Your Stories January 2010
To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine!
Dear Housewives – Central Connecticut’s Know It All Gals
Dear Readers,
Do you have a question regarding family life, budgeting, customerservice issues, DVD or book reviews, or home organization? We willgive you our candid advise from a family perspective. Contact The Peoples Press by e-mail or phone with your confidential question andwe will answer it in the next issue. June and Flora
Dear Housewives, I think I blew it. My mom, daughter and I were on a train next to a family (mom and dad and two teen aged kids). They 'looked' as though they were proper and upper middle class, but I learned and so did my daughter that outward appearances can and will trick you. They were passing around Werther Originals-you know the hard candy in the gold wrapper.
Well, the dad had a few in his pocket. During the ride, he unwrapped 4 candies and dropped the wrappers on the floor. We all saw and after the first time, we were prepared to politely mention that he dropped something. We never did. But in NYC, we did see a woman leave here fancy apartment, pick up some stray trash and dispose of it down the block on a receptacle. Should we have meddled in this affair? To interfere or not to interfere, that is the question
FLORA: We are to mind our own business unless the offense is harmful to another. You could have said "you dropped something" immediately after the first offense. At least your daughter saw the polar opposite when the woman picked up trash that was not even her own. We learn by example, hopefully his children aren't littering the planet the way their father does. I too am irked by litterers. Littering is lazy and inconsiderate.June?
JUNE: I think it is weird that this person is still thinking of this ridiculous situation. I agree with you that it is better to mind your own business unless it is something big. Littering is annoying and dirty and bad manners but not going to hurt anyone. There is someone that works for the train company that has the job of cleaning up. I would have said, "I think you dropped something" and left it at that. The important thing is to do the right thing and that included minding your own business.
Dear Housewives,I am potty training my three year old. Should I use candy as an incentive, I don't want to rot his teeth? Sweet tooth
JUNE: Fear not sweet tooth, your child's teeth will be fine. I have found that a few skittles or M&M's work great as a treat for your child. You can try stickers and little prizes but good old fashioned sugar seems to work best. Just keep brushing.
FLORA: I would not use candy as an incentive. Your child may equate success with food; not good. Good old fashioned praise may workas well as an super hero underwear shopping spree.
New Years Resolutions
Flora: Dear Readers, I hope that each of you have a healthy and happy 2010. If you have anything you need to work on, now is the time.Just pick one or two things be it, eating healthier, reading more, seeing friends more often...Make your mind up to do it in 2010.My commitment in 2010 will be to walk more and to practice patience.
June: Happy New Year to all. Let’s hope that twenty-ten will bring a healthy, safe and prosperous year to all of us.
Book/Movie Review
Flora: A book came highly recommended that I must share with you Dear Readers. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. The bookis narrated by Enzo, a dog. We have two dogs so and after reading this book, I look at them in a much different way. This is a book about family, love, trials and understanding. Get your hands on this smooth read and let us know what you think of it!
June: I have been in a true crime niche lately. I just read a book by Ann Rule, Every Breath You Take. It was a tragic story about a woman who was stalked, hunted down and eventually murdered by her ex-husband. It was a horrible story and yet well written and interesting to read.
To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine!
Southington Genealogical Society
In 1630 several hundred English Puritans under the leadership of John Winthrop came to establish the colony of Massachusetts Bay. This was the first group of sufficient size to establish a long-time sustainable and growing colony, which in only thirty years extended over much of the present state of Massachusetts, and into Connecticut and New Hampshire as well. But who were these people and what was their contribution to history?
On January 26th, the Southington Genealogical Society welcomes Dr.Richard A Eppler who will speak on "The Founding of New England – The Winthrop Fleet of 1630". The meeting will take place in the meeting room of Southington Police Headquarters. Ample parking is available. Refreshments will be served. There is no admission charge and no obligation to become a member. No reservations are necessary. Dr. Eppler has a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois, and has been involved in chemical and ceramic research and consulting for almost fifty years. He has been interested in genealogy for forty years or so, and has traced his mother's family back to several of the founders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The Southington Genealogical Society is a non-profit organization located in central Connecticut that promotes the accurate recording, research and preservation of family history. The society regularly meets at 7:30 pm on the fourth Tuesday of every month, except December, at Southington Police Headquarters, 69 Lazy Lane, Southington, Connecticut.
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Genevieve Kokoszka Barchewski
This is a story to celebrate the life of Genevieve Kokoszka Barchewski, my mom. Born February 1, 1923 in Rockfall CT, to Louis and Katie Kokoszka. She was the fifth of twelve children following John, Jane,the twins Mary and Anna and coming before Joseph, Chester, Irene,Charlotte,Stanley ,Camille, and Rita. I'm sure she was full of joy and spirit, and so was the household.
A daughter, a sister, Genevieve, affectionately called Jenny, spent her childhood growing up in Middletown, CT on south main street, and we heard stories about the ice house on Pamecha pond across the street and how my mom fell in the ice while skating there and at Uncle Johns farm in Rockfall where we visited as children, while they made apple cider, picked berries and raised animals to live. One exceptional story was when Jenny came down with scarlet fever and how everything she owned even her favorite doll was taken away and burned to stop the spread of this deadly disease. what courage, faith and strength she must have had even as a child.
Jenny always worked to support her family. She became a care giver for her mom when she became ill, a cook, a teacher, a nurse; always very close to her brothers and sisters, sacrificing her own personal desires and putting her families needs before her own, that was the most important part of Jennys life.She loved children and became an aunt, a wife , married to Aloysious John Barchewski on january 4, 1947,buying a home and moving to Meriden on April 16th,1948. A mother of three, a son John, a daughter Susan and a daughter Linda(thats me "the baby" not to be confused with Susan, as my mother often did.) Mother also took care of others along the way and included Chester her brother and nephew Chester Allen,and others including a future son in law Mike and daughter in law Ines.
My mom worked as a weaver for Russell-Fenner company in Middletown for about twenty years and found time for visits for all her sisters and brothers homes on a regular basis, even traveling to Texas to visit Aunt Charolette and Aunt Rita. We also became closer to all of our cousins thirty three, including us thirty six, and gathering at my grandmothers home was weekend trip to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, showers, and yes new life, gandchildren, or grandson Todd and six granddaughters, Lisa, Katie, Jennifer, Renae, Christie, and Stephanie, This brought a whole new generation of children that Jenny helped raise. Also enjoying Natasha and Amanda’s childhood years along the way.
My mother loved the holidays, expecially Christmas. It was a special time gathering at my grandmothers home singing Christmas songs and enjoying Christmas treats, like my Aunt Marys nut cookies and my moms home made apple pie, which we will always remember at Christmas time. My mom tried her best to give us a wonderful Christmas hoilday every year. How appropriate that god called her home at this special time, so she could be pain free, so she could be at peace, so as to be a gift for her, a gift for us.
I think about the courage my mom had over the past two years fighting this disease, yet doing what she could to enjoy life. My mom had tremendous faith throughout her life, arriving early to mass-often being first- after all thats how you get the best seat. Children all raised catholic share her faith in god, but my mom had a definite connection which was proven the day she passed away.
She had a love for animals, as she was kind to them and I am sure she is surrounded by all who shared time with her. As I think about my mom, I think about so many things, especially her laugh, smile and how smart and witty she was, also fun to be with and laugh with.. And oh yes a very good card player. My mom always made time for her children and grandchildren, to listen to their problems, to lend advice, to be there for every special event and to help whenever needed. She always saw the positive side and most of all she was a friend for life, and loved us dearly. In the words of elvis her favorite singer, "Ill have a blue Christmas without you"
God bless you mom, love you too, you will be truly missed by all. May you rest in peace. AMEN
From Linda Albert and family
OUT & ABOUT
by Ernie Larsen
An occasional article on unusual and interesting short trips in Connecticut and other diverse venues and attractions within an easy commute from the Meriden area<<
So, nothing to do or planned for the weekend? How about some wine & cheese? Mmmmm! Sounds good,eh? Well It’s not what you think – I’m talking of heading right to the source, a farm that produces some really tasty artisanal (def: one that produces something (as cheese or wine) in limited quantities often using traditional methods) cheese and a winery about a 5 minute drive from the farm. A big plus, from the Meriden/Wallingford area it’s easy to find; just about a 40 minute drive, all on well maintained secondary roads. So, gas up the car and head East on Rte. 691 to Middletown and head over the river, via the Arrigoni bridge, to Rte. 66 in Portland to Rte. 16 and on to Colchester.
Cato Corner Farm is a pretty unassuming place – one of those places that you see while driving in rural area and would never give it a second thought. This place is a typical farm setting, cows, barn, tractors and some of the best cheese this side of East Sedalia, wherever that is and what does it have to do with cheese anyway. When you enter the short dirt driveway there is a handwritten directional sign that states “CHEESE” to direct you to the sales room; which is more like small shack attached to a barn. Not that it isn’t functional, I think what I’m trying to get across is that this is pretty much of a nondescript place producing some really and I mean really good cheese. There were about 10 different type of cheeses available on the day of our visit. You are probably familiar with Colby, cheddar, Muenster, Swiss and bleu cheeses – well the only one of those you’ll get at Cato Corner is a really unique bleu, named Black Ledge bleu after a spot in the area of the same moniker The day we visited the inventory offered about 12 different varieties to sample. The woman helping us, I presume she was one of the owners, could not have more helpful or knowledgeable about her products. The cheese is made from cow’s milk, the descriptive literature gives a complete breakdown on the herd of “40 happy, Jersey cows” their treatment and the health benefits of Cato’s cheeses. The varieties we sampled were quite unique – there were two or three offerings that were relatively new production and the same styles presented after aging for 8 to 12 months. Boy what a difference a few months make. And back to that fantastic bleu cheese, Black Ledge Bleu – unbelievable, like nothing I’ve tasted before, earthy, robust – distinctive. As mentioned, these are all artisanal cheeses, from this small producer and pretty much organic. Cato Corner Farm is a proud supplier to several restaurants in CT; New York etc. that feature locally produced goods. One of them is the FIREBOX in Hartford. And according to the CC website they are also a supplier to Murray’s Cheese shop (sort of a cheese Mecca) in NYC, an outlet we have regularly patronized.
