No sooner did I breathe a muffled mew of relief last week because Hurricane Isabel barely brushed my whiskers, than a cold front blew through here Tuesday morning and dumped rain at the rate of nearly three inches an hour. It has taken the rest of th
No sooner did I breathe a muffled mew of relief last week because Hurricane Isabel barely brushed my whiskers, than a cold front blew through here Tuesday morning and dumped rain at the rate of nearly three inches an hour. It has taken the rest of the week for my fur to dry.
To make matters worse, the storm hit right when I was planning to make my weekly foray down Church Hill Road to visit the Sandy Hook Organic Farmersâ Market, where I like to hang out every Tuesday morning under the tea tables. I brush against the customersâ legs and they drop crumbs for me.
On Tuesday, September 30, between 11 am and 1 pm, Iâm going to make the Sandy Hook Farmersâ Market scene for certain sure, no matter what the weather. Thatâs because they are putting on a rip-roaring barbecue that day, sponsored by The Egg & I Pork Farm. The good farmers are going to be handing out grilling ideas as well as offering samples of everything theyâll be selling, including side dishes. There will be music provided by Newtownâs own Roger Sprung, âThe godfather of progressive bluegrass.â So letâs progress on over for the BBQ Tuesday noon. See you there.
Thereâs no excuse not to get exercise and stay in shape these days. Gordon Williams says the Lions are looking for volunteers to get out on Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm to cleanup the Orchard Hill Nature Center. And Beth Montoya and Ginny Chion are assembling a group of walkers for the Light the Night walk to raise money to fight leukemia and lymphoma on October 3 in Fairfield. If you are still standing after that, Judy Volpe at Avance Esthetiques is calling for walkers to join her team for the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk at Sherwood Island in Westport on October 19. All are good causes and great ways to get in shape.
This is also the weekend to protect your health by bringing hazardous household waste to the collection day on Saturday in Danbury from 9 am to 2 pm at the Danbury Public Works facility on Plum Trees Road across from the Volkswagen dealer. Be sure to bring proof of residency because the collection is limited to residents of six towns.
Anyone who has visited the office of Superintendent Evan Pitkoff in Canaan House knows that the main point of interest in the office is the superintendentâs amazing collection of school buses displayed on shelves there. Iâve got to wonder, though; Dr Pitkoff just might be getting a little tired of the school bus theme given all the problems the school district has had this year in getting buses to and from the schools in a timely fashion. Maybe Beanie Babies might be a less stressful collectible for the superintendent.
Police Chief Michael Kehoe tells me the police departmentâs new radar speed display is getting a good workout in various places around town. The large steel box displays in large bright numerals the travel speed of vehicles approaching it. The display is intended to remind motorists that there are speed limits and that they should be observed for safetyâs sake.
As the seasons change, color in fashion seems to be the watchword at the police station. On Monday, Chief Kehoe sported some colorful new garb ââ a deep peach-colored dress shirt accented by an intricately patterned, vivid multicolored necktie. On Wednesday, Detective Sergeant Robert Tvardzik wore a deep blue necktie on a deep blue dress shirt. Also, on Wednesday, I spotted two patrol officers wearing the police departmentâs new dark pullover shirts, replete with police insignias.
The police arenât the only ones looking sharp these days. Those Sandy Hook firefighters sure are sure looking impressive. At the annual State Firefighters Convention held September 21 in Wethersfield, the Sandy Hook unit took home prizes in two categories. Forty-four firefighting units marched in a lengthy parade during which the fire companies were judged in various categories. The Sandy Hook crew won first prize for having the best dress shirts as part of their formal uniforms. Also, the Sandy Hook Ladiesâ Auxiliary was awarded first prize for the best ladiesâ uniforms. The Sandy Hook unit also was judged to have the fourth best appearance overall among the 44 marching units.
Not matter what the season, I like to go with basic black. And with the coming of October, black on cats is de rigueur.
Before this whole column fades to black, Iâve got to remind everyone toâ¦
Read me again.