5690 Transit Rd. Lockport, NY 14094 716-433-2626 OPEN Mon-Sat 7am-9pm Sunday 7am-2pm Come Enjoy Family Dining At Its Finest! 5690 Transit Rd. Lockport, NY 14094 Here at Kalamata we off er a large selection of Greek and American dishes, served up in a friendly family atmosphere. We off er Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner all day long, including a children’s section to satisfy even our litt lest customers. We feature Daily Homemade Specials that are sure to keep you coming back for more! 438-7980 7279 Rochester Rd Lockport OPEN 9AM-1AM OPEN 11AM-8PM 15 Locust Street Downtown Lockport 2 LOCATIONS FOR YOUR conveniencE 434-6667 Order online at sub-delicious.com We deliver! HYDRAULIC SALES & SERVICE IVERSE ECHNOLOGIES Butch Gedraitis over 40 years experience 8539 Ertman Rd. Lockport, NY 14094 Pumps • Motors Valves • Cylinders 716-542-4129 Member To Serve And Strengthen Agriculture ROBERTS ROOFING & SIDING 716-433-2883 6279 Ridge Rd (Rt 104) Lkpt SPECIALIZING IN: For 4 Generations • Since 1940 Another Great Job By: ROOFING SIDING and www.robertsroofingandsiding.com Fully Licensed and Insured FREE ESTIMATES ALLBREED HIDDEN FENCING www.dogobey.com 716-434-8959 Don’t Complain... Train & Contain #1 SMOKE SHOP ON THE RESERVATION Open Daily We Are More Than a Smoke Shop! 7 am - 11 pm 449 SHANKS RD., BASOM, NY 14013 | (716) 542-4169 D RE TR O IS BACK AT (716) 433-3331 6312 Robinson Rd. Lockport, NY 14094 Schedule Your Appointment Call Today! REWIND FULLY LICENSED & INSURED Heating & Cooling 716-439-4822 www.theplumberheatingandcooling.com FULLY LICENSED & INSURED LEAVE THE PLUMBING TO US! 0 % Interest and no payments up to 24 months on all products and service Must be presented at time of service. Not valid with any other offer. Gurarantee applies only if recommended service has been performed. Expires 5/30/23 $50 off ANY AIR CONDTIONER MAINTENANCE • REPAIR $77 off ANY SEWER OR DRAIN CLEANING Must be presented at time of service. Not valid with any other offer. Gurarantee applies only if recommended service has been performed. Expires 5/30/23 $50 off ANY AIR CONDTIONER ANY SEWER OR DRAIN CLEANING $77 off Must be presented at time of service. Not valid with any other offer. Gurarantee applies only if recommended service has been performed. Expires 5/30/23 Must be presented at time of service. Not valid with any other offer. Gurarantee applies only if recommended service has been performed. Expires 5/30/23 $150 off INSTALLATION OF BACK UP WATER PUMP TANKLESS WATER HEATERS $250 off OR $123 OFF REPLACEMENT OF A STANDARD HOT WATER TANK (RESIDENTIAL ONLY) $150 off $250 off INSTALLATION OF BACK UP WATER PUMP TANKLESS WATER HEATERS $ $ DON’T BE A DIPSTICK! OIL CHANGE, LUBE & FILTER $ 5 OFF MUST PRESENT COUPON AT TIME OF SERVICE COUPON 716-434-7370 ENTER CODE : TIDBITS TO GET FIRST MONTH AT HALF PRICE 5673 S. Transit Lockport TRANSIT CAR WASH & EXPRESS LUBE FROM $1595 per month GO TO + tax CONVENTIONAL or SYNTHETIC TRANSITCARWASH.CLUB TO ENROLL UNLIMITED WASHESCOUPON EVERY TUESDAY IS VETERAN’S DAY 5 ¢ENTS OFF AT THE PUMP WITH A VETERAN ID TONAWANDA SENECA INDIAN NATION 409 BLOOMINGDALE ROAD, AKRON 716-542-1073 • 716-542-4949 THE BEST DAMN GAS STATION IN TOWN! WE SELL ANY PROPANE SIZE! SHOP OUR STORE! • TONAWANDA FROG JUICE • BAGGED ICE • BBQ SAUCE RIVER RAT CHEESE (OVER 40 VARIETIES!) • ICE CREAM • MAPLE SYRUP • AND MORE! TIDBITS® READS SOME FAVORITE CHILDREN’S BOOKS by Kathy Wolfe International Children’s Book Day occurs during the month of April, and Tidbits is exploring the pages of some memorable ones. • The day starts out badly for a young boy in Judith Viorst’s 1972 book Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Having gone to bed chewing bubble gum, he wakes up with it stuck in his hair. Arising from his bed, he trips on his skateboard. In the bathroom, he drops his favorite sweater in the water-filled sink. At school, his teacher points out his poor performance in front of the class. The dentist finds a cavity. He falls in the mud. Lima beans are on his plate for dinner. In a world of “happily ever afters,” we might expect the boy’s day to improve…but it doesn’t. The lesson for kids? Life isn’t always pleasant, and everyone has bad days now and then. • Laura Numeroff released If You Give a Mouse a Cookie in 1985, a story that goes round and round until the end when it brings the reader back to the original request. A boy named Oliver gives a cookie to a mouse named Quinley, which sparks the request for milk, which leads to a straw, which goes on in a cycle of requests, ending with the cookie. The mouse book spawned a series of 17 more books, including If You Give a Moose a Muffin, If You (continued on the next page) Week of April 9th, 2023 Volume 7, Issue #40 e-mail: [email protected] website: www.tidbitsofniagararegion.com To Place an Ad Call 716.807.7729 or 716.957.0836 Published by Toby Publishing, Inc. Of Niagara Region The Neatest Little Paper Ever Read®