Some of the cheeses we tasted beginning with their self proclaimed best-seller (and I could taste why) was Bridgid’s Abbey, based on a traditional Belgian recipe; it is a creamy, medium mild selection – a fine offering to serve on stoned wheat or water crackers and enjoy with a hearty red wine. We also tried the Bloomsday, both new production and the 1 year aged variety. Two distinctly different tastes – I liked both. It’s really difficult to describe how things taste in print – however if you are a cheese aficionado or just appreciate good food that is made with care and love – you deserve to take a trip to Cato Corners – a really nice weekend diversion.
We purchased our share of cheese, my wife and I for immediate consumption and my daughter for her Christmas day cheese tray.
We had just planned to go to the cheese farm – and traveling up Rte.. 16 noticed a sign for the Connecticut Wine Trail which meant there was a winery nearby. Lo and behold after turning into Shailor Hill Road we passed the winery on our way to Cato Corner Farm. So on our way back we stopped into Priam Vineyards. We were familiar with their wines as they have been to a couple of local wine tastings. As is the practice of most wineries nowadays they charge a nominal amount for tastings. We opted for ‘Tasting Level One’ which included samplings of 5 varieties and a logo wine glass to take home. We tried two reds and three whites. The Salmon River White had an oaky taste with a fruity finish – very nice. The other vintage that struck us as a good all around red was the Salmon River Red (they weren’t very creative in their naming, whatever) Very fruity and robust with a nice oaky finish. I tried the Gewurztraminer, one of my old time favorites, nice and citrusy, with a semi-dry fruity finish. Bought a bottle of this for Christmas day – it was delicious.
So our road trip turned a very rainy Saturday into an unexpected melding of two of our favorite food groups – cheese and wine. All locally produced with care by some very talented folks over in Northeast Connecticut. The principals of both Cato Corner and Priam started their careers in other disciplines then decided to ditch the ‘rat-race’ and do something they both enjoyed. Well, let me tell you they make a good choice and should be thanked for their efforts. The best way to do this is to do what I did with my family – get on the road and visit these places, buy their cheese and wine – they will appreciate your patronage and you’ll be enjoying some great locally produced products. We’re going back – we loved both places!!
Both establishments are “”Weekend Only”” operations for visitors; here’s the breakdown of opening hours and other pertinent information:
Cato Corner Farm
178 Cato Corner Road
Colchester, CT 06415
(860)537-3884
www.catocornerfarm.com
Priam Vineyards LLC
11 Shailor Hill Road
Colchester, CT 06415
priamvineyards@sbcglobal.net
Cato Corner in normally open on Saturdays and Sundays and Priam Vineyards, Friday, Saturday and Sunday – however it is best to call ahead to be certain. As for directions, MapQuest or GOOGLE would be a good choice – although if you are familiar with the area – both venues are directly off Rte. 16 in Colchester.
And, as a caveat, artisanal cheeses and the locally produced wines are more expensive than local supermarket and mass produced wine varieties, but you’ll soon forget what you paid after enjoying these fine cheeses they could be called works of art. The same goes for the wine, one glass and the price goes out the window,,, if you know what I mean and for your convenience, both places accept credit cards and of course cash.
See you “on the road”!
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JANUARY – A TIME FOR NEW BEGINNINGS
By Phyllis S. Donovan
January is not only the start of a new year for optimists like me. I always feel that this could be the start of something big! I love the anticipation of all the wonderful things that could happen in a promising new year and, in this case – DECADE!
The week between Christmas and New Year’s is my favorite time for recapitulating. I like to think back on everything that happened during the past year and wonder about what can be accomplished in the next.
Both at home and around town, the Christmas decorations are still gracing the scene and people remain in a happy, sharing spirit. Our church, St. Rose, has never looked so beautiful, the altar banked with poinsettias and a procession of wreaths with red bows and candles lining the walls and hanging from the balconies. Adding to the beauty of Christmas Day was music by our full choir accompanied by organ and trumpet. I LOVE trumpets in church! Talk about a joyful noise. Strong voices raised in song and backed by a trumpet is like heaven to me. That Christmas Day Mass certainly was the high note of my holiday season.
With nothing on our personal agenda for the full week after Christmas, we had time to consider how we would make the most of the coming new year.
I always hate the cartoon depiction of the aged, bent and physically spent old year being unceremoniously ushered out to make way for the young and expectant new year which by next year will be as old and haggard as his predecessor. Makes the whole process seem futile somehow.
Better to think of the new year as a gift filled with untold possibilities to improve the world we live in. For some time now the NBC network has been running its “Making a Difference” series about individuals who have improved the lives of others. With a good idea, single-minded passion and unflagging dedication and energy, some of these folks have worked against the odds to help others in truly meaningful ways.
I really believe that every one of us can change things for the better, even in small ways. Let’s think about how we are spending the limited time we have on earth. Too many people are so caught up in self-gratification that they “don’t have time” to volunteer their services to help change things in positive ways for others.
Think about your New Year’s resolutions? Are they just to improve your own status, image or wealth or could you squeeze in a bit of time to help your neighbors, church or town? Number one on so many people’s resolution list is to lose weight and get into shape. That’s admirable and as a result, if you stick to it, could keep you around a few more years…but how will you spend all that time you gain?
If you really want to feel good, think about how you can share your time helping others. Volunteer at the hospital, soup kitchen or animal shelter. Decide on where you could best use your talents and get in touch with someone at that agency to offer your time. Do it now while the year is young.
We always tried to bring up our children with an interest in volunteering. To do this, you have to offer your own services freely. For decades, my husband volunteered untold hours of his time with Connecticut Public Television. At one point, when our youngest son was a tiny tot watching his Dad on TV, he said, “If that glass wasn’t there, I could touch Daddy.” Well, a few years later, he was in the studio with his Dad helping out with the annual on-air CPTV Auctions which ran every spring and loving every minute of his backstage work.
When I was young and involved with the Meriden Junior Woman’s Club, many of us “stay-at-home moms” had to bring along our little ones when we were working on community projects. In that way, the youngsters got to watch first-hand the work their mothers were doing for the community.
People are quick to say, “Oh, kids today are too self-absorbed with their iphones, ipods and video games to want to get involved with helping others. I beg to differ. With service clubs like the local Kiwanis as sponsors, a whole new generation of volunteers is “getting involved.” The high school Key Clubs and middle school Builders Clubs are already working to better the community. All young people need to get started sharing themselves and their talents is a little adult direction.
As we were told in church on New Year’s morning, giving of yourself is doing God’s work. Let’s hope that many more people this year will find it in their hearts to do God’s work by giving of themselves to make the world better for others.
Have a happy and blessed New Year and a productive decade.
To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine!
California Gold Rush—an Otter’s story
By Dorothy Gonick
The setting sun shot rays of gold and mauve into Olivia Otters’ snug hollow den awakening her and her twin youngsters, Ollie and Olive. She was anxious about the safety of their part of the woods, and cautioned the twins to wait until she whistled before following her. As soon as they heard the whistle, the twins scurried to the slide and swiftly reached Olivia. All three dove underwater to find crayfish, their favorite food.
“Can we go down to where the alien creatures are? We’ll stay out of sight.” The twins wanted to swim down the river to where they’d seen the ‘aliens’ tearing down trees and stacking them in a strange way, a sign saying ‘Sutter’s Mill’ meant nothing to them. They had never seen people before and were curious. “They look dangerous, we’d better go upstream” Mother Olivia warned, but she too, was curious and finally led them downstream for a closer look. Bright moonlight lit up a circular encampment of tents with a fire at the center. To the otters, these tents seemed to be hollow structures like an above ground cave. Aliens went in and out of the ’cave’ openings and squatted around the fire talking excitedly about something called gold. Two banjo players struck up a lively tune and Olivia felt it was time to head for home.
“I don’t like what’s going on. Let’s go farther up this stream and choose a new home where it will be quieter and safer.” Away they swam until they reached a shimmering waterfall that splashed into a pool. There were mudslides down the bank so they knew other otters lived nearby. The twins dove in and soon found crayfish which they quickly ate. Olivia swam around the pool’s edge searching for a new home; and when she discovered an abandoned muskrat den, that she knew that would be fine. After a bit of clearing out, the den was ready for all three to snuggle in and sleep before they began exploring the woods around the pool. There’d been enough excitement for one night.
In their wanderings next day, they came upon an outcropping of rock that gave them a good view of the river downstream and the activity going on. Several aliens were in the stream scooping rocks into a box and shaking it so that the water ran out. They seemed to be searching for something. After dumping that load, they’d scoop up more. One of them got quite excited about one of the pebbles and kept on searching. It didn’t look like anything the otters would have wanted to eat. Ollie was puzzled when he saw them tossing out some crayfish that would have made a good meal.
Soon the otters were joined by other curious animals as a pair of woodchucks and a young doe came by. Each had a tale about what they had seen. Woody and Wilma Woodchuck told how they had been awakened when their home had caved in after something smashed it and were glad they’d been able to escape; a young doe told about watching one of the aliens remove its covering and spend time in the stream rubbing its naked body before getting out and putting on another covering. She saw it no fur except on its head and there was no tail of any kind. It just changed its skin to another color, and then took the first skin to the stream and bobbed it up and down, before hanging it on a bush. Very strange!
Freddy Fox came limping by and warned them not to go into the camp. “Certainly, do not touch the place where I saw flames leaping up high. The flames were gone, but it bit my paw when I reached in. Look at this blister!”
Two rabbits came hurrying by, looking very frightened, and stopped to warn the animals that the strange aliens had magic powers. “We’d been playing with friends when one of the strangers looked toward us and pointed. We heard a loud bang and Bobby fell over dead! We’re not going near them again and we warn you to stay away!”
