My Lovely Boxes

My Favorite Party

My farewell party was a hoot, though I can’t remember it well. I can’t believe it was just about 4 1/2 months ago! It seems like it was years and years ago!

I cannot actually recall much about the party! I was there, obviously. I was in photos from the party. My daughter Beth is beside me. Eileen in on my left, Priscilla on my right. I know that I sat across from Karen and her husband Chris, whose name I have almost forgotten.

I believe Ed was there. He is our Music Director from the Westport (CT) Unitarian Church. Rev. John and his wife were not there. They were in Maine for the summer. Harold and his wife were there, though they came a little late. Harold is the chair of our TEAM Westport group.

Judy Hamer and many others were there with me. I included the Black couple who were with me in 1978 or so, in Nigeria. They have been back in Westport for at least 30 years, probably much longer. Frank and Priscilla, in the picture, are their names.

Seniors Need a Home

Looking at the recent paper – 6 days ago – I noticed the major article, “Seniors pushing town for services.” The town is very concerned about the lack of volunteers. This lack leads directly to the council members, so the council can’t any longer ignore the calls of seniors.

Amy Lippel, the president of Montclair Gateway, says two ongoing issues deserve attention. One is the absence of a director for Senior Services, going on for a year and three quarters. Katie York left the job in March 2021, followed by the departure of Susan Portuese, the director of Health and Human Services 4 months later. The other is the decades-long struggle for a permanent senior center.

She says services for seniors “have been splintered, leading to a duplication among organizations and depriving people of a central source of information.” I certainly know the website is out of date.

The 5000 postcards Amy is sending contain a QR code “that gives residents the chance to link to a short signup and survey form.” Fortunately, the QR code is accompanied by the organizations’ phone number and email, though I’m not sure where the calls will end up.

I am sympathetic to Michelle DeWitt, the coordinator for Senior Services. She has been keeping the program going every day, essentially doing two jobs. She is in charge of Edgemont Park, a senior center of sorts, where there is a small house that holds places for seniors but also others to meet.

Amy Lippel says, “It just hurts that these people were struggling to find something not for themselves, but for the next generation.” She recalls the people who came before, even more than 20 years ago, and says, “we’re still struggling with the same issues.”

Let’s hope those postcards get a response!

Things I Remember from Long Ago

I need to take something I remember to our sale on Friday night. The Unitarian Universalists in Montclair call it ‘yankee swap’. (A yankee swap is similar to a grab bag, except that “all of us sweet, well behaved UU’s get an opportunity to ruthlessly steal each other’s gifts.”)

All right! I’ll look at my little boxes and other belongings gathered over many, many years.

I can’t remember when I started collecting more serious belongings like the bronze alligator and leopard. Or the four different vases, and the matchbox cover like a stuffed shoe. I will take a picture of these wonderful items.

I’ll send it to you! And I’ll take a wonderful box, about 2 inches around, with lovely pictures of birds on the cover.