Newtown children gave Dr Smile E. Fox and the Tooth Fairy at Dental Associates on Church Hill Road something to grin about. They turned in more than 492 pounds of Halloween candy on Candy Buyback Day, November 4, earning $2 a pound. Altogether, the Dental Associate offices in Newtown, New Milford, Trumbull, and Danbury collected 1,162 pounds of sweets this year that will be distributed to various local agencies and to soldiers overseas.

For the second time in just a few days, last Friday Kelly Whalen and her family on Butterfield Road observed two young bobcats sitting near the edge of their property watching a small herd of deer grazing in the yard. The deer did not seem overly concerned with having potential predators scoping them out, said Kathy, probably because the wild cats are on the small side. “We think they may be orphans,” said Kathy, “as I don’t think a good mother would allow them to expose themselves so.” Cute and fuzzy as the bobcat kittens may be, Kathy is keeping her domestic kitties indoors for now, and hopes her neighbors will do so with their small pets, as well.

If you saw Newtown High School Vice Principal John Tusch trade a kiss with a llama at the NHS pep rally last Friday and felt a twinge of jealousy, don’t fret. You could get a chance to smooch the wooly mammals this coming weekend. The alpacas are coming to Lexington Gardens on Saturday and Sunday, November 15 and 16. Southwind Farms will be at the garden center on Church Hill Road between 10 am and 3 pm both days with the feisty, yet gentle, animals. Be sure to check out the variety of alpaca wool products made by Southwind Farms, too, while you are there. Not sure what alpaca wool is like? Think luxurious. Think cashmere.

Think: Time to fill the fire trucks! Members of Sandy Hook Fire & Rescue, Newtown Hook & Ladder, and Hawleyville fire departments will be parked outside of Big Y Supermarket, while members of Botsford Fire-Rescue and Dodgingtown fire departments will be at Super Stop & Shop on Saturday, November 22, from 9 am to 2 pm. As if these folks don’t volunteer enough of their time, around the clock, year-round, they will be giving up five hours that Saturday to collect donations of all kinds — nonperishables, turkeys, hams, money, gift cards, anything — and then those wonderful volunteers will drive their fire trucks filled with those donations to FAITH Food Pantry, which will receive all of those goodies just in time to refill the pantries. I have no doubt that the generosity of the Newtown community will once again be apparent when the trucks roll away from the supermarkets.

Here’s something else to cheer about. The Meeting House benefit concert last weekend was a great success. That’s the word from Sherry Paisley, events organizer for the historic building, who co-organized “Music For An Autumn Afternoon” with local musician and vocal instructor Pamela Hoffman. The November 9 concert was a fundraiser to help the Meeting House become more accessible for those with disabilities or handicaps. “It was the best concert we’ve ever had,” Sherry told me Tuesday afternoon. “It was the biggest house we’ve ever had. I think we’ll see some action now, and can really start moving forward.” Music lovers filled the former sanctuary at 31 Main Street on Sunday afternoon for a performance by the vocalists Elizabeth Norton, Ann Martindale, and Gwynne Wittman, with accompaniment by concert pianist Margarita Nuller. Proceeds will benefit The Heritage Preservation Handicapped Access Fund, which will bring Newtown Meeting House one step closer to being accessible to everyone who wants to enjoy the programs, ceremonies, and concerts that are held there.

One of the programs upcoming at the meeting house during the 2008 Holiday Festival weekend is the Newtown Choral Society concert. Rumor has it that the choir members are working hard to master some pretty challenging music thrown out to them by their new director, John Mucci. No doubt their toil will pay off and anyone hoping to get into the spirit of the season will enjoy another fine concert next month.

The library also has a fine “happening” scheduled for November 23. The 2008 Young Writers’ Salon takes place that Sunday afternoon, when participants in grades six through ten read their original poetry and stories to friends and family in a coffeehouse setting in the meeting room. Students must sign up and submit their pieces by Monday, November 17. Call 426-4533 for more information.

A little bird told me (imagine: a bird being a messenger to me?) that a throng of well-wishers helped ease C.H. Booth librarian Kim Weber into one of those milestone birthdays last Friday night. I opened one eye from where I was curled up on a chair, and I think that there were tears in her eyes when all three of her daughters walked into the party, having traveled from far and near to wish their mom a Happy Birthday. And Kim, don’t worry: You wear it well! Happy Birthday!

You, at least, won’t have to travel to far next week to… Read me again.