Your Stories for September 2007 Part 1

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South Meriden's Christmas in the Village Celebration

South Meriden's Christmas in the Village Celebration date is set for the first Saturday December 1, 2007 This event is free to all who come. Everything is donated by local business, our friends, neighbors and churches.

It seems early but it has been the first Saturday for years now. This is our ninth anniversary and we keep growing. We counted over 2000 people in 2006. The weather was great and the fun was even better.
Last year we had over 1200 baked cinnamon apples, two hundred pounds of roasted chestnuts, tons of popcorn and gallon and gallons of hot chocolate.

This year weather permitting will be also a great event we have started meeting already for planing the event. Our entertainment committee will be looking for talent for the stage and for street entertainers.

We will kick the event off at 2:00 pm with the Santa Parade with music, horse drawn carriages and local youth groups and more. Main Street will be shut off from Webb Street to Evansville Ave from 12:00 Noon to 6:00 pm with detours set up for safety.

We have entertainment on Stage, on the Street and in parking lots. The fire house has Santa and Mrs. Claus where the children can have their picture taken with Santa. There will also be free professional face painting at the fire house and terrific musical entertainment duet by Kelly and Sean.

Amber Alert children Safety picture and registration will also be in operating this year out of the fire house by members of Meriden Police department.

There will also be children games and arts and craft set up in heated tents along Main Street. The City police department will have the new Mobil command post set up for visits and viewing and the Meriden Library Book Mobile will be set up on Main Street.

Both lower Churches on Main Street the South Meriden Trinity United Methodist has a children’s bazaar and games and New Life Church always does the holiday season proud with special events and goodies to munch on. If everything goes correctly Hanover School will have its annual holiday book sale also.

We do collect can donations of food during the day that will be distribute to the shelters and/or churches. We also will be picking a charity or local non-profit for our yearly luminary bag light. These bags are sold by that chosen group or charity prior and during the event and will be lit and placed along Main Street. This is the only thing during the event if one chooses to purchase that continues to give back to the community.

In November some where around the third Saturday, date to be announced the Light post in South Meriden will be decorated with lighted Christmas wreaths. All this is paid for and work provided by committee labor which is all donated.

The Friday night before the celebration we travel high and low within the South Meriden area and search out pre-register homes that are decorated for the holiday season. The 3 to 4 winners are announced on Saturday at the event. So get those boxes of decorations out and make The South Meriden Area Shine with pride this year as always.

South Meriden Vol. Fire Fighters handle the Bon Fire each year that is located at the Riverside Park on Main Street. The Christmas tree at Riverside Park will be lit by a student from Hanover school while seasonal songs are song with Mr.& Mrs. Santa a little after 5:00PM.

Well that's it for now more info to follow. So mark the date and if you want to get involve stop into Tom's Place on Main Street talk to April so we can put you to work.

Keith Gordon committee member & City Liaison for the Christmas in the Village Committee


Barbara's Bountiful Bouquet

The cucumbers were spectacular this year, the largest and longest lasting crop I have had in eight years at the Community Garden. I must have picked at least 40. I picked my last cucumber in the final week of August. It took the tomatoes a long time to finally turn red, but I have been getting dozens of them, and several varieties. I planted four heirloom or heritage varieties, including two yellow ones. The yellow tomatoes have been doing super, and some have been enormous. The red ones, though, have been turning soft very quickly, and a great many of them rotted as well. I am not sure why.

I have a chair set up on the front porch of my apartment and a sign that says "Free Garden Veggies," and that's where 98% of my produce goes, and it all gets taken. I cannot eat 30 tomatoes a day, unless they are cherry tomatoes, and I have had a bundle of them as well. I feel the tomato season will be shortly coming to an end, perhaps one more week, and today is September 4th. My corn did not really grow correctly this year, and the ears are tiny and the kernels are very small. I really only got a few halfway decent ears. I have never had this happen before, so I do not know what the reason for the immature growth was.

