October 3rd, 2012 Press Release!

Chester Merchants Press Release My "week" off was delightful. Thank you all for your good wishes.I went on a Nova Scotia road trip for 3 days. Livin' large I was. Our province is paradise. We are so fortunate to live here and forget that by times. Yes, there are many stunning places worldwide, but what WE have cannot be duplicated. We have open doors, friendly faces that greet you at those doors, fabulous food and unparalleled hospitality. Be proud of who we are and what we have to offer. Bluenose II (2.5?/ 3?) hit the water on Saturday. An event of epic proportions that was enjoyed by all and instilled pride in our Maritime heritage.

This Week in Chester Tomorrow night, Thursday, is the Absolute Bloody Final (AKA ABF) at the Rope Loft. It's the usual CYC start but the finish is at the Rope Loft, where prizes will be awarded, stories will be told, and a few libations shared amongst sailors ... all boats welcome! If you're not a sailor, come anyway. Tall tales will be shared. Ok- lies, all lies. Friday is the final week for the Chester seaside farmers and artisan market from 2 -5 pm. Get down there and see what you might get for the root cellar over the winter. I will be there at 2 pm sharp to buy all tomatoes on site, so don't anticipate getting any of those in your basket. Friday night the Chester Clippers are back.That's hockey for those of you, perhaps like me, are out of the loop/in the dark/ on all things hockey. Home opener starts @ 6:30 pm at the Chester Rink. Chester Clippers vs Fundy Phantoms. All game proceeds donated to Chester PRO Kids. The Sadhana Centre at 71 Duke St is hosting guest lecturer and scholar Dr. Satyanarayana Das the evening of Friday, Oct 5th and all day Saturday. Dr. Das is visiting from Vrindavan, India, and will speak on the Bhagavad Gita ( the book that guided Ghandi), the history of yoga, ayurveda and sankhya philosophy. This discussion is open to all. For info/cost/registration or translation, please dial up Leigh @ 273-9642. Acrylic paintings by "Come Back From Away," artist Lloyd MacDonald of Indian Point, are on display at the Chester Playhouse. Stop by and see these gems any night the Playhouse is open. Looking ahead this month, there is the Harvest Fest on Saturday,October 20th from 3-9 pm at the Lordly Park on Union Street. Zombie tag(?) haunted house, ticket auction, pumpkin carving contest, costume contest, face painting, games and fun for all ages. Rain date is Sunday, October 21. 275-3826. The Warp & Woof gift shop on Water Street, in appreciation to all customers, is having the "biggest sale ever" on now until Sun Oct 14th. From Saturday onwards, most inventory is 50% off. Get on down there and do some Christmas shopping before it all goes.Watch the papers for serious markdowns! Al Simmons will be performing at the Chester Playhouse on Tuesday, October 9th @ 8 pm. Al 's one-man, multi-prop, music-filled, off the wall performances have elevated audiences world-wide to collective giggles and all-out guffaws. At once childlike in its simplicity and sophisticated in its execution, Al's humour touches a responsive chord in people of every age.

Cocktail conundrum: If a pessimist thinks the glass is half empty and an optimist thinks the glass is half full, the engineer questions why the glass is twice as big as it needs to be. The IT guy on the phone asks if you've tried emptying the glass and then refilling it. Attitude is not about whether the glass is half full or half empty, it's about who's buying the next round. To me, it doesn't matter if the glass is half full or half empty. All I know is there is clearly room in the glass for more wine. Suzi Fraser for the Chester Merchants Group