IN TIMELY MANNER
A weekly newspaper column prepared for
The Waterville Times
By PsBrown
A weekly newspaper column prepared for
The Waterville Times
By PsBrown
2007
Timely, January 3, 2007
Nearly five-hundred years ago, a French vagabond balladeer named François Villon sang, “Mais ou sont les neiges d’antan?” - later translated to mean, “But where are the snows of yesteryear?” Where, indeed! Out in Denver, we conclude, where two enormous snowstorms have taken place in less than two weeks. But here in Waterville? A year ago now, although snowmobilers and winter sportsmen still waited for one of those snows of yesteryear, a soggy snowfall had at least made possible the construction of several amusingly inventive snowmen and snow sculptures. This year? Neither of the two “storms” that we’ve had (as of the writer’s Sunday morning deadline) has resulted in accumulations of such sufficiency as to hide blades of unusually-green grass on lawns! The happiest children of all were those to whom Santa Claus, in his great wisdom, chose to deliver scooters, new trikes, bikes or “heelys!”
It has been pleasant to see and speak with some of our college students who are in town on Christmas break: Alex Snow was working at “Roc’s,” last Friday, and both of the Upcraft girls have been at Foodking.
Miss Sarah Sexton and Miss Cathy Burbules of Latham were the guests of Mrs. Sexton of Stafford Avenue for a few days before traveling - along with Mrs. Sexton - to Esperance to spend some of Christmas Day with the Phillip Sexton Family at Tear Drop Pond Farm.
Mr. and Mrs. Norman Tower celebrated Christmas here in Waterville with the other Tower Families, but Ms. Lurena McNamara of Sanger Avenue spent the weekend with her brother Jack’s family in Sandwich, Massachusetts.
The Richard Methes of Ballston Lake and their son Iain will be in Waterville this coming weekend for an after-Christmas celebration with the R. Browns of “Whiskey Hollow.” Mr. B. is quite well-recovered from an illness that sent him first to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Utica and then to the Harding Nursing Home here in Waterville where he has received a great many visitors and even ventures to say that, in many respects, he has quite enjoyed the entire experience! He was there when the Waterville Rotarians and then the Boy Scouts sang Christmas Carols and when students from the Madison School brought their instruments (and refreshments) to entertain the residents.
People who live on Sanger Avenue did not get to hear the “Sanger Avenue Singers & Friends” because their caroling activity was rained out!
Unaffected by the weather, many families of members of the Waterville Central School Grades 9 - 12 Chorus were at the Stanley Theater on Saturday, December 17th to hear a concert by the Utica Symphony Orchestra. The large chorus, which performed with the orchestra, was made up of choruses from five area high schools and, of the 315 young singers, 91 - nearly one-third! - were from Waterville. The mother of two of those told us that when it came time for “our” youngsters to perform by themselves, singing “Ose Shalom” (He Who Brings Peace) “you could have heard a pin drop!” We agreed that it is a fine thing to realize that members of the WCS Chorus and Marching Band are putting the name “Waterville, New York” on the Musical Map of the country!
No matter how enjoyable and exciting the activities are that precede and surround the celebrations of Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanza, the days between those and January 1st are welcomed - a time, for many of us, of rest and retrospection and recovery of what we hope will be energies in a sufficiency to propel us forward into new projects with higher aspirations and greater accomplishments.
With that, especially, in mind, we wish the readership and the members of the Waterville Times “family” a happy, healthy and busy New Year!
Timely, January 10, 2007
Once the holidays are over, Watervillians - being subject to human nature - have the habit of finding something different to talk about, but there being no bona fide developments of ongoing rumors or hints of scandal, they have been happy to concentrate on a much more worthy topic - The Weather!
Temperatures, last week, crept upward through the forties into the fifties and on Saturday, the 6th, they topped out. According to WKTV Meteorologist Bill Kardas, “The Mohawk Valley shattered a 61-year record today as temperatures climbed to 62 degrees, a new record high for the day. The previous high temperature for Jan. 6 was 58 degrees, which was recorded in 1946,” he said.
Young bicyclists zipped around the village in T-shirts and runners wore tank tops and shorts! Pussy willows and pansies were seen blooming, and fits of Spring Fever even led some ladies to bouts of Spring Cleaning!
