Winter
When icicles hang by the wall
And Dick the shepherd blows his nail
And Tom bears logs into the hall,
And milk comes frozen home in pail,
When Blood is nipped and ways be foul,
Then nightly sings the staring owl,
Tu-who;
Tu-whit, tu-who: a merry note,
While greasy Joan doth keel the pot.
When all aloud the wind doth blow,
And coughing drowns the parson’s saw,
And birds sit brooding in the snow,
And Marian’s nose looks red and raw
When roasted crabs hiss in the bowl,
Then nightly sings the staring owl,
Tu-who;
Tu-whit, tu-who: a merry note,
While greasy Joan doth keel the pot.
– William Shakespeare
I miss milk pails.
Well, I hear the polar vortex is about to make a return, so thanks to Shakespeare’s Tom for bearing those logs into the hall. Looking for a way that you can help others this month? Well, you could take a turn at keeling the pot so that greasy Joan can wash up, but I have a better idea. If you’re hale and hearty, consider joining the city’s Snow Angels program. It connects willing snow shovelers with nearby neighbors who need help clearing their walks due to age or disability.
If you’re fit and would like to become a Snow Angel, just go to the city’s website at: https://pittsburghpa.gov/snowangels/ If you need the help of a Snow Angel, just dial 311 and ask.
In other news, we have started a program to collect all those old civic council records that have accumulated in our homes. Over the years, many of you have volunteered your time as AWCC officers or committee members. And over the years, lots of records, both paper and digital have found their way into boxes, shelves, and hard drives. So, if you find that you have some old AWCC documents lying around, please don’t throw them out or burn them as winter fuel. Instead, drop a line to Cathy Serventi at communications@alleghenywest.org and let her know what you have. Please don’t just drop them off at her house, though. Thanks!
Time for me to sign off. A reminder before I go: don’t forget our next membership meeting on Tuesday, February 9 at 7:30 pm. You’ll be able to see your neighbors from the warm comfort of your home via the magic of videoconferencing. No masks required! The Zoom room details will be sent out in a e-newsletter. I look forward to seeing you then.
I hope you have a great February.
Bob Griewahn
President, AWCC