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Crews of Forever Green landscapers were hard at work forseveral days during the first 2 weeks of November. There weredozens and dozens of new trees planted throughout Springmill.Along with the Japanese Lilacs on Windmill Lane there were

Chinese Elms, Dogwoods, Holly and other types of trees.Forever Green General Manager, Jeff Adams, oversaw theproject. Perfect fall weather helped in completing the project

in a timely fashion. When the planting along Windmill Lanewas complete, the count was 15 Japanese Lilac trees and 143Burning Bush plants.

This was phase 1 of a master plan, developed by JohnHosbach, Certified Arborist, in concert with the Tree TaskForce, BOD and the Property Committee over the past coupleof years. The plan ensures that plantings along Springmillstreets, on front lawns and in common areas will enhance thebeauty of the community on a year-round basis with a variety oftrees and shrubs designed for safety, long life and ease of care.

The project will continue in different areas of the communityover the next couple of years.

Dick Rausch

A NEWSLETTER FOR THE SPRINGMILL COMMUNITY DECEMBER 2015Volume XIII Issue 12

Fall Planting ProvidesYear Round Beauty

‘Tis the Holiday SeasonDecember - the last month of the year, but one of thebusiest with holiday shopping, family get togethers, parties,decorating the tree and house and children eager to seewhat Santa brings on Christmas Day.

With the hustle and bustle of activities and so many tochoose from, we all welcome the many events in our area.The annual Christmas in Odessa house tours now in its51st year is a wonderful event and enjoyed by folks allover along with their craft show. Let’s not forget Hanukkah(the Festival of Lights) which begins on the sixth and endson the 14th. While out and about town, we hear the BellRingers for the Salvation Army asking us to support themagain. At the Everett Theatre, the play – “Miracle on 34thStreet” will run for two weekends reminding us all that thisis the season of miracles if you believe. Later on in themonth, the annual holiday movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” willbe shown at the theatre. Bring the kids too. Wonderfulshows offered in and around the area. More to enjoy intown - decorated Lampposts everywhere and don’t forgetto vote for your favorite. With little time to spare, enjoyshopping locally.

Several new stores in town mean we can stay close tohome while shopping for gifts for family and friends. Not tobe missed is a visit to Ronny’s on Rt. 13 for a spectacularChristmas (Tis the Holiday Season Cont. on page 26)

Left: Trees waiting to be moved to their “final resting places”Right: Windmill Lane center strip completed

Left: Tree about to be placed on lawn of 577 Whispering TrailRight: New tree planted on corner lot at 519 Whispering Trail

Sentinel Index Fall Planting/Holiday Season............................................Pg. 1 Committee Reports - Property , Clubhouse....................Pg. 3

Committee Reports - Activity, MRC, CEC.......................Pg. 5Committee Reports - Communications, Charity ………..Pg. 7Notes from the BOD/BOD Motions............................…...Pg. 7Computer Tutor / Financial Considerations..………..…..Pg. 9

Travel Log - European Tapestry ..……….…………….....Pg. 11 Book Review - The Mistletoe Promise/Library Events ..Pg. 13 Volunteer Party/Travel Pictures .…………………………..Pg. 14 Thanksgiving Dinner/Quarterly Birthday/Yoga ..............Pg. 15

Game Corner - Hand and Foot Canasta ....................... Pg. 17Meet Your Neighbor - Irene and Bill Menhineck............ Pg. 19Middletown News/New Business.....................................Pg. 21Christmas in Odessa/HealthSouth Volunteers .………….Pg. 21Restaurant Review - Blue Crab Grill ……………………..Pg. 23Area Cultural Events / Pool Room Chatter………………Pg.. 25Advertiser Spotlight - Tradesman Services .................. Pg. 26Happy 50th Anniversary Gloria and Bill Nichols.…..…..Pg. 26

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Lauri Richardson

Tel (302) 379-9984Fax (302) 368-1060200 N. Dilwyn Rd.Newark, DE 19711

Laurir48@gmail.com

Residential / Office Cleaning

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Springmill Homeowners Association2 Windmilll Lane, Middletown, DE 19709

302-376•5466Board of Directors

Marc Lichtenfield - PresidentJohn Rutt - Vice President

Cal Reuss - Secretary Carl Rifino - TreasurerGary Merrick - Director

Wilma Feinberg - Board Recording SecretaryTracey Lund - Community Manager:

Tracey.Lund@mamc.com

Charity Committee: Maria CorvinoClubhouse Committee: Phyllis LichtenfieldCommunications Committee: Dick Rausch

Community Events: Beverly Strong/Peggy AndrewsFinance Committee: Kathy Kobus

Maintenance & Repair Committee: Rotates monthlyProperty Committee: Carolyn Bodden

Anyone wishing to join a Committee should contact theChairperson of that Committee.

Please note: All committee meetings and activities using theClubhouse must be coordinated with Tracey Lund.

Calendar: Tracey LundFamily Emergency Numbers: Pat Howe, JoAnn Stump

Sunshine: Mary Elizabeth Rhoads / Faith Altman

Committee and Group Reports

Clubhouse CommitteeThe Clubhouse Committee met on Thursday, November 12th.In Phyllis' absence, Joe Grippo chaired the meeting. Carl Rifinosat in as our Board liaison.

First order of business was to approve last month's minutes andthis was followed by Stan Heer giving the Treasurer's report.

We briefly discussed the cleaning of the carpet in the GreatRoom, the repair of the pool table, and the purchase andinstallation of the sound bar for the TV. The installation of thesound bar is still being refined by Stan but it is working, and thereare instructions by the TV.

Phyllis asked me to thank all who participated in preparing thepool area for the winter. A special thanks to Rich Baggs, GerryCrennan, Marc Lichtenfield and Howard Money, who are not onthe Clubhouse Committee, for taking the time to help withcleaning the patio furniture and storing it for the winter. It wasmuch appreciated!

In regard to the repairing/replacing of the grout and copingaround the pool, we are awaiting estimates. By next meetingwe should be able to make a decision and proceed.

Christmas decorating for the Clubhouse will be done onDecember 5th, the day before the CEC puts up the tree.

Carl briefly addressed the group and thanked everyone forattending the Volunteer party and helping to restore the GreatRoom after the event.

Next meeting is December 10th.

Joe Grippo for Phyllis Lichtenfield

Property CommitteeTREES: The trees are looking good in the front lawns.Hopefully they will look even better in the spring. Spring will bea critical time to start to water your tree as the roots becomeactive. Please, do not put decoration, bird feeders, etc. inthe new trees during the holidays or at any time. TheSpringmill Association will take care of fertilizing these new trees.

Windmill Center island should be lovely this spring with whiteblooms on the Japanese Lilac trees. The Burning Bushshrubs planted between the trees should develop into a blazeof red color for the 2016 fall season. Also added were threeJapanese Lilac trees to the north entrance.

Crepe Myrtles have been replaced in the clubhouseparking lot. Last winter was a harsh and deadly time formany crepe myrtle trees in Delaware. We have added andchanged some clubhouse trees and shrubs to add morewinter interest. Three Emily Blount Magnolia trees havebeen added to the clubhouse front entrance garden. Thehuge grasses were removed. More plants will be added tothis area in the future.

Last but not least, was the removal of about a dozencommon area trees with some replacements.The Arborist, John Hosbach, landscaper Jeff Adams ofForever Green, the Tree Task Force, and PropertyCommittee have done an outstanding job of tree selectionand completing the first tree planting on lawns. The TreeTask Force will be meeting again to evaluate this year andmake plans to continue the tree renovation project in theremainder of the Springmill community.

SNOW-Updates during the winter season on snow eventswill be sent out by e-mail. If you have a neighbor withoutcomputer access, feel free to give them an update as well. Itwould be appreciated.

LEAVES-The one time leaf removal will have been started orcompleted close to Dec. 1, weather permitting. Most treeshave dropped their leaves by now with a few exceptions.

YARD WASTE-The town has asked that we remind ourhomeowners to NOT put any soil or dirt attached to plantsout for pick up. Shake the dirt in garden or lawn first. Smallamounts of annual plants can be put in plastic bags anddiscarded in the Tuesday trash pick-up. Consolidate smallamounts of yard waste with a neighbor when possible. Thisfacilitates greatly the time expended by town personnelpicking up trash in all of Middletown.

PROPERTY COMMITTEE-We welcome new homeowners,Carol and Trevor Baboodal, who not only just newly movedinto our community, but have already joined the PC as newmembers. We meet every second Monday at 6:30 PM in theclubhouse. I would suggest that you might want to come toobserve a meeting as an interested guest and then decide.The only requirement .necessary is an interest inmaintaining our Springmill community beautification efforts.

