Friday, December 28, 2007

Friday

It's 33.4 degrees. No overnight snowfall.


If this is what you're looking for, you'll have to pack up and drive North!

  • Today: Some sunshine possible this morning. Clouds thickening by afternoon. Wintry mix will arrive this evening. High: 38
  • Tonight: Snow and sleet, changing to rain. Low: 35
  • Saturday: Mostly cloudy with early morning snow showers. High: 40, Low: 27
  • Sunday: Mostly cloudy with snow showers. High: 34 Low: 25

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(Click!)

Becky Maggio sent me this poster of pictures that she took at the Kids' Party at the American Legion on the 16th. (Thanks, Becky!)

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I was away for a couple of days and came back yesterday afternoon to find this new addition to St. Bernard's Catholic Church.

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A friend in Maine sent this poem to me on Christmas Day. It was written by "Annie," who has kindly given me permission to share it with you:

‘Twas just weeks before Christmas and at the North Pole,
Santa Claus was outraged by his new proposed role.
For as elves in the workshop were all keeping busy,
Making so many toys it made them all dizzy,
And Santa and Missus were both full of smiles
As they plotted his course for cov’ring the miles,
Suddenly there’d been a knock at the door,
And Santa was soon shocked by what was in store.
For there on the porch stood a man with a letter,
Who said, "I have come to make the world better!"
Handing Santa the letter, he bowed from the waist,
And departed the scene with a great deal of haste.
"Department of P.C."—the return address—
gave Santa a shudder he couldn’t suppress.
But he’d opened it up as he turned from the door,
And the elves, and his Missus, were shocked by his roar!
"Those people are crazy!" was the rotund man’s yell.
"I should have told that guy to go straight to hell!
For listen to what those fool P.C. folks charge:
They think that old Santa is, simply, too large!"
Seems the food-police types, daring not to offend
Wanted him to be part of the slimming-down trend.
"The plump-Santa image most surely should cease,
For an icon like Santa must not be obese!"
"And," the letter went on, "when you laugh, say ‘HEE HEE,’
‘Cause ‘HO HO’ might offend certain ladies, you see.
And, oh, since we know you’re an upstanding type,
Of course, you must also dispense with the pipe."
And it closed with their thanks, as they’re sure he’ll comply
Since everyone knows Santa’s such a nice guy.
Then he, Missus Claus, and the elves had a talk,
And decided ‘twas time that somebody balk,
And doesn’t give in—let the P.C. folks natter.
The children’s opinion is all that should matter!
So Santa sent letters to kids far and wide;
He told them the problem and let them decide.
And then, return mail began to appear,
And Santa and Missus soon grinned ear-to-ear.
For kids ‘round the world wanted him fat and jolly,
With a hearty HO HO, and his old pipe, by golly!
And the P.C. Police, though they grumbled and whined,
Admitted they’d lost and became resigned,
And slunk to their cubicles, where they should be—
For a legend has nothing to do with P.C.!

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Also in my mailbox, new photographs by Library Director Jeff Reynolds.

He had spotted these wonderful old buildings on Route 80 East of Sherburne on a cold gray day, made a hasty U-turn and taken several pictures.


The ornamentation on the house certainly is "gingerbread," in the extreme. This must have been an elegant home, a hundred or more years ago. Perhaps a blog-reader knows its history?

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Whenever I go away I have the feeling that I'm probably missing all sorts of important or interesting "happenings" that should be recorded either here or in "In Timely Manner" in The Waterville Times. Did I? Please let me know!!

Have a Great Weekend!!!