A Timely announcement was received by the writer who encourages local readers to join her in declaring battle on overstuffed closets, dresser drawers and cupboards: starting on January 20th, discarded CLOTHING, good used TOYS and small HOUSEHOLD ITEMS may be delivered to the church hall at St. Bernard’s Catholic church for the great Annual Clothing Give-Away that will take place on January 26th and 27th. The Give-away is sponsored by the Food Pantry and the Senior Citizens and is OPEN to the PUBLIC! (We note that it takes place in St. Bernard’s church hall because that is the largest space available for the length of time necessary to sort displays - and sometimes even that is not large enough!)
Television viewers, watching funeral ceremonies for President Gerald R. Ford in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on January 3rd, also strained to catch a glimpse of trombonist Blair Raker, who was among twenty-four members of the Air Force’s “Band of Liberty.” Airman 1st Class Raker, the son of Jon Raker of West Bacon Street and the late Lorena Raker, is stationed at Hanscom Air Force Base near Boston.
The “Watervillian,” a weekly newsletter distributed by the Waterville Rotary Club, notes that “Bill (Getman) hosted the Waterville Club and our 1993 Rotary exchange student, Tom Cowper, with his wife Vanessa, family and friends. Also on hand for the reunion were Chris Slifka (Tom's host family “little” brother) and Tom's high school friends Tom Mayne with his wife Mandy, and Andy Gillette.”
Catherine, Bob and Sandy Harding enjoyed the company of Elaine Harding Ralls and Catherine Ralls for ten days - including Christmas - at the end of December. The girls left on the 28th and on the 29th James and Lisa Harding (the newlyweds) arrived to celebrate New Years Eve with the East coast family, but then flew back to Arizona on New Years Day.
Joel Allen, of Hudson, New York, sends New Year’s Greetings and writes that “Gary and Ellen Allen of Sanger Avenue, Waterville have just returned from spending the Christmas and New Year’s holidays with their daughter, Karen, and son-in-law Frank North and granddaughters Sarah and Laura, in Greer, South Carolina. Their flight down and back was safe and uneventful. Joining them in Greer for Christmas were Gary’s younger brother, Joel and his wife, Laura and daughter Karrie, from Hudson, New York. They drove and also had a safe trip. Some great times and beautiful summer-like weather was enjoyed by the whole family and neighbors.”
The writer has been enjoying recent E--conversations with both Walter “Junior” Bartlett (Rochester) and his nephew Brad Cowen - Pat and Clem’s son - in Wilmington, Delaware. They have recently discovered the “Waterville Blog” - http://homeinthehuddle2.blogspot.com - and read it to keep up-to-date with home-town happenings between weekly deliveries of the Waterville Times!
Timely, January 17, 2007
With English Daisies and Dandelions blooming on lawns and a few pansies in flower beds, Winter finally came, last Wednesday. It made a dramatic appearance: snow and ice closed Route 12 and youngsters enjoyed their first “Snow Day!” Snowboards were carried by youths looking for snow-covered slopes and snowmobilers took to the fields. A great deal of plowing and shoveling went on and then, when that was done, the sun made an ironic return, temperatures rose, and forty-eight hours later, it was warm again! (And that must have been what we usually call a “January Thaw!”)
What Everyone’s Talking About:
1. The weather, of course.
2. The Colds -- colds of the variety that hang on and on and which, by some accounts, were given as Christmas Gifts at large family gatherings!
3. A change at “Green Acres Plaza,” in the middle of the village. The writer hastens to say that she has no intention of investigating or clarifying the status of any real estate transfer - should there even be one - nor discuss what effect it might have on the future of the businesses currently located there or the appearance of that part of the village, but only wishes to make note of the fact that this IS a matter of great public interest and is a topic that intrudes on every other conversation. Villagers wonder primarily, what will happen to the Post Office, the Treens’ “Home Shoppe,” “Ecco Video,” and the professional offices of Jim Pacelli, Accountant, and Paul Hadley, Attorney at Law.
Those with sharp eyes immediately noticed the SOLD sign on the property just to the north of Main Street on Buell Avenue and hazard a guess that there may be some connection to the above-mentioned probability. Also - the former Scerbo Building is once again wearing a For Sale sign: the “Subway,” apparently, will not be running.
Following an inquiry from Mrs. R. Martin of Sangerfield, last week, the writer set out to learn which of “our” TIOGA “flag girls” had been very badly injured in an accident, before Christmas. I was able to E-write to Nannette “Noodles” Jones, of Forestport, and learned that the girl who was hurt was Alex - the taller of the two blondes - and that although “she was in rough shape for a while - having broken her pelvis, among other things - but is back at home now.” Nannette also asked about the village in general and said, “I miss you guys!”
