Date: Fri 01-Sep-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: CURT

Quick Words:

Mountain-

Full Text:

MOUNTAIN FOR 9/1

Well, I'm sorry to say that I was not selected for a part in Sleepers. I had

thought I would be a shoe-in. I am a dead ringer for Robert DeNiro (don't you

think?) and could be a stand-in in the milk-lapping scenes. I also am the most

accomplished sleeper in Newtown. In fact, the line that wound around Edmond

Town Hall on Monday was moving so slowly that I fell promptly asleep and

didn't wake up until the casting call was all over. Too bad. I'll have to

settle for whatever glory can be got out of this column.

The folks at the town's dispatch center certainly weren't sleeping on casting

call day. While all the Hollywood commotion was going on outside, they had to

handle nine ambulance calls and seven fire calls, including one call for a

girl who passed out right in front of the dispatch center.

There was some other news in town last week, though you wouldn't know it

looking at the media coverage of Newtown. Anna Wiedemann of Sandy Hook called

to say that her family has adopted the rust-colored cat whose photo appeared

in last week's Mountain. Anna says it is definitely a Persian and is a

wonderful cat which gets along fine with her dog, a black lab-golden retriever

mix, and just loves her three kids.

"The cat has the sweetest disposition and temperament," she said. "He shows no

interest in going outside - just loves to climb up and sit on the windowsill."

The biggest problem that the family faces is trying to come up with a name for

the cat. Anna has been trying to find a book of cat names but hasn't had any

luck yet. "I'm leaning toward Garfield, if I can just convince my oldest

daughter," she said.

Have you noticed the lush petunias growing outside the entrance to Town Hall

South? They were planted in June and have been cared for all summer by a group

of Brownie Girl Scouts from Troop 109 at Head O'Meadow School.

In addition to planting the flowers, each girl chose a week during the summer

and promised to water the plants if it didn't rain. With the hot and dry

summer we have had, these eight-year-old girls certainly had to keep their

promise! They deserve congratulations for a job well done.

Some Newtown residents were big winners at the Bridgewater Fair this year.

Mary Ann Novaco encouraged her neighbor, John Kortze III, to enter a 40-pound

cabbage which he grew in his vegetable garden on Homer Clark Lane in Sandy

Hook. John wasn't trying to grow a giant cabbage for the fair, it's just that

he is such a great gardener that the cabbage turned out that way. He wound up

taking best of show for the cabbage and Mary Ann took best of show for her egg

display!

Frank Fuchs of Newtown also took the top award for his peaches. Among the

commercial exhibitors, Nancy Marcuilli, who lives on The Boulevard, took

second place for the garden stepping stones which she makes and markets under

the name Sticks & Stones. Of course, the Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire and Rescue

Company took the Forges Trophy for the best overall company in the fire

department competition.

What really interested me, however, was the pet parade. The first- and

second-place winners in the most unusual pet category were a tropical tree

hermit crab named Spiral, and Chocolate the earthworm. Runners-up were an

angora goat and a cricket. There also was category entitled "pet and owner

that look alike." Julia Brion of Sherman and her Jack Russell Terrier named

Mitzy took first place. I'm sorry I missed seeing that competition but I was

busy watching the tractor pull.

Speaking of dogs, don't forget that the Octoberfest Committee is searching for

a dog to be the king or queen of the Octoberfest. This contest is an equal

opportunity event, ensuring that no dog will be excluded because of ethnic

background, age, disability, sex or religion. (The contest is open to dogs of

all breeds, not just to dogs with genuine German parentage. The only

requirement is that the dog "wants" to be German for the Labor Day Parade.)

To enter, dogs need to appeal to their owners to send in a photo (of the dog,

not the owner) no larger than 5x7-inches. With the photo send the dog's name

and the owner's name, address and telephone number. Both dog and owner must

appear in the Labor Day Parade with the Oktoberfest contingent. If handicap or

age prevents the dog from walking the parade route, the dog may be pulled in a

wagon or pushed in a stroller.

Entries should be sent to Oktoberfest Dog Contest, 26 Rock Ridge Road, Newtown

06470. The first prize for being chosen king or queen will be a free ticket

for the dog's owner to the Octoberfest at McLaughlin's Winery and wurst doggie

bag for the dog. For more information, call Elaine Hendrickson at 426-0188.

I heard from former Fairfield Hills employee Robert "Rabbett" Abbett this

week. Robert, er, Rabbett, had stopped by The Bee's home page on the

Internet's World Wide Web to say hello. He has lived in Kailua, Hawaii, for

the past 18 years, and he's invited us all to visit him in the 50th state. The

only hitch is that we have to do it through the Internet. For those of you

with World Wide Web browsers on your home computer, Rabbett's address is

http://www.hotspots.hawaii.com. And don't forget you can look in on The Bee on

the Internet at http://www.connix.com/thebee.

I've got to go get some more sleep to rest up for the Labor Day Parade. I hope

to see you there, and don't forget to...

Read me again.