Volume VIII |
Circulation Last Issue: 100 Year 2003: 4386 |
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Betty Reed's
İMMIII Bob Dean,
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"WE
GATHER TOGETHER We gave thanks again this year as part of Bob and Bobbie Armstrong's extended and growing family. Here's a brief summary of the traditions we began with--and the ones we've added--in more than 32 years.
Tim Holly comes all the way from Florida with as much of his family as he can muster, his big kettle, and his gallons of peanut oil. At noon he dips in the first turkey and watches it sizzle. This has been going on for about five years now (with different turkeys each year). Every year we move him farther out into the yard.
There have come to be tthree turkeys--one baked and two fried in peanuts. Here are Jamie Armstrong and his mother, Tracey Armstrong, watching Martyn Armstrong's left arm in action.
The Reverend Bobbie used to lead us in prayer but this year that mission was delegated to two of the children, who did a blessedly good job. Also present at our table, Lord: Liz Dean, Jamie Armstrong, Caron Armstrong, and Catie Armstrong..
Before the turkey and stuffing and potatoes and veggies and rolls and butter and muffins and pies are completely devoured, we remember to sing our Thanksgiving Song-- for the fourth year in a row. Here's Catie Armstrong, daughter of Steve and Caron, studying up on the words.
Then, finally, we get to really dig in. Here's the traditional Children's Table, featuring Laurel Myers, Nick Dean, and Josie Armstrong. Duncan Myers is quiet and unseen in a nearby highchair.
Perhaps the most recent tradition: the afternoon BINGO game, with pictures of participants and friends replacing numbers on the souvenir cards. Here's Our Editor, calling the faces while attempting to charm the crowd. Three new faces were added to the BINGO cards this year, all of them under the "G." While none of them sent regrets, they all seemed to have important business elsewhere. Who knew?
And here are two participants, chosen at random in the true spirit of BINGO. Iris and Bruce Delaney now come all the way from Florida with daughter Casey, for the food and the fellowship, the BINGO and the fun.
That's our picture collection for this year. We failed to capture a group photo of the 33 thankful people present, or an awakening snapshot of those who chose a football snooze instead of the BINGO. In individual interviews, however, we determined that everyone had a good and thankful time. And so did we! A POLAND PLACE NEWS BOOK REVIEW Non-Fiction
J. C. Hallman has written a book about: the history of chess, from the Crusades to the Internet; his friend, Chessmaster Glenn Umstead; the economy and sociology and Chessmaster dictator of Kalmykia in the former Soviet Union; and the chess scenes of New York City. And he's wrapped it all around a love of the game--even though he is, himself, a decided amateur. He takes us to a world of obsession and dysfunction and thoroughly amuses us while we're there. This one takes a while to read. But we've got lots of whiles these days.
*Offer expires November 30. Prizes are awarded at the discretion of the Editor. Employees, friends, and Poland Place News subscribers are ineligible. Buy your own drinks! Thank you. CHALLENGE NUMBER 276
For example, the word CABBALA on a telephone would be 222-2252--but the answer is a more familiar word than that.
At The Lassiter, last week INTERNET APPLICATION OF THE WEEK Very occasional reader Pat Nelson pointed out something interesting the other day: if you give Google a phone number (including Area Code), Google will give you a map to the house that has that number. So now it's easy to locate a person whose number is found in a blind ad or on a public wall. Here's our illustration of the process:
FIND A NUMBER Google IT IN GET A MAP There may be those among you who'd rather not have this happen. Pat tells us you can "opt out" of the process by "simply clicking on the telephone icon next to your phone number. It opens a window with a form to fill out to block your info from showing up. It takes 48-hours." We can hardly wait! BUMPER STICKER OF THE WEEK
Most of the people who examined Ellis did not realize that he was really our Chief Photographer from The Poland Place News. Our identity was revealed only to Susana Chung when we surprised her with a quick photo at the end of our examination. She was delighted! And we felt much better, thank you.
The Poland Place News In other Thanksgiving observances:
The Poland Place News "I went to WalMart in Cary this morning (Friday) at 6:30 am in search of a DVD player that they offered for 29 bucks--one of their early bird specials on sale from 6 - 11 am. At 6:30 they were sold out of the 29 dollar version. Of course, they had stacks of nice DVD players at $79.99. Did they think I was born yesterday?" --otto44*mindspring.com {Happy Birthday, Jack. Sorry we're late.}
The Poland Place News "I have been dropping by your site time to time. I personally like the Funnies." --JJADARUCKER*aol.com {Thanks, Jeff. Here's another one:} |
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THE COMIC SECTION
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The
Preparation of the Feast
The
Carving of the Turkey
The
Offering of the Grace
T
The
Partaking of the Meal
The
Blessings of Bingo
THE
CHESS ARTIST--by J. C. Hallman (St. Martin's Press,
Chapel Hill, 2003, 334 pp.)
Scott H. "Hungry" Wade--the man who made UNC's outstanding
football season possible--faces a possible 120-day jail sentence. The
Poland Place News has followed the case of Rameses XVIX (or whatever)
carefully, in issues numbered 2, 5, 34, and 38. And now the solution is at
hand: "Hungry" Wade killed Rameses last spring for a simple
reason: he wanted food.
Last
Monday, Carter Ellis, 72, was examined by seven prospective
Physician's Assistants under the Standardized Patient Program
at the Duke University School of Medicine. He came to their clinic complaining of chest pains.
Each of
them responded by subjecting him to an extended and invasive interview;
blood pressure check; eye examination; and lots of
palpitation and auscultation of various body parts. This is the table upon
which he reclined during many of these procedures.
"Happy
Thanksgiving." --
"The
drug bill is a sellout by AARP... Here is a letter I'm sending to The
Philadelphia Inquirer, The New York Times, and The Poland Place News."
--