Chester Chatter: A May Day surprise at the door

By Ruthie Douglas
© 2018 Telegraph Publishing LLC

Many countries around the world celebrate May Day, the first day of May. Every year I look forward to a knock on my door, where I am greeted by a young child with a may basket for me.

I invite them in and they show me what they have brought for me. All kinds of goodies in a basket that they have decorated themselves.

Growing up, we had an older lady in our neighborhood. We kids made our own basket and decorated it. We collected spring flowers from the nearby woods. In the bottom of the basket, we laid moss. Knocking on her front door, we knew we would be asked in for lemonade and cookies — the best part.

Recently, my classmate Ralph Goings and I were recalling going the May Pole. We wove colorful streamer like a rainbow until we had made it too the pole and filtering together tight, then we reversed it until the streamers were unfolded.

But we couldn’t exactly remember how it was all done. I do know this: It was hard for anyone left-handed like myself who wanted to head in a different direction.

How long ago it was. We were in the first grade and some of us had lunch together just the other day.

Goodbye to The Message, hello to summer friends

In 1974, when Bill and Joan Johnson created their small hometown newspaper, it quickly caught on. Everyone loved The Message for the Week. On its pages were town events and pictures of everything from weddings to Easter egg hunts. Over the years, after new owners took it over from Wes and Theresa Johnson, it became something that we did not recognize. I am very sad to learn of its closing.

The Springfield High School class of 1959 met for its monthly luncheon at the Riverside Restaurant. Folks are coming home from warm winter places.

Melvin and Betty Stowell are home from several months at their winter home in Florida, as are Butch Eddy and Elaine.

Carter Spaulding, a first-grader at Chester-Andover Elementary School, made my May Day most happy with a May Day basket that he brought to my home We had a nice little visit. What a sweet child. Thank you, Carter.

The Sip & Paint Party held on a recent Saturday at the Chester American Legion was a fun time. There was drink food and music to set the mood. Later, Richard Riendeau provided music from 7 to 11 p.m. in the Legion Lounge.

Happy 50th wedding anniversary to Bud and Agnes Barnes.

Wanda Golden share with me an old saying her mother told: When you spot three sparrows in a row on a power line, it’s time to go barefoot.

• This week’s trivia question: Where was the Hind Quarters?
  
• Answer to last week’s trivia question: The Marble Mart was located where the Pizza Stone now is.
  

Street Talk

Do you believe Chester needs a doctor at the clinic?