Your Stories for August 2007

Your Stories for August 2007 sponsored by John J. Kovacs Nationwide Insurance

A Bird Seed Garden By Andy Reynolds A long time ago we had a massive apple tree on the side of our yard. It was not a normal apple tree as my neighbor Mr. Lappert had spliced the tree with 2-3 different types of apples. Don’t ask me what type they were as he was a specialist at doing this and made apples that were not able to be added to one tree appear and grow. It was wonderful. Every other year the tree would blossom in its glory and apples were ready for the picking on the tree or picking up from the ground. Only around 20% were good for eating or baking as we refuse to use insecticide on anything in our yard. The hard part of course was picking up the apples that were not good for eating. We left some out on the ground for a while so the animals could have some good eating and then raked and bagged for composting. Some years we had 20-30 large hefty bags of apples filled to the top to bring to different locations for the animals and my wife also was brilliant enough to use them in our soil as a fertilizer with much success. One year the apple tree blossomed and produced more than ever before and doubled the amount of apples it provided. A storm came shortly after and the apple tree was split into and fell to the ground. We were devastated. The tree had to be cut down and removed. We left the stump at around 3 feet above the ground as the cost of stump removal was very expensive. A few years after my wife decided to create a circle around the stump and plant flowers of many varieties. Dawn loves flowers and it was wonderful to do something around the tree. Over some time we added top soil and mulch and more flowers. Again don’t ask me the names, as that is her department. All of the items I purchased were from Meriden Feed on Old Colony. This is not an ad, just the facts. Every holiday or birthday – I would give her a double hanger and some bird seed feeders as you see in the picture. We used thistle seed and high quality black oil sunflower seed mix for all of our feathered friends and of course those growing families of squirrels who enjoyed the good eating’s. The squirrels did play an important role though as they would climb up and knock down seeds for all birds to eat. You know squirrels – they also dug and hid many seeds for the winter. Many other seeds also fell to the ground over time on there own, and were buried with the fall turnover of soil and new mulch. Then this year arrived – and surprises galore came with it. Dawn’s perennials slowly came up and then a ton of other plants started to grow. The picture shows some of them and since it was taken 3 weeks ago there are more then you can imagine and have grown to over 6 feet in some cases. There are 4 different varieties of Sunflowers. There is corn. There is Thistle. There are also some things I do not even know but they are plants and not weeds. It was like a tribute to the apple tree and then another amazing event started to happen as we continued to feed the birds. We looked out our kitchen window every day to see the flowers and then a huge variety of feathered and furry friends came. We always had birds with the feeders but this was truly remarkable. I will give you a list of the birds that Dawn and my daughter Sierra marked down in our Birds of Connecticut book by Stan Tekiala. Eastern Towhee Brown-Headed Cowbird European Starling Red-Winged Blackbird Common Grackle American Crow Turkey Vulture Black and White Warbler Downy Woodpecker Rose-Breasted Grosbeak Red-Bellied Woodpecker Pileated Woodpecker Blue Jay House Finch House Wren Purple Finch Tons of Sparrows – around 8 different types Northern Cardinal Mourning Dove Wild Turkey Broad-Winged Hawk Pheasant Golden-Crowned Kinglet Red-Breasted Nuthatch Tons of Chickadees of many varieties Yellow-Rumped Warbler White-Breasted Nuthatch Tuffed Titmouse American Robin Northern Mockingbird Rock Pigeon Baltimore and Orchard Orioles A wide variety of Finches – American Goldfinch with its golden color is one of our favorites. Warblers Scarlet Tanager Evening Grosbeak I’m sure that we have not seen other varieties that have come but the latest addition of Hummingbirds are a great addition to the family. I did not mention the Red Tailed Hawk as it also has come down for a snack 20 feet away from the garden and grabbed a Mockingbird. The Bird Seed Garden protects the others. Then there are our furry friends. I have already mentioned squirrels but here are a few more. Skunk Possums Raccoon Chipmunks And more. I want to thank my wife first for giving the seeds opportunity for growth. I also want to thank Meriden Feed for the hanging poles, bird feeders, top soil, mulch and the high quality birdseed they carry. This is not and ad. I buy all of my items from them. More to the story – well, yes there is! Every morning I wake up at around 4:30 - 5:00 a.m. I grab my coffee and my caffeine pill. I sit in my chair around 20 feet from the garden and drink my coffee and smoke my cigarettes - ok, I admit I smoke - no "Andy, you should quit smoking!" comments please!

The birds and animals have no fear of me now! They chirp and squawk and make all the noises they can to make me do my job. They sit on the ground or perch themselves on trees next to me while waiting. I go inside for my 2nd cup of coffee and a few more of the nasty things that I can't quit. They urge me even more to feed them and many of them have made nests either on the house or in trees beside it.

"Ok, I'll take care of you." I say, and they actually know what that means.

I grab 2 large glasses and fill them to the top with birdseed. I fill the 4 birdfeeders and then throw some on the stump for the baby birds that have recently been born to many of the varieties that I mentioned. Then the swarm comes down from all directions and hits all the birdfeeders. They all share space except the crows who push them all out of the way.

I continue to watch as it's a very relaxing thing for me and that does not happen too much with the paper being such a stressful mission. There is enough for all of them and they continue to drop by all day and are now eating the sunflower seeds of those who have lost the pedals. They go into the back yard and have a drink at our meditation pond. If I take a break during the day - I come back to see them and they come close to me to visit. I consider them to be my friends as I have no others except for my wife and kids of course. Sadly, no one has time to make friends in this day and age.

I do want to add one more friend to our happy wildlife. I plan on putting some bat nests up. When? Who knows, as I have a list 10 miles long every day - just like every one else. Most people think I'm batty so it's a perfect fit for the home.

We already have some that visit at night but I would like to have them feel at home.

I have been out of birdseed for 2 days now and they all are very upset with me. It's time to go down to see Charlie and the gang at Meriden Feed. I don't need any more people squawking at me and especially when they are in need. I’m sure next year will bring even more but right now – my wife, my children and I are enjoying what nature is giving to us and most importantly the lessons that it has allowed us to teach our kids.

Our family took its 1st trip to Six Flags NewEngland. In my son’s own words,” I loved every ride!” We even took on Pandemonium, a sick rollercoaster that seats 4 people per car face to face. You travel up this steel slope, backwards, if you are as unlucky as I was, then it sends you corkscrewing down. As if this isn’t “fear factor” enough for you and your little ones, your car spins freely, too!! I held my arm over my youngest son (Shaun), a formidable dare devil, who is 4 ½ & met the 43 inch height criteria. Eeek. They loved the ride and despite the 1 hour + wait in line, wanted to do it all again! We started at Wiggles World and found old Route 66 hidden there, an old memory from when the park was known as Riverside. Antique cars on a metal track make their way back and through a period like scene. No need for a license to drive these babies! We also enjoyed Captain Feathersword’s Rockin’ pirate ship that offered the unexpected. Wiggles World also offers a splash park, their own Wiggles cars that take you on a Wiggles world wide tour, Cold Spaghetti Western Wheel, Dorothy’s Rosy Tea Cups and so much more. The next stop was to visit our superhero friends at the Hall of Justice. We shook hands, took pictures and even got their autographs. All of us were able to take on Catwoman’s Whip, the perfect ride for junior coaster enthusiasts. Tucked below and between the rollercoaster greats Superman & Batman so you get a great peak at what you may be missing. Ah, something to aspire to (or run from). There wasn’t a single ride we missed in Looney Tunes Movie Town. From cars to buses to trains to flying saucers all things that go & go round. This is an especially great area for the littlest ones with tons of choices for parents and tots. I really wanted to hit Blizzard River which sits at the far edge of Looney Tunes Movie Town but, we were running out of time. We’ll have to make this a high priority stop next visit. Our last stop was a peak at Hurricane Harbor, the water park. We booked our way across the park, grabbed our beach bag at the locker station and started hunting for a chair to explore from. The kids hit the slides and Shaun & I made it to Adventure River where we floated (in 3’ of water) around waterfalls & geysers. The water park closes earlier than the rest of the park, so we did not have nearly enough time to make our way around the entire water park. We had been there 8 hours and still so much to do. I thought this was a very clean park J J J J J I found the staff to be courteous and helpful J J J J The staff was dedicated to safety – no child was let on a ride unless they made it past the measuring stick test. This was enforced on even the mildest of rides. Park rules are strictly enforced. J J J J J This is not an inexpensive day trip but coupons can be found easily to help ease the pocketbook pinch on soda cans and in selected stores. Ticket Prices at the Park: General Admission $49.99 / Book online for $39.99 36”-53” $29.99 Under 36” FREE Parking is an additional fee of $15.00/ car

Bobbie’s Bevy of Beauties I think this is the height of flower blooming season. Beautiful flowers in almost every color. Whether just a couple in a yard or a couple hundred or more they are all spectacular. The floral lovers in my neighborhood have done a splendid job. The gals – Pat, Meg, Starr, Pam, Dawn, Nancy, Jeannie, Kathy, Helen, Carolyn and can’t forget the two men – Danny and Jeff have from sunny to shade to terraced beds. Each one different but oh so pretty. Don’t know how I did it but forgot to mention two bloomers which should have been included in my last column. One was the dark pink geranium hanging from the fir tree in the middle of the backyard. A purple wave petunia also joins it along with some decorative items. These two containers I purchased for only ten dollars a piece from a small nursery shop on the corner of Home Avenue and West Main Street. They have some of the nicest ones I’ve seen and you can’t beat the price. Even if you bought the plants and made them yourself you couldn’t do it for what they are selling them for. I’ve been going there for the last few years. And not to remember the white trumpet lily. Guess it’s my age. Everyone who sees it wants it. It’s a great filler upper. If it starts growing in early spring then by the end of summer it will look like a huge bush. Large white flowers which resemble the Easter lily but blooms for only one day. Is in bud all the time so it is almost never without flowers. Each flower pod grows the size and resembles a horse chestnut. Including the prickles. When ripe it will turn a dark brown, split open and spit out hundreds of seeds. These will produce an unbelievable amount of plants next year. Though many people mistake them for weeds. There is also the purple trumpet lily. Not quite as large as the white – a darker and different shape leaf. Orchid flower with a purple center about the size of a morning glory. Otherwise grows the same. And for what has come into bloom since last month masses of black-eyed Susans, gorgeous white and pink hibiscus, the red and purple have not bloomed yet, dahlias in so many beautiful colors and white calla lilies. But, not one pink or orchid. A neighbor gave me some yellow plants. And I bought a container of dark purple and wine colored ones. As I always do with the callas in the fall, remove them from their containers, place in large foil pans, cover with peat moss, and then into the cellar they go away from direct light and water. Hoping they’ll produce blooms next year. The butterfly bushes are 2 weeks behind. But now in full bloom with a wonderful fragrance. The flowers are lovely to look at but because of them I consider myself lucky to have bumble bees, all kinds of butterflies, the hummingbird and even grasshoppers. Still waiting to see a praying mantis this year. The Walczak family who lives 2 doors away from us have a weed approximately six feet high growing on their bank near the steps leading to their house. In an area surrounded by other weeds it probably wouldn’t hold any appeal what so ever. They are treating it like it is a very special and unique plant. Called the Mullein, the common name of plants of the genus verbascum, belonging to the spurge family and containing some 80 species of which some have been naturalized in the United States. The leaves and stem are covered with a wooly growth and the yellow flowers form a dense spike about a foot long. It definitely is a very fascinating plant and very majestic looking. Hope it grows for them again next year. And now for the veggie news. Jimmy planted some pole beans. Picked enough for a meal. They were quite yummy. The cukes are coming in by the panful. As you know – they are not my thing. Loads of tomatoes but still not ripe. Maybe another 2 weeks. Outside of the grape – I don’t know of anyone who has picked any of the regular ones. When will I have that first tomato sandwich? Believe all I wanted to say has been said or I should say written down. By the time the next issue comes out what has not bloomed should be doing just that. Until then. Flowercerly yours, Bobbie G. Vosgien We have a couple of special p.s.’s we would like to add. Happy Anniversary to Jimmy’s brother David and his wife Marcia on their 50th Wedding Anniversary on Friday, July 27th. Love and Happy Birthday Wishes from Grammie Bobby and Gump Jimmy to our oldest granddaughter Emily “MeO” on her becoming a teenager on August 27th.

