A friend was good enough to bring to my attention a truly unusual ad in last week's classified section of The Kennett Paper. It read: "Lost: An evening coat fit for the Dowager Countess Violet disappeared at a Downton Abbey event at Winterthur December 11. If you need help returning it, drop it at Jacques Ferber shop, 2 Greenville Crossing, 4001 Kennett Pike. No questions asked."
I believe it's time to call in Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane or some other Golden Age sleuths.
Saturday, February 27, 2016
BOOK SALE: Adding to my library
Even though I didn't get there until late Saturday morning, I found some true gems at the Unionville High School PTO's annual used-book sale.
My most notable find was "Reflections on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle," a 1966 compilation of modern poetry that took me back immediately to my Sixties elementary school days, when we'd order popular paperbacks through "Scholastic Magazine." "Watermelon Pickle" was always one of the selections.
Even though I'm a huge fan of quick-and-direct purchasing on the Internet, it's great to take some time and just browse for a change. I was impressed by the large foreign-language section, and I enjoyed browsing through the "collector's corner" of older books. I bought a little 1911 volume, "Truths: Talks With a Boy" (I was amused when the volunteer wrapped it up for me in brown paper).
I saw half-a-dozen different editions of one of my favorite books, "Jane Eyre," each with a different cover illustration of the governess and her would-be bigamist employer.
There were plenty of bestsellers by Clive Cussler, Nora Roberts, Alexander McCall Smith and Tom Clancy still on display, along with multiple copies of "Three Cups of Tea," "Bridget Jones' Diary," and "Eat, Pray, Love." I've finally accepted that I am just not smart enough to enjoy Muriel Spark's writing. Nor did I purchase any of the green-covered Virago Modern Classics series of books by lesser-known 20th-century female authors in which my sister has long been trying to interest me.
My vote for the most unusual volumes on offer: "A Glossary of Plastics Terminology in Five Languages" (can you believe no one snatched it up immediately?) and "Lawnscapes: Mowing Patterns to Make Your Yard a Work of Art" (the book cover is Astroturf!).
I overheard some entertaining conversations among book sale browsers. Two high-schoolers were looking through the boxes of "Cliffs Notes" (conveniently next to the "Classics" section). The girl remarked that she found "The Old Man and the Sea" boring. The boy said he enjoyed "Macbeth" and "The Odyssey." A younger boy presented his selections to his father for approval: the dad gave the thumbs-up to a dictionary but vetoed an M-rated videogame.
In one corner was a bulletin board of items that the volunteers found in donated books, among them a map from the Louvre; a handwritten recipe for "Simple Lasagne"; an article about getting your Christmas cactus to bloom; and a bookmark from the old bookstore at the Parkway Center in West Chester, the precursor to Chester County Book Company.
I hope the PTO made lots of money for its programs. Several people have told me what great stuff they found. And as I left, the ladies on the cash desk told me that the dates for next year's sale have already been set: Friday, Feb. 24, and Saturday, Feb. 25.
My most notable find was "Reflections on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle," a 1966 compilation of modern poetry that took me back immediately to my Sixties elementary school days, when we'd order popular paperbacks through "Scholastic Magazine." "Watermelon Pickle" was always one of the selections.
Even though I'm a huge fan of quick-and-direct purchasing on the Internet, it's great to take some time and just browse for a change. I was impressed by the large foreign-language section, and I enjoyed browsing through the "collector's corner" of older books. I bought a little 1911 volume, "Truths: Talks With a Boy" (I was amused when the volunteer wrapped it up for me in brown paper).
I saw half-a-dozen different editions of one of my favorite books, "Jane Eyre," each with a different cover illustration of the governess and her would-be bigamist employer.
There were plenty of bestsellers by Clive Cussler, Nora Roberts, Alexander McCall Smith and Tom Clancy still on display, along with multiple copies of "Three Cups of Tea," "Bridget Jones' Diary," and "Eat, Pray, Love." I've finally accepted that I am just not smart enough to enjoy Muriel Spark's writing. Nor did I purchase any of the green-covered Virago Modern Classics series of books by lesser-known 20th-century female authors in which my sister has long been trying to interest me.
My vote for the most unusual volumes on offer: "A Glossary of Plastics Terminology in Five Languages" (can you believe no one snatched it up immediately?) and "Lawnscapes: Mowing Patterns to Make Your Yard a Work of Art" (the book cover is Astroturf!).