Unscrambled on Page 8 Solution Puzzle on Page 8 BY HENRY BOLTINOFF Differences on page 7 Solution Puzzle on Page 8 Solution Puzzle on Page 8 For General Public Use Serving Niagara County Handicapped Accessible Route Info: 716-285-9357 www.niagaracounty.com/bus LIKE US ON SPRING HAIR BRING...... APRIL SHOWERS 2370 Lockport-Olcott Rd. Newfane, New York 14108 716-628-3755 Kathy Weaver ~ Stylist & Owner ~ 2370 Lockport-Olcott Rd. Creekside Hair Studio LAKE WINDS METALWORKING • SHEARING • BENDING • DRILLING • MACHINING New Steel (All Shapes & Sizes) - cut to size while you wait! Paints-Lubricants-Bolts &Fasteners Trailer Hitch Supplies 12551 Roosevelt Hwy (Rt 18) • Lyndonville, NY Samuel Martin Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-12 ANTHRACITE & BLACKSMITHING COAL WOOD & COAL STOVES & BOILERS WELDING & CUTTING GASES NEW SUNDAY ELK’S CLUB #41 6791 N Canal Rd • Lkpt DOORS OPEN 5:30pm BINGO @ 7pm EVERY 1st, 2nd & 3rd SUNDAY OF THE MONTH APRIL 16th 2023 IS NEXT GAME CHILDREN’S BOOKS (continued): Give a Pig a Pancake, and If You Take a Mouse to School. • Pippi Longstocking has her roots in Sweden, where her story was first published in 1945 in Swedish as Pippi Langstrump, which literally translates “long stocking.” Her full name is Pippilotta Delicatessa Windowshade Mackrelmint Ephraim’s Daughter Longstocking. The name was created by author Astrid Lindgren’s daughter Karin, who had been confined to bed with an illness. Her mother invented bedside stories about the nine-year-old freckled redhead with sideways pigtails, who lived alone in an old house with her monkey Mr. Nilsson and her horse. Pippi had great wealth due to a suitcase of gold pieces left to her by her father, who had been lost at sea. She was also gifted with supernatural strength. Publishers rejected the first manuscript in 1944, but it was accepted by another, and three chapter books were published from 1945 to 1948, followed by short stories and picture books. The stories have been translated in 76 languages, including Japanese, in which Pippi is known as Nagakutsushita-noPippi. • Eric Carle was working as a graphics designer and illustrator in the late 1960s, when he provided the illustrations for a colleague’s book Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? On a day when he had nothing to do, bored, he started fooling around with a hole punch, punching holes in a stack of paper. He conceived the idea of a book worm chewing his way through pages, and proposed the idea of “A Week with Willi Worm” to a publisher. The editor didn’t find the character appealing, so the pair brainstormed until they came up with a caterpillar and a butterfly. • Eric Carle’s “Hungry Little Caterpillar” eats his way through various food items, including apples, pears, plums, strawberries, oranges, cake, pickles, cheese, salami, and cupcakes, experiencing a stomach ache from those that are unhealthy. Carle used die cut holes in the pages (continued on the next page) Tidbits® Page 2 of Niagara Region For advertising rates call 716.807.7729 172 Robinson St. N. Tonawanda 716-545-6102 | www.TheOldChapelMarket.com The Old Chapel Antique & Artisan Market Located in the former Ascension Church This Historic Landmark is over 6500 sq. ft., featuring a mix of antiques, handmade artisan goods, gifts, decor and much more! Open 7 days a week 10-6pm OVER 150 VENDORS
of niagara region The Neatest Little Paper Ever Read® Published Weekly by: Toby Publishing, Inc. Lockport, NY 14094 For more information on being part of our next weekly issue / ad rates.... Call or Text us at: 716.807.7729 or 716.957.0836 e-mail us at: [email protected] Answers on Page 7 Solution puzzle on page 7 ADDRESS CARD COMPUTER CORRESPONDENCE DISCOVERY DRAFT EMAIL ENVELOPE FILES LETTER MEANING MESSAGE PENCIL PENMANSHIP PENPAL PLUME POSTAGE SCROLL SEALED SECRET SHEET STATIONERY TEXT WORDS LETTER WRITING WORD SEARCH Answer on page 7 PAW’S CORNER By Sam Mazzotta 1. GEOGRAPHY: Which U.S. states share a border with Mexico? 2. MOVIES: Which movie was the first sports film to win the Best Picture award? 3. U.S. PRESIDENTS: How many former first ladies are still living? 4. TELEVISION: What is the name of Bart’s teacher on “The Simpsons”? 5. LANGUAGE: What does the Japanese phrase “domo arigato” mean in English? 6. CHEMISTRY: What is the lightest element? 7. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Who is Marie Laveau of New Orleans? 8. AD SLOGANS: Which product was advertised with the slogan, “Great taste, less filling”? 