October 23rd, 2013 Press Release!

Chester Merchants Press Release Greetings! I had another Thanksgiving dinner on Monday night. Yes, that makes 3 rounds with the turkey bird. Apparently we here in Chester have officially extended Canadian Thanksgiving to a two week celebration. The Gobble and Wobble event is alive and well here in the Hamlet. Lily Pulitzer has left town.The summer pink and greens are all gone. It's just us chickens, because there is certainly no turkey left ! Winter is coming.

This Week in Chester Our artist in residence, Malcolm Callaway, has donated this lovely painting to PRO kids for a fundraising raffle. You may visit it and buy tickets at the Municipal Recreation Office until 4:30pm today. Tickets are for $2 each for 3 for $5. Drawing takes place @ 9 am tomorrow, Thursday, at the Municipal Building. Run Forest, run! The Chester Trust has the ideal Christmas present for those on your list that will last a lifetime and longer - literally! Lightfoot Tower Time Capsules are still available : 12" long @$100 or 6" long @$50 ; both sizes being 4" in diameter.  Size matters. The time capsules are going to be entombed at the base of the soon to be restored Lightfoot Tower, in the garden of Zoe Valle Library, on Regent Street in July of 2014, with strict instructions NOT to be opened until 2064.  Half the fun is choosing what to put inside to amuse future Chesterites, the other half working on how to stay around long enough to see it opened ! Capsules may be purchased from Dolly Hancock at 275 4991/ dollyhancock@mac.com.  She is the official 'sealer' and will guard your treasure until entombment. Deadline for filled capsules is June 31st June 2014. All funds will go to the restoration in progress and future maintenance of the Lightfoot Tower. You can't top THAT at Costco! The Rope Loft is Rolling Out the Barrel... Thursday night they have icy cold draught for $2. Join them for a frosty bevvie and some tasty half price appetizers from 5-8pm. Friday night the Fo'c'sle Pub has FOG (Four Old Guys) on stage at 9pm. Hmm, I wonder how old? Wax museum quality or slightly younger? Get on down there and find out for yourself. Saturday night the Fo'c'sle has bottles of wine on for HALF price to enjoy with your evening meal. What are you waiting for? Nicki's Inn is open for evening meals from Thursday to Sunday every week until December 8th. Get there for your little piece of heaven before your time is up - so to speak. Don't forget carnivore Sundays from 5-8 pm.

Next Monday the Chester Municipal Heritage Society is hosting film maker Colin MacKenzie who will be speaking about "Balakrishnan", the East River elephant, at St. Stephen's Community Hall on Regent Street @7 pm. He welcomes any personal stories or photos you may be willing to share. All welcome.  Our 2013 Gingerbread Festival is almost ready to launch. Gingerbread houses must be delivered for judging by November 28th. There is $$$$ to be won.Turn the oven on and get busy ! Why is "abbreviated" such a long word? Suzi Fraser for the Chester Merchants Group

October 16th, 2013 Press Release!

Chester Merchants Press Release Sick of turkey sandwiches yet? How many Thanksgiving meals did you attend last weekend? 1... 3?  The beauty of Canadian Thanksgiving is that we are so liberal with the dates. Tim Harris, our man in red, is unloading some "gently used" items: WILL LEND: For 4 years± 4 red button down shirts (worn daily for a month only) 3 red polo shirts (unused, preferred regular shirts) 2 pr red socks (no holes, recently washed) The annual Hackmatack football classic went off without a hitch last Sunday and the Orange Crushers  crushed the opponents. There were no casualties and only a few burnt hotdogs.

