Congratulations to Jake Andress, the newest Kennett Square police officer. I was so thrilled to read that the borough hired him, and I look forward to seeing him on duty.
A few years ago Jake and I were members of a particularly challenging exercise class at the Jennersville YMCA with an amazing, inspiring instructor who sadly fell victim to chronic fatigue syndrome. I can speak to Jake's considerable physical strength, his dedication (some days he would come to the gym after a full day working construction), and his ability to get along with lots of different types of people, as we were a peculiar mix.
Friday, July 8, 2016
PICNICS: Just add paprika!
Anyone who has ever made devilled eggs knows that you have to boil up far more eggs than you will need, because you will almost surely lose several to overly adherent shells that cause divots in the white parts. More cracks result when you spoon in the yolk part.
First-world problems, I know.
So at a Chadds Ford pool party last weekend I was sitting in the kitchen chatting with the hostess and her daughter as they were preparing more food. The daughter started filling a batch of devilled eggs using a pastry bag (well, actually a baggie with a tiny corner snipped off). Great idea!
And then her mother dropped a bombshell: she told me you can actually buy pre-cooked, pre-peeled, pre-bisected eggs at Costco.
OK, yes: it's a crazy waste of resources, they're probably not the wholesome local eggs we're used to, and I don't even want to think of the price.
But, honestly, what an ingenious idea!
(Alternatively, of course, you could just order pre-made devilled eggs from Hood's like one dear friend of mine does.)
First-world problems, I know.
So at a Chadds Ford pool party last weekend I was sitting in the kitchen chatting with the hostess and her daughter as they were preparing more food. The daughter started filling a batch of devilled eggs using a pastry bag (well, actually a baggie with a tiny corner snipped off). Great idea!
And then her mother dropped a bombshell: she told me you can actually buy pre-cooked, pre-peeled, pre-bisected eggs at Costco.
OK, yes: it's a crazy waste of resources, they're probably not the wholesome local eggs we're used to, and I don't even want to think of the price.
But, honestly, what an ingenious idea!
(Alternatively, of course, you could just order pre-made devilled eggs from Hood's like one dear friend of mine does.)
AVONDALE: What a Good Samaritan!
I was at the Avondale Wawa yesterday morning to inflate two brand-new inner tubes for river fun this coming weekend. Next to the air pump was parked a white work truck with a completely flat (I mean, down to the rim) tire. There was nobody in the truck, so I pulled up on the other side of the pump and got to work.
Then a Mexican man came out of the Wawa, and it was his truck. I offered him the air hose -- he had been there first, after all -- and he smiled and shook his head. I got the sense that his flat tire was beyond repair (the opposite hubcap looked kind of shredded, too), and he was just waiting for somebody to pick him up.
He noticed I was having some trouble filling the second inner tube and came over. He looked at the stem, noticed a stray piece of metal impeding the flow, fetched a set of needle-nose pliers from his truck and fixed it. He then finished inflating the tube, gesturing for me to increase or lower the filling pressure on the pump as needed. Between his limited English and my even more limited Spanish, we got the job done.
I was so grateful that I took a $20 out of my wallet and offered it to him as a tip. No, no, he said, absolutely refusing. He wouldn't even take some money toward a sub (Hoagiefest!), a soda or a soft pretzel on the sweltering day.
This is a guy who could have stayed in the air-conditioned store or in his truck, and instead he helped me out. All I could do was shake his hand. Good people are the best.
Then a Mexican man came out of the Wawa, and it was his truck. I offered him the air hose -- he had been there first, after all -- and he smiled and shook his head. I got the sense that his flat tire was beyond repair (the opposite hubcap looked kind of shredded, too), and he was just waiting for somebody to pick him up.
He noticed I was having some trouble filling the second inner tube and came over. He looked at the stem, noticed a stray piece of metal impeding the flow, fetched a set of needle-nose pliers from his truck and fixed it. He then finished inflating the tube, gesturing for me to increase or lower the filling pressure on the pump as needed. Between his limited English and my even more limited Spanish, we got the job done.
I was so grateful that I took a $20 out of my wallet and offered it to him as a tip. No, no, he said, absolutely refusing. He wouldn't even take some money toward a sub (Hoagiefest!), a soda or a soft pretzel on the sweltering day.
This is a guy who could have stayed in the air-conditioned store or in his truck, and instead he helped me out. All I could do was shake his hand. Good people are the best.
NEAR THE BORDER: Who is putting up these signs?
In response to last week's item about the "Stop committing fraud!" signs that have popped up in our area, a Landenberg reader wrote and told me she saw another one a few weeks ago at North Bank and Auburn Roads as well.
As I noted last week, the person who posted the professional-looking yellow signs objects to people who live in Pennsylvania but register their vehicles using a Delaware post-office box to avoid Pennsylvania's more onerous sales tax and inspection obligations. I'm hoping the person behind the signs will contact me and explain what motivated him or her to spend time and money doing this.
As I noted last week, the person who posted the professional-looking yellow signs objects to people who live in Pennsylvania but register their vehicles using a Delaware post-office box to avoid Pennsylvania's more onerous sales tax and inspection obligations. I'm hoping the person behind the signs will contact me and explain what motivated him or her to spend time and money doing this.