My sunflowers just kept growing taller and taller all summer long and had many blossoms, and looked fabulous for a few weeks. For some reason one group of the sunflowers started growing sideways, and I was afraid they might topple down on all of my other flowers and cucumbers, so I tied a rope around the whole thing. There must have been 20 of them in this gigantic cluster. Sadly, the sunflowers are almost dead. It seemed to happen overnight. The cleomes also reached their pinnacle and are now beginning to fade. The marigolds are pretty much at the top of their form and look simply gorgeous, and are at least 10 times larger than when I put them into the ground. They will continue to bloom and look stunning right up until the first frost. I just love marigolds. The basil is starting to turn a little yellow now, which means we must have had some cold nights out there because it's a little early for that yellowing to be happening.

So now it's drawing close to the time when I start putting the garden to bed. It's a process that takes me a couple of weeks, but I like to pull everything out, and then get hay and spread it over all the bare spots in an effort to keep the weeds down in the spring. It’s also good for the soil, as the hay becomes compost eventually. It never completely prevents weeds from growing, but it is better than not using the hay at all. If anyone needs cornstalks for Halloween, come on down.

This is always a sad time of the year for me. I just love summer, and I hate to see it go. It is hard to watch the garden, one plant at a time, die. September 1st always signals to me the mad rush to Christmas. It will be here before you know it. So I will put my garden to bed for the winter, and I will dream of the spring to come. See you then.


Barbara Sherburne
barndt49@yahoo.com

Tasty Apple Recipes

Apple recipes from my mother’s two large three-ringed binders of recipes she cut out from newspapers or handwrote. She died in 1978, so these recipes are probably quite old. I submitted previously a recipe for Apple Pan Dowdy, so I did not include that here. Barb Sherburne

Ginger Apple Crisp

5 or 6 tart apples, peeled and sliced (4 cups)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ cup sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup margarine
¼ cup quick-cooking rolled oats (not instant)
Light cream, half-and-half or custard sauce

Mix apples, ginger and ¼ cup sugar and put in shallow 1½-quart baking dish. Put flour in bowl, and cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add remaining sugar and oats, mix well, and distribute evenly on apples. Press down firmly, and bake in moderate oven (375 degrees F) about 30 minutes. Serve warm with cream, if desired. Makes 6 servings.


Apple ‘n Cheese Tarts

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter
1/3 cup milk

Apple Filling:
1 cup canned apple pie filling
¼ cup raisins

Combine in mixing bowl flour, cheese, and salt. Cut in butter until particles are fine. Sprinkle milk over mixture while stirring with fork until dough holds together. Form into a ball. Wrap and chill ½ hour.

Roll out dough on a floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into rounds with floured 3-inch cutter or other fancy-shaped cutter. Place half of rounds on ungreased cookie sheets.

Place one rounded teaspoonful of apple filling in center of each. Cut a cross in remaining rounds and place over the filling, then seal edges. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes until light brown. Makes about two dozen.


Apple-Oat Pudding

½ cup quick-cooking rolled oats
½ cup flour
¼ cup butter or margarine, melted
2½ cups sliced and peeled apples (2 large apples)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup maple-flavored syrup
Heavy cream (optional)

In a small bowl mix oats, flour and butter until crumbly. Set aside. Place apples in a greased 8 x 8 x 2-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon, pour on syrup, and then sprinkle with crumb mixture. Cover with foil and bake in 375-degree oven for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 minutes longer until browned. Spoon out into four dishes and serve hot with cream.


Easy Apple-Bread Dessert

7 or 8 slices white bread, cut in halves (crusts removed)
1/3 cup butter of margarine, melted
2½ cups sliced and peeled apples (2 large apples)
½ cup walnuts, broken in pieces
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
Heavy cream or vanilla ice cream (optional)

Dip bread in butter, lightly coating both sides. Line bottom and sides of small oven-proof mixing bowl (about 6¼ inches in diameter and 5 inches high) or 1½ quart round casserole dish. In another bowl mix well apples, walnuts, sugar, and vanilla. Pour this into the lined bowl. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until center is hot and bread is lightly toasted. Spoon out and serve warm with cream. Makes 6 to 8 servings.


