Chester Chatter: The benefits of eating slowly

By Ruthie Douglas
©2019 Telegraph Publishing LLC

My grandfather, who was born in Trois-Rivières in Quebec, Canada, and was bonded out to work at the age of 9, was a slow eater.

The farmer that he worked for made sure Grandpa always had plenty to eat to keep him strong and healthy. Since it was Grandpa’s only free time, he figured that he would eat slowly just to make the time last.

He continued the habit of eating slowly for the rest of his life, much to the irritation of his wife, who would need the kitchen table for the canned goods she would make for sale or the sewing she needed to do.

It wasn’t as if Grandma was putting tasty meals on the table. While she was a forager and could create medicines from what she gathered, she was never a good cook, not having been schooled in the use of herbs and spices. As the young wife of a logger far out in the woods and away from the convenience of a grocery, she never had access to such luxuries.

But even when they moved to Springfield, they continued their habits — Grandpa with his slow-eating and Grandma with her bland food.

Happenings out and about

Friends and family helped Darlene Rounds celebrate her 60th birthday under the big tent at the American Legion Post 67 on a recent Saturday.

Donna Whitney has been enjoying a visit from her daughter Corey, up from Virginia.

Michaela Smith and Joseph Kenneally were married at the Bliss Farm in early August and later traveled by tractor and hay wagon to the American Legion for a gathering of family and friends.

The Domino Gals got together at my home last week. We had great food and plenty of laughter.

Congratulations to Kirby Putnam, Chester’s new head of the Highway Department.

For the first time ever, I received a thank you note for my story telling. The young people from SERVE, who did some work for me recently, thanked me for telling tales of old Vermont. I will forever treasure that thank you note.

The American Legion will hold its first Friday night dinner for the new season on Sept. 6. The public is always welcome.

At 5 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 9, a ceremony will be held to commemorate Sept. 11, 2001, under the portico outside of the American Legion.

The Farrar family held a family reunion Saturday at the American Legion. It was a great time to enjoy family ties and share what is known.

Answer to last week’s trivia question: Chester residents paid their electric bills on the Green, in what is now Vintage Vermont.
This week’s trivia question: Where can you always find Lonnie Lisai day or night, seven days a week?