Stories from the Early September issue of The People's Press

About Hubbard Park
by Francis W. Lappert
Let us go back to the mid-1920s when the park was rustic and not very developed. There were no paved roads throughout the park. In those days Mirror Lake was clear and really mirrored the castle and the mountains to the north. The lake had a number of huge willow trees growing on the edge of the water on the north end of the lake. The trees had large roots in the water that harbored a few very large snapping turtles. I remember the time my young brother Lew reached in the water and pulled out a 25-pound snapper. We dragged it home with a strong cord, and after cleaning and dressing it, our father made turtle soup.
In those days there was only one tennis court at the north end of the park. Players had to wait their turn to play. Some time later, the Park Department built a second court and then a third one. At that time Meriden had many tennis players.
I can remember how we used to fish in the lake with long bamboo poles about 10 feet long and a line about 30 feet long. We didn’t have regular rods with reels to fish with. If we were lucky, we would catch a number of pickerel, perch or bullheads. We always enjoyed a fish dinner that our mother would make.
I remember when the Meriden City Band used to hold concerts of a variety of Sousa marches and other popular tunes in the open pavilion in back of the current band shell. I had two uncles who played in the band. One played a trombone, and the other, a clarinet. Our whole family would walk from Reservoir Avenue to the park to listen to music.
How about the Civil War cannon that was next to the pavilion? It was taken away during the war in Europe for the metal it contained. During those days there were two great springs in the park. One was by the wading pool, but the most popular one was at the north end of the lake next to the small open building. People came from all over Meriden to get the ice cold water. After the highway cut through the park, the State made the Park Department discontinue the use of the spring, saying that it was contaminated. I don’t think it ever was.
Hubbard Park also had a great number of wildflowers growing in different locations. The yellow lady’s slippers grew in the woods between the park and Meremere Reservoir. The purple ones grew under the hemlocks around the reservoir. Then there were purple columbines that grew from the sides of the mountain. There were jack-in-the-pulpits, bloodroots, Dutchman’s-breeches, and the wild geraniums that grew on the edge of the swamp at the end of Reservoir Avenue.
My brother Lew and I also caught native brook trout in the small stream that came down from the reservoir. We fished there many years. The swamp disappeared when the new highway was built.
Now, about “Castle Craig.” We never called it that. It was always the “Tower.” The park was always our playground. We would think nothing if someone in our group would say, “Let’s take a hike up to the tower.” We would start at the spring on the north end of the lake, as there was a well-used path up to the halfway house we called “Fair View.” From there we used the trail that passed under the mountain and led to the trail up the side of the mountain that we called “The Indian Trail.” We never used this trail after dark. It was too dangerous.
On one visit to the tower, there were about six of us from the neighborhood who made the trip. One of the boys wondered if anyone had ever climbed up the outside of the tower. My brother Ernie said he could do it. He picked his way up until he came to the crown that juts outward, and it took him about 20 minutes to figure out how to pull himself over the top. To my knowledge, I don’t know anyone else who has ever tried it.
Under new leadership the park has changed tremendously, with a beautiful swimming pool, three tennis courts, a playscape for the children, and a well-built band shell for concerts. I believe Meriden has one of the nicest parks in Connecticut.
Extra Note: I am currently 84 years old, going on 85, and have lived all my life on the west side of Meriden, near Hubbard Park. I believe I know most of the improvements that were made in the park.
I was disappointed when the city officials contracted with a lumber mill to take down the diseased hemlocks around Meremere Reservoir. After they were told to stop the cutting, I observed that not one hemlock tree was taken but only the good hardwood trees. This, to me, seemed to be a rape of our forest in Hubbard Park. I would like to see these dead trees taken down and have the watershed replanted with some kind of evergreen trees.

[Editor’s Note: This story originally ran in January 2001, so Francis must be 90 by now!]

“Sheltering an Animal’s Perspective”
by Gregory M. Simpson
Recently I learned something disturbing at the doctor’s office. No, it wasn’t a bad diagnosis. While reading a magazine in the waiting room, I learned that the first wildlife killed in one of the Mid-Atlantic States last hunting season was by a 12-year-old girl. Even more alarming, hunters recently tried to expand hunting in Connecticut to Sundays and wanted to have bow hunting included, as well.
Fortunately, the Connecticut legislature did not pass the bill proposed by the hunting lobby and the Department of Environmental Protection (so frequently an oxymoron where animals are concerned). The 96% - 99% of Connecticut residents who do not hunt made it clear to legislators that this was not wanted. The public made it known that they wanted to be able to freely and safely use recreational land and open space on Sundays, the only day of the week that they have left for safe hiking, horseback riding, bird watching, and other outdoor activities during hunting season.
Bow hunting was strongly promoted in the Sunday hunting bill. This form of hunting is even more inhumane than hunting with guns, as it has up to a 60% wounding rate. Deer that run off with embedded arrows suffer protracted death through infection, blood loss and die after hours of agony. Not to mention that arrows know no boundary and pose a safety concern to anyone who is in a large radius of the hunter. From 1990 through 2000 there were 7 hunting fatalities and 48 non-fatal accidents in Connecticut, according to the group, No Arrows or Bullets.
As a social worker teaching children about empathy, I find the proposal for bow hunting disheartening, as the link between animal cruelty and violence towards people is well established. To allow a form of hunting where wounded, scared deer die painful, drawn-out deaths contributes to a lack of respect and compassion for all life.
Then there is the potential harm that can come to companion animals during hunting trips. Some of the more common injuries dogs sustain include cut pads, torn hide from barbed wire, tongue cuts and porcupine quills. There are also hunting dogs that are accidentally shot.
A report by Friends of Animals (FOA) from data collected in 33 states indicates a three fold increase in deer/auto collisions during the months of October, November and December, i.e., hunting season. Most of these collisions occur during early morning and early evening hours, which coincide with peak hunting hours. Concludes FOA President, Priscilla Feral, “On the score of safety alone, there is enough evidence to warrant an end to the violent and dangerous practices of hunting.”
Furthermore, hunting does not reduce deer/vehicle accidents. As one of many examples, a four year study of car accidents in one New Jersey location indicated that the number of accidents remained the same even though intensive hunting was done throughout the period 2000 – 2004.
This is because hunting frees up more food and habitat for the remaining herd. Reproduction accelerates, leading to larger numbers over the long term, or as what wildlife biologists call reproductive rebound. As Allen T. Rutberg, Ph.D. of Tufts University wrote in “The Science of Deer Management: An Animal Welfare Perspective,” it was shown in a Penn State University study that deer hunting is not having an impact on deer herds.
Instead, warning reflectors can be used (Strieter-Lite warning reflector system) to reduce nighttime deer/vehicle collisions by 78% to 90%.
Addressing the number of deer can be done through a contraception program. Currently, contraception can be used in Connecticut in research studies with the permission of the Department of Environmental Protection. It would be available for wider use except that the hunting lobby has consistently obstructed FDA approval.
Hunters like to describe people like me as having a “Bambi-complex.” To them I say – face it. As P.G. Wodehouse wrote, “The fascination of shooting as a sport depends almost wholly on whether you are at the right or wrong end of a gun.”

