Young Miss Eliza Brennan had quite a showing last weekend at Newtown Congregational Church for her baptism. Four generations of the Brennan and Janco families were joined by NCC members for the special event during the August 10 worship service. Eliza’s parents, maternal grandparents and maternal great-grandparents are all members and regular attendees of the West Street church. It was quite the showing for the curly-haired beauty, who also had proud uncles and generations of her father’s side of the family in the pews Sunday morning.

Like so many others in and around town, members of Newtown Congregational Church are well into their plans for Labor Day weekend. In addition to planning their parade float, NCC members will again host Pancakes & Parking, the pre-Labor Day Parade event launched in 2009. The Monday-morning event offers parking within walking distance to the parade route, with the additional option of enjoying breakfast. NCC members will be cooking up pancakes (including non-gluten options) and sausage, and brewing coffee, to serve with fruit salad and juice on September 1. Cost is $6 per person or $20 per family, which covers breakfast and parking in the church lot at 14 West Street.

If you’d like to just take advantage of the convenient parking without breakfast, cost is $5 per vehicle. The lot will open at 7:30, and breakfast is served 8-9:30 am, giving guests and cooks time to clean up and make the trek to Main Street in time for the parade’s 10 o’clock start. Either way, all proceeds will benefit the church. Payment is cash or check, first come first served.

Summer’s end is approaching — talk of Labor Day and our big parade, not to mention the approach of the 2025-26 academic year, confirms that idea — but it has not yet ended despite the fact the 20- by 30-foot summer flag was swapped out from the Main Street flagpole this week. The summer flag traditionally flies until well after Labor Day but Keeper of the Flag Chris Gardner needed call Newtown Hook & Ladder this week after a tear developed in the beautiful, enormous banner. Tears this soon are very unusual, Chris told me. Those flags usually last six months and the current one was donated by Newtown Lions Club in May. He isn’t sure what happened to cause the tear but he knew the flag needed to come down ASAP. Thanks to Hook & Ladder firefighters, that public service was quickly taken care of Monday night.

After a visit to seamstress Rosa Cordova on Wednesday morning, Chris was feeling a little better about the future of the flag. The lead seamstress at Queen Street Cleaners, Rosa not only told Chris she’d be able to fix the flag, she also said she expected the finish it in one day! I nominate Hook & Ladder, Rosa and Chris for Good Egg Awards this week. Thank you all for your roles in taking care of that landmark.

Meanwhile, Chris is still hoping to schedule the installation of the new finial atop the flagpole before the Labor Day Parade. It’s a matter of getting the schedules of a few people to line up, but he’s on it.

Continued birthday wishes to Barbara Capozziello. The longtime Sandy Hook resident celebrated her birthday on August 5, but was surprised by family members who showed up at her house last Saturday for a belated celebration. Many members of the Capozziello family were away when Barbara’s special day occurred earlier this month. I understand the family decided to continue her birthday season with an impromptu gathering on August 9. Rumor has it Barbara was very pleased with the surprise.

A corn hole game has been set up on the front lawn of C.H. Booth Library, available for anyone to play. A little birdie tells me the set will be put outside in good weather, inviting people to have some fun and enjoy time in the sun, at least through the end of summer. Since the birdie arrived with good news, I didn’t eat it.

With the library launching its much-needed HVAC work (see related story), many programs are either relocating or going on hold for a few months. We heard this week that Friends of Counted Embroidery-Laurel chapter will be on hiatus until at least January. The purpose of the nonprofit organization is to expand knowledge of all forms of counted embroidery through workshops, lectures, slide presentations, and the mutual exchange of ideas.

I have no doubt the group will return to full form. This isn’t the first time it has needed to take a break. Members stopped meeting for nearly 18 months during the pandemic. Some began meeting virtually in mid 2021, a few meetings were conducted outdoors at Fairfield Hills, and then regular indoor meetings resumed that September at Newtown Community Center. By December 2021 the chapter had found its latest home, within the library.

FCE-Laurel chapter meets the second Thursday of each month, September through June. Meetings run 10 am until approximately 1 pm and anyone with an interest is welcome. If you’d like to learn more, and even get on the email list for future updates, send a note to Marge Gingolaski at margeg4143@sbcglobal.net.

Last week’s feature about Hawleyville Volunteer Fire Company’s centennial included information about the 1948 Mack fire truck that served the company as its first pumper for 15 years. After being sold to a fire company in Weston, Vt., the truck eventually made its way back to Hawleyville and has been fully restored. When Hawleyville VFC conducted its August company meeting last week, some of the company’s older members — we’re talking men who were born in 1938 and ‘39 — talked about the truck and their memories of driving it.

While very few people will have the opportunity to drive that truck now, the public will have a few opportunities to give it a look. The first will be on August 23, when the truck will be parked in front of Edmond Town Hall while firefighters formally celebrate their anniversary. The next opportunity to see the truck will be September 1, when it travels the route of the Labor Day Parade.

Additionally, anyone interested in local history and/or firefighting history is invited to attend a special screening on September 12 of Exit 9: The Way of Life in Hawleyville, 1925. The 90-minute documentary by Donna Ball that celebrates the district will be screened in its entirety at 7 pm that Friday. Hawleyville VFC members will enjoy the first screening of the movie, which will premiere during their celebration in a few weeks.

The National Guard was at Edmond Town Hall this week, doing its monthly training at 45 Main Street. Contrary to what quickly went out on the rumor mill, ICE was not part of the appearance in town Tuesday morning. It was regular training, with some dogs. Nothing sinister … unless you’re like me and anything having to do with dogs is suspect in my book.

That’s it for me this week. I stayed up later than usual on Tuesday, watching for the Perseids meteor shower. This cat needs another nap. I hope you enjoy all the naps you’d like this week. Just don’t forget to wake up in time to … read me again.