é -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, March 11, 1986 Coming ... Saturday, April 19 1050 CHUM Video Party od starring JOHN MAJHOR at Port Perry High School Sponsored by Port Perry Kinsmen : TICKETS: $6.00 advance / $7.00 at the door available by calling Dave 985-2837 or Jim 985-9442 TICKETS ON SALE Saturday, March 22nd between 1 and 4 p.m. Latcham Centre, Port Perry WATER a 10]:103" Nyy ° Rusty « Smelly * Bad-Tasting Water New Technology to Canada eliminates these and many other problems .. . forever! Well to faucet purification for entire water system Eliminates Distillers, Liquid Chlorinators, Iron and Faucet Filters FREE 6 Month Trail Offer Phone or write today .. . for information on this all-new Water Purification System. CALL 1-800-268-2656 (24 hrs) LYALL DIV GTR » YAY RLY Te) yp v CHVY ant AAC CCC A 1re}:¢ Are you sure you're getting the + biggest tax refund you're entitled to this year? At H&R Block our tax return preparers have been specially trained to find every deduction, exemption and credit that can save you money In fact, in a recent survey, 2 out of 3 H8R Block customers who got refunds believed they got bigger refunds than if they did their own taxes. Come to H&R Block this year. We can help you save as much of your hard earned money as possible. You could get more than vou bargained for at label ---------- HeR BLOCK THE INCOME TAX SPECIALISTS ABOVE THE POST OFFICE QUEEN ST. - PORT PERRY -- NEW HOURS -- 9AM. to 7 P.M. Mon. thru Fri. 9 AM. to 12 Noon Saturday Phone 985-9803 | | Myrtle and area news Council accepts Board's offer ~The March meeting of the U.C.W. was held at Ethel Nottingham's home. The theme of the worship was Lent and was conducted by Jean Stachow. The need for a new pulpit Bible was discussed, and it was decided to establish a fund because pulpit Bibles cost close to $500. If anyone in the area wished to contribute, it will be greatly received and suitably "acknowledge. The "Myrtle Milkmaids" 4-H club meets each Saturday at the home of Jean Stachow. Barbara Parrinder, the leader, reports that the girls have enjoyed learning about the value of calcium in the diet and have made many dishes using milk. Any young people, aged 13-21 who would like to join the next 4-H Unit 'Seed to Shelf" a program that in- volved planting a garden and lear- ning how to care for it and harvest it, please phone 655-4284. Church is at 10:30 each Sunday morning and everyone is invited to share in this time of 'contemplation with Rev. lan MacRury. You'll like it. o Chatterbox (From page 4) Looking back on the incident, I realize how foolish I was. I should have just said, "Sorry, I'm not in- terested' at the very beginning. Because honestly, I wasn't in- terested. Most people aren't. When religious salesmen come knocking at a door, they are in- variably bothering people who already have an instilled set of religious beliefs. They don't want to hear the philosophy of another sect, especially when the call is "unexpected. Why do these people always drop by unannounced, especially when you're dressed at your worst and you're in the mid- dle of washing your kitchen floor or something? Don't they realize they're unwelcome in a lot of cases? They probably do, but if they do, why do they still persist? I hate these visits, even more than visits from encylopedia salesmen. They make me feel guilty, they make me feel rude, and they make me scared. People shouldn't have to feel that way in their own home. 'And I've just decided, the next time any solicitors come to my door, they'll be wearing whatever itis I hold in my hand. Hopefully, it'll be something good and messy. Like spaghetti. Scugog Township council has ac- cepted an offer from the Durham Board of Education to purchase seven acres of land at the Fairgrounds as the site for a new elementary school. "The decision to accept thé offer of $115,000 for the land was taken by council Monday evening but the vote was not unanimous. Regional councillor I awrence Malcolm and Ward 3 councillor Don Cochrane both voted against the motion to accept the offer. Councillor Malcolm said he would like more information from the Port Perry Fair Board about what it will want from the Town- ship to move the Fairgrounds to a new location near the Scugog Arena. "I'm just not sure that we can accept this offer (from the Board) at this time', said councillor Malcolm. Councillor Cochrane also stated he would like another week before responding to the school board's offer and he wondered if the $115,000 would be enough to develop a new site near the arena for the fairgrounds. "We should have some guaran- tees that the cost of developing the new site for the fairgrounds would be covered,' he told council. Councillor Yvonne Christie, Harvey -Graham and Neil McLaughlin, along with Mayor Jerry Taylor all voted in favour of taking the Board's offer. The Board informed council that it wants the deal complete by the end of this month. Councillor Christie warned that any delays in securing the school site could put the new school in jeopardy as the Board might back off and build a new school elsewhere. School Board officials have in- dicated they want seven acres of land in the southwest corner of the 23 acre fairgrounds. And they ex- pect to start building the new Kin- dergarten to grade six school this fall with the opening for the fall of 1987. Council received two letters from the president of the Port Perry Fair Board indicating sup- port for a move to the new location near the arena. While council has accepted the Board's financial offer, the council want assurances that drainage problems will be solved. The precise boundaries of the site have yet to be spelled out for the new school. : "The Country Store" by Cindy Ouellette : With the dawn came fresh snowfall; covering everything once again with a clean white blanket. Although the day is a sunny one, the chill wind reminds me that winter will be headlining this seasons' stage for a time yet... I sit sipping my "tea-to-go" with mittened hands in the warmth of the pickup cab. The end of the week is always a busy "go here - go there" time for me. The tea and the radio's country music sus- tain me as I divide my time between trips to the dump, in-town shop- ping, or sometimes an "off-schedule" stop to an inviting antique shop that specifically calls out MY name. I am a person known for spontaneity... This February morning though, (after "dump" and before "in- town") I am parked alongside