By Katie Weeber At Christmastime, George McMurty is always confronted with a challenge: finding the perfect gift for his wife. The challenge is further complicated by the couple’s wedding anniversary, which falls on Dec. 26, turning every holiday season into the search for two special gifts. One year, McMurty’s gift selection inadvertently sparked a tradition that is now a favorite element of the Christmas scenery at their retirement community. That Christmas, McMurty asked his daughter to help him with his gift search. While shopping, both were attracted to a collection of lighted Dickens’ Village houses, and McMurty purchased two of the buildings for his wife. The Dickens’ Village Series was developed and produced in 1984 by Department 56 as part of the company’s Heritage Village Collection. Inspired by Victorian England, the series contained seven shops and a church. Since that time, the Heritage Village Collection has been expanded tremendously to include many new village series, including The New England Village Series and The Alpine Village Series. The result is a line of countless Christmastime houses, figures, and accessories, many inspired by Victorian England or the works of Charles Dickens. After his first purchase, McMurty quickly came to realize just how extensive the village collections were. Dickens-Inspired Village Ushers in the Holidays PRSRT STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Landisville, PA Permit No. 3 It takes about two weeks for George McMurty to set up and add his own special touches to his 135-piece Dickens’Village. please see DICKENS page 19 Inside: Dauphin County Edition December 2011 Vol. 13 No. 12 Divine Dedication page 2 Christmas Travel page 10
50plus Senior News, published monthly, is offered to provide individuals 50 and over in the Susquehanna and Delaware Valley areas with timely information pertinent to their needs and interests. Senior News offers information on entertainment, travel, healthy living, financial matters, veterans issues and much, much more.
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
By Katie Weeber
At Christmastime, George McMurty is always confronted with a
challenge: finding the perfect gift for his wife. The challenge is further
complicated by the couple’s wedding anniversary, which falls on Dec. 26,
turning every holiday season into the search for two special gifts.
One year, McMurty’s gift selection inadvertently sparked a tradition that is
now a favorite element of the Christmas scenery at their retirement
community.
That Christmas, McMurty asked his daughter to help him with his gift
search. While shopping, both were attracted to a collection of lighted
Dickens’ Village houses, and McMurty purchased two of the buildings for his
wife.
The Dickens’ Village Series was developed and produced in 1984 by
Department 56 as part of the company’s Heritage Village Collection.
Inspired by Victorian England, the series contained seven shops and a
church. Since that time, the Heritage Village Collection has been expanded
tremendously to include many new village series, including The New
England Village Series and The Alpine Village Series.
The result is a line of countless Christmastime houses, figures, and
accessories, many inspired by Victorian England or the works of Charles
Dickens. After his first purchase, McMurty quickly came to realize just how
extensive the village collections were.
Dickens-InspiredVillage Ushers in
the Holidays
PRSRTSTANDARDU.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Landisville, PAPermit No. 3
It takes about two weeks for George McMurty to set up
and add his own special touches to his 135-piece Dickens’ Village.
please see DICKENS page 19
Inside:
Dauphin County Edition December 2011 Vol. 13 No. 12
Divine Dedication
page 2
Christmas Travel
page10
2 December 2011 50plus SeniorNews e www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
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Rev. Dwight D. Edwards, 66, of
suburban Harrisburg, is a
Vietnam veteran who has devoted
his life to public service, counseling, and
ministry.
He enlisted in the Army on June 28,
1963, and was assigned to the 11th Air
Assault Division while in the U.S. He
completed one tour of duty in South
Vietnam from August 1965 to May 1966
with the 1st Cavalry Division, Delta
Company 1/12th Cavalry Airborne and
was discharged from the service in 1968
with the rank of E-4.
He served in a recon platoon and his
job was to acquire details about enemy
troop movements or other information
and report to the battalion commander.
Life expectancy in his unit was 17
seconds in combat. Two of three squads
in the platoon were decimated in a
matter of minutes during his tour.
Citations received included the
Combat Infantry
Badge, Parachutist
Badge, Air Medal,
Nation Defense Medal,
Good Conduct Medal,
Vietnam Gallantry
Cross with Palm,
Vietnam Campaign
Medal with two stars,
Vietnam Service Medal,
Presidential Unit
Citation, and the Air
Assault Badge.
After his discharge,
Edwards became a
welders’ helper at the
Naval Shipyard in
Philadelphia. In 1968,
he served as a veteran in public service as
a teacher intern with the Philadelphia
School District. From 1972 to 1974
Edwards was employed as a probation
officer in the juvenile division of the
Common Pleas Court
of Philadelphia.