For the animals,
Gregory M. Simpson, Vice-President
MERIDEN HUMANE SOCIETY, INC.


Gregory Simpson is Vice-President of the Meriden Humane Society, Inc. Board of Directors and member of the Cat Writers’ Association. Formerly a state advisor to Friends of Animals, he was also named one of the 40 Ultimate Cat Lovers by CAT FANCY magazine.
NATURE AS A MIRROR
By Dorothy Gonick

LAVENDER
Lovely Lavender’s
Burst of soothing fragrance
Calms tired nerves.

Our flower gardens have been graced from May through September with the lovely flowers and fragrance of the Lavender plant. It is a square-stemmed evergreen plant of the mint family with a strong pleasing fragrance. It grows 3-4 feet tall and has long, slender leaves with flowers growing in a whorl around each stalk. By rubbing the blooms or leaves between our fingers, its fragrance is released.
Most varieties of Lavender are perennial and need a sunny spot with good drainage and room to spread. The flowers are blue, light purple, pink or white. Harvesting the leaves and blossoms for potpourri and sachets keep the plant healthy, and make welcome gifts for friends.
The earliest antimicrobial soaps were made with lavender and were used in Grecian field hospitals to treat injuries and infections due to battle wounds. The chemicals that make lavender aromatic also fight bacteria, viruses and fungi. The essential oil helps heal wounds and burns. Other health conditions such as rheumatism, bites, rashes, and colds were treated with the oil from the lavender flowers.
The Roman soldiers learned of this plant while invading Greece and brought some lavender plants back to Rome. Soon the bath waters in Rome were strewn with the leaves and flowers for the lovely scent they gave. The plant became known as Lavender from the Latin word Lavo, which means “to wash.” Lavender also became the accepted color name for this particular shade of purple. Today, Lavender oil is distilled from the plants and used for perfumes and toiletries and is popular in aromatherapy to soothe and relieve stress and fatigue. Many find the aroma of lavender an aid to restful sleep
While reflecting on the many ways that lavender plants have benefited mankind; by their loveliness, healing properties, and scented products, I recalled the nursery rhyme, Lavender’s Blue. This rhyme is about a light-hearted childhood romance that the lavender scent surely influenced.

Lavender’s blue, dilly dilly,
Lavender’s green.
When you are King, dilly dilly,
I shall be Queen.


Bobbie’s Bevy of Beauties - July
While writing my article, my eyes stray every now and then to the window. And of course what do I see but rain again. I’ve been running in and out between the drops to finish up the last of the planting and transplanting. If the spring hadn’t been so cold and rainy, I would have finished a few weeks ago or longer. Can’t believe summer is here. Had almost no spring whatsoever. Years ago by the end of April, usually, finished up just about all of the gardening.
This month was supposed to be the one with showers which brought forth May flowers. Then for the last few years May has been on the chilly and wet side. Now this year we have June to contend with. I certainly prefer the warm months to the cold, but do hate it when the temp gets up to 90 and humidity along with it. Yet how many days have we had this year with 75 to 80 weather, blue skies and white fluffy clouds? Not too many. That’s for sure. Will have to put the pen down for a short while anyway. Rain has stopped, so have to make a run for the outdoors.
The wet stuff has started to come down again, so here I am with pen in hand. Even saw the sun for a minute or two. Almost forgot what it looked like.
My pink simplicity roses are in their first blooming. The rhododendrons were magnificent. So many blossoms. But of course we all know what spoiled the beauty of both these flowers. One of the calla lilies came into bloom. A deep shade of orchid. The dahlias are popping out of the ground. Since they are almost a month late, probably won’t have any flowers until the middle or end of July.
These are the perennials I have in bloom now: salvia, coreopois, Rose of Campion, foxglove, four o’clock, lamb’s ear, sea holly, knautia, loosestrife, astillbe, campanula, ground-covering sedum, columbine, jack-in-the-pulpit, the wildflower bachelor button and yarrow. Have quite a few annuals, too. The three of my favorite are the brown-leaf begonia, angel mist, and black and blue salvia.
Jimmy’s cukes are doing very well. Besides planting them in the ground, two are in tub containers. All the tomatoes, as last year, are in the containers, too. Most of them have blossoms and a couple have tomatoes. Can’t wait for that first sandwich.
Since I’ve become such an avid gardener, the crawly little creatures I come in contact with don’t faze me anymore. Even if I run into one of the harmless little snakes that reside in one or two of the beds, they don’t send me a running. But you still can’t get me to pick one up. The worms, that’s another story. I had no choice. My 3-1/2-year-old granddaughter Izzy-Bella called me and her mother’s attention to a very small object at the entrance to one of Westfort’s greenhouses. Went over to look at it, thinking it was a small rock. “No, mommy,” she said. “It’s a turtle.” It must have come up from the pond on their property. Heaven knows how long it took for it to walk that distance. Wasn’t much larger than a quarter. Someone could have stepped on it not knowing it was there because of its size. Right now it resides at her house, but at the end of the summer it will be returned to its natural habitat. Why worms have become such a big part of my life this week is because of Izzy-Bella’s pet, the turtle, whose name is Tuck. Guess who’s baby-sitting for him because her whole family went to Cape Cod? Because he’s so little, he can’t eat the big fat worms, which are much easier to find. Every afternoon with spade in hand I dig until I find the very, very skinny ones. His meal consists of two. Now he is back home with his mistress.
When the next issue comes out, the perennials that are in bloom now will be gone. By then the summer ones will be showing off their flowers. Till then,
Flowercerely yours,
Bobbie G. Vosgien

