Friday, December 31, 2010

Lord Mayor

The Kennett Amateur Theatrical Society is celebrating its 10th anniversary by reprising the pantomime that started it all: "Dick Whittington and his Cat," written by KATS co-founder Gary Smith. Performances will be in the Kennett High School Auditorium, Friday, Jan. 14, at 7:30 pm, and Saturday, Jan. 15, at 2 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. For ticket information visit http://www.callkats.org./ Get ready to boo heartily at the evil Snib!

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Lost Canon

Local true-crime author Bruce Mowday was a crime victim himself on Dec. 28: he was mugged while vacationing in Montevideo, Uruguay. A man in his 20s came up behind him, cut the strap of his camera and ran off with it. Bruce gave chase but lost the thug after several blocks (the exact number of blocks the chase lasted seems to be increasing each time Bruce re-tells the story; it started at 2 and now it's up to 35). Thank goodness, he wasn't hurt.
You've probably heard of Bruce: a former courthouse reporter for the "Daily Local News," he covered the murder and mayhem wreaked by the Johnston family around here in the 1970s and last year wrote the fascinating book "Jailing the Johnston Gang."

Zoning

The Whip's zoning hearing was rescheduled from Dec. 27 to Jan. 19 at 7 p.m. at the West Marlborough Township building in Doe Run. The zoning appeal was filed by a group of neighbors who have longstanding concerns about the popular tavern/restaurant in Springdell, including parking and noise, and believe it is operating in violation of several township zoning regulations.
Some background documents about the disagreement are available on The Whip's website at http://www.thewhiptavern.com/.

Three and out

Lois Herr, the Lancaster County Democrat who tried -- but failed -- three times to unseat Congressman Joe Pitts, has bought a house in Mt. Gretna, Lebanon County, and will be moving there early in 2011. Mt. Gretna is in the 17th U.S. Congressional District, not the 16th, so she won't be challenging Joe again. As far as politics go in the 17th district, Tim Holden, a Democrat, has been in Congress since 1993.

Social ease

Please "friend" Tilda Tally-ho on Facebook! And I'd love to hear any news tips or story ideas from readers. The Kennett Paper also has a frequently updated page that you can "like."

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Meteor

I got a first-hand account of the meteor that was visible in the western part of the county the evening of Dec. 28. My friend Amy was skating on her pond outside Oxford at about 7 p.m. when she saw blue flashes on the part of the pond covered with snow, as if someone was taking photographs. She then looked up and saw the meteor streaking across the sky. It was so bright, she said, there were actually shadows cast on the ice. The meteor, which was visible in Pomeroy as well, apparently burned up before it hit the Earth.

Loyalty

One of the most-cited search terms that leads people to my blog is "Peter Fabulian," the Kennett Square physician who in December pleaded guilty to charges that he had inappropriate physical contact with two female patients. He is awaiting sentencing, and the sign is gone from what used to be his office on Marshall Street in Kennett. His medical license was suspended when the charges were filed in June 2010.
What's curious to me is that there are still former patients who are standing by him. He was a specialist in Lyme disease, a malady that plagues so many people around here, and some of his patients still swear by both his treatment and his integrity. Their comments on any of the newspaper stories that have been written about him make for interesting reading.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Another reason I love the Y

In the lobby of the Y is a bookcase where you can swap books. The other day, in addition to the standard best-sellers by John Grisham and Anne Rivers Siddons were some surprises: Goethe's "Faust" and James Joyce's "Dubliners." I brought the latter home with me. Also at the Y I've also found the fairly obscure Lord Peter Wimsey mystery "Unnatural Death" and -- in a pretty binding -- E. M. Delafield's "The Provincial Lady in London."

Pantry

I just ate my last egg of the season from Over the Top Farm in Newlin Township. In the shorter days of winter, egg production drops so drastically that my friends the chicken-keepers barely have enough eggs for themselves. Even though they hooked up a solar-powered light to give the hens more hours of daylight, "the girls" weren't fooled one bit.
So sadly I'll have to rely on store-bought eggs, with their thin shells and pallid yolks, until spring. Store-bought flowers, too, even though I was cutting monkshood and mums from the garden well into October.
I still have some of my delicious home-grown potatoes (perfect for roasting), but they're going to be gone soon, too. Good thing I'm not a pioneer-woman.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

