Notes from Nan: Power to the People!
BY HF Contributing Writer, Nan Parati

To our long-lost brethren who are still without power (and feeling powerless)

Free coffee and a hot shower at Elmer’s!

As we were the last people in downtown Ashfield to get power, we feel your pain and annoyance and invite you in for

Free coffee and a hot shower at Elmer’s!

We also have a phone and internet that you can use. I know that since you have no power at home you may not be reading this, but I expect your powered-up friends to tell you about it the old fashioned way: By walking over to your house and knocking on your door.

You can also escape your trials and tribulations by coming to Elmer’s this week for dinner on Thursday and Friday and then to the Solstice Celebration on Saturday!

Was there ever a group of people happier to welcome the return of light than we in Western Massachusetts??

Here’s the plan:

• We start dinner at 5:00: a hearty stew of beef or lentils.
• The celebration on the Town Common starts at 6:30 with Music! Dance! Story-telling! Elk!
• Then come to Elmer’s for the rest of the party, including dinner more dinner for those who haven’t eaten yet.
• Then the Morris Dancers all sit together and eat and sing and suddenly they all get up and do the sword dance right there in Elmer’s!
• It is great fun and like nothing you experience in your normal, every day life!

Here’s what we’re having the other days of the week:

• Thursday: No Electricity or warmth in the house Comfort Food: Roast Pork and mashed Potatoes.
• Friday night: Fisherman’s Platter with Shrimp, Scallops, Haddock and something else. I forgot what it was.

If this menu looks suspiciously like last week’s menu (only changed around) it’s because Jim had decided to have this, but never actually got the food, so he kept the menu and will get the ingredients for this week’s dinner.