I overheard some entertaining conversations among book sale browsers. Two high-schoolers were looking through the boxes of "Cliffs Notes" (conveniently next to the "Classics" section). The girl remarked that she found "The Old Man and the Sea" boring. The boy said he enjoyed "Macbeth" and "The Odyssey." A younger boy presented his selections to his father for approval: the dad gave the thumbs-up to a dictionary but vetoed an M-rated videogame.
In one corner was a bulletin board of items that the volunteers found in donated books, among them a map from the Louvre; a handwritten recipe for "Simple Lasagne"; an article about getting your Christmas cactus to bloom; and a bookmark from the old bookstore at the Parkway Center in West Chester, the precursor to Chester County Book Company.
I hope the PTO made lots of money for its programs. Several people have told me what great stuff they found. And as I left, the ladies on the cash desk told me that the dates for next year's sale have already been set: Friday, Feb. 24, and Saturday, Feb. 25.
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| It's a book! It's a door mat! |
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| This is the display of items found in donated books. |
JUST IN CASE: Note where the AEDs are
Since taking the CPR class at the Longwood Fire Co. on Feb. 15, I've started noticing AEDs all over the place -- most recently in a lobby at Unionville High School. Keep an eye out for them. They are very easy to use; with audio and video prompts, they walk you through every step the process of trying to save a heart-attack victim.
RENOVATIONS: Goodbye to Connie Nichols
Connie Nichols, one of the founders of the Tick-Tock Day Care Center in Toughkenamon and a longtime member of Kennett Friends Meeting, died recently. I think the sweet, fitting tribute shared by her son Rich on social media is worth reprinting:
"Connie is survived by husband, Bill Nichols, and children, Jim, Nancy, Rich, and Roger, nine grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. In addition to raising her family, she touched many lives over her time in Kennett Square.
Connie's first restoration was the Bayard Taylor house in Cedarcroft in 1958. Her proudest moment was the opening of the Tick Tock Day Care Center. Many houses and projects followed, including the Gregg house on Chandler Mill Road, a couple of South Broad Street houses, and two West Grove historic properties.
She has been a happy resident of Kendal at Longwood for 18 years. A reception will be held at Kendal on Friday, March 18 at 12:30.
In lieu of flowers or donations, please save an old house."
"Connie is survived by husband, Bill Nichols, and children, Jim, Nancy, Rich, and Roger, nine grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. In addition to raising her family, she touched many lives over her time in Kennett Square.
Connie's first restoration was the Bayard Taylor house in Cedarcroft in 1958. Her proudest moment was the opening of the Tick Tock Day Care Center. Many houses and projects followed, including the Gregg house on Chandler Mill Road, a couple of South Broad Street houses, and two West Grove historic properties.
She has been a happy resident of Kendal at Longwood for 18 years. A reception will be held at Kendal on Friday, March 18 at 12:30.
In lieu of flowers or donations, please save an old house."
DRIVING: A bad choice
A friend came up to me in the Y hallway, eager to share a story. A Pocopson resident, he said he was approaching the roundabout on Route 52 near his home on a Thursday afternoon, in light traffic, and was astonished to see another motorist making a LEFT turn into the traffic circle instead of a right.
He gave further details in an e-mail the next day:
He gave further details in an e-mail the next day:
"I was trying to figure out how he did it, and so coming
up 52 to the circle today I saw that he must have gone to the left at the
triangle with the directional sign and the yield sign which directs you to go to
the right (counterclockwise) at the circle. Anyway, there was no
traffic and I guess he just figured – what the
heck."
ON THE GO: Mobile bookkeeping
Heading to Downingtown on Friday afternoon, I saw a car at the intersection of Buck Run and Strasburg Roads that had a sign on the driver's-side door advertising "Reliable Mobile Bookkeeping." Without thinking, I broke out into, "It's the oldest established, permanent floating craps game in New York" from "Guys & Dolls." (High-school kids beware, this is what happens when you get involved in musicals.)
But seriously, what does a mobile bookkeeping service do? I looked it up when I got home and learned that RMB is an company founded and run by Katie Smith. According to her website, "We will come to your place of business and offer our bookkeeping services so you can spend the time you need to grow your company and not worry about numbers. We are able to set up your books and maintain them hourly, weekly or monthly without interfering with your daily routine."
