Hurricane Sandy: Making Lemonade...

HNJJ guest poster Sam here. During Hurricane Sandy we lost some trees in our yard. The trees were nice, providing shade, places for the birds, privacy in the yard, and, most important for us doggie guys, a nice tree trunk to mark.

When my human started cleaning up the debris, he decided to leave one of the trunks and, being a nice person, he thought of a way to help out the displaced birds...

Humans call this making lemonade out of lemons. In the spring we hope that the birds will just call it home...again.

The Family World War II Teapot

A member of the HNJJ crew, while going through boxes of her late parent's belongings came across a teapot that she didn't remember...

The teapot is not in great shape with some obvious repairs, but it is an unusual World War II memento. The lid reads For England and Democracy...

...while the bottom is decorated with a Staffordshire Knot and the words World War II Made in England Escorted to U.S.A. by Royal Navy...

Some Internet research identified this teapot as made in Stafford County, England, circa 1939 to 1945. The United States and Canada were shipping cargo to England and the ships returned with loads of English ceramics that not only served as ballast, but were sold to raise money for Britain.

The family story of this pot is lost. A grandparent or parent may have bought it and the purchase probably strained the family budget, but many family members were still back home in Wales and England...so it was personal.

This was a time when mom would ship parcels to family wrapped in pieces of sheets - instead of paper - with the address and return address written on the material. Why? Because the family needed everything, even pieces of material with writing on it had value.
##
Information about these teapots was found in a Press of Atlantic City article and on the Kovels website.

Rabies Clinic Today

With January being the time to license your dog, it's also time to make sure your dogs - and cats - are up-to-date on their rabies vaccinations.

Hillsborough Township is having a free rabies vaccination clinic for dogs and cats today, Saturday, January 19th, from 10 a.m. until noon at the Hillsborough Public Works Garage, 21 East Mountain Road, next to the YMCA.

Cats should be in a secure carrier and dogs must be leashed.

##
If you have never been to one of these popular clinics, here are a few hints:

It will be cold...its January. Dress warmly; you may have to stand in line for a while.

If your pets are not used to being outside or are sickly or elderly...or aggressive toward other animals or strangers, bring an extra family member or friend to stay in the car with your pet until it gets to be near your turn.

Make your life easier, bring along one person per dog to hold them while each dog gets its shot. Cat carriers can be awkward, so it will make your life easier if you allot one person per cat carrier.

Have your dog leashed. This seems to be common sense, but there is always someone...

Cats are usually done inside the old municipal building. With all the activity and other dogs and cats it will be best for your cats if they are in a carrier.
##
If you miss this clinic, there is another one next Saturday, January 26, 2013, in Montgomery Township at their Public Works building on Harlingen Road, Belle Mead.
9am to 10:30am for dogs
10:30am to 12noon for cats
##
Photo courtesy of Miss Rose who heartily wishes that the HNJJ crew would find another picture and stop using a picture of her getting a shot in her...

Winterguard 2013: Dinner and a Show!

The Hillsborough Colorguard 2013 Premier Performance and Dinner is this evening, Friday, January 18th, at Hillsborough High School.

The soup, salad, and ice cream dinner runs from 5:30-to-9 p.m. in the HHS Commons.

At 7:15 p.m. five guard performances will be presented in the HHS Gym, including the Bridgewater Raritan Guard, West Essex Guard, North Plainfield Guard, Hillsborough Scholastic Novice Guard, and Hillsborough Scholastic A Guard.

Following the free performances, the popular "Spin with the Guard" event offers audience members a chance to try flag spinning with coaching by HHS Guard members for a $5 donation.

Dinner tickets are $10, $8 for seniors (55-and-up) and children (5-11).

Add the Winterguard Home Show onto your calendar: Saturday, February 2nd.

##
For more information on the Hillsborough High School Raider Bands and Winterguard, go to their website.