with it, you just see it. And leave it at that. Try not to get cornered by her. Enjoy the day. Remember it is about the baby and your sister. Stay focused on that!
JUNE: Suffice it to say that I bet you have never been on the debate team in college. Well, don't be afraid of a little debating; all the great ones do it. You can't expect everyone to have the same opinion as you and you can't expect to get through life with out discussing your opinions with someone else. Be a big girl, wrap your diaper genie, congratulate your sister and polish up on your foreign policies. After the great debate you and the husbands sister can go enjoy a mimosa.
Lincoln and Douglas Flora? Who the hell are they?
MOVIE REVIEW
JUNE: Hi Flora--I will review "The Illusionist" for the next Housewives at the request of a reader. I didn't have the time by this printing. We did see "My Super Ex-Girlfriend" with Owen Wilson and Uma Thurman. I hate to say but it was actually pretty good. I didn't think I would like it but it was done pretty well. It is about a woman (Uma) super hero who falls in love with a man (Owen). When he tries to dump her all hell breaks loose. "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" is the best way to describe it. Cute movie to rent.
FLORA: We will review "The Illusionist" next time. A terrific rental is the film: "One Night with the King" PG. It tells the incredible story of a young Jewish girl, Hadassah, who goes on to become the biblical Queen Esther. Queen Esther saves her people. The Jewish holiday Purim celebrates it. If you aren't familiar with the story, rent it. You won't be disappointed.
JUNE: Zzzzzz. Oops, sorry Flora, I dozed off with that movie pick. Hey, friend, do you ever rent any mainstream movies that more than 10 people have seen? Our fans want to be thrilled and dazzled. What is next on your rental list, "Yentil"?
It’s Spring! 2007
Two weeks of winter.
The snow fell down,
all around,
one whole foot high!
My boots came out!,
The wind blew across the lake,
was cold,cold,cold.
Three days later, the snow melted,
I went walking in the slush,.
Thanks, blanket of snow for keeping
the snowdrops snug and warm
Spring is here?
BY PHYLLIS
Hypnosis Defined
James Vumbaco
Hypnosis, what it is and how it can help you, is not fully understood by many individuals. A recent advertisement on the NCAA tournament broadcast is not helping the image of hypnosis as an alternative solution to wellness in America. In the advertisement, a hypnotist in the front seat of a car providing a ride to two referees hypnotizes them to call a foul on an opposing team in a critical situation. It certainly is entertaining, but adds to the stigma that reinforces the age-old misconception that the hypnotist can control a person’s mind. It is from “stage hypnosis” that most of the myths about hypnosis evolve.
A recent study appearing in the Journal of Health and Social behavior shows that baby boomers, looking to exert more control over their health care to prevent illness and to heal the body naturally, turn to alternative medicine more than generations before them did. Thousands of people cope with daily stress, fears and phobias that affect their everyday life. People face the inability to lose weight or to stop smoking that adds to life’s disappointments. Many just give up and continue to live their life without conquering these health related issues. They should not despair. Hypnosis can help with these problems. Before we discuss how hypnosis can help (to be presented in a series of future articles to come), the idea of what hypnosis is needs to be addressed.
Hypnosis is a natural state of mind that allows access to a person’s subconscious mind. It is a state of heightened susceptibility to suggestion, along with a state of deep relaxation. It is not sleep nor is it a state of unconsciousness. Hypnosis is a natural state we slip into and out of many times in our daily lives. Your mind is not controlled by anyone but yourself. A person cannot be made to do something they do not want to do nor would they accept a suggestion to do things that go against their morals, ethics and common sense.
The mind works on two levels, the conscious and subconscious. People make decisions, think and act with the conscious mind. The subconscious mind controls a person’s habit. During the relaxed and heightened state of awareness known as hypnosis, positive suggestions to overcome the roadblocks that keep one from attaining their personal goals, such as stop smoking or loosing weight, are made. A person feels relaxed, hears everything and can come out of hypnosis any time one chooses. One has complete control and I would like to stress again, will not do or say anything that they would not normally say or do. There is absolutely no way a person would violate his or her own personal sense of morality.
Studies have shown to make permanent changes in your life, it is necessary to get your subconscious mind in agreement with what you want to accomplish, rather than struggling and fighting against the change. The only way to succeed in life is to recognize the things holding us back and change them. Hypnosis is the tool than can help a person accomplish this objective.
Hypnosis has been practiced for hundreds of years and has been an effective means of helping people for generations. Over the recent years, hypnosis has gained acceptance as a viable means of treatment in the medical community and is now recognized by the Mayo Clinic and the National Institutes of Health. The American Medical Association (AMA) in 1958 recognized the use of clinical hypnosis.
Hypnosis can improve your focus and concentration, help quit your addictions like smoking, can address anxiety, panic, and phobia related problems, help with weight management, help cope with stress, help improve your over-all performance and increase self-esteem. With all that hypnosis can do, no wonder hypnosis is considered a powerful tool in achieving the goals we have.
April Stories Part 4
April Stories Part 4 sponsored by Kovac's Insurance
SPRING DREAM
Bedtime reading: garden catalogues.
Is it any wonder thoughts filled my head
Of fresh lettuce, green beans, carrots,
Beets, squash and tomatoes red?
Spading, raking, seeds put into beds,
Patted down and ready to sprout.
Daily watching for first green shoot
And when seen, we let out a shout!
The dream was luscious,
The veggies delicious
The summer sun warm
And the dream short-lived.
Awakened, my garden awaited
The spade, the rake and the hoe.
Renewed with hope I set to work,
Soon had it planted, all ready to grow.
And grow it did, sending green shoots,
Leaves unfurled, all along the rows.
Lettuces, radishes, what a joy!
Dreams of fresh salads, tangy and crisp.
Early one morn, I set our with hope
Of gathering greens but was met with dismay.
The rows were all cropped down to the ground,
The gate was ajar, my salads all eaten!
Poof! went my dream.
Woodchuck? Rabbit?
Did you enjoy your feast?
By Dorothy Adair Gonick
MARBLES REMIND MOM OF LONG AGO SPRING FUNBy Phyllis S. Donovan
Just before Easter, my daughter and I cleaned out the toy chest in her old room and reorganized the playthings her daughter and my other grandkids dig out every time they visit us. In the process of throwing out a lot of the junk, she came across a small cloth bag of marbles tucked into a corner in the bottom of the chest. “Oh, these are my crystal poppers,” she said, happy to discover them after so many years. She washed the clear colored globes in soapy water to pass along to her own daughter and we put a few in a small dish on the shelf under the bay window where the sun shone through them, reflecting the deep reds, blues and greens. “When I was a kid, we used to call those ‘moonies’,” I told her, thinking back on long-ago spring days touched by the first warmth of the season when the chickadees took on their two-note spring calls and the cardinals started practicing their warm weather scales. With a rush, I thought about those gentler days when little girls brought jump ropes to school and the boys brought pouches of marbles to match skills at recess. Do kids even do that anymore? Back then, marbles were played in the school yard mostly by the boys while the girls were left to their rope-jumping and hopscotch. But after school, when our cousins congregated in our own neighborhood, they’d let us girls compete in their big ringy, little ringy and football marble games. No easy bunny-in-the-hole sissy marble games for us. We met the boys fairly in their own arena. I had a tomboy girl cousin who could skunk all the boys in any game of marble-shooting skills. Her marble collection burgeoned. I wasn’t as good as she was but throughout the entire spring I had a rough and scruffy left thumbnail from shooting marbles with my favorite lucky moonie. Although we played marbles with the boys, they never played jump rope with us. They wouldn’t even deign to turn the rope for us when we brought out the plain old length of clothesline we used for group jumping accompanied by simple verses which matched the rhythm of our jumps. (This was many years before the imaginative double dutch jumping that has evolved into a competitive team sport.) Each spring we’d each get our own jump ropes with red wooden handles and bright colors woven into the grey hemp. (Whenever we sail, the different colored lines remind me of those girlhood jump ropes.)In the spring, too, we’d spend hours on weekends making our own kites which we’d try desperately to launch, running back and forth through our grandfather’s cow pasture. But the tails were always wrong or the kites themselves too heavy for us to really get off the ground. We rarely invested the few cents in a store-bought kite because, in those days they were like tissue paper and one crash would totally demolish them. When our own children were growing up, kites had improved considerably and they took to kite-flying with a vengeance. Sprung from a mother who could never get a kite off the ground, these aeronautical wizards could coax their kites almost up to the stratosphere. Our oldest son, in fact, kept a kite flying for several days after sending it far aloft on the end of several tied-together lengths of cord. At night he’d toss the end of the line up into his bedroom window and shut the window on it, keeping it taut as it flew through the night. Nobody believes that story but it really did happen, and his brothers and the kids who once lived next door will vouch for it. Each day, whenever my daughter’s “crystal poppers” in the bay window catch my eye, I wonder if the kids these days who play marbles, jump rope at recess or fly kites with or without their dads, will hold onto those memories and think back on them fondly when they are grown up and have kids and grandkids of their own. I surely hope they will.
What is Passover?
by Joan Goodman
I love the month of April. To me April means spring, warmer days, crocuses, and daffodils. Everything starts growing and we break free of winter’s icy grip. It also means celebrating Passover, which tells the story of the Exodus, when, with God’s help, the Children of Israel broke free from their bondage as Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt. The holiday lasts for eight days and begins this year at sunset on Monday, April 2nd.
What’s the story?
Here’s the short version. Pharaoh ordered all Jewish baby boys to be killed. Moses’ mother put him in a basket and placed the basket among the reeds in the Nile river. Pharaoh’s daughter found the baby and adopted him. As a man, Moses was chosen by God to confront Pharaoh and demand the Israelites’ freedom. When Pharaoh refused, ten terrible plagues befell the Egyptians. After the tenth plague - Death of the Firstborn - when Pharaoh’s own son died, he let the slaves go. Moses led his people to the Sea of Reeds (Red Sea). Pharaoh changed his mind and sent his army in pursuit. Moses raised his staff and God parted the Sea of Reeds. The Israelites escaped to freedom. Pharaoh’s army followed. The walls of water closed and they were drowned.
What do you do to celebrate?
The holiday primarily centers around the home although there are services at the synagogue. At Temple B’nai Abraham Passover services begin on Monday, April 2nd at 7:00 a.m. with a service for the first born (because the first born of the Hebrews were spared the 10th plague), and on April 3rd, 4th, 9th, and 10th at 9:30 a.m. The Yizkor service (prayer service for those who have died) will be included in the April 10th service.
The traditions have to do with getting the house ready, what you can eat, having a festive meal, and telling the story.
What is matzah? Why do you eat it instead of bread?
Before the holiday, we clean the kitchen to get rid of all of the chametz (bread and products with leavening). The reason for the removal of chametz is because the bible commands us to have no chametz in our homes during the holiday. The other reason we eat matzah is that the Jewish people did not have time to let bread rise when they were escaping from Egypt. They carried their dough with them - the result was a flat cracker called matzah.
What is a Seder?
On the first and second nights of Passover family and friends gather at home for a seder. Seder means "order." A Haggadah is read, which tells the story of the Exodus. The story and the foods that are eaten follow a certain order that are outlined in the Haggadah. Participants are supposed to "recline" or relax as they eat which symbolizes freedom and independence. A special seder plate is used to hold the symbolic foods which include:
1. maror (bitter herbs) - usually horseradish, to represent the bitterness of slavery
2. karpas (a green vegetable) - cucumber, parsley, or some other vegetable in seasonserved as an appetizer, a tradition dating to the first and second centuries
3. charoset (a mixture of apples, nuts, cinnamon, and wine) - representing the mortar used in making bricks to build the pyramids
4. zeroa (roasted shankbone or neck of poultry) - symbolic of the Paschal lamb offered as a sacrifice in the days of the Temple in Jerusalem
5. baytza (a roasted hard-boiled egg) - symbolic of regular sacrifices brought to the Temple, and a symbol of mourning after the two Temples were destroyed.
A festive meal is held during the Seder with all kinds of delicious foods. Also during the seder we drink four cups of wine or grape juice. One of the interpretations of why there are four cups is that there are four phrases God uses when he promises to free the Israelites: "I will bring you out of Egypt." " I will deliver you from their bondage." "I will redeem you with an outstretched arm." "I will take you to Me for a people." (See the Book of Exodus 6:6-7) We also place a cup on the table for the prophet Elijah. Some Jews believe that when Elijah returns it will be a time of peace, harmony, and understanding among all nations.
As part of the Seder, we recite the ten plagues that God brought upon the Pharaoh and his people. The ten plagues are blood (water turned red), frogs, lice, wild animals, cattle disease, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, and death of the first born. As we recite each plague we remove a drop of wine from our cups. Wine is considered a symbol of joy. We decrease our joy because the plagues caused suffering. And we explain to the children that you should never rejoice when someone suffers (just as God reprimanded the angels when they rejoiced when the Israelites made it safely through the Sea of Reeds, but the Egyptian soldiers perished.).
At many Seders there is a lot of questioning and discussion about the story’s meaning today, about freedom from oppression, and modern day plagues and what can be done about them. The point is to tell the story until we almost feel that were there in ancient Egypt!
What do the kids do?
Children have special roles. The youngest child asks four questions about what makes this night different and why. At some Seders the kids get involved by telling about the plagues. For example they might add red food coloring to water, put stickers on their face for boils, wear sunglasses for darkness, etc. At the Hebrew School at Temple B’nai Abraham my son went to Sesame Street model Seder where you could bring your favorite character. It was a lot of fun. It’s a way to teach the children the story and keep them interested.
