Diane Collins’ Senior Moment Book Club will be on hiatus until March so the group found it difficult to break away from its last meeting at the community center. Ethel Hanson was discussing a point of the latest read, Defending Jacob by William Landay, with Diane. Some of the readers had left before this discussion. Diane is an excellent leader. The Senior Moments book club meets at 1 p.m. which is a most convenient time for most of us seniors.
Speaking of fiction, you can hear local writers read their works at a new Forest Park Fiction Reading monthly event. This month is Dec. 9 at Skrine Chops.
Did you get to see “The Seagull” at the Madison Street theatre last week? The setting for this production is the early 1960s, and like Russian plays, open to much discussion. Those Russians don’t skip lightly across the surface of life, they dig way, way down. That plus the fact that Russian is not easy to translate since words have shades of meaning. Those subtle shadings make understanding the translations difficult. You have to listen beyond the words. Congratulations to Concordia and the cast of “the Seagull” for a fine production. Coming soon at the theatre “Until Death.” A young woman is in love with a young man whose mother-in-law to be is a Mormon. Dates for this play are Feb. 12 – 22. Visit: CUCUntilDeath.brownpaprertickets.com.
In April get ready for …Monty Python’s “Spamalot” with book and lyrics by Eric Idle. Dates for this April 16- 26. Much anticipated. Thank you Concordia.
Tom Holmes’s discussion of Forty Days Alone in Thailand drew an engaged crowd at Centuries and Sleuths, in spite of the dreary weather. Tom used readings from his new book to spark discussion on how to relate to folks whose faith and world view are different than ours. Congratulations Tom.
On Nov. 30, Clio’s Chroniclers will present Empire of the Summer Moon; Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanche, the most powerful Indian tribe in American History. That’s at 2 p.m. Sunday at Centuries and Sleuths, 7419 W. Madison Street. Sounds exciting.
To continue in the holiday spirit, remember the Teolis Singers at First United Methodist Church, 324 Oak Park Ave. 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. Always an entertaining and surprising show.
Congratulations to Rafael Rosa who was named Vice President of the Student Conservation Association. Rosa helps students learn about our natural world, and helps them volunteer to clean it up by coordinating green jobs for youth through the community conservation program.
The Historical Society of Forest Park just received a generous donation of photographs from the 1920s and earlier from the collection of the Olga Kelso family, formerly of Lathrop Street. Olga’s son Richard Kelso and Forest Parker Tom Wood donated the collection to the society. The pictures include the shot on p. 3. Wm. Krause’s blacksmith shop was formerly located at Beloit and Madison. The owner’s nephew was Emil Sieloff, grandfather of Dick Kelso. The collection also includes photos of Forest Parkers watching the funeral train of U.S. President Warren Harding when it passed through Forest Park in 1923.
Remember, Tuesday Dec. 2 is “Giving Tuesday.” The Historical Society would like you to consider making a donation on this national day of philanthropy. Visit www.forestparkhistory.org.
Happy birthday this week to Ariel Smith, Brian Hawkins, Meagan Ryan, Emmie White Bone, May Bill, Jessica Marafatso, Maddie MacKay, Micharel Branda, Patrick Rice, Barbara Hosty, Carol Ann Hills, Roland Maughm, Joan Purvis, Dixie Quitsch, Reagan Hosty, Bradley Specter, Susan Beach. Happy anniversary to Geri and Roger Grant, Ruth and Jerry Belonsky.
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.