9. U.S. CITIES: In which city would you find Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello? 10. LITERATURE: Who wrote the autobiography “Dreams From My Father”? (c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc. DEAR PAW’S CORNER: My next-door neighbor shares a driveway with me. We get along fine, organizing our cars so no one is blocked in. However, every morning she walks her dog up the side of the driveway and doesn’t pick up after it. I’ve asked her to do so, but she said that since it’s her side of the driveway she has the right to let him poop there. What can I do to solve this? -- Stunk Out in Bradenton, Florida DEAR STUNK: Neighbor disputes over dog droppings are always a bit nerve-wracking, especially when the offending neighbor asserts their right to leave a mess. Check your neighborhood homeowners association rules to see if this issue is addressed. If you don’t live in an area with an HOA, check out your city or county’s website to find out if there are any restrictions for this sort of behavior, and if it’s possible to file a complaint. Even though your neighbor is keeping the dog on her side of the driveway, it’s shared property. Further, dog poop left lying around, even on the edge of the driveway, is a health hazard. Not to mention how ick it is for anyone who parks on that side and accidentally steps out onto one of those “gifts.” No matter what, don’t lose your cool. Stay civil toward your neighbor. Keep asking her to pick up after the dog, and note down the date and time of each interaction and each time poop is left behind. Take pictures with your phone as well. If the issue can’t be resolved by politely asking, you’ll need to file a complaint with the HOA or your municipality, and may have to provide evidence (notes and pictures, not the actual poo) to back up your complaint. Readers, have you dealt with this problem? Tell us about it at [email protected]. (c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc. Answers on page 7 DOG’S DRIVEWAY POOP IS A BONE OF CONTENTION FOR NEIGHBORS HUGE SALE ALL YARNS & NOTIONS 50% OFF Stitches modern crochet 716.692.9228 Pendleton 50% OFF NOW THRU APRIL 2023 6505 Campbell Blvd at 33 Smoke Shop 5843 S. Transit Rd. Lockport, NY 14094 (716) 201-1072 CBD, Delta 8, Kratom, Glass Pipes Best Prices in Town! 6865 South Transit Rd. Lockport, NY 14094 716-625-8877 Mantelli Trailer Sales, Inc. NEW & USED: CAMPING, TRAVEL TRAILERS & 5TH WHEELS Stop by TODAY or visit us online at: Helping to make memories for a lifetime www.mantelli.com CHILDREN’S BOOKS (continued): as the caterpillar ate his way through the book. Immediately popular upon its publication in 1969, The Hungry Little Caterpillar has sold more than 50 million copies, with a copy sold every 30 seconds. It’s been on the Publisher Weekly’s bestseller list for over 1,100 weeks, and has been translated into 60+ languages. Carle, who died in 2021 at age 91, wrote more than 70 books that have sold over 170 million copies. • The much-loved bedtime story Goodnight Moon, written by Margaret Wise Brown, was published in 1947, experiencing poor initial sales of just 6,000 copies at $1.75 each. (It’s now estimated to have sold 48 million copies.) The story consists of only 130 words and was written in just one morning. Brown told the tale of a bunny’s ritual of bidding good-night to all the things he sees in the “great green room,” including a red balloon, a brush, a bowl of mush, and the moon. Brown died young, just age 42, from a blood clot, having authored more than 100 books under four names and seven publishers. She left behind more than 70 unpublished manuscripts. Thirty were published after her death. • Margaret Wise Brown had bequeathed the royalties from many of her books to the son of her neighbor. The son, Albert Clarke was nine years old when Brown died, and the royalties were held until he was 21, when $75,000 had accumulated. By Clarke’s 22nd birthday, the money was gone. The money continued to be bestowed, as Clarke racked up arrests for marijuana possession, attempted burglary, reckless driving, petty larceny, and disorderly conduct, while he lived in his Dodge van. Although the royalties have amounted to nearly $5 million, 50 years after Brown’s death, Clarke was down to his last $20,000, having squandered the remainder. Brown bequeathed the royalties from one book “Sailor Dog” to Albert’s brother, Austin, which in later years, amounted (continued on the next page) Tidbits® For advertising rates call 716.807.7729 of Niagara Region Page 3