But seriously, what does a mobile bookkeeping service do? I looked it up when I got home and learned that RMB is an company founded and run by Katie Smith. According to her website, "We will come to your place of business and offer our bookkeeping services so you can spend the time you need to grow your company and not worry about numbers. We are able to set up your books and maintain them hourly, weekly or monthly without interfering with your daily routine."
Thursday, February 25, 2016
EMPTY BOWLS: Raising money for a good cause
When I signed up to attend the Empty Bowls fundraiser for Kennett Area Community Service, I expected that it would be a tiny event with a few people ladling out soup to people like me popping in to Kennett on their lunch breaks.
My first clue that I was way off the mark should have been that the dinner seating was sold out more than a week in advance and only luncheon tickets were available.
I showed up to the Red Clay Room at 12:30 p.m. to find a packed parking lot and just about every seat taken inside the hall. It turns out that this is a major event, in its fifth year!
Lucy D'Angelo, one of the organizers (her husband, Pete, serves on the KACS Board of Directors), was nice enough to take me under her wing and explain the protocol in terms of getting in line for lunch (soup, salad, and a roll), checking out the dozens of baskets on the silent auction tables and selecting a pottery bowl to take home.
Lucy told me that because there were two seatings, the businesses that donated items and services for the silent auction had to give TWO gifts (the ones to be sold during the dinner seating were stored under the tables at lunch). I was impressed at such generosity, and the amount of effort that it took the volunteers to pull all this together.
During the formal program Unionville Presbyterian Church pastor the Rev. Annalie Korengel Lorgus welcomed everyone, and KACS executive director Melanie Weiler showed a moving video about the services KACS provides (a food cupboard, housing assistance, case management and emergency financial help). She said the goal of the agency is to respect their clients' strengths and dignity and guide them as needed rather than to tell them what to do. She described the clients are fighters, survivors and problem solvers who have learned to be creative in overcoming their difficulties.
The attendees and sponsors represent a who's who of the Kennett area. I sat with KACS treasurer Jeff Yetter and his wife, Carol (fresh off her second-place ribbon in the United Way's Chocolate Lovers' Fest) and saw Kennett Square Mayor (and new father!) Matt Fetick, new library board president Tom Swett, Kennett Y director Doug Nakashima (and a whole contingent of Y staffers), optometrist Carol Anne Ganley, architect Dennis Melton, and retired public health nurse and active community volunteer Joan Holliday.
In keeping with the overarching "Empty Bowls" theme, two dozen community groups made and donated pottery bowls, everyone from preschoolers to Girl Scouts to retirees at Crosslands. I picked a gorgeous bowl, a subdued blue with rust-colored highlights, that will be perfect for my breakfast cereal.
My first clue that I was way off the mark should have been that the dinner seating was sold out more than a week in advance and only luncheon tickets were available.
I showed up to the Red Clay Room at 12:30 p.m. to find a packed parking lot and just about every seat taken inside the hall. It turns out that this is a major event, in its fifth year!
Lucy D'Angelo, one of the organizers (her husband, Pete, serves on the KACS Board of Directors), was nice enough to take me under her wing and explain the protocol in terms of getting in line for lunch (soup, salad, and a roll), checking out the dozens of baskets on the silent auction tables and selecting a pottery bowl to take home.
Lucy told me that because there were two seatings, the businesses that donated items and services for the silent auction had to give TWO gifts (the ones to be sold during the dinner seating were stored under the tables at lunch). I was impressed at such generosity, and the amount of effort that it took the volunteers to pull all this together.
During the formal program Unionville Presbyterian Church pastor the Rev. Annalie Korengel Lorgus welcomed everyone, and KACS executive director Melanie Weiler showed a moving video about the services KACS provides (a food cupboard, housing assistance, case management and emergency financial help). She said the goal of the agency is to respect their clients' strengths and dignity and guide them as needed rather than to tell them what to do. She described the clients are fighters, survivors and problem solvers who have learned to be creative in overcoming their difficulties.
The attendees and sponsors represent a who's who of the Kennett area. I sat with KACS treasurer Jeff Yetter and his wife, Carol (fresh off her second-place ribbon in the United Way's Chocolate Lovers' Fest) and saw Kennett Square Mayor (and new father!) Matt Fetick, new library board president Tom Swett, Kennett Y director Doug Nakashima (and a whole contingent of Y staffers), optometrist Carol Anne Ganley, architect Dennis Melton, and retired public health nurse and active community volunteer Joan Holliday.
