LETTERS FROM THE ISLAND: Thoughts before the anesthesia kicks in

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January 12, 2013

LETTERS FROM THE ISLAND: Thoughts before the anesthesia kicks in

By Doug and Polly Smith Niagara Gazette The Niagara Gazette Sat Jan 12, 2013, 02:41 AM EST

Niagara Gazette — Dear Mainland Collectors — Doug had a little surgery Thursday, and here were some of his final thoughts as the anesthetic kicked in …

IS IT ONLY US? – Will the National Hockey League season have begun when he wakes up? And does anybody really, really care?

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FIRST SIGN OF SPRING – A Shaw Festival brochure in the mailbox. The theatrical treasure at Niagara on the Lake is doing not one, but two plays inspired by the Salvation Army this year, “Major Barbara” and “Guys & Dolls,” which reminds us ...

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FINAL SCORES – Salvation Army Major Celestin Nkounkou called last week to tell us that donors dropped $305.15 into our kettle the Tuesday before Christmas. That was exactly 31 cents more than the previous year, so thank you, all 250 of you. In another Christmas tally, we received 104 cards, not counting the 24-card exchange with the Covered Bridge Society. That’s down slightly from last year, a function of e-cards (we appreciate ‘em but don’t count ‘em) and the passage of time, but includes one from an old baseball buddy we believe never previously sent one in his life ...

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OUT ON A LIMB – Is there any sadder sight at this time of year than Christmas trees in the trash? We had one that’s more like a potted plant and will try to preserve it for next December. Watch this space ...

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FALSE START – As the Bills’ season ended, local police and the feds went into a chest-thumping frenzy over which had done the most to crack down on the sale of “counterfeit” hats and shirts, including some at the Outlet Mall.

What, there’s no law against a counterfeit team?

That was before the big shakeup, of course, and the new head cheese hiring the coach from his own hometown. Just sayin’ ...

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GREATEST DAY IN SPORTS – Nobody, not Alabama Coach Nick Saban, not Michael Phelps, had a better sports day in 2012 than Grand Islander Michael Zukowski, who in one 24-hour period bowled a 300 game and scored a hole-in-one. Aaaand, he doesn’t have to coach the Bills ...

•••

WEDDED BLISS – Was interested the other day to see that somebody’s running a Best Husband essay contest.

Wondering what first prize will be, the biggest flat screen in George’s inventory, or an all-expenses trip to the Canadian ballet…

Doug will settle for a ride home from the surgery center. It doesn’t get any better than that. Come visit – in a couple of weeks.

Polly and Doug

E-mail pollyndoug@hotmail.com

Polly and Doug E-mail pollyndoug@hotmail.com

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