fun part-time jobs ideas for retirees Dear Savvy Senior, As a 68-year-old retiree, I’m interested in finding a fun part-time job that can occupy some of my time and generate a little extra income. Can you write a column on low-stress part-time jobs that are popular among retirees? Part-Time Retiree Dear Retiree, Working part-time in retirement can be a terrific way to occupy your time and earn some extra income. The key, however, is finding the right gig that’s fun and satisfying for you. While there are literally hundreds of different part-time job opportunities out there for retirees, here are a few possibilities to explore. Pet Services: If you love animals, consider pet sitting and/or dog walking. Pet sitters, who attend to a pet’s needs when their owner is away, can earn $15 to $40 per visit. Dog walkers can make $10 to $30 for a 30-minute walk. To find these jobs, advertise your services in veterinarians’ offices or online at sites like Craigslist.org or Care.com. Or, if you’d rather work for an organization that offers these services, visit Rover.com. Teach or Tutor: Depending on your expertise, you could substitute teach or tutor students privately on any number of subjects. Substitute teachers typically make between $75 and $125/day, while tutors can earn between $15 to $30 per hour. To look for substitute teaching positions, contact your local school district to see if they are hiring and what qualifications they require. To advertise tutoring services, use websites like Wyzant.com and Tutor.com. Or, if you have a bachelor, master or doctoral degree, inquire about adjunct teaching at a nearby college or university. Drive: If you like to drive, you can get paid to drive others around using Uber or Lyft apps, or become a food delivery driver through Instacart or Uber Eats. Drivers make around $15 per hour. Babysit: If you like kids, babysitting can be a fun way to put money in your pocket. Hourly rates vary by location ranging anywhere from $10 to $40 per hour. To find jobs or advertise your services, use sites like Care. com and Sittercity.com. Tour guide: If you live near any historical sites or locations, national parks or museums (anywhere that attracts tourists), inquire about becoming a tour guide. This pays anywhere from $10 to $40/hour. Write or edit: Many media, corporate and nonprofit websites are looking for freelancers to write, edit or design content for $20 to $60 per hour. To find these jobs try FreelanceWriting.com, FreelanceWritingGigs. com and Freelancer.com. Consult: If you have a lot of valuable expertise in a particular area, offer your services as a consultant through a firm or on your own through freelancer sites like Upwork.com, Fiverr.com, Freelancer.com or Guru.com. PART-TIME JOBS (cont’d) (cont’d at top of next column under United Healthcare ad) Translator or interpreter: If you’re fluent in more than one language you can do part-time interpretation over the phone or translate documents or audio files for $20 to $40/hour. Try sites like Translate.com, ProZ.com or Gengo.com to locate translation jobs. Public events: Sporting events, festivals, concerts and shows need ticket takers, security guards, ushers, concession workers and more. The pay is usually $10 to $20/hour. Contact nearby venues to apply. Tax preparer: If you have tax preparation experience or are willing to take a tax prep course you can find seasonal work preparing tax returns at big-box tax firms like H&R Block or Jackson Hewitt for around $17/hour. Bookkeeper: If you have a finance or accounting background you can find freelance bookkeeping gigs at sites like Upwork.com and Fiverr.com, or through firms like BelaySolutions.com. Librarian assistant: If you love books, public libraries hire part-time workers to shelve books, send out overdue notices, help patrons, etc. Contact your local library to see what’s available. If you don’t find these options appealing, try FlexJobs.com, which lists thousands of flexible work-athome jobs from more than 5,700 employers. Membership fees start at $10. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. Answer on Page 7 Garnish Desserts With Chocolate Roses When you stroll by the pastry section of your market or neighborhood bakery, do you ever wonder how they make the lovely roses that top the tempting cakes and tortes? While there may be a variety of ingredients and techniques, this classic recipe invented by pastry chefs uses a simple combination of melted chocolate and light corn syrup. The edible clay can be transformed into just about any shape or decoration, but it’s especially fun to include kids and create roses with my easy technique. You’ll be all set to garnish a dessert with creativity, when there’s something to celebrate with your family. CHOCOLATE ROSES Makes 10-12 roses -- 10 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (about 1 1/2 cups) -- 1/3 cup light corn syrup Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave for about one and a half to two minutes in 30-second intervals, stirring each time. If you