The Front Page
Social and Political Commentary
Random Thoughts
Spooked
by Ann Robbins Talbot
... frightened, scared
A girl's crowning glory
Ann Robbins Talbot
... hair care has certainly changed
Coming of age
by John Averell
... rites of passage -- all cultures have them
Zeke meets Melrose
by Eleanor Jenkins
Do you dial your phone?
Eleanor Jenkins
Choices
by Carol Nelson
... "Cake or death?".. Eddy Izzard, Executive Transvestite and comedian -- 1990
A hope for a little advice
By Ed Boyd
... ideas about life, about human experiencing.
'Men are from Mars, women are from Venus'
Jim Tierney
... oh, so THAT’s why!!!…
Collage Making
by Carol Nelson
... collecting images
'My Dolls' Revisited
Ann Robbins Talbot
... yes, people are reading our writing
A hospital is no place for a sick person
by Jackie Wattenberg
... patience, the only answer
What happened to summer?
by Shirley Rabb
... swiftly fly the days
Visiting the library
by Carol Nelson
... what a great staff!
Don't rush me
by Ann Robbins Talbot
... I have hardly tasted summer
Bad luck
by Ed Boyd
... I seem to have a way of bringing on misfortune
Greeting cards
by Shirley Rabb
... time-consuming pleasure
Thoughts while shaving
from Jim Tierney
... can you relate?
Patriotic songs and why I like them
by Ann Robbins Talbot
... narrowed down to my four favorites
Golf is a way of life
by Ed Boyd
... incentive for us cripples to try again
Reality TV II
Carol Nelson
... the withdrawal
The little leather jacket
by Carol Nelson
... taking a chance
Reality TV
by Carol Nelson
... what is real?
Ten Warren St.
by Ed Boyd
... the exhilaration of youth
A quiet moment by the sea
by Ann Robbins Talbot
... a pause to reflect
Cell phones are so annoying...
by Bonnie L. Moore
... I could just scream!!!
Evolution
by Carol Nelson
... please.
Happy Birthday to me
Carol Nelson
... reaching 70
Adventures in sewing
by Ann Robbins Talbot
... I learned my limitations
Frank's death
by Ed Boyd
... my friend, you will be deeply missed.
Things we remember
by Silver Stringers
... memories of things no longer known by the current generation
Now I can reminisce
by Eleanor Jenkins
... so many things have changed
About writing
by Ed Boyd
... simply thoughts that popped into my head.
Moving on
by Eleanor Jenkins
... what goes around comes around
Chicken Little was right
by Carol Nelson
... the sky is falling
Cards Coming and Going
by Ann Robbins Talbot
... touching base at least once a year
Skating season
by Ann Robbins Talbot
... in Melrose, everybody skated
Seeking advice from others
by Ed Boyd
... look within
"The Sounds of Silence"
by Ann Robbins Talbot
... Simon and Garfunkel coined a great phrase
Turkey memories
by Eleanor Jenkins
... they don't make mothers like mine anymore
Reflections on my writings
from Regina Merrill
... the woods caused my heart to flutter.
On the Lay-Away Plan
by Carol Nelson
... everything old is new again
Don't count your chickens too fast
by Ed Boyd
... think it over before you leap
Trick or Treat Revisited
by Ann Robbins Talbot
... Halloween was an innocent holiday in the forties
The magic of music
Eleanor Jenkins
... from 78's to Ipods
Harvest moon over Cottage Street
by Joanne Olsen Imbracsio
... an essay: Thoughts on a quiet night
Open mike at the Beebe
by Carol Nelson
... I remember, from September: ten minutes, open forum
Screw-ups, make-overs and other local news
Observations from Editor Don Norris
... breaking non-news on the home front -- October 2008
Sobriquets
by Ed Boyd
... the kids named the clubs
The runaway
by Ann Robbins Talbot
... did you ever try running away from home?
