We continue the story of the Traveling Guions in 1943. Both Dan and Dick are apparently overseas, Lad is coming home on furlough and Grandpa’s sister, Elsie, has come up from New York to celebrate her birthday.

Trumbull Conn.

August 22, 1943

Dear Travelers all:

There is something that tells me that now two of the Guion clan “have sailed the ocean blue”, and while no evidence has yet reached us that they arrived on foreign shores, the absence of all word from Dick and Dan over so long a period seems to tell its own story, as for us back here –

A life on the ocean wave,

A home on the rolling deep,

Where the scattered waters rave

And the winds their revels keep.

Like an eagle caged, I pine

On this dull, unchanging shore.

Oh, give me the flashing brine,

The spray and the tempests roar.

I suppose it’s not permissible for the folks back home to know just where Uncle Sam has ordered you boys to be stationed, whether in Sylvia’s native land, or Woolard’s birthplace or the land of Kathryn Wharton’s ancestors, but where ever it be, I hope you arrived safely without excitement more than enough to make the journey interesting.

This seems to be the travelingest family! A letter from Lad, and a right welcome one to, reveals that his furlough has at last been verified and unless something unforeseen occurs, he starts on Friday, September 3rd  and comes by train, arriving four days or so later. He has to be back on September 17th, which doesn’t give him a chance to get fed up too much on home routine. He gives some interesting routine that fills his days, and how he does fling time about. Why, years mean absolutely nothing to him. Imagine being on duty since 1730! You’d think the generals like Washington or Grant or Pershing would see that a fellow got a better break than that. It positively makes me feel old to think of a son of mine serving that long at a stretch. Oh, well, if things keep up at their present pace, the war will be over before so very long (I’m still holding out to my original guess that 1943 will see the end of the European struggle), and by that time maybe the Japs will have seen the wisdom of sneaking away from other places besides Kiska.

Marian Irwin – 1942

Thanks Lad, for the picture of Marian. Too bad she can’t get a furlough too and pay a visit to Connecticut.

And Dave, too, is fixin’ to do some land traveling. He had a brainstorm the other day and for the past week has been busy with plans on dolling up the old Waverley electric, putting in a motorcycle motor, locating, if possible, some old model T tires, etc. Privately, I have my doubts but Harry Burr and Arnold (Gibson) think it is possible to make it run. Anyway it will keep him out of mischief and enlarge his knowledge of mechanics. He plans to travel with it to Westport when it is in running condition and call on James Melton who has an exact replica, if pictures published in the Sunday papers are to be believed.

It’s almost 3 weeks since any word has come from traveler Ced. Maybe he’s miffed because for the last several weeks letters have been addressed to him as Dangerous Dan McGraw Guion, Fearless Fosdick Guion, Little Orphan Ceddie, Invisible Scarlet O’Neil Guion, etc., which may give Alaskan postal authorities just an inkling of what we think of him back home. Of course, again, I may have him completely baffled and nonplussed at his failure to think of any names quite so clever to get back at me with, but shucks, Ced, don’t let that stop you.

And now dear children, I have quite a pleasant surprise for you. As you know, August 22nd  is Elsie’s birthday (Incidentally Ced, I never have any trouble remembering your PO Box number on this account). She is making a personal appearance. It gives me great pleasure to introduce …..MISS GUION.

Thank you, thank you, Maestro Guion and howdy Lad, Dan, Ced and Dick. To make this an extra special occasion for myself, I came up Friday night and caught the 10:30 bus. No, I’m not celebrating my birthday anymore! But my brother did in his usual, expansive style.

My home life remains the same as usual – going back and forth to the Shop. I suppose I’m doing my bit by staying on the job, but I’d feel better if the commodities we deal in and were vital to the war effort. I’d feel better if I was riveting something or working on airplanes with the possibility of being sent overseas to do something there or preparing to work overseas in the postwar period. I hate to think of the war coming and going without my having put my finger into the war itself somewhere or somehow.

I’m still at the Tudor and trying to get along on less and less – what with increasing taxes and the increasing cost of food. Restaurant food is so high and the quality so correspondingly low that we try to eat home as much as possible but the heat of summer makes it impossible to keep perishable things without ice. A young woman comes to us every day and helps us until about 7:30 P.M. she comes at 5:00 P.M., after her daytime job in an architect’s office. On Sunday she goes to New Jersey and on Monday brings us nice ripe tomatoes, string beans, squash, etc. Not all at once, of course. But we enjoy the fresh vegetables. It’s a rare treat.

Just now Aunt Betty and I and Smoky took a walk up to the ol’ swimmin’ hole. It looks deserted – weeds are overgrown all around, there’s not too much water running on account of little rain lately, and it looks forgotten. Smoky barked a cow out of her afternoon nap, splashed in the water several times and was the only one to show real activity.