Early American Apple Grunt

This version of apple grunt is baked, but in Colonial days it was cooked in a Dutch oven hanging over an open fire.

4 tablespoons butter1/3 cup brown sugar, tightly packed2 cups pared, cored and sliced fresh apples3/4 cup walnuts, chopped1 egg½ cup granulated sugar½ cup milk1/8 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon baking powder1 cup all-purpose flourWhipped cream or ice cream
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Melt butter in an 8-inch baking pan. Remove 2 tablespoons of the butter and place in a mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar and stir until dissolved.

Arrange apples over the brown sugar. Sprinkle with the walnuts.

In the mixing bowl with the 2 tablespoons butter, add the egg, granulated sugar, and milk. Mix in the salt and baking powder, and then add the flour, mixing until smooth. Pour batter over the apples.

Bake for about 35 minutes. Remove from oven. Let cool. Loosen cake from sides of pan with spatula and invert onto a serving platter. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream. Makes 6 servings


The Challenge

By Dawn A. N-Reynolds

Recently, I was asked by Dr. David DeRosa of Precision Chiropractic Center, llc, to try a diet/cleansing plan, called Isagenix, and report honestly on my progress. In exchange I was able to get the products for free. I could not wait to give this a shot. I had picked up 15-20 lbs. of unwanted weight. Also, I have been having problems with my knees and the arch of my right foot. I was cutting carbs, counting calories, following an exercise tape 20-40 minutes per day and getting increasingly frustrated with the lack of results. If I needed further motivation, my sister was visiting in just two weeks- she lives in California and only gets out once or twice a year- what ever image she sees is locked in for the next six to twelve months.

The philosophy behind the formulation of the diet is that the toxins in our diets over time accumulate in our bodies. Our bodies, in an attempt to shield our systems from the toxins will build up fat in our cells. If we can effectively release these toxins and cleanse our systems our bodies will return to the fat burning machines they are meant to be. If we return to our toxic diets we will need to re-cleanse periodically. While we can make significant improvements in our diets, go organic etc., the world we live in will make it nearly impossible to eliminate all toxins from our lives, and they site many examples of this, so the average person should plan to cleanse a couple times a year to maintain a healthy internal balance.

The plan I followed is called the 9 day plan but actually needs to be followed for 11 days. In 11 days I lost 7.8 stubborn pounds. Three weeks beyond the conclusion of the program, after returning to my regular diet which included the summertime indulgence of clam chowder and fried clams, I have kept the 7.8 pounds off!! I am looking forward to trying the plan again to see if I can lose the ballance of the 15-20 pounds I wanted to leave behind. Here are some of the painful details of this diet:

You will need to quit caffeine- coffee and soda gone (I’m now a recovering Diet Coke addict), eliminate table sugar, drink 8-10 glasses of water a day and substitute two meals a day, breakfast and dinner with a milkshake mix (I loved the milkshakes).Four days of the 11 are Cleanse Days which means the is no official solid meal- I found a way to get around this that I’ll mention further in. This sounded ominous but honestly, was much easier than I had expected. Pre cleanse Day one was a breeze but Pre-Cleanse day two I had a driving headache and mental fuzziness. Plan for this- it is the expected effect of caffeine and sugar withdrawal and it sucks- can I say that? By day four the headache was receding and I was feeling hungry. Day four is the second cleanse day there is no solid lunch, breakfast or dinner on these days. There are four cleanse days, days 1 and 2 and 8 and 9. I was drinking the Isacleanse juice blend, drinking my 10 glasses of water and snacking on the programs chocolate wafer bites. – I had also found a hidden note in the program book of other snack suggestions. The choices included 4 walnuts or 4 cashews or 6 almonds or 1 Slim Cake, or 1 IsaLean Bar (1 bar is included as a sample- this could be broken into several snacks -very good/filling) or 1-2 hard boiled eggs at suggested intervals throughout the day. So Day two of the Isacleanse I boiled half a dozen eggs to be at my disposal in times of great need. I had three hardboiled eggs in all that day. Eggs have never tasted better. The program consciously attempts to maintain a healthy glycemic (sugar) level. Exercise is encouraged. At least 20 minutes of exercise per day. I lost 4 inches in my waist, 5 inches in my hips, two inches per thigh for a total body loss of 21.75 inches.

