Into each life a little rain must fall, but why does it have to be on weekends? I was hoping this weather system would get bored with us and move on after a few days this week, but I just looked at the weather forecast and it showed showers continuing well into the weekend. It think I’d be dryer inside the Newtown Car Wash.

Recent rainfall has kept the crowds away from the Dickinson Park pool, giving lifeguards Ryan Everet and Karlis Griffiths an opportunity to take part in a little pool time themselves. But being the smart lifeguards that they are, the two young men brought along their umbrellas.

It was good to see the sprinkler system at the Pleasance works well even in the rain. The sprinklers were in full operation Wednesday afternoon during a heavy rainfall.

I tried to contact Jim Mooney down at the University of Bridgeport security office this week only to learn that Jim had retired from his post a couple weeks back. Jim, who retired from the state police a few years ago, had apparently retired for good. Nope. Jim is still working. Now he is helping out in the office for daughter Adele’s irrigation company – Artistic Irrigation.

I got a call this week from Robert “The Mailman” Frangione who told me the Riverside and Lake Zoar Association was holding its third annual block party this weekend.

Add Ben Kunkel to the long list of Newtown residents suffering from Lyme Disease. Ben’s case is unique, however, in that his father, Mark Kunkel, once specialized in the treatment of the tick-borne disease.

The Newtown Rotary is collaborating with the Newtown Lyme Disease Task Force to hold a public forum on Lyme Disease on Monday, July 31, at the Fireside Inn at 7:30 pm. The public is invited to hear a state scientist talk about tick-borne diseases and methods to prevent contracting them.

I was just a kitten when I first saw local legend Bertram A. Strook sitting atop the hill at Dickinson Park during the finals of the annual Strook Tournament. His presence made it a really special tournament. Mr Strook has since passed away, but I still make it down to the finals each year. And by the way, it’s still not too late to sign up for the August tournament, which will hold its semifinals and finals matches the weekend before Labor Day. But you will need to hurry. Your last chance to sign up will be Saturday from 5 to 8 pm during the Newtown Tennis Association’s picnic at Dickinson Park.

Public Building and Site Commission member Tony D’Angelo sure seemed to be going through the motions Tuesday night… the voting motions, that is. As members weighed issues surrounding the proposed 5/6 school, Tony kept busy by making motions to bring agenda items to vote, sometimes during other members’ comments. “Why not let someone else make a motion, Tony?” one member asked, laughing. Commission Chairman Frank Krasnikas had a suggested a motion of his own, however. “Who wants to make a motion to tape Tony’s mouth shut?” he asked with a smile.

Sylvia and Bob Poulin are delighted to be new grandparents, but they hope that if it happens again it won’t be as nerve-wracking. The Poulins’ son, Greg, and his wife, Dawn, adopted three orphan brothers from Bolivia and were bringing them home to Connecticut. Sylvia and Bob had gone to their cottage in Maine, figuring they would be back in Newtown in plenty of time to pick up everyone at the airport. But Bob got food poisoning – at least that’s what the doctors think it was – and was hospitalized for nine days. Sylvia couldn’t leave his side. So friends Sally and Bill O’Neill wound up going to Kennedy airport to get the new arrivals. There was a happy ending, however, as Bob recovered and the three boys, ages 4, 6, and 8, are enjoying their new home.

Lisa Franze called from the Jersey shore to report that plans for the Labor Day Parade are going well but her vacation could be better. The Franze family arrived Sunday and after one good day, the rain started and it has been raining ever since. Lisa says the parade committee is still looking for donations to help support the 38th annual parade. These can be sent to Newtown Summer Festival Committee, c/o Fleet Bank, 6 Queen Street, Newtown 06470.

Let’s just hope that since it’s raining on Lisa’s vacation that the great Weathermaker himself will offer her compensation by sending a little sunshine for the parade.

I’ll be spreading a little sunshine here next week, so be sure to…

Read me again.