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Barbara DiStefano One day in February when the temperature soared up into the 40's, I went out to the store. As I opened my car door, I got a whiff of melting snow. Now mind you, we only had a couple of Inches, but that was plowed up into piles at the store. This wonderful hope-for-spring smell triggered memories of my childhood. Much later than February, probably early April in Hubbardston, the where Dad had attached an 8-foot removable storm wall/door. This enclosed the steps which were probably 8x2 ft. each. Siblings and Teddie, help me with the measurements! Anyway, it made a wonderful area that was almost outside, but warmed somewhat by the sun, making an oven-like effect. This was a perfect place to play, and I spent hours there, enjoying my special play house. When then I would put on my boots and other still-winter gear, I noticed that wonderful smell of the snow melting. It would form little rivulets as it crept out under the piles of shoveled snow next to the driveway. I would find a stick and make deeper, wider paths for the water to find its way down the driveway, all the time thinking this would hasten the process and spring would arrive sooner. Ever since, I recognize that first smell of the snow melting, and rejoice in the hope for spring. |
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Nancy Murdock The November-December 2006 Murdock Muse made an important Scrabble announcement. We announced that we had a new goal, after several years of using only certain set goals. Here is an excerpt from that article. Several years ago, Bob and I worked out a batch of goals for Scrabble. We say that a total of 600 is par, no matter how many are playing. We count one goal for each of the following: • 700 total; • Each player has a score of at least 600 divided by the number of players (200 for three players, 300 for two, 150 for four); • One goal for each play in which a player uses all seven letters from his/her rack. (Sometimes called a “bingo.”) As of June 11, 2006, we added one additional goal: total of 800 or more! This game was 800, the first time we had ever seen that score. Recently, Colleen was mourning the lack of using some of the Triple Word squares, each time we played. Finally we decided to make it a goal to cover all of them, and we worked to make this happen. A few weeks ago, we finally made it, to much in-house fanfare. We felt triumphant to have accomplished this, which to our knowledge had never happened before for us. We now announce that tonight we made par plus 7 goals, an all-time high: Each over 200. Three “bingos” (using all 7 letters from one’s tray - in the same word and turn). This time we didn’t EACH make one, however, as we did on June 11, 2006. I made two, and Bob made one. Colleen, who is usually the first to do so, didn’t quite pick up the best combinations of letters tonight. After several weeks of picking up very disappointing combinations, usually featuring multiple duplicate vowels with a few skimpy one-count consonants, tonight I more than made up for missing out on the best fun recently. I felt only a tiny built guilty, too. A total of at least 700. A total of at least 800. (We barely made this one, at 802.) And the crowning glory: covering all triple word score squares! What makes these goals particularly enjoyable is that most of them are team goals. We all need to pull together to score on them. Colleen is particularly good at pointing out how one of us could have a higher score on a certain turn. I, the score-keeper, have learned not to whine when I have to change the score (written in pen and ink). We took two photos, which we hope to develop in time for the Muse release. WE LOVE SCRABBLE! |
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Charles Frost and Pamela Clark Sent this piece to my children. Pamela replied: Dear Dad, We got such a hoot from your "Comedy of Errors", so I wrote a little poem commenorating your "Booboo". Love, Pam March 24: Debbie, our office secretary, organized a birthday party for our boss, Marty Jayne, sending an e-mail to the criminal justice faculty. The operative phrase in her message was "bring in your money and pleas." "Pleas"? I thought that this must be one of the fun things that the office mates usually do to celebrate happy occasions. And, of course, it seemed so natural because of the boss' legal background. So I set to work imagining what might be appropriate for the occasion. Didn't realize until the party that it was not tradition but a typographical error that impelled me on this creative task (she meant to say "please keep it a surprise" but part of the transmission was somehow deleted). I came in to Debbie's office and said, "Here's my plea" (attached). Should have sensed from the blank faces that I had misinterpreted the whole thing. In any event, she and the boss got a chuckle out of it -- and I hope you will, too. In the matter of People v. Jayne An amicus curiae Petition Petitioner prays the Appellate Court for leniency in sentencing Jayne, recently convicted under the Revised Statutes of Missouri of harboring a fugitive. May It Please The Court: WHEREAS it is established fact that the Gulf of Maine and the waters of the adjacent Provinces of Canada are subject to severe winter storms and, occasionally, a so-called perfect storm; AND WHEREAS said winter storms, commonly called nor’easters by the indigenous peoples of that region, do cause much destruction and economic loss to seaman and landlubber alike along the entire coast of Maine from the Piscataqua River