Another way the children are involved is the search for the afikomen. This is a piece of matzah either hidden by the adults and the kids find it, or the kids hide it and the adults must guess where it is. The afikomen is served as desert and the meal cannot end without it. The children win prizes. One friend of mine said the kids tried hiding it in grandpa’s pants - that didn’t work out too well. (ha!ha!)
The Seder ends with lots of singing.
So, when you are in the supermarket and see boxes of matzah or if you see coworkers eating "big crackers" instead of bread, now you know what’s going on and what another culture is about.
For more information please see The Jewish Book of Why, by Alfred J. Kolatch or Jewish Family & Life by Yosef I. Abramowitz and Rabbi Susan Silverman.
Butternut’s Story
Submitted by the Mordarski Family
Forward: Our family felt prompted to share this story of our beloved cat Butternut, given the current crisis situation at the Meriden Humane Society. Written for children, Butternut’s story is one that encompasses basic life lessons, such as diversity, acceptance, perseverance, unconditional love and dealing with the loss of a loved one. Butternut touched the lives of our family members and it is our hope that if her story touches your heart, you will open your home to a shelter animal or make a donation to help this vital community organization.
“All sorrows can be borne if we put them in a story or tell a story about them.”- Isak Dinesen
One warm spring day in June, a tiny kitten was brought into the local animal shelter. She was hungry, dirty, and scared, shivering with fright in her shoebox bed. She was a calico cat, which meant that her fur was all different colors. She was covered in patches of gray, tan, and white and she had a special white cross on her chest.
The people at the animal shelter were very kind. They took her in, bathed her, and fed her until her little tummy was full. The lady at the shelter said, “You’re such a cutie, I’m going to name you ‘Butternut’!”
Butternut spent day after day in a cage at the animal shelter. Families would come in looking for kittens but they always said, “Not that one…she walks funny.” You see, Butternut had a problem walking; her back legs just didn’t seem to want to follow her front ones and she would stagger as if she was dizzy. The veterinarian at the animal shelter thought that this might have been because she didn’t have enough to eat as a kitten. It may have also been a sign of a neurological problem (“neurological” means something might have been wrong with how her brain worked).
Eventually, Butternut was moved to the “Big Cat Room” in the animal shelter since she was no longer a kitten. The older cats had a very low opinion of Butternut because she couldn’t walk the same way they did. A wise old gray Persian named Princess told her, “No family will ever adopt you. No one will ever want a cat that can’t walk straight.” All the other cats laughed and made fun of her walk and her different colored fur. Butternut felt very sad.
Then one afternoon, a mother and daughter came into the Big Cat Room. “I know there aren’t many kittens to choose from,” Butternut heard the animal shelter lady say, “but there are many younger cats in this room that you can look at.” Without hesitation, the mother and daughter went right to Butternut’s cage, passing by the fancy gray Persian and all of the other cats that had teased her. “This is the cat we want,” they said. “Butternut…what a cute name! And what beautiful colored fur she has!” The animal shelter lady said, “You must know that although Butternut is a very loveable kitty, she does have a problem with her legs.” She put Butternut down to walk, and as hard as she tried, she could not walk straight. Her legs were very weak from living in a cage for four months. The mother picked Butternut up and they looked at her sweet face. Then the mother and daughter looked at each other and agreed, “We don’t care if she walks funny,” they said. “This is the kitten we’ve always wanted and we want to take her home with us.”
Finally, Butternut’s big day had come. Two days before Christmas she was adopted by her new family. She had a mother, father, a sister and two brothers. She had finally found a home and it was the best Christmas present ever!
There were so many different things to get used to in her new home. Instead of a wire cage, she had a really big house in which to run around. Instead of an old towel on the floor of a cage, she had a special soft bed on which to sleep. And she had big windows to look out of, lots of toys to play with, and a family to love her.
The days and months went happily by. As Butternut ran and played, her legs grew stronger. Soon she was able to jump as high and run as fast as any of the other animal shelter cats that had teased her. Her family even took her for car rides to go on vacation with them. She felt very lucky and very loved.
One day she heard the youngest brother ask if Butternut could ever have kittens. “Butternut had an operation when she was at the shelter so she can’t have babies,” explained the mother. “Then can we get a kitten for Butternut to play with and take care of like a baby?” the brother asked. “I don’t know,” replied the mother. “I think she likes having us all to herself. But if we ever did get another kitten, I always thought that ‘Lily’ was a pretty name.”
The very next week, Butternut woke up on a Saturday morning and she did not feel well at all. It had been very hot outside, even though it wasn’t summertime yet, and she didn’t feel like eating her breakfast, chasing her toys, or looking out the window at the neighborhood. “Butternut, what’s the matter?” the mother asked. “She’s just hot,” said the father. “She’ll be O.K.”
But Butternut was not O.K. As time went by, she still wouldn’t eat her food and drink her water. She couldn’t walk without falling down and it was getting harder and harder for her to breathe. The mother and the sister took Butternut to the emergency vet’s office, hoping they’d be able to make her better.
That night, Butternut appeared to the mother in a dream. She was sitting in a big comfy chair, surrounded by many tiny bright lights. “It’ll be O.K., Mommy,” Butternut said. (The lights, the mother was certain, were angels sent to take care of their sweet kitty.) “Thank you for giving me toys to play with, windows to look out of and a family to love me but now it’s time for me to go home.”
The next morning, the mother awaited the call from the vet. When he finally called, he had bad news. He said that Butternut was not doing well at all. She had been put in an oxygen chamber; she couldn’t breathe on her own because her lungs were filling up with fluid and she had become blind as a result of her internal organs failing. The father and mother drove to the vet’s office as soon as they could. Butternut died in the mother’s arms. She was just two years old.
Butternut’s family buried her body in their flower garden just below the window she enjoyed looking out of. A special cross marked her grave and a yellow lily was planted nearby. It was a very sad day for Butternut’s family.
A few days went by and the mother called the lady at the animal shelter to tell her about Butternut. “It’s very sad that you lost your special pet,” said the lady, “but this is an opportunity to give another kitten a wonderful home. We have a kitten here that looks a little like Butternut. Would you like to come see her?” The mother and the youngest brother went down to the animal shelter. The lady brought out a tiny calico kitten. She had just been rescued from the woods and was still very dirty. “I don’t know if we’re ready for another pet right now,” said the mother as she held the little kitten. “Did you name her yet?” “Yes,” said the animal shelter lady. “Her name is Lily.” The mother and little boy looked at each other and smiled. “We’ll take her,” said the mother.
For more information about adopting a pet or making a donation, contact the Meriden Humane Society, 311 Murdock Ave., Meriden, CT 06450 (203) 238-3650. You can email them at meridensociety@sbcglobal.net or visit their website for pet listings and upcoming fundraising events at www.petfinder.com/shelters/CT20.html.
SPRING DREAMBedtime reading: garden catalogues.
Is it any wonder thoughts filled my head
Of fresh lettuce, green beans, carrots,
Beets, squash and tomatoes red?
Spading, raking, seeds put into beds,
Patted down and ready to sprout.
Daily watching for first green shoot
And when seen, we let out a shout!
The dream was luscious,
The veggies delicious
The summer sun warm
And the dream short-lived.
Awakened, my garden awaited
The spade, the rake and the hoe.
Renewed with hope I set to work,
Soon had it planted, all ready to grow.
And grow it did, sending green shoots,
Leaves unfurled, all along the rows.
Lettuces, radishes, what a joy!
Dreams of fresh salads, tangy and crisp.
Early one morn, I set our with hope
Of gathering greens but was met with dismay.
The rows were all cropped down to the ground,
The gate was ajar, my salads all eaten!
Poof! went my dream.
Woodchuck? Rabbit?
Did you enjoy your feast?
By Dorothy Adair Gonick
MARBLES REMIND MOM OF LONG AGO SPRING FUNBy Phyllis S. Donovan
Just before Easter, my daughter and I cleaned out the toy chest in her old room and reorganized the playthings her daughter and my other grandkids dig out every time they visit us. In the process of throwing out a lot of the junk, she came across a small cloth bag of marbles tucked into a corner in the bottom of the chest. “Oh, these are my crystal poppers,” she said, happy to discover them after so many years. She washed the clear colored globes in soapy water to pass along to her own daughter and we put a few in a small dish on the shelf under the bay window where the sun shone through them, reflecting the deep reds, blues and greens. “When I was a kid, we used to call those ‘moonies’,” I told her, thinking back on long-ago spring days touched by the first warmth of the season when the chickadees took on their two-note spring calls and the cardinals started practicing their warm weather scales. With a rush, I thought about those gentler days when little girls brought jump ropes to school and the boys brought pouches of marbles to match skills at recess. Do kids even do that anymore? Back then, marbles were played in the school yard mostly by the boys while the girls were left to their rope-jumping and hopscotch. But after school, when our cousins congregated in our own neighborhood, they’d let us girls compete in their big ringy, little ringy and football marble games. No easy bunny-in-the-hole sissy marble games for us. We met the boys fairly in their own arena. I had a tomboy girl cousin who could skunk all the boys in any game of marble-shooting skills. Her marble collection burgeoned. I wasn’t as good as she was but throughout the entire spring I had a rough and scruffy left thumbnail from shooting marbles with my favorite lucky moonie. Although we played marbles with the boys, they never played jump rope with us. They wouldn’t even deign to turn the rope for us when we brought out the plain old length of clothesline we used for group jumping accompanied by simple verses which matched the rhythm of our jumps. (This was many years before the imaginative double dutch jumping that has evolved into a competitive team sport.) Each spring we’d each get our own jump ropes with red wooden handles and bright colors woven into the grey hemp. (Whenever we sail, the different colored lines remind me of those girlhood jump ropes.)In the spring, too, we’d spend hours on weekends making our own kites which we’d try desperately to launch, running back and forth through our grandfather’s cow pasture. But the tails were always wrong or the kites themselves too heavy for us to really get off the ground. We rarely invested the few cents in a store-bought kite because, in those days they were like tissue paper and one crash would totally demolish them. When our own children were growing up, kites had improved considerably and they took to kite-flying with a vengeance. Sprung from a mother who could never get a kite off the ground, these aeronautical wizards could coax their kites almost up to the stratosphere. Our oldest son, in fact, kept a kite flying for several days after sending it far aloft on the end of several tied-together lengths of cord. At night he’d toss the end of the line up into his bedroom window and shut the window on it, keeping it taut as it flew through the night. Nobody believes that story but it really did happen, and his brothers and the kids who once lived next door will vouch for it. Each day, whenever my daughter’s “crystal poppers” in the bay window catch my eye, I wonder if the kids these days who play marbles, jump rope at recess or fly kites with or without their dads, will hold onto those memories and think back on them fondly when they are grown up and have kids and grandkids of their own. I surely hope they will.
What is Passover?
by Joan Goodman
I love the month of April. To me April means spring, warmer days, crocuses, and daffodils. Everything starts growing and we break free of winter’s icy grip. It also means celebrating Passover, which tells the story of the Exodus, when, with God’s help, the Children of Israel broke free from their bondage as Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt. The holiday lasts for eight days and begins this year at sunset on Monday, April 2nd.
What’s the story?
Here’s the short version. Pharaoh ordered all Jewish baby boys to be killed. Moses’ mother put him in a basket and placed the basket among the reeds in the Nile river. Pharaoh’s daughter found the baby and adopted him. As a man, Moses was chosen by God to confront Pharaoh and demand the Israelites’ freedom. When Pharaoh refused, ten terrible plagues befell the Egyptians. After the tenth plague - Death of the Firstborn - when Pharaoh’s own son died, he let the slaves go. Moses led his people to the Sea of Reeds (Red Sea). Pharaoh changed his mind and sent his army in pursuit. Moses raised his staff and God parted the Sea of Reeds. The Israelites escaped to freedom. Pharaoh’s army followed. The walls of water closed and they were drowned.
What do you do to celebrate?
The holiday primarily centers around the home although there are services at the synagogue. At Temple B’nai Abraham Passover services begin on Monday, April 2nd at 7:00 a.m. with a service for the first born (because the first born of the Hebrews were spared the 10th plague), and on April 3rd, 4th, 9th, and 10th at 9:30 a.m. The Yizkor service (prayer service for those who have died) will be included in the April 10th service.
The traditions have to do with getting the house ready, what you can eat, having a festive meal, and telling the story.
What is matzah? Why do you eat it instead of bread?
Before the holiday, we clean the kitchen to get rid of all of the chametz (bread and products with leavening). The reason for the removal of chametz is because the bible commands us to have no chametz in our homes during the holiday. The other reason we eat matzah is that the Jewish people did not have time to let bread rise when they were escaping from Egypt. They carried their dough with them - the result was a flat cracker called matzah.
What is a Seder?
On the first and second nights of Passover family and friends gather at home for a seder. Seder means "order." A Haggadah is read, which tells the story of the Exodus. The story and the foods that are eaten follow a certain order that are outlined in the Haggadah. Participants are supposed to "recline" or relax as they eat which symbolizes freedom and independence. A special seder plate is used to hold the symbolic foods which include:
1. maror (bitter herbs) - usually horseradish, to represent the bitterness of slavery
2. karpas (a green vegetable) - cucumber, parsley, or some other vegetable in seasonserved as an appetizer, a tradition dating to the first and second centuries
3. charoset (a mixture of apples, nuts, cinnamon, and wine) - representing the mortar used in making bricks to build the pyramids
4. zeroa (roasted shankbone or neck of poultry) - symbolic of the Paschal lamb offered as a sacrifice in the days of the Temple in Jerusalem
5. baytza (a roasted hard-boiled egg) - symbolic of regular sacrifices brought to the Temple, and a symbol of mourning after the two Temples were destroyed.