Carolyn Bodden

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Community Events Committee“THANKSGIVING DINNER” We hope everyone had awonderful Thanksgiving. I know those of you who celebratedat the clubhouse not only had a delicious turkey dinner withall the trimmings and a very funny after dinner show. ThePilgrims and Indians were on hand to help enlighten us onhow they arrived at Springmill. Chief Wawa (Dick Belber),Onestone (Herman Feinberg), Red Bird (Wilma Feinberg),Yellow Bird (Charlotte Smith), Pilgrims (Jerry Ryan & AnnNewswanger) were just ridiculously funny. They were all goodsports who got into their costumes and their characters togive us a few good laughs and we appreciate all their timeand efforts. YES, BELIEVE IT OR NOT…. WE DIDREHEARSE. The cheer basket was won by Bill Uranko; the50/50 winner was Barbara Abrams.

“TOMMY ZITO” We’re sorry some of you may have beendisappointed in not being able to attend the Tommy Zitoshow. The line for sign up began forming one hour beforethe doors opened at 9:00 a.m. and seats were gone in lessthan twenty minutes! We always try and accommodate asmany residents as we can, but unfortunately we can onlyseat so many people in the Great Room and still leave roomfor the entertainer and for dancing. Thank you for yourunderstanding.

“TRIM THE TREE HOLIDAY PARTY” On Dec. 6th as a wayof saying “Thank You” for supporting our events throughoutthe year the CEC invites you to celebrate with us at ourholidays party. Enjoy eggnog and a light buffet as we put thefinishing touches on the tree. In the spirit of the holidayperhaps you could bring a dessert to share!! So that we canbe prepared, we hope you responded before the Nov.29,2015 cutoff.The Charity Committee will be collecting “TOYS FORTOTS”. Please bring an unwrapped new toy to the party.

“NEW YEARS EVE” December 31, 2015 (Hosted by theSaturday Night Dance Group) welcomes in the New Year atthe Springmill Clubhouse. BYOB & Snacks, dance to CD’s….. NO COST TO YOU!!! Flyer in Sentinel

“BINGO” January 15, 2016 Flyer in Sentinel

“POTLUCK DINNER” February 7, 2016

“MEET THE PRESIDENTS” February 17, 2016 bystoryteller & author Ed Okonowicz

“MR CHARISMA” March 12, 2016 Entertainer/Vocal Performer

The CEC welcomes our newest member, Marie Rigg.

The CEC normally meets the first Wednesday of the month.However, this month our members are having a holidaybreakfast meeting. Our next scheduled meeting will be onJanuary 6, 2016 at 9:30 am in the Clubhouse.

The CEC wishes you and everyone you love the happiest ofholidays and a very happy, healthy new year.

Peggy Andrews

Activity GroupOn October 30 we enjoyed a Birthday/Halloween Partyhonoring 18 residents. Jack Bille’ had the closest birthday, sohe had the honor of cutting the cake. It was nice to see somenew faces joining in to celebrate for the first time.

COFFEE GET TOGETHER: Normally the second and fourthSaturday of month; Bring your mug and $1.00 December 12, 10:30 - 12:30 **NOTE time change for winter December 26—NO COFFEE GET TOGETHER January 9th and 23rd 10:30 -12:30We are planning to add soup, chowder or chili in January andFebruary.

January 29 -7 PM Friday —GAME NITE in the GREAT ROOM.

Come join in for board games, Wii tennis and bowling.

The ACTIVITY GROUP's next meeting is December 1st at9:30 AM in the Craft room.

Ann Hullinger & Claudia Garrett

Maintenance and Repair CommitteeIt has been a busy fall season with the normal MRC/ARCbusiness mixed in with repairs/replacement and additions toconcrete and asphalt. A new walking trail was installedbetween Windmill Lane and the clubhouse parking lot. Thewalking trail between Windmill Lane and Patience Way wasalso replaced. In addition, repairs have been made tosections of the clubhouse parking lot and sections of thewalking trails. Concrete pavement blocks and driveway apronsthat were considered to be beyond repair were replaced. Bythe time you read this article, the last round of concreterepairs/replacements will have been completed. In addition,the Springmill entry sign will have new brighter lights.Speaking of lights you may have noticed that the lights aroundthe clubhouse have been cleaned. This was due to the effortsof a few of our committee members.

We would like to remind everyone that a request for a change tothe outside of your home has a "COMPLETION FORM" as part ofthe packet that must be filled out after the change has beencompleted and given to the management office.

A final note: If you are going to make a change to the outsideof your home, it is very important to request your changebefore any work is done and that the finished work is exactlythe same as your request. It can be very expensive to changework that has not been approved.

Our committee meets the second Thursday of the month at 7:00PM. Guests are welcome and new members are needed.

Jerry SteskalBOD Motions

Motion approved to adopt the Finance Committees 2016 Budgetdraft as submitted and modified in a previous BOD review. (5-0)Motion approved to speak with Communications Chairman aboutdeactivating the Springmill Face Book page, as it was neverapproved by the BOD. (5-0)Motion approved for the BOD to donate the left over wine bottlesto the CEC with the stipulation they cannot be used at an eventwhere there is an admission charge. The suggestion is that theybe used as door prizes. (5-0). Tracey Lund

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Notes From Your BoardIt has been a busy Fall and now we look forward to theholidays. The trees have been planted on Patience Way andWhispering trail as well as Windmill Lane. We all look forwardto these trees blooming in the spring.

The walking paths have been resurfacedand a new path added from Windmill Laneto the clubhouse parking lot. There havebeen many sections of sidewalk replacedto avoid tripping hazards. Everything is ingood shape for our walkers.

The BOD provided a thank-you party forour many volunteers. It was a pleasantafternoon at the clubhouse with goodwine, music, food, flowers and excellent company. We owe alot to our volunteers that do jobs we would otherwise have topay to have done. It is the volunteers that make it possible tokeep our HOA fees low.

The budget for next year has been passed and HOA fees fornext year will remain at $150 a month.

The BOD is looking into having a Committee Activities Fair.We would like to invite all residents to come out and talk tocommittee members so that they have a better idea of whatthe committees do for the community. We hope this wouldencourage residents to volunteer.

The BOD would also like to encourage residents to getinvolved in our many activities. We will have representativesfrom each activity available at the fair to talk to people thatmight want to get involved but have been reluctant becausethey were not sure if a certain activity was right for them. Wewill try to set this up in early 2016.

Enjoy the holidays.

Gary L. Merrick

Communications CommitteeThe Communications Committee held its monthly meeting onNovember 10th with 10 members present. Cal Reussattended as Board liaison. Wilma Feinberg attended as thenewest member. She will be a proofreader.

The minutes from the October meeting were approved.

Diane Daigle presented the treasurer’s report. Income wasbased upon renewals from 2 advertisers and 3 newadvertisers. Five advertisers renewed for the 2016 Directory.After 10 months, we are on target to meet the committee’sannual goal of contributions to the Association’s General Fund.

Julia Hambrecht gave the advertising report. There will be 46advertisers in the December Sentinel including 2 new businesscard ads. All Directory advertisers have renewed for 2016. Wewould like to have all Directory ads in place by early December.

Joan Gross provided an overview of the editorial content of theDecember Sentinel. The front page will feature a story on treeplanting and a summary of holiday events in the area. Pictorialstories on several Springmill events will be featured.

The Veteran’s Commemorative Issue is well underway. JuneStemmle is coordinating that effort with the 65 Korean and Vietnamveterans who reside in Springmill. Target date for the issue andparty celebrating the veterans is Memorial Day 2016.

The contents of the directory for 2016 are being finalized.Homes in transition will be shown in the “Directory by Address”with last known owner. New this year will be a page devoted toa comprehensive list of Springmill activities and contact names.

Tom Rigg provided an update on early planning for aSpringmill website. He will report to the board in thisendeavor. Cal Reuss mentioned that the website was a workin progress and would not be completed for several months.

The next meeting is on December 8th at 7:00 p.m. in theClubhouse Craft Room. This is a closed meeting for membersand selected guests to celebrate the holidays.

Dick Rausch

Finance CommitteeThe committee met on October 22, with 8 members present alongwith Marc Lichtenfield, BOD liaison and Carl Rifino, treasurer.

The members reviewed the Mission Statement and approvedit as written; however, there was some concern about theAuthority and Resources parts of the By-Laws. This is beingrewritten by Carolyn Fausnaugh and her sub-committee.

A new form “open items list” was presented and will be usedby the committee to track items on the agenda, assignedresponsibility, and final resolution.

A detailed discussion of the various Financial Statementsprovided by Mid-Atlantic was given to our new members. Carlalso said he would be glad to answer any questions.The accountant will present the Audit report to the BOD.Members of the FC are invited and those interested can attend.

A “list of open items” was prepared and will be up-dated atour next meeting in November.Our December meeting is on the 16th at 3:00 pm.