This Week in Chester Tonight , Wednesday, the Blandford Community Centre is hosting Vernon Oickle @ 7 pm. Vernon is the editor of the Progress Bulletin and the author of several books. He will be speaking on the tales and legends of the South Shore. Here is a happy little Haven utube video highlighting Chester, Mahone Bay and Lunenburg hosted by our man on the street, Andrew Sheridan. Every Monday starting October 21st, local videographer Dawn Harwood-Jones and Nick Veltmeyer will be working together to create community youth choirs and make a music video. Junior Boys Choir and Junior Girls Choir:  Elementary school students will be met at Chester District Elementary School and walked up the hill to Tuck Hall (beside the Anglican Church - St. Stephen's - on Regent St.) Practice runs from 2:15 to 3PM.  All are welcome with permission from a guardian. Girls Youth Choir and Boys Youth Choir: Middle School Youth: Middle School youth choirs and video classes will start right after school. Kids will learn popular songs, classical songs and help write a song about Chester and make a music video.  Fun is the most important ingredient. Free food. Contact Dawn Harwood-Jones @dawnhj@gmail.com / 275-5005 The work at 63 Regent Street is humming along and you can follow photos of the restoration of the Lightfoot Tower on the Zoe Valle Library blog. The Maggie Smith film series continues Thursday night  at the Chester Playhouse with a screening @ 7:30 of Tea with Mussolini. This is a semi-autobiographical tale from the early life of director Franco Zeffirelli. Pay what you can at the door. On Friday from 12 - 6 pm  the Shoreham Village Volunteer Job Fair will be held at 50 Shoreham Village Crescent. Drop by, bring a friend. Check out the presentations and displays. Ask questions. Explore.For more info call 275-5631 ext. 246. Mike Murley and his septet take the Playhouse stage on Friday @ 7:30 p.m. A native of Nova Scotia, Murley made a name for himself through his lyrical saxophone skills.He returns with his full seven-piece jazz band for what is sure to be an amazing show. The Rope Loft is hosting a "Western Night" Friday evening as a fundraiser for children in need in the community. There will be a silent auction, door prizes and the band "Silver Dollars" will be striking up at 8pm and ohhh so much more. Think of Friday at the Rope Loft as a regular Friday night without the prime rib but with the opportunity to get primed. There will be a special Western menu for those cowboys with a Texas style appetite and a taste of something from south of the border. Jack Daniels ribs, a cowboy sized sirloin, baked beans and Texas buttermilk cornbread to name a few of the menu items. Giddy up! Reserve your table now @275-3430 Also Friday night the Fo'c'sle Pub has the Klunkers on stage @ 9pm. The Klunkers are a village favourite so get there early. On Saturday and Sunday there is a 50% off sale of athletic apparel for a PRO kids fundraiser from 10 am -5 pm at #3802 Highway 3 (Lesley's old Pantry) across from Tim Horton's. Sunday there will be a crib tournament at the Chester Legion starting at 1 pm.

The Chester Garden Club is meeting at St. Stephen's Parish Hall @ 6:30 for 7 pm.  Guest Speaker Cora Swinimer will talk about "Rhododendrons 101". Refreshments followed by monthly meeting.  New members always welcome. Don't forget to get tickets for the French evening meal and fundraiser for the OHC at Julien's Bistro on Tuesday night from 6-8pm. Dial up Rita @ 273-2402 or Claudette @ 275-3876 or pick them up while downloading a croissant at Julien's at 43 Queen Street. Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad. Suzi Fraser for the Chester Merchants Group

October 10th, 2013 Press Release!

Chester Merchants Press Release Got the turkey bird yet? An alternative might be one of those Canadian Geese from the paddock down on the Blandford Peninsula. Might be a bit tough though. Add rum. To you. Not the bird. Summer savory: we buy this product at the same time every year and only use 1 tablespoon. I think it's a scam. It's like buying cilantro - you need one sprig and end up with a mitt full of the stuff. Wikipedia:  "Summer savory is a traditional popular herb in Atlantic Canada where it is used in the same way sage is elsewhere. It is the main flavoring in dressing for many fowl ...and is excellent with turkey, goose and duck."  Ok, so it's a Maritime scam. Happy Turducken.

This Week in Chester The Rope Loft has half price appetizers tonight from 5-8 pm. They also have a fall special of a hamburger sandwich & fries - sautéed Spanish onions & peppers with pure Canadian beef smothered in gravy and topped with...what else...peas!  Art's Quick Lunch lives on. Friday is the end of the road for the Chester Seaside Farmer's and Artisan Market for 2013. Get there between 10 am and 2 pm. Buy everything. Friday night the Fo'c'sle has the George Carter Jr Trio on stage at 9pm. Order up the Fred Flintstone size ribs and settle in for the evening. Saturday night @7:30pm, the Chester Playhouse presents Amanda Riley and Banded Stilts in a fundraising concert for ALS  ( Lou Gehrig's Disease.) Amanda Riley is a star on the rise in the Canadian Country Music scene. Amanda and her band "Life of Riley" have impressed many audiences and established a devoted fan base. In July of 2012 Life of Riley was chosen as the opening act for fellow Nova Scotian country music artist, Dean Brody, at the Bridgewater Ex. Malcolm Callaway will present his landscape painting class which runs for five sessions: October 21,  28, November 4th,11th and 18th from 1- 4 pm at the Chester Arts Centre.You will learn about distance, perspective and colouration. Emphasis will be on warm and cool colours, design and observation, plus use of varied brushes and palette knives. Material list will be supplied, and Malcolm is all yours for the bargain basement price of $130. This class is almost sold out, but if there's enough interest, Malcolm is prepared to do a second class. The Lightfoot Tower is undressing. Restoration has begun and the old girl is getting a few new planks. Stop by to see Barry and his team hard at it. On Tuesday evening October 22nd from 6-8 pm the Chester French Club is hosting an evening at Julienne's Bakery in support of the OHC (Our Health Centre). Le club de Français de Chester présente Un Voyage Rapid En France. Un repas en soirée chez Julien's Bistro 43 rue Queen Street (FLFL) Billets à l'avance 50$ par personne ( 25$ reçu pour impôt) Cash Bar Billets disponibles chez Julien's - 275-2324 ou contactez Rita Johnson @273-2402 jusqu'au 18 octobre.

