Happy Losers
By Shirley Sides
On Oct. 27, the Happy Losers held their weekly meeting at the Congregational Church vestry in Island Falls. Jackie Pratt, our leader, opened the meeting with our pledge and roll call.
We had 13 members weigh-in and eleven attended our class. Loretta Bouchard was the loser of the week and Shirley Sides was runner-up. Great job ladies. Reports for the week was given by our secretary and treasuer.
The Cortland team was the winner in our contest that we had for a few months. Loretta Bouchard was loser of the months of September and October job. Great job Loretta.
Jackie Pratt our leader led the program for the week. We had another quiz. Meeting was interesting and we ajourned with Riva’s joke. Please feel welcome to our group every Wednesday 8-8:45 a.m. weigh-ins and meeting starts at 9 a.m. Call 365-4884 for more info.
Purple Hat Society
by Lois Downing
The goblins were out, the music was ghoulish and the witches were flying! That was the scene at Watson Hall, Episcopal Church on Main Street in Houlton, when the Purple Hat ladies met with the Red Hat ladies for a Halloween Bash.
Twenty-one Purple Hat ladies were present either in Purple Hats or a Halloween costume. That many or more attended from the Red Hats and they too were donned in costumes. There were witches, a doctor, a cheerleader, a scarecrow, a farmer, several clowns, a night person, and an Addams family member.
Queen Lady Barbara Grant heading the Red Hat ladies welcomed everyone with her red robe and headdress—underneath was her Hawaiian dress. She told several Halloween stories and facts about Halloween and superstitions.
The menu was: fresh earth worms with goblin eyeballs, bloody sauce, gravedigger salad, vampire garlic bread, ghost cookies, spook cup cakes, monster cider, coffin coffee and witch brew tea. The tables were decorated with black tablecloths, orange colored napkins, each with colorful Halloween decorations.
A special place in the corner was for palm readings by Lois Morin. A sign depicting readings led the ladies to the palm readings, many of the ladies took advantage. All the Purple Hat ladies stood up and then the Red Hat ladies did the same.
Leader Linda Bartlett, Charlotte Marley, Marie Gillotti and Ursula Levesque, gave a demonstration of line dancing. Linda also had a number called “electric fly,” and some of the other ladies joined in.
After the dinner, ghoul games were started. They were taken from the television program “A Minute to Win It.” That brought a lot of laughs. Some of the winners were Evelyn Burpee, Marie Gillotti, Elva Colson and many others.
The winners of the costumes were: most original: Elva Colson, funniest, Joanne Logan, and the best was Sara Regent. Gift certificates were given to all winners. They were chosen by ballots from the members.
Individual packaged pretzels were passed to all so we had a souvenir to take home. The “Purple People Eater” song was sung and we were given the words on an orange paper to sing. Also the “Monster Mash” was sung and the lyrics also were given to us.
A special door prize was given from a drawing to Louise Hamilton — a purple pumpkin painted and donated by Lois Morin’s husband. Other prize winners were Lois Downing, Jackie Colella, Jancye Roy and many others, all given in Halloween bags and gaily decorated.
Charlotte Marley presented a red shoe to Queen Barbara Grant and a purple hat to Jancye Roy.
The November meeting of the Purple Hat ladies will be November 9 at the new Elm Tree Diner on the Bangor Road, Houlton. Another combination party with both groups will be announced when plans are made.
Attending from Cary was Jackie Colella; from Houlton, Lois Downing, Paula Wyman ad Betty Wyman; from Littleton, Kay Grass.
Also, from Dyer Brook, Wannetta Townsend, Marie Gillotti, Sandy Wyman; from Merrill, Arlene Friel, from Smyrna, Peggy Sanders and Charlotte Marley.
Also, from Oakfield, Sandra Holmes, Evelyn Burpee, Janyce Roy, Delores Locke, Tessie Barrett, and Ursula Levesque; from Island Falls, Mildred Gagnon and from Hodgdon, Brenda Lacostic.
