I don’t have to spend the coming week worrying about whether anyone will remember me on Valentine’s Day, as I usually do. This year my perennial Valentine, Tiger Baby, sent me romantic greetings early enough to spare me all the anxiety. And she is such a witty kitty. Here’s this year’s Valentine’s poem from Tiger Baby:

I see your bright and glistening fur,

As you gaze o’er the top of the page.

And I want you to know

Come rain, ice, or snow,

You will always be the rage.

The year has gone past.

My! It went fast.

So I write you a neat little line,

And I ask you to be

(Please, say “yes” – just for me)

My sweet, furry Valentine.

Thanks Tiger Baby. You’re the best!

Reports out of the Caribbean had Marie Sturdevant paddling around St Thomas’ Caneel Bay in a rubber dingy a couple weeks ago. Marie said she was resting up before taking her new position at the Homesteads.

Sue Shpunt is back from her trip to Aruba this week, but she barely made it out of Connecticut. Two weeks ago, as she was preparing to depart, she was halted by security after it was thought she was carrying a grenade in her bag. As it turned out, it was just a sunglasses case.

January usually means budget time for the Newtown Chamber of Commerce and talk of someday opening a Chamber office popped up once again during informal budget discussions Tuesday morning. President Christina Maturi suggested the town consider giving the Chamber one of the buildings at Fairfield Hills, preferably the one with the pillars, she joked. Someone else suggested a fountain be built out in front with a statue of Christina spitting water.

Speaking of the Chamber, its hearty board of directors braved the snow Tuesday morning for its 7:30 meeting at My Place Restaurant. Apparently it takes a lot more than a foot and a half of snow to pull this group away from a good breakfast.

Ted Pilchard was among thousands who spent a good part of Monday night stuck on the highway. Ted left work in West Hartford at 2:30 pm and did not make it back into Newtown until 3 o’clock Tuesday morning. Several trucks reportedly jackknifed near Interstate 84’s intersection with 691. With no place to go, travelers were forced to sit in their cars, wondering if they were going to run out of gas. Those without phones were unable to call loved ones to explain what had happened.

First Selectman Herb Rosenthal missed the mess by less than an hour, having left a meeting Hartford just in time. All went well for Herb on his way back until he hit Main Street in Newtown where he finally got stuck less than a mile from his house.

Going by the numbers, you might think the Town of Newtown had its own 401K plan for its senior citizens. This year, the town plans to put in exactly $401,000 into its elderly tax abatement plan. The number is merely a coincidence though, town officials say.

Newtown Congregational Cooperative Nursery School children enjoyed making pizzas at My Place on Wednesday. A friendly customer suggested that the afternoon group should put broccoli on the pizza. The students didn’t enjoy the piece of advice; in fact they were quite blunt about it. No! The idea of spinach didn’t go over too well either.

Time ran away from school board chairman Elaine McClure Tuesday night during a special meeting to discuss the budget. The group estimated that the special meeting would take a half-hour and then they would move into their regular workshop meeting. Once discussions were through, Mrs McClure asked, “Is it 7:30?” Board members laughed and pointed out that it was ten to eight. The board members are still waiting for the wall clock to be put up. Maybe once it is time won’t pass by so quickly.

Assistant Superintendent Robert Kuklis showed up at the school board meeting looking a little stiff. He explained to the board that just as he was beginning to shovel all the snow that Mother Nature dropped Monday he threw his back out. “Boy I’m getting old,” he said. I guess it’s best to throw your back out at the beginning of a chore, rather than doing all the work and then paying the price.

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