Columns
In These Otsego Hills: The times they have changed
The Christmas of 2009
will go down as the first
Christmas since 1971
that we have not celebrated
the holiday in Cooperstown.
Instead we found ourselves
with the Christopher and
Annie in Mount Vernon, Ohio.
We were, of course, dubious
that Christmas could actually
be celebrated anywhere but
Cooperstown.
Fortunately, we were
proven wrong as Christmas
in Ohio seemed every bit as
good as Christmas in Cooperstown.
Of course, we were not
keen on the concept of traveling
in the winter.
However, we did manage,
thanks to Linda Crampton,
who offered to not only drive
us out to Ohio, but to also go
back to Ohio to drive us back
to Cooperstown. And, in spite
of the somewhat sketchy
weather, we had a great time
both ways.
And while we missed our
usual Christmas Eve celebration
with Alice and Harvey
Eckler and their family as well
as our usual Christmas Day
dinner with Sandy and Al
Bullard and their family, we
found new ways to celebrate.
Christmas Eve, in keeping with
Annie’s family tradition, we
did fondue and on Christmas
Day we partook of dinner with
Peggy and Tom Turgeon and
their family in Gambier, Ohio.
And we enjoyed it all very
much.
We are also happy to note
that we survived the Christmas
Eve fondue without
impaling a palm on a fondue
fork. Both of the others at
the festivities were not so
fortunate. Luckily there was a
goodly supply of spiderman
bandaids available.
We also greatly enjoyed
attending the Dec. 19 baby
shower for Boo, which was
given by Annie’s good friend
and co-worker, Nicole Pagano-
Percy at her home on East
High Street in Mount Vernon,
Ohio.
We were not only able to
touch base with a number of
our friends from the Kenyon
College community, but we
also were afforded the opportunity
to meet new ones.
And, of course, we greatly
enjoyed seeing all of the
various baby goods which are
available these days for new
arrivals.
We feel it is safe to say that
it is certainly some different
than it was 35 years ago.
Additionally, at the shower
we had the chance to meet
Nicole’s two daughters,
Sophia, five-and-a half, and
Lilly, two-and-a-half. Sophia
was perfect as Nicole’s special
helper for the shower. And
Lilly, we discovered, thinks
that our Christopher is just
one big jungle gym.
After the shower, Christopher
was hoisting Lilly up, up,
up in the air and then back
down again only to have
her say ``Do it again,’’ which
he did a number of times.
However, on her last ``Do it
again,’’ he announced he was
pooped.
Lilly immediately pointed
across the room, telling him
the bathroom was over there.
She then, with great urgency,
started pushing him, no small
task for a two-and-a-half-yearold,
toward the bathroom.
He then explained to her that
he meant he was tired, not in
need of a bathroom.
While in Ohio, we had the
chance to see Annie’s parents,
Hal and Judy Higby, who were
also in Ohio for the shower.
We quite enjoyed our visit
with them and look forward
to sharing Boo, who will be a
first grandchild on both sides,
with them.
Unfortunately, due to the
east coast storm which hit the
weekend before Christmas,
Hal did not have the smoothest
trip from Ohio back to
Connecticut.
In fact, he sat in the Columbus
airport for ten hours
waiting for a flight.
And finally, when an
airplane for his flight arrived
from Philadelphia, having sat
on the tarmac for three hours
there, it turned out that the
pilot had timed-out on his flying
hours so it did not appear
that there was a pilot to fly the
plane back to New York. But,
in a stroke of luck, one of the
passengers slated to take the
flight to New York was a pilot
for that particular airline.
He announced that, once he
did the necessary paperwork,
he would be happy to fly the
plane to New York, which is
just what he did, much to the
relief of not only Hal but all
the rest of the passengers on
the flight.
And people wonder why we
don’t like to fly.
And, although we stayed
in Ohio long enough that we
missed our usual New Year’s
Eve festivities at the Hawkeye,
we nonetheless enjoyed the
rest of our visit.
And we left knowing that
when we next visit Ohio, baby
Boo will be there to greet us.
And thus while the festivities
for Christmas of 2009 and the
New Year of 2010 were greatly
changed, we know full well
that the real change is yet to
come.
In closing, we believe it was
John Foster Dulles, Secretary
of State under President
Dwight D. Eisenhower, who
said, ``A capacity to change is
indispensable.
Equally indispensable is the
capacity to hold fast to that
which is good.’’ We hope in
2010 to be able to do both.
COMMENTS REGARDING this column
may be made by mail at 105 Pioneer
Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326, by
telephone at 607-547-8124 or by e-mail
at cellsworth1@stny.rr.com.
- Columns
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From Fly Creek: Passing fronts and settled weather
(I owe the first part of this column to an informal writers’ workshop sponsored by the Smithy Pioneer Gallery. The small group, led by Gallery Director Danielle Newell, meets Sunday afternoons and is open to anyone interested in the writing craft. As a warmup exercise on that very rainy afternoon, we each wrote a few paragraphs on the weather and emotions. Here’s what that keen group prompted me to scribble down) The dour old Scotsman, the one featured in jokes without number about buying lottery tickets, pinching pennies, scorning worldly ways, etc., once silenced a friend who was praising the beautiful weather.
Continued ... -
In These Otsego Hills: We're back from Michigan ...