Other early
employment included
therapist at the
Philadelphia
Psychiatric Center
(1974-77); director of
Safe Streets Inc., a
Philadelphia halfway
house (1977-78); a
counselor at
Philadelphia
Community College
(1978-80); counselor
at Philadelphia
Veterans Multi-Service
Center (1981-82); and
readjustment counseling specialist and
team leader/director at the Olney Vet
Center, U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs
(1982-88).
Edwards served as executive director
of the Vietnam Veterans Health Initiative
Commission of the Pennsylvania
Department of Health from 1988 to
1996 and was program administrator of
the Cancer Control Program in the State
Health Department, also in 1996. He
served as a counselor in the Harrisburg
School District from 1996 to 1999.
A native of Philadelphia, Edwards
attended Thomas Alva Edison High
School, receiving a GED in 1964 and his
diploma in 1968. Thomas Edison High
had the highest number of casualties in
the Vietnam War for high schools in the
United States. He received a BA degree
in elementary education from Temple
University in 1972. Edwards attended
Antioch University from 1975 through
1976 and received a Master of Education
in counseling, after which he attended
Lancaster Theological Seminary (1995-
2000), receiving a Master of Divinity
degree.
From Death and Devastationto Divine Dedication
Beyond the Battlefield
Alvin S. Goodman
Rev. Dwight Edwards
in an early photo.
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com 50plus SeniorNews e December 2011 3
Serving Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware & Southern New Jersey
1. What holiday celebrates the end of slavery in the United
States?
A. Sweetest Day
B. Freedom Day
C. Kwanzaa
D. Juneteenth Day
2. Celebration of the Jewish New Year is known as what?
A. Yom Kippur
B. Rosh Hashanah
C. Ramadan
D. Purim
3. During what ancient festival did masters temporarily serve
their slaves?
A. Lupercalia
B. Saturnalia
C. Floralia
D. Agonia
4. What holiday was established in California in 1966 by
scholar/activist Dr. Maulana Karenga?
A. Earth Day
B. Flag Day
C. Kwanzaa
D. National S’mores Day
5. In the Netherlands, what is the name of Santa Claus’s helper
who judges which children were bad during the year?
A. Green Eric
B. Eli the Elf
C. Black Peter
D. Mrs. Claus
Braintwisters
This month’s answers on page 8
Source: UsefulTrivia.com
Cook’s Note: The secret to a smooth pastry cream is cooking over low
heat. It takes longer but prevents the egg yolks from curdling.
Whisking a little of the hot pudding into the yolks is called
tempering and warms them so that they don’t cook too fast and
curdle. Use a thermometer to prevent overcooking, and if you have
flecks of cooked egg, don’t hesitate to strain it out.
Copyright by Pat Sinclair. Pat Sinclair announced the publication of her second
cookbook, Scandinavian Classic Baking (Pelican Publishing), in February 2011.
This book has a color photo of every recipe. Her first cookbook, Baking Basicsand Beyond (Surrey Books), won the 2007 Cordon d’Or from the Culinary Arts
Academy. Contact her at http://PatCooksandBakes.blogspot.com
Cake (Serves 2 to 4)
4 slices (3/8-inch thick) pound
cake
1 tablespoon seedless
raspberry jam
2 to 3 tablespoons cream sherry
Pastry cream (see right)
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ pint fresh raspberries
For trifle, spread the jam on
each slice of cake. Arrange the cake
in a small glass bowl, breaking to
fit, and drizzle with the sherry.
Spoon the warm pastry cream into
the bowl. Refrigerate until cool.
(You can also make individual
trifles in wine glasses.)
Whip the cream in a medium
bowl until soft peaks form. Add
the powdered sugar and vanilla and
continue beating until thick.
Spoon onto the trifle and garnish
with raspberries. Refrigerate until
serving, at least four hours.
Pastry Cream (Makes 1 cup)
¾ cup half-and-half
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
Additional flavoring
Heat the half-and-half in a small
saucepan until it almost comes to a
boil.
Mix the sugar with the cornstarch
in a small bowl. Whisk the egg yolks
in a medium bowl; slowly add the
sugar mixture and continue
whisking until the mixture lightens.
Slowly stir in the hot half-and-
half, beating constantly with a
whisk. Pour the sauce back into the
saucepan and cook over low heat
until the custard thickens. Do not
let the custard boil. (I use an
instant-read thermometer and cook
to 160 degrees F.)
