Life Away From Home

Although today is usually one of my days off, I chose to voluntee,r welcoming in approximately 500 of the almost 10,000 Disney College Program people, that will spend at least one semester as a Disney Cast Member.  My role today: setting up each new Cast Member with either Direct Deposit or a Check Card.  No big thing but very rewarding, with some travelling from the far reaches of the globe, just for the opportunity to work at Disney.  Some ready to conquer, some......not so much, scared, homesick and for many, their first time away from home.  Within the next two or three weeks, the majority will be seasoned Disney Cast Members

What today conjured up in my all too active mind....new students arriving at the Sisters of Charity, Holy Family Mother House....also known as the Academy of the Holy Family...all girls boarding school.  During the last week of August and the first week of September, many young ladies, high school age, arrive at this school, they too come from around the world, some scared, it may also be their first time away from home.  Others....oh...not so much, this group being the seasoned boarding school gang,  many are children of their respective country's diplomats, others, problem "rich kids", badly in need of the restrictive hand of the good Sisters of Charity, the last group.......well bred, well to do offspring, whose parents want them to receive the very best Christian education possible.  Mix these groups together, adding a touch of local student flavor and the results........a unique, somewhat seasoned melting pot, all waiting and wanting to learn....particularly from each other.

As these young ladies checked into their dorms, listening to rules and regulations set forth by the Sisters, they soon learned walking to the local Post Office, convenience store or Fred's News, was only allowed during "free time", with all other activities highly monitored, by as one of the young ladies announced in Fred's News, "our captors."   In defense of the Nuns........all the credit, strength, devotion, down right fortitude and "heavenly intervention" is needed, to outwit and keep tabs on many of these young women.

In the years before the State of Connecticut banned smoking in restaurants, these young ladies could chain smoke at least a half dozen cigarettes before their "captors" realized they were late returning from their walk to either the Post Office or convenience store.  They could also consume numerous bags of chips, plates of french fries, using one bottle of ketchup per plate of fries, rearrange the entire seating plan of the restaurant, find ways to shop lift cans of soda, candy bars, chips and at one point one of the artificial house plants used in the darker corners of the restaurant.  All of these items with the exception of the house plants could be smuggled into a dorm room quite easily.  The plant never returned, the Sisters never noticed it adorning one of the dorms, only because they were actually looking for contraband, the house plant not exactly one of  the forbidden items, why should it be.  For lack of a better explanation, we have surmised...... if someone actually saw it, they liked it...probably added color or that outdoorsy look to the otherwise drab dormitory surroundings.  

Window Watching

Right now I am sitting in front of my little laptop but I find myself gazing out the back window into the now opened preserve.  Soon it will be filled with darkness, the canopy will once again bloom, bringing back the eery quiet, and tropical lushness to the forest.  For now it is, at times, a gathering place for the usual secretive species, that inhabit the place.  All morning long, we have been observing a very large owl, perched on one of the bare branches of the lone maple, only thirty feet from the house.  He is beautiful and although we did not see him land on his lofty perch, I imagine it to be magnificent.  He is large,sporting silver chest feathers intertwined with shades of brown.  But it is his hood, truly a majestic crown, setting him apart from all others, while smaller wildlife frantically searches for food.  Yet, we have noticed an ominous quiet on the thick forest floor.  No squirrels scurrying amongst the decaying leaves, much the same can be said for the usual chipmunks, mice and even the slithering snakes, often sunning themselves on the same perch, his majesty, the owl now "owns".  His eyes closed, just an occasional twitch or turn of the head, the mighty hunter, sleeps, yet somehow one gets the feeling, he is very aware, not only soaking up the rays of the sun, but movement of his next meal as well.

This window we gaze through much like the "Paris Window" of Fred's News.  It affords us a glance into the secretive world of Mother Nature, leaving us begging for more.  Yes, we are window "sitters", much like the former occupants of the "Paris Window."  Something within our psyche, keeps us wondering, observing, always asking for more.  I often watched the people that occupied the seats in the "Paris Window".  Were they just sitting, soaking up the warmth of the sun on a frigid New England day or perhaps wishful thoughts swirled through their mind, the sights and sounds allowing them a "break" from a more fretful time!  Yet I also enjoyed watching pedestrians, straining to see the inner workings of the little restaurant.  Many used the large plate glass as a mirror, often forgetting it was a "two way street."  We watched neighborhood children, on their early morning trek to school, carrying heavily ladened book bags.  On the return, the weight seemingly removed from their young shoulders...school out, time to play!  As the time passed often it was these young people, preening themselves or admiring their physical changes  in the "Paris Window".  Many young women, boarding school residents at the Sisters of Charity, Academy of the Holy Family, also claimed afternoon ownership of the "Paris Window".....a bird's eye view of their residence and perhaps one of the Sisters heading down the street looking for them.