A festive meal is held during the Seder with all kinds of delicious foods. Also during the seder we drink four cups of wine or grape juice. One of the interpretations of why there are four cups is that there are four phrases God uses when he promises to free the Israelites: "I will bring you out of Egypt." " I will deliver you from their bondage." "I will redeem you with an outstretched arm." "I will take you to Me for a people." (See the Book of Exodus 6:6-7) We also place a cup on the table for the prophet Elijah. Some Jews believe that when Elijah returns it will be a time of peace, harmony, and understanding among all nations.
As part of the Seder, we recite the ten plagues that God brought upon the Pharaoh and his people. The ten plagues are blood (water turned red), frogs, lice, wild animals, cattle disease, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, and death of the first born. As we recite each plague we remove a drop of wine from our cups. Wine is considered a symbol of joy. We decrease our joy because the plagues caused suffering. And we explain to the children that you should never rejoice when someone suffers (just as God reprimanded the angels when they rejoiced when the Israelites made it safely through the Sea of Reeds, but the Egyptian soldiers perished.).
At many Seders there is a lot of questioning and discussion about the story’s meaning today, about freedom from oppression, and modern day plagues and what can be done about them. The point is to tell the story until we almost feel that were there in ancient Egypt!
What do the kids do?
Children have special roles. The youngest child asks four questions about what makes this night different and why. At some Seders the kids get involved by telling about the plagues. For example they might add red food coloring to water, put stickers on their face for boils, wear sunglasses for darkness, etc. At the Hebrew School at Temple B’nai Abraham my son went to Sesame Street model Seder where you could bring your favorite character. It was a lot of fun. It’s a way to teach the children the story and keep them interested.
Another way the children are involved is the search for the afikomen. This is a piece of matzah either hidden by the adults and the kids find it, or the kids hide it and the adults must guess where it is. The afikomen is served as desert and the meal cannot end without it. The children win prizes. One friend of mine said the kids tried hiding it in grandpa’s pants - that didn’t work out too well. (ha!ha!)
The Seder ends with lots of singing.
So, when you are in the supermarket and see boxes of matzah or if you see coworkers eating "big crackers" instead of bread, now you know what’s going on and what another culture is about.
For more information please see The Jewish Book of Why, by Alfred J. Kolatch or Jewish Family & Life by Yosef I. Abramowitz and Rabbi Susan Silverman.
Butternut’s Story
Submitted by the Mordarski Family
Forward: Our family felt prompted to share this story of our beloved cat Butternut, given the current crisis situation at the Meriden Humane Society. Written for children, Butternut’s story is one that encompasses basic life lessons, such as diversity, acceptance, perseverance, unconditional love and dealing with the loss of a loved one. Butternut touched the lives of our family members and it is our hope that if her story touches your heart, you will open your home to a shelter animal or make a donation to help this vital community organization.
“All sorrows can be borne if we put them in a story or tell a story about them.”- Isak Dinesen
One warm spring day in June, a tiny kitten was brought into the local animal shelter. She was hungry, dirty, and scared, shivering with fright in her shoebox bed. She was a calico cat, which meant that her fur was all different colors. She was covered in patches of gray, tan, and white and she had a special white cross on her chest.
The people at the animal shelter were very kind. They took her in, bathed her, and fed her until her little tummy was full. The lady at the shelter said, “You’re such a cutie, I’m going to name you ‘Butternut’!”
Butternut spent day after day in a cage at the animal shelter. Families would come in looking for kittens but they always said, “Not that one…she walks funny.” You see, Butternut had a problem walking; her back legs just didn’t seem to want to follow her front ones and she would stagger as if she was dizzy. The veterinarian at the animal shelter thought that this might have been because she didn’t have enough to eat as a kitten. It may have also been a sign of a neurological problem (“neurological” means something might have been wrong with how her brain worked).
Eventually, Butternut was moved to the “Big Cat Room” in the animal shelter since she was no longer a kitten. The older cats had a very low opinion of Butternut because she couldn’t walk the same way they did. A wise old gray Persian named Princess told her, “No family will ever adopt you. No one will ever want a cat that can’t walk straight.” All the other cats laughed and made fun of her walk and her different colored fur. Butternut felt very sad.
Then one afternoon, a mother and daughter came into the Big Cat Room. “I know there aren’t many kittens to choose from,” Butternut heard the animal shelter lady say, “but there are many younger cats in this room that you can look at.” Without hesitation, the mother and daughter went right to Butternut’s cage, passing by the fancy gray Persian and all of the other cats that had teased her. “This is the cat we want,” they said. “Butternut…what a cute name! And what beautiful colored fur she has!” The animal shelter lady said, “You must know that although Butternut is a very loveable kitty, she does have a problem with her legs.” She put Butternut down to walk, and as hard as she tried, she could not walk straight. Her legs were very weak from living in a cage for four months. The mother picked Butternut up and they looked at her sweet face. Then the mother and daughter looked at each other and agreed, “We don’t care if she walks funny,” they said. “This is the kitten we’ve always wanted and we want to take her home with us.”
Finally, Butternut’s big day had come. Two days before Christmas she was adopted by her new family. She had a mother, father, a sister and two brothers. She had finally found a home and it was the best Christmas present ever!
There were so many different things to get used to in her new home. Instead of a wire cage, she had a really big house in which to run around. Instead of an old towel on the floor of a cage, she had a special soft bed on which to sleep. And she had big windows to look out of, lots of toys to play with, and a family to love her.
The days and months went happily by. As Butternut ran and played, her legs grew stronger. Soon she was able to jump as high and run as fast as any of the other animal shelter cats that had teased her. Her family even took her for car rides to go on vacation with them. She felt very lucky and very loved.
One day she heard the youngest brother ask if Butternut could ever have kittens. “Butternut had an operation when she was at the shelter so she can’t have babies,” explained the mother. “Then can we get a kitten for Butternut to play with and take care of like a baby?” the brother asked. “I don’t know,” replied the mother. “I think she likes having us all to herself. But if we ever did get another kitten, I always thought that ‘Lily’ was a pretty name.”
The very next week, Butternut woke up on a Saturday morning and she did not feel well at all. It had been very hot outside, even though it wasn’t summertime yet, and she didn’t feel like eating her breakfast, chasing her toys, or looking out the window at the neighborhood. “Butternut, what’s the matter?” the mother asked. “She’s just hot,” said the father. “She’ll be O.K.”
But Butternut was not O.K. As time went by, she still wouldn’t eat her food and drink her water. She couldn’t walk without falling down and it was getting harder and harder for her to breathe. The mother and the sister took Butternut to the emergency vet’s office, hoping they’d be able to make her better.
That night, Butternut appeared to the mother in a dream. She was sitting in a big comfy chair, surrounded by many tiny bright lights. “It’ll be O.K., Mommy,” Butternut said. (The lights, the mother was certain, were angels sent to take care of their sweet kitty.) “Thank you for giving me toys to play with, windows to look out of and a family to love me but now it’s time for me to go home.”
The next morning, the mother awaited the call from the vet. When he finally called, he had bad news. He said that Butternut was not doing well at all. She had been put in an oxygen chamber; she couldn’t breathe on her own because her lungs were filling up with fluid and she had become blind as a result of her internal organs failing. The father and mother drove to the vet’s office as soon as they could. Butternut died in the mother’s arms. She was just two years old.
Butternut’s family buried her body in their flower garden just below the window she enjoyed looking out of. A special cross marked her grave and a yellow lily was planted nearby. It was a very sad day for Butternut’s family.
A few days went by and the mother called the lady at the animal shelter to tell her about Butternut. “It’s very sad that you lost your special pet,” said the lady, “but this is an opportunity to give another kitten a wonderful home. We have a kitten here that looks a little like Butternut. Would you like to come see her?” The mother and the youngest brother went down to the animal shelter. The lady brought out a tiny calico kitten. She had just been rescued from the woods and was still very dirty. “I don’t know if we’re ready for another pet right now,” said the mother as she held the little kitten. “Did you name her yet?” “Yes,” said the animal shelter lady. “Her name is Lily.” The mother and little boy looked at each other and smiled. “We’ll take her,” said the mother.
For more information about adopting a pet or making a donation, contact the Meriden Humane Society, 311 Murdock Ave., Meriden, CT 06450 (203) 238-3650. You can email them at meridensociety@sbcglobal.net or visit their website for pet listings and upcoming fundraising events at www.petfinder.com/shelters/CT20.html.
April Stories Part 5
April Stories Part 5 brought to you by Meriden Feed and New England Fireplace, Inc.
SILENT COMMUNICATIONS
By Chip
There are many ways to communicate with your neighbor. Talking across the fence or visiting inside of the house are two ways. My neighbor and I have a silent way of communicating. We have an unwritten agreement. The first one who sees garbage cans on the street after the truck has emptied them assumes the task of returning the cans from the street to the garage. It works. You know that your neighbor is there for you.
Misneachail
She stands at the counter and informs the clerk of her opinion on the subject. Like her grandmother before her, the young woman is tough, proud, and spirited. However, beneath the tough shell, there is a soft and loving center. Her family and friends are woven around her heart.
She is distinctly human and, although she may stumble and fall, the young woman refuses to lie down. The passion for life, love and happiness guides her through the days.
Kimberly Moynihan
The Things We Experience
The things we experience throughout our everyday life, it hits all of us. The tensions, worries, and frustrations, with a little bit of joy and happiness thrown in. Everything has a beginning, and everything has an ending, and this is where I begin. I moved to Wallingford 3 ½ years ago from West Haven, my job is located in New Haven. This makes my day start very early in the morning. Wishing I could stay in bed a little bit longer, I reluctantly get out of bed. Slowly I walk into the kitchen, trying not to trip over anything, with eyes half closed. I take my medicines – medicines to get things started, that slowed down with age, and medicines to slow things down that now are going too fast. Oh those wonderful “Golden Years” you know they were coming, but when then do, you don’t know where the time went. Now it’s time for me to get started, taking a shower – brushing my teeth – blow drying my hair, and getting dressed. I’m on my way to the bus stop that has a shelter to protect us from all kinds of weather. I can see Linda, Barbara, Cathy, and Carol waiting there. The five of us catch the 6:38 a.m. bus six, and soon we’ll see our bus driver AL. AL is very quiet, and always is soft spoken; he always greets us with a good morning and gentle smile. At one time there were other people, Jeanne and Cindy were part of the original crew. Cindy and I got a petition going to get the bus shelter, some people said –it would never happen, we proved them wrong. Now because we all just got acquainted with each other for a few months or so, we had to get adjusted to each others ways. It’s like a marriage, if there’s a problem, you work on solving it. The first thing was the seating arrangement, you think we were at the Ritz and had numbered seats. Sitting closer to the bus driver got us where? Then there was the thing with having heat or air, who wanted air conditioning (me) and not windows open please. We seem to have that solved – but it’s still iffy. We’re still working on it. Everyone takes the same bus home together, except for Barbara. This is where we have out adventure / or nightmare. We encounter many people and characters, and I do mean characters. First there was Tony, we call him the water man, because of him always having a gallon of water with him. He would like us to call him Capt. Tony, but we don’t. He starts by standing up in the front of the bus, and stretching out his arms and legs, kicking his legs this way and that way. As he is doing this, he is laughing and talking to himself out loud, then he sits down. He takes a drink of water, and grabs a handful of bus schedules, stuffs them in his bag – he does this every time he gets on the bus. We don’t see him anymore – he may be taking the train. To fill his shoes, is this may with a lot of tattoo’s on his arms, and has a CD player with ear phones in his ears. He pretends he is playing a guitar or drums. His arms stretched out as though he was playing the guitar – his hands and fingers moving to the music. Then he would change and act our playing the drums. With hands swinging up and down – his eyes closed and head moving in different directions. He did this from the time he got on the bus, until he got the Meriden – and hour later. We haven’t seen him for a while, but have no fear, there is more.
A young man took our bus, that wasn’t noticeable to us, but he had drank too much alcohol. What goes in must come out, and halfway home, he stood up and went to the bathroom. Everyone from the back ran to the front, of course he denied doing so, and with everyone wanting to get home – we just continued on.
Our next adventure/nightmare now was with the bus itself. First was the day the bus started smoking thick black smoke. Bill our bus driver, made sure to get us off the main road – out of traffic. We stopped on a residential road, with many beautiful homes. The lawns were green, and nicely trimmed, with many beds of flowers planted in the front of their homes. You could smell the aromas of cooking and coffee, oh how I could have loved a cup of coffee. It was warm outside and even warmer in the bus, we lost power, and nothing electrical was working. All of a sudden Kevin yells out, hey bill can you open the doors, it’s hot in here. Bill yells back, I would love to, but we have no power. He suggested we open the windows until he regained some power back. We all sat there – telling stories – laughing – and getting to know other people. Here we were this big bus filled with people, and no one came out to see what was wrong – AMAZING. We had to wait about 30 minutes until the next bus came by, the time went by fast. Here comes the bus and off into the sunset we go.
A few days go by, and here we go, someone pulled the cord to get off. The light goes on – the person gets off, but the light won’t go off. Bill does something and it goes off. The next person pulls the cord, now the light won’t go on. Our next best thing to do now is to yell out loud before we got to our stop. We all laughed, shook our heads, and on we went. Like I said everything has a beginning, and everything has an ending, “I lied”. With us it’s never ending. I would like to thank everyone that I ride with, for it’s because of them that make my ride interesting and enjoyable. Barbara, Irma, Marion, Vicky, Linda, Cookie, Megan, Martha, Carol, Joe, Jan, John, Carol, Frank, Ann, Cathy, Krysta, and our wonderful bus drivers: Jo Marie a.m., AL Barnes a.m., Bill p.m.
