11/7/13 Successful Festival, Craft Show at Ironhorse, Salsa Dancing at HAAC

Last weekend was really beautiful, wasn’t it?  I think those bright orange, red, and yellow leaves looked even brighter against that electric blue sky.  I hope you found time to sit or lie underneath a tree and just soak up the beauty of it all.  I didn’t, but I wish I had. 

By all accounts, Train Day was a huge success.  This is the second time that Richmond.com has listed an Ashland event on its list of the Top Five Things to do in Richmond this Weekend.  Did you hear that we may have had 5,000 people in town?  I really love seeing all those visitors, and secretly, I love knowing that I live here and they’re just visitors.  It’s like I belong to this really cool club.  Shhhh- don’t tell anyone that I said that; it sounds kind of arrogant.

I know that there are so many organizations to thank for Train Day- the Town of Ashland, The Main Street Association, and the dozens of volunteers who stayed on their feet all day Saturday.  But I think the Ashland Police Department deserves a round of applause for keeping all of those spectators safe.  Can you imagine how stressful it must be when your town’s biggest safety concern is also its biggest tourist attraction?   

We have such a sad goodbye to say to Mrs. Willis, Mrs. Catherine Willis.  I only met her a few times, and I was always amazed at how lovely she was.  I know that she was a wonderful friend, wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, but I will always remember her beauty.  She had the most stunning complexion- flawless to the point that I would forget what I was saying.  I hope that doesn’t sound trivial, because even thought I know it was only a small part of who she was, it was the part of her that I’ll remember. 

Oh, I have some belated birthdays this week, especially those Halloween babies who have to share their birthday with ghosts & goblins.  Happy birthday to Parker Marchetti and Bob Brown- both who are treats to have around!  The Brown house was loaded with sweets this week as Madison Brown also celebrated turning 15 on November 4^th. 

I have found a solution to all of your holiday planning woes, and a fun way to spend a Wednesday night!  The 2^nd Annual Holiday Craft Show is next Wednesday, November 13^th in the back room at the Ironhorse Restaurant.  There will be wreaths, Christmas gifts, New Year items, and lots of sparking jewelry.  Best of all, many of the crafts were made by our favorite Ashland waiter- Jeffery! 

You know you need to dance more.  You’ve know it for a while now, but you’ve been putting off making that first step.  Your moment has arrived.  The time is now- well, the time is next Friday, November 15^th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the Arts and Activities Center.  A free Salsa dance workshop is being held by Contra-Tiempo, a dance group from L.A. who is in town performing at the University of Richmond’s Modlin Center for the Arts.  Free dance lessons.  You have no excuse.    

 Call or email me with your Ashland news: 310-5320, ashlandnews@gmail.com.  Rake some leaves into a pile and jump into them this weekend!