WEST MARLBOROUGH: Another no-parking zone in Springdell
The "no parking" zones around The Whip tavern have been extended to include the south side of Route 841 from Springdell Road to Thouron Road. Neighboring landowner Dick Hayne has put up a low fence along that stretch of North Chatham Road, but apparently die-hard Whip patrons are still parking there, even if half their cars are protruding into the roadway.
More no-parking signs will be installed.
The chronic lack of sufficient on-site parking at The Whip has been a concern for years on the part of the tavern's neighbors.
The West Marlborough township supervisors held a brief hearing before unanimously approving the new ordinance. As required by law, court stenographer Bill Handy was there to record the proceedings. A local man, he is called upon to record most of the township's hearings and then likes to go to the Whip afterward for dinner.
"So where am I going to park?" he mock-grumbled as he was packing up his recording device.
More no-parking signs will be installed.
The chronic lack of sufficient on-site parking at The Whip has been a concern for years on the part of the tavern's neighbors.
The West Marlborough township supervisors held a brief hearing before unanimously approving the new ordinance. As required by law, court stenographer Bill Handy was there to record the proceedings. A local man, he is called upon to record most of the township's hearings and then likes to go to the Whip afterward for dinner.
"So where am I going to park?" he mock-grumbled as he was packing up his recording device.
WEST MARLBOROUGH: Funding to stabilize a roadbank
West Marlborough Township has received a $228,120 grant from the state to stabilize the steep drop-off down to Buck Run along Rokeby Road at Richard Wilson Drive, a problem that residents have been concerned about for years.
At the July 5 township meeting, Supervisor Hugh Lofting said the stabilization project will get under way by the end of the summer. The grant is part of a state program targeting dirt, gravel and low-volume roads.
Residents have repeatedly alerted the supervisors that the northern edge of Rokeby Road is eroding away and crumbling into the creek. The sheer drop-off down to the creek is now marked by traffic cones and barriers.
At the July 5 township meeting, Supervisor Hugh Lofting said the stabilization project will get under way by the end of the summer. The grant is part of a state program targeting dirt, gravel and low-volume roads.
Residents have repeatedly alerted the supervisors that the northern edge of Rokeby Road is eroding away and crumbling into the creek. The sheer drop-off down to the creek is now marked by traffic cones and barriers.
 |
| There is a sheer drop-off between the northern edge of Rokeby Road and Buck Run. |
ATGLEN: Hot stuff at a picnic
At a picnic in Atglen last weekend there was a large platter of nice plump chicken wings, and I helped myself. A cautious friend asked me if they were spicy, as peppery foods disagree with her.
"No, they're very mild," I told her (probably with my mouth full, I'm afraid).
With that recommendation, she got some -- and then exclaimed when she bit into one and found it incinerating her mouth. My suitability as a judge of spiciness was brought into question in no uncertain terms.
I assured her that indeed, no one has a more vanilla palate that I do. After some debate and research, we learned that there were actually two types of identical-looking wings on the platter, bland and spicy.
"No, they're very mild," I told her (probably with my mouth full, I'm afraid).
With that recommendation, she got some -- and then exclaimed when she bit into one and found it incinerating her mouth. My suitability as a judge of spiciness was brought into question in no uncertain terms.
I assured her that indeed, no one has a more vanilla palate that I do. After some debate and research, we learned that there were actually two types of identical-looking wings on the platter, bland and spicy.
UNIONVILLE: Navigating the circle
I've received quite a bit of feedback on last week's item in which a reader griped about what he considered the ugly and unnecessary one-way signs on the Unionville roundabout.
I was amazed to learn that motorists actually DO go the wrong way on the traffic circle, whether out of ignorance, the desire to save a fraction of a second of time, or too much time spent driving in England. In other words, as they enter the circle, they incorrectly turn left instead of right. Unbelievable. I wonder, not for the first time, how people manage to pass their driver's tests.
I was amazed to learn that motorists actually DO go the wrong way on the traffic circle, whether out of ignorance, the desire to save a fraction of a second of time, or too much time spent driving in England. In other words, as they enter the circle, they incorrectly turn left instead of right. Unbelievable. I wonder, not for the first time, how people manage to pass their driver's tests.
Sunday, July 3, 2016
UNIONVILLE: New signs in the traffic circle
A Tilda reader objects to the one-way signs that were installed in the Unionville roundabout this past week. He writes the following:
"We drive always on and to the right in this country. Today someone placed three ugly one-way signs on high poles ON
THE CIRCLE for who knows what reason and totally obliterated the beauty of
the circle. What a bureaucratically stupid act that could if necessary
(which it isn’t) have placed 3 one-way signs low to the ground (a fourth isn’t
necessary). Drivers’ tests do cover rotaries. What’s next? Garage sale signs on the rotary along
with Beat Beethoven, cheaptree and political signage. Sign, sign,
everywhere a sign! We have a significant signage problem in Southern Chester County that has crept
silently upon us destroying beautiful views in our area. Where’s our Lady
Bird Johnson? Am I losing it?"
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