Things I have gained from the program: Many of my carb cravings have been quelled. I have been reminded how important water is in our diets. I am even more aware of the benefits of organic foods in our diets. I have also been reminded not to go for long periods of time without a small, healthy snack. I have returned to my a.m. cup of coffee but I have my diet coke addiction under better control. Everything in moderation.

While I do not see this as a permanent life style, I can absolutely recommend this program for the person who is looking for a place to start, who is struggling with conventional methods, who would like to break free of their caffeine and/or sugar habit, or as an occasional diet/cleanse program.

Look for a further update in the next issue and also how Andy did on the plan as well.


My favorite Apple Fritters
By Diana Lewis
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup milk
4 apples, chopped
1. Mix dry ingredients in bowl
2. In separate bowl,stir together apples and milk
3. Combine dry ingredients in bowl with milk and apples. Stir thoroughly.
4. Drop by tablespoonfuls, one at a time into hot fat that is 374 degrees F.
5. Fry until golden brown
6. Drain and serve sprinkled sugar, and/or maple syrup or cinnamon sugar
Makes approx 24 fritters

Wallpapering the Outhouse
By Dorothy Gonick

One summer day, we kids helped move the furniture out of the living room and Dad and Grandpa set up trestles with long, wide boards across. Grandma hummed a jolly tune while stirring a bucket of paste, Dad brought in a bundle of wallpaper rolls, Mom gathered the long shears and brushes for pasting, and we kids pestered everyone for a chance to help. The twinkle in Grandpa’s eye led us to believe that maybe we could. But the twinkle was for a special plan to keep us from being underfoot and out of the house while the big folks were busy putting fresh wallpaper on the walls.

Dad said, “There’s a very special job that needs doing, and you four kids can do it.”

“What’s the job?” we all chorused.

With a twinkle in her eye Mom held a stack of old magazines, a pair of shears and said, “Follow
us and see. The outhouse needs decorating and you get to choose the pictures and where to put them.”

“Wow, all by ourselves?”

“Yes, we think you can do a beautiful job.”

We all trooped past the colorful trumpet vines and down the path to the outhouse. There Dad had put a platform with a pail of wallpaper paste and brushes ready for us to use. We could choose any of the pictures and turn the outhouse into a real gallery. Our ‘three-holer’ would be fancier that it had ever been! We were free to cut up the magazines, even the Delineator, McCall’s, the Saturday Evening Post and Ladies Home Journal that were in that stack. First the covers were saved, then we girls found pictures of flowers, landscapes, scrumptious looking cakes, pictures of fancily dressed ladies. Little brother John set about finding pictures of animals and cars that he would paste low on the walls near the shortest seat. It wasn’t long before we were all covered with paste and in each other’s way. So we sat down and let John get his pictures on the wall, telling him to help us decide where to put our choices. Margaret was tallest and could reach higher, so Alice and I put paste on the pictures, then handed them up to her for pasting on the walls.

One by one, the flowers framed one wall with pretty ladies in the center. Norman Rockwell pictures were pasted on the front wall because we thought they were special ones that the folks would like to look at. The third wall was a cook’s delight with cakes, pastry, colorful vegetables, fruits and picnic pictures. The back wall became an assorted mix of the rest of our choices.

