Signs of the end of summer are all around us. School has started up and back to school shopping hopefully has been completed. The traffic on Route 2 seems to be just as heavy as it has been all summer.
This column comes out on August 27th, which would have been my mother, Millie McLain’s birthday. She was almost 95 years old when she passed in June 2004 on the day of Gilead’s Bicentennial Celebration. She would be deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Randy Bennett, a cousin from the Heath and Bennett families. My mother and cousin Emeline Heath got together many times with Randy to sort out the family histories that connected them. Randy will be missed by the many people he connected with throughout his life.
On Monday morning, a couple of bucket trucks arrived to work on the weather station that was recently installed at the intersection of Route 2 and Bridge Street.
Gilead Historical Society
I already mentioned Randy on a personal note, but as a Life Member of the GHS, I have to add that he will be missed. His knowledge of the area and the genealogy of many families was unreal. All one had to say was “Randy, who was [such a person] related to that connects him to the [family of ]?” There was no hesitation with the answer to the question. If there was a question about it, he had notebooks full of family information.
We have lost a very good friend and all the knowledge he possessed.
This past weekend, there was a “shady” crew working at the schoolhouse. Pete Risbara, Hugh Chapman and Jimmy Lumbard installed the new room darkening shades that Claudia Risbara had ordered. These shades will eliminate having to cover up some of the items in the room when we close up on Saturday. They are opaque but will keep out the sun.
Aunt May’s Letters Continued
Letter #5
Deutsches Heim
Piazza San Marco Venice
July 11, 1905
My dear Family,
My last letter was sent from Florence in the hottest weather I have ever known. “They said” it was the most intense heat they have had for seventy years. I certainly know that it has required all my strength to keep up sightseeing and at the same time take care of myself. The shops in Florence are fascinating. We spent two afternoons wandering around and buying some things. Instead of the $10. Aunt Hattie sent me I have a very pretty gold chain for my watch. Did I tell you that I used Aunt Emma’s $2. toward some coral beads which I bought in Capri? Our last day in Florence was the sort personally conducted parties have all or at least much
of the time. First a carriage to the Church of the Carmines to see some very fine pictures by Masaccio. There are frescoes, many of them, one in each little cell, and in the large refectory a large painting (The Last Supper). To finish up our morning we spent an hour at the Bargello, a grand old palace, now a museum.
Thursday we were in Pisa for some hours. You all know the picture of the Cathedral and Baptistry with the Leaning Tower close by. That tower leans even more than it shows in most of the photographs. Of course we were sorry to leave Florence in spite of the pleasant experiences ahead of us. It really does seem as though we had been particularly fortunate in our trip so far. The voyage was
delightful; we have been able to carry out all the plans we had made and have seen even more than we expected; the weather has been good (not a single rainy day yet) hardly a shower; all the hotels and pensions have been excellent (good beds and good food); and we have all kept well.
Have I written since receiving Ada’s letter, also Mamma’s from Belmont and number 3 from Lily? It did seem so good to hear from you all. I am anxious to hear again from Akron and think it is about time for another letter from Lily. By this time Ada, Arthur and Mamma must be in Gilead. I wonder how you found the house. The supper bell has rung (7.30 p.m.) and as we are going out in a gondola at 8.30, I must close.
Much love to you all.
May
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