Oh, my. I am quite sure that Sydney Eddison’s pup, Phoebe, is still holding her paws over her eyes in dismay. Phoebe, a Jack Russell terrier, was incorrectly identified in The Newtown Bee story, August 21, about Sydney’s new book of poetry as a fox terrier. Oh, the shame of it all. Huge apologies go out to Phoebe for this mistake.

Those elementary school teachers will do whatever they must to make their students smile. Head O’ Meadow second grade teacher Sara Washicko was ready to welcome her students back to school on Thursday, August 27, sporting this pair of slippers inspired by the Despicable Me and Minions movies and made with love, I’m sure, by fellow HOM fourth grade teacher Lynn Taylor. Ms Washicko’s theme this year to welcome back her students was the Minion characters. She had a board set up ready to display “A minion reasons to love” her room. She also had a few more Minion inspirations set up inside her classroom, at each desk. (I wasn’t there to witness it, but I’m sure her students were thrilled.)

I am so excited for the Labor Day Parade, I’ve already rolled up my blanket and mentally envisioned myself sitting upon, on the curb, as the parade goes by. I know lots of people will have marked their spots with a chair the day before, but I also know there is always a spot to scrooch in, and friendly folks willing to inch over. The parade committee does suggest that viewers arrive by 9 am to the parade route, as local roads will close from 9:30 am until after the last tractor rolls down Main Street. That means there is plenty of time to chit-chat with everyone along the way, visit the Parade Fair at the Newtown Middle School, or stroll up to Newtown Congregational Church for some pancakes — and parking, if you like — between 8 and 9:30 am. The parade committee has once again been hard at work for months to enlist all of the support and participants that make Newtown’s Labor Day Parade the very special event that it is. Come one, come all, and see what they have come up with for 2015. (And don’t forget, if you have yet to send in a donation to help cover the costs of the parade, visit www.newtownlabordayparade.org.)

Singers of all ages, from high school on up, male and female are invited to join Newtown Choral Society as it begins its winter concert rehearsals, Wednesday, September 9. There are no auditions, and director Mary Andreotta is happy to place you where your voice will be used to its best capabilities. Rehearsals are each Wednesday evening, from 7 to 9, in the chorus room of the Newtown Middle School on Queen Street. Contact Choral President Laura Lerman at lel@se-ltd.com for information, or go to newtownchoral.org, to find out more.

September 11 is a day of remembrance for lives lost in the terrorist attacks, 14 years ago. Howard and Jeannette Lasher will again host a ceremony at their Route 302 property, Friday, September 11, at 8 am. Howard is a retired American Stock Exchange floor broker, and lost many friends in the tragedy. Each year since 9/11, he and Jeannette have welcomed the community to a memorial ceremony, in front of the six maple trees the Lashers had painted to represent the American flag. The program begins at 8 am.

This weekend begins a monthlong celebration of the arts in Newtown, when Newtown Cultural Arts Commission presents art in all of its forms at various venues around town, as well as supporting established art groups in their ongoing endeavors to enrich lives through art. The Town Players production of Bus Stop starts this Friday, and continues weekends through September. Live at Edmond Town Hall will host a concert by Spirit Family Reunion on Saturday, and then Can’t Stop the Serenity, with Nerd Night, will be at Edmond Town Hall on Sunday; September 9 and again on the 23rd, it is Improv Night at Proud Mary’s at 7 pm; then on Friday evening, September 11, enjoy Random Acts of Chamber Music at Newtown Meeting House. Saturday, September 12 is Ben’s Lighthouse Ice Cream Social, and on Sunday, make lanterns at the REACH car show. Four Wordsmiths will entertain at the meeting house on Wednesday, September 16… oh, I could go on, and on. I am pretty sure there is something for everyone to enjoy about town, leading up to the big September 18 and 19 Newtown Arts Festival at Fairfield Hills, and then continuing on through the month. Find out all the details in the special section included in this week’s Newtown Bee, and online at www.newtownartsfestival.com. (By the way, some of the events do require registration, even though they are free.)

It’s not part of the Arts Festival, but it is quite festive: I’m talking about the upcoming September 12 Sunset Wine Tasting at Holcombe Hill, sponsored by the Newtown Forest Association. Sample wines, nibble on snacks, schmooze, and bid on great auction items, all to support this nonprofit organization. Even a mighty thunder and lightening storm did not throw a wet blanket on last year’s tasting, or dim the glorious sunset as seen from the top of this Great Hill Road preserve. Tickets for the 4 to 8 pm tasting are $45, and available online at www.newtownforestassociation.org.

Straight from the horse’s mouth, I have the answer to the mystery people in last week’s Way We Were photo. Dressed to the nines, and standing with Senator Lovegrove, was another woman and another couple. Nancy Raymond sent a note to say that she had a pretty good idea who those people are: the woman next to the late senator is his former wife, Denise Larson Lovegrove; the couple is Nancy and her husband, Edward. “The event was an annual fundraiser dinner-dance called ‘The Four Seasons Ball,’ held at Rolling Hill Country Club in Weston,” Nancy tells us. “It was to benefit the Kennedy Center,” and took place in November of 1989. Thank you, Nancy — another mystery solved.

I’ve been expecting Newtown Bee sales manager Ellen Therrien to roar into The Bee parking lot atop the new set of wheels she won at the Bridgewater Fair last month, but apparently she thinks a riding mower isn’t going to cut it for work. Ellen found herself the second place winner at the fair, and went home with a Raven ATV hybrid utility vehicle, with a 46-inch mower and 7,100-watt built-in generator. “It runs on battery or gas,” Ellen tells me, “with a top speed of 18 mph.” That might be a little slow on the road, but I guess Ellen is going to be mowing her lawn at a good clip.

I will have to rely on my own four paws to get me about town, but not to worry: I’ll come up with news worthy of my column. I just hope that you will… Read me again.