Deepest sympathy to the Kanara family for the loss on Jan. 8 of Maureen Kanara, a wonderful mother and an amazing, brave, inspiring human being.
I learned what kind of a selfless person Maureen was when we were in the same gym class at the Kennett YMCA. One of her six children was facing a serious medical problem; coincidentally, my father was undergoing surgery. Over the next few months, before giving updates on her daughter's treatment, Maureen would first ask, with genuine interest and caring, about my father and how he was doing.
And later, when she was having health issues of her own, I'd often see her at Starbucks with her husband when they were up here in Pennsylvania from their Florida home. She may have been bald from the effects of chemo, or facing yet another cancer relapse, but she always seemed optimistic and cheerful, sharing news about how well her kids and grandkids were doing. Astonishing guts: I think most of us make more of a fuss over a cold.
She was a beautiful and deeply memorable person.
Family calling hours are from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 17, at the Longwood Funeral Home of Matthew Genereux, 913 East Baltimore Pike, and from 10 to 11:15 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 18, at the Willowdale Chapel. A life celebration will follow at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Willowdale Chapel.
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Winter?
After a week of bizarrely fluctuating temperatures, Saturday morning started out foggy and rainy, with flood warnings. No matter: after a delicious breakfast at Hood's, and plenty of their steaming coffee, we were ready for running errands all over town. For a short while around lunchtime we heard thunder -- how strange was that in January! -- and the thermometer shot up to almost 60 degrees, only a few days after the single-digit cold. I was too warm in my ubiquitous fleece pullover and I actually saw a man at Wal-Mart in shorts and sandals.
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Sweetness
I like the very fact that there's a website called www.kennettchocolate.org!
On Sunday, Feb. 9, the United Way of Southern Chester County will be holding its second annual Kennett Chocolate Lovers Festival, in which bakers (separate categories for professionals, amateurs, and students ages 12 and up) will vie for prizes and guests will get to sample the goodies (cakes, brownies, candies, cookies and cupcakes).
A $5 admission fee includes six samples from "regular" chefs, with the professional goodies costing two tickets.
Anne Coleman, Director of Campaign Development for the United Way of Southern Chester County, told me that at last year's Fest they had 1,400 visitors and nearly 200 entries for tasting.
This year's event will be held at the Kennett High School from 1 to 4 p.m. You can buy tickets in advance online.
Bakers, the deadline for submitting entry forms is Jan. 31. There's no entry fee.
For more information, rules, and entry forms, visit the aforementioned website. It also has information about the special "Salon du Chocolat" preview party that Chris and Cecilia Ross are hosting at their East Marlborough home on Saturday evening, Feb. 1.
On Sunday, Feb. 9, the United Way of Southern Chester County will be holding its second annual Kennett Chocolate Lovers Festival, in which bakers (separate categories for professionals, amateurs, and students ages 12 and up) will vie for prizes and guests will get to sample the goodies (cakes, brownies, candies, cookies and cupcakes).
A $5 admission fee includes six samples from "regular" chefs, with the professional goodies costing two tickets.
Anne Coleman, Director of Campaign Development for the United Way of Southern Chester County, told me that at last year's Fest they had 1,400 visitors and nearly 200 entries for tasting.
This year's event will be held at the Kennett High School from 1 to 4 p.m. You can buy tickets in advance online.
Bakers, the deadline for submitting entry forms is Jan. 31. There's no entry fee.
For more information, rules, and entry forms, visit the aforementioned website. It also has information about the special "Salon du Chocolat" preview party that Chris and Cecilia Ross are hosting at their East Marlborough home on Saturday evening, Feb. 1.
Under pressure
Remember Monday, the exciting day that the temperature plummeted from 50 degrees to single digits? As I was driving home from our township meeting (I'm hardy, but no, I did NOT walk to the meeting like I do in the summer), my car's tire-pressure light came on. I vaguely remembered hearing that a sudden change in temperature can cause this, but just to be safe--I could well have driven over a nail--I checked the pressure. They were all a little low, so I went to the gas station to top them off.
Sure enough, there were two vehicles in front of me doing exactly the same thing.
