Center of Gravity Gazette NEW BOSTON’S SENIOR NEWSLETTER

Hello Seniors! - This last month we received some much needed rain November/December and the temperatures began to dip. As we enter into the first days of Winter we INSIDE THIS ISSUE: hope that you all continue to stay healthy and active. Please reach out to us if you need assistance. We are still grocery shopping on Thursdays for seniors or if you NB HISTORICAL NEWS 2 are immunocompromised. Call us on Monday’s to place your order for delivery on Thursday. 487-2880. ALBA TUTTOBENE PAINTINGS 3

JOYFUL SHARING 4 Alba’s paintings are beautiful in full color. To view them that way you can go online or get on our email list to get the link and PDF sent directly to you. This GET FIT ONLINE! 5 allows you to adjust (zoom in and out) to your favorite size text to read and view. SEPT/OCT ANSWERS If reading online is your thing go to: www.newbostonnh.gov/recreation COVID-19 KEEP CONNECTED 6 The Town of New Boston is still offering FREE TRANSPORTATION. They COMMUNITY CHURCH NEWS 7 offer more days and hours! Need to go grocery shopping? Pick up a SUDUKO prescription? Go to the bank? Need a ride to a Dr’s appointment? For more info check past issues or call Manchester Transit Stepsaver dispatch at 623-8801 BIRTHDAYS 8 Option #1. SCARECROW PHOTOS FROM THE FIRE CHIEF 9 The Whipple Free Library is now open for scheduled inside browsing! The New FARMERS MARKET NEWS Boston Historical Society has a great story about “Happy Franksgiving!” Yup, you read that right. Franksgiving! REBUS PUZZLES 10

Senior Lunch, Cards, Bingo and Blood pressure checks, are still on hold. As WFL HAPPENINGS 11 soon as we know more, we will let you know. WORD SEARCH 12

Have you checked out our FREE online ZENgevity and Yoga classes yet? They CROSSWORD PUZZLE 13 have been well received and offer you a chance to stay active . A huge thank you A LITTLE LAUGH 14 to our instructors, Lauren Burnham and Christel Caron for their efforts on these wonderful videos. To access them go to: www.NewBostonNH.gov/Recreation THE ARTISAN’S MARKET 15 Then scroll down to the NEWS tab and click “Online New Boston Recreation Sponsored Exercise Opportunities” for more info and the links to the programs. FOOT CARE CLINIC 16 HELPING HANDS The Artisan’s Market starts up November 6th! The Giving Tree goes virtual and is now Joyful Sharing!

We add a new type of puzzle this issue, we hope you enjoy it. On the left is an example of a Rebus puzzle. The answer would be Working Overtime.

Are you on our email list? Get updates right away when our programs, senior trip and lunch start up again. Call us at 487-2880 to be put on the list! “ One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. Director-Mike Sindoni How he got into my pajamas Assistant–Sheri Moloney I'll never know. ” www.newbostonnh.gov/recreation 603.487.2880 ~ [email protected] ~Groucho Marx New Boston Historical Society Center of Gravity Gazette

“Happy Franksgiving!” by Dan Rothman for the New Boston Historical Society

In time for the holiday season, the Historical Society asks: who remembers Franksgiving?

“Brainard Newton worked at The Creamery in 1924 ”

Our story begins with the diary of New Boston farmer Brainard Newton. His entry for Thursday, No- vember 28, 1940, includes this cryptic note: “ Day for 16 states.” We thought, that can’t be right – there were 48 states in 1940. Why would some states celebrate Thanksgiving on a date differ- ent from the others?

Our diary researcher Lisa Rothman (to whom I’m married) found the answer to this mystery. It seems that until 1939, Thanksgiving was always celebrated on the last Thursday in November, and stores wait- ed until after Thanksgiving Day before putting up Christmas decorations. (Can you imagine that!)

However, in the summer of 1939, the National Retail Federation looked at a calendar and realized that Thanksgiving Day was very late that year – November 30th, in fact. That meant that the 1939 Christ- mas sales season would be brief, less than four weeks long.

The store owners convinced President Franklin Roosevelt to move the official date of Thanksgiving one week earlier, to boost sales at a time when the U.S. was just recovering from the . Not everyone was delighted by this last-minute change, however. Some people had already made their travel plans, and, more important, college football teams had scheduled their last and most exciting games for November 30th.