Rotarians had an unusual treat, recently: according to “The Watervillian,” Mark Barnes exhibited his new Korg keyboard and showed how it can sound like the Glenn Miller Band or a full orchestra. His band, Plastic Soul, played recently in Chicago for a group of McDonald's executives.
Before Christmas, Roc Langone - who has already developed his own line of ice cream and gelato, was taking special orders for Spumoni, made in the tradition which originated in Naples, Italy, and NOW he is manufacturing a custom line of the Greek Dessert “Baklava” - that’s the one with phyllo dough and layers of ground walnuts, sugar and spices and honey! His is layered, predictably, with his own Baklava Ice Cream, and sounds mouth-wateringly delicious. But there’s one problem: if you want some you’ll have to dine at Symeon’s, where the unique dessert creation is an “exclusive!”
Speaking of Food - always a favorite topic - you can travel to “France in February” as easily as making reservations at “Michael’s” for his next elegant Wine Dinner. The event will take place on February13th and the telephone number to call is 315/841-3077.
Our friend Sarah Sexton and her friend Cathy Burbules are on vacation in Hawaii and have taken a great number of their friends along with them via a spectacular Blog of notes and photographs (thus saving us the ordeal of the five-hour layover in Newark and ten-hour flight to Honolulu and all associated expenses!)
Two new Blogs have shown up on the Waterville Public Library Website: “Page Turners” (which welcomes adult book reviews) and “Teen Lit Basement,” (ditto for younger readers.) Find both at http://www.midyork.org/waterville/. The members of the Waterville Book Club are currently reading “The Daughter of Time,” by Josephine Tey published in 1951 shortly before her death. (from Wikipedia. “Tey's regular hero, Scotland Yard Inspector Alan Grant, is forced to spend time laid up in hospital. Becoming interested in a postcard of a portrait that his friend Marta brings to him. He asks for history books because of the lack of imagination shown in modern mystery fiction, he has friends research reference books so he can puzzle out the mystery of whether King Richard III of England murdered his nephews, the Princes in the Tower.”) Sounds like the perfect “read” for a stormy, winter day!
The writer will be taking a week off to concentrate 200% on another project, but will be glad to collect E-items between now and the 31st!
Timely, January 31, 2007
It’s Winter, now, no doubt about it! and we remember a fine story that the late Margaret Greene Altmeier used to tell about riding a “double rip” (a dual-runnered bobsled that held four or five people) all the way from the top of Livingston Hill (Putnam Street) right down Main Street; swerving ‘round the corner onto Mill Street (Buell Avenue) and coming to a stop ‘way down at “the foundry” (Pumillia’s Pizza Shell factory.) Oh, what a ride that would have been! Of course that was back in the days when there were few automobiles and the roads were rolled instead of plowed.
And - do you remember? - twenty or more year ago, when everyone who owned a sled or toboggan or little skiis used to converge on the hill behind the Memorial Park School to go sliding? Alas, that whole hillside has grown into a small forest and youngsters of all ages are hard pressed to find any slope its equal.
People in town are talking about:
1. the new Victorian Street Lamps, that stretch from the Park to CVS at eighty-foot intervals along the eastern side of Sanger Avenue; the six that stand in the Park, and the rows on both sides of East and West Main Street. The great majority of remarks overheard by the writer express delight and describe the resulting effect as “Classy” and/or “Elegant!” There are a few, however, whose personal tastes would have been better served had the poles been black (they are, as described by Mrs. Bushee, “the color of the Statue of Liberty” and by observers here as a perfect match to our bronze Civil War Monument.) Others hoped for a “lantern-like” lamp fixture similar to the style found in early photographs of Main Street. Be that as it may, what we have are “verde gris” poles with “acorn-shaped” globes like those in use during the 1890’s. The “acorn” shape is less easily described in words than shown in a picture: perhaps there is one elsewhere in this issue!
Everyone asks, “When will they be lit?” the results of an absolutely unofficial and totally unscientific poll on the writer’s “blog” asking whether the lighting should be “as soon as possible” or “with appropriate Ceremony” suggest that a slight majority would prefer advance warning and thus have the opportunity to be on Main Street or in the Park at the time that the switches are thrown so that there could be a chorus of “OOOoohhs” and “Aaaaahhhhhhs” and applause, all together. It is, after all, not something that has been happening often.
