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The Orland Park Prairie 021518
The Orland Park Prairie 021518
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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.