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The Wingham Advance-Times, 1985-04-03, Page 22Page 6—Crossroads---Apr 3, 1985 Katherine Kaszas 'This place is a jo Katherine Kaszas is mor than looking forward to h first full year as the artist director of the Blyth Fest val. She's downright excite and she's eager to let peop know it. "This place is a joy in which to work," she said during a recent interview. Ms. Kaszas wasn't talking only about.the Blyth theatre, but about the village itself. Growing,,up as an "army brat", Katherine Kaszas lived across Canada, but she says this is the first time she has lived in a small town in Canada. "The only time I lived in a small town was as a teen- ager in Holland when my father was stationed there." Off her life in Blyth which . this year boasts a population of 1,000, compared to last "year's 900, Ms. Kaszas says, "I love it. I got married in December and we had a cha- rivari and everything." However, it was the Blyth Festival which brought Katherine Kaszas to Blyth and the theatre is never out of her thoughts.' The bro- chure for this year's season is out and casting, says the artistic director, will be soli- dified by Easter. "Looking over our plays, I think they will all be very po- pular," she says. This year Blyth is repeat- ing its most popular play from last season, Ted Johns' "Garrison's Garage", one musical story, "Beaux Gestes and Beautiful Deeds", which has been a hit elsewhere, and three brand new, Canadian plays. "Polderland", the sea- son's opener, is a story about Canadian soldiers caught be- hind enemy lines in Holland in 1944. Because of her own exper- iences in Holland as the daughter of a Canadian sol- dier stationed there, Ms. Kaszas says 'it's a play "close to my•heart". During the writing of the play, she added, playwright Bryan Wade, talked to many Dutch -Canadians in the Blyth area. The people of the area also had an input into the second play of the 'season, "Moose County". "Its about dangerous che- micals and we thought it might' be a bit far-fetched," Ms. Kaszas said.'"However, during our workshop in January some farmers gave us a list of 10 chemicals which have been taken off the market." Although it has serious connotations, Ms. Kaszas as- sures "Moose County" is "hysterically funny", e "They are all plays I want to he • do. Personally I like to see a ic play that touches me and I i- think most people are the d same. I like plays that reach le out, plays people can relate to their lives, their hopes and dreams.'' Ms. Kaszas is proud of the fact "all of last year's scripts from Blyth are in production elsewhere this -season. I think that ;says something about the quality of the work here." In addition to its plays, the Blyth Festival will continue its art gallery 'exhibitions. This season it is opening the ., gallery with a juried exhibi- tion. That will be followed by a contemporary show and a display off work by Canadian wildlife artists, including Robert Bateman. It will also continue its country suppers, its child - The third new play at Blyth this season is "Prim- rose School District me. While it is set in a small Ukrainian community , out west, the artistic director be- lieves it will strike a chord in anyone who has ever atten- ded a' one -room school. "I'm just thrilled with the plays this season," Katherine Kaszas enthuses. 9 rens' workshop and the sum- mer workshop for play- wrights. And this year, fol- lowing the season at the Blyth Memorial Hall, the Festival will hit the road with a touring company for eight wegks, the longest period to date. "The winters are tough," Ms. Kaszas says. "We'd like to get more people out for our winter series, but we broke even," ' While she describes her job as being "non-stop", she" wouldn't have it any other way. "I like it all, I do. I really love my job. It's fulfilling, rewarding and challenging. And when it ceases to be a challenge, then that's the time to move on and I guess that's what happened to Janet (Amos) and James (Roy) beforeme." r READY AND WORKING—Katherine Kaszas, artistic director of the Blyth Festival, is 'eagerly awaiting the opening of the 1985 summer season of theatre. The Festival will feature five Canadian plays, with the season running from June 21 to Sept. '14. (Staff Photo) Patch cracks with mortar By Gene Gary Q. My house is a cement block home covered with stucco. 1 want to repaint the outside but there are several minute cracks running the same way the cement blocks do. How do I fill in these cracks before painting?- 1.E.S. A. Thin cracks and small damaged areas can be patched with a premixed dry mortor mix. Most hardware stores and , lumberyards have this dry mix in 80- and 45- pound bags. All you have to do is add water to it. The first step is to clean thoroughly any loose debris out of the crack. Also use a hammer and cold chisel to carve out the bottom portion of the crack so it is wider there than at the top. This is called ,undercutting. Now there's no way the mortar patch can fall out once it has dried. Use any convenient con- tainer, such as a tin can or small bucket, to mix the mortar. Add water slowly until the mixture has the consistency of peanut butter. Moisten the crack before applying the mortar. Use a paintbrush to dash on the water. Don't leave any standing water in the crack. Now force the mortar into the crack with a triangular masonry towel. Fill the crack up to the level of the surrounding wall surface. Wait about an hour until the mortar has stiffened some- what, then tool its surface so it matches the texture of the surrounding walls. Be sure to use a seater over the patched areas prior 'to paint- ing. I always find something to cheer about in your columns; ifyou could an- swer these questions, I'd give three cheers. 