Kathy Kobus

Charity CommitteeNinety-one bags were collected for the Neighborhood Housein November.  Next month we will collect for the MOT SeniorCenter. By the time the Sentinel is published, our holidayfundraiser will have been completed. If you haven't given, andwish to do so, please drop your check off to Judy Graff and wewill make sure to distribute your contribution, per your request,to the organization you designate. I will break down theamounts collected in the January Sentinel .

The Charity Committee would like to wish everyone in theCommunity a Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah.  Onceagain, this year, your generosity far exceeded our expectations inhelping those less fortunate. Whether by giving monthly to ourcommunity food drive or school supplies, Stockings for Soldiers orthe Holiday Fund--I can only say “Thank You and God Bless”.

Maria Corvino

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When you are in a relationship, you never want to thinkabout life without your partner, but you should plan for thatday. Don't wait until illness or an emergency strikes beforelooking at your financial security. Having one spousemanaging the household expenses can prove disastrouswhen that spouse passes on. Both husband and wife needto be able to manage on their own when the time comes orat least be aware of critical information. The survivingspouse will need to know how the household operates, whatgets paid and when and how.

* Don't leave an uninformed spouse/partner to manageeverything. Some questions to be considered are:* Do you have a credit card in your very own name?* Do you have a checking account?* Do you know where all the money is and where it is going?* Do you have a will? A Living Trust? Power of Attorney?Safety Deposit Box?* Is there a mortgage on your home?* Are you the beneficiary of your spouse’s life insurance,retirement plan, and IRA?* Will you have health insurance if something happens toyour spouse?* Do you know what your monthly expenses are?* Do you know what your monthly income is?* Do you know how to pay the bills?* Are you able to access all your accounts via the PC (i.e.passwords, online banking and bill paying)?* Are you prepared to go back to work if necessary?

Why wait until death strikes one partner to investigate all ofthe above? Do it now while both spouses are alive and cancommunicate and plan effortlessly for life without the other.

Sonya Comstock

Easy ways to transfer photos from your Androidsmartphone or tablet.

The iPhone and iPad will be discussed in a future article.

Now that every smartphone has at least one camera built into it,we’re taking more photos than ever. The downside is that thesephotos, collectively over time, take up a lot of room. Users don’tedit or delete their photos, turning their phones into digitalgraveyards. If you want to archive your photos to use later –whether to share or edit – make it a habit to get them off yourphone. It will not only free up space, but you can store themsafely for future viewing. There are a few ways to transferphotos from your Android phone to your computer, and they’reall pretty easy, so take your pick and start shooting.

USB - One of the beautiful features of the Android operatingsystem is its mostly unfettered access to the file system. The factthat you can simply plug your phone into your computer using theincluded USB cable makes it easy to download any and allimages and drag them into any desktop app or your file systemfor safekeeping. If you’re using Windows, the USB connectionauto-prompts will present you with options for managing thedevice as soon as it’s connected. If you’re on a Mac, there are afew options, one being the Android File Transfer program.Making a point to transfer photos off a phone and to a computeris the easiest method, but it involves action on your part.

Email - It isn’t the most elegant solution, but if you only need totransfer over an image or two, and you only do it sporadically, thenyou can easily use your email. Depending on your email provider,the exact process may vary, but it’s a simple process no matterwhich app you use. Compose a new email, and enter your emailaddress as the recipient. Tap on the menu button to bring up acontext menu, and then select “Attach file” to add a picture to youremail, or if you’re in Gmail, you can capture a photo right from thatmenu. Send the email, and a few short minutes later you’ll see theemail pop up in your inbox for you to open from another phone oryour computer. Note that you are sending a large file, and someemail services have a limit on the file size you can send.

Cloud services - If backing up every photo is the goal, thereare two easy options for making it happen automatically. Thefirst option is to use Google Drive to automatically store yourphotos and videos, which is easy to do from the photos app thatcame installed on your phone. In the app, press the menubutton or icon, then open the settings menu. In this menu, youcan set the auto backup to be on or off, as well as change thesettings that correspond to it. This will automatically upload allof your photos and videos to Google Drive attached to yourGoogle account for easy access from any device or computer.

Your other option is the popular Dropbox app for Android, a freeutility that automatically syncs files and photos with the cloud-based server, so you can easily access them anywhere. Theadvantage of using Dropbox is easy pairing with your computer,allowing you to explore the files you have stored on the cloudfrom your own desktop without opening a browser, and you caneven edit and save them to the cloud as a backup in casesomething goes wrong with your phone or computer.

Once you’ve downloaded the Dropbox app, you’ll have to eitherlog in to your existing account or make a new one. Either insettings or at the top of the photos and media tab, select “Turn

on camera upload” to access the settings that govern whatphotos get backed up automatically, and whether you wantthem backed up on cellular data or only over Wi-Fi.

How many photos you can upload depends on the accountyou have. A free Dropbox account, for example, limits you to2GB (which allows for thousands of photos). Amazon Primemembers get unlimited storage with a service called AmazonPrime Photos, which works similarly to Dropbox, GoogleDrive, and other cloud-based solutions.

Photo apps - While applications like Instagram and Facebookwill allow you to publicly post the photos you take for yoursocial network, they aren’t great for backing up every shot,especially if you don’t want to share them with everybody youknow. Android applications like Flickr not only improve theshots you take with your phone by adding filters and editingtools, but also allow control over the publication of your photoswhile providing a convenient cloud-based backup.

There are numerous photo apps and services available.Some of the ones I like include ThisLife from Shutterflyand Carousel from Dropbox. I have the Walgreens’ app onmy phone and I very often send pictures directly to thenearby Walgreens store and pick up prints in an hour.

Dick Rausch

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SPRINGMILL RESIDENT SPECIALS

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We would like to tell you about our escorted tour fromAmsterdam through Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein,Switzerland, Italy, and ending in Paris, France. We are notgoing to bore you with tales of canals and museums inAmsterdam, of windmills, of beautiful mountains in Austria, ofcastles and churches everywhere, of the canals in Venice, St.Mark’s Square and a cog railroad up Mt. Pilatus. Nor will wetell you about Rome and the Vatican Museum, the SistineChapel, the Coliseum and the sites of medieval Rome. Nor doyou want to hear from us of the beauty of the Italiancountryside with castles and villages tucked into hillsides, smalltowns like Montecatini. And of course you know the Tower ofPisa still leans, so we do not need to tell you that either.

You all know of the beauty of Monaco, Monte Carlo and theFrench Riviera, so we need not share that either. In Paris, theEiffel Tower still stands, twinkling at night, and the Arch istriumphant as ever. There have been no new treaties signedat the magnificent Palace of Versailles, so there is no newsthere. Mona Lisa is still on the wall of the Louvre. The MoulinRouge is still a famous cabaret in Paris and Notre Dame isstill an historic cathedral. You know all that, so we do notneed to tell you in detail about them.

We also do not think we need to tell you we came homeexhausted after 16 days!

But did you know?In Amsterdam:* Bicycles are the primary mode of transportation and theyrule the streets. There are more bicycles in Amsterdam thanthere are people. There are even parking garages forbicycles.* In a street café, the men had an interesting toiletteexperience. Above the urinals were mirrors; whenapproached they became pictures of pretty girls pointingdown and laughing.* Front doors of houses are too narrow to allow for furnituredeliveries. Houses are built with a projection at the peakwhich serves as a mounting block for a pulley to lift furniturefrom the street and bring it in through a window.* Tilting houses are a result of the age of the homes. Theyare built alongside the canals on pilings which after hundredsof years begin to rot - hence the tilting house. In Germany:* The Rock of Lorelei sits high above the Rhine. In 1824,Heinrich Heine wrote the poem Die Lorelei. It tells the story ofa beautiful young girl who sits on the rock, combing hergolden locks. Her beauty and song distract shipmen causingthem to crash on the rocks.* Heidelberg is a quaint old town and we would have loved tospend the day going from café to café, shop to shop and onehistoric building to another.* What we will remember about Germany, Switzerland andeven Austria is the cleanliness of the area. Even empty fieldshave been tended to and are not overgrown. Homes alongthe way appeared old but well cared for with lots of flowergardens and window boxes. (Although we are not sure wewould want a barn full of cows attached to our house!!)

In Switzerland:* The average teacher’s salary is $125,000.

* In Lucerne, Switzerland we took a cog railway up the ridge ofMt. Pilatus and two gondolas down. Dairy farmers take theircattle to higher elevations for grazing during the warmermonths. Swiss cows wear cow bells so the farmers can findthem and the herds stay together because of the sound. Thefarmer actually selects a leader for the cattle and her cow bellhas a different sound so the others know to follow it. Nodummies among these cows! As we rode on the gondola, wepassed over a herd of cows with their bells making almost amusical melody.