A word about the Mahone Bay Scarecrow Festival last weekend. Hats off to the organizers, participants and residents of Mahone Bay - a superb job ! Congratulations ! I am asking our Chesterites to match the enthusiasm and artistic talent that Mahone Bay has demonstrated by supporting our upcoming Gingerbread Festival which runs from Nov 30th- Dec 14th. Are you up to it? Can we hold a candle to Mahone Bay? Start planning your gingerbread house now. Any cupcake consumed before 9 am is, technically, a muffin.  [seen on the wall @ The Kiwi Café] or should I say #kiwicafé. Suzi Fraser for the Chester Merchants Group

October 2nd, 2013 Press Release OOPS!

Chester Merchants Press Release

OOPS!  The up coming election is Tuesday, October 8th 2013 and not the 9th as in today's press release.  Also omitted was the upcoming performance by AMANDA MARTINEZ on Friday 4th at the Chester Playhouse at 7.30pm. She brings us hot Latin Jazz that will light a fire in your heart and under your feet! Tickets are $24.00 adult or $20.00 student +HST. Tickets can be bought on line or by calling 275 3933. Apologies, from the Other One for the Chester Merchants Group (maybe it was that glass of wine to the left?!)

        

October 2nd, 2013 Press Release!

Chester Merchants Press Release If you don't know how you're going to vote on October 9th, I hope you read this before 7pm this evening (Wednesday) or otherwise you'll miss the all important MEET THE CANDIDATES forum....... an ALL candidates forum, being held at the Chester Legion from 7:00 to 9:30 pm, co-sponsored by the Chester Municipal Chamber of Commerce and VOCTADA. They anticipate having time for questions from the audience, so get there and query.

This Week in Chester If you don't get to use your voice at the Legion on Wednesday night, you can do so to tunes at the Chester Legion KARAOKE night from 9:00 pm to 1:00 am. Members and guests over 19 years welcome. Put your shower singing to good use....... well, that's debatable... but there promises to be a larger audience than each morning. If you prefer to listen and dance to music, rather than belt it out yourself, the Fo'c'sle has MEMPHIS KNIGHTS performing at 9pm on Friday. On Thursday, the Rope Loft is hosting the ABF (Absolute Bloody FINAL Thursday Race). The race starts at 6pm from the CYC and finishes at the Rope Loft wharf..... after which there will be celebration and prizes. Come cheer them on and join in the fun.   Please note that due to demand and good weather..........The CHESTER ARTISAN & FARMERS MARKET is continuing through to Friday, October 18th after which the vendors will finally remove their tents for this season (if the wind doesn't get them first........Sorry Joan!) On Saturday October 5th, the AL NUNN MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT in support of Chester Minor Hockey is being held at the Chester Golf Club. Registration is $360 for a team of 4 - Carts are to be booked by individual teams and can be paid for on the day of tournament to the Golf Course.  A delicious meal will be provided at the end of the tournament - your choice of either BBQ Steak or BBQ Chicken Dinner. Tournament is a shotgun start at 10:00 am. If you're interested in putting a team in or would like to kindly donate prizes or sponsor a hole, please let Satrina know at 531 2207. They are only able to accommodate 36 teams on the course.    This weekend also marks the closing of the Chester Yacht Club for the season. However, before everything is wrapped up, they are having a TURKEY DOO at 5pm on Saturday (complimentary turkey, fixin's, rolls and dessert) after the Turkey Bowl Race which starts at 1.30pm. This is for CYC members, crew and guests i.e. All are welcome.  If you're into trivia the winter will be a short one for you as TRIVIA TUESDAYS is back at the Fo'c'sle, every Tuesday at 6.30pm. Competition is fierce but fun. Put a team together and see if you can oust the all-time winning team (Sam, Mary, Tom, Anne, Jeff, Monica, Ryan, and Annika) so you too can go home with a shiny trophy and medal in 2014. HAVEN have wrapped filming season 4. There may be less 'road works' around the village or maybe the DOT will actually get some some much needed fixin's done before the snow flies?! (Question for Wednesday?!) The production brings vitality to the village in all shapes and sizes - but no word yet if there is to be a season 5...... as for the missing mascot?...... the investigation is ongoing.