Franklin Roosevelt’s political rivals called the earlier date “Franksgiving,” and many states (including New Hampshire) stuck to the “last Thursday in November” tradition in 1939, 1940, and 1941. The Commerce Department studied the economic impact of a longer Christmas sales season, and when they added up the dollars and cents, they determined that there’d been no real benefit to anyone. In 1942, Roosevelt set the date of Thanksgiving to the fourth Thursday in November, and that’s when all states now celebrate this great American holiday.

As always, we welcome your historical questions at: [email protected] Page 2

Last Gazette we shared some lovely garden pictures from two of our seniors. This month we are featuring the amazing paintings done by Alba Tuttobene while in her COVID-19 quarantine.

We miss her, and all of you that attended the Senior Lunch, Cards, Bingo & trips. We hope you enjoy these gorgeous paintings by a very talented woman!

We hope to see you all soon!

Happy Birthday to Alba on November 4th! Page 3 Page 4 Get fit! ONLINE CLASSES Center of Gravity Gazette Online New Boston Recreation Sponsored Exercise Opportunities!

While waiting for the Recreation Activities to resume, please check out the Yoga and ZENgevity classes that we have online here: www.newbostonnh.gov/recreation Under the Seniors tab, click Online Classes ZENgevity & Yoga

You can also join the New Boston Yoga Community for additional encouragement, support and free classes links: https://www.facebook.com/ groups/1315633482158462/

Keep checking the above sites, we add classes often!

Sept/Oct Sept/Oct Answers

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Ways to stay busy and keep connected during these COVID times

1. Send snail mail—Handwritten cards and letters are more special than ever, perhaps because electronic communication is increasingly supplanting them. Friends and Family can display the cards and re-read correspondence to remind themselves that you care.

2. Share a virtual meal with a friend—Plan a long-distance date. Call, Zoom, Skype or Facetime to talk during the meal!

3. If your grandkids are at an age where they love being read to, call, Zoom, Skype or Facetime them. Read to them or have them read to you.

4. Like Puzzles?—Order the same jig-saw puzzle for a friend or family member and see who can finish it first.

5. Play a board game—Think about the games your family loved growing up, such as Clue, Monopoly, Life, Scrabble or Sorry, or if you have grandkids, children's classics such as Candyland or Chutes and Ladders. Backgammon, bingo and chess also will work if you've played those in the past and both sides know the lingo of the game. Make sure identical game boards are set up at your house and your loved one's home. You and your family or friend can play the game over the telephone, Zoom, Skype or Facetime and talk or show how the dice landed and what moves your game piece is making.

6. Assemble a hobby box—Send it to a loved one or friend. Find a box and deco- rate it, fill it with craft items. Put in items that will work with your friend or gami- ly members existing hobbies or ask what they've always wanted to try. Think crossword puzzle books, paints and paper, Slinkys or other toys for those with a silly streak. Get even more crafty with yarn and hooks or knitting needle for crocheters/knitters. Start a project together!

Page 6 Community Church of New Boston News Center of Gravity Gazette A Message from Woody Woodland:

Joyful Sharing - Would you like to help a needy child have a nice Christmas? This year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are doing things a little differently. We will not be distributing wish lists this year. Instead we are asking that you donate gift cards which we will dis- tribute to the families. Suggested gift cards are Target, Walmart, Visa cards, etc. Cash and check donations will also be accepted, but gift cards are preferred if possible. Checks should be made out to the Community Church of New Boston, with Joyful Sharing clearly marked on the memo line. Grocery store and gas gift cards are also accepted. Donations can be dropped off in the Dropbox at the Library or Recreation Dept. As we do want to give the families time to shop, all donations must be received by Dec 7. Questions? Email Barbara Ballou at [email protected]

If you or anyone you know could use some help at Thanksgiving or Christmas please call Woody at 487-3643 and the Community Church will try to be of help with food or gifts.

EASIER SUDUKO

HARDER SUDUKO

Page 7 HAPPY BIRTHDAY WISHES!

ALBA TUTTOBENE ~ November 4 LEONA COLLINS ~ November 6 CHIP YOUNG ~ November 6 SYLVIA CHANDLER ~ November 9 DAVE JACKSON ~ November 13 Did you get to see the Scarecrows on the Common? JAY MARDEN ~ November 16 LAWRENCE DALEY SR. ~ November 19 IRMA RANFOS ~ November 23 GERALD MARGERUM ~ November 26 SHIRLEY KISSEL ~ November 27

WILLIAM MANNA ~ December 3 AUGUST “Skip” GOMES Jr ~ December 7 ARMAND HEBERT ~ December 12 BETSY WHITMAN ~ December 22 JACKIE LARIVIERE ~ December 25 GERRY PORTER ~ December 25 THERESA KENNEDY ~ December 29 CHERYL MATHIEU ~ December 31

