Did you see the article about our very own Centuries & Sleuths by Rick Kogan in last Sunday’s Tribune? Augie Aleksy got high praise for his bookstore on Madison Street. Drop in and see for yourself what a prize-winning small bookstore we have — and stick around for one of the programs.
The 600 block of Beloit has sensational block parties. They have become such a hit, they now last for two days. That’s probably one day for Journey Alvarado’s birthday and one day for Joshua Olfay’s. The piñata swinging gets more brutal every year, too.
I had the joy of feeding an invisible cat named “Teddy” last week. Below is Teddy’s picture, can you see him? Look hard. His food was always gone, he played with a little red box, I know because the box moved from day to day, but Teddy’s whereabouts will forever remain a mystery to me.
Special congratulations and happy anniversary wishes to Pat and Joyce Oberg who celebrated 50 years of marriage on Aug. 18.
Please allow me a bit of news about myself and my trip down Memory Lane last week. I met a very treasured old friend whom I had not seen in nearly 60 years. On my way there, I drove past the school where I had my first teaching assignment: Edward Jenner School in old Cabrini Green. The neighborhood was poor then; some Sicilians from past days still lived there. Their church, St. Philip Benizi, is long gone. The old Jenner School has been replaced by a shining, modern academy. Not a person of color in sight. A sidewalk café, modern, clean, slick buildings. Where did all the poor people go? The entire day was like a dream; everything I knew is no more. My old friend is not well, but still a friend.
Good news: The birthday book is found! So belated happy birthday wishes to Joe Davis, Dakota Staiger, Colleen Murray, Rocco Cirrintano, Angela Tricoci, Kevin Nutley, Donna Prochazka, Tom Curry, Betty Breseman, Mary Bosley, Christine Cassiani, Dorothy Grams, Barb Lambke, Eileen Pfaff, Lisa Cozzi, Terry Hemstreet, Lindsey Pritchard, Anthony Bower, Donald Childs, Madison Crowe, Amanda McAdam, Kaitlin Smith, Ida Hanson, and Alice Nolan.
Happy anniversary to Jon and Letitia Olmsted and to Jesse and Diane Collins.
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.
