Updated: We Won't Be Fooled Again

Today’s dusting is probably an indication that Mother Nature is tired and not in a fooling mood. Certainly, the couple of inches of white stuff that graced our town upon rising this morning compares in no way to the belting we took on this date in 1997. Back then, we really played the fool.

Approximately 30 inches of snow impeded our morning travels on that date, but by the evening rush, the melting had already started.

DITCH YOUR HAZARDOUS WASTE ON JULY 23

The following is a press release issued Thursday from the :

The Town of Holliston will hold a Household Hazardous Waste Day on Saturday, July 23 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at .

Clean Harbors will accept for transportation and disposal the majority of hazardous waste typically produced by households. It is stressed for the safety of everyone involved that all materials are known and properly labeled. Wastes that are not in their original containers will be accepted as "known" wastes provided they are labeled. Unknown wastes, if acceptable, will be field tested and packaged for incineration. Below is a listing of typical household hazardous wastes collected:

Aerosol Cans                                       Engine degreaser                                         Oil filters

Ammonia                                             Epoxy resin                                          Oven cleaners

Antifreeze                                            Fiberglass                                               Paint thinner

Arts and crafts supplies                    Floor cleaners                                              Pesticides

Batteries                                               Furnace Cement                             Photo chemicals

Bleach                                                   Furniture Polish                                Pool chemicals

Brake fluid                                           Gasoline/Kerosene                      Radiator cleaners

Car wax                                                Herbicides                                                          Resins

Carburetor cleaner                            Insect Sprays                                        Rodent killers

Caulking                                              Lighter fluid                                            Roof Cement

Cesspool cleaners                              Mercury products                        Rust preventatives

Chemistry sets                                   Metal polish                                                     Sealants

Creosote                                              Moth balls                                                        Solvents

Drain cleaners                                   Motor oil                                                Spot removers

Driveway Sealant                              Muriatic acid                                Transmission fluid

Dry cleaning fluids                            No-pest strips                                         Weed Killers

Engine and radiator flushes            Oil based paint                           Wood preservatives

                                                                                                                              Wood Stripper

Clean Harbors reserves the right to refuse any waste deemed unsafe to handle or unsuitable for the collection. Such wastes include:

•       Large quantities of unknown materials

•       Radioactive waste, including smoke detectors

•       Explosives, gun powder, flares, ammunition

•       Unstable wastes

•       Pressurized fire extinguishers

•       Unknown gas cylinders

•       Substances regulated by the Drug Enforcement Agency

•       Medical waste

•       Latex paint (latex is non hazardous and can be disposed in regular trash once it is completely dried out).

If the above listed unacceptable wastes are unintentionally received, Clean Harbors will work with the Town to provide safe disposal of the materials.

DROP IN FOR SOME CRAFTS AT THE LIBRARY

Feel like doing some arts and crafts but can't commit to a time? Well, swing by the on April 21 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. for Arts and Crafts Drop-In Day.

The event, which is being held in the Gilman Room on the lower level, is open to all ages. Participants are encouraged to come at any time.

For more information, contact Children's Librarian Tenna Foale at 508-429-0617 or tfoale@minlib.net.

CHRIST THE KING HOLDING RECYCLING FUNDRAISER

is holding its Second Annual Recycling Fundraiser from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (rain or shine) on April 16.

CTK will be accepting mechanical and electronic items for fees or $5, $10, $15 or $20 based on the size of the items. Only cash will be accepted.

For $5 a box, customers can fill a shoebox with the following items: remote controls, iPods and accessories, computer and printer cables, cell phones and accessories, walkie-talkies, irons, small clock radios, cassette and CD players, computer mouses, baby monitors, digital cameras, can openers, electric toothbrushes, electric shavers, hair dryers, curling irons, phone chargers, power cords, telephones and electric pencil sharpeners.

For $5, the following items will be accepted: computer keyboards, DVD players, VCRs, small microwaves, typewriters, vacuums, small stereo/computer speakers, large telephones, lamps (without bulbs), coffee makers, sweing machines, weed eaters, hedge trimmers, crock pots, bread machines, leaf blowers, blenders, electric mixers and adding machines.

For $10, the following items will be accepted: monitors, laptops, large stero speakers, printers, copiers, fax machines, CPUs (hard drives will be shredded), large microwaves, dehumidifiers, humidifiers, small televisions, sump pumps and auto/robot pool vacuums.

For $15, the following items will be accepted: refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers, hot water heaters (drained of water), lawn mowers (drained of fuel and oil) air conditioners, snow blowers (drained of fuel and oil), generators (drained of fuel and oil), medium televisions (21-36-inch diagonal) and dishwashers.

Large televisions (37 inches or larger diagonally) will be accepted for $20.

Items containing PCBs or mercury (e.g. household or car batteries or any type of light bulb or florescent light) will not be taken. The church holds the right to turn away any questionable items.

Questions? Contact djcoppins@gmail.com or sklambrechts@gmail.com. More information can also be found at CTK's website.

FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY GOING "OVERBOARD"

Michael Tougias, author of Overboard: A True Bluewater Odyssey of Disaster & Survival, will be providing a slide program on his book this Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in the Gilman Room of the .

Tougias’ slides will tell the story of the sailboat Alemeisan, and the battle of its crew with a massive storm that threatened their survival. The presentation is provided by The Friends of The Library, who advise that Friends T-Shirts are available for $12 each at the front desk. T-Shirt designs are the work of contest winners Elizabeth Maki, Erin Palmatier and Henry Tate. Proceeds from the sale will benefit the library.

GET GAS AND MORE ON NORFOLK STREET

First, I noticed they were open. Then, I noticed the price of gas ($3.39/gallon regular unleaded). Five minutes and $30.71 later, I was a customer of the Holliston Gas and Market.

Located on Norfolk Street in the shadow of the great Strawberry Hill, the new store is hardly another Pennysaver. With its well-stocked aisles and competitively priced gasoline, the Gas and Market will provide residents of Holliston’s southeast corner with a level of convenience previously unknown.

Owner Ed Chalak indicated that the business, which opened on March 8, was “so far, so good.” Chalak expressed some relief that it was finally open, construction having started late last July.

Chalak and his partner Ave Jreij operate as Holliston Gas LLC.  “Everybody’s been wonderful,” he said.

WHO AM I NO. 17

Yes, I used to be the queen,

I was so very proud.

Standing before all those men,

That rowdy Lion’s crowd.

I now spend time with Leo’s

While my Mark’s improving yards.

I’m the best friend you could have,

But don’t play me in cards.

Who Am I?

WHO AM I NO. 16 REVEALED

I’ve been gone from Holliston

For almost 30 years.

I'm living now in Canada

With all those moose and deer.

Making movies, talking sports,

A great life’s what I lead.

I’m never far from Holliston,

It’s Panther blood I bleed.

Who Am I? I am Cecil Wright.

PEJAMAJO GETS ITS JUST DESERTS

The word on the street is that Holliston’s very own crepe joint, , was a huge hit at the recently-held , sponsored by the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce.

The event, held at the Sheraton Tara in Framingham, attracted over 1000 connoisseurs of the finest food offered in MetroWest and featured the scrumptious offerings of close to 40 vendors.

A key lime crepe won Pejamajo the best dessert prize, which should come as no surprise to local residents familiar with the Washington Street coffee house.

A fine video was produced of the evening and is available at the following link: http://vimeo.com/21151094.

DOUG SENT ME CLEANERS ANNOUNCES SPRING SEWING CLASSES

will be holding four sewing classes and a monthly sewing circle, all of which will start in the next few weeks. Classes will be conveniently held in downtown Holliston at 783 Washington St., home of Doug Sent Me Green Cleaners and .

The first class, Kids Can Sew Too! ... Make a Shoulder Bag will be held on Saturday, April 30 from 1—3 p.m. The class is for kids age 7—14 and costs $20 per student. Students will learn the basics of sewing and will make shoulder bag to keep or give as a gift.

Kids love to sew, but parents oftentimes don’t have time to teach them. Here’s is the chance to give your child the gift of one of the most basic joys in life, sewing. At the end of this two-hour class, your child will feel a huge sense of accomplishment with a finished shoulder bag great for the beach or for the summer.

Kids Can Sew Too! ... Make a Cool Throw Pillow will be held on Saturday, June 4 from 1—3 p.m. The class is for kids age 7—14 and costs $20 per student. Students will learn the basics of sewing and will make throw pillow to keep or give as a gift.

Sewing 101 For The Curious meets for four Mondays, starting on March 28. Each session will run from 7-9 p.m. and the cost for the class is $75 per student. Students need to bring a sewing machine and a basic sewing kit.

If you are ready to start sewing (or sewing again) here’s your chance. Students will get to create at least one project and de-stress at the same time. Students will be given a free consultation to discuss their sewing experience and answer any questions.

New England Quilting meets for four Mondays, starting March 28. Each session will run from 7—9 p.m. and the cost for the class is $75 per student. Students will learn to make quilts, a New England tradition. Some sewing experience is necessary for this class. Students need to bring a sewing machine and a basic sewing kit.

Stitch N' Bitch is a newly-created sewing group where members can knit, crochet, sew and hang out. The group meets every third Thursday of the month from 6-8 p.m. Joining in the group is free, but members are asked to bring a donation to the .

All classes are taught by Betty Ripley. Ripley lived in Cohasset for most of her life but had the good sense to move to Holliston about five years ago. She has been sewing most of her life and is a professional seamstress, making everything under the sun including window treatments, quilts, pillows, even doll clothes. This multi-talented artist is an expert at calling forth the creativity and fun within her students.

Classes are small so each person will have lots of attention. Limited financial aid is available to those who qualify. There has been lots of interest, so classes will most likely fill up quickly. You can sign up by coming into Doug Sent Me or contacting founder Maria Salomão at 617-877-3616.

MEMORIES OF "THE DAIRY"

I remember the black raspberry ice cream, the meatball sandwiches wrapped in foil, and the Pez candy. Dickie Rossini remembers the door to the attic.