A blue jay flew onto an overhanging branch with the news that the alien creatures were people, and that there were a lot of them living nearby. Jay said “Instead of living in caves or burrows, they cut down trees to build houses to live in. Two days ago they got excited when one of them found something called ‘gold dust’ in the river where they were building a sawmill, That made everyone grab tools and hurry to start digging for this gold. More people have come, setting up tents near the river to live in.” Then Jay answered their questions about ‘people’ by telling them that, “No, they do not have fur or tails. Instead, they make coverings to wear. In some ways they are like animals, but very different in the way they live. They can be very dangerous. We jays think this place will soon be a wasteland after the trees are cut down and the rivers are torn up.”
The otters and other animals listened in fearful awe at this report, each deciding to move further into the woods and find a safer place to live. Little Ollie nudged his mother and said, “I’m hungry; let’s go back to the pool for some crayfish.”
Back at the pool, they were greeted by another family of otters whose three youngsters were splashing and squealing in play. They called for the twins and Olivia to join them. Soon there was laughter and chuckles of joy as they went sliding down the slippery mud slides and scrambling back up again.
Life again looked hopeful as the waterfall sang its way into the pool and the woodland birds greeted them with song. A pool with fish and crawfish, new friends, and a snug den for sleeping, suited the family of otters just fine.
Dorothy Gonick
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“Maggie’s Corner”
What is it like you ask?
By: Maggie Griffin
Out of all the places I’ve been and all the things I’ve seen, obviously I enjoy socializing. I will admit, as much as I enjoy Real Estate, the adventures in travel takes me to another dimension. The question is how do I do it? My answer is “What?”
It became obvious that many people knew about my trip to the NTDC. The NTDC is a National Competition where Professional Drivers are given the opportunity to showcase their skills and knowledge. My husband, Tom, was amongst those drivers, again. I must say I am more than proud my husband came home as one of the champions. Supporting him in this competition was an experience as he was lucky number 7; Tom Griffin is on the course. My use of Pom-Poms, Duck Horns and Rattles obviously did not distract him. So that is a good thing.
Watching the competition was very rewarding. Staying at the Westin was filling as every night there was a dinner function that was attended. But, who did I meet when I was there? I met Professional Drivers across the country of whom many were excited to be there for the first time along with those who were there multiple times. Taking a trip down the Allegany River one night singing and dancing on the boat, it’s a good thing I only drank diet soda.
However, although I had the pleasure of “hanging out” every evening with this man who looked like Tommy Chong, it made my nights filled with laughs, hoping I make my wake up time for the next day of the competition.
But another evening of another dinner function, along with meeting so many people across the country, to my surprise, there standing in front of me was a Legend of Football, Franco Harris, who is #32 of The Pittsburg Steelers, a Champion of Champions, cheering on the Drivers. Had I known this, I would have had my hair done and fix my make-up as every day and every night there was a schedule to follow.
Like the evening I spent with Ryan Cabrara 4 years ago, teen idol and music performer, prior to his performance at Toad’s Place, here is the bottom line to meeting these people we know as famous. They are human beings like the rest of us. They set an example of reaching goals to achieve the possible. We all know anything is possible if we really focus and put our minds into a frame of thinking that we shall never give up any dream we have. All it takes is a dream and the courage to make anything happen.
I do want to thank Denny Hamilton for allowing me to sit on the hood of his race car and take a picture. There was no way I wasn’t going to go home without one. Watching him lead the convoy parade at the end of the competition was thrilling as behind him, a pre-arranged state trooper was flashing those red and blues.
The media was there. But let’s touch on media for one moment. Media is a source where it needs to be touched delicately. I for one know what it is like to be interviewed by Authors who write about the Real Estate Industry and every word I say must be carefully said, written and reviewed. As a Columnist, I enjoy meeting people in my journey and interviewing them. As a Real Estate Professional, I am very serious in this industry to achieve goals and bring results to those I represent, whether they are sellers or buyers, no client of mine is left behind; as the media promotes me based on my knowledge, skills, experience, professionalism and dedication in The Real Estate Industry.
Going back to what was it like meeting these people and talking to them? It was rewarding. I learned about them in more ways than I can imagine, and I talked about Real Estate. But I made sure, as a columnist many knew I was there to cheer and support my husband in this competition.
You see, opportunities come when one strives in earning to achieve them. And with that being said, discipline in oneself will bring success in any venture. Success comes to those who reach for those goals through dedication. If you reach, you will achieve.
It was my pleasure to watch my husband achieve another success in victory through his skills, knowledge, dedication and self discipline in driving, taking his job very seriously. It was my honor to meet the people I met and spoke to along the way. These examples only prove that destiny is not written, it is in the palms of our hands.
To conclude, what is it like to live with a Professional Driver? We go through a lot of tires. Road safety is something my husband promotes and lectures. Most of all, through these competitions, it’s not about winning, it’s how you compete on a professional level when showcasing the skills, safety, knowledge and dedication anyone, in any field, competition or game are trained to exercise. This is another example of earning opportunities. Just like football and running those yards to score a touchdown, as Franco’s determination, skills and knowledge proved when reaching that goal for the Pittsburg Steelers. Or if not done with caution, as Tommy Chong would say “Dude, who called the cops”.
No More Cooties!
The school cafeteria often serves as a snapshot of the state of relations between the students from Mars and the students from Venus. In the primary grades, you would likely see boys and girls sitting together sharing Sun Chips and poking at each other playfully. However, by the fourth grade things are drastically different. For the most part, the cafeteria becomes segregated with “boy” and “girl” tables. When we were kids we used to see it as a parasite thing. Those of the opposite sex definitely had a bad infestation of cooties, so you steered way clear! Today, the polarization is emphasized with rhymes, “Girls rule, boys drool,” or the other way around, depending on your perspective. Then, something astonishing happens around the end of 7th grade. Boys and girls start to pair off and sit together – imagine that! For young teens, it’s a time when every day offers equally exciting and confusing signals that are sent back and forth from boy to girl like errant ping pong balls. For parents, it’s a time of high anxiety and stress as memories of their own trials and tribulations with the opposite sex are painfully remembered.
How does one know when her teen has dipped his toe into uncharted waters? Is he starting to fix his hair and check himself out in the mirror? It’s necessary to be aware of subtle changes because your teen might not share his private thoughts with you.
Sarah Burningham, author of Boyology: A Teen Girl's Crash Course in All Things Boy (Chronicle Books, 2009) and How to Raise Your Parents: A Teen Girl's Survival Guide (Chronicle Books, 2008), says, “Most teenagers probably won't come out and say they’re interested in someone. In fact, denial is a good first sign. You might notice that your teen is talking about a certain someone a lot; yet, he insists that he doesn’t ‘like’ that person. Other clues to look for are lots of texts and phone calls from one person.”
Once you know, you might find it difficult to communicate with your teen about his new attraction. Burningham suggests, “It's important not to trivialize your teen's relationships. Even though it might seem like puppy love, those feelings of first love are real, and dismissing them will only make your teen feel like he can't talk to you. The best thing you can do is to listen. Don't offer too much advice. Instead, you can help your teen come to his own realizations about relationships by asking questions about what your teen is getting out of a relationship. Remember, the goal is to help your teen build healthy relationship patterns.”
Parents should tune in to a heightened awareness – of all friends, both male and female, and of her whereabouts. Teens will fight this because they want to be independent. There has to be a level of trust, as well as a specific set of rules. Burningham comments, “Every family has different rules. Be sure to set them early and stick by them. Make it a tradition that dates come into the house to meet you before your teen goes out. If it's expected and started early, it doesn't have to be a fight every time.” She also suggests setting a private texting code that your teen can send if something goes wrong or she needs your help. “A lot of the teenagers I interviewed used their parents as excuses to get out of uncomfortable situations,” Burningham reports.
Be prepared that this is the beginning of an endless period of testing out new boundaries and finding that middle ground where both you and your teen can feel comfortable.
TIPS AND TALES
“Rules are a definite! No entertaining guys in the bedroom - even when you are home! Curfew is a must. If they change locations, they better call!”
Gail McGann – Bomoseen, VT
“My fourteen year old son is good about telling me things that happen. I just hope he always feels comfortable to talk to me so I know what's going on…or at least some of it! We keep an eye on the computer, too.”
Lori Ann Jones – Salt Point, NY
Want to share your ideas? Upcoming topic:
Test Anxiety – SATs, ACTs and the stress that goes along with it
Please send your full name, address, and brief comments to:
myrnahaskell@gmail.com
Or visit
http://home.roadrunner.com/~haskellfamily/myrna/
Home Country
Slim Randles
Some of the earlier knights of the coffee table arrived just before daylight, flipping their cups to the upright and fillable positions, and were joined quickly by Dewey, which is an unusual occurrence. Doc was the only one of us downwind from Dewey, and we watched to see if any fainting took place, but evidently Dewey had not yet begun his job of transferring soil nutrients from the dairies to people’s yards.
“How’s it going, Dewey?” Dud said. We all like Dewey.
“Finer’n frog hair, Dud. My shoulder’s in shape for a shovel and I’m sure gonna shovel…”
“Well, yes you are,” Doc said, quickly.
“Dewey’s an interesting name,” Dud said. “Was your mother … dewy eyed when you were born?”
“That’s D-E-W-Y. My name has the extra e in it. Actually, I was named for a famous man.”
We sipped over that one for a minute.
“Thomas E. Dewey!” shouted Doc. “Governor of New York. Candidate for President. Your mother was a Republican, right?”
“Uh, no … not him, I’m afraid.”
“I know …” said Steve. “Admiral Dewey. Whats-his-name … George. George Dewey of the Spanish-American War! Your dad was a fan of the Navy.”
“Well, not exactly,” Dewey said, although privately he thought that would’ve been a good guy to be named for.
“Well?” said Doc. “I’ve run out of Deweys. Who was it?”
“Melvil.”
“Who?”
“Melvil Dewey,” Dewey said. “You know … Dewey Decimal System? My mom was a librarian.”
