Congratulations to Barbara and Dennis Bloom, who will celebrate 25 years of wedded bliss on July 16! Our best wishes to them. A quarter century together is nothing to sneeze at. I wonder what the secret is?Wine Spectator Award, the second time the bistro has been so awarded. The annual list honors the world's best restaurants for wine. Nouveau Monde's wine list regularly features 230 selections. The complete list of winners, which includes 29 Connecticut restaurants, will be in the August 2018 issue of Wine Spectator, due on newsstands July 17.DANI and the Day the Bully Changed Everything, Saturday, July 14, from 11 am to 4 pm, at the Toy Room in Bethel, 153 Greenwood Avenue. Enjoy all the other Bethel Summer Fest events while you're there.www.newtown-ct.gov, Parks & Rec, to find out details. Now that's a deal!cvhfoundation.org to register.Early Man and the Melissa McCarthy comedy Life of The Party - and anyone interested in the latter can enjoy it without charge Saturday night, at 7 pm. Both films are being screened daily, July 13-18. See our print edition calendar on page A2 or visit our website (newtownbee.com) and click on Features, then Edmond Town Hall, where we always have listings that show you all the special events planned at the historic building at 45 Main Street as well as posts that offer weekly previews of the ETH schedule. Tickets for movies are $3 each, although senior citizens get a discount at Tuesday matinees, when their tickets are $2 each.The Newtown Bee are in the know; if you have perplexed friends, maybe a gift subscription to this paper is in order.

Congratulations, as well, to Nouveau Monde Wine Bar & Bistro on Washington Avenue for its recent

If you somehow managed to miss donating to this year's Friends of C.H. Booth Library Book Sale, which just wrapped its 43rd annual offering (see coverage elsewhere), a neighboring library is still accepting donations for its similar offering. The Mark Twain Library in Redding will present its 58th Annual Book Sale over Labor Day weekend, and organizers are accepting donations until July 31. Books, CDs, DVDs, LPs, sheet music, games, and puzzles in good condition are all welcome. Donations can be dropped off at the library, 439 Redding Road, during regular hours (preferred) or in the outside bin at the end of the children's wing when the library is closed. For additional information, contact volunteers Jeanne Wendschuh or Midge Loery at the library, 203-938-2545.

C.H. Booth Library circulation department staffer Fran Ashbolt welcomed her "mate" Tess Davidson, of London, England, to work as a volunteer at the Friends of C.H. Booth Library Book Sale on opening day, July 7. By the way. Ms Davidson tells me she is a veteran volunteer at home in London. We hope Ms Davidson's stay in Newtown was filled with as many smiles as books!

Bethel author/mom and St Rose of Lima parishioner Donna DiMaio Rooney, will be signing her children's chapter book,

Yoga Nidra (Meditative Relaxation for health), with instructor Joy Hoffman, will be offered free of charge this month at Newtown Congregational Church, 14 West Street. Sessions will be offered Wednesday, July 18, Friday, July 20, and Tuesday, July 31; each beginning at 6 pm. Get rid of stress by experiencing an hour of deeply relaxing guided and visual imagery. Those planning to attend are asked to call the church office, 203-426-9024, at least 24 hours before each class to register. Each person should also bring with them a yoga mat, one blanket, a bolster (or additional blanket), and an eye pillow or small wash cloth. Please wear loose comfortable clothing.

I think we have someone who deserves our Good Egg Award. Gordon Williams tells me that Helga Meier, a Sandy Hook resident, has gone beyond her volunteer duties. Helga emigrated years ago from Germany. She teaches in New York state and volunteers at Walnut Hill Community Church in Waterbury. She is also a volunteer tutor at Jericho Community Center in Danbury, where every Thursday Gordon takes a refugee family, the Nyirasabandis, mother and three adult sons, and Helga tutors them - as well as two Hispanic women. "Helga is a master teacher," says Gordon, "and every class is fun and full of good learning. She even works hard to involve the youngest son, Nshimiyimana, who is deaf." But that's not all. Helga asked Gordon a few days before the recent holiday if there were any plans for the family on the Fourth of July. In checking with his colleagues in IPRR, Interfaith Partnership for Refugee Resettlement, he found there was no plans. "So Helga devised some! She feels that along with learning the language, the family should learn about our history, culture, and holidays. So she invited all her students to her home for a picnic - she even picked them up in Danbury. Helga, you are certainly a Good Egg!

Seniors in Newtown tend to be an active bunch - tennis, pickle ball, running, krav maga, yoga... and swimming. Being the senior friendly town we are, did you know that a senior pool pass for ages 60 and up can be had at Parks & Rec for the sum of $0? That's right. Seniors swim for free during the season at Treadwell Park pool and Eichler's Cove. Go to

Laura Moulder, St Rose of Lima School's director of mission advancement, was taking a Sunday evening stroll on the Fairfield Hills Campus on July 9 when she noticed a purple and pink hot air balloon rising near Reed Intermediate School. It is a lovely sight, but, oh, the sights those riders must have seen!

The Shelter Buddies Reading Program is once again underway at Animal Control. Kids can read to the pound puppies (I suppose the cats are doing their own reading?) on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from noon to 2 pm, through August 21. Call 203-426-6900 for the details on soothing the dogs awaiting adoption. There's nothing like a good nap time story, I always say.

I can't think of a better way to spend a few hours than birdwatching. Want to learn more? The Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary is hosting "Backyard Birding" at its property at the end of Old Farm Road (past the dog park), this Saturday, from 10 am to noon. Professional naturalist and CVHF educator, Henryk Teraszkiewicz, will teach about new tech that could turn you into a backyard birder. Dress appropriately for trail walking and bring a water bottle. Binoculars, cameras, or other birding equipment is welcome. Learn about the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's eBird and Merlin Bird ID citizen science platforms and identification tools. The organization suggests, "If you have a smart device, please consider downloading the free eBird and Merlin Bird ID apps previous to the program." Visit

Ingersoll Auto of Danbury and Newtown resident Todd Ingersoll are continuing the monthly offer of a free movie at Edmond Town Hall. For the second consecutive week, the town hall will be featuring two films - the animated

Posts on social media sites express confusion about all the new development in town. Those who read

You know what is wonderful about summer? Lots of things, especially the bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables. The Newtown Farmers Market at Fairfield Hills is open every Tuesday, from 2 to 6:30 pm, and every week brings more and more selection of locally and organically grown produce - plus other Connecticut-made provisions and products. (I haven't spotted any catnip plants yet, but I continue to hold out hope.)

The wonders of the news always keeps me on my paws. Be sure next week to... Read me again.