“In November, people are good to each other. They carry pies to each other’s homes and talk by crackling woodstoves, sipping mellow cider.”
“To November” by Cynthia Rylant
It was my job, as the oldest grandchild, to bring an apple pie and a mince pie to each branch of our family that lived in the Jamaica Plain area. Grandma would also ask me to help her make the 20 something pies that we needed for Thanksgiving. I peeled and sliced apples. Grandma would put on the spices and sugar. I didn’t have too much to do with the mince meat. If I remember correctly, it came packaged in a box. I don’t know how she made the mince meat filling. She would roll the crusts for the family pies herself. She would let me roll tiny crusts, for small pie plates, to fill with apples, for those of us who sat at the children’s table. I liked to go around the edge of the pies with a fork, pressing the top and bottom crusts together so that the juices wouldn’t leak out before the pies went into the oven. I also painted the top piecrusts with milk so that they would turn a golden brown when baked. Grandma would roll out a piece of dough and I would spreacd jam all over it. She would then fold the dough in two and secure all around the edge so we kids could have a big turnover. I think that I was also big enough to mash the potatoes with a potato masher. We did not have an electric mixer when I was young.
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Two days after Halloween, on an afternoon with the temperature in the 70s, Hubby was outside on the front porch taking down the Jack-0-Lantern lights along the porch railing and putting up the bright orange mini-lights, and an electric colored turkey, on the rose trellis. Our hybrid tea roses have all opened. The white rosebush has two roses. One is bigger than Hubby’s entire hand, the other just normal sized. That bush has blossoms with the loveliest fragrance. There are five normal-sized blossoms on the peach rose bush. The yellow rose bush has two blossoms. The red rose bush near the side porch has two red ones. Our geraniums, on the front and side porches, are still flowering. They are amazing. Hubby is also feeding our outdoor cat “Louie” more often than he did during the summer. He figures that more flesh should keep him warmer when the very cold temps arrive.
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Last Sunday, we drove to Weymouth to pick up our friend and former State Teachers College at Boston classmate Elaine De Costa. We had not yet driven over the newly constructed “temporary” Fore River Bridge in North Weymouth. It gives you quite a sensation. They have already started to build the permanent bridge. We went to our destination differently from the way Elaine had gone in other years with her pal. Hubby went out Rte. 128 to Exit 19, down Needham Street to Dedham Street, making several turns, and we were, surprisingly, at the Charles River Country Club. For the past few years, this club has been the lovely place where the Boston Teachers College Scholarship Luncheon is held. (The first time we went there, we went in via the exit because we couldn’t find the entrance.) Elaine relies on a cane, so she asked Hubby to drive her up to the front door. The man who greeted us at the door told Hubby where the handicapped parking was located, so he was able to park our car very close to the front door.
When we walked into the building, it was humming with activity. People were arranging gift baskets along the entry. I didn’t dare look at them. They were so enticing. Hubby and Elaine pooled their money so they could get a longer strip of chances. We then sat down on a bench and had some delicious coffee. Elaine and Hubby then went off to put their tickets in front of the desired baskets. Our classmate Barbara (Hogan) Chinetti came over to sit with me. She had bought the “winning” tickets for the gift baskets, also.
Marie Fox, who has chaired the event for many years, came by. (I think this was the 20th luncheon.) We were asked to bring new clothing to fit the youngsters at the Italian Home for Children in Jamaica Plain. Kevin McGillicuddy, from the children’s home, thanked all of us for our kindness to the children.
The greetings segment was delivered, very humorously, by Madeline McLean Smith, Class of ’51. The highlight of the speaking program was Chancellor J. Keith Motley, who wowed the guests with his remarks about the innovations at UMass Boston. He told us how much he enjoyed these luncheons and thanked us for providing scholarships to three deserving seniors at the university this year. A poem, dedicated to the three 2015 scholarship winners, was recited by the poet herself, Virginia Lee Langley, Class of 1948.
Associate Vice Chancellor for Alumni Relations and the UMass Boston Fund, Betsy Doherty, gave the financial report. The Class of 1965 gave a huge check to the scholarship fund. I was delighted that we were there at the country club for this presentation because our friend and neighbor, John Sweeney, a member of this 50-year class, was chosen to present the huge mock-up of the real check to Chancellor Motley.
As usual, my cousin Janet and her classmate Jean McDonagh (spelled the correct Irish way) were there. They always attend the luncheon. This year, they were joined by another of their classmates, Sister Lois Pereira, who was on a few days rest after completing her recent spiritual assignment, serving as provincial for her order of nuns over all of the US. (She had also previously served as provincial in Ghana.) She was delighted to finally attend a school luncheon after missing so many others over the years. I was able to speak with Sr. Lois for a few minutes. She has been almost all over the world with her assignments in her order (FMM – Franciscan Missionaries of Mary). She did a heavenly job reciting the prayer at our luncheon!
Then it was time to eat. The wait staff first gave us pumpkin soup, which was very tasty. Two of us at the table, a gal from the Class of 1957 and I, thought that our tiny chickens might be Rock Cornish Hens. I had one at a wedding at the Copley Plaza many years ago and it was about that size. With our chicken, the country club offered (perhaps) fried mashed potatoes (excellent), and thin asparagus. The rolls were tasty. The dessert was a scrumptious tart with a soft lemon filling.
Then it was time to give out the gift baskets on chances. The first winner was the gal from the Class of 1957 sitting next to me. The second was pal Elaine. We were all stunned that two winners were chosen so quickly from our table. Sadly, the other winners were not at our table. The luncheon ended after all the prizes were awarded. Elaine didn’t want her boxes of chocolate from Philips (too much temptation) or the bottles of wine (also too much temptation). She gave some of the candy and mixed nuts to Hubby and distributed the bottles of wine to the other gals at our table.
Hubby was able to get our car from the handicapped parking area quite easily. The ride back over the “temporary” Fore River Bridge was different. We had Elaine home before it was dark. The traffic went well on the way home.
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On Sunday there was a knock at our front door. There were two young women who asked to speak with Hubby. I asked if it was because he is a veteran. They nodded, “Yes.” (I had heard WBZ Radio mention that there were more than 100 people in the state last weekend going around thanking veterans for their service to the US.) The young women, Brittany Bochant and Erin Quinlan, were assigned to thank the veterans in our area of Dorchester. Hubby was happy with his “Thank you” and then was given a medallion from Mayor Walsh that featured all the insignias of our Armed Forces on one side and the seal of the City of Boston with the mayor’s name around the edge on the other side. It is an impressive medallion, which Hubby will treasure. The very pleasant gals had quite a list of veterans to thank. They certainly did a great job with Hubby.
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I was delighted to hear that Doug Bell, a person with disabilities, had the most wonderful 40th birthday party. Doug, the son of Doug and Donna Melchionda and the grandson of Della Melchionda, is Elvis Presley’s greatest fan. At the party, which was held last Saturday, Nov. 7, at the Randolph Elks, Doug even sang an Elvis song. His gifts all had an Elvis theme. Happy 40th birthday, Doug!
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I am sorry that in a recent column I missed one of City Councillor-Elect Annissa Essaibi-George’s important occupations. In addition to all her other work, she owns the Stitch House on Dorchester Ave.
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This bumper sticker made me laugh: “Where there’s a will, I hope I’m in it.”
