I sneaked into ETH this past Sunday and was glad to see the theater filled up for the swearing in of the new town officials. There was a good deal of well-deserved clapping going on, and a couple of standing ovations: one for our outgoing First Selectman Pat Llodra and one for incoming First Selectman Dan Rosenthal. I'd like to give a little shout-out, too, to Quinlyn Kessler, who did a magnificent job singing the national anthem. Overall, it looked to me like a lot of people in town are happy to support our town leaders. Congratulations to all, who officially take office on December 1.operationelf.org.bigknitlove.com to find out more about this new knitting trend.cvhfoundation.org.farmsanctuary.org/adopt-a-turkey to find out the details of making one of these big bird's lives a little better... forever.

Lt Gov Nancy Wyman reminds us that the Connecticut National Guard is taking part in Operation ELF (Embracing Lonely Families), and that more than 400 Connecticut National Guardsman are in the deployment cycle. Operation ELF, also supported by the Connecticut funeral directors, as I noted last week in this column, provides assistance to service members and their families at the holidays and year around. Donations of gift cards for grocery and department/home goods stores, pharmacies, and gas stations are appreciated and donations of fuel oil, snow removal, and home maintenance services are also needed. New winter clothing and unwrapped toys for young people of all ages are needed, as well. Donations may be dropped off locally at Honan's Funeral Home, 58 Main Street, or at the Armed Forces Reserve Center, 90 Wooster Heights Road, Danbury, through December 12, Monday through Friday, during normal business hours. For more information visit

If you like crafts, the Newtown Holiday Craft Festival will take place in the gymnasium at the Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main Street, this coming Sunday, November 26, from 11 am to 5 pm. Admission is free. For more information call 203-751-6267.

Newtown resident and Apparel Development Consulting owner Linda Zemba Burhance has recently published a new book through Taunton Press, Big Knit Love. Featuring the super chunky yarns and oversized knitting needles, Linda's book is for knitters who love to learn. Lucky for you if you have a knitting fan on your holiday list - Linda will be signing copies of her book at Bank Square Books, 53 West Main Street, in Mystic on December 1, from 5 to 7 pm. Visit

You know who is not going to miss the Rotary Pancake Day on Saturday, December 2? Dr Robert Grossman. As a matter of fact, Dr Bob, also a Rotarian, has not missed a single pancake event hosted by the group. That means that when he takes his turn flipping flapjacks next weekend in the ETH Alexandria Room kitchen, it will mark 57 years of doing so. That's quite impressive, if I say so. Here's what else is impressive: all you can eat pancakes and more for just $8 ($4 for kids 10 and under). What a deal! The pancakes hit the platters that day from 8 am to 1 pm.

Help the critters settle in at the CVH Animal Sanctuary, Old Farm Road, this Sunday, November 26, from noon to 3 pm. Lots of fun activities for the family are in store. Reservations and information at

The other critters I like to keep tabs on are residents at the Bridgeport Beardsley Zoo. While browsing the zoo's web page, I came across this interesting tidbit: The zoo uses 12,672 pages of newspaper a year to create bedding for many of the zoo animals, "because it provides lightweight warmth and animals can easily crumple, shred, and scratch it to make their perfect nest, den, or burrow." I have to wonder if among those thousands of pages are those from The Newtown Bee? With our extra large broad sheets, I'll bet the zookeepers and animals alike would be in hog heaven. (Just not the page with Top Of The Mountain, I hope...)

I happened upon Newtown Middle School's newly created quarterly newsletter, overseen by the school's Communication Committee. One of its top stories was that the NMS 8 Green cluster is using the "house points" concept from the Harry Potter series to highlight good behavior in their students and "correct lesser decisions and choices." Students, it says, have earned 1,300 points since the start of the school year. That sounds like one friendly competition this cat can get behind.

Maybe you've noticed an influx of youthful faces about town these recent days. College students - as well as those young adults who have flown the coop - have returned to celebrate the holiday with family and friends, and they are out and about. Welcome back to your hometown, if only for hours or days.

If turkey is not on your Thanksgiving Day - or any holiday - menu, maybe you want to sponsor a rescued turkey living out its life at Farm Sanctuary, located just a few hours away in Watkins Glen, N.Y. Visit

Thanksgiving Day, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday... they're all in the queue. It looks like Sunday really will be the only day of rest.

There's no rest for this weary cat. You can bet I'll be out and about, so be sure to... Read me again.