What to do in a heat wave
by Eleanor Jenkins
... notes from my grandfather's diary the summer of 1910
New beginnings - part two
by Joanne Olsen Imbracsio
... age is only a number
Screw-ups, make-overs and other local news
from the SilverStringers
... breaking non-news on the home front -- September 2008
Flying home in a B-25
by Steve Johnson
... while posing as a USAF major
Don't linger
by Ed Boyd
... the best American short story writer, Raymond Carver
The power of lightning
by Ann Robbins Talbot
... spectacular and dangerous
A day at B.U.
by Carol Nelson
... notes from a lecture
Screw-ups, make-overs and other local news
from the SilverStringers
... Mirror generates new tete-a-tete hotline--August 2008
Thoughts on various notes I have made
by Ed Boyd
... things I don't want to forget.
The Tilley Hat
by Ann Robbins Talbot
... a hat to keep forever
Of ants and men
by Carol Nelson
... where are we going?
Summer time and living ain't exactly easy
by Eleanor Jenkins
... down-home word pictures from the 1930s ...
Whispering Ed
by Ed Boyd
... you have saved my world!
A Drill Team, circa 1950
by Ann Robbins Talbot
... marching is a learned skill
The Twenty Footer
by Ed Boyd
... I'll bet "Jock" Connolly knows
The Twenty Footer
by Ed Boyd
...I'll bet "Jock" Connaly knows.
Beginnings
by Ann Robbins Talbot
... thoughts while sitting in the Logan Express waiting room
The coming of spring in Melrose
by Ann Robbins Talbot
... the woods were our playground in the forties
Historical Society ponders digital records
from Don Norris
... how can you put an attic of relics on a CD?
The fourth grade play
by Ann Robbins Talbot
... why do certain events get stuck in the memory bank?
Love at first sight
by Carol Nelson
... '70s memories
Melrose-Wakefield Hospital surgical day treatment
by Ed Boyd
... the most responsive staff anywhere.
A new holiday
by Jerry Norton
... let's hear it for Millard Fillmore
Giggle, giggle, I love you, Honey
by Grace Allspach
... but try to stay in tune, will you please?
A presidential person
by Ann Robbins Talbot
... February makes us think of Presidents
New beginnings
by Joanne Olsen Imbracsio
... thoughts on curve balls and turntables
Turning away-turning toward
by Ed Boyd
... I still miss my friend, Joe
Was it something I said?
by Carol Nelson
... nobody likes a smartypants
On history, faces from the past and present
from the SilverStringers
... two-year project is nearing 12th anniversary
Effigy: A lesson in love and retribution
from Regina Merrill
... unless he needed the oil changed in his new Thunderbird.
Oh, what's happening to me?
by Ed Boyd
... what can happen next?
Swimming to victory
by Carol Nelson
... in my element
The ingathering
by Ann Robbins Talbot
... each year we get ready to survive the elements
The real thing
by Carol Nelson
... "Is it the real turtle soup or merely the mock?" Cole Porter lyrics
Dealing lightly with cataracts
by Don Norris
... dastardly shadows disappear, and all is color again
An adventure at Belle Air Marsh
by Ed Boyd
... a look at things from many perspectives.
When cheerleading meant leading cheers
by Ann Robbins Talbot
... how times do change
Old ladies
by Carol Nelson
... What are the rules for women?
A day's journey back in time
by Ann Robbins Talbot
... a wonderful trip especially in the fall ...
Migration
by Carol Nelson
... consider the birds
An enduring friendship in Melrose
by Arthur H. Whitman
... remembering buddies from the '30s and '40s
A story of Martha
by Ed Boyd
... Martha didn't know she was surrounded.
"Close, but no cigar."
by Arthur H. Whitman
... Melrose had three stations on the Boston & Maine Railway.
The whales of July 12th
Words and photos by Ann Robbins Talbot
... where to take your summer guests
Thoughts from a hospital
by John Averell
... seventeen days in stir
What did you say?
by Eleanor Jenkins
... one may need to adjust to hearing again
Putin at the beach
by Carol Nelson
... the eyes of the beholder
July 4, 1942
by Ann Robbins Talbot
... a child's eye view ...
An old-fashioned cure for "Obesity"
by Lora Crouss
... whoever heard of that!
The razing of St. Joseph's
by Ed Boyd
... my early years were gone
The Soundtrack of My Life
Ann Robbins Talbot
... there is something so important about songs...
Seven minutes at Main and Foster
by Don Norris
... living in a special suburbia
Earth Day, 2007
by Ann Robbins Talbot
... did you miss Earth Day on April 22nd?
