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opprairie.com Sound Off<br />

the orland park prairie | February 15, 2018 | 17<br />

Social snapshot<br />

Top Web Stories<br />

From opprairie.com as of Saturday, Feb. 10<br />

1. Boys Swimming: Eagles’ Kyle Fox leads<br />

team to conference crown<br />

2. Cheerleading: Eagles finish fourth in<br />

Large Team division at state<br />

3. Police Reports: Woman allegedly took<br />

more than $1,900 in cash, gave away<br />

product from Orland store<br />

4. Girls Bowling: Eagles win first regional<br />

title en route to Bolingbrook Sectional<br />

5. Wrestling: Eagles win two individual<br />

titles, claim regional championship<br />

Become a Prairie Plus member: opprairie.com/plus<br />

Orland Parkers Donna McCormack posted the<br />

accompanying image Friday, Feb. 9, with the<br />

note, “Shoutout to all of us who made it to work<br />

today and those who took care of the shoveling<br />

while we were gone. Katie McCormack<br />

not only did duty at our house with her daddy,<br />

but did our elderly neighbor’s and a path in the<br />

back so the elderly dog could go outside —<br />

which he promptly ignored and went off to the<br />

snow drift anyway. Stay safe all.”<br />

Like The Orland Park Prairie: facebook.com/opprairie<br />

“Thanks to @WholeFoods for joining us at<br />

The Bridge today to teach our students all<br />

about #cheese. We have quite a few cheese<br />

lovers!”<br />

@TheBridgeTC — Bridge Teen Center, on Feb. 6<br />

Follow The Orland Park Prairie: @opprairie<br />

From the Editor<br />

Snow your role<br />

BILL JONES<br />

bill@opprairie.com<br />

How about that snow,<br />

am I right?<br />

We all dealt with<br />

it in some form or another<br />

last weekend (unless you<br />

happened to be vacationing<br />

somewhere warm or still<br />

did not have to go anywhere<br />

this Monday, in which case<br />

I shake my fist in your direction).<br />

So, I will not harp<br />

on it or complain; we are all<br />

in the same frozen boat on<br />

this one.<br />

Instead, I’ll say I think it<br />

was a good week to launch<br />

a weather column. Though<br />

consultant Mark T. Carroll<br />

focuses on recapping January<br />

in his introductory story<br />

(Page 6), the timing just<br />

Letters to the Editor<br />

Vets helpful in time of need<br />

For the second year in a<br />

row, on a cold, snowy winter<br />

morning, my husband, three<br />

small daughters, cat and I<br />

were evacuated from our<br />

home due to a carbon monoxide<br />

leak. (Last year due to<br />

a water heater leak, this year<br />

due to a furnace exhaust issue).<br />

We have great luck!<br />

Sitting in our van in the<br />

driveway, our poor “indoor”<br />

kitty frightened and meowing.<br />

Enter Prairie State<br />

Veterinary Clinic in Orland<br />

Park.<br />

Teddy’s been a patient for<br />

feels right for putting the<br />

area’s weather in historical<br />

context. It is something new<br />

we’re trying, and I’d love to<br />

hear your feedback on it at<br />

bill@opprairie.com.<br />

It also is a good week<br />

to grab a hot beverage of<br />

your choice (a hot toddy,<br />

maybe, for the adults, and<br />

hot chocolate with marshmallows<br />

is a win at any<br />

age) and enjoy some poetry.<br />

This week’s issue is packed<br />

with Orland Park creativity,<br />

from our regular Poetry in<br />

<strong>OP</strong> contributor Lin Peterson<br />

(right here, on this page)<br />

and Resident Poet Susanne<br />

Cabrini Marie (Page 23)<br />

to a guest spot by Dianna<br />

Abusharif (Page 6). Heck,<br />

I’ll even give it a try with<br />

these companion haiku<br />

poems.<br />

‘Good Resident’<br />

Waited for two hours<br />

Put on my hat, gloves,<br />

jacket<br />

Cleared drive, almost<br />

done<br />

‘Jabroni plow’<br />

several years. Called this<br />

morning and mid-explanation<br />

of our predicament<br />

was told, “Just bring her in!<br />

We’ll figure it out.”<br />

Gave her a huge cage in<br />

a warm, quiet room with<br />

warm towels/fresh food/water/litter<br />

while we dealt with<br />

everything. Treated her better<br />

than some of us humans<br />

treat each other on these<br />

cold, snowy days. Refused<br />

to accept payment a few<br />

hours later.<br />

They already have my<br />

business, and if you’re in<br />

need, consider giving them<br />

yours.<br />

Town plow, coming late<br />

Shoveled curb, dug out<br />

hydrant<br />

Yellow lights, snow, hate<br />

OK. I know I promised<br />

I would not complain (I<br />

know I did that). But, to<br />

shovel (by hand, none of<br />

that snow thrower business)<br />

for close to two hours, to do<br />

all the right things (to wait<br />

to give the plows time to<br />

come through first, to dig<br />

out my fire hydrant in case<br />

of the unfortunate event that<br />

necessitates local firefighters<br />

access it) and to be mere<br />

minutes from finishing the<br />

job, on the last stretch of<br />

a sidewalk, only to see the<br />

yellow lights coming, two<br />

plows turning the corner<br />

and a new 2-foot wall<br />

erected at the end my driveway<br />

and (more egregiously)<br />

the hydrant I just cleared<br />

absolutely buried by, presumably,<br />

the same municipality<br />

(not Orland Park) that<br />

wants I clear it. Sooooooooo<br />

frustrating, am I right?<br />

Let’s not even get started<br />

on LaGrange Road.<br />

A grateful patient’s mom,<br />

Maria Moore<br />

Orland Park resident<br />

Poetry in <strong>OP</strong><br />

‘Friends’<br />

Lin Peterson<br />

Contributing Columnist<br />

Friends, past and present.<br />

Some, once so important,<br />

now only a memory, a<br />

curiosity.<br />

Whatever happened to ???<br />

Recently making contact<br />

with a grade school friend,<br />

Our lives long ago on different<br />

paths.<br />

How odd to talk of things<br />

we did as small children.<br />

Games of pretend, singing<br />

with the radio, teaching<br />

each other to dance.<br />

A high school friend I once<br />

introduced to another friend.<br />

They, taking on each other<br />

as friends, to my exclusion.<br />

Another high school friend,<br />

still with me after 50 years,<br />

knowing me better than I<br />

know myself.<br />

More friends, good, good<br />

friends met along the way<br />

that fill the voids in my life<br />

with their lives.<br />

Friends who are my family.<br />

Friends who became my<br />

family.<br />

They all weave a tapestry<br />

around me<br />

and make me who I am.<br />

Sound Off Policy<br />

Editorials and columns are the opinions of the author. Pieces from 22nd<br />

Century Media are the thoughts of the company as a whole. The Orland Park<br />

Prairie encourages readers to write letters to Sound Off. All letters must be<br />

signed, and names and hometowns will be published. We also ask that writers<br />

include their address and phone number for verification, not publication.<br />

Letters should be limited to 400 words. The Orland Park Prairie reserves the<br />

right to edit letters. Letters become property of The Orland Park Prairie. Letters<br />

that are published do not reflect the thoughts and views of The Orland<br />

Park Prairie. Letters can be mailed to: The Orland Park Prairie, 11516 West<br />

183rd Street, Unit SW Office Condo #3, Orland Park, Illinois, 60467. Fax<br />

letters to (708) 326-9179 or e-mail to bill@opprairie.com.

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