It's all dark

Congratulations to my friend and gym-buddy Kevin Witman of Cochranville, whose magnificent photos of the lunar eclipse were featured on MSNBC. Kevin called the eclipse "the perfect Christmas gift from Mother Nature." http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40767499/ns/technology_and_science-space/

Agaricus

Guest Chef Jim always cooks our Christmas feast, and this year he outdid himself with broiled lobster tails and a tender filet of beef. The meat was topped with piles of succulent sauteed mushrooms that had been picked that very morning at Marlboro Mushrooms in West Marlborough. Jim, who lives in the Pittsburgh area (non-mushroom country), raved about their freshness, appearance, flavor and aroma. Thank you to the kind and generous folks at Marlboro for enhancing our meal!

Friday, December 24, 2010

The Windsors

My friends in England are astonished at the interest some of us Americans are showing in Prince William's engagement to Kate Middleton. My college friend George, who lives near Portsmouth, sees the engagement as an attempt to divert attention from England's economic woes. Although he'll have April 29 off from work as a national holiday, he says he'll refuse to watch the wedding and instead will treat himself to a special lunch at his local "carvery."
If Prince Charles abdicates in favor of his son, don't you think he and Camilla would be perfectly happy having a country place in Unionville? It looks a lot like rural England here. They'd have their choice of excellent hunts and polo teams to join. They could plant an organic garden. Paparazzi and protesting students wouldn't make the trek all the way out here, and goodness knows we locals would keep our mouths shut about their comings and goings. (After all, if Chadds Ford can keep mum about having Martha Stewart as a neighbor, so can we.)

Slates

This is the time of year when nonprofit groups' nominating committees are scurrying around trying to sweet-talk (or strong-arm) people into serving as officers for the coming year. Who's the best candidate for president? Do we need to change the by-laws to allow the treasurer an additional term? What arguments are most likely to be most convincing -- or will a nice lunch do the trick?
But mostly it comes down to one critical question: Who will say "yes"?
(And, of course, conversely: How do we discourage potential loose cannons from throwing their hat into the ring? Answer: Emphasize the thankless, contentious, time-consuming, stress-inducing nature of the position.)
A lot of behind-the-scenes work goes on before you read that happy press release in the paper about, "XYZ Community Group is looking forward to another great year serving our wonderful town with its new officers."

Device

I am in awe of the clever person who invented this little gadget for fastening those tiny bracelet clasps. It's a six-inch-long wooden dowel with an alligator clip fastened to one end. The clip holds one end of the clasp steady, leaving your dominant hand free to fasten the bracelet.
(I searched online for the maker, TKO Technology out of Clearwater, Florida, but couldn't find a listing. You could probably make your own without too much problem.)

Your government at work

Last week, while doing some paperwork, I was asked to show my Social Security card. This card has been resting on the bottom of the Brandywine since a 1983 canoeing mishap, and I've never needed it until now. So I went to the Social Security website (http://www.ssa.gov/), printed out a simple, one-page form for a replacement card and took it to the closest Social Security office (for me, 1101 West Chester Pike, which is in the shopping center east of Five Points Road, across from the Golf Club Apartments).
I walked in on a Thursday afternoon, was called to the desk almost immediately, showed my driver's license to the friendly employee --  and that was that. She printed me a temporary form, and I should get my card in early January.
I was out of there in 10 minutes. Could not have been easier.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Book Sale

The gigantic annual Used Book Sale sponsored by the Unionville High School PTO will be held at the high school gym Friday, Feb. 25, from 5 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 26, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with the $8-a-bag discount to follow from 3 to 5 p.m.
Neighborhood book collection will be at 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 29, and books can be dropped off at any district school starting Jan. 31. "Books that are moldy or smelly, have torn covers or missing pages, or have been nibbled on by the family pet cannot be sold,"  notes the website, http://www.uhsbooksale.org/.
Right now the volunteers are looking for "bags with handles to aid in book collection"; bags can be left in the marked boxes at any of the district elementary schools.
Also, student and adult volunteers can register on the website for a 2-hour work shift.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Country mouse