Well, here’s wishing you and you and you and you the best of good fortune in the days ahead. I wish I were on the seas going places. So long,

Elsie

Jean has been spending the last few days at Fairfield Beach with Barbara and some other girls. I think the cottage is owned by Helen Berger. Anyway, she is one of the party. Jean lives in hourly anticipation of hearing from Dick. I had definite instructions to call her anytime of the day or night if word should come from her M.P. (Married partner), but to date this has not been necessary.

Things go on here in the regular routine. Everything, both inside and outside the house, remains about the same. Meantime, Ced, the little blue boats in your room continue to sail on their interminable journeys to unnamed ports, awaiting the day when you will, to the haven of Trumbull from distant Alaska appear, and plop will go the anchor for a bit of shore leave. Until that time, keeping the beacon light burning bright will be the job of your old lighthouse keeper (and cook),

DAD

I won’t make you wait. We’ll stay right here in August and September, 1943, until Lad had come and gone on his furlough. Come back tomorrow for more of this special time in Trumbull.

Judy Guion

…The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.

Luke 3:11 (that’s the Bible, kids)

I may not be Catholic, but 4 years at a Jesuit school is more than enough to instill some Catholic guilt in a girl.  Needless to say, the victims of Sandy need help, and there’s no better way to show the residents of Fairfield, CT that we still deserve Clam Jam than by lending a hand.  Today, I spent the morning with fellow Fairfield U alum, current students, and community volunteers helping restore some normalcy to the community – although for many, there is a long way to go.

It was rewarding (free Kind bars), productive (workout), and nutritious (vitamin D).

For those of you who didn’t come out today, but chose to spend your day Bounceing around NYC (you know who you are), don’t be afraid to throw some dollars at the cause… it’s ALMOST as good.

]]> http://judethefoodie.com/2012/10/29/fairfield-beach-fairfieldct-sandyisscary/ Mon, 29 Oct 2012 11:33:09 +0000 Jude The Foodie http://judethefoodie.com/2012/10/29/fairfield-beach-fairfieldct-sandyisscary/

This beautiful beach is in harms way today.

Much worse, many of our friends are in harms way.

Stay safe.
Heed the warnings.
It’s just stuff.

But you, my foodie friends, are priceless.

Mom wasn’t drinking out of red solo cup but she didn’t need that modern day symbol of celebration to grasp the enormity of this passage. Her life was one of hope and dedication.
She was one of the Father Baker Children.

His road to Roman Catholic sainthood inspired her and gave her a source of pride at what many would consider unfortunate beginnings. Her own path to a loving family had twists and turns and when she finally was welcomed into the home of Frank, a landscape designer, and Theresa Carl she learned the value of hard work, faith and service.

She was a PTA mom, a railroad employee and the ultimate church lady. She loved her friends, her family and her church faith community. Anyone who knew her also knew about those she loved since she shared every tidbit of information she could glean from them. The downside of that is obvious but the upside is also good. If you needed to know the married name of the girl you shared a locker with in grammar school, Lorraine was the woman for you.

My mother-in-law was a woman of simple taste. If you fed her some meat and any form of potato she would dine in perfect happiness.

I remember one meal, years ago where I made rice as the starch. Everything was on the table and I was finally seated. We said grace and began to pass out the food and my mother-in-law was quiet, scanning the table like she was looking for Waldo. I asked if she was ok and she said yes but she was wondering where the potatoes were. I guess rice was not even a cheap substitute!

She made the most wonderful turkey stuffing with bread and a seasoning called Bell’s Seasoning.

It is completely different from the Italian style stuffing my mother makes…and I love it.

Every picnic was not complete without her potato salad. Her recipe is so simple:

Gramma Rainbow’s Potato Salad

Servings: 8
Prep time: 1:00
Total time: 4:00
Categories: Salad, Vegetable
Source: JudeTheFoodie.com

Ingredients

• 4 Russet Potatoes
• 2 Stalks Celery, finely diced
• 1 Medium Onion, finely diced
• 1 Medium Green Bell Pepper, finely diced
•
• 8 Oz Mayo
• 8 Oz Sour Cream
•
• Salt, pepper

Directions

Scrub 4 russet potatoes (2 servings per potato) and boil in their skin until you can put a fork through (do not overlook). Cool. Remove skin and chop into 1 inch pieces.

In large bowl add potatoes, celery, onion and green pepper. Salt and pepper to taste Fold in equal parts of mayo and sour cream and coat evenly.

Chill for at least 3 hours or overnight. Stir gently before serving.

Made with The Recipe Box. http://www.therecipeboxapp.com/

Swiss steak with thick gravy, pork and sour kraut and potato salad were her signature dishes and I will miss them all.

Mostly, I will miss her. She was pretty amazing.

