“Winter is a time of gray, velvet weather drifting toward us. It arrives on “little cat feet” and curls itself around us like the fog in Sandburg’s poem.
The weather is a friend if you make it one. I look forward to the gray, quiet time for solitude, contemplation, reading, long conversations with friends. Colors are softer; sounds have more depth; the pace is gentler.
Instead of resentment at the lack of sun, snuggle into the gray velvet quilt and make yourself a cup of tea.”
“Success Is the Quality of Your Journey” by Jennifer Jones
I had hoped to start cleaning in the attic but these past few days it has been too cold. I am surprised at the things I had found previously, like the white sweater and bonnet that all three of our kids wore at the time of their Christenings. I don’t remember who knitted it for us. 55 years was such a long time ago. I may have noted the knitter in one of the baby books. I did consolidate my Christmas cards into one apple box. I found a couple of heavy sweat jackets, which I brought downstairs to wear alternately while watching TV in the evening. Up in the attic there are so many dresses that I have bought over the years. I’ve worn so few of them in recent years; I think they will go to Morgan Memorial.
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Hubby and I were so delighted that Marty Allen had notified us that she had organized an evening to thank Gerard for giving our entire neighborhood so much joy over the past 40 years. We agreed. So many of us have had wonderful celebrations at his restaurant. Our friend Loretta asked Hubby and me to sit at her table, along with our mutual friends Ginny and Mary, who have breakfast there almost every Sunday morning. I mentioned that our kids and grandkids all have a favorite dish, as do we. (I love his meatloaf.) I remember that Mayor Menino almost always came to the Meatloaf Fundraiser for the Dorchester Day Parade each March at First Parish Church. The mayor loved Gerard’s meatloaf. I also remember going to Gerard’s on St. Patrick’s Day so that Hubby and daughter Sue could have their yearly fix of corned beef and cabbage. Eileen Burke also loved to join us on the 17th. Gerard told me long ago that it was his mother’s way of cooking corned beef that made it so good.
Loretta read to me the menu for Gerard’s Tribute at his restaurant. He was going to make all the food himself for his friends To start, there was rolled stuffed filet of sole, with a shrimp on top. I am allergic to shrimp so the wonderful waitresses gave those with shrimp allergies, a tasty fruit cup. (It was so good.) There was a lovely tossed salad. Gerard had made two different meats for the main course. There was a stuffed chicken breast along with steak tips. There were roasted potatoes and his heavenly squash. We were also given a roll and butter. For dessert, we had a choice of all his little pastries, with coffee. Before the dinner ended, Marty asked that we sing three appropriate songs for Gerard; “I’ll Be Seeing You,” “I’m Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover,” and “Happy Trails to You.”
Then Marty announced that the emcee for the evening, Bill Brett, would go around the main room, asking what people would remember about Gerard’s. I always loved it when Gerard was catering the event I was attending. At the end of the tribute, I saw that Gerard’s wife Ruth was standing up. I went over to her and said “Hello.” Ruth knew that I was retiring, but I told her that I was retiring from the office but not from writing, which I would be doing from home. “Will you still put my birthday in your column?” “Of course, I will.” She was so happy. As we hugged, I recognized her favorite perfume because it is mine also. “You’re wearing Tresor, Ruth.” She was floored that I recognized it. “It’s my favorite, also.” We both laughed. Her mom gave her Tresor and now her kids give Tresor to her on special occasions.
Here are the names of the people who attended Gerard’s Tribute: Irene Duff, Ginny Little, Anne Esterhill, Virginia Neeley, Ginny Biagiotti, Mary McEleney, Pat O’Donnell, Tom Weir, Will Weir, Bill Brett, Marty Allen, Chris Holmes, Cis Holmes, Loretta Philbrick, Mary O’Rourke, Kathy McPartland, Mary Lou, Paul, Ellen Leary, Helen C., Janet Higgins, Helen, Arlene Phinney, Selene, Janet H., Ginny P., Joan Walsh, Mary Shea, Sue Smith, Cathy Poles, John Poles, Sue Allen, Kathleen Poles, Hubby, and I.
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Our neighborhood was saddened by the death of our longtime friend and neighbor Noreen (Waters) Pero on Jan. 6 at age 67. She had been a school nurse in the Boston Public Schools. Noreen was the wife of Charles “Charlie” Pero and the mother of Charlie (BFD) and his girl friend, Jennifer, and Sean (BPD) and his wife Jessica. She was delighted to be the grandmother of Sean, Addison, and Teagan. Our entire Pope’s Hill neighborhood sends our sympathy to her husband, their sons and their families.
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Now that we are in 2016, I think this Irish blessing is very appropriate:
“God bless you now and always,
with the gift of Irish cheer.
God give you a happy heart
and keep you through the new year!”