1. On a varnished oak floor, there are dark rings from flower' pots and perhaps from the watering of the plants, too. How can I restore the floor? 2. We recently bought a silver -on -copper lazy Susan that is beautiful. When we shined it, ,we discovered some copper spots showing through the very ~beautiful silver plating. How do I get the copper covered,, or what -•-should 1 do to maximize the beauty of this lovely heir- loom? 3. The lazy Susan has a small design etched into the bottom rest. The design re- sembles three attached 'arches within which are a crown in one, an engraved large "S" in a second and a shield in the third. Can you identify this insignia for me? A somewhat similar design on another piece of silver also has the words "Sheridan Silver" beneath the design. Is that a clue? — A.C.L., Garden City, NY. A. For the dark spots on your oak floor, clean the spots and surrounding area with No. 1 steel wool and a good floor cleaner or mineral spirits. If the spots remain, sand with fine 'sandpaper, feathering out 3 to 4 inches into surrounding -areas.. If spots still are present, apply oxalic acid solution (1 ounce oxalic acid to 1 quart water). Caution: This is a posion so be sure to use rubber glove''s and handle carefully. Let the solution stand one hour, then rinse with clear water. A second treatment may be helpful if spot, re- fuses to yield. If second application of oxalic acid fails, sand area with No. 00 sandpaper and, apply matching finish, feathering out into sur-' rounding floor area. Let dry. Buff lightly with No. 00 steel wool. 'Apply second coat of finish, let dry and wax. If spot still is visible, the only remaining remedy is to re - / the affected flooring. (Note: •Oxalic acid isa bleaching agent. Whenever it is used, thetreated floor area probably will,have to be stained' and refinished to __PQ merylort,• 343-2201 Courtney, daughter of Steve & Linda 1 aylor, RR, Fordwich, Ont. 3 match the original color.) In answer to your second question, the best way to re- store a valuable piece of silver is to` have it replated. A sour& for replating can be fo1)1nd in the Yellow Pages. On your third question, I recommend that you consult a reliable antique dealer. I am not an expert in this area, so maybe I deserve onlya cheer and a half.` Q. Our mobile home sprung a leak during the last heavy rain. We have fixed the roof to prevent future leaking, but we have big dark stains on the fiberboard ceiling, which is white. How can we remove or lighten these stains before we repaint the ceiling, so they won't, show through?— L.M. A. It is impossible to re- move a water stain from fiberboard, but you should be able to paint the ceiling and cover the stains effectively. Prepare the surface by first covering the stains with a shellac to seal. This will preventthe stains from showing through the newly applied paint. Paint with a water -base paint applied with a roller. Two coats may be required. Microwave Magic, Ham is favorite for Easter By Desiree Vivea While turkey is the tra ditional main course a Thanksgiving, ham ha taken over as the star attrac tion on the Easter table. Why ham? Because in th bad old days before'refriger ation (and long befor microwave ovens), hog butchering was a 'chor usually done in the fall. Thi way, the meat could be left t cure during the long, col winter months. It took until springtime'fo the hams to be fully cured and ready to eat. And after a winter of culinary monotony this succulent meat was a welcome sight. No wonder the household cook often chose ham to grace the springtime Easter table. Ham should be refrig- erated as soon as you get it home. It will stay fresh in its original wrapper for about one week. Cover and refrig- erate leftover ham within one to two hours after cook- ing. Refrigerated, it will keep for four to five days. Casseroles that contain ham should be frozen for only short periods of time. Ham and other cured pork products do not keep well for more than-- one ' to two months, because the salt used in the curing process speeds the development of rancid flavors. The majority of commer- cially sold hams are fully precooked, and can be' microwaved easily and quickly. To heat a fully cooked 2 -to 4 -pound ham, microwave at Medium (50 per cent power) 12 to 15 minutes per pound. A 5- to 8 - pound ham should be micro- waved 10 to 12 minutes per pound. If using your micro- wave's meat thermometer, the ham's internal tempera- ture should reach 120 F, Happy Easter! HAMSTEAK WITH VEL_._e.