Angie and Liz from Hanover often sat there, smoking, drinking coffee, catching up on old times, Angie having travelled frequently to Paris, enjoyed the window, it's sight, sounds and quirkiness of it's passing subjects.  She often mentioned she'd someday write about small coffee shops she'd visited in her global travels......perhaps Fred's News, one of her favorites!    

"The Paris Window"

Glenn and Ward tell us the temps are heading below zero is Fred's News land......no, I do not miss that bit of New England.  We have trouble with the old bones, when it hits forty degrees here in Florida-Land, a practice I might add, that over the past three years, has happened way too often.  Glenn says, "I would love to soak up the sun in the Paris Window", aka the front window facing the sidewalk, at Fred's News.  That rather large piece of glass, to many, much like Alice's "through the looking glass".  For those that never stepped into the world of Fred's News, it was a source of wonder, many times people walking buy, squinting to take a quick, hopefully, an unnoticed glance into the inner workings Fred's News. But then one never knew who just might be looking back.

On a cold, dark snowy morning, "the Paris Window" was a beacon of light, beckoning all who travelled out in Winter's harsh environment.  "Come in , come in, shake off your boots, enjoy the warmth, the laughter, the comfort food and yes, the friendship.  It will melt away all you troubles and perhaps sorrows, knowing we are all in this together!"  As the Winter months labor on and on, "the Paris Window" begins to change, the sun's warmth increasing, the world outside awakening, red buds on maple trees begin to swell, someone arrives with an early Spring bouquet....Pussy Willows, yes, the frozen world is thawing, Beaver Brook begins to swell, filling and then over-flowing its' banks with waters from the snow pack melt.  Spring will soon be official, "the Paris Window" will now open on to the warm weather world of Fred's News.  Sidewalk benches adorned with overstuffed bears, now all awake from months of dreary cold hibernation, ready for the overdue hugs of the "littlest" Fred's News patrons.  The beautifully carved trees and bears, all freshly painted, ready for the new Spring season, quietly standing guard, welcoming all who join the Fred's News family. 

"The Paris Window", now has filtered sunlight, it is the Flowers of Fred's News soaking up the rays of sun, but the patrons view is now one of color and beauty, where they may dine, talk and watch the hummingbirds do much the same, gathering the nectar from the beautiful flowers.  Patrons, now hidden behind these gorgeous beauties, can look through "the Paris Window," out onto the sidewalk, watch pedestrians, pass by and wonder.....Why?  Come in, come in, shake off your boots, enjoy the warmth, the laughter, the comfort food and yes....the friendship!

It is a Very Small World....After All!

We always joke that Mr. Bill's most exciting ride at the Magic Kingdom is "It's a Small World", which by the way has just re-opened after a rehab.  Wimpy Bill always takes a ride....just about all the excitement he can take concerning rides.  Mrs. G. and granddaughters will arrive soon, we do look forward to seeing them all, especially how much they have grown. Even little Lena, more daring than Mr. Bill.  He states he never was much for rides, since he suffers from claustrophobia, it is understandable.

Yes, it is a "Small World!"  Bruce Ozga formerly of Baltic and now Dean of Admissions for Johnson & Wales Culinary Arts School here in Florida, contacted me, he and his family would be visiting Disney World in the very near future.  Definitely must see Bruce.  I always enjoy seeing young people (older as well), that have left the confines of the small town, setting out to experience what the world has to offer, making their mark as they go. I am definitely a believer in the measure of one's success, "It's not what you gather, but what you scatter."

Ironically, this is not the first time I have spoken with Bruce, last year, a young Cast Member at my location,  was experiencing Disney's College Program, had paperwork she needed completed. In questioning her, I found out she attended Johnson & Wales here in Florida.  Upon further investigation, I mentioned that Bruce Ozga was a former resident of my town, grew up with my sons and had frequented our restaurant for many years.  Wide-eyed she announced, he is my Dean of Admissions and needs the paperwork.  "Yes, it is a Small World"!  I am always amused by the number of times, I speak or meet people who is some way, shape or form, have some connection back to the little Town of Sprague, as well as Fred's News!

Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to meet with another College Program Cast Member originally from Baltic, Adam St. Germain.  His location was at Le Cellier in the Canadian Pavilion at Epcot.  Mr. Bill's diagnosis of cancer, his treatments, hospitalization for gallbladder and surgery, kind of put many things on my to do list, on hold.  Hopefully his surgery on February 4th will reveal his bladder cancer free.  With Spring fast approaching he is "chaffing at the bit, ready to conquer whatever is thrown his way"!!   The good Lord willing, he will be able to.  In the mean time, we look forward to seeing old friends and their families as they head to the warmer southern climate, a nice break from  the cold and dreariness of the Winter months.