another of my favourite stops -- The Country Store. It is a lively business in the quiet little village. I snap my travelling mug back onto its holder and reach into the big pocket of my down parka to find my grocery list. Red gingham curtains hang at multi-paned windowns; they are a country touch complimenting the old white- sided building with the black shutters. A small post office sign hangs at a slight angle with another much larger one proclaimed "Coffee, hot chocolate, and snacks." And local fishermen are pleased to know through yet another sign that min- nows are available for the buying. On into the front porch the first things I notice are the store specials and then any community notices that may look interesting. It seems to me that country stores have far more rural announcemtns posted then in-town stores...maybe town store owners don't like the cluttering of their windows whereas country store owners see it in the view of promoting true community spirit! True to a village general store, my entrance is announced by the ringing of the brass bell that hangs overthe door with a leather, buckled strap. What is memorable about this bell is the warn spot | it has made clanging against the top of the door hundreds, if not thousands of times... I pass through an antiques section to the little partitioned room that serves as the Village Post Office. Anne, the rural route post lady is out on her morning rounds, but I find Lou busily about her postal business behind the wicket. I just love this country post office! It is the only one I know of with a washer and dryer in it! The dryer is tumbling away, warm- ing the room; the scent of fabric softener giving a homey touch. As I wait for a lady ahead of me collecting her mail I have a chance to look over the antiques. I notice many old crocks, bottles, books and prints. Besides larger furniture, there are also favourite collectibles of mine; oil lamps, tinware and woodenware. But there is a special piece which catches my eye -- an ironstone foot warmer made by the Royal Doulton Co. at the turn of the century. The customer is gone and I impulsively hand it over to Lou to lay away for me. It is a personal post office in a rural village and so when Lou asks, 'how's your mother doing?" she thoughtfully remembers Mrs. So and So's mother is down with pneumonia. Laughing Lou tells me of the time when her postal supervisor came up on business, and found shirts, dryer-fresh, hung up throughout the little office! Recognizing him for who he was she smilingly exclaimed, 'Oh! Are you here to pick up your shirts?!" She believed her best defense was a good offense! Leaving Lou to her work I pass back into the main part of the True Concessions From A Country Heart store. Such a variety of things a country store offers! One side is most- ly groceries and the other side not. Long ago this side was known as the dry-goods side where bolts of cloth, clothes, aprons and other linen could be bought. Today in this country store the dry goods are a diverse assortment from party decorations to sunglasses, worksocks to hairpins.. Rubber boots and construction boots are ar- ranged along an upper shelf. What country store doesn't have boots on display? In my mind, it wouldn't be a country store if it didn't! Gardening gloves are piled neatly beneath a peg board, well-stacked with hardware supplies and "handy" carpentry tools. My neighbour friend Ian just loves that word...The likes of collect different gadgetry that he always describes as being "handy." To be sure, that word would be a good description of Ian himself! I must ask him though, if he has been in lately to have a look at Peter's hardware section... - There is a corner of packaged fishing tackle by the name of "Lucky Lou." I smile at this and think Peter must have purposely ordered these in particular. The minnows I learn are, "Red Belly Dace" and sometimes, "Emerald Shiners." A revelation to me, I think, "And I thought all minnows were alike..." Abel, the bread man comes in, and Peter greets him with the popular country inquiry, 'And how's Abel today?" This then moves them on toward good-natured kidding and the dickering of bread prices for the week. Lou pauses from her duties as postmistress to come out and pour herself a cup of just-brewed coffee and thoughtfully offers me one as well. I love the smell of coffee especially in the morning and so I gratefully accept the cup she hands me. This side of the store has pretty well everything a country kit- chen would be in need of. The deli counter is generous with various cheeses and just as in old-time general stores, crackers are kept nearby for tasty sample tidbits.. Jars of pickled eggs and pickled sausage are displayed beside a coil of lean kielbossa. Salami"s, loaf meats, delicious hams, roast and corned beefs share the deli space all waiting to be bought by an appreciative palate.. Having gone around the store, I carry my chosen items towards the front counter. I riotice Lou's plants are doing well at the window... A fresh produce section of bushel potatoes, and box trays of tomatoes and onions sit across from apples, bags of carrots and large green heads of California lettuce. What I stop for though, is to pick up a beautiful bunch of bananas and as I do so Peter breaks into song.. "Yes! I have some bananas..." I can't help but laugh as I set my purchases down, crowding the counter. There is not much room, but enough; the other counter keep- ing containers of nickel and dime candy. Jeff comes in and again the ever-familiar country greeting.. "And how's Jeff today?" 'Jus' fine. Yerself?", Jeff answers, and patiently waits his turn to order his beloved morning coffee. Others will be in soon; farmers, shift workers and fellows self- employed.. Over toast and coffee, they are villagers, neighbours and friends together. The discussion at the back table may go from politics and the new tax increases; world events to hog prices.. Whatever they talk about it is always peppered with "exaggerated" details and I firmly decide that men are worse than women for gossip! They are comfortable here for as Lou has told me, the villagers like to refer to this country store as *'our store." I say my goodbyes and set the bell ringing again upon leaving. Scamp, the gentle-faced old-dog that "came with the store barks to be allowed back in. Letting him pass by me | affectionately ask, "And how's ole Scamp today?" re aaa I Th WB Ai Tr a SN TT . ar ON RL wont rr i A RE SR