“This morn the world around us
Is carpeted with snow;
Not a single mark to mar it
But ere too long I know
There’ll be prints of every kind…
How plainly they will show.”
“Winter” by Ree Rohren

Hubby, daughter Sue, and I laughed when we saw small footprints in the snow in our back yard. A few of our neighborhood cats were able to get across the deep snow. The snow in the rest of the yard is untouched. If the snow were not so deep, it would be a great place to make snow angels. We feed our outdoor cat “Louie” quite often during the day and early evening because of the cold temps and snow.

We would love to have him in our home but he is not tame enough to bring inside. (He still will not let me hold him.) At night, he sleeps under our porch, next to a cellar window that provides a little warmth. If it is sunny, Louie finds a place in the sun on our porch. He also loves to be petted. I think our hands give him some warmth. He is about six years old so he has survived all these years outside. He is a very sturdy feline.

Even though “the weather outside was frightful,” there was a lovely time going on in Standish Village, on Adams St. in Lower Mills, Jan. 27. We were not sure if the monthly meeting of the Dorchester Board of Trade would be held there that evening because there was 11 inches of new snow on top of what had already fallen in Dorchester. Lisa Courtney, the Executive Secretary of the Board of Trade, however, sent all the members an e-mail that morning, stating that the meeting would definitely be held. It was a little difficult finding a parking spot outside Standish Village because of the mounds of snow but someone left the building just as we drove up the driveway.

We were welcomed by Charles Hollins, president of the Board of Trade, as we entered the building. Our friend Barry Mullen, from the Fields Corner CDC, came in on our heels. I met Mark Belluardo-Crosby, a Bay Cove employee, who works at the Kit Clark House on Dorchester Ave. When we walked into the meeting room, we saw hors d’oeuvres beautifully displayed on a big table. Since this was a Business2Business meeting, there were smaller tables set up all around the room where each company attending could put its company’s literature on a table. Jim Cawley, from Work, Inc., came in carrying a huge box of pamphlets, telling of the great job their company does. Donna Finnegan, from the Fields Corner CDC, was greeting everyone inside the room. So was Lisa Courtney. Leandrea Brantle, from Victory Human Services, also came to the meeting. Ryan Whitcomb also joined us, representing his company, Eascare Ambulance

The area’s banks were well represented by Josefina Silva, from the Mt. Washington Bank, and a huge contingent of the staff of the Meetinghouse Bank: Anthony Paciulli, Bruce Crosscup, Fred Penzo, Reuven Zaslavski, and Stephanie Keady. Andrew Wilbur, the general manager of Phillips, whom we met at the Board’s Christmas Party in December, once again joined us. Mark O’Sullivan, from Dorchester’s famous O’Sullivan Family, came to the meeting, representing Integrated Financial Partners. Dan Durant, asst. vice president of the Medical Area Federal Credit Union, told us that the MAFCU has opened a branch at 1197 Adams St. Stu Rosenberg, from Councilor Arroyo’s office, was able to come in and join us for a little while between meetings that evening. I really enjoy chatting with him. We were delighted to see Bill Walczak, who is to take over the presidency of Carney Hospital this month. We all congratulated Bill on his new position. He even had another meeting to attend after our Board of Trade meeting that evening.
I also enjoyed chatting with Bruce Crosscup from the Meetinghouse Bank at the meeting. He told me that he had spent three happy years in India as a member of the Peace Corps. He said that he had almost met Sargent Schriver while in India but missed him by one-half hour because of transportation difficulties. He also mentioned that he did a great deal of traveling when his three-year commitment in India was completed. He returned to the U.S. very slowly. My friend Barry Mullen gave away some very useful calendars. Not only did these calendars show all the months of this new year, they also had all of 2012. Printed under each of the years was a list of the holidays for that year. Barry put magnets on the back of these calendars so they could be attached to a metal cabinet. Mine is already of the front of my overhead metal cabinet. (Thanks, Barry!) By the way, Pat Rackowski was the gal who was the hit of the Board of Trade evening. All during the evening, she gave massages to the members. Leandrea, from Victory Human Services, said that she could handle even more snow-shoveling after having one of Pat’s massages.