Rainy Day Blues!

Crappy, crappy weather day today!  Of course, it was my day off.  It has however, forced me to stay inside, getting some very mundane boring things done.  Rainy, cloudy, dank ,damp and dark, so un-Florida like!  However, we are already seeing sign of Spring...red buds popping on the maples!  I know our former home is under a deep freeze....NO, we do not miss the cold and snow...just friends.

Mr. Bill heading off to work at the golf course this morning, not looking forward to the cool dampness.  He jokingly remarks of the weather we put up with when first learning to play golf.  I remember playing one warmer winter day, at Trumbull Golf Course in Groton with Chris and Richie, the ground still frozen, you had to pound the tee in the ground with your club.  However, the sun was out, back then that signaled a good day for golf. At least once you hit the ball it sure travelled a good distance on the frozen fairways!  Then we always tried to play as early in the Spring as possible, hoping to limber up the stiffness of joints due to the cold winter layoff.  One early Spring day myself, Mr. Bill and Norman, head to the Norwich Golf Course, yeah, it is golf time!  Needless to say it was more like mud season....how many balls did we loose?

Now I only enjoy the game of golf if the sun is out and seventy plus degrees! My goodness what a wimp!  Florida is much like New England when talking about the weather, "Just wait a minute it will change!"  We really have become sun worshippers, the old bones function quite well in the warmth of the sun.  Talking with son Matthew last night, we agree, we miss New York City and the excitement of the major metropolitan areas of the Northeast, but you couldn't pay me enough to visit the cold and snow, now gripping the area.  Remembering the cold weather of my youth, I really didn't care for it then, always anxiously awaiting  the first signs of Spring....Pussy Willows, the first Robin and of course, my beloved "Red Bud Spring"!

People always joke,  "You can say that now, but when the mercury hits ninety plus degrees, you'll be sorry".  To all those non-believers, emphatically, "NOPE"!  Give me the sun, it's body soaking warmth, "ain't nothing better than that"!  I think about all the cold but sunny days at Fred's News,  now understanding why everyone loved to sit in the front window, first thing in the morning.  That glorious sun, a steaming cup of Fred's News Coffee, makes you forget "Oh the weather outside is frightful"!  Oops wrong season, but the days are growing longer, more sunshine fills my world and with a little bit of luck, we will trek North sometime in June, it's Mr. Bill's fiftieth high school reunion.  Frieda called to remind him and ask if he would come.  Although the future of his health is far from undecided, we can plan...giving him something to look forward to!  Whether we make it or not, too early to say...but it is a reachable goal.

Food Junkie Trivia

Yes, today is Sunday...in my world it is a day off!  Sundays are suppose to be a day of rest, ironically in the last twenty five years, I've only just started have Sunday as a day off.  Of course due to the fact my ever changing schedule had me opening this past week, meaning up at 3:00AM, memories of the Fred's News years, this morning, I again awakened before the crowing of the local rooster.  Even though we watched TV until quite late, 3:00AM, eyes wide opened!

After putting on the water for my morning "spot of tea", I head out to retrieve the Sunday paper.  Unfortunately, Mr. Bill had set the sprinkler to come on early, of course they worked right on cue.  Now the newspaper is always delivered in a plastic bag, just in case.  This time, just in case, just didn't work.  The edge of the lawn sprinkler's reach, the open end of the plastic bag, containing of course, the Sunday paper.  Water sloshing from the bag announced, "unreadable".  So I turn to the trusty laptop...I will read it online!  I must of read for at least forty-five minutes..........just odds and ends, not the Sunday paper, but interesting facts, that a food junkie like myself enjoys!

The Ice Cream Sundae came about during the early 1890's in, of all places, no not Fred's News, but Ithaca New York.  It was a Cherry Sundae, that is cherry syrup over vanilla ice cream, supposedly ordered by a preacher.  Although the preacher, enjoyed his weekly Ice Cream Soda, his feelings on the matter, carbonated drinks had somewhat of a corruptive influence, one should non partake of such a drink on the Sabbath.  Hence, the Ice Cream Sundae, a non-carbonated alternative to the devilish Ice Cream Soda. It would help to know a bit about the little village of Baltic, to understand why the Ice Cream Soda, was an extremely popular drink, immediately after it was introduced at Fred's News.  I do believe in warmer weather Ice Cream was the most popular afternoon and evening snack, especially on a Sunday.  Understanding some Baltic trivia....at one time there were seventeen bars in this small town...no wonder the drink of choice on the Sabbath...Ice Cream Soda. Those French Canadians sure know how to celebrate!