Amazing Coffee Beans Grinding to the Music in MeridenBy Jeff Caillouette

Fifteen years ago I planted several coffee beans purchased from Hawaii in my office at JC Music on West Main Street in Meriden. Germination took approximately six months. The coffee trees were used as small desk plants for many years. The trees have now reached about 12-15 feet tall.

Coffee trees normally only grow close to the equator at elevations of 1800-6300 feet and require a particular type of soil with an extensive supply of nitrogen, calcium and magnesium. Coffee trees generally can only grow in a select band of the world, mainly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, from 25 degrees north to 25 degrees south of the Equator. Yet Meriden is only at 102 feet and I use Miracle Grow soil! These trees must just love music all day!

I had given up any hope of every having the trees bloom many years ago. Then I did some store remodeling this past January and hooked up a new gas heater in early February. One night the heater went on and the hot blowing air was accidentally directed right to the trees. The trees were quite warm and dry the next morning. I was worried the trees may not survive that kind of heat. Instead, the trees began a big growth spurt and began flowering and now have cherries growing on them! The trees were fooled into thinking they were in the tropics! These trees can grow to 16 to 40 feet, so I will have to begin pruning the trees soon. Since the trees are already too tall for the store, they are spreading out across the ceiling. The trees near the equator can start to produce flowers and blossoms with cranberry-sized cherries (each with two coffee beans inside) at about four years of age. Anyone able to get a tree to survive indoors as far North as Connecticut is never expected to get any flowers or cherries even if the trees are green and lush as mine have always been.

My trees are Arabica coffee trees which make the world's finest coffees. The trees cannot survive temperatures below 32 Fahrenheit. These trees grow best in places like Kenya, Colombia, the South American rain forests, Ethiopia and Hawaii. Each coffee tree only produces about 1 to 1.5 pounds of coffee per year.

The Arabica coffee tree's small, bean sized fruit ripens from a green color to a dark red color. My trees have already produced white flowers from February through April and now have green cherries ripening. Within each of these cherries are the two seeds that are coffee beans. The berries cannot be picked when green since they will not ripen once picked. Once I have harvested sufficient beans to brew my first pot of 'home grown' coffee, I will attempt to roast them in a home type roaster. This will be a live and learn process. Stop by JC Music on West Main Street and see my coffee trees in the front of the store by the window.

Some fun coffee facts:

*Beethoven, who was a coffee lover, was so particular about his coffee that he always counted 60 beans for each cup when he prepared his brew.

*In 1732, Johann Sebastian Bach composed his Kaffee-Kantate. Partly an ode to coffee and partly a stab at the movement in Germany to prevent women from drinking coffee as it was thought to make them sterile. *The French philosopher, Voltaire, reportedly drank fifty cups of coffee a day. *Coffee is the most popular beverage worldwide with over 400 billion cups consumed each year. Coffee also represents 75% of all the caffeine consumed in the United States. *Coffee, as a world commodity, is second only to oil. In the last three centuries, 90% of all people living in the Western world have switched from tea to coffee. *More than half of the United States population consumes coffee. *The typical coffee drinker has 3.4 cups of coffee per day. That translates into more than 450,000,000 cups of coffee daily. I just hope to produce Meriden's first home grown cup! Michael Cole’s poetry A contrasting poem YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW Yesterday always was Today always is Tomorrow is always coming. Tomorrow never comes Today never ends Yesterday willl never be too far away. REFLECTION The cat, it sat watching a hat, A hat, that sat, on a cat. This cat sat, watching that cat, With a hat on its back. Connecticut American Legion out to help veterans, troops

Rocky Hill – “The American Legion is focused, as always, on fighting for veterans' rights, but also to show our support for the troops serving today in the war on terrorism”, The American Legion's Department Commander said.

"We strongly believe that a nation who forgets its veterans is a lost nation, so we must continue to support our soldiers and give support to their families, so we can bring them all home safely. We continue to help educate and do battle for the children of our nation and the American way of life. That's what we do as an organization."

Department Commander of The American Legion Jim LaCoursiere, of Old Lyme, and his counterpart, Alice Saxton, of Newtown, the Department President of the American Legion Auxiliary, took office July 8th of 2006, at the American Legion Department Convention held in Rocky Hill. They have promoted support for our soldiers and their families all year and are trying to deliver their message into every community throughout the state.

The American Legion has launched a new program, called Heroes to Hometown, which encourages local American Legion units to support troops as they arrive home from deployments. This program is important because it links troops to their hometowns, and guarantees they will receive a more welcome homecoming than that given to U.S. troops coming home from the Vietnam War. To make this program a success, it truly entails getting the whole community and every community in the great state of Connecticut involved. We currently have a commitment of support from Waterford High School and a handful of various communities, but we still need a lot more help to provide sufficient and adequate care for Connecticut’s soldiers and their families.

The American Legion has found still another way to enhance our service to veterans and their families. Through the Heroes to Hometown program, the American Legion will act as a catalyst for the Department of Defense in setting up community networks to provide long term support for severely injured veterans and their families.

The purpose of the program is to identify and coordinate resources in the local community to assist the Severely Injured Service Member and their family before their actual return to the community. Depending on the needs assessment, a permanent housing, assist in adapting a home or vehicle, find jobs and educational child care, financial support, counseling, entertainment options, spiritual, and other family support.

The American Legion will serve as the organizational point of contact in each state in forming local community Heroes to Hometown committees. To create these committees, the Legion will coordinate with local veteran service and other non-profit organizations, business leaders, chamber of commerce, state and local governments, Congressional liaisons, financial and legal, educational, and religious institutions, local military units, unions and other organizations interested in providing support. The American Legion does not preclude other non-profit organizations from providing similar support. “We all must work together to achieve the highest goal and outcome for our fellow soldiers and their families.” The American Legion National Headquarters will appoint Heroes to Hometown representatives in each state and these individuals will communicate directly with the DoD state liaisons, the Military Service Severely Injured Program staff, care managers and counselor advocates.

National Headquarters will also provide a representative to staff the American Legion Heroes to Hometowns information desk to be located at the Pentagon’s MSCI office.

We'll be there to welcome them home with open arms, and to provide the guidance, comfort, and support which they and their families may require." he said. "We truly are a grateful and proud nation and we must make our veterans feel the same pride and allow them to hold their heads high and proud." We have soldiers returning to Connecticut whom really need our help now, since tomorrow may not be soon enough. Currently, we are in the process of making some home modifications to two soldiers homes, in order to give the soldiers as comfortable of a life style to lead a full and productive life, and comfortable enough to help relieve some of the burdens form the families. One particular case we are trying to put into motion now, before the soldier returns home is for Sgt. Barry Albert of Windsor Locks. BACKGROUND: SGT Barry Albert (a.k.a. "Pappy"), age 42, was in his tenth month in Iraqwhen, on May 14th of this year, he was driving the lead vehicle of a four-vehicle LOGPAC convoy near Al Hilla, when he was hit by an EFP. SGT Albert lost his left leg in the attack and only one other Soldier was injured (shrapnel in the shoulder). He continued to drive his vehicle, leading the convoy out of the kill zone and away from the danger area for as long as he could remain conscious. Upon waking up, SGT Albert's first concerns were for his wounded passenger and the others.