Bobbie’s Bevy of Beauties – September
No matter where your eyes may wander, you will see a magnificent display of beauty. I think this is the peak of the flower season. Most of the annuals bloom all season. Even though the Black-eyed Susan is a perennial it has flowers for two months and sometimes blooms a little longer. Just about anyone who has a garden grows this particular plant. Besides being so colorful and long lasting it is pretty much problem free and reproduces quite rapidly. Almost every flower bed I have seen has some growing in them. Many of mine have been dug up and given away.
In my neighborhood there are quite a few gals and a couple of gentlemen who don’t mind getting their hands dirty for this flower raising hobby. Gloves help but after awhile you need those bare hands. A manicure. What the heck is that?! Maybe in the wintertime. Danny across the street started raising sunflowers last year. I’ve always loved them. Tried the medium, then the tall and even the potted ones for the deck. Forget it. The squirrels not only destroyed the flower but had to tear apart the rest of the plant too. Well this year three grew in two of my beds. The seeds had to come from his plants. They are absolutely beautiful. I think because some of my very tall flowers especially the hibiscus, helped to conceal them from these creatures. Jeff lives in one of the town houses. His area is rather limited, but does have a very lovely garden. Many perennials. The yellow ligularia plants are truly something to see. Pam whom I’ve mentioned before with the beautiful pansy bed has a zinfandel plant in her Winnie the Pooh planter on her front lawn. It’s a very full short compact plant with brown clover shaped leaves and tiny yellow flowers. This one I’m definitely going to purchase next year. Because Starr has a lot of shade in her backyard most of her flowers are planted in front. Having a lot of hasta – she shared some with me. Now I have a very lovely border of them against the fence on the north side. Dawn has a very delightful back yard fish pond, and some very delicious raspberry bushes. Her young daughter Sierra, knows how much I love raspberries so she will pick a container of them for me. Into my breakfast cereal they go. Yum! Yum! Helen has a terraced back yard. In the spring she has a gorgeous display of daffodil, narcissus and tulip bulbs. Kathy got me going on the hibiscus kick. Approximately eight years ago she game me some pink and white plants from her extensive bed. They are reproducing quite nicely. So now I can share them with other plant lovers. Have also bought a red and orchid one. Am hoping these new colors will also make some new additions to the hibiscus area. Jeannie moved into the neighborhood only a few years ago, she has just about torn up the whole yard. There’s a small pond, all kinds of bushes, shrubs and various perennials. Last but not least, Nancy. Moved here last October. While there was not one flower many reside now. By this time next year there will be double if not more of what she has now. All these gardens are beautiful, unique and may have something you have never seen or heard of before.
Can’t keep up with the cukes. Jimmy’s picked over two hundred already. Everybody goes crazy for them, except me. You know what I crave. On July 28th my first tomato. Ate it as it was. Couldn’t wait to slice it and put it between two slices of bread with mayonnaise. Our daughter Jodie grows the grape tomatoes. So I keep a container of them on the counter. As I pass them I have to pop one or two into my mouth. Talk about addictions.
Three small and two very large butterfly bushes are now in full bloom. One large one is near the gate to the entrance of our backyard. The butterflies swarming around them and the black and blue salvia are unbelievable. They just love the nectar. What a fragrance they have too. And another visitor they have is a humming bird. He or she has been coming around for the past two weeks.
So many beautiful plants and creatures. Then the cold arrives and all will be gone until next spring. Why Winter?
Flowercerely yours,
Bobbie Vosgien

Boo Crew ReviewWell, it's been quite some time since we've had a Boo Crew report but with three months till we open I figured it's a good time. Despite the rainiest October in recorded history, we were able to open 12 nights and the beautiful weather the final weekend enabled us to match the attendance of the record breaking 2004 season. So with that said, we are proud of the fact that we were able to raise $40,000 for the South Central Chapter of the American Red Cross. The Boo Crew weathered the storms and had to stay late many nights in order to make up the time needed to donate such a generous amount. We are very proud of them and again praise their commitment. I hope the weather will cooperate this year. We have already made many major improvements to the trail and will be adding a lot of entertainment for the line area to make the long wait easier to handle. Many new and original characters will be joining the already creepy cast. We hope you all come out to see us this year. Please visit our website, www.trailofterror.com , for up-to-date information and for the ongoing story-line featuring the "Caretaker." That’s it for now. Scare you later....Wayne "Spookologist" BarneschiOur friends from the Red Cross, Andrea and Cindy.

The Seventh Annual SILVER CITY BREWFEST
A Charitable Event for Meriden Children First Initiative’s ‘Senior Buddy Readers’ Program
Friday, September 8, 2006
5:00 - 9:00 PM, rain or shine
Downtown Courthouse Plaza
The ever-popular Silver City Brewfest is right around the corner. It is like a big party downtown and everyone over 21 is invited! On the surface, the Brewfest is a time of great beer with over 25 international and domestic microbrews (and wines) to sample. It is a time of great food with FREE hamburgers, hotdogs AND the Chili Cook-off with chili from eleven local restaurants. And great fun, which includes music from PartyLine.
But like many events in Meriden, the Brewfest is really about community, because Meriden businesses and residents care about the city they work and live in. It seems that they continually think about ways to reach out and make things better. And in true Meriden spirit, they know how to put the FUN in fundraiser!
For seven years, Meriden and local residents have enjoyed laughing, eating, sampling brews and wines, and hanging with friends at the Brewfest. And in those seven years, the money raised has been given back to the community to a different Meriden non-profit organization each year. In addition to ticket sales, generous sponsors have made a real difference in the community. This year’s sponsors include Valencia Liquor, Meriden Rotary Club, CT Free Masons, City of Meriden, and Shop Rite.
The proceeds from this year’s Silver City Brewfest will benefit Meriden Children First Initiative’s (CFI)‘Senior Buddy Readers’ intergenerational literacy and mentoring program. This is a prevention program designed to help boost the reading skills and self-esteem of at-risk 1st and 2nd graders.
CFI is a non-profit agency founded in 1995 with funding from the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund. The mission of CFI is to improve the educational, social and health outcomes of children through increased parental involvement in civic life. CFI regularly sponsors early learning programs that improve children’s readiness for school as well as other activities that empower parents and positively impact the community.
The Senior Buddy Reader entered a very successful fifth year this September. In January 2002, The Senior Buddy Readers program began as a pilot program with just seven volunteers at one elementary school. Last year, 80 senior citizen volunteers helped 200 children in six of Meriden’s public elementary schools improve their reading skills.
“The Senior Buddy Readers is a great program and unique in Connecticut as far as we know,” David Radcliffe, Director of Meriden’s Children First Initiative, says.
The funds from the Brewfest will be used to purchase specially leveled fiction and non-fiction books for use with the program. Providing appropriately leveled books to struggling readers is key in growing their self esteem. Not only do appropriately leveled books make the task of learning to read more manageable to the student, but both the seniors and the students can mark improvement by moving onto the next level. The child and the senior have a way to measure their hard work.
“I really enjoy this program in particular because it pairs two different generations together, and both the child and the senior benefit from the camaraderie built between them. The children really enjoy the one-on-one time with an adult who shows keen interest in them. And seniors value the time they have with the children, knowing that they have played a large roll in the child’s path to educational development,” Radcliffe says.
Although this is the first year that the Senior Buddy Readers is the beneficiary of the Brewfest fundraiser, it is the third year that the Senior Buddy Readers program has been involved with the Brewfest. Volunteers and committee members of the Senior Buddy Readers program have worked hard this year, as each non-profit beneficiary is the main organizer and marketer for the Brewfest.
Tickets are $25 at the door. Attendees must be 21 years or older and must present a driver’s license/photo ID. The Brewfest, which is tented, will go on, rain or shine.


Brian David Ash Memorial Fire Prevention Fund
Where: Super Stop & Shop on East Main and Broad Street
When: September 8 – 10, 9 a.m. through 8 p.m.

