Saturday, April 14, 2018
EAST MARLBOROUGH: In the middle of everything
$430,000 is the asking price for that ranch-style house at the Unionville roundabout. As you've probably noticed, the 1950 house is in the process of being completely renovated, down to the studs, and will have three bedrooms and two bathrooms. It sits on 0.88 acres.
UNIONVILLE: Calling all pinochle players
Friday, April 13, 2018
KENNETT SQUARE: Au revoir
The Kennett Square branch of the cosmetics boutique Houppette, at the corner of State and Union Streets, will be closing at the end of April. The sister Houppette store in Powder Mill Square in Greenville will remain open but will be moving this summer to a larger space in the Greenville Crossing shopping center, just across Kennett Pike.
Thursday, April 12, 2018
YMCA: Up, up and away
On April 7 the Kennett YMCA celebrated the 100th release of one of its exercise programs, "Body Attack," by hosting a grand all-morning-long fitness fest in the gymnasium. For weeks the excited instructors talked of little else. From being told so often, we participants knew by heart that the event would start at 8 a.m., that there would be cake, and that we could stay for as many classes as we wanted.
When the big day finally arrived, one instructor inflated three large gold balloons (in the shape of a 1 and two 0s) with helium and brought them into the gym. Alas! One escaped from its anchor. They instructors looked on in horror as it rose inexorably toward the very high ceiling.
But gym teachers, who have to cope routinely with malfunctioning stereos and dead microphone batteries, are a flexible lot in more ways than one. One of them had the bright idea of trying to reach it with the long-handled pool skimmer. One of the pool attendants brought it over, attached a hook to the end, snagged the errant digit and brought it back down to earth.
Where it was quickly secured, just in time for the 8 a.m. Body Attack launch.
When the big day finally arrived, one instructor inflated three large gold balloons (in the shape of a 1 and two 0s) with helium and brought them into the gym. Alas! One escaped from its anchor. They instructors looked on in horror as it rose inexorably toward the very high ceiling.
But gym teachers, who have to cope routinely with malfunctioning stereos and dead microphone batteries, are a flexible lot in more ways than one. One of them had the bright idea of trying to reach it with the long-handled pool skimmer. One of the pool attendants brought it over, attached a hook to the end, snagged the errant digit and brought it back down to earth.
Where it was quickly secured, just in time for the 8 a.m. Body Attack launch.
FRIENDS: Two Quaker events
I have a couple of local Quaker events to mention, both on Saturday, May 12.
Quaker historian Christopher Densmore will deliver a talk entitled "They Being Dead Yet Speaketh: Marlborough Friends Meeting, Slavery, and the Progressive Friends" at 3 p.m. at Marlborough Friends Meetinghouse, 361 Marlborough Road. Chris recently retired from his position as head of the Friends Historical Library at Swarthmore College.
And at London Grove Friends Meeting, the annual plant sale will be held from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 12. Annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs, window box flowers, and hanging baskets are on sale; there's also coffee and baked goods. "The plant sale" has been a highlight of the spring season for me for many years.
Quaker historian Christopher Densmore will deliver a talk entitled "They Being Dead Yet Speaketh: Marlborough Friends Meeting, Slavery, and the Progressive Friends" at 3 p.m. at Marlborough Friends Meetinghouse, 361 Marlborough Road. Chris recently retired from his position as head of the Friends Historical Library at Swarthmore College.
And at London Grove Friends Meeting, the annual plant sale will be held from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 12. Annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs, window box flowers, and hanging baskets are on sale; there's also coffee and baked goods. "The plant sale" has been a highlight of the spring season for me for many years.
KENNETT: Spaghetti dinner
One of the mothers from Boy Scout Troop 24 asked me to mention the troop's upcoming spaghetti dinner from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday, April 21, in the social room at Kennett Friends Meeting, 125 West Sickle Street, Kennett Square. The cost is $9 for adults, $5 for kids ages 4 to 12, and free for kids under 3. You will not find a better value anywhere: the home-made spaghetti sauce and the sautéed mushrooms are top-notch and the portions are ample. We always enjoy hearing about the Scouts' activities as well.
CHATHAM: Route 41 work continues
I wondered why those orange-and-white barrels were sitting in the middle of Route 41.
According to PennDOT, workers will be widening Route 41 between Mosquito Lane and Penwyck Lane, near the village of Chatham, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday, April 16, through Friday, April 27. One lane at a time will be closed.
Per the PennDOT press release: "The work is part of a project to improve travel and safety along Route 41 (Gap Newport Pike) on the approach to the Route 841 (Chatham Road) Intersection by constructing a gateway at the north and south ends of the Village of Chatham. The project is scheduled to be completed in late December. ... Under this improvement project, PennDOT is widening pavement to provide a curbed median that will serve as a gateway to the village; updating signing, pavement markings and drainage; and installing new guide rail."
According to PennDOT, workers will be widening Route 41 between Mosquito Lane and Penwyck Lane, near the village of Chatham, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday, April 16, through Friday, April 27. One lane at a time will be closed.
