Do you recognize this Christmas stocking? A little elf is hanging them with care all over the village and Oak Park. What a nice decoration for someone’s tree. I wonder who is knitting them?
Let’s replace “Bah Humbug” with Happy New Year! Let’s hope we have as much to rejoice about this year. It’s kind of a cliché to review the past year at this time. Lucky for you I have a very bad memory and can’t remember anything except last Jan. 31 and the trial of Socrates at the Palmer House. More than a thousand people attended at a cost of $100 each. It was worth twice the price.
Lorraine Boy became one hundred years old this year.
Our Madison Street gets more exciting every year, Jayne, Madison Street Shoes, the new Harrison Toy Store. Sadly we lost Fiorenza, a beautiful establishment. Schauer’s Hardware continues to draw crowds from all over. The day of the family hardware store will be with us for a very long time, I predict.
Our local symphony orchestra gets better and better, our schools are holding their heads above water, the PMSA is a real source of pride. Don’t move, study hard and get into that excellent institution of high learning. But let’s not give up on Proviso East, those kids are the future we cannot let them down.
We have a great library with very smart, helpful people on hand to assist you in all your needs. The library is the most important building in any town, and how typical of the Forest Park Library to welcome Maywood when their library closed.
Centuries & Sleuths continues to introduce us to new authors and books and it gives us fascinating programs. Coming up in the next few weeks are A Utopia of Usurers by G. K. Chesterton (soon to become saint). That’s on Saturday, Jan. 11 at 2 p.m. The Wisdom of Father Brown on Saturday, Feb. 8 at 2 p.m. and lots more. In fact there’s a special program almost every week-end at 7419 W. Madison. Remember, Our Augie won the 2011 RAVEN award and C&S was listed in the Tribune Tempo section as One of Chicago’s Ten Best Bookstores.
The Community Center is already booked for a Valentine Party on Wednesday Feb. 12 from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Mike Williamson and his band will perform with a variety show, including big band songs, oldies, Broadway show tunes and comedy. Lunch and special desserts make this party one to be sure not to miss. $43 residents/$46 for non residents. The Review/Journal wishes to send a big thank you to Marty Farmer for his pizza treat on this last day of 2013.
2014 happy birthday wishes go to Rich Gray, Caitlin Miller, Vic Bisluk, Amy Hocheimer, Jenni Jargstorf, Alice and Lara Mellin, Lou Moran, Ian Hoffman, Tom Kloess, Marie Skorda, Danielle Watson, Christine Malone, Joan Huynh, Deb Harris, David Leehey, Ashley Breseman, Michael Hutter, Juliana Vince, Emily Garrity, Paul Nelson, Urban and Luke Baum (Michelle Becker’s twins), Fred Marunde, Karen Skinner, David Thornton, Cecilia Consalve, Rosemary Cole.
Happy 2014 to you.
Jackie is a former Chicago and Elmwood Park schoolteacher with an undying love for music, friendly pets and a host of life’s other treasures too numerous to list. She was born on the far southwest side of Chicago in a great neighborhood when it was a great time to be young.
