Old friends

I was at a funeral today, a traditional Episcopal service at a beautifully simple church in Downingtown. It was my high-school friend Ed's father who had died, and despite the sad occasion it was wonderful to see Ed and his brother and sisters again after many years. A group of us were very close in school, and we can just pick up again no matter how much time has passed.
The priest knew Ed's Dad well -- he had been active in the parish -- and gave a moving speech about his virtues and his active life. The family photos on display bore out the priest's words. Ed's Dad was a Scoutmaster, and there were photos of him relaxing on his backpack out in the woods, and a Christmas family photo of the whole family that took me back at whiplash speed to my high-school days in the 1970s. We were able to confirm that Ed's three sons -- two of them are twins -- look exactly the way Ed did in high school: mischievous underneath an angelic, clean-cut exterior. As we were leaving, my pals and I agreed that we must make a point of seeing each other at events other than parents' funerals.

Lunch surprise

What a nice surprise on Tuesday, running into my former work colleague Linda at Hood's! She was there lunching with her foursome after playing nine holes of golf. They were kind enough to invite me to sit down at their table, and we had a merry time. All four of them live in the Traditions at Longwood development, which as I've been finding out is quite a vibrant neighborhood. Linda shared the happy news that the back surgery she had over the winter was such a success that she's back on the links frequently.

Y Times

I enjoyed my week at the Kennett Y while my usual Y, the one at Jennersville, was closed for its annual maintenance week. I got to catch up with lots of old pals from several circles of my life (Melissa! Carol Anne! Judy!), tried some new classes (I have to admit it: Kennett Y people are tough) and watched the launch party for the new Sh'bam workout.
The Kennett Y is just completing a major overhaul, and one of the new things I noticed was the water fountain that automatically refills your water bottle. The lobby floor hadn't been finished yet, so members were given Sharpies and asked to write a message right on the concrete before it was covered over. I did so. No one will be surprised to learn that it mentions my affection for the Young Relative.

Ice Ice

The Stroud Water Research Center is sponsoring a showing of the documentary "Chasing Ice" on Sunday, Sept. 15, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Copeland Lecture Hall at Winterthur Museum. The film "is the story of one man’s mission to change the tide of history by gathering undeniable evidence of climate change. Using time-lapse cameras, his videos compress years into seconds and capture ancient mountains of ice in motion as they disappear at a breathtaking rate." Director/producer Jeff Orlowski will be the guest speaker at the screening.
A wildlife photographer friend of mine who spends part of each summer in the Arctic raves about this film.
Tickets are $15 and you can buy them online. See the Stroud Center's website for more information and the movie's trailer.

Can't give it away

The burning question is: When will somebody take the cruddy sofa that's been sitting at Route 82 and Wollaston Road, smack in the middle of Unionville? It's been sitting out there for a week now with a cardboard "FREE" sign on it. I don't know whose it is.
One woman who lives nearby said she is thinking of going out there and sitting down to read the newspaper. Another believes it may actually be an art installation because it has attracted such attention and has us all talking about it.
(BTW, the sign had fallen over. I replaced it before I took the photo.)
P.S. I just drove by on my way home Sunday evening and it's still there!

Real Housewives

I had a great time at the "Real Housewives of Kennett Square" walking tour on Sept. 5. The tour was originally set for earlier this summer but was cancelled because of heavy rain. In contrast, Thursday night was perfect, and groups of maybe ten people apiece set out every half-hour or so from the starting point on the Genesis Walkway. Our guide, Grace P, did an excellent job -- as we strolled through town she added lots of interesting information about growing up here.
Along the tour route we encountered the "Real Housewives," notable women from the town's past: schoolteacher Mary D. Lang, photographer Annabelle Swayne, military nurse Marguerite Starr, physician Rebecca Moore, world traveler Emma Lamborn, Esther Hayes, Anna Hicks and Fannie Sinclair. The costumed actresses (in the latter case a lavishly costumed actor, the irrepressible Kirk Fetters) did a splendid job telling us about their lives and accomplishments. Quakerism, such a formative influence in the area, took center stage in many of their lives as they fought slavery and battled for women's rights.
(One anachronistic note: As we were listening to Annabelle Swayne telling us about her photography business, trucks from Majestic Midway were rumbling down Broad Street to set up for the Mushroom Fest carnival.)
I have to say that Kennett looked great, and the friend who went with me said that if she didn't live on a farm with all her critters, she would love to live in town.
Thank you and congratulations to the event's producers, the Kennett Square Historical Commission and the Kennett Amateur Theatrical Society. Great job!

On the edge

The clouds on Monday evening were spectacular after a muggy day: big clouds outlined with a rim of bright gold. As I was stopped at a light in Kennett I spotted a pedestrian on North Union Street, a young woman, who caught a glimpse of the view, stopped and took out her camera to capture it.
"There's weather coming," predicted a friend, and he was right: the weather alerts started sounding and a windy but brief thunderstorm blew through at 9 p.m.