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Brought to you by “Raven’s Prey,” Slim Randles’ thriller set in the Alaska Bush. See it at www.slimrandles.com.
To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine!
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WINTER
BY: SHAINA CARROLL
December 15th was a dreaded day in Maine. A huge storm was going to hit the city of Bangor. Almost everyone was expecting it. One house wasn’t….The family that lived on the street of Louis Avenue. The family had just moved from California and was still adjusting to the move. The date was December 14th and the storm was headed their way. It was no lie that there was a storm coming.
“Alex! Get down here and get your dinner!” yelled Kathy. Alex ran downstairs before getting into trouble. She was already going to be in enough trouble. “You better watch out. If you tell Mom, I will use your makeup case” said Alex. “Tell Mom what?” Kathy said with a smirk. “That her daughter bought a dog? Why would I do that?” This was followed by another smirk then a fit of giggles. “I already did!” Oh man! A secret that was revealed by her 10 year old sister. Kathy’s face said it all. Before she could even say anything, a firm voice yelled at the top of its lungs, “ALEX! WHY IS A DOG IN YOUR ROOM?!” Alex ran upstairs at top speed hoping her mother didn’t see the dog and only believed Kathy. When Alex got to her room, her hopes were brought down. In the middle of her floor her mother stood along with Kathy. On her bed sat Winter. “Why is there a dog on your bed?” Alex told her about how he was about to be taken to the pound when she found him. Her mother understood and let her keep him, as long as Alex took care of Winter.
The next morning, Alex took Winter for a walk. As they were turning back, the wind started to get hard, the sky was getting gray, and snow started to fall faster and faster. Alex panicked while Winter stayed calm. Winter knew what to do. He had been through many storms before. Fighting the storm, he led her home. Once they were on the right street, Winter ran up to the blue house that they lived in. Alex and Winter ran all the way up to the door. They tried to get in but the door was locked. Alex banged on the door while Winter pawed noisily. From inside, they could hear Alex’s mother yelling, “ALEX! ALEX! WHERE ARE YOU?” Above Mom, Alex could hear Kathy yelling, “WINTER! WINTER! WINTER!” “Of course Kathy yells for Winter”, thought Alex. He is a dog. She loves dogs. Mostly Winter. After ten minutes of banging and pawing, Alex’s mother heard the racket and let them in.. Alex was freezing. Winter wasn’t as cold. The two friends were covered in snow. Luckily, they bought the house that had the biggest and warmest fireplace. Alex was the first to run for the fireplace. Winter slowly followed. Alex thanked her mother who was giving her hot chocolate.
The next day, Winter was awarded by the Mayor for saving Alex’s life. Winter was also moved with his family to a five star hotel. Not only now do they live there, they own it. During the ceremony Alex told everyone what happened. “Winter lived the beginning of his life hunting for food. Afterwards, I found Winter being chased by a dog catcher. He was about to be caught when I stepped in and told the dog catcher that Winter was mine. The dog catcher surprisingly let me take him. I guess he wanted me to go away and stop bothering him. Winter was amazed at how fast he was put down on the ground. I took him and ran home to hide him in my room. When I came in the house, Kathy was eating cookies and drinking milk. It was too late to turn back. Kathy had turned her head and saw Winter. She looked at him with curious eyes. Then a grin came across her face. She asked if I had asked our mother. My response, well, was running upstairs like a scared little chicken with Winter on my heels. That’s about it. The rest you are sure to know.” She had made her speech. Now the ceremony was over. Everyone went home. Not everyone actually. Winter and his family went out to eat. They even got in for free since Winter was with them. The staff got wide eyed and brought them to their seat instantly. Winter also got to stay in the restaurant instead of getting kicked out. He became very famous and saved many more lives.
One day winter found a mate and had puppies. The puppies lived a life of luxury and grew up as their father did….saving as many lives as he did. The puppies lived with their father until the end of his life. Their names were Summer, Spring, Winter, and Fall. Of course, everyone lived happily ever after.
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“Sheltering an Animal’s Perspective”
by
Gregory M. Simpson
It was a banner first year for Connecticut Votes for Animals (CVA), for which I am proud to say I am a member of the advisory board. Under the leadership of ASPCA attorney Debora Bresch and Our Companions Animal Sanctuary CEO Susan Linker, CVA saw one of the first bills it lobbied passed and signed into law by Governor Jodi Rell on July 8th, the Puppy Lemon Law Bill.
The Puppy Lemon Law Bill will provide greater protection for consumers and animals sold in pet stores. This new law encourages the sale of healthy animals in several key ways. It increases the potential veterinary reimbursement from $200 to $500 and allows this reimbursement for congenital defects without the need to return the animal. The law also increases the window for this reimbursement from 15 to 20 days.
Critically, pet stores will now be required to purchase out-of-state animals only from USDA and state licensed breeders. As an important consumer measure, pet stores will be required to provide consumers with breeder/dealer information to fully disclose the source of the animals.
Connecticut Votes for Animals is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, 501(c)(4) organization, whose aim is to mobilize the public to support animals through their political choices. It serves as the political arm of the state’s animal protection movement by advocating pro-animal policies and engaging public support for the passage of animal friendly laws and opposition to proposals harmful to animals. CVA is Connecticut’s only grass roots organization that gives animals a voice in the Legislature. Members are provided with political “scorecards” so that they can make a difference at the polls by electing animal friendly legislators.
Connecticut Votes for Animals educates the public regarding animal protection issues and safeguards the interests of animals by making their well-being a priority for elected leaders. During this past legislative session, CVA tracked over 20 bills, ranging from acts concerning humane education and the treatment of elephants to an act requiring court ordered counseling for juveniles charged or convicted of animal cruelty. Most proposed bills do not become law, especially the first time they are raised.
In the last legislative session, CVA also lobbied to pass a bill to prevent the constant tethering of dogs, i.e., chaining or confinement. The current law is vague and animal control officers are not able to enforce it. As a result, dogs in Connecticut can be chained or confined day and night. This is not only cruel to the dogs but also poses a public safety threat as chained dogs are three times more likely to bite people. Unfortunately, the draft Tethering and Confinement Bill required additional work.
With your assistance as a CVA member, a Tethering and Confinement Bill can be passed in the next legislative session, ensuring that the outcome of cases like the one in Hartford, where dogs were found stacked in crates in a shed, are very different. Currently, excessive confinement alone is not sufficient to warrant charges under Connecticut’s animal cruelty law.
Next session, Connecticut Votes for Animals, with animal control officers and the ASPCA, will work to get the Tethering and Confinement Bill passed. But it cannot be done without grass roots power. As the anthropologist Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Animals don’t vote, people do, so share your support by becoming a member of Connecticut Votes for Animals. A $25 non-tax deductible donation can be mailed to Connecticut Votes for Animals, P.O. Box 266 Cheshire, CT 06410. Or you may sign up on-line at: www.ctvotesforanimals.org
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. Currently a Board member of Protectors of Animals, Inc., he was 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.
To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine!
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ROBERT MILES AND DAVID S. MILES
I was in the Army for four years, one-and-a-half years on The Aleutian Islands in the Pacific. The wind was so bad we dug our huts in the ground. If we built them on top of the ground, the wind would have blown them away. There was snow all the time. We had to be dug out every day so we could go to the mess hall. It was cold but we had everything we needed to keep us warm. The weather was nice in July, but mostly it was cold and dark as the sun didn't come up. We learned a lot, and we came home.
My Mother was a 5 star mother with 5 sons in the service. We all came home except my brother David. The American Legion Hall in Oxford is named for him. He went down on the ship, the U.S.A.T. Dorchester with the Four Chaplains who have become quite famous.
Note: I knew Bob Miles in Grammar School. We met again recently at our 60th Seymour High School Class Reunion where Bob shared his experience in the Aleutian Islands during World War II.
.....Below, I quote from a news clip from The Advisor, dated February 13, 1996. The Advisor is published weekly in North Haven, Connecticut..
FOUR CHAPLAINS' MEMORIAL DAY PROCLAIMED IN NORTH HAVEN
Last week I was pleased to join with Wally Bassett, Religious Emphasis Chairman and Americanism Chairman. and the entire Murray Reynolds Post 76 American Legion in commemorating Four Chaplains' Day in North Haven. A special Memorial service took place at the Recreational Center on February 8th.
At the ceremony we recalled the account of the Four Chaplains' heroic sacrifices. On February 3, 1943, the U.S.A.T.. Dorchester, with 900 passengers, was torpedoed by an enemy submarine in the Atlantic Ocean, about one hundred miles off the coast of Greenland. The Dorchester was ill-equipped, with only twenty usable lifeboats and an inadequate supply of life jackets. Understanding that their own lives would not be saved, the Four Chaplains distributed the limited gear to their fellow seamen. They are credited with saving the lives of about 200 men.
The last survivors recalled this terrifying experience. Their final observation is that of the Four Chaplains submerged in the ocean, with their arms linked in prayer as the U.S.A.T. Dorchester went down in a blaze of steam and fire.
The Four Chaplains, representing different faiths, were united in their self-sacrifice, compassion and humanity. The Four Chaplains are First Lieutenant, Reverend Clark V. Poling, Dutch Reformist; First Lieutenant, Reverend George I. Fox, Methodist; First Lieutenant, Rabbi Alexander D. Goode, and Father Johnny P. Washington, a Catholic Priest.
A Chilling wind
The sky distinctly hued in pink,
Held echoes of soft peeping sounds
rolling smoothly o’er the brink.
As weathered leaves cascaded to the ground,
This dark and creepy old man, strolled in.
His balding pate flashing conspicuously,
Shattering the pitch-black sanctuary
of these who feared him in stoic awe.
For he, this thing, was dying autumn.
And bringing the knowing of time,
a cold and dreary omen for all
to see the sprightly warmth
of mellow, adoring days of
merriment, tumble towards its end.
For soon will come the chilling news
That old man winter has come again.
- George Arndt -
To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine!