Family: He has been married for 22 years to his wife, Susan, and they have three children -- a daughter, Alaina, age 15; a son, Ian, age 12; and another daughter, Megan, age 8 and reside in Windsor Locks, Connecticut. An initial meeting and walk through of the family home was conducted by the American Legion Department Commander Jim LaCoursiere and American Legion Post 36 & H2H Co-Chair Dave Booth and accompanied by SSgt. George Mitchell. This was brought to our attention and the meeting set up by George Mitchell and he will act as the point of contact for this family from here on out. Upon our initial arrival, I went over a few details about the program, "Heroes to Hometown" with Susan and we filled out an application for the record. Once this paperwork was completed, it was time for a very thorough walk through of the entire house, both inside and out. This is an older home located on a corner lot. With the dwelling being older, every doorway and passageway throughout the house is very narrow. The bathroom is in poor condition with tiles missing or broken in the shower area, and there is no way for Barry to get by the vanity once he gets home (clearance is very minimal). The front of the house has brick steps, coming out from the front entrance/sun porch with no easy accessibility. The side door/back has concrete steps after passing a 3-5" rise from the sidewalk. The hatchway is rusted and leaks very heavily, allowing water to build up below the house whenever it rains. The garage is also in much need of repair and cosmetics. It is of the best interest of the family and Sgt. Barry Albert that we take care of the doorways, bathroom with much more accessibility& new Handicap shower stall and ramps as a primary goal first, then seek the other comfort items as secondary. One major hurdle which has been pointed out to Dave, was to possibly enlarge the sun porch and relocate the door to the side of the house where it meets the driveway. The American Legion Post 36 Heroes to Hometown team has been tasked with promoting this cause with their local community, clearing the red tape with door relocation on this house, and pulling all the information from planning and zoning to get all of our permits secured with the fees waived. A more detailed report to follow with design concepts. How you can help: Please contact Jim LaCoursiere, The American Legion, Department of Connecticut Commander at (860) 705-4173

Hypnosis for Pain Management Jim Vumbaco, Practice Manager Key Hypnosis Center The last two months I have dispelled the myths surrounding hypnosis and have shown how hypnosis can be an aid in your weight loss program. After reading the article by Kimberly Linstruth-Beckom titled “Fibro and the Nag” in May’s Peoples Press about fibromyalgia, I thought it would be fitting to do an article on how hypnosis can be a excellent aid in pain management, With the beginning of warmer weather, there is a surge of outdoor physical activity. With the increase in physical activity, whether it is yard work, gardening or outdoor sports, there is the inevitable increase in back and neck pain, arthritis and other pains associated with outdoor activity and everyday life. Americans are living with pain. Over 55 million Americans suffer from chronic pain in one form or another. Ten million suffer with back or neck pain, eight million have fibromyalgia and forty million have chronic headaches. Yet only about fifty percent of these patients benefit from standard medical treatment. Its no wonder many sufferers are desperately seeking alternative ways to stop the pain. Before I begin to describe the effectiveness of hypnosis in pain management, it is imperative that a hypnotherapist never use hypnosis to treat pain unless the cause of the pain is already known and has been diagnosed by a medical professional. At Key Hypnosis Center, anyone who wishes to use hypnosis in pain management is asked to provide a note from their physician first, clearing them for hypnosis. Sometimes pain is a symptom of a more serious underlying condition and we would not want to mask something that is serious and might be physically causing the pain. Hypnosis is extremely effective in dealing with pain. We all live with pain in one form or another, just differently based on our own personal experiences and associations with it. One of the simplest and most effective techniques for controlling pain is to redirect your attention and awareness away from pain by focusing your conscious thoughts on the contrast between the pain and how one would feel in the absence of pain. Almost all pain will respond to hypnosis. It does take repetition and the more you use it, the better it will work for you. You can’t expect to be hypnotized once and your pain will disappear for the rest of your life. By using it effectively and continuously, you can achieve remarkable results. Many people experiencing chronic pain turn to medication, either prescription or over the counter. However, sometimes the side effects of the medication are almost as bad as the pain itself. Hypnosis, along with medical treatment, has several advantages in controlling pain. It is safe, literally has no harmful side effects, uses no drugs, and is not addicting. These reasons are why hypnosis is recommended by the National Institutes of Health. Hypnotherapy for pain management helps patients to control, diminish or redirect pain to tolerable levels. It helps to turn their pain off completely, reprogram negative attitudes, relax muscles, as well as decrease stress levels and break the stress/pain cycle. We all know stress can overload the body and make the pain worse. Hypnosis produces deep relaxation that can help relieve pain. Hypnosis helps to calm the mind by reducing stress and helps the body release the “feel good” endorphins that help relieve the pain. Arthritis, fibromyalgia, back or neck pain and headaches can improve with hypnosis. Studies have found that hypnosis relieved chronic pain in 75 percent of the people studied. Remember, the power of the positive thinking is incredible. Stress in our daily lives can wreak havoc with our body. Stress relief and relaxation is one way we can all feel better. Visit our web site, www.keyhypnotherapy.com for more information on hypnosis. We also conduct free informational sessions on hypnosis every Wednesday night at the Center at 7:00 PM. Vacation Memory Buck Harbor, Maine 1953 By Ken Cowing It was a small private harbor. Access was restricted. The schooner I occupied as a part time deck hand had the privilege of anchorage there. One of the residents on shore had an immense stereo or hi fi system in his cottage which was actually a large room surrounded by many speakers. Concerts were held there every evening. As a deck hand, I slept on deck with an alternative place below deck during inclement weather. Very early one morning I awoke just before sunrise. It was still dark but a small distinct sound of music came from the shore interrupting the deep sleep of the area. It was faint but as the music became more distinct, the darkness of night seemed to fade. The music grew louder and began to be part of the early morning sunrise. Now the sound of the wood winds and brass were joined by the string section of the orchestra. Then it was nearly a full but gentle sound of the entire orchestra which suddenly increased and swept across the harbor greeting the beginning of a new day with its brilliant colors in the sky. The rich gold and crimson sky contrasted and suddenly blended with the rich green shadows of the tall pines that guarded the shore of the harbor. As suddenly as the music had dominated its scene it disappeared into the surrounding landscape leaving an atmosphere of harmony and tranquility. A combination of the perfume of the pines and the smell of the cold salt water completed the panorama. I was on deck and leaning against the stern rail while I enjoyed this peaceful experience. My only thought was just that – peace. I did wonder how this experience must have affected someone centuries ago before the European Invasion of this land. Perhaps an Abanski brave might have sat in his canoe and had the same peaceful experience. The only difference would have been that he did not listen to the section of Grofe’s Grand Canyon Suite called “Sunrise”, but would have listened to music that we could not hear or understand. From one learn all

by Christopher Sepulveda Good afternoon, and thank you for offering me the opportunity to speak with you. While I can easily expound upon the courageous and heroic efforts that each of you displayed at Iwo Jima, my remarks would surely be second-hand—information that I have gleaned from the many poignant accounts written about the event. And while I don’t discount the validity of those texts, I would rather take this time to talk about the impact your contribution has had in the lives of the young people of my generation and the promise that has meant for our country’s future. I have had the great fortune of coming of age in a family where several members—a grandfather, an uncle, and now a step-grandfather—proudly served their country in the armed forces, and cared enough to share those experiences with me. But for many in my generation the stories were not so immediate. World War II occupies only a small chapter of a typical high school textbook, devoting only a few pages to quintessential battles like that of the invasion at Iwo Jima. Many members of my generation have had to osmose their history through films like Saving Private Ryan and Flags of Our Fathers, and while these movies are well made, they cannot possibly convey all there is to know about your experiences. Even still, while many of the facts may have been lost on some of us, what your involvement stands for, and the spirit of your success, surely has not been. Sometime ago I read that my generation might become distraught because it has had no single life-defining event or movement to be part of -- that there has been no single cause for which we are really able to call our own. When I read this, I can remember thinking…Isn’t that the point? Isn’t that why our fathers and our grandfathers served their country, so that we might enjoy the freedom promised us by the constitution of the United States? Isn’t that the legacy you sacrificed so much of your own young adult lives for? My generation is not distraught—we are grateful, we are honored and we are blessed to have had such valiant role models and leaders come before us—but we are not distraught. If every generation has a purpose, and yours was to provide the footing for our country—now finally comfortable in its young skin—to grow and prosper; than mine has been, and is, to fulfill that great prophecy. Mine is to build, brick by brick, upon the foundation laid by you and yours, until America is the greatest nation it can be—and we are: Today 99.9 percent of all young Americans are literate; more than 84 percent will graduate high school, and more than 67 percent will go to college and graduate schools—the highest number in our nation’s history, and the highest number of any country in the entire world. Today 1 out of every 10 young people aim to open their own American business, nearly half of whom are women -- a staggering number considering many women in this country only began working while their sons and loved ones were away during the war in which you served. Today more than ever young people are voting in national elections, they are supporting their parties and they are working to make a difference in their own cities and states. Today, my generation is doing what the framers of the constitution had intended for this country, and it is because of you that we are so readily able to do so. It is because of your example and leadership that we have the desire and the will to advance our country beyond what anyone thought was possible. I am reminded of an old Latin phrase that I have always admired: ab uno disce omnes, from one learn all. One historical event, of which you all were a part, has taught this country that together we can accomplish anything, that together our safety and our livelihoods cannot and will not be threatened, and that while war is not desirable for any nation, our countrymen will rise together if called upon. It is this sense of security, this feeling of brotherhood that binds us as Americans. My generation does not need to endure World War III to experience the intense pride that comes with being a member of this country; we are proud because we are of the same nation as men like you. And let that be your legacy—that the youth of today and tomorrow might understand not only what our freedom is worth, and what it has cost, but the potential of what it can be and what we can do with it. You have known enough sacrifice for 10 generations, and that sacrifice has not gone unnoticed. You have been aptly called the greatest generation; I am here today to represent the next chapter in our country’s prideful story, thank you for your guidance and devotion, and thank you for your confidence in us.