Does anyone know anyone willing to help Miss Suzi Fraser stack her winter wood at the Mecklenburgh Inn? She's got it all into the basement 'toute seule', but might need 'help' stacking it down there as her first free-standing row fell down! This is a paying business opportunity for a young entrepreneur as she's not getting any younger and she'll be burning wood in that stove for years to come..... Her number is 275 4638 and she'll answer if not trapped under a wood pile..........(this is NOT a joke!) The Other One for the Chester Merchants Group

September 25th, 2013 Press Release!

Chester Merchants Press Release Greetings! There's been a 'napping in the 'hood. Rum fueled Race Week thieves have absconded with Haven's mascot. The area has been taped off and there is a chalk outline of the crime scene in front of "Haven" production offices on Duke Street. The perps did leave a fin behind. Maybe too dicey to balance it on the getaway skateboard. Audrey Parker couldn't crack the case so the Havens have asked us to get the word out.

This Week in Chester Tonight @ 1830 the Rope Loft presents sommelier Wally Fraser pairing some international wines with matching presentations from the chef. Dial up the Rope Loft to book your seat now. 275-3430. Tomorrow night, Thursday, the Chester Playhouse is offering up the first installment of  their Maggie Smith film series with " A Room with a View." Maggie Smith is a British icon and a woman with attitude - her performances are world class. If you haven't seen this classic, or even if you have, it's a great flick to re visit! Friday is Market Day at the Chester Train Station from 10-2 pm. This may be the spinach swan song for the season so hop in your chariot and pick up the last goodies of the harvest before the meat and pie boys board a plane for Cuba. Nancy has some lovely bars of soap that look like fudge. Pick up some to dry out over the winter. The Fo'c'sle has SWIG on stage Friday night @ 9 pm. SWIG has become a Fo'c'sle favourite over the years - stop by and you will understand why. A big thank you to Bob and Audrey for bringing in the First Saturdays musicians on the street. It was a pleasure to hear the players and it certainly generated a happy buzz in our Pleasant Street neighbourhood. On Saturday Chester Pro Kids are having a Yard Sale at the Stretch Diner on Route 3 East from 10 - 3pm.  Clean out your closets for a good cause!  To donate an item, book table space or volunteer help, call George @ 279-1955.  Rain date is Sunday, Sept. 29.  All proceeds will go to PRO Kids.  A good way to de-clutter your house and help a great cause at the same time. This is almost as exciting as big garbage day ! After you've acquired your "new to you" duds, wander down to the Chester Bandstand @ 3 pm. The Valley Community Concert Band will be belting out some new and old tunes from Standards through to jazz.

Biology students were taking their final exam. "Name 7 advantages of mothers' milk." The question was worth 70 points or none at all. One student was hard put to think of all the advantages but he soldiered on... It is perfect formula for a child It provides immunity against diseases It is always room temperature It is free It bonds child to mother and vice versa It is always available And then the student was stuck. Finally in desperation, just before the bell he wrote... It comes in two attractive containers and is high enough off the ground where the cat can't get it. He got an A. Suzi Fraser for the Chester Merchants Group

September 18th, 2013 Press Release!