From times past
by Ed Boyd
... the unvarnished reality
Some writings from sixty years ago
by Ann Robbins Talbot
... a twelve year old writes from the past
Observations of Melrose, Mass.
by Bill Jodrey
Cecil
by Ed Boyd
... the best friend I ever had
Two Great Ladies of Melrose - circa 1950
by Ann Robbins Talbot
Remembering after fifty years...
Reading the past
by Carol Nelson
... I don't know much about mythology
Kris Koch hits TV's big time again
from the Melrose Free Press
... scores with beer commercial in "SpotBowl"
About valentines and love
by Ann Robbins Talbot
... my long struggle with Valentine's Day
Eating for love
from Lilia Dianderas
... Happy Valentine's Day
February, 2007
by Carol Nelson
... remembering the roses
A Luddite's lament
by Dorothy O'Connor
... email: anal, awful, imposing, mostly unwanted
An infinite space?
by Len Dalton
... can you imagine, duplicates out there
Let's have another cup o' coffee
by Eleanor Jenkins
... memories of a special brew
An invitation to comment on our writing
by SilverStringers
... most of us write stories because we can't help ourselves
Jim Driscoll with Dr. Ed Boyd: a dialogue
by Ed Boyd
... a charter member reflects on ten years as a SilverStringer.
Notable quotes
by Carol Nelson
... what a funny dream
Please stay tuned
by Carol Nelson
... how soon we forget
What do you clip?
by Eleanor Jenkins
... going through a box of newspaper clippings and what I found.
Infinite space?
by Len Dalton
... cerebral calisthenics in space physics
A blue bootie
by Ed Boyd
... the emergency room doctor said fracture.
Drawing as the path to writing
by Ed Boyd
... following the path from drawing will lead to writing
Browsing
Ed Boyd
This is about wandering through Harvard Square in deep thought.
Punishment
by Ed Boyd
... a story about Henry taking candy from Sister's jar.
Puishment
Ed Boyd
This is a memory of being in the 4th grade and Henry was put in the corner for taking candy from Sister's jar.
Punishment
Ed Boyd
This is a recollection about punishment when a 4th grader.
A different trip on the Auto Train
by Ann Robbins Talbot
... a sequel to a Mirror article in the May, 2006 edition
Life has a way
by Dorothy O'Connor
... and now the laugh is on us
A glorious transition to Spring
by Ann Robbins Talbot
... an annual lift to our spirits
Memories
by Frank Callahan
Does any one know how to "upper"?
ejenkins
I remember a Holiday tradition that my brother always seemed to enjoy in our neighborhood of Fishtown in the city of neighborhoods, Philadelphia.
Bunnies, chickies, chocolate eggs just don't make it
by Ann Robbins Talbot
... why Easter is special to me
Progress -- Making room for more Melrosians
from the SilverStringers
Why am I getting so much mail?
by Ann Robbins Talbot
... suddenly the volume of my incoming mail has doubled
'Why don't you believe me?'
by Russ Priestley
... some reasons why you should
I'm not a Republican
Margery Carter
Good love gone bad
by Carol Nelson
... sob... sob...
Neighbors, relatives rally
from Jim Driscoll
... Love and support in the holiday season
The Christmas that almost wasn't
by John Averell
... after a long summer
Remembering Christmas, 2005
by Natalie Thomson
... seven decades makes a difference
Holidays: You can't go back ...
Thoughts from Stringer Shirley Rabb
... Are times really changing?
We agreed, get small stuff ...
from Don Norris, SilverStringer
... the cost of Christmas was out of sight
Grizzly bear
by Frank O'Callahan
Voices from the past
by Ed Boyd
... the voice I knew was Jim Blake, voices are everlasting
Bye, bye birdie
Arnold Koch
... at least we don't have to worry about the Bruins, Celtics or Red Sox
Halloween -- a good time to meet neighbors
Eleanor Jenkins
... but it's just not the same
Mother and Hallowe'en
by Marion Celani Gianino
... Humorous stories about my mother.
Century oak tumbles
from the SilverStringer phototeam
Our two ducklings and F.D.R.
by Marion Celani Gianino
... accidentally stepped on one of little Pinky's legs, crushing it severely
Seventy Septembers
by Ann Robbins Talbot
... I have seen seventy Septembers, but...