on the south to Passamaquoddy Bay at its eastern extremity; AND WHEREAS the petitioner, a former resident of this stricken area, found this situation unbearable and weighed anchor to find safe harbor; AND WHEREAS the petitioner put in to the State of Missouri and was warmly welcomed by the friendly natives of Kirksville; AND WHEREAS the said Jayne in his benign wisdom did there and then offer refuge to the petitioner and an opportunity to work his passage: -- NOW, THEREFORE, petitioner humbly prays This Honorable Court to uphold the time-honored principle of maritime law permitting free entry into port under stress of weather and forthwith to set aside the conviction of the aforesaid Jayne. Charles C. Frost, Captain Hove To (schooner) York Harbor, Maine (former home port) CHARLIE'S BOOBOO There once was a man named Charlie... Who ate his Pleas and Barley, He got severely confused, And had office mates bemused, Seemed his boss's birthday Had him in such disarray, He couldn't get straight His Pleas and his peas.. His gift went adrift in legalize! You have to admit, He's got quite a good wit! Now the lesson is this... If a missive is missing a letter or two... Charlie might wander into the Blue!!! By Pamela Clark |
Four British Folkways in America |
Eugene Murdock GEMS A Way With Words March 24, 2008 (This article was first published for the Murdock Muse in 1992) Many-great grandfather Nathaniel Ward, one of my mother’s immigrant ancestors, was an author, minister and lawyer who graduated from Cambridge University, England. He came to Massachusetts in 1632 from Haverhill, England and settled in Ipswich. His prominence in the community is demonstrated by the fact that when he later moved to a new town being formed, it was named Haverhill in his honor. He was the chief compiler of the first Massachusetts code of laws, called the Body of Liberties. Then I ran across another book that had a story about him that shed new light on his character. The book "Albion's Seed" explores the four major groups of immigrants to America in the 1600's and 1700's, and describes in detail some of the cultural aspects that differentiated one group from the other. It was discussing the language differences, and talked about the speech of the New Englanders that contained many obscure Latinized words. To illustrate where they got such talk, it gave a bit of a sermon preached by many-great grandfather Nathaniel Ward: "If the whole concave of Hell," he wrote, "can so compromise, exadverse, and diametrical contradictions, as to compolitize such a multimonstrous mayfrey of heteroclytes and quicquidlibets quietly; I trust I may say with all humble reverence, they do more than the Senate of Heaven." Now I have no idea what he was talking about, and I don't believe much of the congregation did either, but the book goes on to say that "the people of Massachusetts were constantly bombarded with this pedantry. Every Sunday they sat with bowed heads while showers of polysyllables rained down upon them from the pulpit. Inspired by this show of Cambridge learning, the country people of new England studded their speech with this quasi-classical language." Going to church today can be a pleasant experience; we can sit in a well lit auditorium, at a comfortable temperature, in relatively comfortable seats, with flowers on the altar and music playing, all to soothe our souls. But there was nothing pleasant about going to church in the 1600's, and woe be to him that looked like he found pleasure in anything other than the word of God itself. |
exotic scent |
Barbara DiStefano One day in late February it was warmer than usual, and there were a couple of inches of snow on the ground - in the morning, at least, but not to last the day. I went to a store in downtown West Chester, and as I opened the car door, there it was, the smell of spring! It is a certain smell that combines the snow, the warmer sun, and the portent of things green to come. I sat there for a minute, soaking in the pleasure of it, and it triggered a memory of childhood springs, or rather late winters, because it only smells like that while there is still snow. Now summer has quite a different smell, in fact several different smells, one outstanding one being the first mowing of the lawn, a very green smell. Then after a very hot dry spell,when everything smells like "baked world" relief comes with the refreshing thunderstorm, and the amazing pavement smell after it is wet, and the dry earth with its velvety luxurious brown scent as it drinks thirstily from the fresh rain. Then, probably one of the most exotic scents we have in this part of the world, is that of lilacs. Soon after that one leaves, if you are fortunate, you can walk out to the field or roadside and find the wild strawberries, the scent of which can actually dance in your head and make you drool. Moving on to the crisp autumn, take a walk and lift your head to smell those apples and Concord grapes. The leaves on the trees smell different now, too, as they leave the tree to make it ready to withstand winter. They have a yes, crispy smell, then are quite aromatic when raked up and burned. The cooler temperatures of autumn are noticeable in your nose, and are refreshing, in a way, that makes you want to take long walks and deep breaths. Winter has a deep cold bristly smell of the snow on the ground. When the sun hits it in January, it has a distinctive odor of the future, when the snow actually starts to melt. The evergreens seem to be the dominant smell when taking a walk in the winter, a deeper green smell than the new mown grass of the spring, nonetheless enjoyable. Then the heavy happy smells surrounding Christmas are the Hallmark scents of winter, from Balsam wreaths to candy canes. I associate the tangerine scent with Christmas, because that is the only time we had tangerines as children. February might bring a day or two with the melting snow smell, and that, of course, brings us full cycle, back into spring. I hope you have enjoyed my smelly trip through the year, and would love to hear from Musers some of your favorite seasonal smells! |