In Austria:* Legend has it that the nursery rhyme “Ring around the Rosie”was started with the Bubonic Plague. Ring around the rosie beingthe rash and ashes, ashes, a we all fall down being death.

In Venice, Italy:* In St. Mark’s Square the Doges’ Palace is connected to theprison by the “Bridge of Sighs”. After a prisoner wassentenced in the palace court, he would cross the bridge tothe prison and sigh as he took his last look at the world.* A gondola ride complete with serenading did not disappoint us!* What did disappoint us is the litter and unkemptness inVenice. We had a difficult time finding trash cans.

In Rome:* Rome in a Day is not for the feint of heart. With a local guide,we visited all the highlights of religious, ancient and medievalRome. Ten miles of walking in less than eight hours!!* When Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel, he was not apainter, but a sculptor.* Pope Pius IV ordered the placement of fig leaves andloincloths on Michelangelo’s nudes during the 1560s. Between1980 and 1999, experts restored selected artwork in theSistine Chapel and undid the work of Pope Pius IV.* What is different about the ATM machines in Vatican City?Answer – They ask if you would like to continue in Latin.* The Coliseum could hold 50,000 to 80,000 spectators.

On The French Riviera:* St. Paul de Vence is an art community near Nice, France. Itwas a lovely place to see and worth a visit.* The beaches on the French Riviera around Nice andMonaco are made of flat, smooth stones approximately 5inches round and not sand. Farther north on the Riviera(meaning rocky seashore) the beaches become sandy.* At the Monte Carlo Casino, as in Vegas or Atlantic City, youcan lose your money but you have to pay admission to do so.

In Paris:* The TGV high speed train can reach up to 359 MPH – wetraveled at 155 mph. Here, and in other parts of France (manyrestaurants and stores included) dogs are welcome.* Both the Bateaux Mouches (an evening cruise on the Seine)and The Moulin Rouge, although tourist traps, did offer a goodshow, a pleasant evening and surprisingly good food.* The Eiffel Tower was erected in 1889 for the World’s Fair(remember those?) and was intended to be temporary.* Montmartre, a hill in the north of Paris, is known for theBasilica of Sacre Coeur and many artists including Monet, VanGogh, and Picasso had studios there. (Continued on page 14)

Travel LOG - European Tapestry

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The Mistletoe PromiseRichard Paul Evans

Elise Dutton dreads the upcoming holidays knowing she will bealone and miserable. Working in a largebuilding in Salt Lake City with many differentbusinesses sharing space and the mall foodcourt, she meets Nick, a man she has seenoften but never shared a conversation. Heapproaches her, and they share a lunchtable. A few lunches later, he offers her aproposition. Since both have no one toshare the holidays with, his suggestion is tospend them together as a couple untilChristmas Eve. He draws up a contract withfour rules – one of them being no one is toknow about this. It is to be a strictly platonic relationship, and allexpenses would be paid.

With little hesitation, Elise says yes to the idea, and life spinsalmost out of control with the daily arrival of flowers, gifts andnow the envy of the other single ladies in her company. Heronce lonely life has been transformed into happiness andanticipation of each new day. Nick Derr is a partner in theprestigious law firm on the top floor of the building. Time passesquickly and as Christmas comes closer, Elise knows it meansthe end of this fantasy. Nick has become more than just a two-month partner, but as someone she would be happy to have inher life permanently.

When Nick suggests a few days in New York, Elise is treated toa new life experience – first class hotel, shopping on FifthAvenue, theater and more. Feeling happy again after a bitterdivorce and a tragedy that was of her own making, she keepsthis secret to herself knowing it would end any thought of apermanent relationship with Nick. When he expresses hisfeelings to Elise, she hesitates, but Nick makes it known he hasalways known her secret and then he tells her something abouta secret in his past.

Sonya Comstock

December 2015Listed below are the on-goingprograms at NCC Southern Library.Phone number for information orregistration is (302) 378-5588.The hours at the library are:Monday 10-8, Tuesday/Wednesday1-8, Thursday- Saturday 10-5, andclosed on Sunday. .NOTE: The library will have twoclosures this month; December 24& 25 for Christmas.

ON-GOING PROGRAMSAdult Book Discussion: The group will meet onWednesday, Dec.16 at 7 pm. Call the library for thecurrent title.E-book and E-Audio book tutoring: By appointmentduring library hours. Call 378-5588.Spin-a-Yarn Group: Chat as you knit or crochet.Meets every Tuesday at 7:00 pm, for all levels ofexperience and all ages.Sew Bee It Quilters: Meet the 2nd Saturday at 10:00am, for novice & experienced quilters.Delaware Money School: Call 1-800-267-5002 formonthly topics and to register.Inspiration Space: Tuesday from 2:00-5:00 pm onDec. 1. Get FREE one-on-one help with job hunting,resumes, interviewing skills, etc.New Castle County Register of Wills: Tuesday, Dec.1, from 5 -7:45 pm.New Castle County Office of Property Assessment: Ifyou are 65+, you may be eligible for a County and schooltax discount. A representative will be available everyFriday, 2-4 pm to answer questions or help you fill out anapplication.

ADULT PROGRAMS…registration requiredHoliday Paper Crafts: Monday, Dec. 7 & 14. 5:30-7:30 pm.Create holiday stars, Santas, trees, and snowmen for festivecards, tables, gifts, or trees. All materials are supplied.Holiday Scavenger Hunt: Saturday, Dec. 5, 11 am to3 pm. All ages/families. Must register prior to Dec. 5.A smart phone is necessary to answer some clues.Those who complete the hunt will be entered into aprize drawing.First State Bell Ringers: Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 7 pm.All ages. Refreshments will be served.CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS…registration requested

Exploring Station: Experience hands-on math andscience activities displayed in the Children’s Room eachweek. For ages 3+ during regular library hours.Lego Club Tuesday, Dec, 8, at 6:30, ages 5-11,registration required.Minecraft Open Play Club Drop in the 1st & 3rdWednesday of the month to create and explore;combines technology, gaming and LEGO. RegistrationRequired! Dec. 2 & 16, Ages 8+.

June Stemmle

June Stemmle

Book Club ChoicesDecember 2015

Book Club 1 (Deb Kupper/1st Wed.) Our group will bediscussing A Man Called Ove by Frederick Backman.

Book Club 2 (Mary-Elizabeth Rhoads/4th Tues.) Our groupwill be enjoying the season. Wishing you all a Happy Holiday!

Book Club 3 (Lydia Olson/3rd Mon.) Our book club will notbe meeting this month.

Book Club 4 (Mary Jo Starrett/1st Wed.) We will be sharingWe are Called to Rise by Laura McBride.

Book Club 5 (Joan Gross/3rd Tues.) When we meet, wewill be celebrating the holidays with a lunch at the LemonLeaf Cafe…no reading required.

June Stemmle

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The Board of Directors honored all Springmill volunteers with acatered affair by 301 Plaza at the Clubhouse. A wonderful andtasty variety of cuisine was offered to all attendees, and guestshad time to chat with each other about their particularinterests. While trays of food were being passed around, a DJplayed pleasant music in the background. The TV displayedphotos of the previous night’s Thanksgiving dinner event aswell as the humorous skit performed. Everyone enjoyed thisspecial occasion and time to relax before getting into the busy

holiday season. Carolyn Rifino provided a Giving Dolls in araffle, and the winner was Barbara Abrams who had a choiceof three dolls. Barbara also won two of the six floralarrangements offered by the Board. Several other residentswon floral arrangements. Everyone agreed that this annualparty is a wonderful way to recognize those residents who giveup their personal time to make Springmill a great place to live.The Board was thanked for paying tribute to all volunteers.Sonya Comstock

Joe Grippo, BobHambrecht

Barbara Abrams WinsDoll Raffle

Carolyn, Pat Starrett,Eileen Bengermino

Art and Roe Lamb,Marie Rigg

Gary Merrick, John Rutt,Cal Reuss

Carol Geiger, Wilma andHerman, Mary Elizabeth Rhoads

Carolyn Rifino, Rita Ryor Carolyn Fausnaugh,Marc Lichtenfield

Claudia Garrett, AnnNewswaner, Mary Sapp

Sheila Rausch, GailRouiller

* The bridge railingson many bridges over the Seine are filled with padlocks.Lovers engrave their names on them and attach them to thebridge and throw the key into the Seine. If you are not sureyou want to make a commitment, you should use acombination lock!* The upper level of the Chapel of Sainte Chapelle (beguncirca 1200’s) has some of the most beautiful stained glass

(TravelLog - Continued from page 11) windows in the world. The nobility worshipped here while thecommoners worshiped on the lower level.* Throughout Europe, we watched our money go down thedrain as we paid .5 to .75 Euros to use the toilette.* Tom was pickpocketed on the Metro; saved by someParisians who roughly caught the voleur and retrieved hiswallet. Merci Parisians!Marie, Tom and Keith Rigg