Christopher Sepulveda

Editor’s Note: This speech was written by Christopher Sepulveda for the recent 60th Iwo Jima Reunion. Christopher is the son of Debbi Sepulveda. Barbara Sherburne had written a wonderful story 2 issues ago recognizing not only the Reunion but those who had given all. Look for a follow up story soon by Barbara on the huge response that Babs had not only from local folks but from folks all around the country. Sharing The Word With Pastor Diana The WOW in Worship Psalm 100:1-5 Sometimes we that the WOW in our worship tome. Psalm 100 offers what I like to call a spiritual pick-me-up. It tells us that the more we know about God's nature, the more we can express out love for Him.. Information leads to adoration. The psalmist her is reflecting the Lord as God, Creator and Shepherd, which results in worship, gladness and joyful sings. It's true, to know Him is to love Him. Knowing that "the Lord is God" (v3) identifies Him as the only true God. He existed before all, after all and above all. He possesses unlimited power, knowledge immeasurable, and a presence that is unavoidable. He is indescribable, indispensable, and indisputable. He is huge! There was a little girl who was listening to her father reading their family devotions. She seemed to be in awe by her parent's talk about God's unlimited power. "Daddy," She asked, "how big is God?' Her father answered, "Honey, He is always a lot bigger than what you need." Believing that God is bigger than our own situations produces passion in our praises to God. Knowing that "it is He who make us" (v3) reveals Him as our Creator. He is the One who fashioned us into His image (Genesis 1:27) He shows us His creativity through forming humans who are diverse yet distinctive. But why did God create us? The psalmist says that we were created to become God's people---those of His Highest priority. Our value lies not in who we are, but in whose we are. Belonging to God's family adds awe to our adoration for Him. Knowing that "we are......the sheep of His pasture" (v3) will help us understand the tender care God shows for His children. Shepherds are responsible for every aspect of their flocks well-being. Shepherd takes their responsibility very seriously. They make sure their sheep are protected, they five them guidance on which way to go, they take them to finest pastures to graze in, they make sure they have enough to eat and drink, and they help them to rest. Our Good Shepherd is exactly like that. He leads His sheep into "green pastures" (Psalm 32:2). He "calls His own sheep by name" (John 10:3). He "lays down His life for His sheep" (John 10:11). Showing our gratitude to our Shepherd, Jesus Christ, will produce gladness in our hearts. Understanding that the Lord is bigger than any of our needs, that He is our Creator. We belong to Him. We can't help but put the WOW back into our worship! Reflection 1. On the scale of one to ten, how would you rank the intensity of your worship? 2. List some of God's attributes. In what ways has He revealed Himself to you? 3. How does knowing the nature of God affect how you praise Him? Now take some time to enter His gates with a joyful song that celebrates His character. Related Readings Psalm 23:1-6 Isaiah 43:5-6 Romans 9:25-26 Colossians 1:16-17 Pastor Diana pastors the Jesus Loves Advent Christian Home Fellowship in Meriden, Ct. For information about our services or more information about our Fellowship please email Pastor Diana at pastordiana@sbcglobal.net Thoughts from the Wallingford Animal Shelter: Summer is upon us ... that time of year when the "kidlets" are home, and the family is thinking, perhaps a dog would round out the family. After all, what house is truly a home, without a wagging tail? Some "dog" food for thought on this matter. First, please be sure your children are old enough to respect a dog. Children under five generally don't understand, no matter how much parents advise them, that fluffy doesn't like his tail pulled, ears tugged or eyes poked. Small dogs are carried too tight, and often dropped, which may lead to extensive injury. It happens, even with the most supervised little "two-leggers." Children are just innately curious, and dogs don't have a the ability to hold up a paw and say NO! They WILL nip, as they do when training their pups. It's just their way of saying NO to inappropriate behavior. Intrinsic to them, not mean spirited. Hence the wisdom of waiting until a child is old enough, to respect, and benefit from the unconditional love of a fur-friend. In relinquishing a dog, saying the dog nipped a child, makes that poor dog UN-adoptable, with shelters. A good dog that may lose it's ability to have a home, due to the parents unfortunate misjudgment, not the animals, nor the childs. I beseech parents to wait until their children are old enough to love and respect a furkid, even though THEY themselves may be ready for one. Wait until age appropriate, both for their children and for the pup! Research kid friendly dogs and learn about the innate characteristics of the breeds. One site I recommend is this: Choosing a Dog: The Best Breeds for Families - Parenthood.com http://www.parenthood.com/articles.html?article_id=3963 Folks with young children that want a dog, should start training their children on care and respect. They could rent videos at their local library, read books about animals, and visit with folks that own kid friendly pets. When the child is mature enough, they will forage a beautiful furry friendship, a lifelong respect and love for animals, not another avoidable, sad "dump." Another popular reason for abandonment is moving. Families love their pup, but have to move. It is a very hard task to find an apartment that will accept pets, no matter how great their nature. The landlords that will accept them charge additional fees that many cannot afford. Please think hard before adopting a dog if you rent. Unless you have a twelve plus year lease, the average life span of most pups. Otherwise, you may be forced to abandon that pup. That is not fair to him or her, or your family. The decision to get a dog is not a decision to be taken casually. An adorable pup will pull at our heartstrings, but overall, will require a great investment of time, love, and money for a number of years. It can often be a great stress on a family due to socialization, training, exercise, vet bills, and all things good dog owners need to provide. Many parents think a dog will occupy the kids and teach them care. Don't be fooled! This fur-child is just that; another "child" for the parent to care for. The children will be amazed for all of about two days ... the "honeymoon" period. Then this addition to the family will be one more "child" for the parent to tend to. A "child" that needs to be walked, fed, vetted, loved, house broken, and tended to. Here is a small listing of the responsibilities of a dog owner. Are you ready for Fido? 1. Are you and all those who live with you committed to spend 12+ years providing health care, food, grooming, training, and attention to a dog? Do the people who live with you ALSO want a dog? 2. Do you have the time and/or resources available to: Take your dog for walks, to the vet, bathe, brush, clip and otherwise groom? Are you willing to play and train daily? Take to obedience classes? 3. Are there lifestyle altering events that could occur in your foreseeable future? A baby, caring for an elderly family member, a divorce, job uncertainty, etc., and how would you deal with those changes as they impact your ability to care for the fur-child? 4. Is your personality conducive to dog ownership? Are you a neat freak, often stressed, or are you flexible? Answer yourself honestly, for you will be the one living with a fur-child not accustom to your standards. You will have to live with the result of ownership. 5. Are you physically able to care for a dog? Are you economically able to provide care for a dog over the years? 6. Is your environment prepared for a dog? Are you willing to make the investment of time and money necessary to insure that it does. Is there a yard or park area for your dog to walk and relieve him/her self? Is your yard, or a portion of it, fenced in? If your dog will be outside for any period of time, will you provide a secure and comfortable shelter? ***Dogs should NEVER be left outdoors, unattended, for extended periods of time.*** They are pack animals, that need to be with you, their pack. A dog tethered for lengths of time can cause serious harm, both physical and behavioral. For it is not what they intrinsically need. If you plan to chain your dog outside, Please, spare the dog. They are not programmed to accept that physical and mental stress. They will become vicious, or problematic, due to your treatment, not their original loving hearts. Why own a fur-kid, just to chain it up alone outdoors? 7. Will your dog be alone for extended periods? Can you arrange for him/her to be let out for a romp, water, medication, playtime as needed? Will you become irritated if your dog subcomes to behavioral issues due to being left alone for extended periods of time. If so, think again, "why do I want a dog?" if that dog will be left alone for extended periods. 8. Are you willing to spay/neuter your dog as soon as possible to reduce the chance of accidental breeding? There are enough pups in need without adding more to the sad plight. 9. Do you travel frequently? Will it be difficult for you to find quality care for your dog when you are away? 10. Do you really LOVE dogs? If you are truly motivated by your love, these words are naught. You know your needs and the needs of the pup. You will train and play with your dog, provide vet care, nutrition, grooming, and love. You will work through the "ruff" spots and find yourself with a family member that truly enhances your abode. If you are of that ilk, and are seeking a friend, please contact us for an application. It is our joy, to place the furry guests at our shelter into loving forever homes. Rachel, Morgan, and myself live for those happy endings. They are the reason we can keep putting one foot in front of the other in all our other countless duties. If you feel you can provide a forever home of love, for one of our furry guests, please email for an application: Seylerl@aol.com, or phone us at 203 294-2180. In closing, I would also ask all those that fish, PLEASE pick up ALL dropped line and hooks. Our feathered friends suffer horribly, as that line gets tangled on their legs, cuts into their flesh, and painfully, slowly kills them. Also those that are contemplating releasing doves at weddings, should avoid that practice. The doves often become disoriented, and cannot make it on their own. I'm certain no couple would knowingly want to start their married life that way. They are just unwitting to the plight of the released doves. To all the wonderful folks that donate to our shelter and other animal shelters, I thank you from the top, bottom, and middle of my heart. Your care for the voiceless is always appreciated by those of us that daily see their plight, and do all we can to find them forever homes of love. Lisa Seyler - Wallingford Animal Shelter 203 294-2180

A Tribute to our beloved friend – Max Muravnick Dear Senior Center Members and Friends, The month of June was a sad month for all of us at the Senior Center with the passing of Max Muravnick on June 25, 2007 at the age of 102. Max died at home surrounded by his three daughters and other family members after a brief illness of several weeks. His last visit to the Senior Center was on May 7 when he enjoyed the Kiwanis Hi-Liters Show here. Max had a long and illustrious history with the Senior Center. He was instrumental in the City of Meriden acquiring this property on West Main Street in 1977 for use as the Meriden Senior Center. Max oversaw the renovation of the property and the new Senior Center opened in 1978. For many years Max served as our volunteer Physical Fitness Instructor three days each week, leading exercises that are still used today in our fitness classes. Max assisted Charlie Byron in establishing Special Day for Special People in 1970 and was a member of the committee which planned the event for each of the next 37 years. In 1992, the Senior Center was dedicated as the Max E. Muravnick Senior Center by the Meriden City Council “in appreciation of his many years of involvement and volunteer work on behalf of Meriden’s senior citizens”. From 1994 – 1997 Max served on the Senior Center Building Committee which completed a $1.9 million project to update and improve the Senior Center. Finally, we all remember the great birthday parties we all enjoyed here for his 100th birthday on August 15, 2004 and last year for his 102nd with the Marilyn Monroe performance! I had the distinct honor of speaking at Max’s funeral service at Temple B’nai Abraham on June 27 and would like to share my remarks with you: “As Director of the Max Muravnick Senior Center for the last 25 years I feel truly fortunate to have known Max for all of that time and I would like to speak about how much he meant to all of us at the Senior Center. For the staff, for me, Diane, Diana, Claire, Karla, Jackie, Joane, John and the rest, he was a good friend, a father figure, a mentor, and a kind and generous supporter of all of our work. When he came to the Senior Center, which he did frequently and as recently as last month, he always greeted us with a smile and our work took a break to enjoy a few minutes talking to Max. The birthday parties we had for his 95th, 99th, 100th, 101st and 102nd birthdays were great celebrations and some of the best times we ever had at the Senior Center. Max was always gracious and the best guest of honor you could ever have at any special occasion. When the Senior Center was named after Max in 1992 it was a perfect match and we will do our best to uphold his high standards and his fine name in the future. For the seniors, Max was an inspiration, a role model for healthy aging, and a man who remained vital and active at 102. He exemplified the value of positive thinking; he treated everyone with respect and lived each day to the fullest. For all of us at the Senior Center we extend our condolences to Frances, Janice and Patty and all of the family. Thank you for sharing Max with us, he will be greatly missed at the Senior Center and we will never forget him. I am sure he is now in a better place reaping the rewards of a memorable life well lived here in Meriden.” Please take a moment to remember Max and his family in your thoughts and prayers. He was a wonderful man and a good friend and he always had the best interests of the Senior Center and Meriden’s seniors in mind - we are all better off for having known him! Sincerely, John F. Hogarth – Meriden Senior Center Director

GIVE YOUR HAND A HAND A few days ago a caregiver involved herself with a resident in a nursing home; she gave her a piece of paper with a pencil and had her trace her hand on it. When she was done, the resident agreed that this was her hand. The surprise came when the caregiver asked her if she could tell her some of the things that this hand had done. This opened the floodgate as she began talking about her life and the many things she had done with that hand. Heart warming. The Latin for hand in manu. We manufacture, we create things, and we have handbooks and call them manuals. Manumit is defined as a release from slavery. Manu is a handy word. The word hand and its concepts are so common that often we overlook its usage. We put value on things hand made. The cell phone in Europe is called a “handy”. We offer helping hands. We do business on a handshake. We call some people handsome. An aunt when asked what she liked about her late husband, she replied, “He was such a handy man” and with a slight twinkle in her eye and a little smile she said “he also was a man handy”. Is the hand the key that will unlock doors for memory as well as for holding the key to unlock your door at home? Maybe we do have the world in our hands and we certainly must hand it to the person that said “living life is a handful”. It’s time that we take time and to give the hand a hand, together with a handful of thanks. John Adair 2007 1947’s Daughter and Son By Earldine Forbes Dedicated to Terry Asprelli Born in forty-seven, an early baby-boomer year, we were shaped by both what we would endure and endear. We hula-hooped and practiced schoolhouse drills for the A bomb. We watched Nixon-Kennedy debate, saw burning flags and heard Dylan’s song. Everyone then demonstrated their point of view. Civil rights, burning bras and anti-war, too. The mini-skirt, men on the moon and the pill. All changed who we became and remains part of us still. We spoke out more than our parents allowed us to do. We questioned others “why not?” voicing our point of view. We loved deeply and protected what was our own. Including our families, the Earth and what comprises its zone. Sixty years have passed before our eyes. Individually we may not have changed much, but our generation survives. To speak out and still stand for what we feel should be done. Each of us played a part as a ’47 daughter and son.

