Friday, December 30, 2011

Meeting Santa



Our next door neighbor is a burly man with a long beard and a kind heart.  My 3 year old grandson, Austin, was busy playing with Thomas the Tank Engine on our living room floor a couple of weeks ago when he glanced out the window.  Running to Grandpa, Austin announced that Santa was outside!  Grandpa looked outside and saw Vince busy at work, chopping wood in his red shirt and suspenders.  He asked Austin if he would like to talk to Santa and before you could say "On Dasher," Austin was out the door! Walking right up to Vince, Austin said, "Hi, Santa!"  Vince didn't miss a beat as he greeted the little fellow, asked his name, and if he had been behaving himself.  Austin replied that he was Austin, 3 years old, his sister Ruby was 2, and they had both been behaving just fine.  After a few more minutes of conversation, Santa returned to his wood chopping and Austin returned to Thomas the Tank Engine, satisfied that he had made a good impression on Santa.  I don't know if Vince realized how his generous heart made an even more important impression on Austin, but I believe it is a memory Austin will carry with him for life and for that I am thankful.

"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night."

Now and Then



Three pleasant young men came into The Quilted Purl yesterday and have caused me to remember and reflect on two memories of my childhood.

Once or twice a year my mother would take me and my older brother on a bus trip to Salem, approximately five miles away, for a shopping trip.  I'm not sure why we would do this, as many of the Salem stores were also in Beverly where we went every week to visit my grandparents, aunts, and uncle.  Whatever the reason, it was a trip that I loved, not because of the shopping, but because of what we did after the shopping.  Before the return bus ride, we would always make a stop at Stanley's Cafeteria for hot chocolate and a grilled English muffin, the highlight of the trip.  The fact that Stanley's English muffins came as three slices rather than two was a source of amazement to me and I can still remember the crispy goodness of a muffin dripping with melted butter.  Memory number one.

Memory number two is something of a compilation.  I was in elementary school during the beginning of the Cold War.  I remember as a youngster crouching under my little school desk during our air raid practices. (I also remember as a six year old, thinking the small wooden desk provided precious little protection against an atomic bomb!)  Premier Kruschev's famous speech at the U.N., the pounding of his shoe, and the Cuban Missile Crisis were all events that caused me, even as a child, concern.  Maybe that's why a cup of hot chocolate and an English muffin were so comforting, but I doubt it.

So, how did three young men bring back these memories?  When they came up the stairs, they greeted me politely, looked around, and one inquired, "This is really more a shop for girls who knit, isn't it?"  I agreed that was often the case, and detecting an accent asked where they were from.  It seems that they were all from Russia, two from St. Petersburg and one from Moscow.  As we chatted, I learned that one of them was currently working on a Ph.D.at Yale, studying Soviet- American relations of the 1980s, while the other two were working on a public health project.  After a few more minutes of chat, me welcoming them to Georgetown and them extending an invitation to visit Russia, they were gone, but not forgotten.

Traveling by bus to a city five miles away was an adventure to me over fifty years ago.  My little grandchildren have already flown across the country numerous times.  And we now live in a world where three young men from Russia have travelled thousands of miles to our country to visit, study, and enjoy our hospitality. Thank you for coming by The Quilted Purl, gentlemen, and giving me the chance to pause and reflect.

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Meeting Santa



Our next door neighbor is a burly man with a long beard and a kind heart.  My 3 year old grandson, Austin, was busy playing with Thomas the Tank Engine on our living room floor a couple of weeks ago when he glanced out the window.  Running to Grandpa, Austin announced that Santa was outside!  Grandpa looked outside and saw Vince busy at work, chopping wood in his red shirt and suspenders.  He asked Austin if he would like to talk to Santa and before you could say "On Dasher," Austin was out the door! Walking right up to Vince, Austin said, "Hi, Santa!"  Vince didn't miss a beat as he greeted the little fellow, asked his name, and if he had been behaving himself.  Austin replied that he was Austin, 3 years old, his sister Ruby was 2, and they had both been behaving just fine.  After a few more minutes of conversation, Santa returned to his wood chopping and Austin returned to Thomas the Tank Engine, satisfied that he had made a good impression on Santa.  I don't know if Vince realized how his generous heart made an even more important impression on Austin, but I believe it is a memory Austin will carry with him for life and for that I am thankful.

"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night."

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Gifts




It has been quite a while since I have written, though much has been going on during that time.  Here in Georgetown, Christmas Market's first weekend has come and gone, with the next one is just days away.  This is certainly one of the highlights of Georgetown's calendar and I have been busy for several weeks quilting and knitting in preparation.  A light snowfall added just the right touch, bringing out the beauty of the town in winter and the single digit temperatures held off until Sunday evening.  For me however, the highlight was the arrival of my dear friend from Georgia, Maria Elena, and her daughter and niece.  What fun it was to visit, reminisce, and sew together after all these years apart.  Their visit was truly a gift for me, to be able to sit in the shop with Maria Elena, have a cup of tea, chat, sew, knit, and share tips we have learned during our years of being two thousand miles apart.  There is something so rewarding about having a friend with whom time and distance have no real meaning.  Tomorrow I'll head to the airport to pick up my sister-in-law, Nancy, and share the second weekend of Christmas Market with her.  More fun, sewing, knitting and tea. Definitely, another gift.  I am blessed!

If you haven't been to Christmas Market, you are missing a treat, a step back in time.  Why not come up this weekend?  We'd love to share the town with you!