God rest Lorraine…2/8/28 – 8/28/12

Related articles

• German Potato Salad (sunshinefactor.wordpress.com)
• Boat Food Cookbook and Potato Salad (theoutdoorepicurean.com)

While doing my morning jog and swim at the beach this week, I saw some folks about to drift off from Jennings Beach in a small sail boat.  The scene was so peaceful and serene, I had to take a snapshot with my phone.  Enjoy the moment in the attached photo. 

And now on to a more dynamic topic such as our local housing markets-

What’s the Word for Sellers?
If you were thinking of selling your home now but decided to wait for a better time, you might want to think again.   Right now your competition is reduced, affordability is increased by interest rates that are even lower than before, the average sale price is steady or up depending on the town, and the sale to list ratio is strong.

At the end of July, the number of single family Homes on the Market in Westport was down to 335 from 348 in July 2011.  In Fairfield, the reduced inventory was significant with just 421 active listings versus 504 last July.  Between the two towns, there were nearly 150 fewer homes on the market to compete with as of July than there were last year at this time!

Sales were up four percent after the second quarter compared to last year in Fairfield, though  down sixteen percent in Westport.  The Average Sale Price was up sixteen percent in Westport and held steady in Fairfield.  Looking ahead a month or so, 66 sales can be expected in Westport  and 149 in Fairfield based on the tally of existing binders  and  contracts.  The percentage of active Listings with Accepted Offers can be a helpful indicator of the market condition when comparing one year to another.  In Westport, six percent of active listings had a binder at the end of July compared to seven percent last year, suggesting a fairly consistent market.   Accepted offers in Fairfield amounted to fourteen percent of the active listings, which was way up from eight percent last year.

The Sale to  List Ratio tells how close the sale price was to the asking.  The average ratio in both towns was 95% after the second quarter, and was fairly consistent with last year.  This means that sellers have been pricing their homes appropriately with the current market, and buyers have been stepping up to the plate with their offers.

And the Scoop for Buyers?
The market information above suggests a stablizing market.  Prices have been coming down since 2007, and interest rates are down to the 3% range.  With such lows, there’s really only one direction for things to go from here.  This presents a rare window of opportunity.  Need I say more?

Featured Listing!
479 South Benson Road- Charming Main House & Attached Guest Cottage
If you know of someone looking for two homes in one near the beach, marina, Sand Castles Playground, town and train, this may be the perfect opportunity for you.  Come visit during the OPEN HOUSE on September 23, 1-4pm and check out the home photo and listing information following the link below.

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/479-S-Benson-Rd_Fairfield_CT_06824_M43008-99091

As always, please continue to contact me with your questions about the local housing market and your personal plans for moving forward!

Send a note or request to join my quarterly Word on the Street e-newsletter distribution providing the latest updates on Fairfield and Westport real estate: Linda.Raymond@Raveis.com
Visit my Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/LindaRaymondRealEstate

Originally Posted on August 3, 2012 at 3:31 pm

Students at Clam Jam 2011

In 2010, there were 26 arrests at Clam Jam. Last year, 36 people got arrested.

Update: Clam Jam tamed in 2012 with a fraction of citations.

This year, up to 1,500 Fairfield students, alumni and friends are expected to gather on the crowded beach near Lantern Point next weekend for the annual end-of-school ritual and party.

Each year restrictions seem to become stronger and the orange fences extend longer, but students still plan to attend the spring party despite the risks of winding up an arrest and criminal record.

“I will definitely go to Clam Jam regardless. It’s a Fairfield tradition, but I will just be more cautious,” said Fairfield junior Meghan Murphy.  Murphy is one of many students who is not concerned about the number of arrests.

“Clam jam is fun because it’s a Fairfield tradition, but it’s not worth a criminal record,” said Jen Yoo ’13.

Police say they hope for no problems

Lantern Point is a private beach, which has a court order that forbids more than 250 people gathering on the deck.  Students who do not live on the Point but gather on the deck are trespassing on private property, according to the Fairfield Police Department.

Deputy Chief Chris Lyddy courtesy of Fairfield Police Department.

“This is a tradition for seniors.  There is no problem if they just keep it for the seniors at the beach,” said Fairfield Deputy Police Chief Chris Lyddy.  Lyddy explained how the problems occur when visitors and underclassmen attend Clam Jam.

“I would hope that Fairfield Police would warn us if we are doing something illegal.  We’re not looking to cause trouble,” said Fairfield junior Ling Chen.

Lyddy confirmed that students can be on the beach, but that Lantern Point is private property, which makes nonresidents trespassing.  Arrests peaked between 2005 and 2007, he said, and in recent years, students have generally been well behaved. But he said it is the job of Fairfield Police to enforce the court order.

While Lyddy hopes there will be no arrests, he said that the actions of some students are what lead to these arrests.  These arrests mostly involved disorderly conduct, public indecency, and public urination.