Why would you take a music class with your newborn or young child? Sandie Apuzzo, Kindermusik with Sandie/Keys & Strings Music Studio Wallingford CT Let’s think honestly about your newborn child’s day. No guilt here……just honest realization. Your child sleeps in a crib…..you bundle your child up if it’s a cold morning, and put him in a car seat for the ride to daycare. Though your caregiver is a loving, involved provider, they can’t hold and stimulate your child all day. So your child might stay in a bouncy seat, or a crib, or laying on a blanket for long stretches of time. You pick your child up after a long day, put him back in his car seat……..where hopefully he can see some trees or clouds out the window for the ride home. Once home, you put him in a swing so you can get dinner started. He sits in a highchair for his evening meal, has some cuddle time with you, a bath perhaps, then back in his crib. All to be done again the next day…….. Your newborn child needs stimulation to grow and develop his brain. Vestibular stimulation to help his inner ear and brain understand movement. Language and audio stimulation to help him learn to speak. Fine motor stimulation to help him eventually grasp that tiny toy, or a crayon to color a beautiful picture. Gross motor stimulation to help him roll, crawl and walk. Rocking to music with your newborn child will help his eye and inner ear development. Changing position to match pitch will help with balance and hearing, as well as language. Tapping his body or his hands and feet together to a steady beat will help him be able to move in a steady pattern also known as walking! Participating in a group activity will also build on social skills at all age levels. A toddler or preschooler is building on lots of different skills while he’s participating in a music class. He is multitasking when he holds a shaker egg in each hand (fine motor) moving his arms to the steady beat (gross motor and listening skills) When he sways to the sound of music, or imitates a rhythm pattern with sticks he is also building on these skills. Have you ever watched your child color to music? The fine art of swirls, lines and dots that he is creating is the actual imitation of the sounds that his ear and brain are processing. What if you have brought your older child to a music class or private lesson, but just thought he was ‘making noise’. What good would that do? Typically, it takes a full year before true musicality starts to show. In the meantime, you might hear at worst uneven rhythms, bad pitches or at best, a simple piece such as “Twinkle Twinkle” or other easy recognizable children’s pieces. That’s ok! Your child is very busy concentrating on several different ideas at once. When was the last time you tried to hold up an instrument with two hands, each hand doing something different, while counting in your head, tapping your foot perhaps to maintain that steady beat, sitting still as well as trying to read a new language (or perhaps even two?). The processing of written music combines math and language skills, as well as cognitive reasoning activities. Think pre-algebra at age 6! Problem solving skills are honed in music classes or lessons. Note rhythm patterns are actually a visual of fractions. That’s a lot of learning in a young child music class or private music lesson. So, the next time your son or daughter asks to take a music class or violin lessons, don’t cringe inside. Think about the possibilities!

"Locks of Love"

CUT-A-THON Benefit Fundraiser for Hunter Christian Pageau by Sharon Agli-PageauOur family is honored to partner with Serenity Salon & Day Spa, of Wallingford, for the "Locks of Love" Cut-A-Thon Benefit Fundraiser for our 22 month old son, Hunter Christian, diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy with Respiratory Distress. This fundraiser will take place on Sunday, August 19th, from 10am to 4pm at the Serenity Salon, located at 118 Center Street, Wallingford; 203.265.4419 (next to Miami Beach Tanning). Kindly, Serenity's experienced stylists will offer haircuts that day for adults at a charge of $15, and for those 12 and under for only $10! What an incredible price for such quality work, all for a very good cause!

For the enjoyment of all those supporters of our campaign for "Hunter's Hope," there will also be a Bake Sale at the Salon during the Cut-A-Thon, with ALL proceeds from both the Cut-A-Thon and the Bake Sale to be donated towards Hunter's equipment needs! Our main goal is to assist Hunter in making his dreams of Freedom, Independence and Mobility come true, by focusing on raising the much needed donations to purchase a Wheelchair Accessible Van, in order to safely transport Hunter out of our home.

With the exception of being able to attend one previous fundraiser held very close to home, Hunter only leaves the apartment via ambulance transport to attend Dr's/Therapy appointments, with his car seat strapped onto an ambulance stretcher. Until a Wheelchair Accessible Van can be provided, Hunter is unable to leave the apartment to enjoy either a trip to the park, or a visit at family or friends. This circumstance is an unacceptable carry over of the institutionalization endured by our family, during our continuous 11 month stay in various out-of-state hospitals by Hunter's side. We are inviting those compassionate friends and neighbors who wish to make a difference in the quality of Hunter's life to participate in this event to "Help Hunter Ride!"

Our deepest gratitude to the entire staff at Serenity Salon & Day Spa for both offering and implementing this wonderful event for Hunter, as each day carries new hope for Hunter to experience his world more appropriately/comprehensively. Thank you in advance to all of you who take the time to stop in on Sunday, August 19th between 10am-4pm for the exceptional haircut this staff provides, and for sharing our dream for increased freedom for our son! Anyone unable to attend this event, but still wishes to make a difference in Hunter's life, please contact: Sharon Agli-Pageau, (203) 627-3948/fitforlifesja@hotmail.com. Donations may be sent to: Hunter Pageau Trust, 34-3 #116 Shunpike Rd, Cromwell, CT 06416. God bless!

Dear Housewives – Central Connecticut’s know it all Gals Dear Readers, Do you have a question regarding family life, budgeting, customer service issues, DVD or book reviews, or home organization? We will give you our candid advise from a family perspective. Contact The Peoples Press by e-mail or phone with your confidential question and we will answer it in the next issue. June and Flora Dear Housewives, My friend has been very hostile whenever I speak to her on the phone lately. I don't know why but everything I say seems to offend or tick her off. Should I stop speaking to her?Offending and offended in Meriden

JUNE: Dear offended, sounds like your friend has a bug somewhere. You can come right out and ask her what her problem is if you are ready for more hostile attitude. It is possible that your friendship has run its course and she just doesn't like you much anymore. You didn't say how long you were friends for. Maybe give it a break for a while and see how she is after some months pass. Good luck.

FLORA: I'm with June on this one. Offended, just ask her kindly if everything is alright and share that it seems as though something may be wrong. And ask her if something you did or said offended her. If she can't be honest with you, take the much needed break. She might be dealing with something in her private life that has nothing to do with you.

Remember the phrase from your middle school years: if you love something set it free, if it comes back to you it's yours, if it doesn't, it never was. See if she is a true friend. JUNE: Oh boy! Can you see my eyes rolling. FLORA: June, I knew you'd like that! Dear Housewives, I can't stand getting solicitors and religious people at my door. Lately there seems to be a lot in our neighborhood. I really don't want to put a no solicitor sign up because I do like to help the kids in the area when they sell things for their school. Anything else I can do? Don't come Knockin' in Meriden

FLORA: Some of these uninvited visitors are trying to share their religion while others of these so-called visitors are scammers. An elderly friend of the family had a visitor a few weeks ago. This visitor said they were from the State of CT and that they needed him to do a walk through of the yard as the State of CT was replacing a fence. They presented identification badges. Well, while they were in the yard a second accomplice entered the home and robbed them of all his wife's jewelry. They even took a pillowcase off the bed to fill it. This gentleman cares for his wife, who has late stage Alzheimer's disease, around the clock.I say put the "No Soliciting" sign up for the grown-ups as the children selling in your neighborhood will ring the bell anyway.

JUNE: I actually recently had two men come to my door and ask me if I know about all that is going on in the world. I was tempted to say, "Like when stranger comes to your door and ends up killing you because you let them in?". I just told them I didn't want to discuss it with them but what the heck are they thinking in today's world. I would have been a fool to let them in.

Dear Housewives, What do you think of mothers that dance around a children's program with the kids? It irks me. I can't stop the vision of this mom in a peach shirt dancing with a scarf with three year olds. If she had a visor on, she'd be even more of a freak. No hokey pokey in Meriden

JUNE: I have seen these moms-the ones who get way into the playsongs and stories. I say, more power to them. At least they are involved and having fun with their kids. As long as they are not stepping all over little children then enjoy. Who knows, maybe it brings them back to a childhood they loved or one they didn't have. Flora, you wear visors, don't you? Not sure why this questioner has a phobia against visors but I am not sure that would make them any more of a freak. FLORA: I think someone was writing this question about me... I had a peach shirt on and danced with a scarf. And I enjoy wearing visors. MOVIE SUGGESTIONS FLORA'S DVD Rentals:. "The Pursuit of Happyness" (PG-13) and "Freedom Writers" (PG-13)These films give us hope. Hope for change and hope in mankind. They give us an inside look at the lives of people different circumstances than most of us. Both are well made and captivating. JUNE: A good book to read is Suspect by Michael Rothobam. This was a very good book; a good crime puzzle. When a patient of the main character psychologist turns up dead the psychologist becomes the suspect. Of course, there is much more to the story. Enjoy. I agree with Flora (well not in the same cheesy way) that "The Pursuit of Happyness" was a great movie starring Will Smith. Also a true story which I always like. I haven't seen Freedom Writers. FLORA: I read two Anne Lamott books lately. "Blue Shoe" which tells the story of a found little plastic blue shoe which unravels the past in the lives of two grown siblings. I liked it so much I read her latest (2007) "Grace (eventually) Thoughts on Faith". This is a collection of her essays and shows once again what an incredible writer she is. She shares some of her strong political views, which I don't necessarily agree with, but like a true friend, you can have opposing political or religious views and still have a relationship. When I read anything by Anne Lamott, these two and my first book of hers, "Operating Instructions", I feel as though she is a friend. She is candid and such a good writer. FAMILY VACATIONS ON A BUDGET

Vacationing can be hard for families in today’s times because the cost of living has skyrocketed within the past few years. One might think that a vacation is out of the question because of the expense. My family and I are on an extremely tight budget. We thought that the only vacation we would have this year was a trip from the kitchen to the living room, but even we managed to get away to a few places this summer.