Keith and Marie on a Gondolain Venice

Marie peeking out of therocks at Mt. Pilatus

A Clockmaker’s shopin Germany

Notre Dame Cathedralin Paris

Jo Verni, AnnRaymond

Barb Alt, Marge Flynn, Peg,Chuck Ruh,, Jane Kimmins

Chris Chappelle, JulieHambrecht, Dick Rausch

Sheila Rausch, Rita Ryor,Ginny Grippo

Joe Grippo, June Stemmle Anita and Ron Tucker

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- Start by standing tall with both feettogether. Keeping the right foot on theground, place the sole of the left foot atyour ankle (beginners), knee or innerthigh. (Hold onto a chair, if you feelinsecure.)- You will need to grip the floor withyour toes to prevent from wobbling.- When you are balanced and still (helps to focus on

something on the floor or in the distance), breathe in and thenplace your hands in the prayer position. Keep holding andbreathing normally.- The optimum pose is to bring your hands above your head, sothey look like the branches of a tree. Whether a beginner or anexpert, try and hold the position for 30 to 60 seconds. As you mightnotice in the picture most of our group is in beginner orintermediate poses. One comment was that ours looked “morelike Charlie Brown Christmas trees.” But we also look like we’rehaving fun, and that’s the most important part of our yoga class.As I said, this was one for the holiday season; we’ll get back to theeasier positions next month.June Stemmle

Our quarterly Halloween/Birthday party was held on Friday,October 30th, and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Onlya few residents wore a costume but that did not dampen thespirit of the evening. Kathy Saienni won a jar of candy corn by

guessing the number of pieces in the jar. Cake and icecream were served as well as mimosas, punch, and coffee.Watch for the date of our next celebration, and don't missour morning "Coffee Hours" at 10:30 AM on the second andfourth Saturdays of the month.Chris Chappelle

Jack Bille’sbirthday was close

Quarterly Birthday Celebrants Dennis HandClowning Around

Chris Chappelle inher Dr. Denton’s

Eileen Bengermino, AnnHollinger, Claudia Garrett

Annual Thanksgiving Dinner - Nov. 7The CEC deserves a round of applause for a beautifullydecorated great room for the annual Thanksgiving dinner.The Farmer’s Market catered the affair. Each resident wasgiven a ticket to win the door prize which was a basket ofgoodies won by Bill Uranko. A 50/50 raffle took place, andthe winner was Barbara Abrams. Peggy Andrewsannounced that a short holiday skit was about to take place.

We all welcomed Dick Belber as the Indian Chief completein full attire along with a cast consisting of Jerry Ryan,Charlotte Smith, Wilma and Herman Feinberg and AnnNewswanger. A very entertaining and funny skit wasenjoyed by all who were there thanks to the creativewriting of Peggy Andrews.

Sonya Comstock

Sharon Merrick, CathyUranko, Gary Merrick

Pearl and Fred KastliMarc and Phyllis Lichtenfield Sonya Constock, MaureenMaxwell, Chris Chappelle

Ruth and Rob Bishop

Suzanne Bilinski, Joe Walsh,Jane Kimmins

Ann Raymond, BettyFreeman

Carolyn and Fred Bodden “Chief Wawa” Dick Belber

Herb and Barbara Abramswith 50/50 Winnings

Kathy Saienniwon Candy Corn

Eileen Bogel, Linda Pokorny,Aggie Murray, Pat Kolbay

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Hand and Foot (HF) / Hand, Knee andFoot (HKF) Comparison

Hand and Foot (HF) and Hand/Knee and Foot (HKF) areforms of Canasta and Canasta is a variant of Rummy.Both "HF" and "HKF" are popular at the SpringmillClubhouse. They are very similar so I've combined them intoone article. Within our community there are probablybetween 70 and 100 people who play one or both of thesetwo games - maybe more. Come join in. All players arewelcome. New folks have no worries - all of us were new atone time! We are willing teachers.

HF is played on Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. in the craft room.Contact is Jo Verni.

HKF is played three times a week:Monday at 1:00 p.m. - Contact is Carol Wagner;Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. - Contact is Irene Menhinick;Thursday at 6:30 p.m. - Contact is Carolyn Fausnaugh.

When an even number of players show up, everyone playsevery hand. When an uneven number of players show up, thereis a rotating position which is too complex to write about andmay work differently on different nights - but it always works andadapts to the situation! New players are always welcome.

Both games are played with multiple standard card deckswith jokers included - making 54 cards per deck. HF uses onemore deck than the number of players at a table. In HKF fourplayers use either five or six decks - players choice. Sixplayers use seven decks.

In both games card point values are used to calculate theability to "meld" or open play. At the end of the game, cardpoint values are added to the completed canastas score forpurposes of determining the winning team. Card pointvalues for both games are as follows: Jokers = 50 points;Aces and Deuces (Two's) = 20 points; K,Q,J,10,9,8 = 10points; 7,6,5,4 = 5 points; threes receive special treatmentthat varies between the two games.

Black Threes - HF: Used for a discard. Cannot be used topick up the pile. No count point value.Black Threes - HKF: Used for a discard. Cannot be used topick up the pile. Negative 100 points if caught in a player'sunplayed cards at the end of the game.Red Threes - HF: Red 3’s are not good cards. You do notwant to keep them in your hand or foot. If caught with themat the end of the hand they are worth 500 points and will bededucted from your score.Red Threes - HKF: Red 3's are melded individually and areworth 100 points each in scoring. A canasta can be madewith 7 red 3's. It is worth 1,000 points. However, red 3’s areworth nothing for meeting meld point requirements. Any redthrees played from the hand are replaced with cards from thestack. When a red three is drawn from the stack and played,it is replaced. Red 3's dealt in the knee or foot are notreplaced. When caught at the end of a round, red 3's arenegative 500 points.

Game CornerDealing the Cards: Dealing and scoring and treatment of 3'sare where the two games vary most.Dealing HF: Each player deals themselves two stacks ofcards. Both hands consist of 11 cards. The player keeps thehand (stack of 11) and passes the foot (stack of 11 cards) tothe player on their left.Dealing HKF: Each player deals themselves three stacks ofcards. The first stack (hand) is 15 cards. The second stack(knee) is 13 cards. The third stack (foot) is 11 cards. Theplaying cards are placed in cardboard holders. The entireholder is passed to the player on the dealer’s left.Excess Cards - both games: Excess cards remain in two equalpiles - the stock pile or stack. Once the deal is complete, a cardis turned over between the two piles. A three-section cardholder is helpful and is used at our clubhouse.

Meld is the same for both games: The minimum number of pointsto meld (open the game) is Round 1 = 50 points;Round 2 = 90 points; Round 3 =120 points; Round 4 = 150 points.A meld consists of at least two natural cards, and can never havemore wild cards than natural cards.

Canastas are the same for both games: A canasta is a set ofseven cards. It may be all natural (red canasta) or contain upto three wild cards (black canasta).

Beginning Play HF: The players decide who starts the game.Play will then continue clockwise. Scorekeeper is usuallyanyone at the table who wishes to do so.Beginning Play HKF: The person designated as scorekeeperbegins the game by either opening or passing. Play passesclockwise (to the left) until a player can meld.

Play is similar for both HF and HKF: In HF one card is turnedover from the stack and placed in the discard pile. The 1stplayer may pick that card if they wish but it cannot be used forthe meld. The other choice is to pick 2 cards from the stack. Ifthe player can meld at that time they may do so. They can alsolay down any other cards they have that are a set of 3 or more.They must then discard 1 card. Each player picks 2 cards fromthe stack. Their partner(s) can add to the board. One partnerkeeps the cards. If a player wishes to pick up the discardedcard, they must have 2 natural cards in their hand and onlytake the top 7 cards.In HKF it is important to play in a pattern. First, play any red 3's.In the hand round replacement cards are taken from the stack forany red 3's dealt. Play is the same as Hand and Foot. However,if a player wishes to pick up the discarded card, they must have 2natural cards in their hand and take the whole stack.

Progression to Knee HKF: As soon as any member of a teammakes first canasta, all members of that team may pick up theirknee and add it to their playing hand.Progression to Foot HF and HKF: Once all cards in a hand areplayed, the player may pick up their foot.

Going Out HF and HKF: Playing all your cards allows you to goout and end the round. A player needs approval of his partner(s)to go out. Going Out is not the objective of the game. Ending thegame can be used strategically to minimize the points of youropponents. It's the comparison of points earned that matters.

Going Out Requirements HF: A team may not go out until theyhave achieved the following: 3 Red Canastas and 3 BlackCanastas. Optional is a wild card canasta (an incomplete wildcard canasta reduces (Game Corner Continued on page 26)

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Irene and Bill Menhinick, of 334 Daylilly Way, have had 63years together, raised three children, six grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and two Bichon/Yorkie dogs named Yoshi and RJ.Now you know in all those years, and with all that family, there is ahistory and a story to be shared. We are only too happy to shareit with you this month.