Jo-Ann Buccetti
Life
Life is like a rocky road,
Uneven and unsure,
With ruts and stones everywhere,
Like the problems we must endure.
But if you look so very close,
You will begin to see
The answers to your questions
On what your life could be.
It shows how you can clear away
The path on which you tread,
Put all; your troubles far behind
And see happiness ahead.
So, walk on down life’s rocky road,
Believing all the while
You’re solving your problems one by one
And conquering each troubled mile.
For, at the end of every day,
When you lay your head to rest,
You’re feeling good about yourself,
Knowing you’ve done your best.
Priscilla Louise Waite
Marriage of Convenience or Love?
The coolness of the morning made Beth Ann shudder when her father’s foreman, Buck Buchanan told her the news about her father being ill and that he wanted to see her. He had ridden all the way from Boulder, Colorado to Charleston South Carolina to deliver this message. She shuddered again. Was it from the coolness of the morning or the news she had just been told? It could have been both, she thought to herself.
“When can you be ready to leave,” asked Buck as he put his hand thru medium brown hair, wishing he didn’t have to do this. Beth Ann Walters was a beautiful woman, with her long auburn hair that she wore tied back in a blue ribbon that matched her dress. She had the prettiest of green eyes he had ever seen on a woman.
“Let me get this straight,” she said as she sat down on the swing chair on the porch. “My father owns this big ranch in Colorado and he wants to see me because he’s dying. Is that correct?”
“Yes, Ma’am,” answered Buck and he reached into his pocket and pulled a envelope addressed to Beth Ann. She took the letter and she eyed Buck as she took the letter from him. She looked at and recognized her father’s writing. She opened and skimmed through the letter.
“Do you know what this says?” she asked.
“No, Ma’am, I never read anything that’s not addressed to me.”
“Well, it says that you are to escort me to Colorado.”
“Yes, Ma’am, I knew that much. Your father told me that.”
“Well, it’s a good thing Aunt Margaret isn’t here for a few days. I can do this without listening to her because I know she will forbid me not to go.”
“Then the earlier we leave the better.” Buck said. “How much stuff will you be bringing?”
“Why do you ask that?”
“Because I have to purchase another horse and a buggy and trade this horse for another one before we leave.”
“Oh, I see. I’ll probably have a good size trunk.”
“Ok. Leave some clothes out so you can change on the way. It will take us a while to get there.”
“I see. Give me two hours and I will be ready, and thank you, Mr. Buchanan.”
“Ok, I’ll be back in two hours and please call me Buck.” he said as he smiled.
“OK, Buck see you in two hours.” she turned to go back into the house to start packing. She pulled the trunk out of the hall closet and started packing. It was hard to decide what to take and what to leave. She didn’t have many clothes so most of them will go in the bag for traveling. She wished she had time for a bath but she didn’t so she washed up as best she could and changed into her green traveling dress that she wore when she, and Aunt Margaret and Uncle Harry went to see Aunt Meryl in the next county. Finally she put her brushes and mirror in the carrying bag and went downstairs and wrote the note to Aunt Margaret.
Two hours later right on the button, Buck arrive with a covered wagon. She led him upstairs to her trunk and he lifted it with no problem which amazed her because there were a lot of books in there. He helped into the wagon and they started heading west.
They rode for two days and ran into a wagon train that was headed to St Louis. The wagon train master invited them to ride along with them as far as Missouri, so that ‘s what they did. Riding on the trail was rough on Beth Ann. She wasn’t quite prepared for this trip and it’s hazards. She was in shock when a man got thrown from his horse because of a snake and the man died from his injuries. Beth Ann went over to try to help the widow who had eight kids, ages three to ten to tend to. Through the whole tragedy, the woman, who told her her name Martha, Connors, she was going through it as though it didn’t matter that her husband died. She seemed to turn the energy to her kids rather dwelling on his death. On evening after Beth Ann had helped her put her children to bed, she asked Martha how she was coping with it all.
“The only way I can” she answered,” By the grace of God. Actually I am terrified. Tom’s brother, John and his wife are here too, so that helps, but mostly God is helping me through. He’s the only way I can cope.” Beth Ann listened to her and couldn’t imagine how God could be helping her. She didn’t know much about God, so she sort of took it for granted.
Two days after the funeral, the train moved on. The train master told everyone to keep on their toes for more snakes etc. The trail was rough going but they were moving along as fast as they could go, but if they traveled twenty miles in a day that was good for them.
Beth Ann walked a lot so she met a lot of the women on the train. There was Mrs. Barlow, she wasn’t actually that enthused about being on this trip but she had married her husband so she had to go where he went. And Mars Chambers had four children and another on the way. She was hoping to get to St Louis before the baby came. Mars Barstow and Mars Thomas kept throwing insults at each other. Sometimes Beth Ann thought they were joking with each other but other times she thought they were serious. All they did from sun up til sun down is throw insults at each other. There never was a dull moment with them two. When Beth Ann got tired of hearing it, she went and Buck stop the wagon and she road for a while.
It took them three months and they were just outside of St Louis. The wagon formed it’s customary circle of the people who were going northwest from there. Buck and Beth Ann drove into town. He got them rooms in the hotel. They would rest there for a day or so and replenish their supplies and head out again. Buck also sent a wire ahead to Beth Ann’s father to tell him where they were. The next day Buck received a wire back than her father was going down hill fast so for them to get there as soon as possible. So they started out again sooner than they wanted to. As it was it would be another two months before they got there. Beth Ann agreed with Buck that they should travel as far as they could from sun up til dark to get more miles in. Several evening along the way, Beth Ann saw Buck take out a Bible and start reading it by the campfire light. She asked him one day about the Bible and why he read it. He explained to her about salvation and what it meant to be saved. He started reading the Bible to her each night on the trail and when she had questions he would gently answer them. They were a couple days outside of Boulder and she told him she wanted his Lord in her life as well. He went over the plan of salvation again with her and she prayed the prayer of faith. She asked him if her father was a Christian and Buck told her that he was and that when Jesus returned he would be with Jesus.
Finally they arrived in Boulder and Beth Ann went into her father’s room. He looked very pale. He told her that it was his heart and he didn’t really know how long he had, but he knew it would be soon. He explained a little to her about the ranch and told her that Buck would help when she needed it, he knew everything about the ranch including the books which he had been showing Buck when he first found out about his illness. Martha Mae knew all about the household dealings, she would teach her about that. After their little talk, he asked to see Buck alone. There was some business things he needed to discuss with him. He would see her after supper. Beth Ann left his room and went in search of Buck. She found him in the kitchen drinking a cup of coffee and chatting with Martha Mae.
“Papa wants to see you, Buck” she told him as Martha Mae handed her a cup of coffee and she sat down in a chair. He set his coffee cup in the sink and went upstairs to Mr. Forester’s room.
“Ah, Buck. It’s good to have you back.” as the two men shook hands.
“It’s good to be back, sir” Buck answered.
“I’d like to talk to you about something.”
“Yes, sir.”
“What do you think of my daughter?”
“I think she’s a real nice lady.”
“Buck, I need someone to take care of her so her aunt won’t start any problems here. I’ve really been thinking about this over the last couple of months.” He reached for the glass of water that was sitting on the bedside tray beside his bed and took a drink. “I want you to marry my daughter.”
“Sir, wait a minute. We hardly know each other.” protested Buck.
“You’ve spent the last five months with her.”
“Yes, but....”
“Now that she’s here and when I’m gone, she is going to need someone to take care of her, and I’d like for that to be you.”
“Have you talked this over with her?” asked Buck. He couldn’t believe he was asking him to do this. He cared a lot for Beth Ann but he knew that she wouldn’t go along with this idea. Jonathan Forester’s face started turning red and he was starting to feel frustrated at Buck.
“Ok, if she goes along with this idea, then I’ll marry,” he said finally after he saw what the negative response was doing to him.
“I’ll talk to her after supper. I just know she’ll say yes.” he said confidently. “Oh, before I forget, would you tell Mark Sadler to come see me in the morning. I have an errand I want him to run for me tomorrow.”
“Sure, I’ll tell him.” answered Buck as he opened the door and left. He walked slowly to his room. He had to think this thing through and pray about it. After praying he felt better about the proposition. He washed up and went down to the supper meal. He didn’t say anything to Beth Ann about what his father had told him. He’d let him tell her when she saw him after supper.
After supper Buck went to the bunkhouse to deliver the message to Mark to see the boss the next morning, while Beth Ann went to see her father.
“Beth Ann, I really want to talk to you about something. It’s very important to me.”
“Sure, Papa, what is it?”
“Honey, you know I love you and I only want the best for you. You know that don’t you?”
“Yes, Papa.” she was getting really curious at what her father was getting at.
“I....” he got into a coughing gag. Beth Ann ran to the other side of the bed and poured her father a glass of water from the pitcher and handed it to him. He was better after he drank some.
“As I was saying, honey. What I am going to ask you to do is so it will help you. I don’t want your Aunt Margaret to cause any trouble after I’m gone.” She got tears in her eyes.
“Papa, please don’t talk like that.”
“Honey, I want you to marry Buck Buchanan.” Her mouth flew open and she stared at her father. “Iknow this is a shock, but it’s for you my darling. I want to protect your interest in this ranch and if you aren’t married when I die she will get it because you are twenty-one yet, and who knows what she’ll do with the money. She’s been awful selfish with you over the years and I’m afraid she might do something stupid.”
“But Papa, I hardly know Buck.”
“Do you like him?”
“Yes, but...”
“Then that is all you need. You can learn to love each other.”
“But Papa.....”
“Honey, please do this for me. You know I only want the best for you, don’t you?”
“Yes, Papa.”
“Then you’ll marry Buck.”
“I guess so.”
“Okay, I’ll get everything set up, and don’t worry honey, things will work out for the best. Now why don’t you let and old man get some sleep now. I am very tired.”
“Yes, Papa,” she answered as she left the room. She ran into Buck as she was headed for her. They both stopped in their tracks when they saw each other. Finally Buck spoke.
“He told you?” he asked.
“Yes,” as she turned away from him.
“I’ve been praying about it and I get a certain peace about it. Why don’t you pray about it too?”
“Did you really get peace about it?” she said turning back to him.
“Yes, I did.”
“Well okay. I’ll pray about it.” They both turned to go to their rooms. Beth Ann took out the Bible that Buck had bought her in Boulder just a few days before. She opened it and she just happened to open it to Romans 8. She read the page until she came to the twenty-eighth verse. She read it aloud. “For all things work together for good for those who are the called according to His purposes.” She rushed from her room to Buck’s door. She knocked and he answered.
“Is this what you mean about peace?” She showed him the verse she just read.
“That’s the same verse I got.” answered Buck smiling at her.
“Then I guess it is meant to be for us to marry.” she said.
“I guess so.” he said. They wished each other a good night and Beth Ann went back to her room and got ready for bed. She lay there in the bed praying.
“Lord,” she prayed. “I guess it is in your will for Buck and I to marry. With Your help we can make this marriage work, but I am scared to death about getting married.” She seemed to get a sense of peace as she dozed off to sleep.
The nest day Papa had two visitors. One was an attorney who helped Jonathan rewrite his will leaving everything to Buck and Beth Ann. And the other visitor was the minister from Hope Church. He was setting up the wedding for Thursday morning right there in Jonathan’s bedroom.
After they left, he told Martha Mae to find Buck and Beth Ann. He wanted to see them both. When they came he told them what he had done with his will and that they would be married on Thursday. Beth Ann prayed so much for the next three days that she ever did before. She still had that same peace that she got that first night when she found the same verse that Buck had found.
On Thursday at 2:00, Beth Ann dressed in her Sunday dress and went to her father’s room. Rev Thomas was there waiting. Now they were just waiting for Buck.
Buck was getting dressed in his best shirt. All he had was jeans so that’s what he wore. At least they were neat and pressed. Martha Mae had made sure that his clothes were clean. He opened the door and Martha Mae was just about to knock.
“They’re waiting for you.” she said and he followed her into Jonathan Forester’s room. Rev Thomas greeted Buck by shaking his hand.
“What is your sir name, Buck?” he asked.
“Ah....William” he stuttered.
“Ok, fine. Let’s get started. Stand over here by Beth Ann so her father can see all of it” They moved to where he showed them to.
“Now, do you William Buchanan take Beth Ann Forrester as your lawfully wedded wife?”
“Yes, I do,” he smiled at her and she smiled back.
“Do you Beth Ann take this man, William Buchanan as your lawful wedded husband?’”
“I do,” she answered smiling.
“Now I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
Buck reached over and put his arms around her and gave her the sweetest kiss she had ever felt. She felt kind of dizzy when he stepped away.
“Martha Rae has made a good meal and you are welcome to stay, Rev Thomas.” said Jonathan.
“I would love to, but my little one is waiting for me at home. So I’ll take a rain check on the meal.” He turned and congratulated Buck and Beth Ann and he left.
“Now go on down and have a good meal.” Jonathan told them.
“Couldn’t we bring our meals up here and eat with you?” asked Beth Ann. But then Martha Rae had answered that question by bringing a tray in for Jonathan. She told them to go down and eat theirs, that it was setting on the dining room table waiting for them. They reluctantly went down to eat, but neither one of them was really hungry.
“Did you see Papa’s face? How flushed he was?” she asked Buck, as she was pushing her food around on her plate.
“Yes, I did and it worries me.”
“It does me too,” she answered.
After supper they went up to see him again before they went to bed, But he was sleeping. He didn’t look much better but at least he was resting, Beth Ann thought. Beth Ann had packed her things in boxes and asked Buck if he’d move them for her into his room. After he did that, they got ready for bed. They lay there talking for awhile after they got into bed. Then Buck reached over and kissed her and she thought she had died and gone to heaven with his caressing and kisses.