Dear Housewives – Central Connecticut’s Know It All Gals
Dear Readers,
Do you have a question regarding family life, budgeting, customerservice issues, DVD or book reviews, or home organization? We willgive you our candid advise from a family perspective. Contact The Peoples Press by e-mail or phone with your confidential question andwe will answer it in the next issue. June and Flora
Dear Housewives, I think I blew it. My mom, daughter and I were on a train next to a family (mom and dad and two teen aged kids). They 'looked' as though they were proper and upper middle class, but I learned and so did my daughter that outward appearances can and will trick you. They were passing around Werther Originals-you know the hard candy in the gold wrapper.
Well, the dad had a few in his pocket. During the ride, he unwrapped 4 candies and dropped the wrappers on the floor. We all saw and after the first time, we were prepared to politely mention that he dropped something. We never did. But in NYC, we did see a woman leave here fancy apartment, pick up some stray trash and dispose of it down the block on a receptacle. Should we have meddled in this affair? To interfere or not to interfere, that is the question
FLORA: We are to mind our own business unless the offense is harmful to another. You could have said "you dropped something" immediately after the first offense. At least your daughter saw the polar opposite when the woman picked up trash that was not even her own. We learn by example, hopefully his children aren't littering the planet the way their father does. I too am irked by litterers. Littering is lazy and inconsiderate.June?
JUNE: I think it is weird that this person is still thinking of this ridiculous situation. I agree with you that it is better to mind your own business unless it is something big. Littering is annoying and dirty and bad manners but not going to hurt anyone. There is someone that works for the train company that has the job of cleaning up. I would have said, "I think you dropped something" and left it at that. The important thing is to do the right thing and that included minding your own business.
Dear Housewives,I am potty training my three year old. Should I use candy as an incentive, I don't want to rot his teeth? Sweet tooth
JUNE: Fear not sweet tooth, your child's teeth will be fine. I have found that a few skittles or M&M's work great as a treat for your child. You can try stickers and little prizes but good old fashioned sugar seems to work best. Just keep brushing.
FLORA: I would not use candy as an incentive. Your child may equate success with food; not good. Good old fashioned praise may workas well as an super hero underwear shopping spree.
New Years Resolutions
Flora: Dear Readers, I hope that each of you have a healthy and happy 2010. If you have anything you need to work on, now is the time.Just pick one or two things be it, eating healthier, reading more, seeing friends more often...Make your mind up to do it in 2010.My commitment in 2010 will be to walk more and to practice patience.
June: Happy New Year to all. Let’s hope that twenty-ten will bring a healthy, safe and prosperous year to all of us.
Book/Movie Review
Flora: A book came highly recommended that I must share with you Dear Readers. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. The bookis narrated by Enzo, a dog. We have two dogs so and after reading this book, I look at them in a much different way. This is a book about family, love, trials and understanding. Get your hands on this smooth read and let us know what you think of it!
June: I have been in a true crime niche lately. I just read a book by Ann Rule, Every Breath You Take. It was a tragic story about a woman who was stalked, hunted down and eventually murdered by her ex-husband. It was a horrible story and yet well written and interesting to read.
To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine!
Southington Genealogical Society
In 1630 several hundred English Puritans under the leadership of John Winthrop came to establish the colony of Massachusetts Bay. This was the first group of sufficient size to establish a long-time sustainable and growing colony, which in only thirty years extended over much of the present state of Massachusetts, and into Connecticut and New Hampshire as well. But who were these people and what was their contribution to history?
On January 26th, the Southington Genealogical Society welcomes Dr.Richard A Eppler who will speak on "The Founding of New England – The Winthrop Fleet of 1630". The meeting will take place in the meeting room of Southington Police Headquarters. Ample parking is available. Refreshments will be served. There is no admission charge and no obligation to become a member. No reservations are necessary. Dr. Eppler has a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois, and has been involved in chemical and ceramic research and consulting for almost fifty years. He has been interested in genealogy for forty years or so, and has traced his mother's family back to several of the founders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The Southington Genealogical Society is a non-profit organization located in central Connecticut that promotes the accurate recording, research and preservation of family history. The society regularly meets at 7:30 pm on the fourth Tuesday of every month, except December, at Southington Police Headquarters, 69 Lazy Lane, Southington, Connecticut.
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Genevieve Kokoszka Barchewski
This is a story to celebrate the life of Genevieve Kokoszka Barchewski, my mom. Born February 1, 1923 in Rockfall CT, to Louis and Katie Kokoszka. She was the fifth of twelve children following John, Jane,the twins Mary and Anna and coming before Joseph, Chester, Irene,Charlotte,Stanley ,Camille, and Rita. I'm sure she was full of joy and spirit, and so was the household.
A daughter, a sister, Genevieve, affectionately called Jenny, spent her childhood growing up in Middletown, CT on south main street, and we heard stories about the ice house on Pamecha pond across the street and how my mom fell in the ice while skating there and at Uncle Johns farm in Rockfall where we visited as children, while they made apple cider, picked berries and raised animals to live. One exceptional story was when Jenny came down with scarlet fever and how everything she owned even her favorite doll was taken away and burned to stop the spread of this deadly disease. what courage, faith and strength she must have had even as a child.
Jenny always worked to support her family. She became a care giver for her mom when she became ill, a cook, a teacher, a nurse; always very close to her brothers and sisters, sacrificing her own personal desires and putting her families needs before her own, that was the most important part of Jennys life.She loved children and became an aunt, a wife , married to Aloysious John Barchewski on january 4, 1947,buying a home and moving to Meriden on April 16th,1948. A mother of three, a son John, a daughter Susan and a daughter Linda(thats me "the baby" not to be confused with Susan, as my mother often did.) Mother also took care of others along the way and included Chester her brother and nephew Chester Allen,and others including a future son in law Mike and daughter in law Ines.
My mom worked as a weaver for Russell-Fenner company in Middletown for about twenty years and found time for visits for all her sisters and brothers homes on a regular basis, even traveling to Texas to visit Aunt Charolette and Aunt Rita. We also became closer to all of our cousins thirty three, including us thirty six, and gathering at my grandmothers home was weekend trip to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, showers, and yes new life, gandchildren, or grandson Todd and six granddaughters, Lisa, Katie, Jennifer, Renae, Christie, and Stephanie, This brought a whole new generation of children that Jenny helped raise. Also enjoying Natasha and Amanda’s childhood years along the way.
My mother loved the holidays, expecially Christmas. It was a special time gathering at my grandmothers home singing Christmas songs and enjoying Christmas treats, like my Aunt Marys nut cookies and my moms home made apple pie, which we will always remember at Christmas time. My mom tried her best to give us a wonderful Christmas hoilday every year. How appropriate that god called her home at this special time, so she could be pain free, so she could be at peace, so as to be a gift for her, a gift for us.
I think about the courage my mom had over the past two years fighting this disease, yet doing what she could to enjoy life. My mom had tremendous faith throughout her life, arriving early to mass-often being first- after all thats how you get the best seat. Children all raised catholic share her faith in god, but my mom had a definite connection which was proven the day she passed away.
She had a love for animals, as she was kind to them and I am sure she is surrounded by all who shared time with her. As I think about my mom, I think about so many things, especially her laugh, smile and how smart and witty she was, also fun to be with and laugh with.. And oh yes a very good card player. My mom always made time for her children and grandchildren, to listen to their problems, to lend advice, to be there for every special event and to help whenever needed. She always saw the positive side and most of all she was a friend for life, and loved us dearly. In the words of elvis her favorite singer, "Ill have a blue Christmas without you"
God bless you mom, love you too, you will be truly missed by all. May you rest in peace. AMEN
From Linda Albert and family
OUT & ABOUT
by Ernie Larsen
An occasional article on unusual and interesting short trips in Connecticut and other diverse venues and attractions within an easy commute from the Meriden area<<
So, nothing to do or planned for the weekend? How about some wine & cheese? Mmmmm! Sounds good,eh? Well It’s not what you think – I’m talking of heading right to the source, a farm that produces some really tasty artisanal (def: one that produces something (as cheese or wine) in limited quantities often using traditional methods) cheese and a winery about a 5 minute drive from the farm. A big plus, from the Meriden/Wallingford area it’s easy to find; just about a 40 minute drive, all on well maintained secondary roads. So, gas up the car and head East on Rte. 691 to Middletown and head over the river, via the Arrigoni bridge, to Rte. 66 in Portland to Rte. 16 and on to Colchester.
Cato Corner Farm is a pretty unassuming place – one of those places that you see while driving in rural area and would never give it a second thought. This place is a typical farm setting, cows, barn, tractors and some of the best cheese this side of East Sedalia, wherever that is and what does it have to do with cheese anyway. When you enter the short dirt driveway there is a handwritten directional sign that states “CHEESE” to direct you to the sales room; which is more like small shack attached to a barn. Not that it isn’t functional, I think what I’m trying to get across is that this is pretty much of a nondescript place producing some really and I mean really good cheese. There were about 10 different type of cheeses available on the day of our visit. You are probably familiar with Colby, cheddar, Muenster, Swiss and bleu cheeses – well the only one of those you’ll get at Cato Corner is a really unique bleu, named Black Ledge bleu after a spot in the area of the same moniker The day we visited the inventory offered about 12 different varieties to sample. The woman helping us, I presume she was one of the owners, could not have more helpful or knowledgeable about her products. The cheese is made from cow’s milk, the descriptive literature gives a complete breakdown on the herd of “40 happy, Jersey cows” their treatment and the health benefits of Cato’s cheeses. The varieties we sampled were quite unique – there were two or three offerings that were relatively new production and the same styles presented after aging for 8 to 12 months. Boy what a difference a few months make. And back to that fantastic bleu cheese, Black Ledge Bleu – unbelievable, like nothing I’ve tasted before, earthy, robust – distinctive. As mentioned, these are all artisanal cheeses, from this small producer and pretty much organic. Cato Corner Farm is a proud supplier to several restaurants in CT; New York etc. that feature locally produced goods. One of them is the FIREBOX in Hartford. And according to the CC website they are also a supplier to Murray’s Cheese shop (sort of a cheese Mecca) in NYC, an outlet we have regularly patronized.