Administrators holding their breath

Fairfield University was ranked #1 in the country for the worst town-gown relations in 2003. It has worked hard to improve this relationship, but it is still ranked by The Princeton Review as having the seventh worse relations with the local town of any school in the country.

Rama Sudhakar courtesy of http://www.fairfield.edu

“This number still doesn’t accurately portray the relationship.  We have seen a significant improvement and The Princeton Review doesn’t accurately represent this,” said Rama Sudhakar, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Fairfield University.  She said there were several community outreach programs that bring the university and the town together.

A major part of the relationship is the addition of Fairfield University’s downtown bookstore.  Martha Milcarek, Assistant Vice President for Brand Management and Public Relations said this sends a positive message to the town.

“People were excited and grateful that Fairfield is willing to make that commitment downtown,” said Milcarek.  The bookstore hosts events that continue to unite the town with the school.

The actions seem to have paid dividends.

Fairfield University Bookstore on Post Rd.

“I think over the past five years there has been an improved relationship between students and year round residents, ” said Paige Herman, President of the Fairfield Beach Residents Association and a long-time sharp critic of the university.  She believes that this improvement can be attributed to a more “mature and civil student population.”

Colorful history

In the 1970s, 1,200 students lived at the beach.  This number was cut to 400 students in recent years and has lowered to 300 in the past two years.

Events like Mock Wedding, 200 Nights, and Keg Races once led to hospitalizations and arrests, but have tamed.  At 2003’s Mock Wedding, one male student jumped off a two-story deck and was hospitalized for his injuries.

Students gathering on the roof of a house on Lantern Point 2011

Angry residents responded to these events with a court order in 2001.  This injunction was a temporary action to tame Clam Jam.  It prohibited more than 250 gathering between the metal gates of Lantern Point and prevented the gatherings, such as the 5,000 students and 270 kegs at the peak of Clam Jam.

The court order was made permanent in 2006 and Fairfield University has tried alternative school-sponsored events like Spam Jam. This was unsuccessful though, as students still find ways to make Clam Jam happen.

Herman said she still believes that “Clam Jam belongs on campus.”  She said that a few disrespectful students cause the problems with the year round residents’ rights to enjoy their home in peace [and] quiet.”

Other residents were positive.

“There is always politics with colleges and the towns, but Fairfield has a great relationship,” said Fairfield resident Nancy Roche.  “I have been living in Fairfield for 40 years and the students brighten the town!”  Roche did agree that Clam Jam remains the one major source of tension among beach residents.

Final End of the Year Celebration for Students

“Clam jam is a great tradition and a great thing to look forward to,” said Fairfield student Jimmy DiCecco. “It’s a fun break before finals for the students. We organize it ourselves so no one can really get rid of it.”

View from Lantern Point

“As long as we don’t damage or interfere with their property, then there should not be a problem,” said junior Shannon Cooney.

“Traditions like Clam Jam are important to bring people together,” said Fairfield junior Jackie Nucero. “Although it has caused problems among beach residents, there are a lot of great things about Clam Jam because of the memories and traditions it forms.”

“You can’t stop a party!” said Fairfield student John Noto.

_________________________________________________

What a fantastic evening for the Fairfield fireworks last night!

After attending a picnic with some fine company and delicious dining, my husband and I visited more friends on the beach for the remainder of the evening. Low tide provided extra space on the sand bars this year for added festivities and some pre-show fireworks. As the warm pastel sunlight faded to dusk, the bejeweled horizon of sparkling lights from boats and waterfront homes became the new feature.

Once darkness fell, the DJ from the party next door created the perfect moment when he sang his own blues-inspired rendition of America the Beautiful just as the spectacular fireworks display was launched from the barge off Jennings Beach. Ah, there’s nothing like the Fourth of July in Fairfield!

Of course we’re all back to work now, so let me provide an update on the housing market for you - As of today, we have 491 single-family homes and 85 condos for sale in Fairfield, down from the count in my last post on June 22. However, there has been a jump since then in the number of binders and contracts, which is a positive sign.

One of the metrics I like to watch as a leading indicator of what’s to come is the percentage of active listings with a binder. A little over a week ago, 10% of the homes for sale had an accepted offer. At the time of this post, there are 70 homes with a binder equating to 14% of the available homes. Considering that the ratio had been 12-13% this spring in March through May, this is quite encouraging! The number of contracts is currently 133, also up from 105 a little more than a week ago.

Three more homes have sold since I last wrote, ranging in price from $450,000 to $875,000. The tally of sold homes in June recorded as of today is 23, with an average sale price of $600,000. Although there are sure to be more June sales recorded in the next few weeks, we are still quite far off from the single-family sales in June 2010 which totaled 71 with an average sale price of $658,000.

Okay, so who is ready to jump into the market to buy and sell, and catapult our numbers for July?!