don’t have a microwave, (cont’d next pg, middle column) Spring & Fall Clean ups • Mulch Installation • Lawn Mowing Shrub Trimming • Landscape Beds • Redefining Snowplowing • Snowblowing • Salting Carmelo Cordero 716.715.8918 FREE ESTIMATES [email protected] CHOOSING WITH CONFIDENCE! the Right Plan from the right Company with your local personal Agent Committed to providing you individual support and superior service Paul Post 716-341-7902 Licensed Sales Agent For an appt. in the comfort of your own home give me a call Walk-In’s also: Each Tues, YMCA 10am--noon • Each Thurs, Dale Association 10am--noon Comfort Care & Support for Niagara County NiagaraHospice.org ~ 716-HOSPICE Aftershave Barbershop 8403 Rochester Rd Gasport, NY 14067 716-988-1947 • Haircuts • Skin fades • Shaves • Beard trims • Chair facials For That Old-Fashioned Shave Specializing in STRAIGHT EDGE M, T, F, 9:30 am - 5 pm Thurs 10:30 am - 7 pm Sat 9:30 am - 2 pm Closed Sun & Wed Abby, Owner/Master Barber BOOK ONLINE THANK YOU FOR 1 YEAR IN BUSINESS! • and More! 716-439-8100 www.ChristianHomeCompanions.com • [email protected] “In home help from the heart” Serving Northern Erie & Niagara Counties Always Looking for Part-Time Compassionate Caregivers Seniors New Moms Convalescents • Transportation • Meal Prep • Laundry • Light Housekeeping and More! “In home help from the heart” Serving Northern Erie & Niagara Counties Always Looking for Part-Time Compassionate Caregivers (716) 625-8100 www.ChristianHomeCompanions.com • [email protected] Seniors New Moms Convalescents Alzheimer’s Special Care Center JUNIPER GLEN Take a personalized tour of our beautiful community – Dignifi ed Care 716-428-5399 – Standalone Memory Care Community – Hands on Administration Convenient Location 8820 Transit Rd. East Amherst, NY 14051 Alzheimer’s Special Care Center Now welcoming new residents – Standalone Memory Care Community JuniperGlenRet.com CHILDREN’S BOOKS (continued): to $13.88 per month. • Harold and the Purple Crayon was the first of a series of 10 “Harold” books written by cartoonist and illustrator David Johnson Leisk, under the name of Crockett Johnson. Johnson had already gained fame for the comic strip “Barnaby” from 1942 to 1952. Harold came along in 1955. The 4-year-old boy creates a world of his own with his magical purple crayon, drawing a path and a moon in order to take a walk in the moonlight, among many other adventures. The books were adapted into a 13-episode HBO series in 2002, which won an Emmy award. Crockett Johnson was also a gifted artist, specializing in complex mathematical paintings inspired by geometric principles and mathematical theorems and diagrams. He painted 100 such works related to math and physics over a ten-year period, 1965 to 1975. Tidbits® Page 4 of Niagara Region For advertising rates call 716.807.7729
Solution on page 8 Solution Puzzle on Page 8 use a double boiler. Add the corn syrup to the melted chocolate. Stir. The lovely smooth mixture will turn into a clay consistency. Put a sheet of wax paper on a cutting board or kitchen counter and scoop the chocolate mixture onto it. Spread it out evenly with your (continued in next column) fingers until it is about a 1/2 inch thick. Cover loosely with wax paper and let it rest for at least two hours. The clay will become pliable. To make a rose, roll 10 smooth balls of chocolate clay a bit smaller than the size of a marble and line them up an inch apart on wax paper. Cover the little balls with a sheet of wax paper. Press down hard on the paper with your thumb to spread out the clay. Aim for the size of a half-dollar. To create petals for a rose, remove one clay disk and curl it into a tepee shape, narrow at the top and wide at the bottom. Wrap the next disk around the opening of the tepee, as if you were making it a little door. The third disk goes at the back of the tepee, with the fourth going along the side. Layer as many of these clay disks as you’d like. Bend back the edges of the disks ever so slightly. Don’t worry if little slits appear, because they will make the petals look more natural. Set the finished rose on a cupcake or other dessert. Note: Use up the clay the same day you make it while it is pliable. Candy melts (available at craft stores) and/or butterscotch chips may be substituted for the (continued on the next page, third column) 512 Main Street Medina, New York 14103 585.798.5815 [email protected] Susan Fuller-owner FULLY LICENSED AND INSURED 716-614-ROOF offi ce • 716-612-ROOF mobile [email protected] • www.healingconstruction.com EMERGENCY ROOFING SERVICE GENERAL CONTRACTOR RESIDENTIAL ROOFING COMMERCIAL ROOFING REMODELING / INTERIORS SERVICE & REPAIRS HEALING CONSTRUCTION CALL TODAY! FOR SPECIAL SPRING PRICING 7145 Fieldcrest Drive Lockport, NY 14094 All are welcome to the table. . . . Services celebrated on Sundays 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Sunday School 10 a.m.