Roberta and Michael Ash know how important it is to be prepared in the event of a fire. They lost their seven-year-old son, Brian David, on October 14, 1983, because the house he was in didn’t have working smoke detectors.
Brian and a friend were down the street from the Ash home at a sleepover. Upstairs, the three boys were sleeping. Downstairs, the mother fell asleep smoking on the couch.
“My husband and I heard the engines of fire trucks go by,” Roberta says. The sirens weren’t on that late at night, but when they looked outside they could see the whirls of smoke and fire. “We knew right away what house it was and we ran down the street.”
The fire wasn’t that big. It took only 50 gallons to put it out. But the mother and the three boys perished.
“Too many times you hear, ‘It keeps going off when I cook so I took the battery out,’ or ‘My kid needed a battery, so I took it out,” Roberta says. Our tag line is ‘Working smoke detectors saves lives’ – that’s the key: working. A smoke detector is worthless if it doesn’t work.”
If you’re asleep, you can’t smell the smoke, because that is the first sense to go when you’re asleep. And most fire fatalities, such as David’s, are caused by smoke inhalation, not from the fire itself. You have to rely on the smoke detector going off to alert you to the danger. “I think most people think they have a lot of time to get out of a fire, but you really don’t. You have just minutes,” Roberta adds.
The irony is that this fire happened on the last day of Fire Prevention Week. The fire department went around the neighborhood house to house making sure people had working smoke detectors. At the time, the owners of the house where Brian died weren’t home. “As part of fire prevention week, each of the boys got little fire hats. Brian and his two friends had their hats next to them,” Roberta says.
Because David’s death was so unnecessary and preventable if the home had working detectors, Roberta and Michael wanted to make sure that they helped spread the word on fire safety. “Even if we get one person to change the batteries in his smoke detector who might not have otherwise, it’s worth it,” Roberta says.
They started the Brian David Ash Memorial Fire Prevention Fund in memory of David in 1986.
When the fundraiser first started it was held at the Food Mart on the Berlin Turnpike. They had just opened and were looking for a local charity. Originally, Michael and Roberta sold hot dogs and soda for fifty cents. Twenty years later, the fund is held at the Meriden Super Stop & Shop on East Main Street and Broad Street and has grown a little each year.
The fundraiser now offers a hot dog, soda, and chips for fifty cents. The soda is donated by Pepsi, the chips are donated by Shop Rite, and the hot dogs are donated by Paul’s Market N’ Deli, Aresco Superette, Alan’s Cup and Saucer, and Fischer’s Fine Foods, Roberta says. This year the plates will be Frisbees to keep as a memento afterward. In addition to food, the fundraiser also sells raffle tickets for theme baskets, which were added last year, and offers give-aways from local companies in hopes for a small donation of fifty cents or a dollar. They also offer packets with coloring items for children and informational booklets for parents. For example, this year the State of Connecticut has included vacation guides and the Chamber of Commerce has included local information.
The fundraiser has become a large undertaking and is possible because of the help from donations from community members and local companies as well as a wide range of volunteers of friends, neighbors, members of civic groups, Roberta’s high school students, and fellow teachers.
“Anyone can volunteer to help. I have people come up to me and ask if they can participate. We need people to help cook the food, get the word out, hang posters, distribute fliers, and put the baskets together. Meriden students need a minimum of 20 hours of community service, and volunteering for this fundraiser is a great way to earn those hours,” Roberta says. “The fire department is really supportive. We always have a fire truck or two for the kids to go on.”
The raffle baskets have been successful. All baskets are based on themes. For example, there might be a movie basket, or a workman’s basket, a make-up basket, a game basket. The raffle tickets for these baskets are only fifty cents and the baskets are given away each night of the fundraiser. There are dollar baskets, too, which include two smoke detectors, a fire extinguisher or fire ladder, and flash lights, and the winners of these baskets are notified at the end of the three days.
“This year local children’s author Edward Siebert Jr. gave us signed books for three baskets. He also gave us some of his books, unsigned, to sell separately,” Roberta says.
Proceeds from the fundraiser go toward fire hats for children, battery exchanges, smoke detectors, updating fire safety films for Fire Prevention Week, and other projects that promote fire safety or other fire-related organizations.

Dear Housewives – The Know it all Gals
Dear Readers,
Thank you for reading your Dear Housewives column. We invite you to e-mail, call or write your questions. (Yes, you can be anonymous or change the names so no one can be identified).
Feel free to write us about family issues, household chores, movie/DVD reviews, community issues, budgeting situations. You ask and Your Dear Housewives will answer. Thank you and enjoy your column.
Flora and June
Dear Housewives,
I am flabbergasted by all the talk in the science community about Pluto. What do you think of the demotion?
Signed: Always loved Pluto in Meriden
FLORA: Dear Pluto Fan, I, too, have sadness as I understand that the coldest and smallest of our planets is now reduced to a dwarf. Poor thing. Initially, I thought the initial idea of 12 planets was terrific. Twelve planets, twelve houses of Abraham, twelve months of the year, twelve houses of the zodiac and of course the twelve days of Christmas. But the dwarf thing just blew all of that. June?
JUNE: I am surprised that you used the word "flabbergasted" about a planet being demoted. You do know that it can't really hear us and has no feelings, right? And, how busy have I been, 12 planets? I thought with Pluto, there are nine planets. And cry not Pluto lover, I believe it is still a planet just dwarfed.
Dear Housewives,
What in the world do you two ladies think of the booming music in cars with children in them?
Signed: Ear Plugs Needed in Wallingford
JUNE: I personally hate the booming music. I feel pretty old when I complain about it since I too like to play music I like loudly. I remember my friends and me driving around blasting our music and singing loudly not caring what others thought. Now I grumble and complain about having to hear what the jerk next to me is forcing me to listen to. I hate the thumping! I also do not think children in the car should have it blaring in their little ears. Plus, it is not very quality time with your child in the car when you can't even hear them if they try to talk to you.
FLORA: Well, just the other day a pick-up truck with mysteriously tinted windows pulled up beside me with booming music (lyrics totally inappropriate) and guess who exited the truck...A mother and her two elementary-school-aged children. Like they say: garbage in...garbage out. That goes for what you listen to, watch on TV and movies and who you hang around with.
Not to mention the hearing problems those children can suffer from because of repeated loud booming music inside cars. It is not fair for children to have to deal with the blasting music and cigarette smoking while in their car seats.
JUNE: Uh, Flora, who said anything about smoking?
FLORA: Oops, I had to add that it!
Dear Housewives,
Here it comes, football. My husband has again joined a few fantasy football leagues. He is on the computer all the time. How much time is too much time on these fantasy football leagues?
Signed: League of my own-Meriden
JUNE: Oh yes, I can feel the cool air, smell the fall coming. With it comes football. Mr. June is lucky, I happen to love football. And he, too, is in a fantasy football league. Only one and he does not tend to it all the time. I would say any more than an hour a week is too much. Maybe and hour and a half. Good luck.
FLORA: I am embarrassed to say but I don't know what Fantasy Football is. It might be a football pool or not; I have no idea. I can say that anything that takes you away from your family or friends, so much so that they notice, is too much time.
Go over and give him a shoulder massage while he is on the computer and try to distract him. Lure him away with something more enticing.
If it is for only a short time and the other times of the year he is 'all yours' - deal with it.