Chester Merchants Press Release Did you find your wellington boots in time for Tropical Storm Gabrielle last weekend? Hope so. She came swooping down, bringing torrential rain that at least filled the wells and soaked the parched flower beds....... September storms, though, always make the late summer days seem even more glorious.......So get out and enjoy them to the fullest! Then put on a sweater and check out what's happening in the village for those cooler nights.... LOTS of music this week:

This Week in Chester The Fo'c'sle has PETER GRANT & 3 FOR NOW performing on Friday and THE KLUNKERS on Saturday. Cosy up, eat a warming meal and then sweat it out on the dance floor to warm up after the surprise suntan from the September sun. 9pm showtime for the bands. LANA GRANT is performing at the Playhouse on Saturday 21st September at 7.30pm. Lana is a singer/songwriter from rural Nova Scotia who recently had a cookbook published with Granite Records, entitled, "Musicians, Memories & Morsels ~ An East Coast Story Cook Book". The cookbook is a collaborative effort between over 40 well known Atlantic Canadian musicians sharing their favourite food memories and recipes. Through the book, they hope to raise awareness about mental illness. Also appearing at the Playhouse during the evening are Norma MacDonald, Kev Corbett, and Asif Illyas. If you're seeking a different venue and genre, there's a GOSPEL CONCERT at the Chester United Baptist Church, 84 King Street on Sunday 22nd, with BRENT REID of Cornerstone. Everyone's welcome to come and sing along from 6:30 pm onwards after which, Brent will take the stage at 7pm. Fellowship (tea and coffee etc) will follow the concert.    If you haven't had a chance to visit José Valverde's gallery yet this summer, you have two more weeks to do so as they will be closing on September 29th. Doreen and José will still be selling artwork over the internet and one can make an appointment to view artwork on the premises, but they will no longer be having a gallery for impromptu viewing with established gallery hours. Now that most of the family and guests have gone back to school, or wherever they came visiting from, if you haven't already, why not treat yourself to a gourmet dinner at NICKI'S INN?  You've barbequed enough all summer and eaten copious amounts of green salad. Her risotto is to die for and with the change of season there are different treats on the menu. Check out that blackboard. Sunday's Carvery is still as extravagant and delicious as ever - just skip breakfast and lunch to find room to fit it it all in. The true champions are those that can still find room for dessert. Open Wednesday to Sunday from 5pm-8.30pm. A sure sign of fall, there are only two more Fridays to get to the ARTISAN AND FARMERS MARKET in 2013. Held at the Old Train Station/VIC on Hwy 3 in Chester, it's open from 10am-2pm promising bushels of autumnal bounty, baked goods, coffee and crafts. Look at the size of Dan's marrow! How's yours looking?!

What occurs once in autumn, twice in summer and never in spring or winter?      "M"   The Other One for the Chester Merchants Group

September 11th, 2013 Press Release!

Chester Merchants Press Release It's September 11th again. A day of remembrance. And Otto's birthday ! I went to the blood donor clinic at the Legion on Monday. I am ashamed to say I have never ventured down that red road before. I was quite excited with my shiny new badge and bandaged pricked finger. It all went south when I was told I wasn't eligible after answering a question about living outside the country. All that aside, I would highly recommend this experience. I got to catch up with friends who were there donating and was offered cookies despite the fact I didn't produce the goods. 1-888-2 DONATE

This Week in Chester Why not stop by Jim Smith's Fine Pottery Studio on Water Street. A finer selection of cooked clay you will not find.The studio's home is the old "Corner Grocery" and Jim still has the exquisite piece that showcased the best penny candy in the world. On Thursday evening the Friends of Nature AGM  will be held at the St. Stephen's Hall, 54 Regent Street, @ 7 pm.  Guest speaker Hillary Dionne will give an illustrated talk about life and birding on Tancook Island. Have you met Carolyn of Carolyn's Café fame on Tancook? Now that's a rare bird. All are welcome to attend.                                      Friday night the man with long fingers and big feet is back in town. Michael Kaeshammer, one of Canada's best known jazz pianists, returns to the Chester Playhouse for his third show. Michael invites you in with his music, not simply playing at you, but immersing you in the musical experience.  Don't miss this. Wander over to the Fo'c'sle Pub after the show and hoist a few bevvies to the cover tunes of Jason MacDonald. The Chester Playhouse is kicking off their After School Program with registration on Saturday from 4-6pm for an interactive night of theatre. Bring your child prodigy and sign them up. You can check out the makeup for stage workshop, see what back stage and the mysterious Green Room look like and learn lighting tech with Bob Elliott. You can watch two actors rehearsing a scene from Shakespeare and play some improv games. This is a free event for short ones. On Saturday night there are two music venues for your auricle canals: Kathryn Green, Jamie Junger, and the Hupman Brothers are playing at the Magical Musical Shed at 35 Union Street @ 8 pm. Admission is 15 clams. Bring your flask and a chair. The Fo'c'sle has Good Rockin' Dan on stage at 9 pm. A guest dropped her bags at the house last night before racing out the door in hot pursuit of the Cobb Salad at the Fo'c'sle so you might want to try that out before dancing with Dan. The Chester Garden Club is meeting at St. Stephen's Hall @ 6:30 pm Monday evening. Guest Speaker Joanne Jellett will do a practical demonstration on saving seeds...one may wonder what kind. Refreshments to follow. New members welcome. Next Wednesday evening from 7-9pm the Chester Arts Centre presents Annika Junger instructing on the finer points of knitting. The class is a 3 night event, the latter two being September 25th and October 2nd. Annika will show you the basics of knitting, knitting in the round on four needles, or flat on two. If you know something about knitting you will understand what that actually means. annika.junger@gmail.com. Winter is coming. Your toes might be quite happy about this class.