-10:45 a.m. Christ Episcopal Church corner of Fieldcrest and Rt. 31 across from Tops Market For more information, please call the offi ce 716-433-9229 — ONLINE ONLY AUCTION EVENT— 11167 Big Tree Rd East Aurora, NY 14052 Office: 716-656-1400 www.auctionsinternational.com NIAGARA COUNTY TAX FORECLOSED REAL ESTATE ONLINE AUCTION ONLINE AUCTION BEGINS APRIL 10TH, 2023 AT 12PM ONLINE AUCTION WILL BEGIN CLOSING APRIL 25TH, 2023 AT 10AM All interested parties visit www.NiagaraCoAuction.com and complete the "Online bidder registration packet-Niagara Co" and have the originals to our Corporate Offi ce by April 21st Mail completed packet to: PEOPLE WORTH REMEMBERING: MARGRET & H.A. REY The names of Margret and H.A. Rey may not be familiar, but undoubtedly you know of their highly-recognizable creation – the stories of Curious George. This week, the extraordinary lives of these authors and illustrators are in Tidbits’ spotlight. • Both of the Reys were born to Jewish families in Hamburg, Germany, she as Margarete Waldstein, and he as Hans August Reyersbach. Although they first met when Margret was a teen at her sister’s 16th birthday party, years passed before they met again, in the unlikely place of Brazil, where they each had fled to escape the rise of Nazism. They married when Hans was 37 and Margret was 29, and moved to Paris. • In 1940, just hours before the Nazis seized the city of Paris, the couple escaped on bicycles, hand-built by Hans from spare parts. They took only what they could carry on the bikes, which included a bag containing their first Curious George manuscript. They reached the FranceSpain border after four days of pedaling, and bought tickets to Lisbon. From there, it was another trip to Brazil, where Brazilian passports enabled them to get into the United States. • George wasn’t the little monkey’s original name. The Rey’s had first featured him in a picture book called Cecily G. and the 9 Monkeys, published in France in 1939. George’s name was Fifi. But in 1941, he became George in the first book published in New York City. Entitled simply Curious George, it began in an African jungle, where the Man in the Yellow Hat captured the monkey and brought him to America. The book deal was $1,000, with an initial run of 7,500 copies. • The book was an immediate success, and the publishers commissioned the couple to pen more adventures of this curious little monkey. Curious George Takes a Job was next, opening with George living in a zoo, Following his escape and subsequent adventures, he is rescued by the Man with the Yellow Hat, and brought to live at his home. • The Reys created seven George stories in all, from 1941 to 1966, including Curious George Rides a Bike, Curious George Gets a Medal, Curious George Learns the Alphabet, and Curious George Goes to the Hospital. His miscellaneous adventures involved rescuing an ostrich, wrecking a dinosaur exhibit, getting sent into space, kidnapping a cow, joining a circus, and going to prison! Several new stories were com- (continued on the next page) Tidbits® For advertising rates call 716.807.7729 of Niagara Region Page 5
BE SEEN BEFORE YOU’RE NEEDED! ADVERTISE IN TIDBITS Answers on page 7 E.B. White penned Stuart Little before writing his famous Charlotte’s Web. White received the inspiration for Stuart Little from a dream he had in 1926 while traveling by train. “I dreamed about a tiny boy who acted rather like a rat. That’s how the story of Stuart Little got started.” The mouse was the second son born to his human parents. Solution puzzle on page 8 1. What golfer, known as “The Silver Scot,” won three major championships during the late 1920s and early 1930s? 2. Name the Norwegian runner who won the New York City Marathon women’s division nine times from 1978-88. 3. Hank Bauer of the New York Yankees holds the longest hitting streak in the World Series (1956-58) with how many games? 4. What NASCAR driver’s 105 career wins in the sport’s top division ranks second all-time to Richard Petty’s 200? 5. In 2021, what famous winter Olympian from Great Britain competed on the U.K. version of TV series “The Masked Dancer” costumed as a rubber chicken? 6. What professional soccer league operated from 1968-84 and included teams such as the New York Cosmos, the Los Angeles Aztecs, the Toronto Blizzard and the Washington Diplomats? 