2. The great Annual “Give Away” that took place last weekend in the basement of St. Bernard’s Catholic Church. Sponsored by the Food Pantry and the Senior Citizens, the event was HUGE! “Bigger than any Salvation Army Store I ever saw!” Donations came from everywhere in such quantity that a sign - “No More Donations, PLEASE!” - appeared on the door on Friday. The event is always open to the public; all items are always FREE and, needless to say, “the place was mobbed!”
3. The AUCTION of the old Bank Building - the selling of which will (hopefully!) take place “By Order of a National Real Estate Investment Trust” on February 14th at 10:00 A.M. by John Dixon Associates.
4. FOOD! We understand that January sped by too rapidly and that there were still some Fish Fry fanciers who missed out on this Friday Night Treat at the American Legion where the January-only Friday Specials sold out two weeks in a row. Rotarians nearly always meet at MAC’s, and with good reason: one week they enjoyed a dinner of Frank’s special mussels, shrimp and scallops over spinach gnocchi and they were looking forward to a roast pork dinner the next week! Michael’s Fine Food and Spirits continues to attract lunchtime meetings. Employees of “Frontier” filled the parkinglot and restaurant a week or so ago and, last week the Waterville Retired Teachers held their monthly meeting there and gave rave reviews to Michael’s Cream of Mushroom Soup.
Mrs. Martin writes that “Fifteen of the Waterville Crimson Bonnets had lunch on Thursday January 25th at the ‘Town and Country’ in Vernon. This was one of our smaller gatherings since some of our members are in Florida and some are not feeling so well. After lunch some of the more venturesome went on to Vernon Downs and tried their luck at gambling.” (Mrs. Martin won a total of $6.) February's luncheon will be held at David's Fireside in Bouckville and will be coordinated by Gail Dwyer and Vera Barnes.
Having no real conncection to the previous subject - other than the fact that they live in Sandwich, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod, - Jack McNamara and his wife, Dianne were guests of Ms. Lurena McNamara over the weekend. It will be interesting to hear their comments on the new lamp posts!
In other news - Deb Mayne writes: “Double the trouble, twice the fun! 20 fingers and 20 toes, and lots of diapers! Dan & Debra (Kelly) Acker are busy these days with the arrival of their twins, Ava Daniel and Aidan Kelley, on who were born on January 12th at St. Lukes, weighing in at 6 lbs. 4 1/2 oz. and 5 lbs.1 3/4, respectively. Proud and adoring grandparents are Deb & Doug Mayne of Hubbardsville, Gary Acker of Waterville, Cynthia Kelly and Bill Dooley of Utica, and great-grandparents Nancy & Frank Acker of Waterville and Betty Kniffin of Brookfield, and Jeanette Kelley and John Gacek of Utica. The family is at home in Whitesboro.” Congratulations, everyone!
Catherine Harding has been entertaining out-of-town family. Her daughter Elaine and grandson David Ralls were in from Arizona and Pat Hosford and Nancy Southard came to visit from South Carolina. Needless to say the snow and cold kept everyone inside visiting.
Marjorie and Willis Barnes’ son Tom, who lives in Collinsville, Connecticut, and published two books about Kate Loftus Welch - the “Poet of Forge Hollow” - a few years ago, sends the following notes: “According to our friend Kate, if we were back in the 1920’s, this is the time when there would be: ‘many pheasants with brilliant plumage, Frosted Trees, Perfect sleighing, the sounds of bells incessant. Ice cutting at the Waterman Pond, Loads of logs for the Waterman Mill, Lime from Gibbons Kiln. Seed Catalogs. Only horses that are sharp shod venturing abroad.’ Ten species of winter birds common in the valley: ‘Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Brown Creeper, Junco, Golden-crowned Kinglets, Tree Sparrow and English Sparrow with a few others appearing now and then: Flicker, Goldfinch, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Cedar Wax-wing, Pine Grosbeak, Evening Grosbeak. And perhaps flocks of Snow Buntings and Lapland Longspurs from the Arctic Circle.’ ”
The writer has not seen a pheasant in Winter in a long time, nor a Lapland Longspur, but all others on Kate’s list make local appearances and, down in Whiskey Hollow, the Browns once again have two Carolina Wrens and a Red-bellied Woodpecker wintering with them, and a Barred Owl can be heard “barking” at night.
(To be continued.)