Before we left Standish Village, President Charles Hollins came to the microphone and told members, proudly, that plans are already underway for a special celebration in honor of the Dorchester Board of Trade’s 100th anniversary. There will be further information closer to the time of the event. Charles, who is Director of Advocacy at Bay Cove Human Services, was giving out blue stretchy bracelets, with the Bay Cove logo/charm hanging off the bracelet. Hubby brought one out to me in the hall and I proceeded to put it on my wrist. Charles came out and said to me, “The bracelet just matches the clothes you are wearing.” Bay Cove chose the right shade of blue for their bracelets. This was a very pleasant Business2Business Meeting in spite of the snowy conditions outside.

At the last Irish luncheon Father John McCarthy invited us to join in the celebration of the Feast of St. Brigid of Ireland. The celebration will be held on Sun., Feb. 13, in Father Lane Hall at St. Brendan’s Church. The children will learn about St. Brigid at craft workshops, held from 1 to 3 p.m. They will learn how to make a St. Brigid’s Cross. (Daughter Sue would love to learn how to do that.) They will hear the story of St. Brigid’s Cloak. They will also learn the customs and traditions associated with St. Brigid, handed down from oral tradition in music, song, and dance. At 3 p.m., Fr. John will celebrate Mass. From 4 to 8 p.m.. there will be supper and refreshments, followed by a traditional Ceili Dance, with music by Ceol Tradislunta na hEireann and Friends. Tickets are $10 for adults; $5 for children; and children under 5, free. Please call 1-855-479-2472, 617-436-0310, or 781-871-1247 in advance. Proceeds will be given to benefit the work of the Irish Pastoral Centre. At the next Irish Pastoral Centre’s luncheon at the Irish Cultural Centre on Feb. 17, Fr. John mentioned that this would be a Mass for the Sick. It is near the Feast Day of Our Lady of Lourdes, who is the patron of those who are ill.
When I attended the Irish Pastoral Centre’s luncheon at the Irish Cultural Centre in Canton last week, I mentioned that our pal from Southie, Lucy Loud, sat with us. Lucy took me aside and told me that her daughter Carol (Loud) Cappuccio had passed away from cancer on Dec. 22. All the people at our table at the Irish luncheon send our sympathy to Carol’s husband Angelo and to her children, Stephen and Michael. We also send our sympathy to her mother Lucy Loud, and to her siblings, Paul Donald, Albion, and the late Fred Loud.

I was also sorry to read of the passing of Lawrence “Larry” Keaney on Jan. 12. Hubby and I had seen Larry, a well-known funeral director, a few times over the Christmas holidays, outside St. Gregory’s Church. We exchanged a few pleasantries with him each day. I send my sympathy to his wife Maureen, and to his children: Thomas, Sheila, and Eileen.

I previously mentioned that I was invited to be on TV for the City of Boston. There is a program, shown on Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings on Comcast Cable Channel 9, called “Don’t Retire—Inspire.” The host of the program is a very pleasant woman, Augusta Alban. She asked how I became a newspaper columnist for the Dorchester Reporter. I told her that Ed Forry had asked me to join his new newspaper back in 1983 and I have been writing ever since. Thanks to a call from Sheila Lawn from the City’s Elderly Commission last Thursday, I learned that the show I taped with Augusta on the day before Thanksgiving would be shown last Friday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. and last Saturday, at 11:30, on Ch. 9. Hubby and I watched both shows and I studied them. Hindsight is wonderful. “I should have said ….” “I should have worded that differently.” That was all I could think of as I watched. Both my pals Eileen and Mae saw the show. Just watch for the program on Saturday and Sunday on Ch. 9. My debut on TV may be repeated.

Since this paper will be out on Feb. 3, the day of the Chinese New Year of the Rabbit, here is a little Chinese saying for all of you: “Gung Hay Fat Choy!” It means: “Best wishes and congratulations—have a prosperous and good year!”