This is a little embarrassing. I had to take my car into the dealership, again, because the "check engine" light kept coming on. I gave them a mildly hard time for failing to locate and fix the problem.
Well, it turns out that the problem was, as the service guy put it, "rodents." Field mice in the garage had built a bowl-size nest in one of the wheel wells, chewed through a vapor recovery line and nestled comfortably into the back-seat upholstery. The repair guys spent most of the day removing the back seat and the fuel tank to get rid of all the mouse debris (which included half of a dog biscuit!). They thoughtfully saved everything in a plastic bag, in case the insurance claims people need to see it.
I drive my car almost every day, so these are some industrious rodents, fashioning a nest overnight. But, as my amused insurance agent wondered, why didn't they make their nest near the warm engine?
I mentioned this rodent issue at a party, sparking a lively discussion: two men said they had had the exact same problem. Mice, it seems, like to chew on plastic.
So what to use as a deterrent? We have busy mousetraps in the garage, but apparently that's not enough. I've started storing the dog biscuits in a jar. I've also heard that mothballs are a deterrent.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Icy

Here are a couple of belated stories from the first snowfall of the season, two weeks ago.
Late afternoon on Dec. 16 a car spun out at Embreeville Road and Brandywine Creek Road in Newlin Township and slid into a house. According to the Po-Mar-Lin Fire Company's website, "the impact left a large hole in the foundation of the house."
The next day, Po-Mar-Lin got a call that a horse had walked out onto a frozen pond at 540 Bartram Road in West Marlborough -- and then had fallen through the ice. When the rescue crew arrived, the horse was being pulled out of the water.
Speaking of firefighters: send your local fire company a generous check if you can possibly manage it. These good men and women go out at all hours and in all weather conditions (see above) to accidents and fires, as well as spending hours of their own time doing training, fund-raising and other company activities throughout the year -- all without pay.

Loogie oogie oogie

I'm reading a book about how brain networks produce emotions in response to perceptions, and the author uses "disgust" as an example of a primary emotion that "may have evolved as a mechanism to assess whether something in the environment is edible or noxious."
I thought of this today when I saw a man park his silver Audi on State Street in the center of Kennett, get out, lock his car doors -- and then proceed to spit on the sidewalk.
I'm not a terribly squeamish person -- scat of many types holds no horrors for me -- but I've gotta say, that's pretty disgusting. Not to mention unhygienic, disrespectful and just plain gross.
Got phlegm? Spit it into a tissue, for goodness' sake! I'll give you one, I promise.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Bubble and squeak

The popular Springdell restaurant/tavern The Whip will be the subject of a zoning hearing at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 27, at the West Marlborough Township building in Doe Run. In the latest chapter of an ongoing dispute, a group of Springdell neighbors are arguing that the Whip is operating in violation of numerous township zoning regulations. Two additional zoning hearings are set for January.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Out of left field

At a dinner party Friday night, we (unwisely) were talking about a local personality. Opinions of this woman, let's call her Margaret Fox, varied dramatically around the table, and the discussion was getting so heated that Nancy, the woman next to me, said, jokingly, "So, how 'bout them Phils?"
Any other week of the year, people would have laughed at this blatant attempt to change the topic and gone right back to the debate.
Not tonight. Everyone launched into an excited, lengthy conversation about the Phillies' new pitcher, Cliff Lee, and how the Phils are shoe-ins for the World Series.
Nancy, not a baseball fan, looked at me despairingly.
"How 'bout that Margaret Fox?" she said.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Keep off the grass

Yes, sure it's cold, walking from the Visitors' Center at Longwood Gardens up to the Conservatory in 23-degree weather with strong winds. But you still ought to walk on the path, not across the lawn, as my mother saw some visitors doing the other day (she reports that they appeared to be young and not infirm in any way). Maybe they didn't realize that the colder you get, the more fun it is to walk into the tropical, eyeglasses-steaming warmth of the Conservatory.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Music man

Every kid should have a music teacher as funny and enthusiastic as Mr. Leo Zumpetta at Hillendale Elementary. I just watched him in action, conducting the school's Winter Concert, and to say he gets into his job is an understatement. He acts out the words of the songs, waltzing, skating, spinning or leaping as needed, and he makes both the children and the audience giggle. Each grade performed three songs, and the third-graders not only sang two songs but also played "Good King Wenceslas" on their recorders.
And as a nice seasonal touch, during the show it started to snow.

Yule

I saw a woman on the Kennett Holiday House Tour wearing this clever button.

(Thanks to Cafepress.com for the image.)

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Merry Christmas!