Dickie is a member of the , and was one of a group of firefighters that responded to an alarm at this past January.

“We got a call that one of the sprinkler heads had frozen in the dining area down there, and the ladder truck and rescue got called for the activation of the alarm," recalled Rossini. "We stayed there and cleaned up, and in the middle of the cleanup, I said to the manager ‘I guess you’re new here and don’t know enough to keep the attic door open in the winter time, because the sprinkler pipes will freeze up there.’

"He just looked at me with a blank stare, like ‘What are you talking about.’ So I said my father and uncles use to own Walter’s Restaurant that was here for a number of years. I remembered when I worked there, especially the last year when I was working a lot of nights for my father when he was sick, I’d close up. In the wintertime you had to leave the door to the attic open so the heat would go up there and keep the pipes from freezing.”

Walter’s Restaurant, more commonly known as Walter’s Dairy, was a Holliston institution from the days of its humble opening in 1940, until its sale to Bertucci’s in the early 80s. During this time, it was impossible to live in Holliston and not be familiar with “The Dairy,” or to know at least one member of the Rossini family.

The Dairy filled our growing town’s need for a family-friendly establishment perfect for a good sit-down dinner or a quick bite on the run. It was impossible to visit The Dairy without encountering a friend or friendly face. With the businesslike “Ma” Rossini at the helm, her four sons (Walter, Sonny, Alex and Beno) manned the kitchen. The remaining positions were primarily filled by children, friends of children and a faithful kitchen and wait staff, many of whom worked at The Dairy for decades.

Dickie worked at The Dairy from 1970, when he was 11, until 1984. “You got to know everybody,” he said, mentioning a litany of relatives and friends that he worked with. “I know a lot of people who were older than me fairly well from working there,” he said.

Not all the young people at The Dairy were working inside. The Dairy parking lot was a huge teen meeting area, packed on summer Friday nights and after Saturday football games.

“I remember my father coming home and complaining about there being so many kids in the parking lot,” says Dickie. As a result, “You got to know the police very well. They would come in the back door and hang out in the back. As a kid, I remember them advising us not to go to certain parties because they were going to be crashing them. They would show up just before nine and we would be closing, and they would say ‘Don’t go here.”

As an Ashland kid with friends in Holliston, Ray Hart remembers playing basketball at before ending up at The Dairy for cokes or frappes. A Saturday night battle of the bands would end at The Dairy with friends enjoying ice cream.

My sister, Mary-Caryl Ferdenzi, began work as a waitress at The Diary as a junior in high school, and enjoyed it so much, that she continued to work there two nights a week after college, having gained other full-time employment.

“It was awesome,” she said. “It was a family place, starting with Ma at the cash register and the four brothers alternating in the kitchen. I can see Walter sitting out back on an ice cream can with a propane torch making baked Alaska, as well as the making of the sandwiches at the front of the kitchen and the fryolater in the back.”

A steady and familiar stream of customers kept The Dairy hopping. “We had a number of regulars,” said Mary-Caryl. “They were everyday hardworking family people from Holliston such as Charlie Proctor, Betty Bustin, and Henry Chesmore. I can still see Mike from sitting in the booth in the afternoon with Danny DiSciullo.”

“Families and kids would come in for ice-cream including Jo Dee Messina and her brother Vinnie,” she continued. “Bobby Hart would leave the waitresses little bars of blueberry soap and his mother and father were regulars in the dining room. On Friday nights, Jean and Woofy Chapin would be in with Tom and Mary Nolan and Mary Johnson and her husband Snookie. Women would walk down from Cole Court and the Doctors from Holliston Pediatrics would also be in.”

The veal parmesan sandwich was a Dairy favorite, as was the #1, a cheeseburger on French bread with lettuce and tomato, or a #2, a cheeseburger on French bread sans lettuce and tomato. One didn’t want to forget to ask for gravy on their French fries. Friday night take out, clams, onion rings and French fries, served in the familiar white bags, were always a treat. A sign announcing the curious “Fresh Frozen Lemonade” hung against the back wall.

My sister indicates that “It was funny working at the Diary because you would be serving an ice cream sundae one minute, and making a martini or Manhattan the next. It covered all the bases."

She recalled when “Cherrie Johnson was working behind the bar one day, which we considered an ice cream bar, or a soda fountain bar. A guy came in and asked for a Budweiser and a Wild Turkey. Sherry wrote down on the slip, one wild turkey dinner and one Budweiser, and put the slip into the kitchen. They called her in and asked her what it was, and it was then she found out he wanted a shot of Wild turkey and not a wild turkey dinner.”

“I knew I was officially a townie the day I got married, because they closed the restaurant for the day, and I wasn’t a Rossini and I didn’t marry one,” said Mary-Caryl. “They all came to my wedding.”

So strong are the positive memories of The Dairy, that a Facebook page for Walters Dairy exists with multiple generations of Hollistonians sharing their thoughts on menu items and this wonderful slice of Americana. But The Dairy should also be known for providing more than great food in a terrific atmosphere. It is also where Dickie Rossini and his brother Tommy met their wives.