The key for us to vacation, is to do day trips with other people (like my mother and father in-law and even my own parents) and split some costs like food and gas. We have also researched and budgeted for admission costs to museums and parks and then planned where to go from there. We found some fun places for very reasonable prices from zoos to a bit of American culture and here’s a list for you to try.

Salem MA is a wonderful place for a day trip. It is about a two and a half to three hour drive from the Middletown area of CT and is a place rich in American culture and history. Parking is not bad since there is a parking garage near many of the attractions and the fee is very reasonable on Sundays when there are less tourists. There are many museums to go to in Salem, however, some can be rather expensive for admission. There are also some museums and attractions that may not be suitable for children under the age of 7 due to the nature of the attraction for this period in history, however, some of the places are very accommodating to adults with young children, and will offer a refund of your ticket price if your child becomes scared.

One museum that will accommodate for this is the Salem Witch Museum. This museum is the most visited in Salem and gives an accurate depiction of the Salem Witch Hysteria of 1692. They have a new exhibit that explains the evolving perception of witches in American history through today. Admission for this exhibit is very reasonable as well. The gift shop, however, is a bit pricey.

Another attraction in Salem is The House of Seven Gables. It is New England’s oldest mansion and has Nathaniel Hawthrone’s House on it’s premises to tour as well. The gardens on site are beautiful and worth a look. The price of admission is reasonable for the two house tour and The House of Seven Gables is an attraction that is for non-profit. It uses the price of your admission to help the community of Salem, as well as to maintain this piece of history for tourists to enjoy. The admission price is much higher than the Salem Witch Museum, however. There is also a secret staircase in the house that can be difficult to climb for some individuals.

Another thing to consider is food of course, and Salem has a few nice places to eat. Brother’s Restaurant & Deli is a great place for lunch. The sandwiches are tasty and very reasonably priced. Salem Beer Works has great burgers and of course good beer if you happen to like beer and a great atmosphere, however, it is quite pricey compared to Brother’s Restaurant & Deli. Jaho Coffee & Tea has a nice coffee house atmosphere with delicious flavored coffee and tea and their prices are better than Starbucks.

Dinner will run you a bit more and can be very expensive if you choose to eat closer to Salem Harbor. The Victoria Station has great food and has a wonderful atmosphere. You can either dine in the restaurant or out near the harbor. The children’s menu is priced well and the menu has a great variety for every child’s palette. The adult choices range from reasonable to pricey depending on what you order. Any seafood or steak order will be expensive for the budget goer, so the pasta and chicken might be a better choice. All the food is delicious and worth the trip.

There are other great trips to consider for the family on a budget and one is the zoo. The Beardsley Zoo, located in Bridgeport, CT is about a 40 minute drive from the Middletown area and is a great place for any animal lover. This attraction features many endangered animals that the zoo is caring for in hopes that the population of the species will grow. There are many animals that are very rare and unknown to the average zoo-goer. I had never heard of a lion monkey until I saw one at Beardsley and they are a very special breed to check out in the rain forest exhibit. There are other exhibits like the wolf’s den and even a bug exhibit if you are into that kind of thing. I’ll let you be the judge on that one-- this animal-lover draws the line when it comes to more than four legs. This attraction is extremely reasonable at just under a hundred dollars for the price of gas to get there, admission, food, souvenirs, and even the three rolls of film! They also offer an all-year pass for a family of 8 (2 adults and 6 children) at a good price, which includes admittance to other parks around the United States that are accredited zoos. This is a definite stop for our family next year because of the fun and price.

And last but certainly not least, is the Butterfly Conservatory in Deerfield MA. My daughter goes crazy for butterflies but I’m not a fan of bugs of any kind, however, I’d do just about anything to make my daughter happy, so I went through the exhibit with her and my husband and closed my eyes for most of it. It is a very reasonable admission price and the food is priced well too. Children are encouraged to stay close to their parents and not touch the butterflies because their wings are so delicate. This is definitely a place for an older child who is old enough to refrain from the “touch and feel” temptations. But it is a fun experience for anyone who like butterflies. The Yankee Candle Shop is across the street for all you candle lovers too which made the whole butterfly/bug experience much easier to bare for myself since I like candles and the lovely Christmas store set-up Yankee Candle has.

No matter what you decide to do on your summer vacation, know that a fun trip can be planned, and it doesn’t have to cost a lot. These places are just a few that have a special place in my family’s heart. Hope you can enjoy them too!

Kimberley Linstruth-Beckom Founder of Writers With Chronic Disease

Writerswithchronicdisease-owner@yahoogroups.com

Author and Publisher Kimberley Linstruth-Beckom

www.kimberleylinstruth-beckom.com A Squirrels Tale By I.B.A. Squirrel, Esq. The day is very warm. The sun is shining and I’m looking for something to eat. I’ve located some of those yummy things that drop from the trees where I buried them before the white stuff came down from squirrel heaven. I am close to one of those strange things that have two legged creatures going in and out all day. These things are all around my territory. They don’t seem to mind that I am near them, but non-the-less, I still keep a watchful eye on them. Getting back to my story. I was looking about for something to eat when the strange thing opens and instead of a two legged creature emerging out came a creature that looks somewhat like one my very smelly neighbors. I could tell right away this creature was trouble! It didn’t smell like my neighbor and it growled and barked. Even though my aforementioned friend might have a disagreeable pong, he does have good manners! Luckily, I was near a tree and made a flying leap and ran all the way to the top. I was a bit out of air and curled up and took a nap. It’s too hot for that kind of nonsense! After a bit I decided to look down to see if it was safe to continue on my way. Rotten Acorns! The little nuisance was still there, looking up, waiting for me to make an appearance! Not only that, but the two legged creature was sitting on some kind of strange rock communicating with the nuisance! I detect some kind of conspiracy going on here! After some time, (seemed like forever), the nuisance moved over to the two legged creature and took over the strange rock. The two legged creature seemed to defer to the nuisance and moved over to another rock that didn’t look as comfortable. The two legged creature was touching the nuisance thereby keeping it occupied. Time to make a break! I ran down the tree and before the nuisance could react, I was Free! I’ll have to keep in mind that the nuisance was limited in its mobility. It could only go so far and then had to stop. I wonder what this is? Whatever it is, I’ll have to be more vigilant when trying to look for food. Some of my other friends have told me that there are several other ‘nuisances’ in our territory but they don’t all look the same. I think we are smarter than they are but we’ll still be on our guard! I.B.A. Squirrel (A.K.A. Kevin Coane) - A true story!

My Dad, Joseph Tkacz Sr. I can remember my dad is an avid animal lover. He is the type of man that lights up a room. He was an avid fisherman before his illness. He still speaks of good times he had at the Meriden Rod and Gun Club. He used to go up there and feed the squirrels and fed the foxes and raccoons during the evening. We were all concerned for his safety when feeding wild life but he also said the animals know he is kind and gentle and he wouldn't hurt them. He is a good dad and a fantastic grandfather and great grandfather. He dotes on his grand children. He always put family first. He gave up a lot for us. He is a very important link in the family chain. He was always the first to help anyone out. He even bought ice cream for children he didn't know. He loves his precious great grand daughter Josselyn. He has sparkles in his eyes when she comes to visit. He enjoys family gatherings and a good time. He even manages to dance in his wheel chair. He still has a stubborn streak and that keeps him going. You can find him on a given day with Tessa a yellow lab pup and a cat in his lap and one on the top of his recliner chair taking a nap along with him. Happy Every Day Dad, We love you, we don't tell you this enough. With all of our love, Your Son Joe Tkacz Jr. and Daughter Deb Belancik And the rest of the clan,

Barbara's Bountiful Bouquet By Barbara Sherburne There has been an interesting thread going on on the Yahoo forum Animal Communications recently about the value of sticking one's hands into soil and kneeling on the soil with both knees and grounding. I never quite thought about it that way, but I never wear gloves. I have to connect with the soil and get covered with dirt. It's a wonderful feeling. I have never understood why people use gloves. I haven't picked anything yet, but everything is coming along. I'll be picking cucumbers very soon. Lots of tomatoes are in sight, but green. I have already promised many to neighbors, who are anxiously awaiting them and other vegetables as well. I'm going to dig up some of my cleomes and sunflowers because I have way too many, all "volunteers," and I'm going to bring them home and plant them on the side of the house, which needs some beautification, to say the least. I have been watering two other gardens whose people have been ill. Unfortunately I found out tonight that one garden I have been weeding and watering, the man died on Thursday, July 19th. What a blow. The last time I saw him, about two weeks ago, he and his wife were there, and I was shocked because he was supposedly dying in the hospital, according to what his wife had told me maybe a week before, and as I approached the garden, here he was standing with the hose and watering. What? "John, I can't believe you are here! I thought you were in the hospital." He said, "Barb, this is my life from now on." Dead serious. "I will have to go to the hospital once a week to drain off the fluids and have two transfusions. I had a bad day yesterday, but today is a good day. Hopefully tomorrow will be a good day too." They were both so thankful and happy to know I had been taking care of their garden and thanked me repeatedly, but eventually John said, "Thanks" (with hose in hand, still watering), "but I think we can take it from here." After they finished watering and I started to head for the faucet, John said, "No, stay there. I'll turn it on for you. Thanks again. I really appreciate it." And his wife, Barbara, said, "You gave him a reason to live. I can't thank you enough." That was the last time I saw them. I just heard from CJ tonight, the only other gardener there tonight at the Community Garden (July 22nd), who delivers flowers for Wallingford Flower Shoppe, that he delivered flowers to their home, and that's how he knew John died. Damn. I watered their garden tonight and weeded before I ever spoke to CJ. I will continue to do so. John wanted so much to garden, and he loved his tomatoes and other vegetables, so I will keep on watering, and hopefully his wife will be able to enjoy some of the fruits of his passion, but it is very sad to me. Old guy, was in the military, skinny as a pole bean, but he really was proud, and I knew it when he said, "We can take it on from here." I waited a few days out of respect for his pride, but after that I had a feeling that he was back in the hospital, so I started to water again. Damn.