__ 2 tbsps. butter orGETABmargariESn 1 medium-size onion, sliced 1 (12 Ib.) ham steak, fully cooked 1 (10 oz,) pkg. frozen sliced green beans 1 (l0oz.) pkg. frozen cut corn 14 tsp, each salt and pepper '2 cup/milk Place butter and onion in 3 - quart glass casserole. Cover and microwave 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute. Push onions to one side, add ham steak, cover and microwave 3 minutes on Medium (50 per cent power). Turn ham slice, s add frozen vegetables, seas- - 'wings and milk. Cover and microwave 5 minutes on e High; then let stand 3 minutes before serving. e Serves 4. e POLYNESIAN HAM s 1 (101/2 oz.) can condensed o beef broth .. d One-third cup pineapple juice ✓ 3tbsps. cornstarch 42 cups cooked ham, cutin 1 - inch cubes 1 (20 oz.) can pineapple chunks, drained 1 medium-size green pepper, . cut in strips ' 1 small onion, thinly sliced 2 tbsps. chopped.pimiento 12 tsp. dry mustard 2 tbsps. brown sugar 3 tbsps. vinegar ,2 tsps. soy sauce Combine beef broth, pine- apple juice and cornstarch in 3 -quart glass casserole, stirring well to dissolve cornstarch. Add remaining ingredients, cover, and microwave 14 to 17 minutes, stirring every -5 minutes: -Let. stand, covered, 3 to 4 minutes before serving. Serve ' over' steamed rice' Pr' crispy noodles. Serves 4. • HOLIDAY HAM LOAF 11,2 lbs. ground .cooked ham '/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 2 tbsps. 'chopped onion, or 2 tbsps. instant minced onion -"34 cup soft bread cubes 3 eggs, slightly beaten 2 tbsps. chopped green pepper 1" tbsps. prepared mustard 1i4 tsp. ground nutmeg '4 cup milk In medium-size mixing .bowl combine all ingred- ients, using hands to mix well, Press mixture into 11/2 - quart (8x4 -inch) glass loaf ,dish_ Cover.__with__plast.ic..__- wrap.'Microwave for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating dish one- quarter turn every 4 minutes, until heated through. Let stand, covered, about 3 minutes before slicing and serving. Serves 4 to 6. Recipes in this column are tested in 625- to 700 -watt microwave ovens. Foods are cooked on High (100 per cent power) and uncovered unless otherwise specified.. Tips on feeding a sick baby L,„ Even the healthiest of babies get sick. In the winter season,' when it seems that everyone you know has the flu or a cold or both, your baby may catch one of th(e "bugs" that's going around. Feeding a sick baby requires a special approach. Her apetite is different than usual, just as yours is when you are ill. Be sure to consult your doctor about any specific diet your baby may need during illness: If your doctor doesn't suggest one, here are a few general feeding guide- lines. They apply to minor problems such as an "upset tummy" — colds, low-grade fevers and other mild ill- nesses. For more serious problems, consult your physician. Fussiness and feeding problems are often the first sigh that a baby is coming down with something. A tummy upset may be the cause when she is reluctant to take the breast or bottle, refuses food, cries after a meal, vomits, or has loose stools or constipation. .. A stuffy, nose from a cold can make it difficult for her to feed comfortably, so you need to adjust your feeding routine a little. Whether you breast-feed or bottle-feed, try -changing the position of feeding. Baby may need to be held. in a more upright position to help her breath- ing. You may need to clear her nose to help with the feeding problem. The baby who is having trouble keeping her -feedings down probably won't want to be fed as much as usual. Smaller, more frequent feedings will stay down better than larger ones. Upset Tummy Don't force a baby with an upset tummy to take milk. Water, other clear fluids or strained infant juices like apple, may be more agree- able to your. infant..right now. As long as she continues to drink fruit juices which con- tain needed energy, vitamins and fluids, she'll,be in no danger of going hugry for a short time. Colds, fevers and tummy McAdorey receives award Global Television Enter- tainment Editor Bob McAdorey has been named the recipient of the 1985 "Communicator of the Year" award by the Toronto Chapter (Area 12) of Toast- masters International. Toastmasters is an inter- national organization of over 110,000 members meeting in 5,100 clubs in 47 countries. It is a co-educational, non- profit organization with goals that its members improve on listening, think- ing and public speaking. Mr. AcAdorey was selected for the award because of his unique broad- cast speaking style which has earned him a substantial and loyal following of viewers. The Area 12 members of its five clubs made the pres- entation to Mr. McAdorey at their March 29, annual Spring Speaking Contest at the Albany Club in Toronto. "I feel very. honored to be awarded this prestigious title and I would like to thank the ,Toronto Chapter of • •Toastmasters• Internationale for bestpwing it on me," said McAdorey. "I would also like to thank ,those viewers in Ontario who have been so loyal," he added. upsets can cause a loss of appetite for solid foods. Again, don't force a sick baby to eat. Remember, your baby may be refusing food because her body just isn't ready for it. Tempt her with a little of her favorite food, or try soft foods if she has a fever. She might like baby custard, yogurt, a mix- ture of baby applesauce with iron fortified infant cereal or a soft-boiled egg if she's onver a year old. Avoid meat, which is not as easily digested at this time. If she still resists your best efforts in feeding soild foods, . rely on liquids instead. -For fevers, fluids are recom- mended to replenish the body water that is lost in per- spiration. Strained infant fruit juices and water are most easily tolerated. Once the baby recovers and her appetite starts to return to normal, youcan slowly offer the usual foods starting with infant fruits and vegetables and moving into meats" In the meantime, let the illness run its course. Stay flexible. She'll makefor lost time soon enough! Is Ypur Carpet Getting Dirty Looks? SPECIAL! 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