Irene was born “a long time ago” in New Jersey and lived inthat state until she married, withthe exception of her college yearsin Rhode Island. Bill was born inBrooklyn, NY. The family movedto New Jersey when he was 15.The couple actually met inDumont High School, but wenttheir separate ways aftergraduation; she to college and heinto the U.S. Navy, in the NavyAviation Corps. Bill wasstationed in Hawaii, Alaska, and various Asian countriesthrough the Korean War years. During that time, Irene wrotehim for a while, but they didn’t reconnect until he had fulfilledhis duty and came back home in 1952.

As Bill tells it, “One day, on purpose, they just happened tomeet in the park. He was playing ball with a friend and shewalked by.” Irene hesitantly admits to the “on purpose” part ofthe story. There must have been a mutual attraction, becausethey started dating and were married in 1953. They celebrate63 years together next month…January. Irene revealed,“The choice of date makes for a good story, because no onedeliberately chooses a wedding date in January.” It becamethe date of choice when, blindfolded, she pointed to that monthon the calendar. As expected, the weather was awful. Thetwosome had the wedding and reception anyway…sloshingthrough snow at both venues, and then left on theirhoneymoon, leaving her parents to figure out how to houseand feed a houseful of relatives who couldn’t make it home andso stayed overnight.

The newlyweds returned and settled into an apartment inDumont, NJ for the next two years. When their first child,Debra was born, they decided to purchase their first house,moving to Old Tappan, NJ, where they added two morechildren to the family and then “called it quits.” During thistime, Bill had gone to Teterboro School of Aeronautics, whileworking at Bendix Aviation Corporation. He was employed bythem for 20 years. Irene and Bill began to move around whenBill took a job with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration).The family moved about seven times. The last move for thecouple was to Springmill…13 years after Bill retired.

They found Springmill while visiting family in Pennsylvania. Itwas during a family ride that they noticed Springmill anddecided to buy…Joann Stump showed them around andCarol Shaffer sold them their house in 2005.

The features that attracted them were that it was close to theyoungest members of the family, the houses were free-standing, and there was tax-free shopping in DE. The thingsthat they still find as positive reasons to be a resident are thefreedom from doing outside maintenance, activities to enjoyand enjoyable company, and most of all their neighbors who

Meet Your Neighbor - Irene and Bill Menhinickare just lovely. “We are blessed to have Jane Kimmins andSuzanne Bilinski as our backdoor neighbors. They are justlike extended family. But the whole group, up and down ourcul-de-sac, is wonderful.

Both have been retired for a while. Irene was a full-timehousewife as the children were growing up, and then avolunteer in a special needs school and eventually working for7 years, in three states (PA, DE, GA), in similar classes, untilthe 1990s. Bill worked with the FAA for twenty years as theSouthern Regional Airworthiness Branch Manager in Atlantabefore retiring in 1992.

Over the years the Menhinick’s have traveled to over 33countries and 40 states. The one trip that really stands out wastheir 2005 four-week adventure in Australia and New Zealand.Now they are content to stay closer to home. Bill enjoys golf,horse shoes and pickle ball, while Irene spends her time playingcards, Rummikub, and shopping. Bill added that walking theirtwo dogs, four times a day, takes up a good deal of time, whileproviding exercise.

Family is big literally, and figuratively, for the Menhinicks. Theirthree children Debra (VA), Bill (TN), and Nancy (PA) addedgrandchildren to the family; Bill’s three (Katelyn, Adam andRachel) all live in Tennessee, while Nancy’s three (Emily, Erica,and Devon) live in Pennsylvania. The great-grandchildreninclude Avery (5) and Owen (3) (Katelyn’s children) andJulianna (4) and Marceline (2) (Adam’s children). That’s a lotof family to keep straight and keep up with!

As for final thoughts, Irene and Bill want you toremember that no matter where they’ve been, it’s always goodto come home to Springmill. We’re sure their friends andneighbors are always happy to have them return.June Stemmle

About YogaA.D. 400 This month for Mark’s historical fact, we are movingforward in time. There are six popular varieties of yoga forms.We use a variety of forms in our Clubhouse class. “In the year400, the yoga sutras of Pantanjali were created providing thefoundation for Ashtanga yoga, which translates to eight limbs.The scripture offers eight paths to enlightenment, includingself-control, concentration and ansanas…postures allowingone to sit for an extended period of time while meditating.”

Ashtanga is one of the most athletic types of yoga involving a fixedseries of poses. It builds strength, stamina and flexibility. It is bestfor those who want a high energy workout combined withpredictability and order. An example of Ashtanga we do would beour Sun Salutation which combines different poses flowing together.

But more on that one when you’re more experienced. Ourclass thought you might want a pose more befitting the season,so your pose for this month is Tree (There is nothing evenclose to a menorah pose.) Tree is a standing pose thatrequires balance and concentration, though we have levels ofthis pose, and you may hold onto a chair until you feel morecomfortable. It strengthens the ankles, and tones the legmuscles. See page 15 for the pose.June Stemmle

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All types of Glass & Screens - Sales & Repairs

Springmill Discount: $2.75 off every car wash!

222 Carter Dr., Suite 104

HoursTue- Fri- 9am-6pm

Sat 9am-2pm

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Town MeetingThe Mayor and Town Council gave approvalfor the construction of a 5,371 sq. ft. RoyalFarms convenience store on Rt. 301 andLevels Road along with gas and dieselpumps. A vacant house situated on theproperty will be demolished for this project.

Jim Young, Chairman of Salvation ArmyKettle Drive for Middletown, announced theringing of the bells will start on November 20 and run throughDecember 24 in ten locations adding the Westown movietheater as an additional location. For those who would like tovolunteer, contact Jim at 378-5059. For those who can onlygive a short time schedule to this event, Jim will appreciatethe time. This organization donates 95% of its collection tohelping folks in need.

Tracy Skrobot, Executive Director of Middletown Main Street,announced her resignation from this position effective as of December31. She will be relocating to North Carolina in the new year.

Sonya Comstock

Christmas in OdessaSaturday December 5, 2015

Celebrating its 51st year of tradition, this annual fundraiser for theWomen’s Club of Odessa welcomes newcomers and those whoreturn every year to enjoy the beautifully decorated homes andpublic buildings of the 18th and 19th century periods. The self-guided tour offers visitors an opportunity to see these old homesand public buildings fully decorated for the season. SeveralSpringmill residents are involved in this event.

The Christmas Shop will be open all day at the AppoquiniminkTraining Center, 118 South 6th St., Odessa, from 9:30 – 5 p.m.Parking is available via Rt. 13 South. Enjoy beautiful craftsfeatured throughout. Fresh greens can be purchased at the OldWilson Barn at 202 Main St., and a demonstration of ColonialHoliday Greens will be held there from 11-12 Noon and againfrom 2-3 p.m. The Antique Show and Sale will be held at theOdessa Fire Hall until 5 p.m.

Not to be missed is a visit to Old St. Paul’s Church located at 506High St. to hear Christmas music played on the historic TrackerOrgan by Jeanne Hatton at 1 p.m. Christmas carols will be sung bySt. Paul’s United Methodist Church choir. At 1 and 2 p.m., the FirstState Bell ringers will also perform at the church. Tea andrefreshments will be served there from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Stop by Corbit-Calloway Library on High Street that wasestablished as Delaware’s first free public library. During thetour, the library will hold its traditional “Old Books Sale” for $5.00per bag.

The Newark Fife and Drum Corp. will perform throughout thetown until 4 p.m. Carolers will be singing in homes and publicbuildings from 3 to 5:30 p.m.

This year refreshments will be served at the WiLDWiCH foodtruck located in front of St. Paul’s Church, Main Street. Theywill also be served at the Cantwell’s Tavern’s food truck on 2ndand Main Street.

Tickets can be purchased in advance for $15 pp at the HistoricOdessa Foundation Visitors Center (the Bank) in Odessa fromNov.1--December 4. Also, Hatton’s Watch and Repair Center inMiddletown will sell advance tickets beginning November 10through December 4. Tickets will be sold the day of the eventfor $20 and $5 for children beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the OldAcademy on the corner of 4th and Main Street.

The holiday season will continue in Odessa with tours at theHistoric Houses of the HOF through December 31, 2015,excluding Christmas Eve and Day. Tours are Tuesday throughSaturday from 10-4:30 and from 1-4:30 on Sunday. Prices forthe holiday tours are $10 – adults, $ 8 – seniors and children,under age six, are free. A special exhibit, “Alice inWonderland” will continue display in the Wilson-Warner House.The Corbit-Sharp House will be adorned with Story Book Treesdecorated by local school groups with a theme from a children’sliterature book.