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Valerie Davidson 4/18: I had a great birthday. I don't remember students singing "happy birthday" before, but a couple of classes did. It was a long day, and I got home at 5:30. It was time to feed the skittish stray cat I look out for. However, the nearly-full quart of half-and-half slipped from my grasp, fell to the floor, and kept spilling, with about half of the quart flowing 'neath the refrigerator and across the kitchen in complex patterns. Oh, no!! -- But first, I put the dishes of food and water outside, only to hear my cat hissing and trying to drive the stray from the food. They were apparently not getting along at the moment. I sort of corralled her inside (I think I was nice about it), and got to work on the milky spill. So, I'm on my hands and knees soaking up this nice mess, and before 2 minutes pass, I hear a couple of odd sounds from the living room, and then an unmistakable glass-tipping-over-and-water-spilling sound. I run to the living room and see that Sami has vengefully (can it be else?) thrown her weight into the tall, heavy glass (filled with water and a rooting plant), which she has used as a water dish for at least 5 years (without incident). I pull the sofa out of the way of the dripping mess, and go back to the kitchen to the first oozing mess. Now I am starting to sort of laugh to myself, but it isn't a healthy sound. Thankfully, Larry showed up in short order and mercifully cleared the #2 incident. Can't remember such a 1-2 of spills before.... And then, finally, approximately 40 minutes after I arrived home from my long, event-filled day, I got to sit down with (admittedly) a long sigh. |
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Various Authors Editor Bob to /Steve Howlett, 4/26: In March my sister Margery sent us a picture, probably from the Gardner News, of Desiree the inventor. Is she part of your family? I think we are not up to date on Who's Who in Museland. Here's the photo and caption: Newspaper story: Desiree Howlett shows off her invention, “The Tear Catcher,” Thursday, one of many that third-grade students from Helen Mae Sauter School in Gardner made as part of their “Invention Convention.” The project helped the students learn simple machines for their science classes, and was linked to their social studies courses relating to famous inventors. Desiree invented her device so that people who watch sad or funny movies will be able to reach up and grab some tissue to wipe the tears away. Steve Howlett, 4/27: That's Rob's (Robert Howlett's) daughter, and Rob is Michelle's oldest son. I know it gets confusing, there are sooooooo many of them to keep track of. Desi is a real cutie. [Ed. Note: We think someone told us the hat was part of the invention, with tissues ready to whip out to wipe the tears. Sorry, but we can't find that message. Maybe we made it up!...NM] |
Acropolis Gallery photos |
Colleen McKay My April Adventure As I was packing for my trip to Greece on Wednesday April 23, I realized I had left Harry II, my traveling bear, in CA. I had been there April 10-14 for a wonderful 50th wedding anniversary celebration for my neighbors, who are my CA parents. I decided to take the bear I’d bought at a Dublin, Ireland charity shop in October 2005. I named him Harry Patrick, or HP for short. This trip was a high school graduation gift for my niece Kayla. She had finished her first year at Brigham Young University in Provo on April 23. Her older sister’s college graduation ceremonies were Thursday night and Friday morning. Her parents got to drive back the car and her stuff to Vancouver WA, since she caught a plane late Friday afternoon to meet me at JFK in NY. I got to JFK about 4:00pm. Kayla’s plane was scheduled to arrive at 11:43 pm. We were spending the night at the Holiday Inn near the airport. I went to the hotel to check in. I left a wake up call for 11:00 pm so I could go back to the airport and meet Kayla. I had been up since 5:00 am and gone to bed late. I did not fall asleep. We decided to rest up at the hotel because our flight was leaving at 3:55 pm on Saturday April 26. We went to the breakfast buffet. My first mistake was not asking the price. It was 17.95 per person. For someone who does not go out to eat because all my budget goes for plane tickets to see places, $40.00 for breakfast was outrageous. We decided to go to the airport early for two reasons. I forget my electrical converter and she did not have one. The Hudson store at the airport had one. The use of computers and the internet at the Delta Crown Room was free, unlike the 20 cents a minute at the hotel. I had cashed in miles to get business elite seats on our nonstop flight to Athens. It makes the 9 hour and 38 minute flight much more pleasant. Flying is the only place I watch movies and HBO specials, since the entertainment unit in business has a variety of movies and shows. I don’t have cable, because that is money that can go towards plane tickets. We arrived at Athens Airport on Sunday April 27, Greek Orthodox