Remove from heat and add the
vanilla. Stir until it cools slightly and
cover with plastic wrap until needed.
Raspberry TrifleBy Pat Sinclair
On Christmas Eve when my family gathers, we feast on hearty appetizers
and rich desserts. Everyone chooses a favorite appetizer and I provide dessert.
For many years, Raspberry Trifle has been my contribution for the center of
the table. This festive English dessert adds to the celebration, carefully arranged
in a large, glass trifle bowl and crowned with mounds of whipped cream. Fresh
raspberries and mint leaves mimic the colors of the season.
Here is a recipe for two to four servings. I have posted the recipe for 10 to
12 servings on my blog, Pat Cooks and Bakes (http://PatCooksandBakes.blog
spot.com). It’s from Baking Basics and Beyond, which has just been reprinted
and now includes new photos.
8 December 2011 50plus SeniorNews e www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Winter To-Do List:
1. Pay utility bills(enough $ in account??)
2. Shovel walkway (try not to fall)
3. Brave bad weather to get to
the grocery store
There has to be
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Braintwisters1. D. Juneteenth Day
2. B. Rosh Hashanah
3. B. Saturnalia
4. C. Kwanzaa
5. C. Black Peter
Questions shown on page 7
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I Married for Love, Sort Of
Such Is Life
Saralee Perel
One part I loathe about the
holiday season is that it’s usually
a time of reflection. From age 5
until 8, I reflected on hating my parents
because we were Jewish so I didn’t get
any Christmas presents.
From 9 to 15, I reflected on hating
my parents because they wouldn’t let me
bring one lousy tree in the house. Hey!
People have plant life indoors. So what if
it has lights and tinsel on it?
At age 16, my reflections changed. I
reflected on how rotten my parents were
because it was Christmas, for heaven’s
sake. How about forking over a huge
wad of dough so I could buy my own
presents?
And Chanukah? You think lighting
candles on a menorah was what I
dreamed of? No. I dreamed of jewelry
and boys. Well, I’d get one present. What
all teenagers die for. A new dictionary.
There’s nothing like the Christmas
lights in New England, where I now live.
Makes me reflect on
evening drives my
mom and I took
through the infidels’
decorated
neighborhoods in
Maryland, where I
grew up. It must
have brought her
joy while I’d scream,
“They’re just lights,
Ma! It’s not like
they’re satanic! Why can’t we have them?”
She must have loved the constant
fracas of changing radio stations from
Sinatra to Christmas carols. She’d nearly
drive off the road during our hand-
slapping battles while I’d shout, “PA
RUM PUM PUM PUM” over Sinatra’s
“My Way.”
And New Year’s? Oy vey. The Jewish
new year is as close to our national new
year as Big Macs are
to hamburgers made
from soy beans. On
Rosh Hashanah
(new year), we don’t
do fireworks. We go
to temple. I’d
pretend to listen to
the rabbi while I’d
play mind games—
imagining the
Hebrew letters in the
prayer book as people in weird
positions—when I was 40.
At some point, I focused on getting
married. Although love is important, I
needed something else too. I wanted a
man who not only adored me, but who
also had a characteristic I’d cherish as
much as love: a God-loving, present-
giving Christian.
Last month, my Christian husband,
Bob, and I celebrated our anniversary
with a whole bunch of presents (oh yeah,
we said “I love you” a lot too).
The finest present I’ve ever received
was from a sad and silent man—my
grandfather. I was his fundamental
source of joy. And I adored him. Other
than when he’d look at me, the only time
I’d see rapture on his face was while he’d
play his violin. When he’d visit from
Manhattan, we’d hug like there was no
tomorrow.
Born in 1885, he was 76 when I was
10. That Chanukah, he walked the aisles
of Woolworths, collecting 5- and 10-cent
“pearls” and “sapphires” and hundreds of
pieces of sparkling jewelry that he put in
a fancy jewelry box. What man would do
such a thing in that day and age?
As I write this, my eyes fill with tears.
Friendly faces, helping hands, warm hearts.
That’s what we at Safe Haven bring to our clients.
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com 50plus SeniorNews e December 2011 9
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Traveltizers Travel Appetizers: Stories that
Whet the Appetite for Travel
By Andrea Gross
Martha Washington tops Martha
Stewart on my list of hostesses
extraordinaire. In order to
prepare for her Christmas guests, the first
Martha whipped 40 eggs, 4 pounds of
butter, 4 pounds of sugar, and 5 pounds
of flour into a massive cake.