Sure enough, there were two vehicles in front of me doing exactly the same thing.
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Bad timing
At the prodding of his wife, a friend went through his closets and drawers last week, pulled out everything he hadn't worn in two years, bagged it up and gave it away to the Salvation Army. Unfortunately, all of his thermal long underwear ended up in the discard pile, he reports ruefully. He didn't think he'd ever need it again.
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Up on the hill
The old stone hunting box at Thompson Wood on Route 82 near Dupont Road is going to be moved again.
At their Jan. 6 meeting, the West Marlborough Township planning commission saw plans showing that the small building would be relocated slightly downhill and the long, steep driveway will be reconfigured. (The hunting box was originally close to Route 82 and was moved up to the top of the hill.) The 50-acre farm's owners, Robert Johnson and Susan Orsini, plan to construct a separate home for themselves and will leave the hunting box as a rustic cabin.
Mr. Johnson and Ms. Orsini have already applied for a building permit and a grading permit from the township, but they will not need additional approvals from the township because zoning regulations permit them to build a new house on the property, with the hunting box considered an accessory use because it does not have a kitchen or running water (although it does have electricity).
The owners' architect is their next-door neighbor, Richard Buchanan of Archer & Buchanan in West Chester. He said the new house is still in the design stages.
At their Jan. 6 meeting, the West Marlborough Township planning commission saw plans showing that the small building would be relocated slightly downhill and the long, steep driveway will be reconfigured. (The hunting box was originally close to Route 82 and was moved up to the top of the hill.) The 50-acre farm's owners, Robert Johnson and Susan Orsini, plan to construct a separate home for themselves and will leave the hunting box as a rustic cabin.
Mr. Johnson and Ms. Orsini have already applied for a building permit and a grading permit from the township, but they will not need additional approvals from the township because zoning regulations permit them to build a new house on the property, with the hunting box considered an accessory use because it does not have a kitchen or running water (although it does have electricity).
The owners' architect is their next-door neighbor, Richard Buchanan of Archer & Buchanan in West Chester. He said the new house is still in the design stages.
Few changes
At their annual reorganization meetings on Monday, Jan. 6, the West Marlborough Township supervisors and planning commission chose their leaders for the year. Bill Wylie will continue to chair the board of supervisors, with Josh Taylor as vice-chair. Jeb Hannum will continue to chair the planning commission, with Jake Chalfin as vice-chair and Anna Myers as secretary. On the planning commission, Mr. Hannum, Richard Corkran and Elizabeth Hershey-Ross agreed to serve another term.
Joe Huston's term on the township's zoning hearing board expired, but the supervisors appointed him to serve another term.
Shirley Walton will continue as the township's part-time secretary/treasurer, supervisor Hugh Lofting as the township's roadmaster and emergency management coordinator, Dwight Yoder as the township's solicitor, Al Giannantonio as engineer/zoning officer and Eddie Caudill as building inspector (Eddie was not at the meeting; he is a supervisor in East Marlborough Township, which was holding its own reorganization meeting the same night).
The supervisors gave the road crew raises of about 2.5% in their hourly wage.
The board also set the township meeting schedule for the year. They'll meet on the first Tuesday of each month except for November, because the first Tuesday is Election Day, and the township's meeting space doubles as its polling place. The November meeting will be Nov. 3.
Joe Huston's term on the township's zoning hearing board expired, but the supervisors appointed him to serve another term.
Shirley Walton will continue as the township's part-time secretary/treasurer, supervisor Hugh Lofting as the township's roadmaster and emergency management coordinator, Dwight Yoder as the township's solicitor, Al Giannantonio as engineer/zoning officer and Eddie Caudill as building inspector (Eddie was not at the meeting; he is a supervisor in East Marlborough Township, which was holding its own reorganization meeting the same night).
The supervisors gave the road crew raises of about 2.5% in their hourly wage.
The board also set the township meeting schedule for the year. They'll meet on the first Tuesday of each month except for November, because the first Tuesday is Election Day, and the township's meeting space doubles as its polling place. The November meeting will be Nov. 3.