Return to Revere Beach
by Carol Nelson
... the joy of being young
I Love Snow
by Jackie Wattenberg
... A fantasy world for leprechauns and small creatures
... we dreamed of a White Easter
The passing parade on the Parkway
by Marie Salamanca
... I'm freezing - why aren't they?
Wrong number
on Mother's Day
by Natalie Thomson
... who was it?
Time marches on
by Frank O'Callaghan
... or should I say gallops?
Right or wrong?
by John Averell
... how can I know?
Who is my neighbor?
by John Averell
... helping the needy
Gettin' older?
Collectin' more 'stuff'?
by Don Norris
Christmas wasn't Christmas
by Kay McCarte
...without a little extra
Best Christmas? Uncle Carl's saddle gun
by Don Norris
... flying backwards, flat on my backside ...
Construction time: Two grand for "Expressions"
From the Photo Team
... if they'd only pay us our worth ...
Library gets new flagpole
from the SilverStringers
... Pembroke people respond to mayor's hint...
Let's have a few words
by Russ Priestley
... with many meanings
Quilting is my hobby
from Jane Richardson Bond
... even husbands can get involved
Oh brother!
by Jerry Norton
... recollections of a scamp
A quilting bee to remember
by Marie Salamanca
... warm hands and hearts at work in Melrose
Joe Smith winner Boston Athletic Association 1941
from Isabel Smith
... and Yonkers NY Marathon National Championship
Memorial Day
by Jerry Norton
... personal memories
Flying again
by Marie Moreland
... short flying experiences.
The swan
by John Averell
... a walk in Woods Hole
It finally came to me
by Bob Ross
... wondered what happened
Ashes to ashes
by Jerry Norton
... and dust in the air
Sister Isabel Goineau - Memories of Beebe Estate
from Sister Isabel Goineau, S.H.C.J
... Mrs. Beebe was a very kind lady
Taking the cure
by Ed Boyd
... score one for John
Escape
by Ed Boyd
... well-fed cat
Presidents' day party
by Ella Letterie
... a patriotic blast
What would the world be without music
by Hattie Hoit Richardson
... an essay by my grandmother, submitted by John Averell
Fonetic spelling
by Russ Priestley
... that's rite, fonetic spelling
Discovering America -- in Melrose, Massachusetts
by Eleanor Jenkins
... finds Stringers' story in Philadelphia Inquirer
Doodle-without-thought by Shirley
by Natalie Thomson
... what do you see in these pictures?
What do you do when your car goes to the shop?
by Bob Ross
... a good question
Yikes, it's
a bulldog
by Kay McCarte
Adjusting to algid weather
by Bob Ross
... its really cold out there!
What's in? A name
by Russ Priestley
... don't call me late for breakfast
A new generation of drivers
Bob Ross
... no consideration for others
Kielbasi for the holidays
by Natalie Thomson
... Easter and Christmas
Resolution - for 2005
Kay McCarte
... Let's see if I keep it
New Years resolutions
by Shirley Rabb
... it's that time again
My MRI
by Bob Ross
... Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) - you can't move
Dad-gum it, I ain't THAT old ...
by Don Norris
... it's downright uncomfortable ...
Resolutions 2004
Bob Ross
... If we could only keep them.
Yikes! It's a fly!
from Stringer Don Norris
Neighbors lend a helping hand
from Don Norris
... insight on Melrose folks, at Christmas
My wife's operation, November, 2003
by Bob Ross
... what a surprise
Geologist needs help in Melrose
from Jim Moore, geologist
... hangover from Ice Age
The doctor knows best -- or does he?
Marie Salamanca
... Uncle Clement didn't always follow his doctor's orders
More than I need to know
by Russ Priestley
... thanks to computers
The Odors of October
Marie Salamanca
... homemade wine, vinegar and tomato sauce
Beginnings
Steve Johnson
... from Melrose to Malden and back
Lennie's-On-The-Turnpike
by Steve Johnson
... a place to remember and Woody Herman honked
Melrose in early spring
by David Moreland
... with a winter hangover
Autumn in
New England
Kay McCarte
It's not your usual RMV
by Roseanne Greene
... Miracles of miracles, you wouldn't believe!
