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| BETTER BEGINNINGS PENNY PATTER |
November 12, 2004
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My Aunt Margaret used to have signs posted in her kitchen and dining room that exclaimed, “You are what you eat.” If “Auntie” was correct, there are a lot of people in Hightstown, East Windsor and other points East that are purely and surely Spaghetti through and through. Some differences exist, of course. Some are saucy and others are meatballs. Some are eat-ins and others are take-outs. There certainly was much consuming of the delicious Spaghetti meals on Friday the fifth of |
November. All of us, especially Better Beginnings’ coffers, have a lot for which to thank Americana Diner, Macaroni Grill and, most of all, the Chef, Manager, BBccc Board Member, and General All ‘Round Good Guy Pete Bussone. He must have been tired but you couldn’t tell it by looking at him. He looked really chiq wearing, in lieu of a chef’s hat, his baseball cap at a jaunty angle and with the joy of helping others shining in his eyes. |
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Full of smiles also were his assistants. Servers: Volunteer Emil Kohut, and Staff members Sara Kemp and Nancy Green; Cashiers: Staff member Cenaida Alvarez and Board Member Mercedes Colon Vargas; Beverage Table: Board Members/Parents Sherry Watkins, Rosa Roza, Ceci Pintado and Russel DiSouza. Dessert Table: Presbyterian Youth Group members |
T. J. Walton, Paul Kowells, Malcolm Coates and Ale Moffat. Paul also provided dinner music, playing his guitar. Hard to believe how cheerful and energetic all were after a day of work. Some had also been involved in the preparations and setting up. Equally pleasurable was to have young people spend their Friday evening helping others. |
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The coming and going was continuous from 4 – 7, with friends sharing a few or many minutes greeting each other. Both Mayor Mironov and Mayor Patten chose take out, a worthy choice as a way of balancing their support with other obligations. Those who chose to eat in included former and present BB Board members, former and present |
Council friends from both East Windsor and Hightstown, and many, many friends and advocates, including Presbyterian leaders; Hightstown Womens Club members, Business and Professional Womens Club members, Latina Women’s Council members, Helping Hands’ leaders, and many more. |
| Liston told us that he and Joyce were babysitting for the full day the next day, the first time for a time of that length. He confided that he would be using some of what he has learned from staff, mostly | about keeping them busy. We believe that a busy child, with many learning activities from which to choose, is a happy child. |
| George Medary, a WWII veteran and longtime Hightstonian, motored over from Rossmoor. We salute him, and others from “the great generation” including BBccc | advocate “Mr. Jonathan” Craig. On Veterans Day, and every day, we owe you much. Thank you. |
| Another in a Series of “Signs of Inner
Peace” (author unknown): “A loss of interest in
interpreting the actions of others.” Okay.
I suppose this means, “Lose the guessing games.”
I’ll admit that sometimes I wonder why people do the things
they do, especially if they are hurtful to themselves or others.
Still, I am not a mind reader. Are you?
So, if I wonder, I should not surmise; I should ask. And
if you are trying to get a message across to me, you need to stop
hinting around and just tell me. Anything else,
especially cutesy stuff, one can usually see through, and smacks of
manipulation. Don’t think, “You should have
known how I feel.” Lose the “ should
haves” too?
Another thought: Having people decide they know what’s in my mind and insist that what |
they think I’m thinking is what I’m
really thinking when it’s not. Enough said?
However, I do believe that no matter how good a friend is, they will hurt you occasionally, and one must forgive them for that. Often the hurt is unintentional or may come from good intentions. If I hold a grudge, it hurts me and damages the relationship. Good friends are too special to lose or alienate. Can’t wait to see the whole list of signs? Can’t remember what the first five were? You can either ask me for the whole list which I will gladly send to you, no foolin’, or refer to Better Beginnings’ Website for the first five. Info about addresses and such are at end of the column. |
| Penny Pincher loves this, because it saves energy, the kind that costs money. These are tasty and children enjoy helping. You need some Ritz-type crackers (we prefer the whole wheat ones), a dip such as white almond bark, some hard candies, such as peppermint. Warning: some may be allergic to some ingredients, such as nuts. So you may wish to use another kind of dip. Dunk the cracker | in the dip, using tongs. Smash up the candies (another good job for the younger set). Shake the smashed candy on top. Sprinkles may be used also. These can be made ahead and kept in freezer for holiday treats. Put your sprinkles and/or candies on before the dip hardens. I saw these dips at a craft store. |
| Tapes and a small electric oven were donated by “Mr. Jonathan” Craig, Wilfred and Ondina Jeffers made monthly contribution for “our children”, Roger Hummel narrowed the digital divide by donating a palm pilot, and keyboard, and software, Hightstown Woman’s Club made a generous contribution, and Frances Rios donated five books for each classroom. We are fortunate to have so many good friends. | Better Beginnings offers affordable child care based on family size and income. Our ability to remain open, retain staff, and continue to offer valuable social and educational services, is seriously threatened. The support of community friends, municipal governments, agencies and organizations is more important than ever. We thank you. |
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Bettie Witherspoon is a former executive director of Better Beginnings, which has provided affordable child care to the East Windsor/Hightstown area since 1967. |
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