Dear People's Press,Not all Realtors are the same. I recently sold and bought a home through Maggie Griffin of Weichert Realtors in Wallingford. In the beginning, I tried to sell my home on my own and had a difficult time selling it. So a friend gave me a business card of a Realtor, who is Maggie Griffin, and said "This Realtor will work hard to sell your home and find you a new home." So after a few weeks, I finally called Maggie. She met with me, listened to my concerns, and answered all my questions. She also told me a motto she follows. She said "at Weichert Realtors - Quinnipiac Properties, we value our clients and take pride in our profession. Our goal is to meet your goals." After she said that, I felt at ease. She listed my home more then what I was asking as a for sale by owner, based on a CMA that told me what my market value is and her marketing and negotiating strategy. She educated me through the entire selling process, got the price I was looking for and most of all, stayed in communication with me at all times. Then she repeated the same method in buying my new home and negotiated the purchase price that was suitable for me. I was more impressed that I was always able to reach her and if I had to leave a message, she returned my calls within a short amount of time. I will admit, I was nervous in the beginning because I had a bad experience with another agent from another company that I won't mention. But Maggie proved to me that not all real estate agents are the same and her office really takes communication with its clients seriously. She walked me through every step in selling and buying, was honest and stayed in communication with me. If I have to do this all over again, Maggie will be the one I would call in a heart beat. Her honesty and professionalism was straight forward and we couldn't ask for a better real estate agent. She even called me after I settled in my new home and sends me weekly e-mails just to say hello and reminds me she is still there for any questions and concerns I may have. She wrote me words to remember her by in a thank you card enclosed in a floral arrangement that said, "We at Weichert Realtors-Quinnipiac Properties, Our Office Staff, Real Estate Professionals and myself (Maggie) are honored to be the ones Welcoming you home. Congratulations." I was thrilled. Only an agent with a heart can write such a greeting on a welcome to your new home gift. When I started working with Maggie, she lived by her company's values; she proved to me that just because I had a previous bad experience with another agency, not all Realtors are the same. And her energy and confidence in her office and peers following the same values has her, gave me the confidence that Weichert Realtors in Wallingford is a Real Estate Agency that even a "For Sale By Owner" can trust and feel confident. Maggie went above and beyond; she even researched the building records on the house I bought, gave me the market value in writing and worked hard in negotiating for me. I want to say thank you to the Owner of Weichert Realtors-Quinnipiac Properties and Maggie Griffin for making my first time in selling and my second time in buying a happy, educational and smooth move. My family and I couldn't thank Maggie and her office enough for the thank you floral arrangement, too. We are so happy, I had to write this letter to thank Maggie for her hard work and dedication and thank her office for the warm welcome I received when I would call for Maggie. That is one agency that gets the job done and Maggie proved the agency she is affiliated with really does live by and understands values and professionalism in real estate. Thank you Maggie and Weichert Realtors-Quinnipiac Properties!! Sincerely,M.D.M

Seeking Parent Leaders in Meriden
By Ritza Policard


What is the Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI)?

PLTI is a 20-week program, created by the Connecticut Commission on Children, which empowers parents to become leading advocates for children.

The purpose of PLTI is to enable parents to become leading advocates for children. Parents may lack advocacy skills, but not the motivation or will to change their children's lives. The cornerstones of the program are respect, validation and a belief that when the tools of democracy are understood, the public will actively engage in civic life. Parents help bridge the gap between the private sector and the governing structures. Parents learn that their voices are influential and that they can produce positive change within their communities.

What are the Goals of PLTI?

Help parents become the leaders they would like to be for children and families.
Expand the capacity of parents as change agents for children and families.
Develop communities of parents within regions of the state that will support one another in skills development and successful parent action for children.
Facilitate systems change for parental involvement with increased utilization of parents in policy and process decisions.
Increase parent-child interactions and improve child outcomes through parent involvement.

PLTI is sponsored, promoted and nurtured by Meriden Children First Initiative.


How did I learn about PLTI? Almost 2 years ago, when I had just moved to Meriden I was looking to meet people in my new town and I saw their flyer at the Meriden Public Library. I am Haitian and a mother of two children under eighteen (18). It is not always easy to understand a new culture. Being a foreigner and an immigrant, I have decided to learn more about the government and the policies especially regarding children.


PLTI was an enlightening, endearing and memorable experience, as we had to do some hands-on and/or effectively had live experience with the material being discussed. We had guest speakers, with the appropriate background on the week-topic to reinforce the class process.

Those topics included:

Political Science (Public Policy, Mass Media), Ethics, Economics and Statistics (How to prepare a budget, how to read a budget-chart), Public Speaking, Cultural Anthropology (Diversity, Ethnic, Class and Race), Sociology (Culture, Society, Social Interaction, Groups and Organizations, Social Class in US, Family, Social Change), Psychology (Sensation and Perception, Consciousness, Learning, Communicating; Motivation and Emotion), Psychology of Child Development (stages of child development).

Guest Speakers included:

Mark Benigni, Mayor of Meriden, CT
Cathy Abercrombie, State Representative (PLTI Alumni)
Barbara Sokol, BOE member (BOE: Board of Education)
Geri Kogut, PLTI Alumni
Maria Gonzalez, PLTI Alumni
Mary Cortright, Meriden Superintendent of Schools
Ralph Tomaselli, Managing Editor, Record Journal
Mary Mushinsky, State Representative, Assistant Leader, Wallingford, CT
Stephen Zerio, City Council member, Majority Leader
Ann Pratt, Connecticut Parent Power

I would like to thank the excellent PLTI class Facilitators whose expertise sharing and diverse approaches and teaching styles have made PLTI classes so worthwhile that one night, even with a 102.4°F fever, I came in a blur and attended class anyway because I did not want to miss one single class.

Now that I am a graduate, is it over? No, the journey has just begun with all the future calls for action unanswered as yet. I have gained an extended family at PLTI.

And all of us, graduates of 2006, have entered a new community that has benefited from the PLTI one way or another. The results will be seen when we will start implementing our newfound knowledge and applying to the benefit of Meriden and beyond.


PLTI is open to all parents and caregivers. The class is free to participate. Child-care and family dinner night of class is also provided. Transportation available. Parents meet once a week for 20 weeks. The next class will start in January 2007. Applications are available at Children First in the Meriden Public Library or online at www.meridenchildrenfirst.org The application deadline is October 31, 2006.

I think that all concerned parents regardless of age and ethnicity should attend those classes and learn how to better serve their children and their community.

Ritza is a graduate, 2006 class of the Meriden Parent Leadership Training Institute

Poll: What was your favorite childhood toy?
My favorite toy as a child was a big walking doll....back in the 50's it was every little girls dream to have one...and what I would like to see in the next 6 years...#1 is peace through out the world...#2 for me would be better health…we all wish for a lot but these are the most important things right now - Marge
**
My favorite toys were my Raggedy Ann doll, my Barbie dolls, house, and car, and my brother's army guys that I used to play army with on the front steps on top of the milk box. - Joan Goodman
**
My favorite toy wasn't really a toy - it was a rocking horse with what felt like real horsehair, big enough for a 4 - 5 year old to ride, and it was in my kindergarten classroom. In fancied myself a cowgirl in those days. My favorite song was "Don't Fence Me In," which I was recently surprised to learn was written by Cole Porter! In anticipation of Christmas my mother told me my gift would be brown and tan, and I was sure it would be cowboy boots! Instead it was a taffeta dress, and there are endless photos of me in it to endlessly remind me that I didn't get cowboy boots! I was not a very successful cowgirl...
- Pauli Gravel
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I had two favorite board games as a child. One was the game of Life, and the other was Pay Day.
- Fran
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Poll: "Chocolate or Gummy Bears?"

