We have also added Katie Tennant Sanford to our list of descendants. If we are correct, Katie’s grandfather, C. G. Tennant, served on the Loan Exhibit Committee for the Centennial Celebration. We understand that it is the thinking of the current Bicentennial Committee to introduce all the descendants who are still connected to the area at the historical bicentennial event scheduled for April 21 of this year. Therefore, if there are other descendents whom we have missed please let us know so that the list can be as complete as possible.

We have discovered that, when we mentioned back in January that Josie Bliss had retired from the Otesaga Hotel, we were way ahead of the game as her official retirement party was not held until last Thursday. We must admit that we were most delighted to have been invited and greatly enjoyed the event. Naturally many lovely things were said about Josie and the job she has done for not only the hotel but for all of us who had the opportunity to dine there during her tenure. But we were most struck by a comment that Josie made during her remarks. She said that she thought one of the best things that had happened at the hotel during her time there was the decision to make the hotel a place for not only visitors but also for locals to gather.

We could not agree with her more. We well remember the days when the hotel was considered by many to be "off limits." We also remember the time when the he-we would not be allowed in the lobby because of his attire. In fact, he was forced to wait outside the hotel while the bellhop rounded up the hotel guests who had signed up for the he-we’s walking tour of the village. And, also because of that same attire, we would have to walk around the hotel in order to sit on the patio to watch the weekly Cooperstown Community Bank concert in which the wee-we played.

We willingly admit there is no way we would want to go back to those good old days back at the Otesaga. We are pleased that the hotel has included the locals, has a yearly open house for the community, and has opened the Hawkeye Grill year round. And we thank Josie for reminding us of that change which has proven to be a great asset for the community. We are, of course, sorry that Josie is no longer at the hotel. But we do understand that she is loving her retirement, as we knew she would, and we certainly wish her well in the years ahead.

We have received several comments about our mention of the Weather Channel’s website which lists the weather conditions for the Cooperstown rush hour. In fact, we understand that a related, and equally delightful story in our opinion, was told at a recent Eastern Star meeting. One of those in attendance lives around and works in Cherry Valley. Several times, he has received a call at his place of employment asking to speak to someone who has just left the office. The caller then asks if the person might be caught in the elevator or perhaps the parking structure. We think not.

Of course, this Cherry Valley person is the same person who, after getting to work during the Valentine’s Day storm, realized he might have a bit of a problem when it was time to go home. Fortunately, he had a solution.

He simply called the operator of the snowplow in the Cherry Valley area and asked when the road home was likely to be plowed. When he was told it would probably be within the hour, he then asked if the snowplow could toot when it went by the office, so he could follow the plow home. The plow tooted on schedule and our Cherry Valley resident got home without incident. And that is why we live here and not there, wherever there might be.

We wish to remind members of the Women’s Club of Cooperstown that, at its next meeting on Tuesday, March 13 at 2 p.m. in the Christ Church Parish House, the club will continue to collect non-perishable food items and monetary donations for the Cooperstown Food Bank. Any members who are unable to attend the meeting, but would like to make a monetary donation to the food bank, may simply send a check to the Women’s Club or one directly to the food bank.

In closing, we would make note of the weather we have had of late but we really don’t want to talk about it. Unfortunately, we are almost to the point that we think we far preferred the three plus feet of snow, which we received on Valentine’s Day, to the sleet, freezing rain and ice which we seem to have gotten more recently. And we are not exactly certain that we wish to admit that fact in public. So we have decided our best bet is to simply not mention the weather one way or another.

We remain,

In these Otsego hills,

The Ellsworths

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