For reservations and further information about these and otherholiday events, visit the HOF website: www.historicodessa.org.

Come and enjoy the delightful events we have for you and yourfamily and friends to enjoy this holiday season.Sonya Comstock, Rita Ryor

New BusinessesMarshall’s opened on November 12 on Rt. 301 next to Kohl’s.Small Home Goods section in rear. Hours of Operation - 9:30a.m.-9:30 p.m. Mon-Sat & 11-8 p.m. Sunday.Valvoline opened for business on Rt. 301 in front of Walmart.Auto Maintenance Shop - Hours of Operation – 7:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Mon-Fri, 7:30-6 p.m. Sat. & 9-5 p.m. Sun. Sr.Discount on service – 302-220-3609 – Daniel Komisarek,Area Manager

Sonya Comstock

HealthSouth: Calling All VolunteersBarely a year old, HealthSouth has emerged as one of theleading rehab centers in Middletown. Several of our residentshave already been transferred there and within a short timewere given a certificate of good health again and are now backhome. A full staff has been added to this facility, but what isnow needed are volunteers who can assist the therapists withsuch tasks as teaching patients how to live againindependently. Volunteers are needed to work with patients oncooking skills and crafts along with music and chair yoga. Alsoneeded are volunteers who can read the newspaper topatients and work in the garden too.

For the time being, volunteers can help during the week from 7a.m. – 5 p.m. scheduling a time that fits their schedule. Intime, there might be a need to have someone on a weeknightwhich might include a game of BINGO or a movie. The staff atHealthSouth would like all volunteers to have a pleasant andrewarding experience knowing the importance of many handshelping patients get back on their feet and back home again.

Should you be interested in learning more about this volunteerprogram, please contact Mallory Litman, Volunteer Chairman, at302-464-3436, for more information. HealthSouth thanks all inadvance who would like to volunteer their time to help others.

Sonya Comstock

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The Blue Crab Seafood Restaurant & Grill322 Suburban Drive, Newark, DE 19711

(302) 737-1100www.bluecrabgrill.com

This unassuming seafood restaurant is located in theSuburban Plaza Shopping Center. When I visit it, which Idid recently for lunch and dinner, I know I can always expectfresh food, perfectly seasonedseafood, personal service,reasonable prices, and yummydesserts, some of which are madeon premises. (Some desserts arestandard menu items and otherschange daily.)

The Blue Crab has a number of appetizers on its menu, manyof which are generous enough to share, with prices rangingfrom $7 to $14. A daily list of specials is available as well.

For those interested in lighter fare ($9 to $12), you canchoose from the list of homemade soups and eight differentsalads. A nice list of sandwiches range from a jumbo lumpcrab, that is ALL crab, and a Baltimore Po’ boy to a grilledsirloin burger or corned beef and pastrami club. Thesandwiches are generous and come with a side. You couldactually make a meal of sides like baked potato or mac andcheese.If you are really hungry, you may opt for one of their platters,listed under “not sandwiches,” or one of the pastadishes…most served with seafood, but there is a chicken anda vegetarian choice, ranging in price from $9 to $20.

Should you be famished, you can go all out and choose anentree…in the $20 – $30 range. Here you get about twelvechoices: seafood, strip steak, a seafood boulle’ served in a breadbowl (Jessie Crisfield tells me it is fabulous!), oysters, snow crabor flank steak. All are platter size and served with sides.

The Blue Crab has a bar on the premises. The bathrooms areclean, but “one-seaters”, so don’t wait to go as there may be a line.

If you enjoy brunch, you may want to make a reservation forsome Sunday…you get food and entertainment as well.You can go on-line to see which weeks have entertainment,and who it will be, before making a reservation.

They are open Sunday through Thursday from 11:00 to 9:00pm, Friday from 11:00 to 10 pm, and Saturday from 12:00 to 10pm. The Blue Crab also offers free Wi-Fi, in case you are oneof those people who have their phone or iPad with them 24-7.

The Blue Crab will also come to you. They offer catering andprivate chef services…information to tuck away, if you havea special event or holiday party coming up this month.

Well, now you know all that you need to dine in or dine out.Whichever you choose, you will be satisfied with the BlueCrab Seafood Restaurant & Grill.

June Stemmle

As frequent travelers, we have learned some tips that mayhelp others navigate the world more easily.

Global Online Enrollment System (GOES): This is aprogram run by the US Customs and Border Patrol. Itprovides expedited exit and entry at airports and terminals.There is an extensive application available online atGOES.com. A $100.00 fee per person gives you preferredtraveler status for five years. A simple interview at an airportwith a Preferred Traveler office is also required. At this timeyou are photographed and fingerprinted. After a few days,you will receive your GOES card. It is not necessary to carryit as the GOES number is encrypted into your passport. Thisis a great way to avoid the long lines at passport control atthe airports. On our last trip, we also avoided the long linesat security and did not have to remove our shoes for thescreening. It is a very worthwhile investment if you travel outof the country, including Mexico and Canada. The Preferredprogram was also honored for entry into and exit fromAustralia. Check if the country you want to visit will honor theprogram.

Frequent Flyer Awards Programs: We are members ofthe American Airlines awards program. We use the AA/Citicard for most purchases to accumulate points toward futureflights. On this last trip to Australia, we only paid taxes andfees for the flights. The only drawback is that the airlinesmay limit the number of award seats on a flight, or blackoutcertain dates for flying. We wanted to go in October, and theonly date available was October 13. As it turned out, thatworked for us, so we were able to take advantage of usingour mileage points. The trip to Australia was 75,000 pointsround trip each. Needless to say, we have been saving uppoints for many years! We actually had enough points to flybusiness class, however, there were no award seatsavailable either going over or coming back so we had tosettle for coach.

Air BnB: For this trip to Australia, we rented an apartmentthrough Air BnB. This is an online service where you put inthe location you want to stay, the parameters of theaccommodation you would like, and then can choose from avariety of rooms, apartments or homes in your price range.You have an opportunity to see photos of the places andread reviews from previous renters. We were lucky to find aone bedroom/one bath apartment, with a living/dining room,a washer in the unit and an elevator in the building. It was afifteen to twenty minute walk to my son’s apartment. Theview of the Sydney Harbour Bridge was right out of the frontdoor, and several lovely cafes were nearby as well. Wespoke to several of my son’s friends who have used thisservice in different parts of the world. They said it workswell, especially with children or for families who want to avoidthe high rates at hotels. Plus, getting living space and ausable kitchen, as well as a place to sleep, is a real bonus.

If you have any questions about any of these programs,please contact me. I’d be happy to provide whateverassistance I can.

Ilene Lipstein

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“Diner” – the story of five young men coming into adulthood in1959 Baltimore. Tickets - $35-$55The Playhouse at Rodney Square, 1007 N. Market St., 302-656-4401Matinee & Evening Performances Dec. 1-6“Annie” – Tickets - $20-$90Grand Opera House, 818 North Market Street, 302-652-5577Tues. Dec. 1 – 8 p.m. – “Itzhak Perlman, Evgeny Kissin, MischaMaisky – Piano trios from Schubert and Tchaikovsky featured inrare concert headed to Carnegie Hall – Ticket5s - $35-$75Wed. Dec. 2 – 8 p.m. – “Straight No Chaser” – Dynamic male acappella group back with The New Old Fashioned Tour – Tickets- $44.50-$64.50

Wed. Dec. 9 – 8 p.m. (Baby Grand) – “Whitehorse featuringSpecial Guest Aaron Lee Tasjan” – Husband and wife solomusicians created new band built around exceptional guitarplaying. Tickets - $18Thurs. Dec. 10 – 9:30 a.m. – “Frosty” - A young orphandiscovers magic in a stolen hat that comes to life when placed ona snowman’s head. Tickets - $7 – (recommended for GradesK-5)Fri. Dec. 11 – 8 p.m. – “Punch Brothers” – Progressivebluegrass band blends traditional tunes with classical form –Tickets - $36-$43Sat. Dec. 12 – 7 p.m. – (Baby Grand) - “Charlie BrownChristmas” – Eric Mintel Quartet performs popular jazz melodiesfrom holiday TV classic – Tickets - $26 – adult - $21 – childSat. Dec. 12 – 8 p.m. – “Festival of Lights: Intimate Evening withMatisyahu” – Reggae rock artist celebrates 10th anniversary ofhis breakthrough album – Tickets - $32-$38Wed. Dec. 16 – 8 p.m. – “Cherish the Ladies: Celtic Christmas”– All female super group celebrating 30 years of making music ina Celtic Christmas show – Tickets - $27-$33Sat. Dec. 20 – 2 p.m. – “The Nutcracker” – with the DelawareSymphony Orchestra and Wilmington Children’s Chorus – Tickets –Adults $28-$48 – students 18 and under 50% of adult prices.Seniors - $5 discount. Tickets not available Online. Call Box Office

NewarkUD Roselle Center for the ArtsThompson Theater, 110 Orchard Rd.,302-831-2204Matinee & Evening Performances Nov. 11-Dec. 6“Heartbreak House” - On the eve of WWI, an eccentric Captain’scountry manor is the gathering place for an unforgettable group ofcolorful personalities. Tickets - $23-$27Chapel Street Players, 27 N. Chapel St., 302-368-2248Matinee & Evening Performances Dec. 4-12 – “Scrooge’sChristmas” - story of second chances and of reconciliation – onChristmas Eve three spirits of Christmas guide Scrooge and helphim open his heart to others. Tickets - $10

Sonya Comstock

December 2015Holiday HappeningsSpringmillSun. Dec. 6 - 3 p.m. – “Trim the Tree Holiday Party” – light buffetand eggnog will be served. Please bring cookies to share. Bringa new, unwrapped toy for donation.Wed. December 31 – 8:30 p.m. - “New Year’s Eve Party” –Music on CDs, BYOB/snacks, hats & balloons provided.

