My two teenage brothers visited Cambridge for a week for Thanksgiving and kindly gave me a glimpse of what being 12 and 16 is like today. And they generously left remnants behind. Please let me know if any of you have use for any of the following: about five pounds of assorted Oreo, Ritz Bits, and Pop Tart crumbs, three Domino’s pizza boxes-all with one slice remaining, one canister of spray cheese, four crushed Magicr cards, one pair of jeans with more holes than pockets, one wrinkled fantasy basketball guide, and one toy plastic University of Texas football that apparently comes with a homing device locked to my head.
Given that the two apparently eat anything and everything-and all day long, they were a bit disappointed to find out our household had recently gone sort of…umm, vegetarian. Faced with the prospect of a Tofurky Thanksgiving (I swear I am not making this up-//www.tofurky.com/mainF.htm), we compromised and celebrated like the original Pilgrims and Indians did-with Chinese takeout.
Hopefully, your break was more peaceful.
The long holiday weekend found sectionmates sticking close to home and venturing to warmer environs. Martha and Colin Hayward spent their first married Thanksgiving dinner in town with five Australians and two Americans. The Australians, having their first taste of pumpkin pie, thought it was pretty disgusting but, apparently, ate it “politely”. As a side note, this compares with Americans, who on eating something unfamiliar and unpalatable in a foreign land will spit it out, mutter something about “savages,” and sue the host.
For their first married Thanksgiving, Kate and Raleigh Shoemaker headed down to Hilton Head, South Carolina, played some golf, and relaxed under sunny skies.
Brendan “I love a parade and I’m man enough to admit it” Strong had this to report from his holiday in New York:
After a torturously long drive to New Jersey on Wednesday, I awoke early on Thursday morning as excited as a three-year old on Christmas. After making hot chocolate for our short drive to the Upper West Side, my mom and I were out the door. The hot chocolate was totally unnecessary this year given the unbelievably beautiful weather. We found a great parking spot on 90th and Central Park West and found seats in the Macy’s grandstand on 73rd and Central Park West.
After a short wait, the parade started, and so did the cheering. About mid-way through the parade, a large group of New York City policemen carried a very long flag followed by a float that carried Rudy Giuliani. They received a standing ovation from the crowd as they made their way down the parade route. But you’d never guess who received the next highest level of applause. The sanitation workers who follow the horses. The crowd always recognizes their efforts with good-hearted cheering.
As always, there are corporate sponsors of the parade and controversy within the crowd over what is too commercial and what is not. Generally, there were complaints about the Ronald McDonald balloon being over-the-top. However, no one seemed to complain about the Ask Jeeves balloon, the GMC trucks or all of the balloons-Pokemon, Rug Rats, and WWF-that reinforce in children’s minds the products they will ask their parents to buy for them the next day when they go to the mall. Let’s face it. The parade is lots of fun, but it is undoubtedly as much of a commercial event as the Super Bowl.
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As if attending Harvard Law School didn’t make him busy enough, Katherine Mossman’s boyfriend Brian Blais was elected to the Woonsocket, Rhode Island City Council on November 6. Katherine has yet to reveal her public service platform, but it will no doubt revolve around next season’s hemlines and handbags.
As you may have read in a previous article, there are indeed several pregnancies within Section C. I am pleased to announce that one lovely boy has been born! Congratulations to Martin and Anita Gonzalez who introduced little Martin Gonzalez to the world on October 21 at 9:33 am! Looks like the Reverend will be next, but his baby’s keeping a low profile thus far. Obviously, the baby takes after Cari.
Lastly, congratulations to Ari Terry who got engaged on November 16th.