Chocolate, hands down!!!!! - Karen
**Oh, come now – hands down, CHOCOLATE AND, PREFERABLY – DARK CHOCOLATE.
- Andrea Balsamo
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Chocolate, of course. It really is the best choice. – Andrea Atkins
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CHOCOLATE it is!!!! Chocolate is a comfort food and helps to make you forget about any troubles or worries you may have - at least temporarily. It tastes good, too, and dark chocolate is actually good for your health (in moderation of course). Chocolate Easter Bunnies are the best tasting chocolate around.......
**
Chocolate: Kit Kats, Thompson’s; anything combined with a crispy wafer; Whatchamacallit…you get the idea. - Rosanne P. Ford
**
Oh, CHOCOLATE! How can one compare? Gummie bears are disgusting and stick to your teeth (not to mention what they do to tear at your fillings - gross!!) – Charlotte
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While I don't typically touch either, I would have to take chocolate. - Dan
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CHOCOLATE all the way!!!!! Why? Because nothing beats a Hershey's Bar :) Especially a gooey one in a smore!!! - Jessica
**
In the Sierra Madres live a beautiful Native American tribe called The Huichols. They believe chocolate is sacred, a gift from paradise. I think they’re right. You can purchase the Huichol chocolate (it is sooo good) from www.shamanchocolates.com. - Carrie
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No contest - chocolate. - Joan
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Of course chocolate is better! It doesn't stick between your teeth! And it tastes soooooooooo good!!! – - Donna
**
Chocolate, of course! Hershey's is good.
Kennebunkport Fudge is best! – Nancy
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Gummy Bears… YUCK!! Chocolate, Milk Chocolate but if you going to eat it make it Norwegian Chocolate or Lindt Chocolate or Nothing at all. - Cathy Chagnon
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Gummy bears unless it is Lindt truffles :) – Heather
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Chocolate - Sue
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Chocolate!!! – Gina
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GUMMY BEARS ALL THE WAY – Carla
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Chocolate by a mile. Gummy bears not even out of the starting gate! - D. Bruce Franklin
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Really Love... Chocolate!!!!!!! It's the best thing that they ever made...need that chocolate fix now and then and yes it does a lot for us women...like they say...Hershey's is the very best Chocolate - Marge
**
I LOVE GUMMY BEARS !!!!MMMM DELICIOUS !!!! - Marinelly
**
Sorry, Andy—but I have to go with CHOCOLATE!!! – Angelina
**
I can't believe that you have a contest between luscious chocolate and slummy gummy bears. Need I say more? Chocolate cures chronic depression. Slummy gummies slip into your teeth and slowly change to slimy cavities. - Sil

In loving memory of Jean L. Tarca - April 8. 1928 - July 18, 2006.
By Sharon Tarca, her daughter-in-law
Mother-in-law. The term produces all sorts of images, but forget them all. Jean Tarca, our “Ma,” my mother-in-law, was the exact opposite of every stereotypical mother-in-law. For the last few days, people have been using the same words over and over again to describe Ma. Wonderful woman – gentle person – hard worker – devoted church member - loved her family. Her family observed that first-hand.
No one made better Jello salad or funfetti cake. No one searched harder on vacations to bring back just the right souvenir for every family member. No one was prouder the accomplishments of her children and grandchildren – and even the successes of her sons-in-law and daughter-in-law. No one loved having Thanksgiving dinner at her house every year more than Ma – even when the grandkids were getting bigger and the house seemed to be smaller every year. No one loved going out for breakfast more than Ma. No one enjoyed Father’s Day reunions more than Ma – and she always knew which kids belonged to which cousins. And according to my husband, no one chased those monsters out of the closet in the middle of the night better than Ma.
Quietly and unassumingly, Ma was the string that tied this family together. Together with Dad, they raised four wonderful children, welcomed us when they chose Mark and Bob and me to be the “outlaws,” enjoyed seven beautiful grandchildren, and now we have to say good-bye. Tom has said over and over again this week that he had a wonderful mother – and I must say that I had a wonderful mother-in-law.
We know that Ma is now resting in a special place, and we will all see her again someday. Ma tied this family together in such a way that she will always be with our family when we gather – because she has passed on a legacy of love and devotion to family, as well as those recipes for Jello salad and funfetti cake.

Four Teens Meet Ryan Carbara
By Maggie Griffin


When my daughter, Stephanie Griffin, received her final report card, her reward was taking her and her close friends to see Ryan Cabrara in concert at Toad's Place in New Haven. However, it was more than just honors that brought Stephanie there. All four girls have carried the dedication to their achievements at Dag, their own efforts to their gifted talents and their support, toward good causes that Stephanie and her three friends, Maddy, Megan and Tori, is above and beyond the expectations I have ever seen. This only proves when you use your heart, dreams really do some true.
When I battled breast cancer, Stephanie gave up a lot to be there for me. Her friends supported her in many ways for many personal reasons of their own. And because of the care and support they have given to my daughter, it was an honor for me to be amongst four hard working teens that have hearts of Gold and bringing them to this concert. But the surprise came when we arrived for the concert. The four teens were given a gift of opportunity to meet and speak to Ryan Cabrara. Seeing the smiles on their faces when they were told they were going to meet Ryan Cabrara is priceless. And out of all the people there, these four teens were the only ones who were given this opportunity. This proves when you work hard at school, sports, music, dancing and supporting worthy causes, rewards come in a form of a surprise, and the best surprises are priceless.
As a parent, I will admit, Ryan Carbara is a great role model for the teens in this generation. His music is written from his heart, his laughter can make anyone smile, and he truly has a heart filled with Gold. His music also gives examples of real life and somehow can ease the drama most teens go through in today's society. He likes to joke, play his music and sets good examples for young performers still in high school.
When it came time for the four girls to meet Ryan, they were in a state of shock, frozen, not knowing what to say. Then the ice was broken, Ryan did most of the talking. Although Ryan is famous and a teen idol, he is an everyday human too like everyone else. I noticed he likes to be funny, he has an ear that listens and a heart that sings. His multiple instrumental talents were more than impressive. He played every instrument on that stage and he puts clean fun in a concert too.
Ryan Cabrara gave these girls a gift of a moment in time that will be a memory that will last a life time for these four teens. And he gave me a gift, too; he made me realize that no matter how old you are, no matter what pain and suffering you go through, no matter what life holds; all it takes is a dream and the courage to make it happen.
So in ending, meeting a famous teen idol music performer was the best gift these four girls were given. And Toad's still holds the spirit of making dreams come true, leaving fond memories for every minute spent there.
I want to thank Cash, Toad's Place and Ryan Cabrara for making a wish come true for these four teens...they more than deserved this opportunity to meet Ryan and talk to him in person. But most of all, There is No Place Like Toad's Place.
And to Stephanie, Megan, Tori and Maddy, you are now about to enter the world of high school. Good Luck at Lyman Hall and keep up the good work. It was an honor for me to be present with the four of you at this concert. You are all great kids.