If you need information about the Purple Hat ladies, please call Charlotte Marley at 757-8483. For Red Hats, call Barbara Grant a 532-2501.
Red Hat Society
What happens when the Red Hatters invite the Purple Hatters to their gathering and it just happens to be close to Halloween? Well, they call it a Halloween Bash and everyone tosses their respective hats in the closet and out comes a favorite childhood costume, of course!
On Oct. 28, approximately 50 women gathered at Watson Hall for a fun afternoon. As the women filtered into the dimly lit hall, they encountered a décor of black and orange tables that offered scrolls of spooky poems, witches recipes and rock centerpieces that were hand-painted by Red Hatter Marge Melvin. The centerpieces depicted fantasy gnome homes. During the social hour, fortunes were told by Madam Lois (red hatter), and then it was on to the feeding hour. After the blessing by Lois Downing (purple hatter), witches, clowns, pirates, vampires and ghosts indulged in fresh earth worms with goblin eyeballs, bloody sauce, gravedigger salad and vampire garlic bread; dessert consisted of ghost cookies, spook cupcakes and everything was washed down with monster cider, coffin coffee and witches brew tea!
The afternoon consisted of ghoul games, sing-a-longs and voting for the costumes. The Funniest costume was captured by Joan Logan (red hatter) with a hula skirt and well-endowed coconuts; the Best costume was Sara Regent (red hatter) in her pirate regalia and Elva Colburn (red hatter) was voted to be the Most Original as Minnie Pearl with her famous hat and dangling price tag. The ladies received gift items that were donated from Doc’s Service Station, Shamrock Café and Trendsetters.
Line dancers Linda Bartlett, Marie Gillotti and Charlotte Marley (purple hatter) performed several routines and welcomed participation from the audience.
Local artist, Roger Morin donated a painted pumpkin as a door prize and appropriately painted the face purple in honor of the Purple Hatters and topped it with a Red Hat. This item was won by Louise Hamilton (red hatter).
The leader of the Purple Hatters, Charlotte Marley, created a red/purple ceramic shoe in her shop to present to a Red Hatter that held the winning ticket. Would you believe that Barbara Grant, Queen Mother of the Red Hatters held that winning ticket! How appropriate was that? It just so happens that Grant has a collection of miniature shoes, too. The afternoon came to a close with farewell remarks from Barbara and Charlotte.
Ricker Rumblings
by Lois Downing
Halloween was a fun time. Hope your goblins and witches were fun and your holiday was a time to remember. Remember, you were a kid too.
Our newest tenant is Diane Morin, a Houlton lady. She has daughters and grandchildren and we welcome her sincerely.
Our sympathy is extended to the family of Mark Howell, whose death occurred after a tragic accident. His wife, children and parents are in our thoughts. Mark was only 47. His parents, Arthur and Dorothy, were seen at Ricker frequently when Alice Boyce lived here.
Norma Bates attended a birthday party for her sister-in-law, Mrs. Adams, recently. Family and friends attended the party. Ken Thibodeau is sporting a Lincoln car now. Good for you, Ken.
I acquired this birthday list: Monday’s witch is foul of face; Tuesday’s witch is a disgrace; Wednesday’s witch is long of nose; Thursday’s witch has extra toes; Friday’s witch bakes poisoned pies; Saturday’s witch has evil eyes but the witch that was born on the Sabbath day tends to smell…so keep away! Thought you would like it.
Barbara Spellman spent Monday in Bangor of last week. We are re-starting our Bingo this Wednesday at 3 p.m. All tenants are invited to come play Bingo in the community room, third floor, enjoy and socialize. Bring a wrapped gift. We’ll see you there!
Jeff Thibodeau, manager at Ricker Plaza, spent a few days out of town last week. The statewide election will be over by the time of print. Hope it went to your liking. At least, all the signs about town should be taken down from view.