In keeping with the overarching "Empty Bowls" theme, two dozen community groups made and donated pottery bowls, everyone from preschoolers to Girl Scouts to retirees at Crosslands. I picked a gorgeous bowl, a subdued blue with rust-colored highlights, that will be perfect for my breakfast cereal.
SWITCHED: A township appointee
Two people (the chairman of the Newlin Township Board of Supervisors, Janie Baird, and a gym friend) pointed out a foolish error I made in last week's account of the library board meeting, and I hasten to correct it. I wrote that a few years back, a previous incarnation of the library board rejected a candidate that her township proposed. They didn't; they rejected a candidate that another township, Pocopson, proposed.
Here is the corrected paragraph:
"Board member Karen Ammon said she attended a meeting of the Pocopson Township supervisors and reported that they are working on finding a resident to name to the Board. Relations between the library and Pocopson have been strained since the Board rejected POCOPSON's previous candidates, saying they didn't have the skills the library needed."
Here is the corrected paragraph:
"Board member Karen Ammon said she attended a meeting of the Pocopson Township supervisors and reported that they are working on finding a resident to name to the Board. Relations between the library and Pocopson have been strained since the Board rejected POCOPSON's previous candidates, saying they didn't have the skills the library needed."
Monday, February 22, 2016
BOVE: A new owner for the jewelry store
Bob Strehlau, the general manager at Bove Jewelers in Kennett for the past 15 years, is the new owner. He made the announcement online on Monday morning, saying that customers should "stay tuned for information regarding our grand opening." The State Street shop closed its doors on Feb. 13.
Sunday, February 21, 2016
UNIONVILLE: UHS used book sale this weekend
Just a heads up that the Unionville High School PTO's annual Used Book Sale is this coming weekend at the high school. The hours are 4 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26, and 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27 (with the $10 bag sale to follow from 3 to 5 p.m.). Even though I have no more room on my bookshelves, I always find wonderful books and DVDs to buy. I'm still reading one of last year's purchases, "Bingo Night at the Fire Hall: Rediscovering Life in an American Village" by Barbara Holland. It's a beautifully written book about the author's bumpy transition from life in Philadelphia to a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.
PIZZA: Two pies for two people
We tried a new (new to us, that is) pizza place on Sunday night, Kennett Pizza and Pasta, and were quite happy with our pies. Yes, "pies" plural: two pies for two people makes sense when one is a meat lover and the other isn't. My ricotta, spinach, garlic and tomato pizza was delicious, and my dinner partner declared himself just as pleased with his ham, sausage, and extra cheese version.
And even with our medium pies, we will have plenty of leftovers! I've never outgrown my college-age love for cold next-day pizza (though I no longer wash it down with beer).
The pizzeria is at 420 West Cypress Street, and the website is kennettpizza.com.
And even with our medium pies, we will have plenty of leftovers! I've never outgrown my college-age love for cold next-day pizza (though I no longer wash it down with beer).
The pizzeria is at 420 West Cypress Street, and the website is kennettpizza.com.
GIRL SCOUTS: A microcosm of the world
Two dozen local Girl Scout troops brought cultures from around the globe to the Unionville High School cafeteria on Friday afternoon as part of their annual "Thinking Day" celebration. The girls from each troop researched their chosen country and put together displays about its geography, history, people, politics and customs. Then they traveled to each table to learn about the country, get their "passports" validated, do a craft and fill out a worksheet of questions. (Sample questions: What were the winners of the Ancient Olympics given? What is the only indigenous animal to Iceland? and What five countries border Argentina? How many political parties are there in China, and where are they headquartered?)
My friend Karen, one of the Scout organizers, promised me there would be food, and was there ever: chrysanthemum tea from China, mango candy from India, mini-eclairs from France, a spicy rice dish with chicken from Botswana, pastries from Greece, cookies from Italy and Walker's shortbread from Great Britain. And those are just the ones I could remember!
A drummer from Botswana added an especially festive touch to the cosmopolitan event. I learned that he was a friend of a troop member and had almost literally just gotten off the plane from Africa.
My friend Karen, one of the Scout organizers, promised me there would be food, and was there ever: chrysanthemum tea from China, mango candy from India, mini-eclairs from France, a spicy rice dish with chicken from Botswana, pastries from Greece, cookies from Italy and Walker's shortbread from Great Britain. And those are just the ones I could remember!
A drummer from Botswana added an especially festive touch to the cosmopolitan event. I learned that he was a friend of a troop member and had almost literally just gotten off the plane from Africa.