Oddly enough, I hadn't thought much about Barbecue, Miss Vanessa, Jamie and Jordan loved Barbecue, true to their roots, it's very much a Southern thing.  Living in the South, I now understand the true meaning of Barbecue...It's Party Time!"  There again, food junkies disagree on where and when it began...even the origin of the word remains cloudy.  As I continued to read,, my interest drawn to one of the final Barbecue justifications..Bar-Beer-Cue-Pig.  It seems somewhere in the 19th century a North Carolina Bar and Billiards Hall advertised a Sunday (God-forbid)Pig Roast.  Other components of the event..Whiskey, beer, pool-(billiards) and Roast Pig.  Betcha the patrons of this place didn't worry about drinking a "corruptive carbonated ice cream soda" on the Sabbath!  Since I believe all Barbecues are a "Party-Time", I'll stick with this bit of Barbecue history.

Of course part of my early morning education on the history of certain foods, was the lowly Biscuit.  Mmm! Fred's News Sausage and Biscuits on a Sunday morning....forget the Ice Cream Soda....depending on how you felt, Biscuits and Gravy were either heavenly or disgustingly evil, but a must have.  During one Spring season, a group of construction workers, relining one of the Sprague water towers, stopped by Fred's News every morning for breakfast.  Although I can't remember their names, they were true southern boys, loving a great big breakfast to start their day.  Hailing from Tennessee and West Virginia, they just adored the Biscuits and Gravy.  Had we served that meal everyday, that would of been their regular.  Had they understood the origins of Biscuits, they might of thought twice about consuming them.  Biscuit really means twice cooked and of course comes from the French.  Remembering our history lessons, Biscuits could be packed in cloth and travel over the seas to the New World, and quite likely was the only food that survived the many months long journey.  Those flakey Fred's News biscuits, a far cry from generations gone by.  One of our visitors from Tennessee announced "his Momma's biscuits the best", Fred's News a close second.  He said he could tell the difference between "homemade" and those canned "whopped" biscuits, "whopped" meaning you had to "whop" the can on the counter to get it opened.  I'd a liked to place a bet with that boy!

"Eat Mor Chikin!...Please!

Let's see, news reports today, "Florida the only state without snow on the ground", nice let's keep it that way!  Got to say, it was cold enough to snow this morning!  Thirty degrees at four thirty.  I even thought about starting the car, letting it warm up....nah...that's just so northern!  Talk about stubborn, I'd rather freeze my pa-tootie off than cave in.  My little car warms up pretty fast, so "suck it up" and drive.  I never have to worry about traffic, at that ungodly hour, most of the old poops still in their Jammie's!  This morning as I headed down the drive to the main road, nary a soul in site, no feral cats, no wild pigs, just one big ass bull standing up near the front gate.....Guess he forget his clicker, can't get out.  For a moment, I contemplated not opening the remote controlled gate....but what the hell, got to go to work.  With a little bit of luck, my lights managed to spook him, so he headed back down the road about twenty feet.  I am pretty sure he stayed within the community, I didn't see any swerving cars as I headed up the road.  The big question?????  Where the hell did he come from?  No idea!   Haven't seen any cattle at that end of the community, ever.  If he came through the woods, how did he get through the fence???  I asked Mr. Bill if he had heard anything about a big-ass bull roaming around this morning...not really!  I thought perhaps the bull was still holding true to his New Year resolution....walk to loose weight. I might add, that is better than most, with two weeks of the new year already gone bye bye, most resolutions have followed the same path..bye-bye!

Back in Baltic, it seemed Fred's News was always the first to know if something strange or out of the ordinary, was occurring.  Yes, once in awhile Spielman Farms herd of dairy cows would break free from their massive fenced fields, head out in no particular direction, in search of the elusive, best tasting green grasses, the area produced.  I used to laugh when people would say they'd seen cows heading down the road, depending on the time of day, they might make it quite a distance, undetected. Once out, not the easiest to round up.  A bucket of grain soaked with molasses, always a good idea.  First you've got to find the critters, if they took the "high-road", eating green grasses as they strolled along, just follow the poop trail.  If they headed cross-lots, detection might take a tad bit longer, look for water, that's always a place to start.  Remembering back, I think, the Spielman cows once headed in the opposite direction of Fred's News...to Norwich, via Plain Hill Road.  Art, Justin and the rest of the crew having a difficult time rounding them up.  Every time I see a billboard with the cows painting a sign "Eat Mor Chikin" I think of the Spielman cows, heading in the opposite direction of Fred's News........steak sandwiches and beef burgers.....OMG..."Eat Mor Chikin!"