Unfortunately, we once again find ourselves stuck in a time warp. When we look at the calendar, we realize that Labor Day is fast approaching. Yet, we seem to be operating under the misconception that it is still early July due in large part to the fact that we spent the almost five weeks from July 15 to August 17 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We feel the summer has sailed by and we, unfortunately, have not kept pace.
Continued ... -
Otsego Herald: Censorship?
All those indebted to John Lawrence, Post-rider, and do not settle the same IMMEDIATELY may rely upon having to pay cost!! Otego, Aug. 24.
Continued ... -
In These Otsego Hills: 1984 comes to a close ... finally
As we continue traipsing through 1984, we realize that even though we were supposed to be covering the comings and goings of Cooperstown, we actually were able, even then, to touch on a number of pressing community, as well as personal, issues. Of course, much to the relief of the powers that were at CCS, the school was not among them. The he-we ran for the school board in 1984 and was elected. Thus the school was deemed off limits by the powers that were at the paper. But we discovered there was still a wide range of issues upon which we could write.
Continued ... -
Otsego Herald: New school book
From the Otsego Herald for Saturday, Aug. 18, 1810
Continued ... -
Book Notes: Books offer tennis insights
Professional tennis sometimes seems to be the ultimate life. Where else could you travel the world, earn gobs of money, get in great shape, and have groupies from the opposite sex chasing you all the time? And you get all your equipment free to boot (which may explain why players smash racquets without remorse). Quite a glamorous life, isn’t it?
Continued ... -
In These Otsego Hills: Continuing our 1984 musings
Now that we have undertaken the beginnings of this column, we fear we find ourselves unable to stop our review of the early writings. In fact, we seem to be completely addicted to the project. And thus, we will continue to explore the very foundations on which this column has been built.
Continued ... -
Book Notes: Burnett's book recalls 'Golden Age'
It’s a shame that today’s young generation missed the golden age of television from the 1960s and 70s. The fact that Hollywood studios with their ``original’’ ideas of constantly remaking hit TV shows from that era into new movies and reunion specials is quite telling. Even Fox with its ``That 70’s Show’’ is a reminder of that whimsical time.
Continued ... -
Home Notes: A place to cherish
As we enter into the middle of summer, let us pause and relish in the fact that we have been blessed with such lovely weather.
Continued ... -
From Fly Creek: Hurray for Mother Bassett!
Just back from my annual week at Lake George’s Silver Bay, in company with about 600 other Quakers. As always, it was a great time: Friends shared silence in the early morning by the lake and during the day in the big brown-shingled tabernacle. (Silver Bay is an old YMCA camp.)
Continued ...
Plenty of fine stringed music and singing in the evenings; lots of daytime rocking-chair stints on the deep veranda, facing across rolling lawns and lake to green mountains and skies of startling blue. -
In These Otsego Hills: In the beginning
Our remembering Jerry in last week’s column has now lead us to muse about our early days of writing a weekly newspaper column.
Continued ... -
Book Notes: Prohibition should not be ignored
I was an American history major in college and one topic that my professors never discussed was prohibition.
Continued ... -
Otsego Herald: Elopement
From the Otsego Herald for Saturday, July 21, 1810 Compiled, with comments BY HUGH C. MACDOUGALL
Continued ... -
Home Notes: Personal Care is a rewarding occupation
When I was a young girl in the early 50’s my family would often take rides through Cooperstown and the Cherry Valley area.
Continued ... -
In These Otsego Hills: Remembering Jerry ...
Difficult as it is to believe, we have been a widow for eleven years this week. And yet it seems as if our late husband Jerry just died yesterday. The memory of it remains most vivid in our mind. We suppose there is much that we don’t remember about July 20, 1999. But we do remember just how much that day changed our life forever. We lost not only our spouse of 28 years, but also our best friend.
Continued ... -
Otsego Herald: Celebrating the 4th
From the Otsego Herald for Saturday, July 14, 1810 Compiled, with comments by
Continued ... -
Our Opinion: What’s good for the goose...
The board of trustees has decided to hire an engineer to review the work of CLA Site, the firm hired to do the site assessment and design work for the Village Gateway Project _ now known as the Cooperstown Intermodal Transit Project. That review will cost up to $12,000.
Continued ... -
From Fly Creek: ‘Thump-thump, dum-lum’
Since I last wrote to you I’ve been several times embraced to Mother Bassett’s bosom.
Continued ...
(Oh dear, I hope that’s not a disrespectful metaphor. But if you’ve seen photos, you know she was a handsome, dignified woman with an ample superstructure.) This time, for variety, the hospital visits at first seemed to have little to do with Parkinsonism. But a new problem had turned up that had me tested in every part of the hospital except obstetrics. -
In These Otsego Hills: Travels with The Widge...
We have decided that the role of grandmother is quite to our liking. As we have been told any number of times, as a grandparent it is perfectly acceptable to hold, play with and fawn over the grandchild until such time as said grandchild becomes fussy. And then, and this is the best part, it is completely within the purview of the grandparent to return the fussy grandchild to the parents. We love it.
Continued ... -
Otsego Herald: Shocking accident, American arrested
On Wednesday last, as Joseph Faulkner, esq. of Middlefield, was returning home from Cherry-Valley, a gust of wind arose up suddenly, a large Elm was blown across the road, directly on Mr. Faulkner, who, together with his horse was instantly killed.
Continued ...
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From Fly Creek: Passing fronts and settled weather