Meanwhile, almost 2,000 miles away,
in a part of the country that was most
likely
beyond the
imagination
of the first
family,
Native
Americans
joined
Spanish
settlers in
serving
posole and
enchiladas.
Today,
modern
renditions of these
holiday festivities take
place at George and
Martha’s Mount
Vernon home in
Virginia and around
an adobe plaza in New
Mexico.
A Mount VernonChristmas
I don’t expect to see
a camel at Mount
Vernon. Christmas
trees, poinsettias, even
a gingerbread house …
sure. But a camel?
Then I learn that when
Washington wasn’t off
winning wars or
fathering a country, he enjoyed playing
with exotic animals and often rented a
camel to entertain his Christmas guests.
In 1789, George Washington spent
his first Christmas as president attending
St. Paul’s Church in New York City. The
following week he returned to Mt.
Vernon where he and Martha relaxed
with family and friends.
Camels aside, the president’s
Christmas, as most 18th-century
Christmases, was low keyed compared to
today. There would have been few gifts
and certainly no Santas or reindeer,
neither of which became popular
Christmas symbols until the 19th century.
Today, Christmas at Mount Vernon is
still mostly about welcoming guests. In
addition to the regular attractions, which
include tours of the mansion as well as
the slave quarters, stables, gardens, and
farm, the
holiday season
brings a host of
special delights.
I go into the
mansion, past
12 decorated
trees, through
the dining room
where a table is
set to
accommodate
guests, and up to
the garret
chamber, which
is only open during the
holidays.
“This is where Martha
lived the last years of her
life,” says a cheery
woman who’s dressed in
Colonial garb. “After
George died, she never
returned to their shared
quarters.”
The thought of a
lonely woman huddled
in an attic room saddens
me, so to lift my spirits, I
follow the smell of
chocolate and cinnamon.
In the kitchen a woman
is stirring chocolate by
an open fire, just as it
was done in Colonial
days.
Nearby there’s a large gingerbread
house designed to look like Mount
Vernon as well as Martha’s grand cake,
which was modeled after those
traditionally served on the 12th day of
Christmas (Jan. 6). A guide offers me the
recipe, but the mention of 40 eggs and 4
pounds of butter leads to thoughts of
calories and cholesterol, and I politely
decline.
Christmas Travel: ColonialCakes and Spanish Stew
MOUNT VERNON LADIES’ ASSOCIATION
A gingerbread version of Mount
Vernon is on display throughout
the holidays.
MOUNT VERNON LADIES’ ASSOCIATION
Washington rented a camel to entertain guests
during the Christmas holidays. Today, Mount Vernon
does the same.
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com 50plus SeniorNews e December 2011 11
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GAK STONN
Ledoux Street is filled with merrymakers and art lovers during the holidays.
TINA LARKIN OF THE TAOS NEWS
Christmas trees and luminarias decorate
the plaza during the holidays.
GRAHAM’S GRILLE
Posole is a traditional dish during the
holidays.
That night a costumed actor cajoles
me into dancing the Virginia reel, and a
costumed Martha leads a candlelight tour
of the mansion. I sing carols by the
fireplace, sip cider, and reluctantly bid
goodbye to Mount Vernon and George’s
Christmas camel.
www.mountvernon.org
A New Mexican Holiday
Santa has an easy time in Taos, N.M.,
where the town’s flat, adobe rooftops
provide sure footing for his team of
reindeer. But while the town welcomes
St. Nick, its holiday charm is rooted in
its blend of Native American, Hispanic,
and Anglo traditions.
The Hispanic culture is represented by
the farolitos (small bonfires) and
luminarias (paper bags lit with votive
candles) that shine from streets to
rooftops, bathing the town in a soft glow.
Las Posadas, a candlelight procession that
reenacts Mary and Joseph’s search for
shelter, takes place from Dec. 16–24.
As for Hispanic holiday food, I
become addicted to biscochitos, the melt-
in-your-mouth Christmas cookies that
are flavored with anise and cinnamon.
The original recipe dates back to the
Spanish colonists. For heartier fare, I try
posole, a spicy stew of meat and corn
that’s served in most Taos restaurants
throughout the holiday season.
After the 16th century when
missionaries converted many of the
Natives to Catholicism, Spanish and
Native American customs blended and
eventually created traditions that are
distinctly New Mexican.
In this spirit, the 1,200-year-old Taos
Pueblo has a Christmas Eve vespers
service as well as Christmas and New
Year’s Day celebrations that feature the
Deer or Matachines (animal) dances.