We hurried in to tell the folks to come and see our work, but they were still papering. They told us to make up stories for them to hear when they came out to view our work. This led to hilarity as we each tried to tell wild stories about pigs, cakes, fancy ladies, cars, flowers etc. When the folks came out, they told us what a wonderful job we’d done and then burst into laughter at our preposterous stories. Mom said that the stories took away her weariness and so did Dad, Grandma and Grandpa. It was one very good day!

Two years later when the bedrooms were being papered, we papered the outhouse with state road maps and foreign country maps from the National Geographic. The outhouse became our “Geography Classroom”, and a place where we could dream of future travels.

During a recent hike, we came upon a floundering bird and tried to capture it to see if it had a broken wing. It flew off and we knew that it had been distracting us from seeing its nesting site. Other creatures have ways of protecting themselves from danger. Animals may cuff their offspring when they wish to be left alone. These thoughts brought to mind the ways that we distract our children from unwanted behavior. An amusing story came to mind of the time my folks succeeded in redirecting us and kept us from being a nuisance as they wallpapered the rooms in our home.


WELCOME! To the 21st Annual Celebrate Wallingford

It is sometimes hard to believe that this exciting Wallingford tradition is in its 21st year, but that is only a testament to what a tremendous event Celebrate is for our community and everyone involved. Our goal is to provide you with two days of family-oriented fun and entertainment, while celebrating Wallingford’s history and bringing awareness to more than 25 local non-profit organizations.

One might think that after all this time the festival could not possibly grow and improve any further, but once again this year, it WILL!!! The full-day events on Saturday and Sunday will be as fantastic as they always are and there is something for everyone. Stroll through the beautiful Fishbein Park and onto Hall Avenue and enjoy the handmade Arts & Crafts, the expanded Taste of Wallingford, non-profit organizations and the many local businesses in the area and on Center Street, but that isn’t even half of the Festival!!!

If you want to get your blood pumping, you will want to check out our Touch A Truck exhibits and then make your way behind the railway station to the children and teen areas featuring magicians, clowns, face painting, an obstacle course, moon walk, a petting zoo and pony rides.

Our festival would not be complete without our top-notch musical entertainment. Performances start at 11am, and run all day, so come join the fun early in the day. Saturday you’ll get to see Blues Alley and our headliner for the day, Changes in Latitudes, the premier Jimmy Buffett tribute show. Plus, if you want do-wop and some 50’s music, you will not want to miss Flashback performing uptown at the Connecticut Street Rod Associations car show that will feature more than 300 classic cars on South Main Street.

Sunday enjoy performances by Eight to the Bar and DeNovo, and head uptown for the Interfaith Blessing of the Animals on the Parade Ground.

Whether you are coming to the festival for the first time or have come since you were a kid, we hope you will enjoy the excitement and tradition as much as we enjoy planning it for you each and every year.

On behalf of the Celebrate Wallingford committee, thank you for your support and being a part of Wallingford’s history. I look forward to seeing you at the festival!!!

Rick Myers, Executive Director - Wallingford Center, Inc.


The Boo Crew Review – Wallingford’s Trail of Terror

The countdown has started for the opening of the Trail of Terror. Wow, less then 75 days. We’re already asking ourselves, “How are we going to open in time”. Ah, who needs sleep.

Before I start talking about this years Trail, I would like to recap what occurred in 2006.