Out of the past
by Marjorie Burgess
... a gentle form of insanity
On Top Of Things
by Natalie Thomson
... weekly Wednesday meeting
Problems We Face
As We Age
by Marjorie Burgess
... trials and tribulations of celebrating too many birthdays.
How I Became An Equestrian
Russ Priestley
...it went with the territory.
Looking Forward to Spring
by Bill Jodrey
... balmy days of spring suggest a change in our lives
Conversation Overheard
at the End of an
Editorial Meeting
Virginia Hanley
... A senior moment
A Lost Soul or to be old
Marjorie Burgess
... a senior moment
Human Spirits
Bill Jodrey
... the circle must be closed
What Are Human Beings?
Bill Jodrey
... the promise of a distant future
The Wanderer
Bill Jodrey
... hope springs eternal
Rocks of Life
Bob Ross
... Small things dont count!
Bookends
Marjorie Burgess
... after forty-five years, no communication ...
Reminiscences
by Bill Jodrey
... a stray thought when the moon was full
Wonderful People
Faith Renshaw
... Musings on kind actions
My Meandering Thoughts
Marjorie Burgess
... a moment of stream-of-consciousness thinking
Another Productive Year Ending
Bob Ross
... Lots of hard work, but worth it.
Once a mother?
Leonard Peterson
... A thin slice of life, a 90 year-old mom
How to avoid Red Sox disappointment
Russ Priestley
... Here is the solution...
Halloween in the country
by Bob Ross
... City folks miss a lot
This Memory is a Keeper
Virginia Hanley
... sharing a brief moment at the shopping center
A Lot of Hot Air
Bill Jodrey
... seven blowouts in 20 miles
Words
Russ Priestley
... some mental gymnastics
The Mystery of Spelling
Marjorie Burgess
... complicated by pronunciation
The Saga of "Sweet Thing"
Mary MacDougall
... Fond Remembrances Of A Blue Jay
Phillips Chicken House
Ella Letterie
... The art of buying chickens 60 years ago
Memories Are Wonderful Things
Bob Ross
... How things change as we get older
The Cap
Russ Priestley
... Thus was born the cap with visor.
A Musing
Russ Priestley
...Clearing some thoughts in my mind
3:00 A.M. Thoughts, Part III
Virginia Hanley
... more thoughts that rose to the surface of my mind in the middle of the night
Bread - The Staff of Life
Marjorie Burgess
... and the taste of it was like wafers made of honey
Food for Deep Thought
Marjorie Burgess
... which is stronger, love or hate?
A Fragment of My Life
Marjorie Burgess
... a successful day
BE a Pro, NOT an Anti
Len Dalton
... We can't all be a total loss! Brighten up. Life is good.
Searching for a Name
Russ Priestley
... meandering through the telephone directory
Thoughts
Bill Jodrey
... Philosophical Musings
What Do I Dream of When I Daydream?
by Bill Jodrey
... wistful, hopeful musings
More 3 A.M. Thoughts
by Virginia Hanley
How often have your heard ...
by Jackie Wattenberg
...Words and Phrases whose Sincerity Might be Questioned.
The Insect
by Marjorie Burgess
... Influenced by the reading of Virginia Woolf's essay, The Death of a Moth
A Thought on Music
By Len Dalton
... developing a second gift ...
3 A.M. Thoughts
by Virginia Hanley
... Questions and thoughts that rise to the surface of your brain in the dark hours of the night
Health Trends
Nick DiLoreto
...it has been predicted that by the year 2000, the health industry will reach two trillion dollars.
The "Ayes" Have It
Faith Renshaw
JFK and the Republican Mayor
Donald R. Norris
The Lord Is My Shepherd ....
Roseanne Greene
Hello, 911? ....
Marjorie Burgess
... an encounter with the fuzz...
Food for Thought
Jackie Wattenberg
... and a month's supply of sugar!
Eternity in a Capsule
Bill Jodrey
"... and one by one, in seven steps, beings were created..."
Naming a Child
Russell Priestley
... a snapshot of parenthood.
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Copyright © Silver Stringers, 1999, 1998