MiddletownFri. Nov. 20-Dec. 24 – “Kettle Drive - Salvation Army – In its 8th

year of ringing bells at local venues – Volunteers needed –contact Jim Young at 378-5059 to volunteer at one of the sixlocations in town.Sat. Nov 21-Dec. 22 – “Lamppost Contest” – vote for yourfavorite one at any one of the local businesses.Everett TheatreFri/Sat/Sun Dec. 4-5-6 & 11-12-13 – 7:30 p.m. & 2 p.m. Sun. –“Miracle on 34th Street” – live theater - based on the movie of aSanta Claus working at Macy’s claiming to be the real SantaClaus. Tickets - $18 – Children - $10Fri/Sat – Dec. 18 & 19 – 7:30 p.m. – movie - “It’s a WonderfulLife” – Tickets - $5Gibby CenterThurs. Fri. Sat. - Nov. 13-Jan 1 – “Annual Holiday Gift Shoppe”-Small Works, Perfect Gifts – Find the perfect gift – handmadeitems by local artisans.

OdessaSat, Dec.5 – “Christmas in Odessa” (51st year) – Self-guidedhouse & building tours – Craft Show – Concerts at Old St. Paul’sChurch - 10 – 7 p.m. Tickets in Advance - $15 – day of tour - $20(see separate article)

SmyrnaOpera House, 7 W. South Street, 302-653-4236Sat. Dec. 12 – 7 p.m. – “Young Stars” – Young talentedperformers perform. Tickets - $16Sat. Dec. 19 – 8 p.m. – “Coro Allegro” – Choral Music tocelebrate the holidays. Tickets - $16

DoverSchwartz Center for the Arts, 226 S. State St., (302) 678-5152Sat/Sun – Dec. 5&6 – 3 p.m. & 7 p.m. – “The Nutcracker” – storyof a young girl dreaming of a Prince – Tickets – Adults - $22 –children - $12

ArdentownThe New Candlelight Theater, 2208 Millers Road, 302-475-2313Nov. 14 – Jan. 10 Matinee & evening“Mame” – Musical based on an eccentric bohemian lady living inNew York during the Great Depression and WWII enjoying afabulous life with her wealthy friends until…. Tickets - $59includes dinner buffet

Old New Castle, 328-3279Sat. Dec. 12 – 9:30 – 5:30 p.m. – “The Spirit of Christmas” –town-wide celebration – tour of private homes and churchesdecorated for the season and musical events throughout the day.Free admission to the Amstel House and Dutch House.www.newcastlepreschurch.org.

WilmingtonDelaware Theater Co., 200 Water Street, 302-594-1100Matinee & Evening Performances Dec. 2-27

Area Cultural Events

Pool Room ChatterThis will cover the last three months to bring you up to date onpool room prowess. Lenny Brussee started September off with aperfect game of “Cut Throat” on the 17th. Also, in September BobCohen decided to show his talent with two perfect games of “8ball” on the 23rd and the 30th. In October he also came outshooting another perfect game on the 7th. Marc Lichtenfield, onthe same day, decided to show us what he can do with the Cuestick. Yep! Another perfect game of “8 ball” in three months. OnOctober 21st, Lenny Brussee shot a perfect game of “8 ball” to endthe month. Bob Cohen came roaring back on the 4th of Novemberand no one has scored a perfect game since.Remember Mens’ pool is open to all men in this community fromMonday to Thursday 1-4 P.M.Art Lamb

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Tradesman ServicesWhile operating “a full service company” dealing in majorprojects in the home, owner Mario Mareno’s prime satisfactionis in offering handyman services. He fully understands thatinstalling crown molding, curtain rods and backsplashes andhanging extra large pictures is just as important to a homeowneras building a large patio. Like to upgrade your kitchen faucet orsink? All these little tasks need to get done, and when acapable homeowner is no longer able to do them, one phonecall to Mario will get the job done. Having elderly parents whoneed small tasks done from time to time, he saw the need ofoffering services for them and others in the same situation.

Mario has been in business since 1994operating out of his Newark office but openingan office in Middletown four years ago. WithMiddletown’s population growing with manyhousing communities, he knew that hisservices would be needed down the road. Hisoffice has 20 employees which consist of 15 inthe field plus two project managers, an officemanager and always a 3-man crew in the field.What his company does is offer construction inresidential basements, remodeling kitchens and bathrooms, alltypes of flooring, tile work, porches and outside patios and decks.While decks are popular, even more so are patios because theyrequire less maintenance. Paver patios require little upkeepcompared to a deck that needs to be restored every season, andthe cost of both is just about the same.

He says his favorite customers are “seniors who are moreappreciative of his work” simply because many of them havetaken on the chores they now turn over to him and understandwhat is involved. As our homes age, maintenance is requiredto keep them in top condition. Many of us would like to makechanges or improvements that would enhance our life style,and Mario says his company is ready to offer his services atreasonable cost.

Tradesman Services is located on Rt. 896 between our twoentrances – Springmill Drive and Windmill Lane. A permanentsign will be installed shortly. Phone Number is 302-376-9525

Sonya Comstock

Advertiser’sSpotlight

Springmill Sentinel StaffEditor: Dick RauschTreasurer: Diane DaigleSecretary: Sonya ComstockLayout and Production: Joan Gross, Dick Rausch,Marie & Tom RiggBusiness Manager: Julia HambrechtAdvertising: Carol Geiger, Janet Herner, Marie Rigg, JerryRyan, Pat Steskal,Editorial: Carolee Burkey, Sonya Comstock, Wilma Feinberg,Carolyn Fausnaugh, Carol Geiger, Lee Rosenson, Mary JoStarrett, June StemmleCalendar: Joe Grippo, Julie Hambrecht, Tracey LundDistribution: Ralph and Pamela Clair

Mario Mareno

point count by 1500 points).Going Out Requirements HKF: A team may not go out untilthey have achieved at least the following: one natural canastaof 7's, one natural canasta of 5's, one canasta of wild cards,one clean or red canasta, and one dirty or black canasta.

Scoring HF: Going Out = 100 points; Red Canasta = 500points; Black Canasta = 300 points; Wild Card Canasta(optional) = 1500 pts; plus point value of card count.Scoring HKF: Going Out = 200 points; Red 3's = 100/1000points; Red Canasta = 500 points; Black Canasta = 300 points;Canasta of sevens = 5,000 points; Canasta of fives = 3,000points; Wild Card Canasta = 2,500 points. Scoring is shortcutby simply using Base Requirements = 11,300 for meeting thegoing out requirements. Plus point value of card count.The Winner is the team with the highest score for the four rounds!

HKF is a bit more complex than HF. However, the playershave simplified the process by making card holders to keepthe three hands organized and by having a formal scoresheet.Join one of these games for a fun time!

Carolyn Fausnaugh

(Game Corner Continued from page 17)

Wonderland while wandering through a maze of beautifullydecorated trees putting you in the Christmas mood.

With time to spare in between baking and wrapping gifts,take a drive to Santa Claus Lane on Rt. 71 and experiencefirsthand a magical Christmas land where the Faucherswelcome everyone to their gaily decorated home and yardand have been for many years. Don’t miss the spectaculardisplay at Longwood Garden in Kennett Square, PA. Howquickly the month will pass with so much to celebrate andbe thankful for – enjoy the holidays and honor the traditionsthat bring joy to everyone. Welcome the New Year with thepromise of doing more for your community and enjoying lifeto its fullest.

Sonya Comstock

(Tis the Holiday Season Continued from page 1)

Congratulations!Happy fiftieth Wedding Anniversary

to Gloria and Bill Nichols

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