Here's hoping that your Christmas is a peaceful one and you are blessed with health and surrounded by family, friends, pets, and loving memories of those who are here only in spirit. Too often the Grinches in the world get all the press, but guess what: the joyous and loving Whos here in Whoville, from the tall to the small, far outnumber them.
(Attention, DJs: These songs should be played year-round: "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch," the jazz tunes from "A Charlie Brown Christmas," "Feliz Navidad" and Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You.")

A small pond

At a Christmas luncheon the other day I spotted a woman wearing the exact wool shawl that is a staple of my winter wardrobe. She had it arranged far more artfully than I ever do; I just bundle myself up in it.
I told her how much I liked mine. She chuckled wryly and then told me that she owns the very same red fringe-y sweater that I was wearing. 

Store story

The folks who run the Kennett Giant are re-organizing the store, temporarily confusing regular shoppers who are used to finding certain foodstuffs in certain spots. I discovered this on Monday morning when I wheeled my cart into what used to be the organic food aisle and saw breakfast cereal instead. The expanded health-food section is now closer to the middle of the store.
The cheerful dairy department manager was doing her absolute best for the home team, assuring one especially irritated customer that once the renovation was done, the finished product would be well worth the inconvenience.
I asked two clerks where I could find applesauce. "Aisle 1," said one of them. "No, aisle 3," said the other. "Yeah, on the left side," agreed the first one.
It was in aisle 3, on the right side, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt: maybe he usually approaches that aisle from the other direction.

Word problems

For family discussion/debate/argument:
1. You are at the Unionville Post Office. You have to be at a memorial service in Paoli in 45 minutes. GPS and MapQuest are suggesting different routes. What is the quickest route? And coming home, what is the most scenic route? Would your choices differ based on weather or time of day?
2. Do you find it easier to parallel park on the left or the right side of the street? For instance, if you are on State Street in Kennett, and spots are open in front of the Half-Moon and Burton's Barber Shop, would you have a preference?
3. Without looking it up: Is Hadfield's Seafood on Concord Pike in Pennsylvania or Delaware?

Sound advice

An e-mail from a local elementary school:
"With the cold weather upon us, please be sure your child is dressed appropriately. Shorts should no longer be worn to school and your child should have a winter jacket, hats & gloves."

Sunday, December 12, 2010

X3

Otto's BMW dealership took over the Brandywine River Museum the evening of Dec. 11 for a private unveiling of BMW's redesigned X3 model. As current X3 owners, two members of my family were invited, so the next day I got a full report: the food and drink (on all three floors!) were magnificent, the tour with Victoria Wyeth was fascinating, and the train display and the "critters" on the Christmas trees were delightful.
Oh, and the new black X3 displayed in the courtyard was very nice, with some nifty new features. (The location of cupholders is a special priority for my family.)
But what most impressed -- and surprised -- my informant was the total absence of sales pressure.
"I couldn't believe it," she said. "Nobody was there with a clipboard taking my name, or asking me for a down payment....Otto's made big points, and I think those points are going to pay off in terms of sales."

For the birds

Making your own suet cakes is easy and fun.
In a two-cup measuring cup, mix 1 cup of lard and 1 cup of peanut butter (crunchy or non) and melt in the microwave until it's liquid (1 minute 30 seconds in mine). Add to 2 cups quick oats, 2 cups cornmeal, 1 cup flour and 1/3 cup sugar. Pour into plastic molds; I use the plastic dishes that cut-up fresh fruit comes in.
Store in the freezer until needed, then pop them out of their plastic containers and hang on a tree, in a net or in a metal suet-holder. It might take a few days for the birds to notice it, but then it'll be gone quickly.

I'm still here

A favorite blogger of mine recently celebrated the fact that her year-old son was sickness-free for an entire week. I intend to do the same if my home is ever stink bug-free for a week. I'm still finding about 10 every single day, hiding in the coat closet, curtains and even my stationery drawer. I pulled out my heavy winter coat and found two of the little horrors on the lapel and one clinging to the hanger.
What do they eat? How do they survive? And why do they seem to be most prolific in Unionville?