The 10 Year Old 10k dog

For many years now, my 8-pound dog has been ill on and off. It has gotten progressively worse over the past few years or so. We have been to the vet’s many times. We have changed dog foods, given meds, had tests and x-rays, called homeopathic vets, and even pet psychics. My dog would be ok, then after a few months at the most he would have many symptoms. He is a very sensitive dog to noise, change, chaos etc. It manifests in his GI system. When he would get nauseated and vomit and have loose stools, we tried everything. Then, it went on to trembling; he also was depressed and did not eat. We put him on antidepressants meds and antianxiety meds. New prescription diet. That worked for awhile. Then a few months later, it happened again. More tests and more tests. Second opinions. Lots of prayers. This past year was the worse. One day he could not stand or walk, had a head tilt, tremors and vomiting and diarrhea. More vets, tests, pills, X-rays. Now the neurologist in NYC was to be called for all the neurological symptoms. I prayed and prayed to know what was going on with him and what could we do. He was getting no permanent relief from this mysterious thing that was going on with him for so many years. I began keeping a daily log on him - everything he did, ate, etc. Prayers never stopped. Today, after his latest falling and stumbling and vomiting depression and not eating, I looked at my notes. Oh my God, right in front of me was the answer. Each time for the past 4 months that I have kept this daily log, the common denominator was within 24 to 48 hours he had his Heartguard. I looked this up on line. Right in front of me there it was. Toxic side effects in some dogs are: ataxia, tilting head, vomiting, nausea, anorexia, depression, excitement, tremors. He had them all…For years they have been getting progressively worse. I was poisoning my dog with this med he was supposed to be on to protect him. Each month for years. Granted, these side effects are for a small number of sensitive dogs. Mostly, collies, and shelties and greyhounds. But, my sensitive dog is on the list now. No more for him. My prayers were answered. I know, I was directed to find these answers for him. He is doing a bit better today and God willing will live with me many more years.
Kathy Nadeau


Meriden Parent Leadership Training Institute: Helping You Make a Difference for Your Child, for Your Community
Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. – Margaret Mead

All change begins as a seed in thought. Each day, you might think about one way – small or large – that the community can be a better place to raise your family. You might think, “I wish I could change this.” Or “Someone should do that.”
Have you wondered how you could be a better role model for your children? Your grandchildren?
Meriden Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI) enables parents, grandparents, and caregivers to have the tools they need to be the one who makes change happen in their community. The program helps them be the role model, the leader, they know they can be.
What does Parent Leadership mean? It is the capacity for parents to interact within society with purpose and positive outcomes for children. Most parents are deeply concerned about the impact of schools, community and the environment on their children, but they don’t know how the systems function or how decisions are made within the public policy and budget domains. A democracy toolkit is needed to develop the skills of leadership.
PLTI’s goals include helping parents develop communities of parents within the community that will support one another in skill development and successful parent action for children, facilitate systems change for parental involvement with increased utilization of parents in policy and process decisions, and to increase parent-child interaction and improve child outcomes through parent involvement.
“The bigger message is that we’re not alone. Others will share the same issues or frustrations. We can solve issues better in community with other people. We’re not alone or isolated. There are other people who care about Meriden and Meriden families,” David Radcliffe, Director of Meriden Children First Initiative, says.
Parents have some of the best ideas of how to improve the projects, places, learning endeavors, classrooms’ needs and schools’ curriculum of their community. PLTI simply provides the foundation for parents to learn how to initiate the change and to find like-minded individuals in the community who work together for a common cause.
"PLTI encourages citizens to get involved and make a difference in our city. PLTI graduates are community leaders who have taken an active role in making Meriden a better place to live, work and raise a family.
Whether it is advocating for our children, organizing city functions and fundraisers or serving on city boards and commissions, PLTI graduates are committed volunteers who continually give back to our city," Meriden Mayor Mark Benigni says.
Meriden PLTI graduates have made a difference with projects that include:
-Winning elected office to the Meriden Board of Education, City Council, and State House of Representatives.
- Creating a “Senior Buddy Reader” literacy program for at-risk elementary students
- Working to renovate and relocate Hubbard Park playground to make it safer and accessible to people with disabilities
- Expanding Meriden’s school breakfast program to all eight elementary schools
- Increasing the availability of full-day kindergarten in Meriden public schools
The free twenty-week program offers:
A retreat to develop group cohesion and define mission
10-week course on parent leadership, understanding personal history and its impact on perception
10-week study of politics, policy, and media with a community project to practice your new skills within a community framework.
Every week is a different topic with trained facilitators as well as different community leaders as guest speakers.
“It’s an incredible twenty weeks. It is challenging, demanding, and participatory. Those who go through it say it has been transforming for them individually by helping to build relationships both in and out of the program,” Radcliffe says.
The class helps move issues that the participants really care about. After playing at the Hubbard Park playground with her three children, 2005 graduate Dawn Reynolds realized how inaccessible the playground is for any parents or children with disabilities, as well as a number of other safety concerns. She took her concern to the next level and began to see what it would take to make a new playground a reality. The trials and tribulations were larger than she initially expected, and after a year of being involved with the playground project, she began the PLTI program. “The program made the world feel a lot smaller. More intimate. It allowed me to fearlessly tap into the resources in my own backyard. And fellow classmates provided the moral support I needed for the playground project,” Reynolds says.
For some the program is a confidence builder, helping with public speaking skills in addition to demystifying the political process.
“I feel that PLTI does a very good job at helping parents to gain more confidence in themselves and to make them realize they should certainly share their opinions with other people. It teaches them how to do that appropriately and how to do that within a system, whatever the system might be,” says Mary Cortright, Superintendent, Meriden Board of Education.
“Everybody’s kids are our future. I have a realization of my community and my power as an advocate,” Jenna LeBlanc-Webb, a 2006 graduate, says.
Classes are held once a week at 6:00 p.m. in Meriden. Dinner for parents and children is at 5:00 p.m. and childcare is provided while parents are in class.
Twenty-five applicants are selected from parents, caregivers, and grandparents who wish to improve the lives of children, families and communities. Attendees are selected for each class based on how their participation will enhance diversity, strength, and learning for the group as a whole.
The new session begins January 2007. If you are interested, please submit your application before October 31. Interviews will begin in November. For more information, contact the Children First Initiative, PLTI Office at 203-630-3566 or visit www.meridenchildrenfirst.org/plti/default.asp.


