INSIDE.
COMMUNITY
~ EVENTS B2

KATHY FLORITTO

Encore, encore

ADIES AND gentlemen....he has
entered the building!

Those eight words were guaran-
teed to lum even the most jaded of
Las Vegas andiences into a quivering mass of
expectations. Just knowing ‘‘The King’’ was
somewhere in the vicinity was enough to elec-
trify the air.

Earlicr this month, on Saturday, November 2,
the phrase “he'll be here soon’’ bad the same
effect. Normally rational, unflappable fotks felt
.» their knees turn to jelly... Jonah Scbastion was

about to make his entrance onto the world’s

stage,

And what a performance! Produced by our
-fabulous and amazingly capable daughter,
Claire, and directed by the enthusiastically ac-
claimed and indefatigable Dr, Paul Warbeck,
with ihe ablest cf assistance from the love-
ly honey-haired Nurse Donna and her excep-
tional =crewmates, Jonah’s first one-baby
presentation was a resounding success.

Billed as the lunch-time entertainment at Mills
Memorial Hospitai, young Jonah, it's predicted,
will bave a long and outstanding run on the
globai footlights. Atsome point in fis minimum
aliotment of three score and ten, make sure you
-attend at Jeast one of his shows — it’s an expe-
‘rience you won't soon forget.

Mother and child are doing magnificently,
thanks. Mom’s brother, ‘“The Coach’’, should
be coming out of his coma any day now and
Jonab’s grandparents are recovering as quickly
as can reasonably be expected.

Jonah probably figures if he can evoke this
reaction just by showing up — wait ’til he really
does sonicthing!

Claire’s Dad is now a Nono (English transla-
tion - grandpa) and ] am a Nana (Ilalian transla-
tion-- Noni or Nona). For some of you, this

. grandparent business is old hat, but for us its a
whole new experience.

On Shakespeare's ‘‘stage’’ we may, indeed,
be ‘bil players, but if we play it right, who
knows? Claire has two brothers and two sisters
—we may be called on for encores!

Wee Jonah is, of course, adorable, Weighing
7 ibs 6 oz and only 19.5 inches long, with deep
bluc eyes (for now, anyway), hair the same dark
hue as the rest of us, a ‘‘real’’ nose, lovely jong
__ fingers (and feet!), a beautiful smile and a cleft

‘in his tiny chin, he’s every bit as wonderful to

gaze at as were our own childrea...sheer perfec-

‘tion. Tt runs in the family.

.Waddya mean I’m bragging? Perish the

thoughi!!

I’ve changed my mind, This baby can
squeak all he pleases — he can yell in
my ear, need changing a gazillion
times a day, stay awake all night —
anything he likes.

While raising our own set of rug tats, [ seldam
‘gave thought to what sort of grandparents we'd
be. As they grew aad fell/Mew out of the nest, |
rather enjoyed the idea of having them and their
offspring visit us..you know...me, with cookie
jar at the ready, Nono down on the floor com-
mantdeering their toys (and their caokics).

They'd go home and we'd smile a big sigh of
relic! thinking how pleasant i1 was to look for-

“ward to another visit sometime soon,

But more nights of pacing the floor? More
diapers? Not this Nana!-Uh-uh. I had my turn
-~ let our kids enjoy the world that only an in-
fant can create.

Ive changed my mind, This baby can squeak
‘all he pleases — he can yell in my ear, need
- changing a gazillion times a day, slay awake all

night — anything he likes. His mom
demonstrates wonderful parenting instincts and
She knows just when to hand him over ta Nono
and Nana (funy bow that works), Life in the
Floritte family household couldn't be sweeter.

Jonah Sebastian is a very lucky tittle boy. He
has a mother who must’ve been born with child-
caring skills. Being the youngest, she had no si-
blings to mind as she was growing up and ber
mother, after raising her own brood, had no
desire to introduce more liltie ones into the
equation —- so she didn’t learn it from me. But
from wherever it arose, she’s the kind of mom
every child should have,,..and his grandparents,
well...aced [say more?

Yeah, yeah - 1 know...’ve said enough al-
ready, Bul, did I tiention. what a wonderful
prandson we have? Babblitig?? Mol?!”

SECTION B
CRIS LEYKAUF
638-7283

year's Remembrance Days ceremony,
showed a big increase in numbers com-

pared to last year. That's because this .

year there was no snowstorm and drifts of
snow to keep people from coming out.
Still that cold wind must not have been
very pleasant for the kilted bag-pipe
players and ladies of the Legion Auxiliary.
Clockwise from the top: Legion presi-
dent John Groot salutes the cenotaph at
city hall; Many dignitaries laid wreaths
around the cenotaph, including the mayor
and Skeena’s MLA; the parade saw a
good turn out this year of vets, legion
members, air force cadets and pipers and
drummers.

—a_ ee eee