Date: Fri 25-Dec-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: CURT

Quick Words:

Mountain-Christmas

Full Text:

TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN

Merry Christmas everyone! I've been hoping for a white Christmas, and while it

doesn't look like the weather is going to cooperate, I still have high hopes.

'Tis the season for large bowls of shrimp, and when the champagne flows the

shrimp sometime fall like manna from heaven. When I'm around, however, it

never hits the floor.

It's not shrimp but deviled eggs that Bill Denlinger loves, so he couldn't

wait to get up to Edmond Town Hall last Thursday for the annual town clerk's

Christmas party. His wife, Pat, had set aside the last egg in the corner. But

the egg was gone when Bill arrived. "Who took my deviled egg?" Bill complained

upon his return.

Those with information as to who is responsible for the egg's disappearance

are asked to call Mr Denlinger's office. And I swear, I didn't have anything

to do with it.

If you're in the mood for a drive while you try to digest Christmas dinner

this year, I suggest you wait until after dark and take in some of the

spectacular displays of Christmas lights. There are some very attractive ones

in Sandy Hook: at the Wark residence, 23 Cherry Street; at the Hajzer

residence and shop at 23 Berkshire Road next to the high school, and at the

Rosato residence at the corner of Berkshire and Toddy Hill Road.

Jack and Judy Fuller got their Christmas present a little early this year.

They are bursting with the good news that they are now grandparents. Their

daughter, Kate Fuller Peeples, who lives in Atlanta with her husband, Craig,

had a baby boy on December 8 and named him Nicholas. Judy says Jack was a

little disappointed that Kate had the baby at 10 pm because if she waited two

more hours, Nicholas would have been born on December 9 -- Jack's birthday.

Judy says Jack immediately rushed out and bought a Huskies basketball to get

Nicholas ready to be on Jim Calhoun's team in about 18 years.

Roseanne and Jim Loring got some good news this week when son Gribbin

Christopher called to tell them to "fly the '98 balloons." Along with their

Christmas celebrations, the Lorings will be celebrating the fact that their

son completed his senior project and presentation and will graduate this month

from the University of Rhode Island with a degree in ocean engineering.

The best news of all, however, is that Rich Rauner finally got his heart

transplant. Barbara Nelson admits she was really excited when she heard the

news last week. She set off on Saturday with Paula Devonshire to drive to

Philadelphia to visit Rich at Temple University Hospital but only got as far

as the first exit of the New Jersey Turnpike when her car broke down. She had

to get a rental car to complete the trip. At the hospital she suddenly

realized that she had forgotten to give her car keys to the man at the repair

shop where her vehicle was towed. So she asked Paula to drive the rental car

back and give the shop the keys.

Then, on the way home on Amtrack on Sunday, Barbara remembered that she was

supposed to have picked up Rose Hall who was being discharged from Danbury

Hospital. As it turned out, Rose had a slight fever so her doctor kept her in

the hospital for another day. Good thing, actually. Even if Rose had gotten

home on Sunday, she wouldn't have been able to get into her house. Barbara had

that key, too. "Someday I'll be able to laugh about it," Barbara said. "But

not yet."

No one can ever accuse Pat McCullough of not paying attention during the

Newtown High School boys' basketball games. Mrs McCullough, the mother of

senior captain Ryan McCullough, keeps track of every vital statistic during

each game with the use of her laptop computer.

NHS senior Michelle DeLuca opened the NHS boys' hoop season Monday night by

singing the national anthem. Her beautiful voice echoed throughout the crowded

gymnasium and she didn't even need a microphone.

If you are wondering what ever happened to Bob Stokes, don't worry. He's alive

and well. According to Bob's wife, Caroline, Bob is spending a good portion of

his days and nights exploring the technological marvels of his new computer

and the World Wide Web. "He just sits there for hours," Caroline observed.

I should tell Caroline that Bob will be able to read about himself on the web

this week, since this column appears as a regular feature on The Bee's website

at www.thebee.com. Regardless of where you do your reading, let me bid you

Merry Christmas and remind you, as always, to...

Read me again.