Friday, December 10, 2010

Maybe it'll be on Groundhog Day

Fraudulent investment advisor Tony Young's sentencing date has been postponed yet again, this time until February 2011. It was set for Dec. 2, but his attorneys asked for and received a 60-day delay. In July Mr. Young pleaded guilty to money laundering and mail fraud after ripping off millions of dollars from Unionville residents to support his high-flying lifestyle.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

3 E-Z ways to irritate Tilda

1. "Formally known as" instead of "formerly known as."
2. "Brutal murder."
3. "Free gift."

Foreign aid

Patrick Barron of West Chester, who writes an occasional economics column for "The Kennett Paper," had a letter to the editor published in a paper with a somewhat larger audience: the Dec. 4/5 edition of the "Wall Street Journal." In response to articles by Bill Gates and Matt Ridley about how best to encourage growth in Africa, Mr. Barron wrote in part:
"Africa needs capitalism. Mr. Gates can help most by building Microsoft plants and offices there, employing Africans in the digital economy and training them in the methods of successful business."
You can read more of Mr. Barron's thoughts on economics at his blog, http://patrickbarron.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Xmas

Whenever I see this abbreviation I vividly remember my second-grade teacher, Miss Hale, who told us in a horrified tone that substituting "X" for "Christ" was disrespectful.
But as it turns out, X isn't some Grinch-y 20th-century abbreviation designed to "take Christ out of Christmas": it has actually been used for centuries as a perfectly acceptable symbol for Christ. Take a look at the Wikipedia entry on "Xmas."
The same Wikipedia article also tells us that "X" is used as shorthand among florists: they abbreviate "chrysanthemum" as "Xant." Now that Miss Hale would have approved of: I once asked her how to spell "chrysanthemum," and she had to go look it up. True story.

Mushroom Cap

In one quick visit to The Mushroom Cap, I just about wrapped up my Christmas shopping. This wonderful little store at 114 W. State St. in Kennett Square has great local stuff, and all very tasteful (and/or tasty)! I wish I could tell you more, but lots of the people on my gift list read this column and I don't want to ruin the surprise. See for yourself at: http://www.themushroomcap.com/

Springdell update

One skirmish between West Marlborough and billionaire Urban Outfitters founder Richard Hayne appears to be resolved to the township's satisfaction. You may recall that the township fined Mr. Hayne $500 a day for doing development work on his Springdell property without permits, and Mr. Hayne's attorney objected. The two parties worked out an agreement: Mr. Hayne will pay about $8,800 to cover the township's costs for the entire proceedings.
But fear not, this is just the first chapter in what promises to be a lengthy and entertaining saga. Mr. Hayne now wants to tear down Tony Young's mansion and replace it with a fitness center for himself and his wife, for which he will also need permission from the township. And a recent article in "The Hunt" magazine claims that Mr. Hayne eventually wants to open a farm market at the site. This is exactly what some skeptical neighbors have predicted all along: that the new cheese production facility and massive greenhouses could not possibly be for Mr. Hayne's personal use only.
The Hayne story is attracting attention even outside Unionville: a reporter from "The Philadelphia Inquirer" attended the December township meeting where this was discussed!

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Mr. Truitt

I found out tonight that Hale Truitt of Doe Run died recently. An old-school gentleman, a WWII veteran and a cheerful presence at township meetings, he was known fondly as "The Mayor." My condolences to his family, and may he rest in peace.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Where?

Over the weekend I had to call 911 for an injured person, and I was impressed with how quickly the ambulance (Avondale) showed up. But I had to wonder about one question that the 911 operator asked me: What township was I in? I happened to know the answer, just because I'm pretty good about Chester County geography, and it was also close to my home. But I wonder what the percentage yield is on that question. I doubt that most people are aware of township boundaries, particularly in an emergency situation.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Maybe this time

Tilda's column would be incomplete without the mention of any local restaurant, so here goes. There's a new banner up at the long-vacant Kennett Cafe, 120 E. State St., announcing that a restaurant will be opening there next spring. The brains behind the venture is well-known local restaurateur Jack McFadden, who developed The Gables at Chadds Ford and the (late and lamented) Bar & Restaurant in West Chester. However, I've heard rumors of an "imminent" opening here for at least three years, so I suppose we'll have to wait and see.

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Work in progress

Here's a view of the progress at the new Bancroft Elementary School at Bancroft and Pemberton Roads. Workers were even there on a recent chilly Saturday morning. According to the Kennett Consolidated School District's website, work is ahead of schedule:
"The building is shaping up - most of the exterior walls are complete or underway, and flooring is started in the lower levels. Geothermal piping has been run to the mechanical room area, and the spray insulation is being added. The goal is to have the building "under roof" before the end of December to allow interior work to continue through the more severe winter weather."