Some of the cheeses we tasted beginning with their self proclaimed best-seller (and I could taste why) was Bridgid’s Abbey, based on a traditional Belgian recipe; it is a creamy, medium mild selection – a fine offering to serve on stoned wheat or water crackers and enjoy with a hearty red wine. We also tried the Bloomsday, both new production and the 1 year aged variety. Two distinctly different tastes – I liked both. It’s really difficult to describe how things taste in print – however if you are a cheese aficionado or just appreciate good food that is made with care and love – you deserve to take a trip to Cato Corners – a really nice weekend diversion.
We purchased our share of cheese, my wife and I for immediate consumption and my daughter for her Christmas day cheese tray.
We had just planned to go to the cheese farm – and traveling up Rte.. 16 noticed a sign for the Connecticut Wine Trail which meant there was a winery nearby. Lo and behold after turning into Shailor Hill Road we passed the winery on our way to Cato Corner Farm. So on our way back we stopped into Priam Vineyards. We were familiar with their wines as they have been to a couple of local wine tastings. As is the practice of most wineries nowadays they charge a nominal amount for tastings. We opted for ‘Tasting Level One’ which included samplings of 5 varieties and a logo wine glass to take home. We tried two reds and three whites. The Salmon River White had an oaky taste with a fruity finish – very nice. The other vintage that struck us as a good all around red was the Salmon River Red (they weren’t very creative in their naming, whatever) Very fruity and robust with a nice oaky finish. I tried the Gewurztraminer, one of my old time favorites, nice and citrusy, with a semi-dry fruity finish. Bought a bottle of this for Christmas day – it was delicious.
So our road trip turned a very rainy Saturday into an unexpected melding of two of our favorite food groups – cheese and wine. All locally produced with care by some very talented folks over in Northeast Connecticut. The principals of both Cato Corner and Priam started their careers in other disciplines then decided to ditch the ‘rat-race’ and do something they both enjoyed. Well, let me tell you they make a good choice and should be thanked for their efforts. The best way to do this is to do what I did with my family – get on the road and visit these places, buy their cheese and wine – they will appreciate your patronage and you’ll be enjoying some great locally produced products. We’re going back – we loved both places!!
Both establishments are “”Weekend Only”” operations for visitors; here’s the breakdown of opening hours and other pertinent information:
Cato Corner Farm
178 Cato Corner Road
Colchester, CT 06415
(860)537-3884
www.catocornerfarm.com
Priam Vineyards LLC
11 Shailor Hill Road
Colchester, CT 06415
priamvineyards@sbcglobal.net
Cato Corner in normally open on Saturdays and Sundays and Priam Vineyards, Friday, Saturday and Sunday – however it is best to call ahead to be certain. As for directions, MapQuest or GOOGLE would be a good choice – although if you are familiar with the area – both venues are directly off Rte. 16 in Colchester.
And, as a caveat, artisanal cheeses and the locally produced wines are more expensive than local supermarket and mass produced wine varieties, but you’ll soon forget what you paid after enjoying these fine cheeses they could be called works of art. The same goes for the wine, one glass and the price goes out the window,,, if you know what I mean and for your convenience, both places accept credit cards and of course cash.
See you “on the road”!
To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine!
JANUARY – A TIME FOR NEW BEGINNINGS
By Phyllis S. Donovan
January is not only the start of a new year for optimists like me. I always feel that this could be the start of something big! I love the anticipation of all the wonderful things that could happen in a promising new year and, in this case – DECADE!
The week between Christmas and New Year’s is my favorite time for recapitulating. I like to think back on everything that happened during the past year and wonder about what can be accomplished in the next.
Both at home and around town, the Christmas decorations are still gracing the scene and people remain in a happy, sharing spirit. Our church, St. Rose, has never looked so beautiful, the altar banked with poinsettias and a procession of wreaths with red bows and candles lining the walls and hanging from the balconies. Adding to the beauty of Christmas Day was music by our full choir accompanied by organ and trumpet. I LOVE trumpets in church! Talk about a joyful noise. Strong voices raised in song and backed by a trumpet is like heaven to me. That Christmas Day Mass certainly was the high note of my holiday season.
With nothing on our personal agenda for the full week after Christmas, we had time to consider how we would make the most of the coming new year.
I always hate the cartoon depiction of the aged, bent and physically spent old year being unceremoniously ushered out to make way for the young and expectant new year which by next year will be as old and haggard as his predecessor. Makes the whole process seem futile somehow.
Better to think of the new year as a gift filled with untold possibilities to improve the world we live in. For some time now the NBC network has been running its “Making a Difference” series about individuals who have improved the lives of others. With a good idea, single-minded passion and unflagging dedication and energy, some of these folks have worked against the odds to help others in truly meaningful ways.
I really believe that every one of us can change things for the better, even in small ways. Let’s think about how we are spending the limited time we have on earth. Too many people are so caught up in self-gratification that they “don’t have time” to volunteer their services to help change things in positive ways for others.
Think about your New Year’s resolutions? Are they just to improve your own status, image or wealth or could you squeeze in a bit of time to help your neighbors, church or town? Number one on so many people’s resolution list is to lose weight and get into shape. That’s admirable and as a result, if you stick to it, could keep you around a few more years…but how will you spend all that time you gain?
If you really want to feel good, think about how you can share your time helping others. Volunteer at the hospital, soup kitchen or animal shelter. Decide on where you could best use your talents and get in touch with someone at that agency to offer your time. Do it now while the year is young.
We always tried to bring up our children with an interest in volunteering. To do this, you have to offer your own services freely. For decades, my husband volunteered untold hours of his time with Connecticut Public Television. At one point, when our youngest son was a tiny tot watching his Dad on TV, he said, “If that glass wasn’t there, I could touch Daddy.” Well, a few years later, he was in the studio with his Dad helping out with the annual on-air CPTV Auctions which ran every spring and loving every minute of his backstage work.
When I was young and involved with the Meriden Junior Woman’s Club, many of us “stay-at-home moms” had to bring along our little ones when we were working on community projects. In that way, the youngsters got to watch first-hand the work their mothers were doing for the community.
People are quick to say, “Oh, kids today are too self-absorbed with their iphones, ipods and video games to want to get involved with helping others. I beg to differ. With service clubs like the local Kiwanis as sponsors, a whole new generation of volunteers is “getting involved.” The high school Key Clubs and middle school Builders Clubs are already working to better the community. All young people need to get started sharing themselves and their talents is a little adult direction.
As we were told in church on New Year’s morning, giving of yourself is doing God’s work. Let’s hope that many more people this year will find it in their hearts to do God’s work by giving of themselves to make the world better for others.
Have a happy and blessed New Year and a productive decade.
To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine!
California Gold Rush—an Otter’s story
By Dorothy Gonick
The setting sun shot rays of gold and mauve into Olivia Otters’ snug hollow den awakening her and her twin youngsters, Ollie and Olive. She was anxious about the safety of their part of the woods, and cautioned the twins to wait until she whistled before following her. As soon as they heard the whistle, the twins scurried to the slide and swiftly reached Olivia. All three dove underwater to find crayfish, their favorite food.
“Can we go down to where the alien creatures are? We’ll stay out of sight.” The twins wanted to swim down the river to where they’d seen the ‘aliens’ tearing down trees and stacking them in a strange way, a sign saying ‘Sutter’s Mill’ meant nothing to them. They had never seen people before and were curious. “They look dangerous, we’d better go upstream” Mother Olivia warned, but she too, was curious and finally led them downstream for a closer look. Bright moonlight lit up a circular encampment of tents with a fire at the center. To the otters, these tents seemed to be hollow structures like an above ground cave. Aliens went in and out of the ’cave’ openings and squatted around the fire talking excitedly about something called gold. Two banjo players struck up a lively tune and Olivia felt it was time to head for home.
“I don’t like what’s going on. Let’s go farther up this stream and choose a new home where it will be quieter and safer.” Away they swam until they reached a shimmering waterfall that splashed into a pool. There were mudslides down the bank so they knew other otters lived nearby. The twins dove in and soon found crayfish which they quickly ate. Olivia swam around the pool’s edge searching for a new home; and when she discovered an abandoned muskrat den, that she knew that would be fine. After a bit of clearing out, the den was ready for all three to snuggle in and sleep before they began exploring the woods around the pool. There’d been enough excitement for one night.
In their wanderings next day, they came upon an outcropping of rock that gave them a good view of the river downstream and the activity going on. Several aliens were in the stream scooping rocks into a box and shaking it so that the water ran out. They seemed to be searching for something. After dumping that load, they’d scoop up more. One of them got quite excited about one of the pebbles and kept on searching. It didn’t look like anything the otters would have wanted to eat. Ollie was puzzled when he saw them tossing out some crayfish that would have made a good meal.
Soon the otters were joined by other curious animals as a pair of woodchucks and a young doe came by. Each had a tale about what they had seen. Woody and Wilma Woodchuck told how they had been awakened when their home had caved in after something smashed it and were glad they’d been able to escape; a young doe told about watching one of the aliens remove its covering and spend time in the stream rubbing its naked body before getting out and putting on another covering. She saw it no fur except on its head and there was no tail of any kind. It just changed its skin to another color, and then took the first skin to the stream and bobbed it up and down, before hanging it on a bush. Very strange!
Freddy Fox came limping by and warned them not to go into the camp. “Certainly, do not touch the place where I saw flames leaping up high. The flames were gone, but it bit my paw when I reached in. Look at this blister!”
Two rabbits came hurrying by, looking very frightened, and stopped to warn the animals that the strange aliens had magic powers. “We’d been playing with friends when one of the strangers looked toward us and pointed. We heard a loud bang and Bobby fell over dead! We’re not going near them again and we warn you to stay away!”