Monday, January 6, 2014
Prog Rock
The radio station WXPN delighted many listeners of a certain age with its special "Prog Rock" feature this past weekend, playing tracks from Yes, Genesis, the Strawbs, Caravan, Renaissance and similar vintage bands that provided the soundtrack to my youth. However, one listener confessed that she misunderstood "Prog" (short for "progressive") as "Prague" and wondered why they were devoting so much time to Czech pop music.
Cold
Notes on this week's weirdly fluctuating weather:
1. There's a sweet gum tree in my side yard, and the wind has blown off its seed pods complete with their stems. The yard looked like a snow cocktail full of prickly maraschino cherries.
2. Two friends have a long, steep driveway that turned into a luge track with Sunday's ice. They waited until noon to go out, giving the ice a chance to melt, but still the wife waited at the bottom of the driveway, cell phone in hand and ready to call emergency services, while her husband delicately negotiated the decline. All was well.
3. While most horses are shivering under their layers of blankets, one friend's horse is in ecstasy in the cold. His endurance triples, claims his proud owner, who describes him as half draft horse and half polar bear.
1. There's a sweet gum tree in my side yard, and the wind has blown off its seed pods complete with their stems. The yard looked like a snow cocktail full of prickly maraschino cherries.
2. Two friends have a long, steep driveway that turned into a luge track with Sunday's ice. They waited until noon to go out, giving the ice a chance to melt, but still the wife waited at the bottom of the driveway, cell phone in hand and ready to call emergency services, while her husband delicately negotiated the decline. All was well.
3. While most horses are shivering under their layers of blankets, one friend's horse is in ecstasy in the cold. His endurance triples, claims his proud owner, who describes him as half draft horse and half polar bear.
Home away from home
On Sunday afternoon we stopped at Foxy Loxy in Unionville, intending to get just a quick cup of coffee and head off to do errands. Instead we saw two dear pals, already ensconced on the sofa, and the four of us ended up staying for two hours, chatting happily in front of the fire. "It's just that kind of place," commented one friend. FYI: Their malted milkshakes are unbelievably tasty.
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Venturing out
The Cranky Friend, even though he lives in downtown Kennett, has become something of a hermit in recent weeks, happy just to stay indoors, make hearty soups and incite Internet arguments. I hired him to do a proofreading project of the old-fashioned paper-and-pencil variety and suggested that we meet at the new Kennett coffee shop, Philter, so I could hand over the 400-page manuscript.
He was alarmed at the suggestion: "What? Leave the house?!" he said, only half-joking. But he braved the snowy sidewalks and seemed much the better for a steaming cup of tea and some actual human contact.
He was alarmed at the suggestion: "What? Leave the house?!" he said, only half-joking. But he braved the snowy sidewalks and seemed much the better for a steaming cup of tea and some actual human contact.
The Orchard
The Orchard Restaurant, site of many a memorable, special-occasion dinner, closed its doors as of Jan. 1. Chef /owner Gary Trevisani posted the news on the restaurant's Facebook page:
"Five and a half years ago, as I took ownership of The Orchard, I had one vision in mind: to create a unique dining experience rivaling that of a Broadway show. After all, dining is entertainment. I hope that I brought that entertainment experience to you each and every time you dined with us. But like most Broadway shows, eventually it must come to an end. ... The countless memories and amazing new friendships are reward enough for me for what has become a long, tough but spectacular time in my life."
The chef warmly thanked his staff and patrons ("I have had the pleasure to know some of the warmest and personable people of my career") and in closing hinted at things to come: "I hope to, if you should allow me, to entertain you in the future."
"Five and a half years ago, as I took ownership of The Orchard, I had one vision in mind: to create a unique dining experience rivaling that of a Broadway show. After all, dining is entertainment. I hope that I brought that entertainment experience to you each and every time you dined with us. But like most Broadway shows, eventually it must come to an end. ... The countless memories and amazing new friendships are reward enough for me for what has become a long, tough but spectacular time in my life."
The chef warmly thanked his staff and patrons ("I have had the pleasure to know some of the warmest and personable people of my career") and in closing hinted at things to come: "I hope to, if you should allow me, to entertain you in the future."
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