To all those anticipating Easter and its attendant fun and festivities, I pose this question: who is more eager during an Easter Egg hunt, parents or kids?

It was hard to tell last weekend.

In the morning mist on Saturday, legions of bonneted and basketed kids gathered at the borders of taped-off fields at Watertown Hall in Fairfield Hills for the annual Easter Egg hunt sponsored by the Newtown Parks and Recreation Department. When the signal was given to commence the hunt, and the charge began, parents didn’t now whether to catch the action on videotape or shout instructions and advice to their kids. Some did both, which should produce a number of family videos with a lot of close-mic bellowing by the camera operator. Some elders just ignored the prohibition against parent participation, and charged onto the field of battle themselves, with startled kids in tow. Their prize? Plastic eggs. I managed to survive the stampede by scampering up a nearby tree.

It seems that these chickens were a few days late for the Easter Egg hunt, and they were looking in the wrong place. They clucked and pecked their way along the side of Glen Road Tuesday, narrowly avoiding oncoming traffic. Some residents say they are there all the time – just another example of wildlife on the loose in Newtown.

Don’t mention that to Fawn Schmidt, though; she’s had enough run-ins with wildlife to last her some time. She picked her son up from Sandy Hook School Wednesday afternoon and arrived home to a curious sight: a llama grazing on bushes and grass in her neighbor’s back yard. This was not the first time that the Kansas native has spotted the spindly-legged creature, which makes its home in an exotic zoo on Osborne Hill Extension. One morning while she was eating her cereal, the animal just galloped through her yard. Well it appeared Wednesday that the llama had escaped from its home again, and all Fawn feared was a potential showdown between the llama and her dog. Coincidentally, this had Newtown police concerned too. Fawn summoned police to her Charter Ridge Road home, and it didn’t take long for the responding officers to round up the timid llama and return it to its home. Fawn had just one question this week: “Do dogs attack llamas?”

Jen Pirone, a kindergarten teacher at Hawley School, gave birth to her second child last week, a 101/2 pound boy that she and her husband, Jeff, named Jake. The couple, who live in Woodbury, had their hands full, but grandma Janet Woycik was on hand to help out with the new baby and with his “big sister,” 18-month-old Madison. Janet has photos of her new grandchild, so if you are at the Booth Library be sure to ask to see them.

And from a new baby we move to a tale of an expecting squirrel. There was a lot of excitement on Great Ring Road Wednesday morning when SNET linemen started to replace a pole in front of Lorrie and Ron Jones’ house. A flying squirrel bolted out of a hole in the pole, where she apparently had made a nest. Lorrie said the squirrel looked “a little bit pregnant” and everyone was concerned about evicting her. The linemen carefully cut off the section of the pole that included the squirrel’s nest and the Joneses hooked it to a nearby tree.

“The squirrel watched patiently while all this was going on, but afterwards she flew the coop and we haven’t seen her since,” Mrs Jones said. “We’re hoping that she comes back.”

We hope Newtown High School junior varsity girls’ softball coach Jay Edwards will also be back, though after a leg fracture suffered earlier this month it doesn’t look good. Jay, who doubles as an NHS history teacher, hurt himself while sliding into third base during practice. He will probably be out for the rest of the spring. We hope he feels better, and we welcome his replacement, Candy Dietter.

There was a lot of sliding and dancing at the Fireside Inn this past weekend during Newtown Youth Services first musical extravaganza fund-raiser. And no one was more impressive than Virginia King. The middle school assistant principal turned some heads when she and Jack and Jean Burns put on a ballroom dancing exhibition during the event.

Local artist and Danbury teacher Michelle Rosenthal was also on hand at the Fireside, as the event included an auction with NYS supporters donating items or services to this fundraising cause. Michelle donated one of her works of art, which was promptly bought by a young couple that had just moved to town. After the auction, Michelle approached the couple to thank them, at which time she introduced them to her husband, Herb.

“What do you do?” the couple asked Herb.

“I’m the first selectman,” he replied.

A color photo of Herb is on the cover of the April issue of Business Digest, leading inside to an article about the reuse of sites like Fairfield Hills. Herb didn’t know his photo would be taken for the cover, prompting him to complain that had he known, he would have worn a better suit.

There will be a giant tag sale on May 6 at the middle school to benefit the Newtown High School band and orchestra. Vendors are invited to rent a space for $20. Former music students also may sell their unwanted musical instruments for a $25 commission. Donations may be dropped off the day of the sale. For more information call 426-4662.

Speaking of raising money for good causes, if you think that the time is fast approaching for a haircut, plan on going to Ricci’s Salon at 99 South Main Street on the evening of Monday, May 8. The proceeds of all haircuts that night will go to the Safe Home Project for abused and neglected children. All cuts will be $25, and you can make an appointment by calling 426-1611.

I have lamented the crazy, teasing weather of recent weeks in this column before, but for some in Newtown, these days of early spring have been perfect. After spending nearly 20 years teaching in Oklahoma, NHS Latin teacher and boys’ tennis coach Jen Huettner is now trying to get used to New England weather. And, at least so far this spring, she feels right at home. “This is Oklahoma weather. One day it’s 70 degrees and 40 degrees the next,” she says.

South Main Street has turned into a bit of a obstacle course this week with motorists forced to weave their way through one orange cone after another as CL&P continues to work on power lines in the area. There to watch it all, as usual, is Officer Ray Thompson – Newtown’s traffic guy.

I’m also here to watch it all, so swerve your way back here next week and…

Read me again.