Anglo customs are highlighted (pun
intended) with a gloriously tall Christmas
tree that dominates the town plaza. In
addition, the Taos Chamber Music Group
presents “A Classical Holiday Encore.”
But my favorite holiday activity is the
annual Lighting of Ledoux, a tradition of
mixed origins during which luminariasguide people up the winding road that’s
home to Taos’ famed art galleries and
studios. All the while, the piney aroma of
piñón smoke wafts through the chilly
desert air. For me as for many people,
that signals that Christmas has come to
Taos.
www.taos.org
Story by Andrea Gross (www.andreagross.com)
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The Squint-Eyed Senior
Theodore Rickard
Sometimes I think we have all
become unwitting victims of both
Charles Dickens and Norman
Rockwell or, at least, our vision of their
creations.
We became hopelessly self-convinced
that the roaring fireplace and jolly Mr.
Fezziwig might be real and that there
will surely still be a job there when we
go back to work on Dec. 26. And,
certainly, the smiling turkey carver at the
head of the table will still have room on
the Visa card for his spouse to hit the
post-holiday sales.
However, we who have survived
to retirement know
how wishful
these little
dreams
really
were in
our own
times of job
holding and
child raising.
Nevertheless, we treasured the
cozy fiction then and I, for one, still do
now.
The whole family knows that the son-
in-law’s employer is downsizing its
middle management—again. And the
oldest son’s business, once so promising,
is stuck in the doldrums, even though
the bank was willing to extend the loans
one more time.
I think I’ve heard this before: that was
in the ’70s when, besides a frozen
economy, we had the additional specter
of nuclear incineration threatened by a
madman tyrant sworn to destroy us. We
wondered then if Norman Rockwell’s
beaming holiday family would live long
enough for Easter. And we suspected Mr.
Fezziwig’s business would be in
bankruptcy by New Year’s.
But Santa came anyway in those
years. He brought more wardrobe pieces
for Barbie and extra straight track for the
electric train. International crises, vicious
political confrontations, and domestic
financial problems raged unabated.
But somehow there were tennis
rackets and first baseman’s mitts—and
skis followed by several weeks in a cast,
being chauffeured to school, and going
on crutches to the junior prom. This last
was first viewed as the depth of
embarrassment to the would-be femme
fatale. But the next day we noticed that
her cast had been signed by more than a
dozen new names, and all of them were
male.
At Christmas there may be bomb
threats in Bethlehem and terror in Wall
Street—each with the familiar ring of
years-ago disasters. However, for a single
day at least, we can leave hysteria
outside. And we will do so again this
year.
Now the once-children have children
of their own. The electric train has
been divided up
between two
of the boys
and, to
no one’s
surprise,
one
daughter.
And it has been
hugely expanded since. The
grandchildren aren’t terribly interested in
the tin crossing gate that actually goes
down when the train approaches, not
nearly as much as their fathers and their
uncles are. These folks join Grandfather
on hands and knees to watch the train
go through the tunnel and insist on
turning off all the lights so the sweep of
the train’s locomotive lights can be seen
more clearly—and fully appreciated.
A few years ago, Barbie’s original
wardrobe and personal property were
heartlessly sold on eBay by a college
senior facing eviction. Her sisters say
they have forgiven her. I think her
mother has, too. But I’m not so sure the
once-impecunious student has forgiven
herself. Not if we judge by what she gave
her nieces for Christmas: Paris Hilton
doesn’t have this kind of wardrobe.
The dinner table this year will once
more make room for a highchair and a
chubby, tow-headed occupant.
Highchairs now, I find, have seatbelts.
But I’m proud to say that this
grandchild has found a way to squirm
out of the chair, despite the belts, and
end up in Grandmother’s lap, where the
sippy cup is waved in juice-strewing
triumph and it’s much easier to pull at
Christmasby the Book
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com 50plus SeniorNews e December 2011 13
50plus Senior News continues to bring important information as well as entertaining
articles to the 50+ community. We at On-Line Publishers would like to express our
sincere gratitude and appreciation to the editorial contributors of 50plus Senior News:
It is through the varied interests and considerable talents of our contributors and
freelance writers that such a range of informative and entertaining content is available to
read each month. The pages of 50plus Senior News are enriched by your contributions.
Than
k Yo
u!
