Welcome back , Sue Lentinti Stewart. Sue was in for a brief visit to celebrate her brother Guy’s birthday. Sister Jane Lentini was host to her sister and they all had a happy reunion at Guy’s house in Western Springs. Sue and Jane stopped by their old house for a photo. Lots of memories.
The GK Chesterton group had a vigorous discussion of Dorothy Sayers book The Nine Tailors last Saturday at Centuries & Sleuths. More to that great mystery than meets the eye. The group called attention to the points where the biblical flood was alluded to as well as how Divine Providence solved the mystery. The book gives an almost supernatural quality to bells, “They Have Neither Speech nor Language but their Voices and Heard Among them their Sound Gone Forth into All Lands.”
Each bell has a name, little Gaude, silver Sabaoth, strong John and Jericho, glad Jubilee, sweet Dimmity, and old Batty Thomas and Great Taylor Paul. Paul (Pall?) sounded when someone died. The ringing of the bells can cause serious harm, even death if one is in the bell chamber as they are rung. The ropes that are pulled to ring them, the sounds they toll, all figure in the mystery. Does anyone remember when church bells were sounded on Sunday mornings? The enthusiastic group made me want to go back and read the book again. And maybe even again. That bookstore has many exciting discussion groups. You could spend every Saturday and Sunday in there.
Keep your Tuesdays free! The first warm and toasty Soup and Bread gathering took place last week on Tuesday at Skrine Chops. About 60 showed up to pay a goodwill offering and slurp as much delicious hot soup as they’d like. Former Forest Parker Mary Lane is in charge. Donations collected go to the Forest Park food pantry. They’re adding a raffle this year! The next event is Tuesday, Jan. 20 at Skrine from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. They’ll move camp to The Old School Tavern and Grill in February.
Patrick O’Brien of Scratch Kitchen was keeping warm on one of the coldest days last week. The host of WCLV’s Chicago’s Best, Brittney Payton and her crew showed up at lunchtime Wednesday, Jan. 7 and filmed a segment for the show for the “Best Comfort Food” category. Congratulations to the staff and diners at Scratch!
The Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest will present Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 (Ode to Joy) on Sunday Jan. 18 at 4 p.m. This concert will take place at Concordia University’s Werner Auditorium at Bonnie Brae and Thomas Street. Plenty of free parking available.
Among the birthdays I forgot to mention last week was that of Steven Hawking, not to mention Elvis and also Charlie Rose. Do you believe in astrology?
Happy birthday this week to Rajiv Hirandandi, Mary Virginia Sedlac, Michael Bjornson, Kal Scollard, James Nacckey, Holly Ann Fjelstad, Colleen Nee, Elyse O’Connell, Eunice Blazek, Lauren Caroline Rose Glinke, Joan Steinbach, Janet Fabiani, Daniel Mondragon, Marge Zwadlo, Mary Logan, Dan Olson, Kirk Oliver, Kaitlyn Trage, Christopher Madden, Bob Kurash, Sharon Tierney, Julie Kaiser, Dale Heath. Happy anniversary to Shirley and Jack Christell and Tracy and Augie Aleksy.
Now get back to your shoveling, keep warm!
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.
