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.

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.

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.)

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."

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?