Chester Chatter: A Christmas gift of ingenuity

By Ruthie Douglas
© 2018 Telegraph Publishing, LLC

Christmas is a family time. The gathering of family is made all the more special if young children are scampering about. To share the magic through the eyes of a child is great. Their excitement spreads over everyone.

I recall my two little girls and holidays past. We always put up the Christmas tree in time for Jeanie to have her birthday presents under it.

Let me tell you of one Christmas. We had opened all the gifts and sat around looking at them. Don and I were having our coffee. We had Christmas music on and a fire in the fireplace. The girls laid some of their new toys on the brick hearth and, after dinner, I sent them upstairs to their room for a nap.

Later, they came running down the stairs into the family room to play with their new toys. But there was a great hollering and noise. The heat from the fire had melted the Barbie dolls, the windows on the Buddy L truck, the candy bars in their stockings and other toys.

They recovered quickly. I overheard them on the phone telling a friend to “come down and play with my handicapped Barbie.” Come summer, they pretended the truck had a rock through the windshield. Children seem to recover very well.

Out and about

Angell the therapy dog came to visit me in a Christmas sweater. What a cute dog.

I hope Ricky Bliss is feeling much better. Get well soon.

Steve Lewes of Colorado is spending two weeks with his aunt and uncle Bud and Marlene Ingells. He is visiting his father David Lewes, who is a patient at Springfield Health and Rehab.

Morgan Richardson is home from California having battled the Camp Fire. He is the son of Eric and Deborah Richardson.

Shameke Parker, who has worked in the area for three months as a traveling nurse, has returned to her home in New Orleans. Her new friends will miss her.

Happy Birthday to Judy Henning.

Fifty-two years ago I received the best gift ever, just in time for a Christmas, my dear, sweet daughter Jeanie. Happy Birthday honey.

Charlie Lewis of Connecticut has spent time visiting his dad Dave Lewis.

A big thank you to Charlie Craft for your post on Facebook about our early time so many years ago at the Green Mountain High School and most especially the get well wishes that followed. I needed to get out of the dumps this holiday season. The love and get well wishes has done it. I am overwhelmed.

Love you all.

Card shower for Phoebe Barnes

The family of Phoebe Barnes is celebrating her 90th birthday Jan. 10th with a card shower. Phoebe has been a resident of Chester for more than 60 years since she moved here with her late husband, Albert Barnes.

Phoebe worked in Chester and together with her husband raised their six children — Lewis, Tim, Kathy, Kevin, Richard and Julie — in Chester. Please help us wish her the happiest of birthdays with a card.

Cards can be sent to:
Phoebe Barnes
354 Depot St.
Chester, Vt. 05143

• This week’s trivia question:  Who was Gibby Carey?
  
• Answer to last week’s trivia question: Bob Freeman was the Green Mountain High School basketball coach as well as the gym teachers.
  

Street Talk

What is your holiday tradition?