Strings

Unionville native Gillian Grassie will be performing at the Tin Angel, 20 S. Second St., Philadelphia at 7 p.m. on Boxing Day, Dec. 26. Gillian, a 24-year-old singer, songwriter and harpist, promises a "special, non-cheesy" concert and will be playing her own songs as well as some 1940s "covers." For concert details or to listen to her music, visit her website at http://www.gilliangrassie.com/.

Friday, December 3, 2010

Bucks

It seemed to be a fairly quiet deer-hunting season. The first morning there was gunfire echoing over the hills at the break of dawn, and all week I've seen hunters' trucks parked off the road. For safety's sake I don my fluorescent orange pinney whenever I'm outside, no matter how silly it looks, but I've seen a lot of riders, joggers, bicyclists and dog-walkers in just their usual warm clothes.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Sales pitches

Does anybody else get WAY too much mail from Verizon each week?
Don't get me wrong: I absolutely love their super-fast Fios Internet service. I had it installed as soon as it was available, and no exaggeration, it changed my life compared to my old dial-up server.
And I have Verizon's wireless service, which is miles better than my previous cellular carrier.
But I don't want Verizon's TV service (or any other TV service, for that matter), and no amount of mailings, no discount bundle package, no special pricing (for the first few months, that is) will make me change my mind. I'm sure it's a fine service, but I simply don't watch TV. So please, just stop!

V

At the intersection of Newark and Upland Roads, I saw a neighbor and waved to her. She flashed me a peace sign. Whether this is a new trend or a holiday practice I haven't heard of, I think I'll do my part to spread it around town. (Kind of like the way that eating a Snickers bar with a knife and fork "went viral" on "Seinfeld.")

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Graveyard shift

A group calling itself "Concerned Lot Owners of Unionville Cemetery" is trying to get in touch with all the cemetery plot owners. In a flier left for cemetery visitors to pick up, the group says it is worried that the cemetery's board will vote to merge with Union Hill Cemetery in Kennett, which means the Unionville graveyard would "lose its identity" and lot owners would no longer have a say in management.
A board vote could come early in 2011, so the group is asking lot owners, family members and heirs to send their contact information to Unionville Cemetery Grounds Committee, 122 Cedarcroft Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348, or call Gail Diem at 610-444-1376.
According to the East Marlborough Historic Commission's website, the non-denominational Unionville Cemetery was established in 1855, and the iron fence that surrounds it was donated by Annie Seal in 1860 (her father, Thomas Seal, was Unionville’s first doctor).

USPS

For those of you buying Christmas stamps and mailing Christmas cards and packages, just a reminder that the Unionville Post Office window hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, with a lunch break from 1 to 1:30 p.m. Saturday the post office is open 10 a.m. to noon.

Tact

A friend reports that her local dentist's office is equipped with video screens for the patients. Unfortunately, the only DVDs that the dentist plays are those that reflect his political views, which he then proceeds to discuss with great animation. My friend, who is on the other side of the political spectrum from him, said she tried repeatedly to turn the conversation from his theories on global warming back to her teeth, but to no avail. She is going to be finding herself a new dentist.
This guy's dental practice must be doing very well for him to risk alienating a significant portion of his patients.

Trust

Brett Lunger of Wilmington and Nathan Hayward, the head of the board of trustees at Longwood Gardens, were mentioned in a Nov. 27/28 "Wall Street Journal" story about the recent sale of Wilmington Trust, "How Loyalty to Customers Led to Storied Bank's Fall." Mr. Lunger said he was "disappointed and disheartened" by the sale; Mr. Hayward expressed his reaction as "shock and anger and dismay all wrapped together." M&T Bank Corp. purchased Wilmington Trust in what the Journal described as a "fire-sale deal" for "about $350 million - just about half of the ailing bank's stock-market value."
The story includes a photo of Mr. Lunger working on a laptop with his wife, Caroline, in the background.
In other bank news, the National Penn branch at Route 796 and Old Baltimore Pike in Jennersville was robbed on Nov. 29. Between that and the well-publicized efforts to preserve the vacant Red Rose Inn, that intersection has certainly been in the news a lot recently.