Not long ago we mentioned in this column that we had received a report that, for some reason, Eagle Street seems to be longer in the winter than it is in the summer. We thought the report was somewhat suspect at the time, but we have since learned from another source that from time to time, Eagle Street does stretch to include an Elm Street home which is situated directly across from the northern the end of Eagle Street. It is our understanding that the son in this particular household was included, during his youth, in the Eagle Street gang which, except for this one Elm Street youngster, was comprised entirely of Eagle Street residents.

We also understand that the current residents of this Elm Street home are routinely included each year in the Eagle Street block party. However, both of these extensions do not seem to be season sensitive and could not, therefore, explain the difference in the street length between the summer and the winter. There must be, we think, some other explanation.

We must say that we were somewhat amused recently when we were talking with our parents, who are wintering in Florida, and they were complaining that the temperature there was supposed to go down to 32 degrees. We, on the other end of the telephone, were of course hoping that the temperature would go up to 32 degrees. We would even be happy if it went up to 25 degrees and made a valiant effort to stay there.

We understand that the weather in Ohio has not been anything to write home about either. The wee-we, who is not so wee anymore, reported that this past week, Kenyon College was closed for two days and the Mount Vernon public schools were closed for three days. We naturally assumed that they must have gotten quite a bit of snow. But that was not the case as we learned they had only received about six inches of the white stuff. We gather that the bigger issue was sleet and freezing rain. Of course, as luck would have it, one of the days when everything closed down, the big weather event turned out to be just plain old rain.

Evidently, when the college closed, it was announced that only essential employees needed to report for work. Needless to say, the wee-we went in as he tends to think of himself as absolutely essential. We are not certain what the college's view on this might be.

And, while on the subject of weather, we were somewhat alarmed when, while dining at a local restaurant with friends, it was reported, by someone who had used the facilities, that there was a sign in the ladies room that said there was 157 days until spring. By our calculations, that would mean that spring would not be arriving until late May or early June. And, given the weather thus far this winter, that was not exactly the arrival date we had in mind for spring. Quite frankly, we think this is one of those cases in which we are not going to trust anything written in a public rest room.

We were pleased to read, when we received the last newsletter from the Clark Sports Center, a message from Jane Forbes Clark, President of the Clark Foundation, in which she outlined the history of the Sports Center which is in its 113th year of operation. Originally started as the Alfred Corning Clark Gymnasium in 1891 by Jane's great uncle, the facility has, over the years, been located in three different building, pictures of which occupied the article. Mention was also made of Colonel Simon Acoutin who was assistant director and then director of the facility from 1942 until 1963.

We seem to remember the he-we talking about his childhood experiences with Colonel Acoutin at the gym. We are always delighted when we come across an article such as this which focuses on the institutions and people who helped shape the Cooperstown community. And, of course, we are ever mindful of that fact that Jane herself is a member of a family which not only has, but continues to, do a great deal for the Cooperstown community. And for that, we thank her.

We are greatly looking forward to next week's baby shower at the Women's Club regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 10, at 2 p.m. in the Christ Church Parish House located on Fair Street in Cooperstown. Those attending the shower, which is open to anyone who would like to attend, should bring a wrapped baby gift which will be donated to the "Bundles for Babies" program at Bassett Healthcare. The "Bundles for Babies" program, which has been in operation since the early 1990's. furnishes clothing and blankets to newborns whose mother's have participated in the PCAP program at Bassett. Anyone who is unable to attend the meeting, but would like to donate a gift, may do so by calling Cathe Ellsworth at 547-8124 or by dropping it off at 105 Pioneer Street, Cooperstown.

In closing, we recently read an article in the January 29, 2004 edition of The Christian Science Monitor entitled "Devices that Americans say they despise but need most." Evidently, the eight annual Lemelson-MIT Invention Index polled more than 1000 adults and 500 teenagers in an attempt to identify "...the inventions that Americans can't live without but also barely tolerate." Interestingly enough, the number one hated, but needed device, mentioned by 30% of the people polled, was the cellphone. The alarm clock came in second with it being mentioned by 25% of the people. And while we might tend to think both can be annoying, someone else's alarm clock does not bother us nearly as much as someone else's cellphone does.

We remain,

In these Otsego hills,

Where nature smiles,

The Ellsworths

The Ellsworths may be reached by mail at 105 Pioneer Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326, by telephone at 607-547-8124 or by e-mail at cellsworth1@stny.rr.com. They look forward to hearing from you.