Nancy Cullen has been busy not just thinking about those unwanted phone books that litter the streets of town when delivered and scorned by homeowners or businesses, but thinking of a way to eliminate that yearly nuisance. She has discovered the following phone numbers online that allow you to dial out of unwanted phone books. “Even though phone books are recycled in many communities,” said Nancy in a note to The Bee, “more than 660,000 tons still end up in the trash every year. This waste could be stemmed by first eliminating the delivery of unsolicited or unwanted phone books.” Call DEX at 877-243-8339; Yellow Book at 800-929-3556; or Verizon at 800-555-4833 to have your address removed from the delivery list, suggests Nancy. Since the phone company continues to insist that customers crave a thick phone book or three tossed at the doorstep, it’s a pretty sure bet that unsolicited deliveries won’t stop unless you take action. So, let your fingers do the walking now, and save yourself a trip to the trash can when delivery season starts.

Anne Rothstein and Jane Hellman took this picture of their standard poodle, Jeanna, who has also been doing some walking — behind the mini-cart at Caraluzzi’s Newtown Market. Now there’s a dog that earns her keep. I hope she had a Caraluzzi’s customer card tucked into her curls somewhere. Jeanna doesn’t just spend all day shopping, though. She is also a pet therapist, who visits at Masonicare of Newtown on Toddy Hill Road every Thursday with Jane. Jeanna visits both the nursing home residents and residents of The Hearth in Lockwood Lodge. The pretty poodle even had a Christmas picture taken with each of the residents, Anne tells me. Good doggie, good doggie.

All that canine goodness reminds me of something else: The Good Egg Award that I like to bestow on those behind-the-scenes people around town. Who is friendly, responsible, industrious, and possesses a good sense of humor? According to one fan, that would be Fred Stakel. Fred, I’m told, drives for Meals on Wheels every month, is the treasurer for FISH and drives four or five time a month for them, taking Newtowners to doctors’ appointments and to hospitals for care, and devotes a lot of time to his position as the publicity chairman for the Lions Club. “Finally, he is very active in the Methodist Church and is its financial chairman. He really is a Good Egg,” adds Fred’s admirer. Well, I agree. Fred, you are a Good Egg! Congratulations! Don’t forget, if you know someone who is a Good Egg, let me know at nancy@thebee.com, subject line Good Egg.

I’ll be curled up in front of the television at 6:30 pm this Sunday, February 8, to watch for one of Newtown’s students on CPTV. Justina Paproski, now a Newtown High School student, took part in the filming of Young American Hero, Frederick Douglass when she was in eighth grade last year. The show will be the first in a series that focuses on stories of American heroes when they were young. Justina told The Bee this past October that her part in the show took place in a classroom setting where students learn about Frederick Douglass. The television movie will then move into the story of Frederick Douglass, who was born into slavery. Douglass eventually escaped and went on to write an autobiography called Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, published in 1845. The show will be aired again on Monday, February 9 at 10:30 pm. The entire feature was filmed in Connecticut, and Justina is one of many students around the state who took part in its creation.

 I roused myself from my reverie on Monday afternoon in order to greet some very special visitors to The Bee. Two members of the student delegation from China visiting Newtown High School, Niu Yibin and Fang Yixian, who are staying with the Kent family this week, came by for a brief tour of The Bee. They made a bit of a fuss over the office dogs, Starr and Rosy, who extended a paw of peace to each of the young women. Welcome to Newtown! I can’t think of a better town to demonstrate the good will of our nation.

Sometimes I like to prowl around the towns in the surrounding area. Last Friday night I was at Lore’s Lanes in New Milford and ran into Newtown’s Venture Crew 70, out for some midnight bowling. It looked to me like Brady Eggleston and Jacqui Rosa were showing the rest of the Crew a thing or two about bowling, but then, they weren’t bowling backward or between their legs….  In case you don’t know, the Venture Crew is a Boy Scout affiliate for young men and women between the ages of 14 and 18, who like outdoor (and sometimes indoor, evidently) adventure. This Crew meets every other Wednesday evening at Cullens to hash out their latest undertaking: things like 200-mile bike trips, high adventure canoeing, and the yearly Bike New York. Give the leaders a call at 426-3014 if you want to join in the fun.

My idea of fun, of course, is when you pick up the paper next week to…. Read me again.