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We will email you a PDF file that most any computer, iPad or Tablet can open up. Plus we will send you online link to the newsletter online in case you are not able to open it. Call 487-2880 or email us at: [email protected] and get on the email list! Page 8 A Message from our Fire Chief, Dan MacDonald

Friendly reminders: 1. If you burn wood or pellets have your chimney cleaned and inspected before the burning season. 2. Make sure any cracked or broken windows are repaired. 3. If changing your smoke detector batteries out is a challenge call NBFD. We can change your batteries for you! 4. If you don’t have smoke detectors call NBFD—we can help! 5. Call Dan at 487-5282 if you have home issue or problem and don’t know who to call. Dan can help you find a solution or direct you to the person or organization that can help. Call 911 for Emergency Situations. If you have any non-emergency safety questions: Call Dan at 487-5282.

Remember we are here for you!

The New Boston Rail Trail asked for drawings to make a sign for New Bos- ton’s portion of the rail trail. We can’t wait to see what people have come up with for designs! The New Boston Farmers Market would love to thank everyone for a wonder- fully weird season! We hope that you were able to stop by and feel safe shopping with our local vendors. This year we will not be doing our annual Hol- iday Market the weekend after Thanksgiving due to the difficulties with hav- ing a socially distanced indoor event. Never fear, though, as all the vendors you know and love continue to create amazing local products. Keep an eye on our website or Facebook page for information on how to contact different vendors and shop local. Page 9 Page 10 Rebus Fun!

Center of Gravity Gazette Gravity of Center

Answers: topFrom left1. to right. A Friend in need, is a friend indeed. 2. The joke is on 3. Room you. for desert. 4. Eye candy. 5. I believe in 6. Leftyou. for dead. 7. Fade away. 8. Searching high and low. 9. Forbidden fruit. 10. Ants in pants.my 11. Ice Cream. 12. Hidden meaning.

Center of Gravity Gazette Please note books will be available in hard copy, real books!, that can be checked out,. Please call and reserve a copy for curbside pickup or schedule an appointment to pick them up and browse the library shelves. The library is now open for appointments, check out our website or facebook page for details.

Mindfulness with Laura Klain - Thursday, November 5 at 7 pm Mindfulness is a great way to alleviate stress, develop more creativity, and cultivate more peace in your life. The practice can be added to any lifestyle and can be done anywhere. No special equipment or skills needed! Come and learn how to use your breath, mind, and body as tools to help you be more present and peaceful even during times of stress. This hour-long mindfulness workshop and guided meditation will be a *LIVE* zoom event. Wear comfy clothes and get ready for a relaxing and enlightening experience! Contact [email protected] to pre-register for the FREE class

Virtual Book Party—"Being Mortal" by Atul Gwande—Wednesday, November 18 at 7 pm In Being Mortal, author Atul Gawande tackles the hardest challenge of his profession: how medicine can not only improve life but also the process of its ending. Medicine has triumphed in modern times, transforming birth, injury, and infectious disease from harrowing to manageable. But in the inevitable condition of aging and death, the goals of medicine seem too frequently to run counter to the interest of the human spirit. Nursing homes, preoccupied with safety, pin patients into railed beds and wheelchairs. Hospitals isolate the dying, checking for vital signs long after the goals of cure have become moot. Doctors, committed to extending life, continue to carry out devastating proce- dures that in the end extend suffering. Gawande, a practicing surgeon, addresses his profession's ultimate limitation, arguing that quality of life is the desired goal for patients and families. Gawande offers examples of freer, more so- cially fulfilling models for assisting the infirm and dependent elderly, and he explores the varieties of hospice care to demonstrate that a person's last weeks or months may be rich and dignified. (Goodreads review). Link to Front- line trailer by PBS, a glimpse of the author and his book. This is a virtual book discussion group. Books will be available to check out for curbside pickup. Please contact [email protected] to request the link to the meeting.

