As I write this week’s column, people are scurrying around getting ready for what is supposed to be the season’s first significant snowstorm. I’m surprised, however, that anyone has to do any preparations, since we were told for months to prepare for Y2K as if we were preparing for a snowstorm. My guess is that everyone has batteries, extra water, candles, and a few candy bars set aside already. I know a couple of people who are anxious to fire up their Y2K generators for the first time just so they get some use out of them and don’t feel quite so silly for taking Chicken Little at his word several months ago.

Even though there hasn’t been much winter weather up until this week, I think cabin fever may be setting in at the Legislative Council. In just its second official meeting since the election, council members took turns ribbing one another about different issues. During the “acceptance of the minutes” portion of the meeting, no one had any corrections to make, not even Joe Borst, who has gained a reputation for being diligent in his efforts to make sure the minutes are accurate. Melissa Pilchard was also forced to promise that she would not talk too much at an upcoming meeting of the council’s finance subcommittee. There is a lot to do and we can’t get stuck just on one issue, noted John Kortze, committee chairman.

The mild weather has kept a lot of construction crews out of the cabin so far this winter. The relatively mild weather has allowed workmen to continue with exterior house construction at scattered subdivisions through town. Workmen were seen busy as beavers early this week at construction sites in the Rollingwood subdivision in Sandy Hook and at The Estates on Taunton Hill. The lack of snow into early January will allow new homeowners to get into their premises sooner than planned.

Edmond Town Hall needed to be fumigated Monday afternoon after someone supposedly burned food in a microwave oven. No one was quite sure where the stink came from, but it had town officials holding their noses.

There was standing room only at the January 5 meeting of the Legislative Council at the Cyrenius H. Booth Library. In fact there was far more standing room than anything else. Apparently no one was counting on such a large contingent of residents showing up at the meeting, since there were no chairs set up for the public. But an ad hoc chair committee quickly formed under the leadership of chairman of chairs Bill Brimmer, Superintendent of Schools John R. Reed and a member of the press. The committee moved with all deliberate speed to set up dozens of chairs.

Friends and family joined together this past Saturday for a potluck supper celebrating the 90th birthday of Newtown resident Catherine V. Knapp. Robert Knapp put on the surprise event that was held at the Hawleyville Volunteer Fire Department Hall.

High School sweethearts Mike Sullivan and Rebecca Stockwell, both NHS graduates, were married this past weekend at the Newtown Meeting House on Main Street. But, unlike the wedding of Mike’s older brother, Pat, which was also held at the Meeting House, the groom and the ushers wore tuxedoes instead of kilts.

Although the facade of the police station lost some shrubbery after workmen installed a curtain drain last fall, it seems the loss of shrubs has worked to the advantage of the congested parking situation there. The removal of the six-foot-wide landscaped border in front of the building has opened up the area for additional vehicle parking, making the lot a more practical place to park. Workmen, however, were careful to leave intact a graceful white birch tree that grows on the southeast corner of the building, preserving a sense of scale for the structure.

Carol Amaral is leading the St Rose Walkers through town, stopping to recruit anyone to walk. They meet at St Rose every Tuesday and Thursday at 10 am and walk for an hour throughout the streets of town. Anyone wishing to walk is welcome.

Finally I would like to formally protest comments made by Bee Managing Editor Curtiss Clark on Gary Fetzer’s Dateline Newtown public access show on Channel 21 last Monday evening. He referred to me as a “long-dead cat.” I would like to ask Mr Smartypants Editor the following: If I am long-dead, exactly who is writing this column each week? Part two of the interview is coming up next Monday evening. Let’s see if he recants.

I know I’ll be here next week, living and breathing, with more inside information for everyone, so be sure to…

Read me again.