7. Cibona, Zadar, Split and Cedevita are professional basketball clubs competing in what country? c)2023 King Features Syndicate, Inc. Answers on page 8 Solution puzzle on page 8 Answers on page 8 chocolate chips. *** Donna Erickson creates relationships and community through food and fun. Find more to nourish and delight you at www.donnaerickson.com. (c) 2023 Donna Erickson Distributed by King Features Synd. BASEMENT WATERPROOFING DONALD A. YORK INC. Waterproofing & Drainage Contractor • Wall Bracing • Plugged drain tiles corrected • Bowed, cracked walls • Wet yards • Glass block windows • Basements spray painted: Waterproof paint seals, makes walls look like new! OVER 60 YEARS EXPERIENCE 709 Casey Road, East Amherst, NY • 716-688-6111 Abrasive Water Jet Cutting Specialists 9720 Rochester Rd Middleport, NY 14105 phone: 716-735-3370 fax: 866-323-7402 Jeff Ulrich, President mobile phone: 716-622-9427 www.hydrofabwaterjet.com email: [email protected] Abrasive Water Jet Cutting Specialists 6035 S. Transit Rd. Lockport, NY 14094 The Village Manufactured Home Community LOTS AVAILABLE For more information on our community Contact Jeanie Swatsworth or Russell Swatsworth Jr. 716-434-6241 [email protected] Chris Jagielo Sales Manager GET $500 MORE! for your trade Toyota 716-625-8444 Volkswagon 716-625-4444 [email protected] 6179 S. Transit Road Lockport, NY 14094 www.basiltoyota.com BRING THIS AD IN AND SEE CHRIS MIRIAM RIVERA AGENCY INC Agency Owner Miriam Rivera Agency Inc 1038 LYELL AVE ROCHESTER, NY 14606 Offi ce 585-360-0094 Cell 585-360-8658 Fax 888-546-5157 [email protected] MIRIAM RIVERA AGENCY INC Full Line of Tobacco Products Friendly Professional Service CBD Products Pipes and Smoking Accessories Smoke Shop Full Line of Tobacco Products Friendly Professional Service CBD Products Pipes and Smoking Accessories Flyingheadsmokeshop 716-542-4000 [email protected] 750 Bloomingdale Rd. Tonawanda Indian Reservation MARGRET & H.A. REY (continued): posed by ghost writers “written and illustrated in the Rey style.” • Curious George animated TV films were produced from 1979 to 1982. For six decades, the name of the Man in the Yellow Hat with his bright yellow suit and wide-brimmed hat was never mentioned. A 2006 film named him as “Ted,” and a deleted scene revealed his surname as “Shackleford.” • Following Hans’ death, at age 73, Margret became a Professor of Creative Writing at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. • That original 1941 book has never gone out of print. More than 30 million copies of George books have been sold, with no end in sight. They’ve been translated into 16 languages. In Norway, the little monkey is known as “Nysgjerrige Nils,” while the Japanese call him “Hitomane Kozaru.” Tidbits® Page 6 of Niagara Region For advertising rates call 716.807.7729
ANSWERS TO PUZZLES 1. The Ugly Duckling 2. The Little Engine That Could 3. Charlotte’s Web 4. The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats 5. Mr. Popper’s Penguins Jerry’s Loose Threads Kustom Upholstery, Tops, Boats Jerry Chambers Owner 2800 Beebe Road Newfane, NY 14108 716-628-8503 [email protected] 1. Dr. Seuss 2. The Tale of Peter Rabbit The names of Mrs. Mallard’s eight offspring in Make Way for Ducklings were Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouack, Pack, and Quack. Spring is the perfect time to declutter your home. Gather up all of the items in your house and garage and separate into piles of keep, recycle, toss, donate, sell, or repurpose. Then enjoy the warmer weather in a cleaner environment! Paul Rudd Answer 1. Neckline is lower. 2. Rag is missing. 3. Arm and mop are moved. 4. Cabinet is moved. 5. Number is different. 6. Skateboard is missing. Differences Solution puzzle on page 8 Answers 1. Four: California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas 2. “Rocky” (1976) 3. Five: Rosalynn Carter, Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, Michelle Obama and Melania Trump 4. Edna Krabappel 5. Thank you 6. Hydrogen 7. Famous voodoo queen 8. Miller Lite beer 9. Charlottesville, Virginia 10. Barack Obama The next number is 368. The difference between each number are factors of 3: 1, 3, 9, 27, 81, 243 www.schwabsfarm.com 716.735.7570 [email protected] Schwab Farm Market 9035 Rochester Rd. • Gasport, NY 14067 (Rt. 31, between Gasport & Middleport) APPLES S A Ruby Frost Evercrisp Snapdragon Cookies, Pies & Breads Baked Daily PLUMBING NEED WORK DONE? BEST PRICES AROUND! 