GOOD GUYS: Jane and Ken Cogan of Crosby are truly two kind folks
all year round – and we’re not just saying that because they
dropped off a big plate of Christmas cookies! The Cogans make the
world’s best sauerkraut and leek dip, and grow awesome vegetables.
But we must admit that some of the cookies are the best we ever
had. Our special thanks.

THAT TREE: Former Bradford resident Bill Weisenfluh has a
follow-up to our continuing reports about those upside-down
Christmas trees that are all the rage – but nothing new for
Bradford.

He writes, “When Gino had Togi’s on Main Street there was a
small Christmas tree hanging upside down at the end of the bar by
the stairs to the upstairs dining room. I can’t remember what year
that was or how many years it was there, but it caused lots of
comments.”

We also heard from Isabelle Skutnik Sander about the those
upside-down trees, particularly the beautiful one we featured at
Glendorn: “I’ll never forget seeing it as we walked in at one of
their parties, stopping in our tracks. … It was awesome. Mr. and
Mrs. Dorn had wonderful parties for young people and their friends
– they were most gracious always to everyone who came to their
home.”

AND ALSO: In another follow-up, we heard from Eileen Colligan on
Dec. 6: “I love reading ‘Round the Square. My brothers and sisters
and I attended St. Bernard School during the ’60s. John McCoy,
Tommy Arrowsmith, Timmy Harris, Brian Smith, etc. were my neighbors
and classmates. John McCoy’s recent letter brought back many great
memories.”

She adds, “I miss Bradford very much, cold weather and all!”

OH, ZIPPO: Dick Freeman revives a dormant subject:

“In the recently released ‘Dean & Me,’ by Jerry Lewis, he
mentions in the next to last paragraph in the last chapter ‘He
(Dean Martin) took out his gold-plated Zippo cigarette lighter,
flicked the flint, held the flame under the unbelievably handsome
face, and finished his song in the mellow flicker of its flame just
as though nothing at happened.”

And the last paragraph reads, “No, scratch that. He finished up
that goddamn number even more stylishly than if the spotlight had
been right on his face.”