We were sorry to learn of Carolyn Carmichael’s death. Carolyn didn’t live at Ricker a long time but she returned from a hospital in Bangor on a Monday two weeks ago and entered Houlton Regional Hospital the next day where she died. Her friends, many of them, were all shocked by her death. She is missed. Her friend and companion, Paul Armstrong, was her constant. Our sympathy is with family and friends. A memorial service is planned November 6.
We are pleased to hear Dorothy Weston, a patient at Houlton Regional Hospital, and a longtime resident at Ricker Plaza, is gaining in health. Glad to hear that, Dot. Our next holiday is Nov. 11, Veterans Day and then Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 25, a month away from Christmas.
Daylight Savings time ends this weekend, so please don’t forget to change your clocks.
A friend gave me this warning: Beware of a phone call; you can get your Rainbow vacuum cleaned and inspection free. Wow! Isn’t that a great deal. She is not saying it is a scam but it is a shoddy run business. If you do get involved, get in contact with our local police. Thanks to our police chief I got mine back (money or vacuum). We must all beware of the information we get on the telephone, ads and otherwise. We can get so taken and it is difficult to get reimbursement.
My closing Bible verse for All Saints Day on Monday, November 1 is: “What we shall be has not yet been revealed.” (I John 3:2). For All Souls Day: “But the souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them.” (Wisdom 3.)
Have a healthy and safe week.
Island Falls
One of the last cottages to be closed for the year was the cottage of Galen and Lois Green. They have enjoyed their cottage on upper Mattaw-amkeag Lake for many years, along with their children and grandchildren.
Sam Sewall arrived home the other day after spending the last ten days with daughter, Gail and husband, John Kennett in Scarborough. Visited recently with Clayton and Charlene Webb and was informed that their winter wood has been delivered and is now neatly stacked courtesy of nephew Buddy Webb and some friends who helped with storing the wood away.
Have been kept busy lately with keeping my bird feeders full, as there seems to be more birds at my feeders now. And I still have several big crows who arrive daily so have been throwing out bread crumbs for them and which they immediately make short work of. Saw two small deer in my back lawn recently and then a couple of afternoons later, there were four of them busily grazing away. Still cut up old apples and throw out pieces of bread for them and they seem to eat it all and wait around for more to appear.
TOPS ME 0233, Houlton
by Lois Downing
Take Off Pounds Sensibly Chapter 0233 of Houlton met at the Aldergate building on High Street for its Friday, Oct. 29, meeting. Leader Joyce Estey was in attendance and led the meeting. Elinor Harvey was the official greeter.
Joyce Scott, weight recorder, and Lois Downing, secretary, gave reports. Nineteen ladies were weighed; seven were KOPS counting our new KOPS person, Linda Bartlett. Congratulations to Linda becoming a KOP (Keep Off Pounds Sensibly). The skinny dish was held over for another week.
Linda Bartlett was the loser of the week with Melva Folsom as runner-up. A certain member said that it is not too late to plan for Halloween to keep off weight—don’t eat candy and plan your week.
Plans were made for attending the workshop in Presque Isle Saturday, Nov. 6, at Hampton Inn, across from the Walmart store. Ladies attending are asked to please not forget your wrapped Christmas gift. The program will begin at 9:30 a.m. Barbara Grant led us in several minutes of exercises.
Linda Trickey from the Department of Agriculture will be our speaker for the next meeting. Her program will start promptly at 9:20 a.m., so we are asked to please be on time. Janette Nelson was noted as maintaining her weight for 16 weeks without a gain. That’s a feat few of us can obtain. Congratulations to Janette. She is to be commended.
The musical “Menopause” acted at a Presque Isle rally with Barbara Grant as leader, and assisting by Charlotte Marley, Linda Bartlett, Dale Holden, Maureen Bird, Betty Ivey was performed at the meeting and nicely received. These girls are very talented.
Before we departed some plans for Christmas were discussed and tabled for the next meeting. Weigh-in is every Friday at 8-8:45 a.m. with the meeting starting at 9 and usually ending an hour later. If you need more information about the chapter, you may call Charlotte Marley at 757-8483 or Betty Ivey at 532-9653. Everyone is welcome.