Life's little mysteries: Why does pizza come in a square box? Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then pay to see what's on the ground? Why, when you blow in a dog's face he is annoyed, but when you take him for a car ride, he sticks his head out the window? Why do we press harder on the remote when we know the batteries are going dead? Why do banks charge for "insufficient funds" when they know there is not enough money in the account? Why do people feel the need to check when you say the paint is wet? Why is there never a day that mattresses are not on sale? Why do we return to the fridge in hopes that something new has materialized? Why do we keep running over a thread with the vacuum cleaner, then reach down, pick it up, then put it down to give the vacuum one more chance? Why is it that no plastic bag will open from the correct end at first try? And Why is it when you try to catch something falling off a table you always knock something else over? Suzi Fraser for the Chester Merchants Group

September 4th, 2013 Press Release!

Chester Merchants Press Release There was a mass exodus last week of many of our summer friends so now it truly feels like fall. Yup, pitch black at 8 pm. Oh la la. Winter is coming. You can smell it in the air. The tiny yacht "Athos" pictured above, rolled into Deep Cove on Monday. Nice to see we're keeping up with the Jones'. Apparently there was a traffic jam on the Blandford Peninsula with everyone stopping to have a gawk.

This Week in Chester This Saturday is a "First Saturday" and the merchant's are offering special experiences to celebrate it. Light My Fire on Duke Street is offering a "Wax and Water Candle" workshop. Build an under sea scene in your candle for $15/ candle.The workshop is on a drop in basis from 9-6pm for this first Saturday. The Rope Loft is celebrating First Saturday by introducing their newest girl  in town and on tap "Garrison Hop Yard." So hop down into a deck chair and try out the new suds. The Senior College Association of Nova Scotia is hosting an open house at Saint Stephen's Community Centre, 54 Regent Street, Chester from 2:30pm onwards.  Meet professors Roland Lewis and Alan Griffiths, who will preview their Fall courses in "Selected Topics in Microbiology" ie: Super Bugs and Antibiotics (October 2 to November 6) and "Currents and Ideas in 20th Century Photography" (October 1 to November 5), a witty presentation of an interesting subject. For more info or to register visit  SCANS. The Chester Arts Centre @ 60 Queen Street  is presenting a workshop with Jennie Carton on September 5, 12, 19 and 26 from 9:30 - 12:30pm. Using varied drawing materials you will work to finish drawings in each class, concentrating on compositions, colour and enhancing mood using varied contrast. Also at the Arts Centre this week is a Lettering Workshop, a one day class September 7th from 10am- 3pm with Micheline Courtemanche. It opens with a discussion on the anatomy of letters exploring different ways to manipulate their style and change their character. Bring out the pencils, pens, paints, scissors and explore different tools and techniques. By the end of the day, you will have created a unique snail mail letter to send before Canada Post goes under. Hurry! The Rope Loft is offering half price appetizers Thursday evening from 5- 8 pm with double martinis for 4 clams. You'll be seeing double in no time flat. Friday night they have prime rib on the plate until the last slab goes down. Friday has the Artisans and Farmer's Market back at the Train Station. It's harvest season so there will be lots of fresh goodies to stock up on and the meat and pie boys will be flogging da wife's pickles too. Friday evening the Fo'c'sle Pub has John Cole Porter and the Handsome Devils on stage @ 9pm. With a handle like that how could you pass this up? Saturday night the George Carter Jr. Trio is on deck at the same time. Reclaim your seat from the previous night.

The above article was in a British newspaper last week. You do not need a parachute to skydive. You need a parachute to skydive twice. Suzi Fraser for the Chester Merchants Group