I hear there was some merry-making down in Southport, N.C., earlier this month. Joan Crick brought this picture of her brother by The Bee this week and tells me that she was down South along with other friends to help her brother, Lee Glover, celebrate his 80th birthday, which fell on February 1. If the name rings a bell, don’t be surprised. Not only were the Glovers a founding family here in town (does Glover Avenue sound familiar?), Lee Glover served as chief of the Hook & Ladder Volunteer Fire Company for many years, and was a local realtor here in Newtown, as well, before retiring to Woodbury and then Southport a year and a half ago. And while he is gone, he is certainly not forgotten, said Joan: the officers of Hook & Ladder sent Lee a card of congratulations for his birthday, and local realtors also feted him with a BIG card, she said. Let me throw in my long distance congratulations, as well: Happy Birthday, Lee!

Speaking of Glovers, Glover descendent and former Newtowner Nancy Jones has been keeping an eye on our Way We Were column and sent me a note about the recent reference to the Blizzard of ’34. “I was three years old at the time, but remember my father dug a path out to the main highway, and put a box out there for mail, milk, and bread deliveries. He saved the paper, and I have enjoyed reading all the articles about the storm. It mentions a 16-foot drift, which was just up the road from our place,” writes Nancy. The Irving Shaw accident mentioned in another Way We Were also hit a nerve with Nancy, who recalls being quite frightened when that accident occurred — right in front of the family home!

If the closing of the Hawleyville Post Office hit a nerve with you, by the way, remember that this coming Monday, March 2, a representative from the USPS will host a public hearing in the meeting room of the C.H. Booth Library, at 7 pm. This informational hearing is meant to clarify the process that will be upcoming as the USPS ponders a new space for the post office, and to answer questions. The USPS has assured the patrons of the Hawleyville Post Office that the move to Commerce Road is only temporary, and that a new site in Hawleyville will be swiftly selected and hopefully open by the end of this summer. It will be interesting to find out just where the process is at this time.

Senior Center members said farewell to Pat Babbage last week. Pat was the assistant to Marilyn Place, the director, and for many years has led the exercise program at the center, as well. But when opportunity knocks, Pat is not one to leave the door unopened. She is moving on to become director at the Oxford Senior Center, so while all of the regulars in Newtown are sad to see Pat go, they know that their fellow senior citizens are going to benefit from Pat’s enthusiasm and energy. Good luck, Pat!

I thought all of the wildlife in Newtown was hibernating, but Joy and Mike Filler and their daughter Carly caught a glimpse of a fine bobcat exploring their Hundred Acres Road backyard this past Saturday morning. Joy says that this is the first time in the 17 years that they have lived there that they have seen a bobcat, and he was accommodating enough to pass through the yard enough times that she could grab a camera and snap this shot of the big kitty. As usual, I must pass on my advice to not call, “Here, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty,” when a big fellow like this decides to pay a visit.

I knew there had to be something good about buying gas, and here it is: This Friday (February 27), at Friendly Citgo at 151 Main Street South, the gas station will be hosting Gold Shamrock Friday from 6 am until at least 5 pm, where employees will be trying to sell as many gold paper shamrocks as possible. Each shamrock costs $5, with all proceeds going to Jerry’s Kids, or the Muscular Dystrophy Association. In addition to the shamrocks, employees will also be offering windshield cleanings and other freebies all day. The better news is, while the goodies will only be around on Friday, you can still purchase a gold shamrock (or a $1 green shamrock) until the end of March, says station manager Ken Swain.

Justin and Ryan Nathenson, musical siblings from Newtown, will be among the students performing in Music Learning Center’s Student Showcase Saturday, March 7. Free and open to the public, the event features two sections, at 3 and 5 pm, and will be at Danbury Music Center, 256 Main Street in Danbury. Jeff McGill, director of the Music Learning Center (and a Newtown resident), says the Nathenson brothers will perform “America the Beautiful” together. Justin, who is 10, plays the piano, while 12-year-old Ryan plays the violin as well as the piano. Their father, Michael, also takes piano lessons at MLC. The showcase will include instrumental and vocal performances by students from Danbury, Bethel, Brookfield, New Fairfield, and Ridgefield, as well as Brewster and North Salem, N.Y. Reservations are not necessary for the performance, but if you do want some more information call 748-1444.

Last Sunday night I stayed up way past my nap time to watch the Academy Awards, only to have something called SlumDOG Millionaire walk away with an armload of Oscars. Tsk. I guess I have to comfort myself with the knowledge that CAT On A Hot Tin Roof was nominated in 1958 for six Oscars.

I can’t promise an Academy Award performance, but I do promise to make it worth your while next week if you…. Read me again.