It Was Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas Up in Restigouche . . . The first real snowstorm of the season just seemed to fuel the Christmas Spirit for the Restigouche Retired Teachers.  From Tide Head to Jacquet River they braved snow, wind and some icy patches of highway to celebrate a snow day together at the annual Christmas Party.  They mingled and gabbed at the Campbellton Legion, enjoying the hors d’oeuvres prepared by a few of the retired teacher elves. Once at their dining tables, they were challenged to use their team building skills to make the most creative living snowman.  Armed with construction cut-outs, toilet paper and tape, each team harnessed their competitive fire into a co-operative effort to build the best.  Our group was blessed with 2 elementary teachers who seemed to know just what to do while the teachers from the “higher echelons” added manpower & symbolic dimensions to the project.  The “mix” obviously worked as the judge awarded them first prize.  It was hilarious to see all the teams create and it must have been a terribly hard task for the judge to name a “winner.” The celebration rounded out with a most delicious traditional turkey dinner, complete with all the trimmings and a dessert of strawberry shortcake.  Chef Dennis Downs had obviously honed his skills from his past creations of many, many such feasts. Though the sounds coming from the tables had matched the noise and laughter of staff rooms gone by, there were quite a few going out the door with a plan to have a turkey inspired nap – IF they made it through the storm!!