A silly question for me to ask would be: Did any of you make it to the liquidation sale at Inn at Blueberry Hill? It’s a silly question because I saw virtually the entire town there. I swear, it was the Chilmarkers version of Black Friday. I was happy to exit with two Adirondack chairs squeezed into the back of my car like an oversized version of that game Tetris. How do you fit them in just so they line up and the back of the car closes and there is still room for the occupants to sit safely in the vehicle. Thanks, Marshall, for having the eye for spatial games.
Now that I have mentioned Black Friday, the more essential question is how was everyone’s Thanksgiving? There were quite a few extra cars on the road, many with out-of-state plates. This leads me to believe many of you had friends, family, or summer-time neighbors in your midst.
I spotted Sawyer Rothmann, who arrived from Connecticut with not only his family but his new pup. Shaq, the Burmese Mountain dog, won’t take the place of its predecessor who died this past summer but is certainly making a place for himself in the Rothmann family. Yes, the pup is warming the hearts of plenty.
I also caught a glimpse of lovely Michelle O’Connor. I didn’t manage a visual on the rest of the O’Connor clan, but one can assume they all were at their South Road home.
Scott and Jennifer Frank were in town for the holidays on Sheep Hill. Their three — Sophia, Lukas, and Stella — all gathered to watch the wild turkeys pomp and circumstance through their yard. Amazing how bold they are while their brethren lie roasted on the table as the thankful centerpiece of our meal.
Bill and Zee Gamson are just back from a celebration for their son Josh’s big birthday in New York. They won’t share which big it is, but I am guessing it must end with a zero — all big birthdays end with that. It was his east coast celebration after a grand one in the Bay Area, where he lives. According to Bill and Zee, everything was fabulous — the food, the people, the matinée musical, the dinners. Now Josh is home with his two girls, Reba and Maddy, who stayed behind with their grandmother, aunt, and uncle. Bill and Zee happily made it home in time to share the Thanksgiving holiday with their Boston family.
The Parker Clan — David, Becky, Sophie, Meghan, Phoebe, and Isabel ventured south from their Carlisle home to enjoy giving thanks with the Keene posse. Hillary, John, Adelaide, Thea, Ella, and Lathrop were the hosts with the most who enjoyed turkey, the fixin’s and a few grand strolls in the fresh, warm fall air with the Parkers and others.
The library is back at it. Starting on the twenty-ninth, through the month of December, if you donate a nonperishable food item for the Food Pantry, the lovely ladies at the library will erase all of your fines. A pretty sweet deal if you have just pulled out from under the seat of the car that book or a movie you intended to return a couple of weeks ago.
Once again, another shout-out to all the families in town with little kids: the Firefighters Association has invited Santa for a visit on December 19. If you are new to town or have had a new wee one since last year, please confirm with me so Santa knows to expect him or her. I know we have some new babes in town that have joined us since 2011. Perhaps we have some new year-round littles too? I think I have you all on Santa’s list, but please shoot me off an email to confirm.
I swear I didn’t see the following in the hard copy of the Times yet it was online? If it is not in the hard copy please add the following paragraph. If I am crazy and it is, in fact, in the hard copy please disregard. Thank you!
Hugs, kisses and warm welcome wishes to Miss Penelope Louise Athearn. Penny Lou, the sweet baby girl, was born at her home at 25 Homeward Way surrounded by love, care and kindness at 3:14 am on November 12. Weighing in at 8 pounds, 12 ounces and sizing up at a perfect 21 inches long, she is adored to the moon and back by her parents, Meg and Dan, her siblings, Clara and Zeb, and a whole community of family and friends who are lining up to babysit the tremendous trio. One more reason to give thanks this holiday season.