Well, we had an unbelievable year. The weather was great, we had a Friday the 13th, and the word of all the hard work the “Boo Crew” did spread quickly throughout New England. People came from North Carolina-Maine and in CT over 120 cities and towns were represented. Everyone involved knew we had a great season so when it came time to present the check to the Red Cross at our volunteer recognition party the anticipation was at an all-time high. Of course we waited till the end to do so. We went through our “Golden Ghoul” award presentation, recognizing the top actors in several categories and the top awards to our most “dead”icated members of the “Boo Crew”. After dinner, the awards, some great stories it was finally time to present the check. Pretty much everyone was sitting at the edge of their seats when the check was about to be revealed. The “Boo Crew” presented Andrea and the rest of the members of the Red Cross a check for $60,000 for their general fund. Well, we weren’t done yet. Andrea received a special gift for putting up with us for all those years. Then while she was getting settled back in her chair we started to explain to everyone that once the Red Cross raises enough money for building repairs, Andrea was going to retire. We then presented her with a $40,000 check for the building fund. $100,000 total. Not bad for a group of people who could not give the money away 12 years ago. Andrea works harder than anyone I know and it would be great to see her retire just as long as she stays on and continues to work with us at the Trail. Thank you again to the “Boo Crew” for all your hard work and dedication.

Ok, about Trail of Terror, 2007. Come and see it. We again made major improvements to the trail itself and we have a few special surprises for the line area to make the wait in line more enjoyable. Please visit our website for information and updates. We also continued with the storyline from last year. I hope you enjoy it.

That’s it for now.

Happy haunting.

Wayne “Spookologist” Barneschi


“Sheltering an Animal’s Perspective”

by Gregory M. Simpson

I’m writing this column to ask you to help someone – an FIV cat. It’s a diagnosis with a scary sounding name – feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). It is also called feline AIDS because it’s a relative of the lentivirus that causes the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). FIV infects only cats. Not contagious to people, it is found in 1.5% to 3% of all U.S. cats. The fact most important to remember is that it should not be a death sentence for the cats with the virus. In fact, FIV strains in cats living normal lives may never cause disease.

Richard Allen, DVM, veterinarian at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah, comments, “FIV cats can live long and quite normal lives. Cats seem to live a long time with this virus often with no symptoms at all.”

This is because FIV is a particularly slow acting virus. The virus depletes the number of a certain type of white blood cells. Nevertheless, in practice it has been found that many cats do not have any more infections than cats that are not infected with the virus.

Dr. Allen continues, “FIV is spread between cats by bite wounds and blood transfusions. Unless your FIV kitty bites another cat, the virus cannot spread. FIV can never be spread casually. Casual includes litter boxes, water and food bowls or snuggling and playing. It is unlikely for an FIV mother to give FIV to her kittens.”

Thus, isolation of an FIV cat is not necessary in a stable household unless the FIV cat is likely to fight with the other residents. Research has shown that the likelihood of cats passing on FIV to others in the same household is as low at 1-2%. Thus, cats that are allowed outside are more at risk of being bitten by a feral or stray FIV cat than by a friendly FIV cat living in the family.

FIV cats should live exclusively indoors. This eliminates the risk of transmitting the disease to other cats through fighting, as well as reducing exposure to secondary infections that would harm the FIV cat. A fourteen year study by Maureen Hutchison, veterinary advisor to Cat Action Trust found that FIV cats are more likely to die by being killed in road accidents, or to be alive and well into their twilight years, than they are to die from any FIV related condition. Another study at the University of Glasgow in Scotland found that the monitored cats’ FIV infections did not affect the cats’ life expectancies.

Therefore, knowing what we now do about the prolonged nature of FIV, euthanasia is totally inappropriate and inhumane. One American study showed that FIV cats are far more likely to lose their lives through euthanasia when no one offers them a home, than from any effects of the virus.

So, please, give an FIV-positive cat a chance for life and a loving home. Provide the cat with good nutrition, regular vaccinations and veterinary visits. Don’t forget that love is a powerful immune system enhancer. Cherish your FIV cat!

For the animals, Gregory M. Simpson

Gregory Simpson’s animal welfare involvement spans over 25 years, having provided leadership for several Connecticut organizations, as well as having served as state advisor to the national Friends of Animals. Chosen by CAT FANCY magazine as one of the ultimate cat lovers in the U.S., he is also a member of the Cat Writers’ Association.


Have you had a mystical experience?