Chaz Allen (Little-Known Facts)
Angelo Coniglio (The Search for Our Ancestry)
Wendell Fowler (Preventive Measures) Al Goodman (Beyond the Battlefield )
Andrea Gross (Traveltizers)
Dr. Lori (Art and Antiques)
Gloria May (NurseNews)
Clyde McMillan-Gamber (The Beauty in Nature)
Myles Mellor (crossword puzzles)
Jim Miller (The Savvy Senior)
Candace O’Donnell (Balancing Act)
Victor Parachin (Fragments of History)
Saralee Perel (Such is Life)
Dr. Leonard Perry (The Green Mountain Gardener)
W.E. Reinka (Silver Threads)
Ted Rickard (The Squint-Eyed Senior)
Sy Rosen (Older But Not Wiser)
Pat Sinclair (Recipes for Two)
Walt Sonneville (My 22 Cents’ Worth)
Robert Wilcox (Salute to a Veteran)
Judith Zausner (Creativity Matters)
Sherra Zavitsanos (Social Security News)
Thank You, Columnists!
This Month in History:December
Events
• Dec. 5, 1933 – The 18th Amendment to the
U.S. Constitution, the Prohibition Amendment,
was repealed. For nearly 14 years, since Jan. 29,
1920, it had outlawed the manufacture,
transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages in
the U.S.
• Dec. 17, 1903 – After three years of
experimentation, Orville and Wilbur Wright
achieved the first powered, controlled airplane
flights. They made four flights near Kitty Hawk,
N.C., the longest lasting about a minute.
• Dec. 18, 1865 – The 13th Amendment to the
U.S. Constitution was ratified, abolishing
slavery. It stated, “Neither slavery nor
involuntary servitude, save as a punishment for
crime whereof the party shall have been duly
convicted, shall exist within the United States,
or any place subject to their jurisdiction.”
Birthdays
• Dec. 6 – Photojournalist Alfred Eisenstaedt
(1898-1995) was born in Dirschau, Prussia.
He is best known for his Life magazine cover
photos, including the sailor kissing a nurse in
Times Square, celebrating the end of World
War II.
• Dec. 19 – British explorer William Parry
(1790-1855) was born in Bath, England. He
conducted Arctic expeditions and made three
attempts to find a Northwest Passage.
• Dec. 25 – Film actor Humphrey Bogart
(1899-1957) was born in New York City. He is
best known for The African Queen, The Maltese
Falcon, Casablanca, and To Have and Have Not.
the tablecloth and tip over the wine
glasses. That’s why there are mothers
and aunts: to do the mopping up.
Grandmother has the baby in her lap
and Grandpa is busy fixing the
crossing gate.
Dessert will be the traditional
choice of pies. Then there is a second
crisis—a decision involving whipped
cream or ice cream on top. A half-
whispered estimate of “at least 500
calories” will be made, with
appropriate scorn, by the high-school
freshman granddaughter who is
getting a “B” in home ec.
She is convinced that her parents
have managed to make it this far in
life only via miraculous divine
intervention—or hers. Then,
somewhere around her sophomore
year in college after two years of dorm
food, she will become a family dinner
enthusiast and we won’t hear any more
about calories.
Mr. Fezziwig didn’t count calories.
Not at Christmas. Why should we?
14 December 2011 50plus SeniorNews e www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Dauphin County
Calendar of EventsBistline Senior Center – (717) 564-5633
Edgemont Senior Center – (717) 236-2221
Friendship Senior Center – (717) 657-1547
Heinz-Menaker Senior Center – (717) 238-7860
Highspire Area Senior Center – (717) 939-4580
Hoy/Latsha Senior Center – (717) 939-9833
Hummelstown Senior Center – (717) 566-6855
Jewish Community Center – (717) 236-9555
Lick Towers Senior Center – (717) 233-0388
Lykens Senior Center – (717) 453-7985
Millersburg Senior Center – (717) 692-2657
Mohler Senior Center – (717) 533-2002,www.hersheyseniorcenter.com
Royalton Senior Center – (717) 944-4831
Rutherford House – (717) 564-5682,www.rutherfordhouse.org
Steelton Senior Center – (717) 939-0693
Dauphin County Library Programs
Dauphin County Department of Parks and Recreation
Dec. 4, 1 to 4 p.m. – Open Hearth Cooking Demonstrations, Tavern House Summer Kitchen
Dec. 7, 7 p.m. – Harp Concert, Fort Hunter Park
Through Dec. 18, 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. – Festival of Trees, Fort Hunter Tavern House
Programs and Support Groups
East Shore Area Library, 4501 Ethel St., Harrisburg, (717) 652-9380
Elizabethville Area Library, 80 N. Market St., Elizabethville, (717) 362-9825