Date: Fri 09-Jan-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: CURT

Quick Words:

Mountain-Booth-Library

Full Text:

TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN

See you at the Cyrenius H. Booth Library's Gala and Grand Opening this

weekend. I plan to be on hand (or underfoot) for all events, including the

Gala celebration Saturday night where I'll be "dogging" your footsteps (an

unfortunate but aptly descriptive figure of speech) ready to snarf up any and

all hors d'oeuvres you might discreetly drop to the floor.

And at Sunday's Grand Opening, I'll be in the front row for the entertainment,

watching the juggling chickens (or chicken jugglers, whichever!) or pausing in

front of the elevator door during the guided tours, trying to decide while you

wait whether I want to go in or out.

Also, when you first enter the library from the Main Street (front) side, look

to your right. You will see nine elegant antique mirrors, each one uniquely

framed, hung on the wall over the stairs to the second floor. My friend Pat

Denlinger was standing in just that spot last week when she told me, "this is

where it all began," meaning her inspiration for the decorating color schemes.

"I knew those mirrors had to be hung against a dark background," Pat said,

which led her to choose a dark hunter's green. That choice led to a patterned

carpet done in greens, maroons and deep velvety browns, suggesting more color

choices of light greens and a soft rose that she and Kathy Geckle selected for

other rooms. It all began with the wall of nine mirrors. One for each of my

lives.

After years of hard work, scholarship, and devotion, Caroline Dukenski has

been ordained as a minister for the Episcopal Church. To mark the occasion,

Caroline's husband, Ron, a corporate consultant who is also a serious

musician, wrote a musical composition for the ordination ceremony, which took

place last weekend in Bristol.

Happy birthday today, January 9, to the Rev Gregory J. Wismar, pastor of

Christ the King Lutheran Church, and to Jennifer Russell, Ronald Pueschel, and

Edward Delaney, Jr. More birthdays during the upcoming week include Carol

Schmidt, Raymond Nelson, Tammy Fenaroli, Reagan Harris, Michele Kerlet,

Elizabeth Kopyscinski, Kim Baxter, Shirley Lynch, David Rucktenwald, and Joe

Sullivan.

The transfer station at the landfill is going to be open an extra hour on

Saturday from now on, from 7 am to 3 pm instead of 2 pm. That's going to make

a lot of people happy. According to the first selectman's office, residents

feel very strongly about having more hours to visit the former landfill.

Poor Marvin. Sue Shpunt's cat was nearly electrocuted just over a month ago

after tangling with an electric blanket cord. Last week, poor Marvin tried

unsuccessfully to jump over a lit candle. Being neither nimble nor quick,

Marvin didn't quite make it over the candlestick, though a moment later he did

nearly jump through the roof. Fortunately the small fur fire went out quickly,

leaving Marvin with just a few singe marks on his fur.

Marvin wasn't the only warm one in town this week. The temperature soared to

60 early in the week, and it stayed unseasonably warm for several days. You

know its warm when you hear Mae Schmidle announce that she has yet to take her

fur coat out of storage. I wonder if it's red.

And now for a little mystery. Have you seen Titanic ? The blockbuster motion

picture is a fictional story, but it is based on the historic sinking of the

massive ocean liner back in 1912. A group of residents have plans to do

something similar here in Newtown. It would be a sort of mini-series on a part

of history here in Newtown. Stay tuned for more details in the weeks to come.

And the only way you will be able to do that will be to...

Read me again.