Per the PennDOT press release: "The work is part of a project to improve travel and safety along Route 41 (Gap Newport Pike) on the approach to the Route 841 (Chatham Road) Intersection by constructing a gateway at the north and south ends of the Village of Chatham. The project is scheduled to be completed in late December. ... Under this improvement project, PennDOT is widening pavement to provide a curbed median that will serve as a gateway to the village; updating signing, pavement markings and drainage; and installing new guide rail."
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
PERKINS: Female of the species
So we were having breakfast-for-dinner tonight at a local casual eatery, and in a nearby booth a woman was telling her three companions about her daughter, who is training to be a nurse and is doing her clinical rotation at a Philadelphia hospital before taking her boards. She was talking about the daughter's crazy schedule, and then our food arrived and for a while I devoted all my attention to my pancakes and bacon.
Then I heard her say, "Her pregnancy was confirmed on Monday, and she's due May 21."
Wow, I thought; didn't she realize she was pregnant before that?
It quickly got even stranger.
"Last time she had three, and the time before, four, but one was stillborn," the woman said, matter-of-factly. "So we're not sure what to expect this time."
What? WHAT??
To my relief, in the next sentence the woman cleared things up by remarking how attractive the expectant mother is -- "she's that really pretty kind of light yellow Lab."
The Dearest Partner missed this confusing conversation, so I shared it with him while we were standing in line waiting to pay. The man in front of us was listening (how fitting!) and didn't even try to hide his amusement.
"Just another night in Avondale," he said to us, laughing.
Then I heard her say, "Her pregnancy was confirmed on Monday, and she's due May 21."
Wow, I thought; didn't she realize she was pregnant before that?
It quickly got even stranger.
"Last time she had three, and the time before, four, but one was stillborn," the woman said, matter-of-factly. "So we're not sure what to expect this time."
What? WHAT??
To my relief, in the next sentence the woman cleared things up by remarking how attractive the expectant mother is -- "she's that really pretty kind of light yellow Lab."
The Dearest Partner missed this confusing conversation, so I shared it with him while we were standing in line waiting to pay. The man in front of us was listening (how fitting!) and didn't even try to hide his amusement.
"Just another night in Avondale," he said to us, laughing.
Sunday, April 8, 2018
GARDEN CLUBS: Memories of Helen Reed
Two Garden Club friends of Helen Reed, who passed away March 28 at the age of 92, were kind enough to share their memories of her.
Sue Soraruf of the Spade and Trowel Garden Club writes, "When my husband and I moved to Kennett 40 years ago, Helen Reed welcomed us with a gift of several unusual plants. 40 years later, these plants still bloom in our home and I have given “babies” to other people. ... I remember Helen as most interested in encouraging gardening with young people. She was instrumental in initiating the category of junior gardener competition at the Longwood Flower Show and was active at the state level in junior gardening. It was her idea and effort that created a butterfly garden at the Anson Nixon Park. She was a past director of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania, District 1, and a long-time member of the Four Seasons Garden Club of Kennett."
Jane Bazzano of the Four Seasons Garden Club of Kennett Square described Helen as her mentor and recalled her "youthful outlook and giving disposition." She writes, "Helen was a horticulturalist and Master Gardener, encouraging planting and the various avenues of nature to both young and old." Helen "helped a former Junior Gardener, Kathryn Cunningham Hall develop “Power Up Gambia,” which provides solar energy power a hospital in Gambia, Africa."
Sue Soraruf of the Spade and Trowel Garden Club writes, "When my husband and I moved to Kennett 40 years ago, Helen Reed welcomed us with a gift of several unusual plants. 40 years later, these plants still bloom in our home and I have given “babies” to other people. ... I remember Helen as most interested in encouraging gardening with young people. She was instrumental in initiating the category of junior gardener competition at the Longwood Flower Show and was active at the state level in junior gardening. It was her idea and effort that created a butterfly garden at the Anson Nixon Park. She was a past director of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania, District 1, and a long-time member of the Four Seasons Garden Club of Kennett."
Jane Bazzano of the Four Seasons Garden Club of Kennett Square described Helen as her mentor and recalled her "youthful outlook and giving disposition." She writes, "Helen was a horticulturalist and Master Gardener, encouraging planting and the various avenues of nature to both young and old." Helen "helped a former Junior Gardener, Kathryn Cunningham Hall develop “Power Up Gambia,” which provides solar energy power a hospital in Gambia, Africa."
KENNETT SQUARE: Community gardens
Even if you don't have a yard, you can still enjoy the pleasures of growing your own vegetables and herbs thanks to the Community Gardens program at the Anson B. Nixon Park in Kennett Square. There are still some garden plots (3- by 10-foot raised beds) available for this coming season. Contact information is Steve.denno1@verizon.net. The plots cost $25 each, and gardeners must supply planting materials including seeds, plants, organic fertilizer and herbicides, and tools.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)