The next morning he woke up before Beth Ann and got up quietly and dressed and went downstairs. He was in the kitchen talking to Martha Rae and drinking coffee. They were talking about Jonathan. Buck couldn’t believe the words that Martha Rae was telling him.
“He went peacefully in his sleep,” she had said, but he still did not want to believe those words. How was he going to tell Beth Ann that her father was gone? They heard a scream from upstairs and knew that she had found out herself. He rushed to her with Martha Rae at his heels. She rushed into his arms when he got to the top of the stairs. She was really crying by now. Martha Rae patted her back in comfort her but there was no comforting for the moment. Buck led Beth Ann to their room and laid her on the bed and held while she cried her to sleep. When she was asleep, he sent for Mark and told him the news and for them to go out on the range without him today. He had to stay here with Beth Ann.
The next few days Beth Ann went through the motions of her days in a daze. She didn’t even remember the funeral. She went through the motions. She picked at her food at meals times. Buck was getting really worried about her because she was starting to loose weight. He called the doctor and he told him that she just had to go through the process of grieving in her own way but for him to be there for her when she needed him. It was hard for Buck. But that’s all he could do.
One evening, he went upstairs and found Beth Ann sitting in the rocking chair in her father’s room. He walked and sat on a stool beside her.
“Why? Why did God have to take him?” she cried.
“I really don’t know the answer to that, Sweetheart, but he was suffering with pain from his heart, and maybe God didn’t want him to suffer any more. Would you want to continually see him suffering?” His words were soft and gentle.
“I suppose not, but I miss him so much.” she cried on his shoulder.
“I miss him too even though I’ve only known him for a short time, I respected the man greatly as a boss and a father-in-law. Buck held Beth Ann until all her tears were spent and then she told him to go to work, that she would be okay now. He wasn’t sure he wanted to leave her alone, but she insisted. On his way out the door, he found Martha Rae in the kitchen getting dinner ready. He asked her to keep an eye on her to make sure she was okay. He would be in the north field of she needed him, to send someone out for him. She said she would and that eased his mind a little so hopefully he could keep his mind off his wife. It seemed like the day had lingered on and on and finally 5:00 came and the men headed back in to the bunkhouse and Buck back to the ranch. He took care of the horse and rushed in the house. He washed up for supper which Martha Rae and Beth Ann were putting on the table. He pulled his wife to him and kissed her.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
“Yes, I’m fine,” she answered kissing him back. They sat down to eat. The meal was delicious as usual. Martha Rae was definitely a good cook. She was teaching Beth Ann to cook because she didn’t know how.
After dinner they had their coffee and dessert in the living room. Buck asked her again about her day. She told him that Martha Rae was giving her more cooking lessons and that she had made the rhubarb pie that he had for dessert. He told her that she had done a good job because the pie was delicious.
The next morning, Beth Ann wanted to be near Buck, and she knew he was in the barn, so she walked down there. When she got there she heard voices. She heard Buck talking to one of the hands, Bob Thomson. She didn’t know him well because he was one of the newer hands that Buck hired to go on the drives. They would be leaving in a few days for another drive to sell some of the cattle.
“Are you content with your new position?” asked Bob.
“What is that supposed to mean?” Buck asked sharply.
“Well, I mean, now you are the proud owner of a big high paying ranch since you married the boss’s daughter.”
“What are you saying?” asked Buck again.
“Well you married into money and that put you in a high position.”
“Are you saying I married Beth Ann for the ranch?”
“I guess that what I’m saying.” Buck was angry now but he didn’t really care what anyone thought about their marriage because it wasn’t true.
“You know I really don’t care what you guys think about it because it’s none of your business. If you don’t like working for me, you know where the road is.” He started to mount his horse.
Beth Ann heard all of this and ran out of the way so neither one of them would see her when they left the barn. After they left she ran into the house and to her room and cried. She was angry because Buck didn’t say that the statement wasn’t true. She couldn’t stay here with a man that just married her because of the ranch. She packed some things in a small bag and snuck outside to the barn. She hitched up the horse to the buggy and ran back to the house to get her jacket because it was kind of cool out. When she went back into the house she ran into Martha Rae.
“Where are you going?” she asked.
“I’m going into town,” she answered.
“I’ll go with you. I need to pick some thing up at the general store.”
“No, I’d rather you didn’t,” said Beth Ann. I’ve got some things to do and I’d like to be alone. Besides I have a surprise for Buck that I want to bring back if I can find what I want.” Martha Rae was hesitant but she finally agreed. She could feel something was amiss but she’d have to wait to see what it was.
When Beth Ann got into town she went to the bank and got some money out. She left the horse and buggy at the livery stable for Buck when he came in to get it. She quickly ran to the stage office and bought a ticket. She just barely made it in time for the stage and she was on her way.
She arrived in Salem the next morning. She wandered around town for a while and went to the hotel diner for something to eat. She didn’t take a whole lot of Buck’s money and she would soon run out if she didn’t find a job and a place to live. While she walked into the diner, she almost ran into this beautiful woman with blond hair. She wore her hair high on her head.
“Whoa there,” she said, holding her by the arms. “Are you okay?” she asked.
“Yes,” answered Beth Ann. The woman had a name tag on her white blouse that said “Lydia”. She showed Beth Ann to a table. The place wasn’t busy. She handed her a menu and she saw the prices. She took out her money and started counting it. She had enough for a few meals but not many at these prices. Lydia was watching her while she brought her a cup of coffee.
“You new in town?” Lydia asked.
“Yes, I will need to find a place to live and a job, but I don’t have much money left.”
“Our special today is meatloaf, mashed potato and gravy, corn and apple pie for dessert. If you want that, it’ll be on me. And we could talk to my boss. He needs someone to wash dishes. The fellow that was doing it just quit on him, and he might give you a room and take the rent out of your wages. Would you like me to talk to him?”
“Yes, I’ll take the meatloaf and if I can have the job and a place to live, I’ll take that too.”
“What’s your name?”
“Beth Ann For– ah Buchanan.”
Okay Beth Ann, I’m Lydia. I’ll get your supper and be right back.” She ran off to put the order in and went back in the kitchen to talk to her boss. A little while later, Lydia came out from the kitchen with her meal and a tall, stout man followed her. The front of his head was bald. He only had hair on the sides and in the back. He wore a white dirty apron.
“Beth Ann, this is my boss, Carl Tanner.” Lydia introduced them. They both sat down across from her.
“Lydia tells me you need a job and a place to stay. Is that right?” he asked.
“Yes, I am.”
“Do you have any experience?”
“I have a little in washing dishes.”
“Do you have any experience waiting tables?”
“Well, no, not really.” she answered truthfully. He sat there thinking for a few minutes.
“Well, I do need someone to wash dishes. And I have a few rooms that I keep for workers who need a place in back over the kitchen. They aren’t much but you’ll be warm and dry. They are $1.00 a week and your pay is $8.00 per week and if you learn how to waitress you’ll have tips too. Lydia can show you the ropes when we’re not busy. You can start tomorrow at 6:00 in the morning. Lydia will see that you get up on time. She lives up there as well.” He turned to Lydia. “It’s almost closing time so while she’s eating just wipe down the tables and make sure the sugar and salt and peppers are filled and take her up and show her the room next to yours.”
“I will,” answered Lydia. He got up and headed back to the kitchen.
“Thank you, Mr. Tanner.” said Beth Ann.
“It’s okay,” he answered and gave her a smile. “And call me Carl, everyone else does.” Beth Ann nodded, and he left. Lydia busied herself with the job that Carl gave her as Beth Ann ate. She even swept the floor while Beth Ann ate her pie. Then Lydia poured them both a cup of coffee and they sat there chatting for a few minutes.
“He seems like a nice gentleman,” said Beth Ann.
“Yes, he is. He’s a good Christian man.” Beth Ann didn’t know what that meant but she didn’t feel right asking about that, so she let it drop. After they had finished their coffee, Lydia got the key for Beth Ann’s room and Beth Ann followed up the stairs in back near the kitchen. Lydia unlocked the door and led her in. It wasn’t much, there was a single bed, a chest, a night stand by the bed and a small desk and chair by the window. There was a blue quilt on the bed. Blue was her favorite color. She thanked Lydia for all her help.
“If you need anything, I’m right next door.” said Lydia pointing to the left. “I’ll knock on your door about between 5:15 and 5:30. How much time do you need to get ready in the morning?
“Oh, I’d say about 15 minutes.”
“Okay, that will give you plenty of time.”
“Good night.” said Beth Ann, “and thanks again.”
“No problem. I know what you are going through, I’ve been there myself. Good night.” said Lydia as she closed the door and went to her room. Beth Ann heard her open her door and shut it. She put her bag on the bed and took out the few clothes she brought with her. She hung the dresses on the nails by the window and took out her nightgown and robe out of the bag and changed into them. Her under things she put in the chest. She pulled the covers down on her bed and crawled in under them. Before she knew it she was asleep.
In Boulder
Buck had an uneasy feeling as he walked into the house. He found a frantic Martha Rae. She told him about what had happened that morning with Beth Ann and she hadn’t returned. Buck ran from the house and saddled his horse and headed for town. He asked everyone he saw if they had seen his wife. Some said they saw her at the back and some said they saw coming from the livery stable but no one seen her get on the stage or anything. The stage office was closed so he couldn’t find anything out there. He could n’t find anything else that night so he headed back home. He would start again in the morning and have Martha Rae get him provisions for a few days on the road. He didn’t sleep at all that night. In the morning, he told Martha Rae to get his provisions ready; he went down to the bunkhouse and told Mark that he was in charge, that he would be gone for a few days. He didn’t go into details, he just informed them that he wouldn’t be here. He went to the barn to saddle his horse and back to the house to get his provisions and he set out. First he went into town to talk to the person who sold the stage tickets. The person that was there wasn’t there the day before and the person who was left the day before after work to visit his sick mother in Arizona. So he was no help. He rode to several towns and no one seen her. He even went to Salem and no one had seen her. So he went back to Boulder. For days he could not do anything. He couldn’t eat or sleep. He went out looking again to no avail. Finally Martha Rae got after him. He couldn’t run this ranch the way he was going. Maybe she’d come back, maybe she wouldn’t but he needed to get with it and take care of himself and this ranch. He knew she was right and he finally pulled himself out of it and returned to work.
In Salem
Beth Ann woke the next morning to Lydia knocking on her door. She hurried to get dressed and straightened the room and when Martha knocked again when it was time to go downstairs, she followed her. Carl was already there making coffee. He poured them both a cup and he went to get the grits going and fry some ham and bacon ahead for the customers. Beth Ann helped Lydia get the coffee for the customers while she took the orders. The morning was quite busy. Before she knew it it was dinner time and Lydia brought her plate with ham, mashed potato and peas. She sat in the kitchen by the sink and ate quietly. Carl kept asking her how she was doing and she kept telling her “fine.” She seemed to keep up with the dishes considering how busy it was. At 7:00 that evening, Carl told her to go on up to her room. She looked very tired. As soon as she changed for bed, she crawled in bed and fell fast asleep. She didn’t know anything til Lydia woke her the next morning for work. She had slept well but she had her mind on Buck also. She had it in her mind that he had married her for the ranch and she really believed he did.
On Sundays, Carl found other people to work for him while Lydia, Beth Ann and him went to church. Beth Ann had never been to church before and was very nervous about going. She grew learning that God punished you for everything you did wrong. She listened to the sermon and this man was saying the total opposite of what she had learned about God. He was saying that He was a loving God and He sent His Son to die for all our sins. She couldn’t believe it. She asked questions on the way back to the hotel, and Lydia and Carl answered her questions. After a few weeks of hearing this, she decided she wanted this love that God had for her and she accepted Christ into her heart.
Lydia was sitting on Beth Ann’s only chair in the room, on Sunday. Beth Ann was sitting on her bed while they chatted.
“You’re putting on some weight there, girl,” said Lydia.
“I know, I’m going to have to go get me couple of new dresses for work. Maybe we could do that tomorrow when it settles down a little in the diner.”
“Maybe I can go with you and help you.” said Lydia.
“I don’t know why I’m putting on weight, I never used to.”
“Do you think you might be-----?”
“Be what?” asked Beth Ann.
“Ah—in–ah —a family way?”
“Oh, no! I hope not!” exclaimed Beth Ann.
“Have you been sick lately?”
“A little sick to my stomach.”
“That’s a good sign that you are.”
“Oh no, Lydia, what am I going to do?”
“I think that you might need your husband at a time like this.” Beth An had told her weeks ago why she left her husband.
“I don’t think I can do that,” she said.
“It may be none of my business, but I think that you should be with your husband and help you through this. I’m not good at things like that. I puke at the sight of blood, so I won’t be much help.” said Lydia. Beth Ann had to think about this. She knew she should forgive her husband for marrying her for the ranch but she didn’t know if she could live with him again.
In Boulder
Buck went into town to get supplies. He ran into a new face in town when he went into the general store.
“Hello,” said the man. “I’m Solomon Greer,” He should hands with Buck.
“I’m Buck Buchanan.” Buck answered and they started talking small talk and Solomon invited Buck to dinner at the hotel. Buck went with him and Buck and Solomon became good friends. They started getting together each week for dinner and one Saturday when they met, Solomon asked Buck to go to church with him. Buck wasn’t sure that he wanted to but he said he would. After going a few Sundays, Buck started asking Solomon questions and in a few more weeks Buck had asked the Lord to save him. Now Buck was praying for his wife’s return. He had no idea why she left, but he knew he wanted her back.
On Tuesday when Martha Rae had come back from town, Buck helped her bring the groceries in. She handed her the mail. There was a letter there that had no return address. He went into his study and sat down and opened it.
