Olde Home Daze

Get out your extra change, buy a duck and bring a chair; it’s Olde Home Days again! Caught in the throes of the high pressure system baking all of the eastern seaboard, Marcellus was a toasty 92° for their annual Olde Home Days Parade. Outside the sun blazed down, but inside, big band music and lovely cool breezes lulled Marcellus residents into parting with some of the green stuff. Mistress Colleen sold ice cold water under a multicolored umbrella out in front of the Masonic Temple, and directed the foot traffic to the Eastern Star Trash and Treasure Sale. Mrs. H. was the chair for the sale again this year, and with the help of several generous donations of goods and clothing, was able to report with glee that the ladies were on the happy side of the ledger to the tune of over $562.00. Not an easy task in these days of soaring gas prices and mounting inflation. Kudos to all the Eastern Star Ladies, who sorted, priced and dickered their way into profitability!
The parade was truly spectacular this year- several new additions were cheerfully applauded; like the Big Island Band from Phoenix, NY (with their Hawaiian print shirts and steel drums) and the Syracuse Go Kart Racing Association. The Midstate Miata Club is a perennial favorite of Mrs. H. (who longs to be a member herself someday…) and, of course, the Shriner’s Motor Patrol were there. Mr. Hall noted warmly that Marcellus had finally made it on to the maps; nothing catches the eyes of Rand McNally like being the target of a gay pride activist group like the one they had in the parade; and it did his heart good to see Marcellus finally recognized for the (however backward thinking) metropolis that it was.
The annual Duck Race was Sunday, and despite the town’s best hopes for controlling the event by limiting the field to just 2000 ducks, it is the belief of the residents of Penguin Hall that their duck pulled a Big Brown on them; in any case, when it finally comes in this year, it will be counted as last.
Master Chris, however, is on a winning streak, of sorts. The Post Standard has a regular feature known as ‘The Daily Dose’ and they were looking for readers with interesting collections. Chris’ entry about his space gun collection was selected and he was promptly awarded (in the mail) one envelope of freeze-dried Astronaut Ice Cream. Later on, that same week, while listening to Oldies 92.1 WSEN Radio, Chris was the 9th caller to call in, thereby snagging the coveted Dinner for Two at one of the Hall’s favorite haunts: Doc’s Little Gem! (The prize will undoubtedly cover the plating charge for bringing his own ice cream dessert.)

Dress for Success

Ever since it made its debut at the bottom of the hill four years ago, Daniel’s Grill has been a source for liquid solace to varied and harried Marcellus and Skaneateles residents alike. Many a Friday evening’s found the Halls sighing contentedly, as they eased out of the big black car and into smart cocktails once again. Daniel himself would often come out, attired in his chef’s shirt and the loudest, flashiest printed chef’s pants imaginable, to say hello and catch up on the locals. So happy were the Halls that, despite the nasty construction surrounding the rebuilding of the bridge into town ,(impeding Daniel’s quest to continue to provide a cozy retreat just staggering distance away,) they donned their own goofy pants and shirts and marched in, Wednesday last, to show their support. Surprizing him after the dinner rush, Mr. and Mrs. H. and Master Chris declared it "Dress Like Daniel Day", presented Dan with a short speech, a poster of the restaurant and a personalized coffee mug, as a token of their high esteem. Daniel flushed, accepted his gifts most graciously and compted the Halls their evening’s drinks.