Easter. We took the local express bus for 3.20 euros each to Athens. This was after using the airport Citibank ATM to get Kayla her 200.00 euros in spending money. The bus was right there. We had a lovely ride into town. It was a ten minute walk to the youth hostel. We showered and used the free computers to tell people back in the USA we arrived safely. We wandered around the PLAKA neighborhood where we stayed. We were near the Acropolis. Restaurants and a few shops were opened . I wanted to go to Mass. I had researched it at home. I knew there was a Roman Catholic Mass at 7:00 pm. We set out on foot to find the church. We found a Roman Catholic church, and the 7:00 pm service was in English. However, the readings were for Easter Sunday Mass. Roman Catholic Easter was March 23rd. I spoke to a choir member after Mass. She stated that two years ago they decided to follow the Greek Orthodox Calendar. I forgot to ask if it was all the Roman Catholic parishes or just that one. Easter Monday happens to be a holiday in Greece, which may be why the Roman Catholic Church parish just decided to go with the Greek Orthodox calendar. Lots of things were closed, but the Acropolis was free admission. There was scaffolding all around the Parthenon. It was crowded. We climbed the steps to the top of the Acropolis. I had commented to Kayla about her flimsy tied on sandals not being the best for climbing around the rocks. We safely made it down off the Acropolis and out the gates onto the street. That is where I tripped and scraped my knee and hand. I was worried about my camera, since it was hanging from my wrist but it still worked, and so did I. We continued walking around the other ruins near the Acropolis. Tuesday was a lazy day. We rode the number 400 local bus, which is a tour bus without commentary, just a folder pointing out highlights. The end of the line was the National Archaeological Museum. It was mostly statutes and pottery. I wanted to see the jewelry. It did display one pair of gold loop earrings. At the hostel there was a little travel agency. We booked a one day three island cruise for Wednesday. Two of the islands did not have cars, Poros and Hydra. Hydra did have mule rides for the tourists. On Poros we climbed stairs to get to the top of the island and the clock tower. In a shop on Hydra Kayla found a scarf she wanted and got a matching one for her sister. She did not bargain, but the shopkeeper knocked a Euro off each scarf, since she bought two. On Aegina we found the beach and put our feet into the Aegean Sea. It was getting later in the day and the wind was blowing, so we did not change into our suits. Thursday was May Day, another holiday. The zoo and the big department store were closed. Not all of the bus lines and metros lines were running, and streets around the two major squares were closed to traffic. We went wandering, and at the one square was a communist rally with red flags and angry speeches in Greek. The other square had more people and balloons decorating the square and blue and white flags but still angry speeches in Greek. We saw the Changing of the Guard at the Parliament building. Friday was our bus trip to Delphi. I left my camera battery in the charger in the room. Luckily Kayla’s camera was charged. Our tour of the Delphi site was impressive. When we had twenty five minutes of free time to explore, we of course had to climb up the steep path to the top where there was an ancient stadium. The tour included a lunch at a restaurant with a view of the valley. We stopped at another little town on a way back for a quick photo op or shopping. Saturday was our trip home. Kayla’s face cream and conditioner were confiscated at the security checkpoint. The items were in the proper sized containers in the zip lock bag. I think it was because the guards were bored and no one else was in line. We landed at JFK at 2:20 pm. Passport control was quick, but we had to wait to recheck through security for our connecting flights. Two flights from Russia had landed at the same time. Kayla’s flight to Portland OR was at 6:55 pm and mine to Baltimore was at 6:45 pm. Off to the Delta Crown Room for a computer and so Kayla could recharge her I-pod and phone. A young man we saw in the security line was there. He stated it was no nice to hear English again, because he had been in Russia. He asked Kayla if she was on Facebook. I asked her if she was going to let him be a friend on Facebook. She did not know. Kayla’s flight boarded timely. I don’t know when it left. Mine did not board until 8:15 pm. The pilot announced that if we needed to use the restroom, to do it now while we were at the gate, because we were going to have a long wait on the taxiway. I just closed my eyes and rested until we lifted off at 10:25 pm. I should have called the Muse editors at 8:00 pm and told them I would just use the shuttle. They waited at the airport for 2 and half hours for me and then gave up and went home. I got to my house at 12:25 am Sunday morning via the Super Shuttle. Sunday I woke at 9:00 am, missing the 8:00 am Mass. I baked brownies for the Diversity Day celebration after the ten thirty Mass. At Mass the second reading was read in eight different languages, but Greek was not one of them. I came home, cut the lawn, then went to pick up my Avon at the Muse editors’ home. Bob was home but Nancy was out. I ran into Nancy at the Rite Aid on the way home, since I had to pick up a newspaper. Lying in bed Sunday night, it seemed that the trip to Greece was so long ago. |
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