“Dear Buck,
I know it’s been six months since I left and I wondered if we are still married. I am doing fine and working washing dishes for a restaurant. God kind of led me to write to you, I really don’t know why because I don’t know if I can ever live with you again since I found out that you married me just for the ranch. Please don’t look for me just yet. I need time to think and pray about is and what His will for our future together. I need time, Buck. I need to pray and think about our child as well so please give me some time.
Your wife, Beth Ann”
He looked at the post mark on the envelope. It said Salem. He rushed out of the study and hollered for Martha Rae to put together some provisions for a few days as he headed out to the barn to hitch the horses to the buggy. He was going to get his wife and his unborn child. It was a cold ride to Salem. It felt like it could snow at any time. When he arrive in Salem, he went to the hotel and got a room. There were only two restaurants in Salem, one at the hotel and one down the street by the Sheriff’s office. He decided to check the hotel first. Lydia was waiting on customers when he walked in. He took a table by the window. Lydia brought him over some coffee and a menu.
“Our special is roast beef, mashed potato and gravy and peas or corn and pie for dessert.” she said setting the coffee and the menu on the table.
“I’ll take the special. Also I was wondering if you could help me.”
“What’s that?” she asked.
“I’m looking for a woman with red hair, tall and thin. Have you seen her?”
“That’s depends on who you are.” she answered.
“I’m her husband. She wrote me a letter,” he took it out of his shirt pocket as he was talking. “ And I’ve been trying to find her for months.”
“I’ll be right back,” she said as she ran back in the kitchen to see Beth Ann.
“There is someone out there who is asking for you.”
“Oh, who?”
“He says he’s your husband. He says he got your letter and he’s been looking for you for months.”
“He’s been looking for me?”
“That’s what he said.”
“I’m not sure I want to see him.” answered Beth Ann.
“Honey, he wants to take care of you and that baby. You should let him. After all he is the father and he has a right to that child as much as you do.”
“I know you’re right, but----“
“You should forgive whatever he’s done to you, Beth Ann and let him take care of you,” said Carl. “I don’t know the whole story with you, but if he’s been looking for you, he must really care about you.”
“Go at least talk to him,” suggested Lydia. “Carl gives me a roast beef dinner for the man.” Beth Ann followed Lydia out to the floor. She left after she put the place down in front of him. Beth Ann eased herself reluctantly into the chair across from him.
“Hello, Buck,” she said softly.
“Oh, Beth Ann, you had me so worried. I’ve been looking for you for months. Igot your letter and I came right on.”
“I don’t know, Buck.”
“Honey, I didn’t marry you because of the ranch, I married you because I love you.”
“Then why didn’t you rebuke Bob for saying that?”
“You heard that?”
“Yes.”
“I really don’t care what others think of me. They don’t know the truth and it’s really none of their business.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. Darlin’ I love you with all my heart and I want you to come home with me.” Beth Ann sat there thinking. Carl brought a plate of roast beef out from the kitchen. He took it to Lydia and told her to take it over for Beth Ann. She was probably going to be leaving tonight and he wanted her to eat before she left. He told Lydia that both meals were on him. She took the plate over to Beth Ann.
“The boss says that you’ll probably be leaving and he wants you to eat before you go.” said Lydia as she placed the plate in front of Beth Ann. Beth Ann looked from one to the other.
“Well, I guess I am, at that.” and she ate what was placed front of her.
“By the way, those dinners are on the boss. He wants you to come say goodbye before you leave.” Beth Ann smiled at her. When she finished eating the pie, she excused herself and went upstairs to pack her things. When she came back down Carl was talking to Buck. Buck saw her come in the room.
“Are you ready to go?” he asked as she walked up to them, and he took her bag. They went outside and he helped her into the buggy. Lydia and Carl followed them out and had a prayer for them before they left.
“Let us hear from you once in a while so we’ll that you are doing okay.” said Carl.
“I will. I’ll try and write at lease once a month. It depends on how busy I am with the baby. Maybe you can come visit sometime and see the little one.”
“I can’t promise but we’ll try.” answered Carl.
Part of the ride home was quiet. Beth Ann thanked God for her husband and that he didn’t marry her for the ranch, so it wasn’t a marriage of convenience, it was a marriage of love.....true love.
SILENT COMMUNICATIONS
By Chip
There are many ways to communicate with your neighbor. Talking across the fence or visiting inside of the house are two ways. My neighbor and I have a silent way of communicating. We have an unwritten agreement. The first one who sees garbage cans on the street after the truck has emptied them assumes the task of returning the cans from the street to the garage. It works. You know that your neighbor is there for you.
Misneachail
She stands at the counter and informs the clerk of her opinion on the subject. Like her grandmother before her, the young woman is tough, proud, and spirited. However, beneath the tough shell, there is a soft and loving center. Her family and friends are woven around her heart.
She is distinctly human and, although she may stumble and fall, the young woman refuses to lie down. The passion for life, love and happiness guides her through the days.
Kimberly Moynihan
The Things We Experience
The things we experience throughout our everyday life, it hits all of us. The tensions, worries, and frustrations, with a little bit of joy and happiness thrown in. Everything has a beginning, and everything has an ending, and this is where I begin. I moved to Wallingford 3 ½ years ago from West Haven, my job is located in New Haven. This makes my day start very early in the morning. Wishing I could stay in bed a little bit longer, I reluctantly get out of bed. Slowly I walk into the kitchen, trying not to trip over anything, with eyes half closed. I take my medicines – medicines to get things started, that slowed down with age, and medicines to slow things down that now are going too fast. Oh those wonderful “Golden Years” you know they were coming, but when then do, you don’t know where the time went. Now it’s time for me to get started, taking a shower – brushing my teeth – blow drying my hair, and getting dressed. I’m on my way to the bus stop that has a shelter to protect us from all kinds of weather. I can see Linda, Barbara, Cathy, and Carol waiting there. The five of us catch the 6:38 a.m. bus six, and soon we’ll see our bus driver AL. AL is very quiet, and always is soft spoken; he always greets us with a good morning and gentle smile. At one time there were other people, Jeanne and Cindy were part of the original crew. Cindy and I got a petition going to get the bus shelter, some people said –it would never happen, we proved them wrong. Now because we all just got acquainted with each other for a few months or so, we had to get adjusted to each others ways. It’s like a marriage, if there’s a problem, you work on solving it. The first thing was the seating arrangement, you think we were at the Ritz and had numbered seats. Sitting closer to the bus driver got us where? Then there was the thing with having heat or air, who wanted air conditioning (me) and not windows open please. We seem to have that solved – but it’s still iffy. We’re still working on it. Everyone takes the same bus home together, except for Barbara. This is where we have out adventure / or nightmare. We encounter many people and characters, and I do mean characters. First there was Tony, we call him the water man, because of him always having a gallon of water with him. He would like us to call him Capt. Tony, but we don’t. He starts by standing up in the front of the bus, and stretching out his arms and legs, kicking his legs this way and that way. As he is doing this, he is laughing and talking to himself out loud, then he sits down. He takes a drink of water, and grabs a handful of bus schedules, stuffs them in his bag – he does this every time he gets on the bus. We don’t see him anymore – he may be taking the train. To fill his shoes, is this may with a lot of tattoo’s on his arms, and has a CD player with ear phones in his ears. He pretends he is playing a guitar or drums. His arms stretched out as though he was playing the guitar – his hands and fingers moving to the music. Then he would change and act our playing the drums. With hands swinging up and down – his eyes closed and head moving in different directions. He did this from the time he got on the bus, until he got the Meriden – and hour later. We haven’t seen him for a while, but have no fear, there is more.
A young man took our bus, that wasn’t noticeable to us, but he had drank too much alcohol. What goes in must come out, and halfway home, he stood up and went to the bathroom. Everyone from the back ran to the front, of course he denied doing so, and with everyone wanting to get home – we just continued on.
Our next adventure/nightmare now was with the bus itself. First was the day the bus started smoking thick black smoke. Bill our bus driver, made sure to get us off the main road – out of traffic. We stopped on a residential road, with many beautiful homes. The lawns were green, and nicely trimmed, with many beds of flowers planted in the front of their homes. You could smell the aromas of cooking and coffee, oh how I could have loved a cup of coffee. It was warm outside and even warmer in the bus, we lost power, and nothing electrical was working. All of a sudden Kevin yells out, hey bill can you open the doors, it’s hot in here. Bill yells back, I would love to, but we have no power. He suggested we open the windows until he regained some power back. We all sat there – telling stories – laughing – and getting to know other people. Here we were this big bus filled with people, and no one came out to see what was wrong – AMAZING. We had to wait about 30 minutes until the next bus came by, the time went by fast. Here comes the bus and off into the sunset we go.
A few days go by, and here we go, someone pulled the cord to get off. The light goes on – the person gets off, but the light won’t go off. Bill does something and it goes off. The next person pulls the cord, now the light won’t go on. Our next best thing to do now is to yell out loud before we got to our stop. We all laughed, shook our heads, and on we went. Like I said everything has a beginning, and everything has an ending, “I lied”. With us it’s never ending. I would like to thank everyone that I ride with, for it’s because of them that make my ride interesting and enjoyable. Barbara, Irma, Marion, Vicky, Linda, Cookie, Megan, Martha, Carol, Joe, Jan, John, Carol, Frank, Ann, Cathy, Krysta, and our wonderful bus drivers: Jo Marie a.m., AL Barnes a.m., Bill p.m.
Jo-Ann Buccetti
Life
Life is like a rocky road,
Uneven and unsure,
With ruts and stones everywhere,
Like the problems we must endure.
But if you look so very close,
You will begin to see
The answers to your questions
On what your life could be.
It shows how you can clear away
The path on which you tread,
Put all; your troubles far behind
And see happiness ahead.
So, walk on down life’s rocky road,
Believing all the while
You’re solving your problems one by one
And conquering each troubled mile.
For, at the end of every day,
When you lay your head to rest,
You’re feeling good about yourself,
Knowing you’ve done your best.
Priscilla Louise Waite
Marriage of Convenience or Love?
The coolness of the morning made Beth Ann shudder when her father’s foreman, Buck Buchanan told her the news about her father being ill and that he wanted to see her. He had ridden all the way from Boulder, Colorado to Charleston South Carolina to deliver this message. She shuddered again. Was it from the coolness of the morning or the news she had just been told? It could have been both, she thought to herself.
“When can you be ready to leave,” asked Buck as he put his hand thru medium brown hair, wishing he didn’t have to do this. Beth Ann Walters was a beautiful woman, with her long auburn hair that she wore tied back in a blue ribbon that matched her dress. She had the prettiest of green eyes he had ever seen on a woman.
“Let me get this straight,” she said as she sat down on the swing chair on the porch. “My father owns this big ranch in Colorado and he wants to see me because he’s dying. Is that correct?”
“Yes, Ma’am,” answered Buck and he reached into his pocket and pulled a envelope addressed to Beth Ann. She took the letter and she eyed Buck as she took the letter from him. She looked at and recognized her father’s writing. She opened and skimmed through the letter.
“Do you know what this says?” she asked.
“No, Ma’am, I never read anything that’s not addressed to me.”
“Well, it says that you are to escort me to Colorado.”
“Yes, Ma’am, I knew that much. Your father told me that.”
“Well, it’s a good thing Aunt Margaret isn’t here for a few days. I can do this without listening to her because I know she will forbid me not to go.”
“Then the earlier we leave the better.” Buck said. “How much stuff will you be bringing?”
“Why do you ask that?”
“Because I have to purchase another horse and a buggy and trade this horse for another one before we leave.”
“Oh, I see. I’ll probably have a good size trunk.”
“Ok. Leave some clothes out so you can change on the way. It will take us a while to get there.”
“I see. Give me two hours and I will be ready, and thank you, Mr. Buchanan.”
“Ok, I’ll be back in two hours and please call me Buck.” he said as he smiled.
“OK, Buck see you in two hours.” she turned to go back into the house to start packing. She pulled the trunk out of the hall closet and started packing. It was hard to decide what to take and what to leave. She didn’t have many clothes so most of them will go in the bag for traveling. She wished she had time for a bath but she didn’t so she washed up as best she could and changed into her green traveling dress that she wore when she, and Aunt Margaret and Uncle Harry went to see Aunt Meryl in the next county. Finally she put her brushes and mirror in the carrying bag and went downstairs and wrote the note to Aunt Margaret.
Two hours later right on the button, Buck arrive with a covered wagon. She led him upstairs to her trunk and he lifted it with no problem which amazed her because there were a lot of books in there. He helped into the wagon and they started heading west.
They rode for two days and ran into a wagon train that was headed to St Louis. The wagon train master invited them to ride along with them as far as Missouri, so that ‘s what they did. Riding on the trail was rough on Beth Ann. She wasn’t quite prepared for this trip and it’s hazards. She was in shock when a man got thrown from his horse because of a snake and the man died from his injuries. Beth Ann went over to try to help the widow who had eight kids, ages three to ten to tend to. Through the whole tragedy, the woman, who told her her name Martha, Connors, she was going through it as though it didn’t matter that her husband died. She seemed to turn the energy to her kids rather dwelling on his death. On evening after Beth Ann had helped her put her children to bed, she asked Martha how she was coping with it all.
“The only way I can” she answered,” By the grace of God. Actually I am terrified. Tom’s brother, John and his wife are here too, so that helps, but mostly God is helping me through. He’s the only way I can cope.” Beth Ann listened to her and couldn’t imagine how God could be helping her. She didn’t know much about God, so she sort of took it for granted.
Two days after the funeral, the train moved on. The train master told everyone to keep on their toes for more snakes etc. The trail was rough going but they were moving along as fast as they could go, but if they traveled twenty miles in a day that was good for them.