A blue jay flew onto an overhanging branch with the news that the alien creatures were people, and that there were a lot of them living nearby. Jay said “Instead of living in caves or burrows, they cut down trees to build houses to live in. Two days ago they got excited when one of them found something called ‘gold dust’ in the river where they were building a sawmill, That made everyone grab tools and hurry to start digging for this gold. More people have come, setting up tents near the river to live in.” Then Jay answered their questions about ‘people’ by telling them that, “No, they do not have fur or tails. Instead, they make coverings to wear. In some ways they are like animals, but very different in the way they live. They can be very dangerous. We jays think this place will soon be a wasteland after the trees are cut down and the rivers are torn up.”
The otters and other animals listened in fearful awe at this report, each deciding to move further into the woods and find a safer place to live. Little Ollie nudged his mother and said, “I’m hungry; let’s go back to the pool for some crayfish.”
Back at the pool, they were greeted by another family of otters whose three youngsters were splashing and squealing in play. They called for the twins and Olivia to join them. Soon there was laughter and chuckles of joy as they went sliding down the slippery mud slides and scrambling back up again.
Life again looked hopeful as the waterfall sang its way into the pool and the woodland birds greeted them with song. A pool with fish and crawfish, new friends, and a snug den for sleeping, suited the family of otters just fine.
Dorothy Gonick
To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine!
“Maggie’s Corner”
What is it like you ask?
By: Maggie Griffin
Out of all the places I’ve been and all the things I’ve seen, obviously I enjoy socializing. I will admit, as much as I enjoy Real Estate, the adventures in travel takes me to another dimension. The question is how do I do it? My answer is “What?”
It became obvious that many people knew about my trip to the NTDC. The NTDC is a National Competition where Professional Drivers are given the opportunity to showcase their skills and knowledge. My husband, Tom, was amongst those drivers, again. I must say I am more than proud my husband came home as one of the champions. Supporting him in this competition was an experience as he was lucky number 7; Tom Griffin is on the course. My use of Pom-Poms, Duck Horns and Rattles obviously did not distract him. So that is a good thing.
Watching the competition was very rewarding. Staying at the Westin was filling as every night there was a dinner function that was attended. But, who did I meet when I was there? I met Professional Drivers across the country of whom many were excited to be there for the first time along with those who were there multiple times. Taking a trip down the Allegany River one night singing and dancing on the boat, it’s a good thing I only drank diet soda.
However, although I had the pleasure of “hanging out” every evening with this man who looked like Tommy Chong, it made my nights filled with laughs, hoping I make my wake up time for the next day of the competition.
But another evening of another dinner function, along with meeting so many people across the country, to my surprise, there standing in front of me was a Legend of Football, Franco Harris, who is #32 of The Pittsburg Steelers, a Champion of Champions, cheering on the Drivers. Had I known this, I would have had my hair done and fix my make-up as every day and every night there was a schedule to follow.
Like the evening I spent with Ryan Cabrara 4 years ago, teen idol and music performer, prior to his performance at Toad’s Place, here is the bottom line to meeting these people we know as famous. They are human beings like the rest of us. They set an example of reaching goals to achieve the possible. We all know anything is possible if we really focus and put our minds into a frame of thinking that we shall never give up any dream we have. All it takes is a dream and the courage to make anything happen.
I do want to thank Denny Hamilton for allowing me to sit on the hood of his race car and take a picture. There was no way I wasn’t going to go home without one. Watching him lead the convoy parade at the end of the competition was thrilling as behind him, a pre-arranged state trooper was flashing those red and blues.
The media was there. But let’s touch on media for one moment. Media is a source where it needs to be touched delicately. I for one know what it is like to be interviewed by Authors who write about the Real Estate Industry and every word I say must be carefully said, written and reviewed. As a Columnist, I enjoy meeting people in my journey and interviewing them. As a Real Estate Professional, I am very serious in this industry to achieve goals and bring results to those I represent, whether they are sellers or buyers, no client of mine is left behind; as the media promotes me based on my knowledge, skills, experience, professionalism and dedication in The Real Estate Industry.
Going back to what was it like meeting these people and talking to them? It was rewarding. I learned about them in more ways than I can imagine, and I talked about Real Estate. But I made sure, as a columnist many knew I was there to cheer and support my husband in this competition.
You see, opportunities come when one strives in earning to achieve them. And with that being said, discipline in oneself will bring success in any venture. Success comes to those who reach for those goals through dedication. If you reach, you will achieve.
It was my pleasure to watch my husband achieve another success in victory through his skills, knowledge, dedication and self discipline in driving, taking his job very seriously. It was my honor to meet the people I met and spoke to along the way. These examples only prove that destiny is not written, it is in the palms of our hands.
To conclude, what is it like to live with a Professional Driver? We go through a lot of tires. Road safety is something my husband promotes and lectures. Most of all, through these competitions, it’s not about winning, it’s how you compete on a professional level when showcasing the skills, safety, knowledge and dedication anyone, in any field, competition or game are trained to exercise. This is another example of earning opportunities. Just like football and running those yards to score a touchdown, as Franco’s determination, skills and knowledge proved when reaching that goal for the Pittsburg Steelers. Or if not done with caution, as Tommy Chong would say “Dude, who called the cops”.
No More Cooties!
The school cafeteria often serves as a snapshot of the state of relations between the students from Mars and the students from Venus. In the primary grades, you would likely see boys and girls sitting together sharing Sun Chips and poking at each other playfully. However, by the fourth grade things are drastically different. For the most part, the cafeteria becomes segregated with “boy” and “girl” tables. When we were kids we used to see it as a parasite thing. Those of the opposite sex definitely had a bad infestation of cooties, so you steered way clear! Today, the polarization is emphasized with rhymes, “Girls rule, boys drool,” or the other way around, depending on your perspective. Then, something astonishing happens around the end of 7th grade. Boys and girls start to pair off and sit together – imagine that! For young teens, it’s a time when every day offers equally exciting and confusing signals that are sent back and forth from boy to girl like errant ping pong balls. For parents, it’s a time of high anxiety and stress as memories of their own trials and tribulations with the opposite sex are painfully remembered.
How does one know when her teen has dipped his toe into uncharted waters? Is he starting to fix his hair and check himself out in the mirror? It’s necessary to be aware of subtle changes because your teen might not share his private thoughts with you.
Sarah Burningham, author of Boyology: A Teen Girl's Crash Course in All Things Boy (Chronicle Books, 2009) and How to Raise Your Parents: A Teen Girl's Survival Guide (Chronicle Books, 2008), says, “Most teenagers probably won't come out and say they’re interested in someone. In fact, denial is a good first sign. You might notice that your teen is talking about a certain someone a lot; yet, he insists that he doesn’t ‘like’ that person. Other clues to look for are lots of texts and phone calls from one person.”
Once you know, you might find it difficult to communicate with your teen about his new attraction. Burningham suggests, “It's important not to trivialize your teen's relationships. Even though it might seem like puppy love, those feelings of first love are real, and dismissing them will only make your teen feel like he can't talk to you. The best thing you can do is to listen. Don't offer too much advice. Instead, you can help your teen come to his own realizations about relationships by asking questions about what your teen is getting out of a relationship. Remember, the goal is to help your teen build healthy relationship patterns.”
Parents should tune in to a heightened awareness – of all friends, both male and female, and of her whereabouts. Teens will fight this because they want to be independent. There has to be a level of trust, as well as a specific set of rules. Burningham comments, “Every family has different rules. Be sure to set them early and stick by them. Make it a tradition that dates come into the house to meet you before your teen goes out. If it's expected and started early, it doesn't have to be a fight every time.” She also suggests setting a private texting code that your teen can send if something goes wrong or she needs your help. “A lot of the teenagers I interviewed used their parents as excuses to get out of uncomfortable situations,” Burningham reports.
Be prepared that this is the beginning of an endless period of testing out new boundaries and finding that middle ground where both you and your teen can feel comfortable.
TIPS AND TALES
“Rules are a definite! No entertaining guys in the bedroom - even when you are home! Curfew is a must. If they change locations, they better call!”
Gail McGann – Bomoseen, VT
“My fourteen year old son is good about telling me things that happen. I just hope he always feels comfortable to talk to me so I know what's going on…or at least some of it! We keep an eye on the computer, too.”
Lori Ann Jones – Salt Point, NY
Want to share your ideas? Upcoming topic:
Test Anxiety – SATs, ACTs and the stress that goes along with it
Please send your full name, address, and brief comments to:
myrnahaskell@gmail.com
Or visit
http://home.roadrunner.com/~haskellfamily/myrna/
Home Country
Slim Randles
Some of the earlier knights of the coffee table arrived just before daylight, flipping their cups to the upright and fillable positions, and were joined quickly by Dewey, which is an unusual occurrence. Doc was the only one of us downwind from Dewey, and we watched to see if any fainting took place, but evidently Dewey had not yet begun his job of transferring soil nutrients from the dairies to people’s yards.
“How’s it going, Dewey?” Dud said. We all like Dewey.
“Finer’n frog hair, Dud. My shoulder’s in shape for a shovel and I’m sure gonna shovel…”
“Well, yes you are,” Doc said, quickly.
“Dewey’s an interesting name,” Dud said. “Was your mother … dewy eyed when you were born?”
“That’s D-E-W-Y. My name has the extra e in it. Actually, I was named for a famous man.”
We sipped over that one for a minute.
“Thomas E. Dewey!” shouted Doc. “Governor of New York. Candidate for President. Your mother was a Republican, right?”
“Uh, no … not him, I’m afraid.”
“I know …” said Steve. “Admiral Dewey. Whats-his-name … George. George Dewey of the Spanish-American War! Your dad was a fan of the Navy.”
“Well, not exactly,” Dewey said, although privately he thought that would’ve been a good guy to be named for.
“Well?” said Doc. “I’ve run out of Deweys. Who was it?”
“Melvil.”
“Who?”
“Melvil Dewey,” Dewey said. “You know … Dewey Decimal System? My mom was a librarian.”
