Ho, Ho, Ho! Merry Christmas from Santa and everyone at Schauer Hardware. So Annick Bechert, a lady from France, would like us to learn how to say “Merry Christmas” in French. Here goes… Joyeux Noel (pronounced Zhwoi eu Noel). Keep practicing and we’ll have it for you in German next week. Everyone knows Spanish, “Feliz Navidad” thanks to Jose Feliciano so many years ago. Wait until we get to the Polish!
The Bell Family was busy adding to the Little Lending Library in front of their house on Circle Avenue. The Bells stopped for a minute for picture taking. They are John and Kat, Fiona, Locklin and Lily the dog. All readers, or in the case of Lily, listeners. Stop by, take a book or leave a book. These street libraries are spreading across the country.
The annual Sing Along Messiah will take place at First United Methodist Church, 324 N. Oak Park Avenue Sunday, Dec. 7 at 3:30 p.m. Sing along with the crowd or just sit and listen. A professional orchestra will accompany the singers, professional soloists are part of the tradition, too. All this and a reception to follow. Come and join the singers.
The Michael Teolis Singers, accompanied professional pianist, David Richards, will perform at First United Methodist on Saturday Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. This annual event is eagerly awaited by music lovers in the area and beyond.
On Wednesday, Dec. 3 Jeffrey Siger will discuss and sign copies of his sixth Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis Mystery, Sons of Sparta. Irene Kaldis (Always in Style) doesn’t claim to be related to Chief Inspector Kaldis, but who knows?
Live Irish music is back in Forest Park! Theresa Shine will resume her Irish ‘Sessions’ on Thursdays at the new Brian Boru Irish Pub, 7652 Madison St.. Theresa and her brother John Shine played Irish music at the location when it housed Molly Malone’s for a dozen years.
The Forest Park Firefighters Local 2753 will be keeping kids warm Dec. 20 by handing out new coats to children at the Community Center as part of Operation Warm. The kids have been sized and firefighters are busy getting new outer wear for them; just in time for Christmas.
Last week, I got some names switched up identifying members of the Senior Moments book club at the Community Center. The correct names were Ethel Draper and Howard Hansen.
Birthdays for this first week in December include Roland Maugham, Joan Purvis, Danny Rosell, Barbara Hosty, Cheryl Kolnick, Adele Sharkey, Carli Loyd, Kallen O’Shea, Sue Lentini Stuart, Matt Pingel, M. J. Luetgert, DeMara Gilbrath, Brian Mullen, Dixie Quitsch, Scott Marler, Gloria Chaney and Andrew Doss. Happy anniversary to Geri and Roger Grant.
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.