Beth Ann walked a lot so she met a lot of the women on the train. There was Mrs. Barlow, she wasn’t actually that enthused about being on this trip but she had married her husband so she had to go where he went. And Mars Chambers had four children and another on the way. She was hoping to get to St Louis before the baby came. Mars Barstow and Mars Thomas kept throwing insults at each other. Sometimes Beth Ann thought they were joking with each other but other times she thought they were serious. All they did from sun up til sun down is throw insults at each other. There never was a dull moment with them two. When Beth Ann got tired of hearing it, she went and Buck stop the wagon and she road for a while.
It took them three months and they were just outside of St Louis. The wagon formed it’s customary circle of the people who were going northwest from there. Buck and Beth Ann drove into town. He got them rooms in the hotel. They would rest there for a day or so and replenish their supplies and head out again. Buck also sent a wire ahead to Beth Ann’s father to tell him where they were. The next day Buck received a wire back than her father was going down hill fast so for them to get there as soon as possible. So they started out again sooner than they wanted to. As it was it would be another two months before they got there. Beth Ann agreed with Buck that they should travel as far as they could from sun up til dark to get more miles in. Several evening along the way, Beth Ann saw Buck take out a Bible and start reading it by the campfire light. She asked him one day about the Bible and why he read it. He explained to her about salvation and what it meant to be saved. He started reading the Bible to her each night on the trail and when she had questions he would gently answer them. They were a couple days outside of Boulder and she told him she wanted his Lord in her life as well. He went over the plan of salvation again with her and she prayed the prayer of faith. She asked him if her father was a Christian and Buck told her that he was and that when Jesus returned he would be with Jesus.
Finally they arrived in Boulder and Beth Ann went into her father’s room. He looked very pale. He told her that it was his heart and he didn’t really know how long he had, but he knew it would be soon. He explained a little to her about the ranch and told her that Buck would help when she needed it, he knew everything about the ranch including the books which he had been showing Buck when he first found out about his illness. Martha Mae knew all about the household dealings, she would teach her about that. After their little talk, he asked to see Buck alone. There was some business things he needed to discuss with him. He would see her after supper. Beth Ann left his room and went in search of Buck. She found him in the kitchen drinking a cup of coffee and chatting with Martha Mae.
“Papa wants to see you, Buck” she told him as Martha Mae handed her a cup of coffee and she sat down in a chair. He set his coffee cup in the sink and went upstairs to Mr. Forester’s room.
“Ah, Buck. It’s good to have you back.” as the two men shook hands.
“It’s good to be back, sir” Buck answered.
“I’d like to talk to you about something.”
“Yes, sir.”
“What do you think of my daughter?”
“I think she’s a real nice lady.”
“Buck, I need someone to take care of her so her aunt won’t start any problems here. I’ve really been thinking about this over the last couple of months.” He reached for the glass of water that was sitting on the bedside tray beside his bed and took a drink. “I want you to marry my daughter.”
“Sir, wait a minute. We hardly know each other.” protested Buck.
“You’ve spent the last five months with her.”
“Yes, but....”
“Now that she’s here and when I’m gone, she is going to need someone to take care of her, and I’d like for that to be you.”
“Have you talked this over with her?” asked Buck. He couldn’t believe he was asking him to do this. He cared a lot for Beth Ann but he knew that she wouldn’t go along with this idea. Jonathan Forester’s face started turning red and he was starting to feel frustrated at Buck.
“Ok, if she goes along with this idea, then I’ll marry,” he said finally after he saw what the negative response was doing to him.
“I’ll talk to her after supper. I just know she’ll say yes.” he said confidently. “Oh, before I forget, would you tell Mark Sadler to come see me in the morning. I have an errand I want him to run for me tomorrow.”
“Sure, I’ll tell him.” answered Buck as he opened the door and left. He walked slowly to his room. He had to think this thing through and pray about it. After praying he felt better about the proposition. He washed up and went down to the supper meal. He didn’t say anything to Beth Ann about what his father had told him. He’d let him tell her when she saw him after supper.
After supper Buck went to the bunkhouse to deliver the message to Mark to see the boss the next morning, while Beth Ann went to see her father.
“Beth Ann, I really want to talk to you about something. It’s very important to me.”
“Sure, Papa, what is it?”
“Honey, you know I love you and I only want the best for you. You know that don’t you?”
“Yes, Papa.” she was getting really curious at what her father was getting at.
“I....” he got into a coughing gag. Beth Ann ran to the other side of the bed and poured her father a glass of water from the pitcher and handed it to him. He was better after he drank some.
“As I was saying, honey. What I am going to ask you to do is so it will help you. I don’t want your Aunt Margaret to cause any trouble after I’m gone.” She got tears in her eyes.
“Papa, please don’t talk like that.”
“Honey, I want you to marry Buck Buchanan.” Her mouth flew open and she stared at her father. “Iknow this is a shock, but it’s for you my darling. I want to protect your interest in this ranch and if you aren’t married when I die she will get it because you are twenty-one yet, and who knows what she’ll do with the money. She’s been awful selfish with you over the years and I’m afraid she might do something stupid.”
“But Papa, I hardly know Buck.”
“Do you like him?”
“Yes, but...”
“Then that is all you need. You can learn to love each other.”
“But Papa.....”
“Honey, please do this for me. You know I only want the best for you, don’t you?”
“Yes, Papa.”
“Then you’ll marry Buck.”
“I guess so.”
“Okay, I’ll get everything set up, and don’t worry honey, things will work out for the best. Now why don’t you let and old man get some sleep now. I am very tired.”
“Yes, Papa,” she answered as she left the room. She ran into Buck as she was headed for her. They both stopped in their tracks when they saw each other. Finally Buck spoke.
“He told you?” he asked.
“Yes,” as she turned away from him.
“I’ve been praying about it and I get a certain peace about it. Why don’t you pray about it too?”
“Did you really get peace about it?” she said turning back to him.
“Yes, I did.”
“Well okay. I’ll pray about it.” They both turned to go to their rooms. Beth Ann took out the Bible that Buck had bought her in Boulder just a few days before. She opened it and she just happened to open it to Romans 8. She read the page until she came to the twenty-eighth verse. She read it aloud. “For all things work together for good for those who are the called according to His purposes.” She rushed from her room to Buck’s door. She knocked and he answered.
“Is this what you mean about peace?” She showed him the verse she just read.
“That’s the same verse I got.” answered Buck smiling at her.
“Then I guess it is meant to be for us to marry.” she said.
“I guess so.” he said. They wished each other a good night and Beth Ann went back to her room and got ready for bed. She lay there in the bed praying.
“Lord,” she prayed. “I guess it is in your will for Buck and I to marry. With Your help we can make this marriage work, but I am scared to death about getting married.” She seemed to get a sense of peace as she dozed off to sleep.
The nest day Papa had two visitors. One was an attorney who helped Jonathan rewrite his will leaving everything to Buck and Beth Ann. And the other visitor was the minister from Hope Church. He was setting up the wedding for Thursday morning right there in Jonathan’s bedroom.
After they left, he told Martha Mae to find Buck and Beth Ann. He wanted to see them both. When they came he told them what he had done with his will and that they would be married on Thursday. Beth Ann prayed so much for the next three days that she ever did before. She still had that same peace that she got that first night when she found the same verse that Buck had found.
On Thursday at 2:00, Beth Ann dressed in her Sunday dress and went to her father’s room. Rev Thomas was there waiting. Now they were just waiting for Buck.
Buck was getting dressed in his best shirt. All he had was jeans so that’s what he wore. At least they were neat and pressed. Martha Mae had made sure that his clothes were clean. He opened the door and Martha Mae was just about to knock.
“They’re waiting for you.” she said and he followed her into Jonathan Forester’s room. Rev Thomas greeted Buck by shaking his hand.
“What is your sir name, Buck?” he asked.
“Ah....William” he stuttered.
“Ok, fine. Let’s get started. Stand over here by Beth Ann so her father can see all of it” They moved to where he showed them to.
“Now, do you William Buchanan take Beth Ann Forrester as your lawfully wedded wife?”
“Yes, I do,” he smiled at her and she smiled back.
“Do you Beth Ann take this man, William Buchanan as your lawful wedded husband?’”
“I do,” she answered smiling.
“Now I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
Buck reached over and put his arms around her and gave her the sweetest kiss she had ever felt. She felt kind of dizzy when he stepped away.
“Martha Rae has made a good meal and you are welcome to stay, Rev Thomas.” said Jonathan.
“I would love to, but my little one is waiting for me at home. So I’ll take a rain check on the meal.” He turned and congratulated Buck and Beth Ann and he left.
“Now go on down and have a good meal.” Jonathan told them.
“Couldn’t we bring our meals up here and eat with you?” asked Beth Ann. But then Martha Rae had answered that question by bringing a tray in for Jonathan. She told them to go down and eat theirs, that it was setting on the dining room table waiting for them. They reluctantly went down to eat, but neither one of them was really hungry.
“Did you see Papa’s face? How flushed he was?” she asked Buck, as she was pushing her food around on her plate.
“Yes, I did and it worries me.”
“It does me too,” she answered.
After supper they went up to see him again before they went to bed, But he was sleeping. He didn’t look much better but at least he was resting, Beth Ann thought. Beth Ann had packed her things in boxes and asked Buck if he’d move them for her into his room. After he did that, they got ready for bed. They lay there talking for awhile after they got into bed. Then Buck reached over and kissed her and she thought she had died and gone to heaven with his caressing and kisses.
The next morning he woke up before Beth Ann and got up quietly and dressed and went downstairs. He was in the kitchen talking to Martha Rae and drinking coffee. They were talking about Jonathan. Buck couldn’t believe the words that Martha Rae was telling him.
“He went peacefully in his sleep,” she had said, but he still did not want to believe those words. How was he going to tell Beth Ann that her father was gone? They heard a scream from upstairs and knew that she had found out herself. He rushed to her with Martha Rae at his heels. She rushed into his arms when he got to the top of the stairs. She was really crying by now. Martha Rae patted her back in comfort her but there was no comforting for the moment. Buck led Beth Ann to their room and laid her on the bed and held while she cried her to sleep. When she was asleep, he sent for Mark and told him the news and for them to go out on the range without him today. He had to stay here with Beth Ann.
The next few days Beth Ann went through the motions of her days in a daze. She didn’t even remember the funeral. She went through the motions. She picked at her food at meals times. Buck was getting really worried about her because she was starting to loose weight. He called the doctor and he told him that she just had to go through the process of grieving in her own way but for him to be there for her when she needed him. It was hard for Buck. But that’s all he could do.
One evening, he went upstairs and found Beth Ann sitting in the rocking chair in her father’s room. He walked and sat on a stool beside her.
“Why? Why did God have to take him?” she cried.
“I really don’t know the answer to that, Sweetheart, but he was suffering with pain from his heart, and maybe God didn’t want him to suffer any more. Would you want to continually see him suffering?” His words were soft and gentle.
“I suppose not, but I miss him so much.” she cried on his shoulder.
“I miss him too even though I’ve only known him for a short time, I respected the man greatly as a boss and a father-in-law. Buck held Beth Ann until all her tears were spent and then she told him to go to work, that she would be okay now. He wasn’t sure he wanted to leave her alone, but she insisted. On his way out the door, he found Martha Rae in the kitchen getting dinner ready. He asked her to keep an eye on her to make sure she was okay. He would be in the north field of she needed him, to send someone out for him. She said she would and that eased his mind a little so hopefully he could keep his mind off his wife. It seemed like the day had lingered on and on and finally 5:00 came and the men headed back in to the bunkhouse and Buck back to the ranch. He took care of the horse and rushed in the house. He washed up for supper which Martha Rae and Beth Ann were putting on the table. He pulled his wife to him and kissed her.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
“Yes, I’m fine,” she answered kissing him back. They sat down to eat. The meal was delicious as usual. Martha Rae was definitely a good cook. She was teaching Beth Ann to cook because she didn’t know how.
After dinner they had their coffee and dessert in the living room. Buck asked her again about her day. She told him that Martha Rae was giving her more cooking lessons and that she had made the rhubarb pie that he had for dessert. He told her that she had done a good job because the pie was delicious.
The next morning, Beth Ann wanted to be near Buck, and she knew he was in the barn, so she walked down there. When she got there she heard voices. She heard Buck talking to one of the hands, Bob Thomson. She didn’t know him well because he was one of the newer hands that Buck hired to go on the drives. They would be leaving in a few days for another drive to sell some of the cattle.
“Are you content with your new position?” asked Bob.
“What is that supposed to mean?” Buck asked sharply.
“Well, I mean, now you are the proud owner of a big high paying ranch since you married the boss’s daughter.”
“What are you saying?” asked Buck again.
“Well you married into money and that put you in a high position.”
“Are you saying I married Beth Ann for the ranch?”
“I guess that what I’m saying.” Buck was angry now but he didn’t really care what anyone thought about their marriage because it wasn’t true.
“You know I really don’t care what you guys think about it because it’s none of your business. If you don’t like working for me, you know where the road is.” He started to mount his horse.
Beth Ann heard all of this and ran out of the way so neither one of them would see her when they left the barn. After they left she ran into the house and to her room and cried. She was angry because Buck didn’t say that the statement wasn’t true. She couldn’t stay here with a man that just married her because of the ranch. She packed some things in a small bag and snuck outside to the barn. She hitched up the horse to the buggy and ran back to the house to get her jacket because it was kind of cool out. When she went back into the house she ran into Martha Rae.
“Where are you going?” she asked.
“I’m going into town,” she answered.
“I’ll go with you. I need to pick some thing up at the general store.”
