While I was out prowling around on Election Day, I learned that the Newtown Registrars of Voters have been quite the dynamic duo in recent weeks. Not only did Karen Aurelia and LeReine Frampton have to retrain dozens of workers who cover the town’s four polling places on the operation of the new computer voting machines, but they had to deal with losing six of those trained workers to illness or absence on Election Day. Kudos to the registrars for quickly recruiting and training enough replacement workers to keep all the polling places running efficiently from 6 am to 8 pm last Tuesday.

While almost every single voter who came out this week contributed to the process by casting votes for the candidates of their choice, the election was not without a few interesting ballots. While nobody wrote in any votes for me, or even Mickey Mouse, at least two voters insisted on casting blank ballots. Either they were upset because of the absence of the old mechanical voting machines and wanted to file blank ballots in protest, or they just didn’t like any of the candidates they saw on the new paper ballots. Maybe they should have done what several other voters chose to do — cast their write-in votes for “nobody” or “anybody else,” but the candidates listed.

Caroline Stokes turns 86 on November 10 and the Southbury resident, a former Newtowner for 60 years, continues to put in more volunteer hours around town than most people half her age. Mrs Stokes is best known these days as curator for the C.H. Booth Library. More than a dozen display cases in the library are kept current thanks to her energetic efforts and her wealth of knowledge about the history of the town. I’ll bet she can still blow out all the candles on her birthday cake, too.

He’s trying, but Newtown Congregational organist Phil Crevier still has a few years to go before he catches up to Mrs Stokes. Phil was feted by friends for his 50th birthday recently.

I’m pretty excited. The Feeling Good makeover winner is going to be announced next week at the Newtown Senior Center, Thursday, at 1 pm, and I think I have a shot at it. I’m envisioning a whisker wax, claw tips, and a new flea collar to complement my coloring.

To help the needy during the coming holiday season, members of the town’s five volunteer fire companies will be collecting donations of nonperishable food and money. Those donations will be forwarded to Faith Food Pantry in Sandy Hook. Donations may be made by the public when firefighters are stationed outside the Big Y supermarket at Newtown Shopping Village at 6 Queen Street, and also outside the Super Stop & Shop supermarket at Sand Hill Plaza at 228 South Main Street from 9 am to 2 pm on Saturday, November 18.

Now that the town highway crew has resurfaced a large section of the main parking lot behind Edmond Town Hall, I feel the urge to take out my new skateboard and try it. But I guess I better not; skateboarding there is probably prohibited.

While driving on Oakview Road recently, I noticed that the Toll Brothers builders have started construction on their age-restricted (that means people of a certain age) condominium complex known as Regency at Newtown. Before too long, there will be 54 condos on Oakview Road, a street that only about five years ago was a dirt road.

The First Holiday Pet Fundraiser last weekend went “extremely well” said Flagpole Photographers Club President John Tucci. The event, a joint effort by volunteers from both the Flagpole Photography Club and the Canine Advocates, welcomed pets and their owners into the gymnasium at Edmond Town Hall. In just four hours, photographers did about 25 photo sessions — guaranteeing pet owners at least ten shots on a CD and the rights to make unlimited prints — and raised approximately $600, which will be split evenly between the two organizations. “Keeping the dogs still and focused was a great challenge, but many of the customers complimented our group for being so caring and patient with their pets and families,” John said Sunday afternoon. There is already talk about doing this event again next year.

Speaking of next year and planning ahead, Newtown United Methodist Church not only did very well with this year’s Autumn Craft Fair (see Kendra Bobowick’s write-up in the Enjoy section this week), co-chairs of that event already know that the 2007 outing will take place on October 20. As soon as the church gets through the holiday season (45 days until Christmas as of Friday) I suppose they can start counting down for the 2007 Autumn Craft Fair.

And you can start right now counting down to next week when you can…

Read me again.