Have you had a mystical experience you couldn’t explain or that left you with questions you never thought you’d ever be asking? I know what that feels like. My first such experience occurred when I was ten years old, attending a Convent school in England. One night while stargazing outside my bedroom window, the sky suddenly lit up with intense brightness and I heard a soothing voice speak to me. He must have spoken to my heart because I still don’t remember what was said. But the experience prompted me to read the Bible, and I read the whole thing twice that year. Some passages were like spiritual food and I read them many times.

When my family returned to the States, I attended a public middle school and there had my second mystical experience. Having been in an all-girls environment for the previous two years, I hadn’t been socialized with boys. They frightened me. When a boy seemed to like me, and then ignored me, I felt emotionally devastated. I needed God’s help and after school walked to our church. To my horror, the door was locked. God was inside, I was outside, and I needed him now. I fell onto the steps in tears. Moments later, an angel appeared and told me I would find God elsewhere. Looking back on this experience, I think I should have been awestruck. But it felt natural, and it left me inspired to do exactly as I was told. Once again I was driven to find spirituality.

I attended different churches with my friends, and read all I could about various religions. None of their teachings explained how and why the Light of God or an angel would visit an ordinary person. When I was fourteen, I found a teaching that did have an answer: it was because God loves all Souls and therefore each of us is worthy to receive God’s blessings. Miracles like the ones I received occur when a person is willing and interested in learning how to love God back. Whenever I think of this, it makes me feel blessed, loved, happy, and peaceful inside.

A year later, when I was fifteen, I learned that the Word of God can be a personal communication, one that can be listened to at anytime. The experience came during a long road trip with my family. At a hotel where we stayed, I began reading a book by Brad Steiger called “In My Soul I am Free.” One of the chapters in particular fed me like certain passages of the Bible once did. I read certain lines over and over and didn’t want to stop. When my parents told me to turn out the light I read in the bathroom. When they told me to shut off that light too and get into bed I felt as though my lifeline to God was again being taken away. But as I lay in bed yearning for more, I began to settle into the comfort of a musical, heavenly sound that filled my ears and my heart. From this sound I received upliftment far beyond anything I’d ever experienced from reading any book.

Mystical experiences, I have since learned, can be had by those who desire them. Eckankar, Religion of the Light and Sound of God, teaches techniques that can prepare you to see the Light and hear the Sound. One key exercise is to sing an ancient word, “HU” (rhymes with “blue”), in a long, drawn out voice. You sing it as a love song to God daily for about twenty minutes, praying only for “Thy Will be Done”. Yet I also turn to it whenever I need help. Singing HU has helped me in big moments, such as when it gave me courage and calmness prior to heart transplant surgery; and in small ones, such as helping my daughter deal with a fear of spiders in her bedroom.

A Gallup Poll taken in 1990 showed that 54% of those polled answered “yes” to the question, “Have you ever been aware of, or influenced by, a presence or a power—whether you call it God or not—which is different from your everyday self?” Other surveys have shown that one out of every three Americans admit to having had a mystical experience. That’s a lot of us. Maybe you’ve had one, too.

Many mystical experiences come as past life recalls, profound dreams, or out-of-body or near-death experiences. As a service to those who’ve had such experiences and want to know more about them, I’m organizing a series of free talks on these topics at the Eckankar Temple in Middlefield. They will be held on Tuesdays, Sept. 11, 18th, and 25th, from 7:00 to 8:00PM in the downstairs classroom. For more information, please go to http://www.ct-eckankar.org/.


Dear Housewives – Central Connecticut’s Know it all Gals!

Dear Readers,

Do you have a question regarding family life, budgeting, customer service issues, DVD or book reviews, or home organization? We will give you our candid advise from a family perspective. Contact The Peoples Press by e-mail or phone with your confidential question and we will answer it in the next issue.
June and Flora

Dear Housewives,

My days are filled with babies and it is getting me down. I have twins and a toddler. If I had known life would be so isolating with small kids, I would not have had them so close together. What can I do to now drown in the monotony?

