Still in keeping with the Mothers’ Day celebration, I thought this was a lovely saying by Adabella Radici. I can remember my grandmother as she sat with me as I studied Shakespeare in high school. When she read the words to me, they had much more meaning than when I read them in my text book. Grandma was really not a book person, however. She was more apt to be knitting or crocheting when she had time to sit. She made mittens for all us grandkids. She used two colors of yarn but put the stripes in different places or made the stripes thinner or wider so we would know our own mittens. She also crocheted doilies and scarves for dressers. I am surprised that she never embroidered. Perhaps her eyesight was not that great for such small work.

Back to the April Pope’s Hill meeting: Police officer Dennis Rorie announced that the Bicycle Unit was going to stay, much to the relief of the members attending. The main speaker for the evening was Ed Kelly, president of Local 718, Firefighters’ Union. Kelly spoke about the relationship of the union with the media. He also spoke about the need for preventive maintenance for the department’s equipment.

Eleni Kontogli, from the Neponset, Health Center, urged people to join the Kidney Walk, which will take place at the Franklin Park Zoo on Sun., May 17, with a 9 a.m. check-in. Participants will take the marked route through the zoo’s exhibits. Zoo admission will be free for the participants. Pre-registration is recommended. Call 1-800-542-4001. Eleni also brought info on the Swine Flu for all of us.

Pres. Phil announced that the sixth annual Project D.E.E.P. and the Blarney Stone’s Dorchester Day 5K Road Race would be held on Sun., June 7 (Dorchester Day), For info, call Project D.E.E.P. at 617-635-5027 for info.

What a lovely time Hubby and I had at the first annual “A Taste of Dorchester,” sponsored by the Mass. Affordable Housing Alliance. The event was held at the IBEW Hall on Thurs., Apr. 30. Thank goodness, Hubby and I arrived early because there wasn’t an empty seat to be had within an hour. There were quite a few sponsors who contributed to the success of the evening: Vargas & Vargas Insurance, First Trade Union Bank, Sovereign Bank, SBLI, Alexander, Aronson, Finning CPAs, Marius & Grandolt, P.C., The Dorchester Reporter, Morgan, Polar Beverages, Lopez, the Florist, and the Standard Modern Company, with special thanks to the IBEW Local 103 and the Kevin Harris Project.

We never even got to see half of the restaurants in the hall. I had some of Belle-Cuisine’s mac and cheese and au gratin potatoes. I also sampled the dbar and the Dot 2 Dot Café’s offerings. I wanted to chat with Gerard but he was so busy that I didn’t get a chance. I loved speaking with Helen Ryan and Moira English from the Mud House. (The gals saved us one of their delicious chocolate chip cookies, which we had with their coffee.) Helen’s husband Bill and Moira’s husband Jim were there to help them. I also had a chance to chat with Cindy Quinn from Greenhills. I came to a halt when I saw scones on her table. She kindly put two of her delicious raisin scones in a bag for our breakfast. She also introduced me to her daughter Aoife, whose birthday I always remember in the birthday column. I did have a scrumptious chocolate-covered strawberry, which was from Phillips Candy House. I rationalized that the strawberry was mainly fruit so the calories were practically nil. On the way out, we had a chance to speak with Dave and Robyn Mabel. They gave us some of their delicious black raspberry ice cream. (I promise I will be good for the next month.)

There were so many more restaurants that I never even saw: the Ashmont Grill, Big Moe’s M & M Ribs, the Blarney Stone, C.F. Donovan’s, Chau Chow, City Fresh Foods, Flames Restaurant, Flat Black Coffee Company, Irie Jamaican-Style Restaurant, KA’ Carlos, Lorenz Island Cuise, Pat’s Pizza, Poppa B’s. Restaurante Cesaria, Saigon Seafood Restaurant, Shanti: Taste of India, Tavolo’s, and Venezia. I do hope that there will be a “Taste of Dorchester” next year. I will be sure to get around to see more.

Hubby and I had a great chat with Lou Pasquale from the Phillips Group at Dorchester Board of Trade’s April meeting at the Freeport Tavern at Phillips. Lou told us about all the kids he knew through his 50 years at Phillips. Without naming names, he told us how proud he was of almost all the kids that he knew through all these years. Sometimes all the kids needed was a hand to guide them through their teen years. I am sure that Lou provided that to these kids.

I was sorry to read of the death of Gregory Hebard Sr. on Apr. 15. Hubby and I send our sympathy to his brother, our friend Noel Hebard. I was also sorry to learn, from Mary Jepsen, that our friend John McPherson lost his brother Joseph on Apr. 7. Our neighborhood sends its sympathy to Joe’s wife Mary (Remmes), to his children, to his brother John and his wife Ethel and to his sister Jean.

In the April 24th edition of the Pilot, I enjoyed reading the article about Susan Boyle, who appeared recently on the “Britain’s Got Talent” show and wowed the judges with her singing. A Scottish priest, Fr. Basil Clark, who watched the program, was not surprised by Susan’s talent because he sees her every year on the annual Legion of Mary Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Knock in Ireland. The article mentions that Susan has learning disabilities because of being starved of oxygen at birth. Since the death of her mother in 2007, Susan has lived with just her cat in the village of Blackburn in Scotland. Susan is the youngest of nine children. Unemployed, she is a Catholic whose social life revolves around her family and her parish of Our Lady of Lourdes. She is now getting ready for the next round of competition on the show.

I must mention some more on the Radio Garden Sense Program, which airs on Saturday evenings on WBZ radio from 10 to 11 p.m. Jos Roozen, the Dutch gardening expert, is wonderful in answering questions, which listeners call in and ask him. I have heard him several times say that the best tomato to buy for planting is “Better Boy.” Hubby went to the garden center the other day and bought three flats of “Better Boy” tomatoes plus a few cherry tomato plants. We will not plant them in the ground until Memorial Day, however, because of the possibility of cold temps. Jos also mentioned that we shouldn’t buy the upside-down tomato planter that is being advertised in all the media. He said that the planter dries out in August and all the plant/plants inside will die. Listen to the program. I am sure that you will get some terrific hints on gardening. If you want to call into the program with a question, the phone number is: 1-800-721-6003.

I love reading the most popular names for babies, both in Massachusetts and the nation. In Massachusetts, the most popular boys’ names were: Matthew, Michael, Ryan, William, and Jacob. The most popular Massachusetts’ girls’ names were: Ava, Isabella, Sophia, Olivia, and Emma. Across the nation, the most popular boys’ names are: Jacob, Michael, Ethan, Joshua, and Daniel; the most popular nationwide girls’ names are Emma, Isabella, Emily, Madison and Ava.

If you are looking for something to do on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Ave. is offering free admission during regular museum hours, 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. There will be family-friendly activities including live performances by the ANIKAI Dance Company. The museum is also offering free admission to the exhibition “Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese,” which is regularly $25. It sounds like a wonderful day.

St. Brendan’s bulletin proudly states that the “Got Books” book container, located on the Rita Road side of the school, has been filled five times with used books, CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, and audio books. The school benefits each time the container is filled. This is the time of year for spring cleaning. Why not see if there is anything around your home that you could contribute to this worthwhile cause.

I must thank Carol Murphy for giving me photos taken at a Wednesday evening concert on City Hall Plaza last summer. It must have been a warm evening because I am wearing shorts. After seeing my legs in these photos, I vow to wear long pants from now on.
I thoroughly agree with this statement (anonymous), having learned from bitter experience: “He who begins many things finishes nothing.”