“No, I’d rather you didn’t,” said Beth Ann. I’ve got some things to do and I’d like to be alone. Besides I have a surprise for Buck that I want to bring back if I can find what I want.” Martha Rae was hesitant but she finally agreed. She could feel something was amiss but she’d have to wait to see what it was.
When Beth Ann got into town she went to the bank and got some money out. She left the horse and buggy at the livery stable for Buck when he came in to get it. She quickly ran to the stage office and bought a ticket. She just barely made it in time for the stage and she was on her way.
She arrived in Salem the next morning. She wandered around town for a while and went to the hotel diner for something to eat. She didn’t take a whole lot of Buck’s money and she would soon run out if she didn’t find a job and a place to live. While she walked into the diner, she almost ran into this beautiful woman with blond hair. She wore her hair high on her head.
“Whoa there,” she said, holding her by the arms. “Are you okay?” she asked.
“Yes,” answered Beth Ann. The woman had a name tag on her white blouse that said “Lydia”. She showed Beth Ann to a table. The place wasn’t busy. She handed her a menu and she saw the prices. She took out her money and started counting it. She had enough for a few meals but not many at these prices. Lydia was watching her while she brought her a cup of coffee.
“You new in town?” Lydia asked.
“Yes, I will need to find a place to live and a job, but I don’t have much money left.”
“Our special today is meatloaf, mashed potato and gravy, corn and apple pie for dessert. If you want that, it’ll be on me. And we could talk to my boss. He needs someone to wash dishes. The fellow that was doing it just quit on him, and he might give you a room and take the rent out of your wages. Would you like me to talk to him?”
“Yes, I’ll take the meatloaf and if I can have the job and a place to live, I’ll take that too.”
“What’s your name?”
“Beth Ann For– ah Buchanan.”
Okay Beth Ann, I’m Lydia. I’ll get your supper and be right back.” She ran off to put the order in and went back in the kitchen to talk to her boss. A little while later, Lydia came out from the kitchen with her meal and a tall, stout man followed her. The front of his head was bald. He only had hair on the sides and in the back. He wore a white dirty apron.
“Beth Ann, this is my boss, Carl Tanner.” Lydia introduced them. They both sat down across from her.
“Lydia tells me you need a job and a place to stay. Is that right?” he asked.
“Yes, I am.”
“Do you have any experience?”
“I have a little in washing dishes.”
“Do you have any experience waiting tables?”
“Well, no, not really.” she answered truthfully. He sat there thinking for a few minutes.
“Well, I do need someone to wash dishes. And I have a few rooms that I keep for workers who need a place in back over the kitchen. They aren’t much but you’ll be warm and dry. They are $1.00 a week and your pay is $8.00 per week and if you learn how to waitress you’ll have tips too. Lydia can show you the ropes when we’re not busy. You can start tomorrow at 6:00 in the morning. Lydia will see that you get up on time. She lives up there as well.” He turned to Lydia. “It’s almost closing time so while she’s eating just wipe down the tables and make sure the sugar and salt and peppers are filled and take her up and show her the room next to yours.”
“I will,” answered Lydia. He got up and headed back to the kitchen.
“Thank you, Mr. Tanner.” said Beth Ann.
“It’s okay,” he answered and gave her a smile. “And call me Carl, everyone else does.” Beth Ann nodded, and he left. Lydia busied herself with the job that Carl gave her as Beth Ann ate. She even swept the floor while Beth Ann ate her pie. Then Lydia poured them both a cup of coffee and they sat there chatting for a few minutes.
“He seems like a nice gentleman,” said Beth Ann.
“Yes, he is. He’s a good Christian man.” Beth Ann didn’t know what that meant but she didn’t feel right asking about that, so she let it drop. After they had finished their coffee, Lydia got the key for Beth Ann’s room and Beth Ann followed up the stairs in back near the kitchen. Lydia unlocked the door and led her in. It wasn’t much, there was a single bed, a chest, a night stand by the bed and a small desk and chair by the window. There was a blue quilt on the bed. Blue was her favorite color. She thanked Lydia for all her help.
“If you need anything, I’m right next door.” said Lydia pointing to the left. “I’ll knock on your door about between 5:15 and 5:30. How much time do you need to get ready in the morning?
“Oh, I’d say about 15 minutes.”
“Okay, that will give you plenty of time.”
“Good night.” said Beth Ann, “and thanks again.”
“No problem. I know what you are going through, I’ve been there myself. Good night.” said Lydia as she closed the door and went to her room. Beth Ann heard her open her door and shut it. She put her bag on the bed and took out the few clothes she brought with her. She hung the dresses on the nails by the window and took out her nightgown and robe out of the bag and changed into them. Her under things she put in the chest. She pulled the covers down on her bed and crawled in under them. Before she knew it she was asleep.
In Boulder
Buck had an uneasy feeling as he walked into the house. He found a frantic Martha Rae. She told him about what had happened that morning with Beth Ann and she hadn’t returned. Buck ran from the house and saddled his horse and headed for town. He asked everyone he saw if they had seen his wife. Some said they saw her at the back and some said they saw coming from the livery stable but no one seen her get on the stage or anything. The stage office was closed so he couldn’t find anything out there. He could n’t find anything else that night so he headed back home. He would start again in the morning and have Martha Rae get him provisions for a few days on the road. He didn’t sleep at all that night. In the morning, he told Martha Rae to get his provisions ready; he went down to the bunkhouse and told Mark that he was in charge, that he would be gone for a few days. He didn’t go into details, he just informed them that he wouldn’t be here. He went to the barn to saddle his horse and back to the house to get his provisions and he set out. First he went into town to talk to the person who sold the stage tickets. The person that was there wasn’t there the day before and the person who was left the day before after work to visit his sick mother in Arizona. So he was no help. He rode to several towns and no one seen her. He even went to Salem and no one had seen her. So he went back to Boulder. For days he could not do anything. He couldn’t eat or sleep. He went out looking again to no avail. Finally Martha Rae got after him. He couldn’t run this ranch the way he was going. Maybe she’d come back, maybe she wouldn’t but he needed to get with it and take care of himself and this ranch. He knew she was right and he finally pulled himself out of it and returned to work.
In Salem
Beth Ann woke the next morning to Lydia knocking on her door. She hurried to get dressed and straightened the room and when Martha knocked again when it was time to go downstairs, she followed her. Carl was already there making coffee. He poured them both a cup and he went to get the grits going and fry some ham and bacon ahead for the customers. Beth Ann helped Lydia get the coffee for the customers while she took the orders. The morning was quite busy. Before she knew it it was dinner time and Lydia brought her plate with ham, mashed potato and peas. She sat in the kitchen by the sink and ate quietly. Carl kept asking her how she was doing and she kept telling her “fine.” She seemed to keep up with the dishes considering how busy it was. At 7:00 that evening, Carl told her to go on up to her room. She looked very tired. As soon as she changed for bed, she crawled in bed and fell fast asleep. She didn’t know anything til Lydia woke her the next morning for work. She had slept well but she had her mind on Buck also. She had it in her mind that he had married her for the ranch and she really believed he did.
On Sundays, Carl found other people to work for him while Lydia, Beth Ann and him went to church. Beth Ann had never been to church before and was very nervous about going. She grew learning that God punished you for everything you did wrong. She listened to the sermon and this man was saying the total opposite of what she had learned about God. He was saying that He was a loving God and He sent His Son to die for all our sins. She couldn’t believe it. She asked questions on the way back to the hotel, and Lydia and Carl answered her questions. After a few weeks of hearing this, she decided she wanted this love that God had for her and she accepted Christ into her heart.
Lydia was sitting on Beth Ann’s only chair in the room, on Sunday. Beth Ann was sitting on her bed while they chatted.
“You’re putting on some weight there, girl,” said Lydia.
“I know, I’m going to have to go get me couple of new dresses for work. Maybe we could do that tomorrow when it settles down a little in the diner.”
“Maybe I can go with you and help you.” said Lydia.
“I don’t know why I’m putting on weight, I never used to.”
“Do you think you might be-----?”
“Be what?” asked Beth Ann.
“Ah—in–ah —a family way?”
“Oh, no! I hope not!” exclaimed Beth Ann.
“Have you been sick lately?”
“A little sick to my stomach.”
“That’s a good sign that you are.”
“Oh no, Lydia, what am I going to do?”
“I think that you might need your husband at a time like this.” Beth An had told her weeks ago why she left her husband.
“I don’t think I can do that,” she said.
“It may be none of my business, but I think that you should be with your husband and help you through this. I’m not good at things like that. I puke at the sight of blood, so I won’t be much help.” said Lydia. Beth Ann had to think about this. She knew she should forgive her husband for marrying her for the ranch but she didn’t know if she could live with him again.
In Boulder
Buck went into town to get supplies. He ran into a new face in town when he went into the general store.
“Hello,” said the man. “I’m Solomon Greer,” He should hands with Buck.
“I’m Buck Buchanan.” Buck answered and they started talking small talk and Solomon invited Buck to dinner at the hotel. Buck went with him and Buck and Solomon became good friends. They started getting together each week for dinner and one Saturday when they met, Solomon asked Buck to go to church with him. Buck wasn’t sure that he wanted to but he said he would. After going a few Sundays, Buck started asking Solomon questions and in a few more weeks Buck had asked the Lord to save him. Now Buck was praying for his wife’s return. He had no idea why she left, but he knew he wanted her back.
On Tuesday when Martha Rae had come back from town, Buck helped her bring the groceries in. She handed her the mail. There was a letter there that had no return address. He went into his study and sat down and opened it.
“Dear Buck,
I know it’s been six months since I left and I wondered if we are still married. I am doing fine and working washing dishes for a restaurant. God kind of led me to write to you, I really don’t know why because I don’t know if I can ever live with you again since I found out that you married me just for the ranch. Please don’t look for me just yet. I need time to think and pray about is and what His will for our future together. I need time, Buck. I need to pray and think about our child as well so please give me some time.
Your wife, Beth Ann”
He looked at the post mark on the envelope. It said Salem. He rushed out of the study and hollered for Martha Rae to put together some provisions for a few days as he headed out to the barn to hitch the horses to the buggy. He was going to get his wife and his unborn child. It was a cold ride to Salem. It felt like it could snow at any time. When he arrive in Salem, he went to the hotel and got a room. There were only two restaurants in Salem, one at the hotel and one down the street by the Sheriff’s office. He decided to check the hotel first. Lydia was waiting on customers when he walked in. He took a table by the window. Lydia brought him over some coffee and a menu.
“Our special is roast beef, mashed potato and gravy and peas or corn and pie for dessert.” she said setting the coffee and the menu on the table.
“I’ll take the special. Also I was wondering if you could help me.”
“What’s that?” she asked.
“I’m looking for a woman with red hair, tall and thin. Have you seen her?”
“That’s depends on who you are.” she answered.
“I’m her husband. She wrote me a letter,” he took it out of his shirt pocket as he was talking. “ And I’ve been trying to find her for months.”
“I’ll be right back,” she said as she ran back in the kitchen to see Beth Ann.
“There is someone out there who is asking for you.”
“Oh, who?”
“He says he’s your husband. He says he got your letter and he’s been looking for you for months.”
“He’s been looking for me?”
“That’s what he said.”
“I’m not sure I want to see him.” answered Beth Ann.
“Honey, he wants to take care of you and that baby. You should let him. After all he is the father and he has a right to that child as much as you do.”
“I know you’re right, but----“
“You should forgive whatever he’s done to you, Beth Ann and let him take care of you,” said Carl. “I don’t know the whole story with you, but if he’s been looking for you, he must really care about you.”
“Go at least talk to him,” suggested Lydia. “Carl gives me a roast beef dinner for the man.” Beth Ann followed Lydia out to the floor. She left after she put the place down in front of him. Beth Ann eased herself reluctantly into the chair across from him.
“Hello, Buck,” she said softly.
“Oh, Beth Ann, you had me so worried. I’ve been looking for you for months. Igot your letter and I came right on.”
“I don’t know, Buck.”
“Honey, I didn’t marry you because of the ranch, I married you because I love you.”
“Then why didn’t you rebuke Bob for saying that?”
“You heard that?”
“Yes.”
“I really don’t care what others think of me. They don’t know the truth and it’s really none of their business.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. Darlin’ I love you with all my heart and I want you to come home with me.” Beth Ann sat there thinking. Carl brought a plate of roast beef out from the kitchen. He took it to Lydia and told her to take it over for Beth Ann. She was probably going to be leaving tonight and he wanted her to eat before she left. He told Lydia that both meals were on him. She took the plate over to Beth Ann.
“The boss says that you’ll probably be leaving and he wants you to eat before you go.” said Lydia as she placed the plate in front of Beth Ann. Beth Ann looked from one to the other.
“Well, I guess I am, at that.” and she ate what was placed front of her.
“By the way, those dinners are on the boss. He wants you to come say goodbye before you leave.” Beth Ann smiled at her. When she finished eating the pie, she excused herself and went upstairs to pack her things. When she came back down Carl was talking to Buck. Buck saw her come in the room.
“Are you ready to go?” he asked as she walked up to them, and he took her bag. They went outside and he helped her into the buggy. Lydia and Carl followed them out and had a prayer for them before they left.
“Let us hear from you once in a while so we’ll that you are doing okay.” said Carl.
“I will. I’ll try and write at lease once a month. It depends on how busy I am with the baby. Maybe you can come visit sometime and see the little one.”
“I can’t promise but we’ll try.” answered Carl.
Part of the ride home was quiet. Beth Ann thanked God for her husband and that he didn’t marry her for the ranch, so it wasn’t a marriage of convenience, it was a marriage of love.....true love.
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