Mom Zombie in Meriden

JUNE: Dear Zombie--you sound like you are in need of some adult time. There are a few things you can do. First, find a play group to join. It may take some time; there are some really lame ones out there (see the following question) so be selective. Second, try to get out of the house. It is hard with twins alone and adding a toddler makes it harder but find time to go to the mall or to the park or for a walk even. Getting out of the house will clear your head a bit and change your scenery. Last, go out with your husband alone. If you have a babysitter or a family member who can watch your kids for a bit get out with just you and him to dinner or a movie. It will refresh you and make you feel like more than just a mom. If you are like me and have no one to baby-sit at night then put the kids to bed and eat a late dinner together. Shut off the TV and sit outside and talk. Good luck. I bet Flora has some good ideas.

FLORA: Zombie, it can feel isolating at times when you have small children at home. If you are from Meriden,the Family Resource Centers are based in John Barry elementary and Ben Franklin Elementary. The phone number is in the Blue Pages of the phone book. they are a wonderful resource for playgroups and information and support. They are FREE. When we are surrounded by like minded people it makes going through the tough times more bearable.

Go to the Children's Section of your local library. There are terrific story times and now is the time to register for the Fall story Times! I met good friends through the library and your children will be exposed to books and play time there.

When my children were small, I tried to do one thing each day, even if it was for an hour.

If you are not getting exercise, try stretching in the morning or doing a short DVD before the day gets into gear.

Best wishes Mommy friend and know that they will be asking for the car keys before you know it.


Dear Housewives,

I recently joined an online playgroup and was very disappointed in it. The people (which many weren't my type anyway) had their own little clique and really were not welcoming. They pretended to be but really wanted nothing to do with me. Any ideas where I can find better ones?

All Played Out in Meriden

FLORA: How disappointing to hear that the on-line group wasn't welcoming to you. They should have a closed group so not to offend any more mothers. June has some good tips below for you. Remember that it has nothing to do with you and that some people lack the skills of hospitality. Sorry you got mixed up in that mess.

JUNE: If I hadn't been involved with this very type of playgroup at one time I would ask if something is wrong with you. I have that just because everyone has kids doesn't mean they have anything else in common. I would say to try the family resource playgroups at the schools or go to library functions. If you don't like your group there are other groups and schools to choose from. You may meet other mom's who want to be in a nice playgroup as well. You can eventually start your own if you meet a few people. You can try other towns as well. Stay away from those cliques.


Hi Flora--Hope your summer went well. My oldest "little JUNE" started second grade and my middle "little JUNE" started preschool. The time has flown. I hope everyone had a nice summer and a nice start to the school year.

Hi June--Summer was fun and interesting. We have a third and first grader. I too wish everyone a wonderful start to the new fall season!

DVD Picks

JUNE: "The Last Mimzy" was a wonderful little movie that you could watch with your kids. It is PG but it was fine for my seven year old. It was about two kids who found a secret into another world. The kids take on certain powers and the town figures them out. Sort of like ET meets Star Wars. Well, maybe not, but check it out anyway. Have you watched anything normal Flora?

FLORA: Normal, hmmm. I did see "Nanny McPhee" (PG) and thought that was a terrific family film. Emma Thompson did a good job playing Nanny McPhee who comes to improve the behavior of seven siblings.

JUNE: Now we are talking. That was a great movie. And it is only one year old. Way to go Flora!!! Way to go.






Nature’s Grace

Picking flowers in the rain, bare feet
Wet this morning at seven AM.
A church mission in search of
Sea lavender, sage scented,
Long limbed flowers more like blue lace,
Rubbing against my face,
Giving time a meaning and a space.
Then for mounds of black eyed susans,
Brightest golden yellow gazing up with dark velvet eyes,
Round with the wonder of it all.
These have I bucketed and brought to be
Tidied up and shown off at Sunday’s altar,
Nature’s grace, dressing up God’s place.

VICTORIA PASSIER