A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON OLD DUST COLLECTORS By Phyllis S. Donovan When it comes to antiques or aging collectibles, I haven’t the slightest clue as to what is valuable or what is just plain junk. But like many people of my generation, I have accumulated an attic full of stuff too good to throw out but too old to have cluttering up the house. Some of my friends over the years have had great success and made considerable money holding periodic tag sales. At first glance it seems like a good way to get rid of all the detritus that adds up over a lifetime but I wonder if it’s worth the work of organizing, pricing and haggling, not to mention the guilt of unloading my junk on someone else.

I only had one tag sale in my life, years ago, but my heart wasn’t really in it and the day of the sale turned to out to be one of the hottest on record with a violent thunderstorm thrown in for good measure. The driving rain made us move all our “merchandise” back into the garage and most of it stayed there for the next couple of years. With that as my only experience, I decided that tag sales were more bother than they were worth and I never bothered having another one.

Last week, however, I had an epiphany about the “treasures” I’ve been sitting on all these years. Our niece, who owns a big rambling farmhouse a couple blocks from the beach in Harwichport on Cape Cod, invited us down midweek to spend a few days there with her mom and dad (my husband’s brother and his wife.) The men both love to swim and spent their days either at the beach or chatting over big frosty glasses of ice tea on her shady side porch.

Our niece enjoys haunting antique shops and flea markets and checking out area yard sales in search of old and unique pieces to fix up and add to the country coziness of her Cape house. She is one of those clever women with a Martha Stewart eye for creating charming décor from what in my house would look like junk. A regular jack-of-all-trades, she can fix up, paint up and decorate the worst looking piece of furniture and aged artifact and find exactly the right place in her house to show it off. It’s uncanny! A rickety jelly cupboard becomes the centerpiece in her kitchen, an ugly old lamp gets rewired and painted and complemented with a stack of antique books and a vase of lavender on a night stand. A ancient, muddy-colored urn is filled with hydrangeas from her yard and a small aged wrought iron table and chairs fills a shady nook in her back yard. It’s fun browsing with her because she gets so excited about her “finds.” But because I’m at the stage when I’m trying to get rid of my old stuff, not collect more, I spent my time checking out what they were charging for some of the very same things I already own. What an eye-opener! I realized that I’m sitting on a gold mine of what I thought was useless trash. Little did I know that even the old quart Ball canning jars from my mother’s cellar are going for $10 apiece or more up there; not to mention her 40s era costume jewelry which is also bringing in a pretty penny. (After she passed away, I didn’t even want to go through it all, figuring that it wasn’t worth anything and I was too sentimental to part with some of it anyways.) Fancy old glassware, “best” dishes, and even WWII era kitchenware are displayed with surprisingly hefty price tags in the antique shops that sit cheek by jowl in Bourne. It’s fun to see how merchandise is set up in the different shops. You can almost tell if the proprietor is male or female. One place was filled with heavy antique furniture of all types and the few decorative items were literally gathering dust. Another shop featured pretty glassware and an assortment of small chairs. Many of the chairs featured cane or rush seats which had been newly redone. Every piece was neat and glistening. The owners were two women. In one shop, while my niece browsed, I overheard another customer exclaim, “Oh my mother had a clock just like that!” I asked the owner who was sitting at her cash register nearby, “How often have you heard that? It must be fun to hear people reminisce about things their parents had growing up.” “After the first few years, it gets pretty old,” she shrugged, sharing that in an antique store in Maine she had visited, there was a sign at the checkout desk which read: “$1.00 fee for telling us what your grandmother had like ours, $2.00 fee for telling us what your mother had like ours.” I still think that people wouldn’t be in that business if they didn’t enjoy the memories their stock evokes in their customers. I certainly came home filled with fond memories of my growing-up years. Now if I could just find someone who would duly appreciate the worth of all the old stuff I own. On the other hand, maybe the memories are worth more than the items themselves.

A Tough Year’s Journey This year has been a tough year. With two siblings diagnosed with serious diseases, we wanted to do something as a family while both were still able to get around and enjoy. My Brother Clint had told me that he wanted to go to see the Grand Canyon, it had been a life long dream of his. So at the end of June, 7 of us flew into Las Vegas from all over the country. We had not been together in several years. My sister Jayne did all the planning and made all the arrangements, they had to be jam packed, ambitious, and stile be handicap accessible. So after spending the first night in Las Vegas, we headed out towards Zion National Park. At first the trip was uneventful till we got into the surrounding areas of Lake Mead. The rock formations were spectacular and we started aimlessly taking pictures. By the time we got to Zion, the landscape was un believable. Zion National Park was the first venture. The hiking trails were paved and up hill we were able to get the wheel chair uphill, actually, Ed , my brother-in-law, did but halfway up the hill the tires and tubes went and that was the end of the good intentions of keeping Clint comfortable. The wheel chair stayed in the rental car trunk for the duration of the trip. My stubborn brother achieved much sight seeing on his own two legs. His wife Rachel was always at his side and never left him. Zion has many multi colored rock cliffs and formations. As we were leaving the park to head on to our next destination, Bryce Canyon, I could not help but think what a good place to bring a family of kids. There was a camping site that had Indian Tee Pees for tents and a buffalo farm was close by. Truly a fun spot for sure. I've traveled all over the world and have to say that Bryce Canyon is my new favorite place to go to. The scenery just takes your breath away! It makes one wonder about the earth and the time it took to have these types of places evolve. It's no wonder the Indians worshipped these places. I don't think I've ever said "Oh My God" as much as I did there. Not wanting to leave Bryce, we reluctantly went on to Lake Powell. We stopped and got pictures at the Navajo Bridge. My camera decided to die on that part of the trip :-( I was in complete camera withdrawal mood and it wasn't pretty. I asked a young oriental couple if they wanted me to take a picture of them together on the bridge. I was caught by my brother-in-law Ed and he said I can't believe you took someone else's camera. So fortunately we found a WalMart in Page AZ and I talked to a wonderful young man there that first tried to fix my broken camera, then found me the same camera only newer version of what I had. He told us they had sold 50 cameras that week because of the heat, which was 110 - 116 degrees. So after I was armed again with a camera we took a boat ride on Lake Powell. The water levels were very low, but that gave us a view of the rocks that lined the edge of the lake near the power plant. My boy friend Greg met up with us there and we started off the next day for our long drive to the Grand Canyon. The first stop we made was at Horseshoe Bend. The beginning of the Colorado River, such a wonderful view, so hot and not an easy hike for Clint but well worth the effort. The Grand Canyon was a sight to behold. One cannot explain properly the great size and immensity of this place. Pictures do not do it justice. My brother and I had the morning to go on a helicopter ride and take pictures from above. All I can say is WOW! There was a haze over the canyon which gave it an eerie feeling but spectacular. We took pictures that evening of the sunset on the canyon. My sister Chris and I had decided that this trip was what every family should do! From the Grand Canyon we drove to the Hoover Dam and took the tour below in the tunnels. The outside temp was 116 and the tunnel temp was 70 so it was a great place to hibernate to. I wanted that tour to last much longer than it did. Amazing how much work and how many life's were lost to make this modern marvel in the 1930's. The last night was spent in Las Vegas. While the lights and activity were wonderful, I can't help but remember how I longed to be back at Bryce Canyon. On the plane ride home I had much time to reflect on the past week and decided that this trip was the perfect thing to do! Life is too short and we need to stop and take time to spend with family and friends. That while we can't change the things that happen to us in this life, we can make them better for yourself and the people we love. Tell them you love them, do things that feel good to you and most of all make the most of the life that we have. Eileen Hunter A Reckoning By George Arndt It was a breezy but pleasant summer evening in the waning hours on the closing day of June. There were cottony-white, fluffy clouds drifting along in an unassuming, devil-may-care stroll across the heavens. Nearby was the murmuring whisper of robins chirping gently, drifting down from the outstretched, tentacle-like branches of tall oak trees that surrounded the quaint little ball field. Their melodic rendering was matched only by the gay laughter and enthusiastic excitement coming from the youthful followers of this event. Now and then a renegade leaf would float softly toward the ground, landing unnoticed by the people entranced by what was a total, fun-filled excursion into a vast unknown game’s outcome. The heavenly bouquet of hot dogs smothered with relish and mustard, and the enchanting aroma of popcorn, rose from the shadowed seating area where the onlookers had become an immovable crowd. The sun had started its daily routine of sinking silently, and ever so slowly, over the horizon. Along with other faithful patrons in this miniature arena occupying the bleachers, we all sat there watching this scrawny, awkward, young lad stepping up to home plate. The sky had been a brilliant shade of royal blue earlier, but now it was taking on shades of pinks, and hues of yellow, as dusk crept in unhurriedly. There were throngs of fans cheering and chanting in reverberating yowls. Home team fans and visiting foes alike leaned forward with eyes wide open gazing intently at what now had come down to two lone combatants. Not a soul among hundreds was about to leave their seat. No amount of silver or gold could tempt these hearty fans to break for a quick trot over to the snack stand. They had no time for distractions, nor time to take a break to engage in conversation with their fellow game attendees. All needs and wants had been taken care of in the earlier stages of this prodigious display of championed ball players. It had been a nip-and-tuck season for both of these battalions. They each had stacked up enough wins, compared to losses, to be here playing in this exulted game of games. The ball game had stumbled but never faltered as it moved along. And now, with no complaining or moaning from the crowd, this spectacle of superiority had gone into extra innings. The scoreboard stood in testament to the closeness of the score…;Visitors 3; Home Team 2, in the bottom of the 13th inning. The fella on the mound had let the first batter he had faced get on base because of a wild pitch. He gregariously fanned the next two antagonists that had stood where this kid now posed in pretentious bravura. This king-of-the-hill impersonator paused, looking in with a disdainful leer at this pitiful mortal who was having wispy dreams of becoming a hometown celebrity. Not one of the embattled players of these two teams could not keep from thinking about how this had been one of the most looked-forward-to games of the season. I could tell that the boy at bat was completely immersed in thought as to what pitch the boy on the mound might be throwing his way. His hands were clamped onto the neck of the bat as though it might try to escape from its imprisonment. The knuckles of his fingers were a chalky white as he gripped the old hickory weapon with anticipation. His spiked shoes scuffed up the barren dirt that surrounded the plate. He had a comical sneer across his parched lips, and his perfect, white-flossed teeth were clenched with underlying disdain, as though he wanted to embarrass this smug straitlaced pitcher with a record-setting smash hit over the vine-covered wall in center field. Slowly the hurler wrapped his delicate, but powerful, fingers artistically around the hammered ball. He now glanced in at the lowly, unkempt batter who stood before him, and thought to himself...this uncouth barbarian would not dare dream of stardom at his expense. "I'm going to put this leather-covered orb straight across the plate so fast that you'll never see it go by you," the pitcher barked at him with a glare that would equal the snarling glare of a gladiator in a death fight with an unbeatable foe. The kid hesitated for a long moment, took a well-needed gulp of that enriched, summer air, and then stepped out of the batter’s box and casually picked up a handful of sun-baked dirt…the same ingredient that made up most of the infield. Slowly he rubbed his noticeably steady hands with the powdery, light-brown earth and then, as if to beguile his opposing enemy, wiped them menacingly along the sides of his pants legs. Determined, he stepped back into his imaginary throne room, tugged at the beak of his red and blue baseball cap, and then hoisted the wooden instrument of war, waving it in small, uneven arcs. Again, this unbendable warrior stepped away from the plate. He pounded his weapon on the lifeless form designated as the home base with menacing blows as if to intimidate his formidable foe. The ball hurler stood by watching this commonplace distraction with disdain for such a despairing athlete with his chest-beating display. He nonchalantly removed his cap and tipped it to his unsmiling lips as he waited for the batter to end his silly, unwanted, antics. Minutes crept sluggishly by as the multitude waited with bated breath watching these two players engaged in a clash-of-the-titans scenario. Once the batter finished, he again took his position in the batter’s quadrant. The youthful contender stood there waiting for that home run pitch to come hurtling towards him. His eyes were fixed on the ball in the pitcher's hand. The muscles in his neck were protruding ever so lightly, and his jaw appeared to be made of solid granite. Leisurely, the hurler wiped the sweat from his brow with the sleeve of his shirt, then let that ball sail like an arrow in the direction of the hitter. The batter was waiting for what seemed like hours for the ball that was coming his way. The folks in the crowd held their breath, and there was a stillness that hung in the air as the ball came roaring toward that crouching lad, who stood his ground over home plate. Then came a tremendous crack, and the ball went flying into center field. The pitcher turned to watch in despair as that well-worn leather sphere sailed over the wall. The moms and dads and children of all ages, stood up in unison, letting out a tremendous "Hooray" that echoed throughout the stands, ricocheting off the light posts, and bouncing in all directions around the diamond. The pitcher stood in a numbing pose as he hung his head in a saddened gesture. His smugness was gone now, and his hopes with it, as he watched for the adoration that was about to be bestowed upon his opponent. Swarms of fans came swooping down from the stands and onto the ball field to shake the hand of their hometown hero. This honorific was my son. I was as proud as a peacock that warm day in June as I stood aside to let everybody congratulate my little boy. So went the first time my son was called upon to assume the position of pinch hitter in this momentous Little League game.

