A Shivery Sunday Morning

It's -2.2 degrees.

According to the Utica O-D's Interactive Weather Page,

(which I really like!)

it's up to 5 degrees in the city!

Probably a good morning to stay inside a little later than usual and, after you've read the O-D and the Post Standard and the New York Times, you can catch up with this local news, if you havn't already:

Page 1 Headlines from this week's issue of the
Waterville Times

"Fun in the Sun, Snow" - An article by WCS High School Student Council Advisor Leslie Olivera-Van Wormer discussing a snow sculpting contest during Winter Spirit Week was published in last month's issue of "Leadership," designed for student activities.

"Sign of Mild Winter" - Donna Tanney's son brought her a Myrtle Blossom on the day after Christmas.

"From Deansboro to DA" - Interview with Scott McNamara, recently appointed Acting District Attorney of Oneida County.

"Register for Kindergarten" - Registrations for 2007-08 will be taken Jan. 22 through Jan. 26.

"Strategic Plan Sets Two Goals" - WCS Board of Education will review "blueprint for the future" designed by staff, students and members of the community.

"Area Picked for Housing Rehab" - The south side of the Skaneateles Turnpike in the hamlet of Brookfield will be the target for the town's housing improvement plan.

"BCS Board Says Yes on Project" - Residents of Brookfield will vote later this year on school expansion project approved by the Board of Education last week.

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And, for your continued Sunday Morning Reading,
excerpts from "In Timely Manner."

What Everyone’s Talking About:
1. The weather, of course.

2. The Colds -- colds of the variety that hang on and on and which, by some accounts, were given as Christmas Gifts from grand- and great grand-children at large family gatherings!

3. A rumored change at “Green Acres Plaza,” in the middle of the village. The writer hastens to say that she has no intention of investigating or clarifying the status of any real estate transfer - should there even be one - nor discuss what effect it might have on the future of the businesses currently located there or the appearance of that part of the village, but only wishes to make note of the fact that this IS a matter occupying the general public and is a topic that intrudes on every other conversation. Villagers wonder, most, what will happen to the Post Office, the Treens’ “Home Shoppe,” “Ecco Video,” and the professional offices of Jim Pacelli, Accountant, and Paul Hadley, Attorney at Law. They also want to know, "What's it going to look like?" (It is, after all, just about within the Historic Triangle District.)

Those with sharp eyes immediately noticed the SOLD sign on the property just to the north of Main Street on Buell Avenue and hazard a guess that there may be some connection to the above-mentioned probability. Also - the former Scerbo Building is once again wearing a For Sale sign: the “Subway,” apparently, will not be running.

Following an inquiry from Mrs. R. Martin of Sangerfield, last week, the writer set out to learn which of “our” TIOGA “flag girls” had been very badly injured in an accident before Christmas. I was able to E-write to Nannette “Noodles” Jones, of Forestport, and learned that the girl who was hurt was Alex - the taller of the two blondes - and that although “she was in rough shape for a while - having broken her pelvis, among other things - (she) is back at home now.” Nannette also asked about the village in general and said, “I miss you guys!”

Rotarians had an unusual treat, recently: according to The Watervillian, "Mark Barnes exhibited his new Korg keyboard and showed how it can sound like the Glenn Miller Band or a full orchestra of Latin music. His band, Plastic Soul, played recently in Chicago for a group of McDonald's executives."

Before Christmas, Roc Langone - who had already developed his own lines of ice cream and gelato, was taking special orders for Spumoni, made in the tradition which originated in Naples, Italy, and NOW he is manufacturing a custom line of the Greek Dessert Baklava - that’s the one with phyllo dough and layers of ground walnuts, sugar and spices and honey! His is layered, predictably, with Baklava Ice Cream, and sounds mouth-wateringly delicious. But there’s one problem: if you want some you’ll have to dine at Symeon’s, where the unique dessert creation is an “exclusive!”

Speaking of Food - always a favorite topic - you can travel to “France in February” as easily as making reservations at “Michael’s” for his next elegant Wine Dinner. The event will take place on February 13th and the telephone number to call is 315/841-3077.

Our friend Sarah Sexton and her friend Cathy Burbules are on vacation in Hawaii and have taken a great number of their friends along with them via a spectacular Blog of notes and photographs (and thus saving us the ordeal of the five-hour layover in Newark and ten-hour flight to Honolulu and all associated expenses!)

Two new BLOGs have shown up on the Waterville Public Library Website: “Page Turners” (which welcomes adult book reviews) and “Teen Lit Basement,” (ditto for younger readers.) Find both at http://www.midyork.org/waterville/. The members of the Waterville Book Club are currently reading “The Daughter of Time,” by Josephine Tey published in 1951 shortly before her death. (from Wikipedia. “Tey's regular hero, Scotland Yard Inspector Alan Grant, is forced to spend time laid up in hospital. Becoming interested in a postcard of a portrait that his friend Marta brings to him. He asks for history books because of the lack of imagination shown in modern mystery fiction, he has friends research reference books so he can puzzle out the mystery of whether King Richard III of England murdered his nephews, the Princes in the Tower.”) Sounds like the perfect “read” for a stormy, winter day!

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More later on!