Who dunnit? Virtual Mystery Book Club. "Lady in the Lake" by Laura Lippman Wednesday, December 2 at 10 am Baltimore in the 1960s is the setting for this historical fiction about a real-life unsolved drowning. In her most am- bitious work to date, Lippman (Sunburn, 2018, etc.) tells the story of Maddie Schwartz, an attractive 37-year-old Jewish housewife who abruptly leaves her husband and son to pursue a long-held ambition to be a journalist, and Cleo Sherwood, an African-American cocktail waitress about whom little is known. Sherwood's body was found in a lake in a city park months after she disappeared, and while no one else seems to care enough to investigate, Mad- die becomes obsessed—partly due to certain similarities she perceives between her life and Cleo's, partly due to her faith in her own detective skills. The story unfolds from Maddie's point of view as well as that of Cleo's ghost, who seems to be watching from behind the scenes, commenting acerbically on Maddie's nosing around like a bull in a china shop after getting a job at one of the city papers. Added to these are a chorus of Baltimore characters who make vivid one-time appearances: a jewelry store clerk, an about-to-be-murdered schoolgirl, "Mr. Helpline," a bar- tender, a political operative, a waitress, a Baltimore Oriole, the first African-American female policewoman (these last two are based on real people), and many more. Maddie's ambition propels her forward despite the cost to oth- ers, including the family of the deceased and her own secret lover, a black policeman. Lippman's high-def depiction of 1960s Baltimore and the atmosphere of the newsroom at that time—she interviewed associates of her fa- ther, Baltimore Sun journalist Theo Lippman Jr., for the details—ground the book in fascinating historical fact.The literary gambit she balances atop that foundation—the collage of voices—works impressively, showcasing the au- thor's gift for rhythms of speech. The story is bigger than the crime, and the crime is bigger than its solution, mak- ing Lippman's skill as a mystery novelist work as icing on the cake. The racism, classism, and sexism of 50 years ago wrapped up in a stylish, sexy, suspenseful period drama about a newsroom and the city it covers.(Kirkus re- view)

NPR All Things Considered talks with Laura about her book based on real life crime events in Baltimore

Books will be available to pick up at curbside. Contact [email protected] to obtain link to the discussion Page 11 Center of Gravity Gazette

Page 12 Crossword Puzzle Center of Gravity Gazette 1 Recede 4 Afloat (2wds) 9 Distant 12 Midday 14 Public disorder 15 Homeless person 16 Shift 17 Acclaim 18 Chilled 19 Disconnected sounds 21 Kindle 23 Main Street _____ 24 Cool (Slang) 25 Tiny insect 28 Central daylight time 31 Canal name 34 Thwarted 36 Arbiter 38 Move a boat 40 Sled 41 Book by Homer 43 ____fide 44 Good grief! 45 Snake like fish 46 Oxford University Scholarship 48 Engrave 51 Santa’s helper Down 53 Chopping tools 1 Aborts 26 TV Show ______Rider 52 Romp about 54 Brim 2 Spree 27 Lager 55 Quietness 56 Reverend (abbr.) 3 Box wine 29 Tool 57 Natural occurrence 58 Mark clearly 4 Regions 30 Beverage 58 ____vu 61 Eleventh month 5 Breath mint 32 Wear away 59 Extremely long time 66 _____ the Red 6 Go at it alone 33 Time _____ 60 Chip 67 White poplar 7 When you will there 34 Contagious disease 61 Northeast by east 69 ____ Major (Big Dipper) 8 Active 35 Perish 62 Silent 70 Card in deck 9 Central points 37 Former president of US 63 Boast 71 Log house 10 A wager (2 wds.) 39 Had been 64 Sports channel 72 Charts 11 Traveled by horse 42 Downwind 65 File 73 Request 13 The big apple 43 Put into a container 68 Prohibit 74 Put up 15 Large eastern religion 47 Possess 75 Gross national product (abbr.) 20 Attractive 49 Time manager 50 Struck 22 Ozone

25 Overcharge

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A little laugh Center of Gravity Gazette

Page 14 Page 15 New Boston Recreation Foot Care Clinic Center of Gravity Gazette

Our footcare clinic is on hold here in New Boston but you can still make an appointment in Peterborough - 9 Vose Farm Road, Suite 110 or Keene - 312 Marlboro Street. To Make An Appointment: Call Home Healthcare, Hospice & Community Services at 603-352-2253. Please note that the cost is $50 for non-residents of Peterborough and Keene. We are hoping HCS will be able to restart clinics in town at some point in the near future.

Helping Hands of New Boston A volunteer service of the New Boston Community Church Helping Hands of New Boston is a program to assist our seniors & the caretakers of loved ones in need, by offering in-home respite. Services include light housekeeping, reading, companionship. For more info Call Woody Woodland 487-3643 Www.newbostonnh.gov/recreation

PO Box 382 PRSRT STD” 5 Meetinghouse Hill Rd US POSTAGE PAID New Boston NH 03070 NEW BOSTON NH Phone: (603) 487-2880 PERMIT NO. 005

No longer want to receive the Gazette? Want to add someone to our circulation? Your Birthday missing? Please let us know! Email us or call ~ [email protected] 603-487-2880