My Encounter with Harry Potter David Radcliffe July 21, 2007 A quarter moon hung low over the Meriden mall this weekend past. As my family and I drove toward it, I was struck by just how busy town is at nearly 10 p.m. at night. And dark, too. It’s a late night for me when my eyes are still open at that hour. Who would have thought there would be so many people not only awake, but out and about: bicycling, waiting in line at Dairy Queen, or just standing around watching us and others driving by. So here I was, an official night owl, on the way to the Harry Potter book release at Borders Book store. I thought it was a joke several weeks ago when I was invited by the good people there to hand out the first new Potter Book at 12:01 a.m.. While I have a foggy recollection of having seen one or two of the movies, I’d not read any of the wildly popular books. I wouldn’t know a snape from a grape, or a muggle from a fuggle. I hadn’t paid close enough attention to even know the name of J.K. Rowling’s newest issue. ‘Crusty Shambles’ or ‘Healthy Scrambles’ or some such thing. Not cool. As the crowds built towards midnight it was clear this book means a lot to a great many. There were easily hundreds of people there, many dressed in the manner of their favorite Potter character. The crowd was a younger one on the whole. Still, there were a surprising number of seasoned citizens, some with the courage to costume-up a good three months before Halloween. One of our youngest sons read through the evening program and got to the listing of my name as the guy giving out the First Book. He was very excited, which made me proud to have skipped a half-night’s sleep. Then he said, “Wait a minute. Isn’t the actor who plays Harry Potter named Daniel Radcliffe?” He was a little less excited when I explained to him that it would be me handing out the First Book, not the wealthy young Brit and certainly no relation to Daniel’s line of Radcliffe’s. This mistaken-name thing ran through the night. At one point we stood in a long line for our kid’s to have their palms read. I heard a girl behind me reading through a list of the night’s festivities. She got to the part with my name. “Hey!” she said. “There must be a mistake. This says David Radcliffe, not Daniel.” The pain. The evening churned on toward midnight. The already thick crowds continued to swell, until there were barely any places left to stand. Imagine this same scene in bookstores around the world! What a dream picture for the author and the marketing people. After a costume contest (the winners were a sinister-looking lad named Sirius Black and young woman with a toilet seat around her neck), it was announced that I would draw the ticket that would become the “First in Line” person. I chuckled a bit at the crowd’s disappointment when they saw that I was some other Radcliffe, an average one that somehow wandered in off the street. After a backward count from ten, someone pulled a covering off the stack of a police-guarded pallet of Potter books. He held one up, and passed it to me. I had half a thought to flip it open and read the last pages out loud, but the excited gathering, I suspected, would have little patience for that. As I made my way to stand next to the cashier, I held the heavy, orange-covered volume up with one hand and in doing so lost my balance to topple a giant box of Harry Potter posters. As I tried to steady the box, the lucky First in Line was already waiting at the counter. By the time I righted myself she somehow already had a book, the Second Book, in her hand. “No! David is supposed to hand out the First Book,” I heard a voice say. Someone yanked the Second Book from the First in Line. With a fresh start, I grandly handed First in Line the official First Book. A picture was taken, and First in Line handed the cashier some form of payment, and the rush was on. With that, my happily weary family and I were washed out by waves of Others in Line to the front entrance and back into the night. My bit role in the Harry Potter release was complete and I’m sure already a distant memory in the minds of the clamoring fans. Now, I can return to being just David Radcliffe. David Radcliffe lives in Meriden with his wife Chauce and three boys Gage, Ben and Noah. He is also the Director of Meriden Children First. NATURE AS A MIRROR Canoeing the Housatonic River by Dorothy Gonick Late one afternoon, our family and I unloaded the canoe and kayaks near the headwaters of the Housatonic River, and were soon on our way down this meandering river. We canoed a short distance along this river that journeys from the Berkshires, on through Connecticut until it empties into Long Island Sound. The bustle and noise of the day seemed far away as quiet and a soft breeze greeted us. Nature’s scenery surrounded us with a wealth of beauty. Among the tall grasses, colorful blooms lined the river’s edge with yellows, white, and lavender beauty. The flash of a red-winged blackbird alighting, giving its distinctive call, left us awestruck. During the trip, we seemed to be constantly pointing and softly calling to each other with “Look, over there!” There were other red-winged blackbirds, perky sandpipers and unidentified smaller birds that sang lustily. Butterflies were like winged blossoms. Dragonflies and damselflies swooped around catching mosquitoes and other flying insects, for which we were grateful. A frog leaped from a submerged log, probably catching its dinner of an unsuspecting, juicy fly. Along the river’s edge were clumps of arrowhead lilies and tall grasses, where we spotted a family of Canadian Geese. The young ones were lined up between their mama and poppa. They paid us no attention; just waddled along in a row. We were delighted when unexpectedly we spotted a muskrat swimming straight across the river just ahead of us. We paused until it reached the opposite bank and watched it dive into one of the many holes dug at water level into the bank’s side. The annual spring floods have cut deep banks as it flows around its many bends; and-water-loving mammals have dug homes and found a safe refuge from danger. We passed two fishermen quietly casting their lines. So we watched for signs of fish surfacing, enjoying their sudden nab of dinner, leaving telltale ripples on the surface. Overhead the majestic flight of a great blue heron was a delight to see. There was so much activity all along the way, yet the serene quiet of the late afternoon surrounded everything. The gathering dusk found us paddling under a bridge that was full of activity. Glancing upward we were greeted by cliff swallows swooping in and out of the many mud-daubed nests. Tiny faces peered out with open beaks begging for food. We stayed there briefly, mesmerized by the many families nesting there. Their calls and swooping led us to leave, as they seemed disturbed by our presence. We continued gliding along, the quiet of our paddles bringing us closer to the boat ramp as the daylight faded into evening. Refreshed and energized by the afternoon of discovery, we planned to do this again with all the family to see what nature has to offer us in the early morning. A Naturalist’s Delight Canoeing on the Housatonic River Amid a canvas of colorful flight and flower, With backdrop of sheltering pine bower. A chorus of song fills the air, Flaunting trills, whistles and croaks. Gliding along with calm, smooth strokes, Surrounded with a quiet, peaceful air.

Happily Ever After As I look around the main cat room at the Meriden Humane Society, I wish that I could find a good home for all of the cats here. I can only hope, that for each and every one of them, that there is a rainbow after the storm. The circumstances and reasons for these poor animals being here in the first place are heart breaking. You don't leave behind an animal, locked in a house and move. Poor " Alonzo", one of our big feline, black & white "Furry Prince's", had this happen to him. He is so sweet and gentle, but a little scared. There's also our big, beautiful, grey Wizard,"Gandolf". Left outside our shelter, beaten up, scared, declawed and hungry, it was amazing he still liked people. "Lulu", a young Torbie, "Princess" in training, was dropped off at our shelter, after her owners threatened to leave her and their two chihuahua's on the street, because they were moving. "Sheba", a Persian/Tabby mix, who sits perched high above the other cats, like a "Princess", was surrendered to us at seven years old. She is truly exquisite to look at, but not very happy to be with so many other cats. " Zha Zha" is another one of our beauty's. With long black fur and a sometimes sassy disposition, she is waiting for that special someone to come adopt her and carry her way. Remember, animals get depressed too. Some of them lived with families that they were use to and then come to us, who are strangers to them. They have to share their surroundings with other animals and may not be use to this. Please help one of our special animals live a "Happily Ever After" life. As always, you can reach us at 238-3650, check out our website at www.meridenhs.petfinder.org or come visit the shelter at 311 Murdock Ave. in Meriden. Donations of canned cat food (no fish or slices please) and baby food (chicken, turkey, beef-stage 1) are urgently needed! Thank-you and see you at the Shelter. Lori Peck, MHS Senior Volunteer