Traditional Sundays
(New York City)
“Manattan”
by Rosina Zocco – Cignatta
There was a different yet familiar movement in the air that made Sundays in the city very distinguishable from all the other days. Signals were clear from the minute of awakening that the mood of Sunday had taken over and it never left us until bedtime. We came to understand this at an early age and relied on it for the comfort and peace it lavished upon us. Sunday served as a renewal of faith and it was this strength that helped carry us through the whole week. We did not know then we were living our lives in a depression; we thought all people lived the same.
The life and action of the city reflected itself upon the just-cleaned and sparkling windows. Floors were freshly washed and waxed and covered by newspapers the night before to be kept clean until Sunday rising. Clotheslines reeling yesterday in constant rhythm quieted down to a halt and a stray dishrag could be seen where lines now hung bare. Saturdays were spent getting the house ready for Sunday when families did other things not ordinarily done on weekdays. The same Sunday rituals were duplicated throughout the other neighborhoods; this was happening everywhere in different ways all with similar meaning. It was Harlem, Yorkville, Little Italy, and Chinatown. All the activities were confined within walking distance of a few blocks and walking in our best Sunday finery gave us pride and dignity. During these delightful excursions, there was nothing more rewarding than stopping at the nearby candy stand to buy a penny’s worth of sweets. The wrinkley old man who was bent-over was generous to us kids, and we got to like him and his beat up wooden crate stand. When he died we never went back there again. The new hangout was not nearly as nice even though it was bigger and modern featuring all the new and latest gimmicks like a marble soda fountain and free seltzer water. At the old candy stand, we could get a bagful of candy to trade with friends for only pennies. It was never a simple task to pick the best buys but we used to get a lot of advice from the old man, which helped us out of our dilemma. He knew our names and what we liked - it was never the same after he died. Now we were confronted with endless rows of delicious candy in glass jars all lined up; the confusion was annoying; the change caught us unaware and we were not ready to accept it. We did, however, have reliable candy favorites, which we continued to depend upon like: tootsie rolls, rootbeer barrels, gumdrops, licorice, button candy, Babe Ruths, and Big Bill bubble gum with popular baseball heroes and movie stars on cards to keep. Now button candy offered a lot because it took so long to eat but somehow we always wound up eating some of the paper it was on, too. The truth of the matter is that we were continuously searching for any candy that would last a long time. Taffy never let us down.
Walking along the streets on Sunday also meant that we might be pleasantly surprised by any one of a number of street vendors. Some pulled handmade pushcarts while others rode carts or wagons pulled by horses. Nonetheless, the sight of one of them was an invitation to burst into song as you heard the sound of their loud ringing/clanging cowbells, which hung on cords of tattered rags. All else stopped in the homes, as young and old joined in the welcoming reception. Heads popped out of awning windows, men came out of saloons holding their pitchers of beer ready for Sunday dinner tables, and smiling children gleefully ran out of buildings to greet the entertainer. It was the unveiling of a long awaited scenario. Everyone was ready.
Mothers were especially partial to the scissor-grinder with whom they entered upon lengthy bargaining sessions while we stared wide-eyed at his metal wheel shooting off rounds of spectacularly colored sparks along with an eerie shrill pitch as he sharpened their household tools. We were fascinated by this fourth of July demonstration incognito. Yet it was the organ grinder with his dancing monkey that won our hearts and held us spellbound year after year. For this special occasion we saved all our money collected from Christmas and birthdays in our piggie banks for we knew he would eventually turn up. The organ grinder and the monkey wore their identical costumes of red velvet, which faded with the time. The gold braiding and tasseled peaked hats that had once been so ornamental then began to lose their luster. The shiny sequins became dull and sparse so that the glitter began to go. Things had changed through the years and what had taken place before our eyes suddenly made us feel unhappy. And the last time we watched them they looked tired and weary; somehow it didn’t seem that we laughed as much that time as we used to.
Then there were the umbrella pushcarts. Smaller in size but carrying those delectable treats that lure the bellies of the young astray. Who can resist eating just one more thing. When days were sizzling hot, the man with the shaved ice-cones appeared from nowhere with his glistening, cool glacier-shaped ices. Both appealing to our eye and wonderful for our thirst, they were mini mountains crowned with sweet tasting rainbows. The only foreseeable way to conquer our game of tasting all the flavors was to eat ours half way and then exchange it with a friend. The tall glass bottles holding the vivid colors of greens, purples, reds and lemons boldly stood out alongside the huge blocks of ice that mirrored their reflections. Bright cherry flavor always came out the winner, and we walked around with red around our mouths quite willingly for that taste.
And when days were wintry cold there was nothing more comforting than a hot sweet potato. You could juggle it in your hands keeping them warm until it cooled off ready to bite. Somehow the burnt smell of a scorched brown skin half peeled off the sides of a potato was enough temptation to scald your mouth because waiting seemed too long. Cooked any other way, the sweet potato never tastes as good. It was the same with the hot roasted chestnuts and soft pretzels cooked over those smoldering coals. I have seen stripped barks of trees that have often reminded me of those curled up skins from chestnuts slowly revealing their paleness underneath and I have yearned for one since.
Sundays was also the day we prayed for a visit from the merry-go-round man. Because he passed through but once a year and it was such a novelty, we were upset if by chance we missed him. This was a big truck with a small merry-go-round in the back of it. Yet the thrill of this ride was no less than any you might get at a big one at a carnival. The horses were intricately carved and delicately decorated with splashy spectrums of paints and as their hoofs galloped up and down, you were guaranteed to drift away into fairyland. All this time, the owner and sometimes one of us was privileged to turn the hand crank to keep the music going. The familiar sequence of the three nursery rhymes is still in my memory and I think that if he had ever sought to replace the melodies, the enchantment would have been lost to me forever.
But returning back to the beginning of the day, attending church played an important role in starting our Sunday right. It was plainly understood that if you were too sick to attend church mass you automatically did not participate in anything else for the rest of the day either. The mere fact that you may have suddenly recovered from your ailment as children are sometimes apt to do, did not alter the predicament you found yourself in. So although we struggled with the urge to stay snugly in bed when our radiators stayed cold, church always won out. Church was never a last minute affair and Sunday clothes were painstakingly laid out the night before. These clothes were not worn any other time except for special occasions and then by permission only. The polishing of brown and white saddle shoes made us late for church more than once. They demanded the touch of a master artist and the exact dividing line of the two separate areas was never really satisfactorily achieved either by trial or error. So it was certainly not by accident, that I came to notice that the Franciscan monks at our church did not have to deal with this problem. I envied their brown sandals and where our socks turned powdery white form the flaking shoe polish they wore no socks at all. They wore simple brown long flowing robes with thick entwined ropes knotted at their waists. We wore frilly dresses, flowered hats, beaded pocketbooks, bobby socks, and white crisp gloves. Our prayer books and rosary beads well at hand, everything in order. They could get dirty and no one would know. We didn’t dare skip, hop, or play along the way for fear of getting dirty. It was no fun to wear Sunday clothes except to show them off to our friends if we had something new. As a result, we hurried home after church with the hope of changing our clothes but mothers didn’t encourage this since Sunday was a day for family clans to exchange visits.
Sunday meals were basically planned feasts and were intentionally cooked with company in mind. There was food and more food. There was drinking and toasting with homebrewed wines and the tasting of traditional family dishes together with the merriment of singing and strumming of mandolins, of babies being fed and of others crying, of cousins playing and fighting, of grandparents’ tales about days gone by and of places in their native land and countryside. You could almost see their vineyards, the Mediterranean Sea, the volcanoes, the marble quarries poppa worked in as they spoke sometimes with a homesick yearning to go back. Some had left their parents behind or sisters and brothers, they felt the loss even though they felt the gain they had made here. Some adjusted easier than others, some never seemed to adjust as well to the new land. Momma was seventeen and blonde with a long braid down her back, I wondered how come people said Italians only had black hair when I had seen both in the families.
The sounds, songs, and visions of all of this linked me close to my ancestry and I came to know and love it even while I was as American. When I visited my parents’ homeland in Italy years later, I felt a coming home there like I had been there before---maybe on a Sunday.