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Brought to you by “Raven’s Prey,” Slim Randles’ thriller set in the Alaska Bush. See it at www.slimrandles.com.
To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine!
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WINTER
BY: SHAINA CARROLL
December 15th was a dreaded day in Maine. A huge storm was going to hit the city of Bangor. Almost everyone was expecting it. One house wasn’t….The family that lived on the street of Louis Avenue. The family had just moved from California and was still adjusting to the move. The date was December 14th and the storm was headed their way. It was no lie that there was a storm coming.
“Alex! Get down here and get your dinner!” yelled Kathy. Alex ran downstairs before getting into trouble. She was already going to be in enough trouble. “You better watch out. If you tell Mom, I will use your makeup case” said Alex. “Tell Mom what?” Kathy said with a smirk. “That her daughter bought a dog? Why would I do that?” This was followed by another smirk then a fit of giggles. “I already did!” Oh man! A secret that was revealed by her 10 year old sister. Kathy’s face said it all. Before she could even say anything, a firm voice yelled at the top of its lungs, “ALEX! WHY IS A DOG IN YOUR ROOM?!” Alex ran upstairs at top speed hoping her mother didn’t see the dog and only believed Kathy. When Alex got to her room, her hopes were brought down. In the middle of her floor her mother stood along with Kathy. On her bed sat Winter. “Why is there a dog on your bed?” Alex told her about how he was about to be taken to the pound when she found him. Her mother understood and let her keep him, as long as Alex took care of Winter.
The next morning, Alex took Winter for a walk. As they were turning back, the wind started to get hard, the sky was getting gray, and snow started to fall faster and faster. Alex panicked while Winter stayed calm. Winter knew what to do. He had been through many storms before. Fighting the storm, he led her home. Once they were on the right street, Winter ran up to the blue house that they lived in. Alex and Winter ran all the way up to the door. They tried to get in but the door was locked. Alex banged on the door while Winter pawed noisily. From inside, they could hear Alex’s mother yelling, “ALEX! ALEX! WHERE ARE YOU?” Above Mom, Alex could hear Kathy yelling, “WINTER! WINTER! WINTER!” “Of course Kathy yells for Winter”, thought Alex. He is a dog. She loves dogs. Mostly Winter. After ten minutes of banging and pawing, Alex’s mother heard the racket and let them in.. Alex was freezing. Winter wasn’t as cold. The two friends were covered in snow. Luckily, they bought the house that had the biggest and warmest fireplace. Alex was the first to run for the fireplace. Winter slowly followed. Alex thanked her mother who was giving her hot chocolate.
The next day, Winter was awarded by the Mayor for saving Alex’s life. Winter was also moved with his family to a five star hotel. Not only now do they live there, they own it. During the ceremony Alex told everyone what happened. “Winter lived the beginning of his life hunting for food. Afterwards, I found Winter being chased by a dog catcher. He was about to be caught when I stepped in and told the dog catcher that Winter was mine. The dog catcher surprisingly let me take him. I guess he wanted me to go away and stop bothering him. Winter was amazed at how fast he was put down on the ground. I took him and ran home to hide him in my room. When I came in the house, Kathy was eating cookies and drinking milk. It was too late to turn back. Kathy had turned her head and saw Winter. She looked at him with curious eyes. Then a grin came across her face. She asked if I had asked our mother. My response, well, was running upstairs like a scared little chicken with Winter on my heels. That’s about it. The rest you are sure to know.” She had made her speech. Now the ceremony was over. Everyone went home. Not everyone actually. Winter and his family went out to eat. They even got in for free since Winter was with them. The staff got wide eyed and brought them to their seat instantly. Winter also got to stay in the restaurant instead of getting kicked out. He became very famous and saved many more lives.
One day winter found a mate and had puppies. The puppies lived a life of luxury and grew up as their father did….saving as many lives as he did. The puppies lived with their father until the end of his life. Their names were Summer, Spring, Winter, and Fall. Of course, everyone lived happily ever after.
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“Sheltering an Animal’s Perspective”
by
Gregory M. Simpson
It was a banner first year for Connecticut Votes for Animals (CVA), for which I am proud to say I am a member of the advisory board. Under the leadership of ASPCA attorney Debora Bresch and Our Companions Animal Sanctuary CEO Susan Linker, CVA saw one of the first bills it lobbied passed and signed into law by Governor Jodi Rell on July 8th, the Puppy Lemon Law Bill.
The Puppy Lemon Law Bill will provide greater protection for consumers and animals sold in pet stores. This new law encourages the sale of healthy animals in several key ways. It increases the potential veterinary reimbursement from $200 to $500 and allows this reimbursement for congenital defects without the need to return the animal. The law also increases the window for this reimbursement from 15 to 20 days.
Critically, pet stores will now be required to purchase out-of-state animals only from USDA and state licensed breeders. As an important consumer measure, pet stores will be required to provide consumers with breeder/dealer information to fully disclose the source of the animals.
Connecticut Votes for Animals is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, 501(c)(4) organization, whose aim is to mobilize the public to support animals through their political choices. It serves as the political arm of the state’s animal protection movement by advocating pro-animal policies and engaging public support for the passage of animal friendly laws and opposition to proposals harmful to animals. CVA is Connecticut’s only grass roots organization that gives animals a voice in the Legislature. Members are provided with political “scorecards” so that they can make a difference at the polls by electing animal friendly legislators.
Connecticut Votes for Animals educates the public regarding animal protection issues and safeguards the interests of animals by making their well-being a priority for elected leaders. During this past legislative session, CVA tracked over 20 bills, ranging from acts concerning humane education and the treatment of elephants to an act requiring court ordered counseling for juveniles charged or convicted of animal cruelty. Most proposed bills do not become law, especially the first time they are raised.
In the last legislative session, CVA also lobbied to pass a bill to prevent the constant tethering of dogs, i.e., chaining or confinement. The current law is vague and animal control officers are not able to enforce it. As a result, dogs in Connecticut can be chained or confined day and night. This is not only cruel to the dogs but also poses a public safety threat as chained dogs are three times more likely to bite people. Unfortunately, the draft Tethering and Confinement Bill required additional work.
With your assistance as a CVA member, a Tethering and Confinement Bill can be passed in the next legislative session, ensuring that the outcome of cases like the one in Hartford, where dogs were found stacked in crates in a shed, are very different. Currently, excessive confinement alone is not sufficient to warrant charges under Connecticut’s animal cruelty law.
Next session, Connecticut Votes for Animals, with animal control officers and the ASPCA, will work to get the Tethering and Confinement Bill passed. But it cannot be done without grass roots power. As the anthropologist Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Animals don’t vote, people do, so share your support by becoming a member of Connecticut Votes for Animals. A $25 non-tax deductible donation can be mailed to Connecticut Votes for Animals, P.O. Box 266 Cheshire, CT 06410. Or you may sign up on-line at: www.ctvotesforanimals.org
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. Currently a Board member of Protectors of Animals, Inc., he was 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.
To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine!
__________________________________________________________________
ROBERT MILES AND DAVID S. MILES
I was in the Army for four years, one-and-a-half years on The Aleutian Islands in the Pacific. The wind was so bad we dug our huts in the ground. If we built them on top of the ground, the wind would have blown them away. There was snow all the time. We had to be dug out every day so we could go to the mess hall. It was cold but we had everything we needed to keep us warm. The weather was nice in July, but mostly it was cold and dark as the sun didn't come up. We learned a lot, and we came home.
My Mother was a 5 star mother with 5 sons in the service. We all came home except my brother David. The American Legion Hall in Oxford is named for him. He went down on the ship, the U.S.A.T. Dorchester with the Four Chaplains who have become quite famous.
Note: I knew Bob Miles in Grammar School. We met again recently at our 60th Seymour High School Class Reunion where Bob shared his experience in the Aleutian Islands during World War II.
.....Below, I quote from a news clip from The Advisor, dated February 13, 1996. The Advisor is published weekly in North Haven, Connecticut..
FOUR CHAPLAINS' MEMORIAL DAY PROCLAIMED IN NORTH HAVEN
Last week I was pleased to join with Wally Bassett, Religious Emphasis Chairman and Americanism Chairman. and the entire Murray Reynolds Post 76 American Legion in commemorating Four Chaplains' Day in North Haven. A special Memorial service took place at the Recreational Center on February 8th.
At the ceremony we recalled the account of the Four Chaplains' heroic sacrifices. On February 3, 1943, the U.S.A.T.. Dorchester, with 900 passengers, was torpedoed by an enemy submarine in the Atlantic Ocean, about one hundred miles off the coast of Greenland. The Dorchester was ill-equipped, with only twenty usable lifeboats and an inadequate supply of life jackets. Understanding that their own lives would not be saved, the Four Chaplains distributed the limited gear to their fellow seamen. They are credited with saving the lives of about 200 men.
The last survivors recalled this terrifying experience. Their final observation is that of the Four Chaplains submerged in the ocean, with their arms linked in prayer as the U.S.A.T. Dorchester went down in a blaze of steam and fire.
The Four Chaplains, representing different faiths, were united in their self-sacrifice, compassion and humanity. The Four Chaplains are First Lieutenant, Reverend Clark V. Poling, Dutch Reformist; First Lieutenant, Reverend George I. Fox, Methodist; First Lieutenant, Rabbi Alexander D. Goode, and Father Johnny P. Washington, a Catholic Priest.
A Chilling wind
The sky distinctly hued in pink,
Held echoes of soft peeping sounds
rolling smoothly o’er the brink.
As weathered leaves cascaded to the ground,
This dark and creepy old man, strolled in.
His balding pate flashing conspicuously,
Shattering the pitch-black sanctuary
of these who feared him in stoic awe.
For he, this thing, was dying autumn.
And bringing the knowing of time,
a cold and dreary omen for all
to see the sprightly warmth
of mellow, adoring days of
merriment, tumble towards its end.
For soon will come the chilling news
That old man winter has come again.
- George Arndt -
To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine!
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