The Labor Day Parade is only a sweet memory now, but one parade moment will probably be the talk of the town for awhile. During the parade, when the police mistakenly opened Church Hill Road a wee bit early, an unfortunate woman turned onto Queen Street, driving past spectators, the reviewing stand, and straight toward cars and floats coming at her. Parade emcee Mary Ann Murtha was yelling into her microphone, and the crowd was aroar trying to stop her. Finally, the Markettes stood, arms akimbo, across the road and got her diverted into the Wachovia parking lot, where she waited out the end of the parade.

No matter how many parades you watch, there is always a new twist. That’s what makes it a great parade. I have to make mention of a sight missed by paradegoers not near the Queen Street judging stand. In a quite moving tribute, some of the bagpipers and fife & drum corps groups that brought up the rear of a division formed two lines after passing the reviewing stand and played as the firemen who were leading the next division marched between them. I sure hope they captured some of the prizes.

The Rotary Club should get a special humanitarian prize, as well. When the parade came to a standstill (see paragraph one….) for 15 minutes at the corner of Route 302 and Glover Avenue, the sparkling sunshine soon became a beastly fireball in the sky to the marchers stranded there. Members from the nearby Newtown Rotary food tent ran out and handed out bottles of water to several of the groups, the Gaelic band members, and also members of the Hook & Ladder Fire Department to prevent some serious wilting. See? It is nicer in Newtown.

As if they weren’t busy enough lately (planning floats for last weekend’s big Labor Day Parade, including one for one of their members, who served as this year’s grand marshal), the members of Newtown’s VNA have been planning for a special grand reopening and fall sale of The VNA Thrift Shop. Located in the lower back corner of Edmond Town Hall, the shop will open on Wednesday, September 10, with a fresh inventory of fall clothing and new decorative accessories. Members have been bringing in new inventory, and even opened the shop twice this week to accept donations from residents who have fall and winter merchandise they were willing to part with. The shop has been closed all summer, but will return to its regular schedule of being open each Wednesday from noon to 3 pm and Saturday from 9 am until noon with this big sale.

How much does Mae Schmidle love red? Well, anyone at the parade must have noticed that our grand marshal was decked out in a bright red suit and riding atop a brilliantly shiny red antique car. There’s a funny story how Mae came to be on that roadster. “About a month ago, after I found out I was going to be the grand marshal, I saw this gorgeous antique red car going down the street one day. So I thought, ‘I have to find out who owns that car,’ and decided to follow it,” Mae told me. “He went up Church Hill Road, past the Blue Colony, up to the flagpole and turned left. Well, I kept following him. Then he kept on going almost all the way to Monroe before he pulled into a gas station. I got out, introduced myself, and told him how much I loved his car — it’s a 1928 LaSalle — and asked him if he would drive me in the parade.” It turns out that Mae picked the right man for the job. John Craig, a former Newtown resident now living in Southbury, had actually driven Lt Gov T. Clark Hull once upon a time, and he said he would be delighted to chauffeur Newtown’s grand marshal. “We kept in touch, and that’s how I came to be riding on that beautiful, beautiful old car,” said Mae. Another example of Mae’s dogged determination that has earned her the recognition she has today! Go, Mae!

Botsford Fire Rescue may not have won an award last weekend during the parade here in town, but the company’s members can still hold their heads high. The men and women of the volunteer fire company put another trophy into their case last month after they participated in the Kent Firemen’s Parade on August 22. Members of the Connecticut Parade Marshals Association awarded Botsford the trophy for Best Appearing Fire Company without a band that night. And this came just one week after members of CT Parade Marshals Association awarded the trophy for Best Appearing Company 15 and Under to Botsford following the Bridgewater Fair Firemen’s Parade.

With summer fading fast and cooler weather trying to set in, it seems like the time to reorganize and clean out clutter around the home. If you need a helping hand, remember that Newtown Youth & Family Services keeps a job bank of able-bodied teens willing to help with yard and household chores, for a reasonable fee. It’s a great way to get an extra pair of strong arms and to help a local teen earn some pocket money. Call NYFS at 270-4335 to find out if there’s a helper for you.

One thing that will affect everybody, at some point, is the issue of long-term care. Don’t forget that Thursday, September 11, at 7 pm, Marcia Bernstein will be at C.H. Booth Library at 25 Main Street for a free educational seminar on how to plan for our future long-term care needs. Ms Bernstein specializes in helping people understand the options and strategies available. Learn how to protect your assets while remaining Medicaid eligible during this free seminar. Questions? If you have any or want to reserve your spot, give the library a call at 426-4533.

My long-term care presently consists of a long, long nap and a reminder that next week you will want to…. Read me again.