NEW BOLTON: All sorts of creatures
You never know what you're going to see at New Bolton Center, the amazing veterinary facility that is in our backyard. A friend's horse had an appointment on Thursday, and she asked me to meet her there to lend moral support. She clinched the deal by offering me a dozen eggs from her chickens (which have started laying more plentifully because of the longer days).
While we were there, not only did we get to watch New Bolton's world-class farrier, Patrick Reilly, at work changing a hoof cast, but we also saw a goat-patient being wheeled between buildings on a stretcher. (Another friend who volunteers there said she recently got to babysit for a kangaroo.) And as my friend led her horse back to the trailer, three eagle-eyed professionals scrutinized his gait (the verdict was good); unaccountably, the scene reminded me of fashion editors peering intently at an exquisite haute couture model walking the catwalk.
While we were there, not only did we get to watch New Bolton's world-class farrier, Patrick Reilly, at work changing a hoof cast, but we also saw a goat-patient being wheeled between buildings on a stretcher. (Another friend who volunteers there said she recently got to babysit for a kangaroo.) And as my friend led her horse back to the trailer, three eagle-eyed professionals scrutinized his gait (the verdict was good); unaccountably, the scene reminded me of fashion editors peering intently at an exquisite haute couture model walking the catwalk.
MR. BROOKS: Chatham loses a friend
Bob Brooks, a longtime and well-known resident of Chatham, died on Feb. 13 at the age of 88. Every December for the past 10 years, my neighbor and I would head over to Mr. Brooks' place on Route 41 to buy a Christmas tree from him. We'd always tried to dicker with him over the price by pointing out that it was near the end of the season, or the tree I'd selected was the smallest on the lot and should really be discounted.
He never, ever budged.
"Thirty-five dollars," he'd say, and you knew that was his final answer.
Mr. Brooks was in the hospital in December, so even though I got an excellent, fragrant tree as always, it just wasn't the same. He was a sweet man and will be missed by many. My sympathy to his family, and may he rest in peace.
He never, ever budged.
"Thirty-five dollars," he'd say, and you knew that was his final answer.
Mr. Brooks was in the hospital in December, so even though I got an excellent, fragrant tree as always, it just wasn't the same. He was a sweet man and will be missed by many. My sympathy to his family, and may he rest in peace.
BYPASS: Accident waiting to happen
I've been complaining a lot about bad drivers recently, I know, but really, there were some truly foolhardy motorists on the Route 1 bypass during the freezing rain the other afternoon. The sun was going down, and the road markings were invisible underneath the slush and ice. I was gripping the wheel and doing maybe 35 mph, but people were speeding past me, weaving and tailgating as if it were sunny and dry. I felt far safer after I exited the bypass and drove home via the back roads.
CPR: Learning to save a life
On Feb. 15 I took an excellent "Hands-Only" CPR course at Longwood Fire Company, sponsored by the Chester County Hospital/Penn Medicine. The recommended rescue protocol when you encounter someone who has suffered a heart attack has changed considerably from when I first learned CPR. Now you call 911; give chest compressions, but not artificial respiration; and use an AED if there's one available.
During our practice session on mannequins, I learned that giving chest compressions at the proper depth and speed is quite a workout for the wrists and shoulders. The three paramedics who supervised our practice agreed and said that's part of the reason they try to get as many people trained as possible, so that one rescuer can take over when the first gets tired.
It was invaluable having the paramedics as instructors, as they were able to share their firsthand knowledge. In the lecture part of the class, Matt Eick, a Longwood Fire Company paramedic, emphasized the importance of knowing the signs of a heart attack in case you ever suffer one, and factors that can increase your risk.
Despite the snowstorm and the slippery roads, more than a dozen people showed up for the training, including my friends Ann and Tom Nale of Kennett Township.
During our practice session on mannequins, I learned that giving chest compressions at the proper depth and speed is quite a workout for the wrists and shoulders. The three paramedics who supervised our practice agreed and said that's part of the reason they try to get as many people trained as possible, so that one rescuer can take over when the first gets tired.
It was invaluable having the paramedics as instructors, as they were able to share their firsthand knowledge. In the lecture part of the class, Matt Eick, a Longwood Fire Company paramedic, emphasized the importance of knowing the signs of a heart attack in case you ever suffer one, and factors that can increase your risk.
Despite the snowstorm and the slippery roads, more than a dozen people showed up for the training, including my friends Ann and Tom Nale of Kennett Township.
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