10% DISCOUNT FOR ALL NO JOB TOO SMALL 716603-0327 em. # 716-448-8967 The English Rose Tea Shoppe Everything you need to make a great cuppa tea 527 Main Street, Medina, NY (585) 798-4410 any regular priced item Cindy Robinson Proprietor 20% OFF w/this ad TOBACCO PRODUCTS & ACCESSORIES GROCERIES • NATIVE ART OPEN EVERY DAY 7AM-10PM 716-542-7122 672 BLOOMINGDALE RD., BASOM, NY 14013 CALDECOTT WINNERS • Randolph Caldecott was a renowned English illustrator of the Victorian Era, whose drawings changed the face of children’s picture books. Fifty years after Caldecott’s death, an award was proposed to honor the illustrator “who had created the most distinguished picture book of the year.” In 1938, the Caldecott Medal was awarded for the first time to Dorothy Lathrop for her work on Animals of the Bible. • The bronze medal features Caldecott’s illustrations, with one side featuring his work on a 1782 poem, and the reverse based on his drawings for the nursery rhyme “Sing a Song of Sixpence.” • Two mallard ducks searching for a permanent home are the foundation of 1942’s Make Way for Ducklings. Mrs. Mallard is about to hatch her eight ducklings when she and her mate land on an island in the Charles River in the city of Boston. A week later, it’s time to move the family to their forever home in the lagoon of Boston Public Garden’s lagoon. Stuck at a busy intersection in the city’s downtown, the family is helped by the friendly policeman Michael, who stops traffic along the route to the Garden. Author and illustrator Robert McCloskey brought six ducklings to live in his New York City apartment to study for his illustrations. He studied illustrations of ducks at the city’s American Museum of Natural History, and consulted with an ornithologist to make his artistry just right. The book was awarded the 1942 Caldecott Medal. The mallard family was re-created in bronze by sculptor Nancy Schon, with the statues installed in the Public Garden in 1987. • Kids are familiar with the four movies in the Jumanji franchise, but might not know their origin. The adventures began with Chris Van Allsburg’s 1982 Caldecott-winning picture book. (continued on the next page) Tidbits® For advertising rates call 716.807.7729 of Niagara Region Page 7
Bill: How many books have you read in your lifetime? Bob: I don’t know. I’m not dead yet. PUZZLE answers SPORTS QUIZ ANSWERS 1. Tommy Armour 2. Grete Waitz 3. 17 4. David Pearson 5. Michael “Eddie the Eagle” Edwards 6. North American Soccer League (NASL) 7. Croatia 4419 Military Rd. | Niagara Falls | 716-297-3060 Mon & Tues 10-5 • Wed & Thurs 10-7 • Fri & Sat 10-5 • Sun 10-4 Furniture & Interiors formerly Scott Furniture 18 MONTHS 0% FINANCING UP TO COME SEE US for your BEAR BOTTOM PRICE on LA-Z-BOY FURNITURE 86 Telegraph Road Middleport, NY 14105 (716)735-3200 www.middleporttractor.net INVENTORY?? WE HAVE IT!! STOP BY YOUR LOCAL TODAY! DEALER 86 Telegraph Road 2546 Youngstown - Lockport Rd. • Ransomville Office: 716.791.3908 • Fax: 716.791.9977 • [email protected] AVAILABLE YEAR ROUND HRBLOCK.COM NEWFANE OFFICE • LYN GALLEY • FRANCHISEE 2911 S Main St • Newfane, NY Office: 716.778.5012 • Fax: 716.778.8957 • [email protected] RANSOMVILLE OFFICE OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY 7 DAYS A WEEK REGULAR • NON ETHANOL • DRIVE THRU BIG RIG EASY IN & OUT • DIESEL • PROPANE • Native Cigarettes • Tobacco Products • Snacks • Drinks • Jewelry • Crafts • CBD Edibles, Creams & Oils • Vape Products 716-542-4006 • janssmokeshopii.com 383 Bloomingdale Rd. • Tonawanda Indian Reservation • Akron, NY Restaurant Open: Mon & Thurs 8am-4pm • Fri 8am-7pm • Sat & Sun 7am-3pm CALDECOTT WINNERS (continued): It’s the story of an enchanted board game filled with wild animals and jungle features that becomes real, sending the dangers of the game board into the home of the children playing it, including wild monkeys, huge spiders, untamed tigers, and a monsoon. The book was adapted into the first film in 1995. • Four years after Jumanji, Chris Van Allsburg nabbed the Caldecott Medal once again, with The Polar Express, the story of a young boy’s journey on a train to the North Pole on Christmas Eve. As a child, Van Allsburg had played on a steam locomotive on display in his Michigan hometown, and used it as his inspiration for his illustrations. The book was adapted into an Oscar-nominated film in 2004. • Arnold Lobel introduced his beloved characters Frog and Toad in 1970, with stories of the loyal friendship between the two. Frog and Toad navigate life’s circumstances, from the menial, such as a lost button, to adventures of flying a kite and planting a garden. Lobel (continued on the next page) CALDECOTT WINNERS (continued): penned a series of four Frog and Toad books, winning Caldecott Honors in 1970 and a Newbery Honor Award in 1973. Lobel was the Caldecott Medal winner in 1981 for his illustrations in Fables, containing 20 tales each containing a moral, such as “Nothing is harder to resist than a bit of flattery” and “A first failure may prepare the way for later success.” Lobel was also the author of 1977’s popular Mouse Soup. A childhood illness initiated his love of drawing, when Lobel spent most of second grade at home, keeping himself occupied by drawing. Tidbits® Page 8 of Niagara Region For advertising rates call 716.807.7729