Now, with the lack of news this time of year and not having anything to write about last week I will try to have a bit this week and possibly go back to the archives in the Church records. Since I haven’t heard from any of you with thoughts on topics you’d like to share or have me look into and find out for you and my readers and if you have thought of anything my number is 585-2215 – please leave a message, your name and the tel. number where I can reach you if I don’t answer as I may be down filling the wood stove or out hanging laundry and can’t come to the phone – I’d love to hear from you.
If you would like to “attend” the Select Board and Planning Board Meeting broadcasts via Carol, at the Town Office, has informed me that at the Selectmen’s meeting on March – the following topics were Household Hazardous Waste which the Town is participating in again this year – the first day is June 12 – posters and information will be sent out by e-mail and posted at the Transfer Station.
Assessment Day is April 1 and taxpayers may come in to talk to a member of the Select Board from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. that day. Veteran’s and Homestead Exemption Applications will be accepted as well.
The Town is also in need of an Animal Control Officer. The applicant must already be certified by the State of Maine or be willing to take the necessary training to become certified and continue with training as required per State Law. If you are interested, contact the Town Office at 585-2348 for more information. Applications must be received not later than March 22.
Dina Walker and Brian Hayes are the new members of the Select Board. Kelly Hutchinson remains the Town Road Commissioner as he has held the position for 14 years and has done an excellent job on the Town Roads.
Richard Doughty was elected Select Board Chairman at their meeting on March – and Dina Walker was elected as General Assistance Administrator for the upcoming year.
The Selectmen have not as yet set the Town Meeting date and location as they are still waiting to see what the virus status is following the vaccine – it may be sooner than snow melt – stay tuned. I got my initial shot on March 1 at Franklin Memorial Hospital and will get my final dose on March 30.
The Church Congregation is still getting their sermon weekly from our pastor Susan Tierney via the internet. Palm Sunday, Good Friday and the “sunrise” service in Stowell’s field on the west side of the lake overlooking Mt. Blue will not be occurring this year. Pastor Susan will however be at our 9 a.m. Easter Service in the Church for the first time since the virus epidemic curtailed meeting in groups in small spaces.
However, there will be no meet and greet at the front door and we will all proceed to our seats wearing your masks – one family per pew – every other pew. I have put the names of regular winter attendees in pews as closely to where you sat as possible, and have posted a diagram at the doors inside. Hopefully there will be enough seating. And hopefully soon we will all be vaccinated, alleviating a bit of the fear but I’m going to continue wearing my mask when out of the house for some time yet – it’s become a part of me now.
I’m going to let you in on something my kids and I have started in the past month doing once a week, which probably you all are doing anyway, but since it was a new idea to my kids maybe not.
We are texting what we have done that week to all of us – one text to, in our case, four people. None of us live in the same town/city and with the pandemic haven’t even gotten together for the holidays. Well, at least not all of us at one time as we usually do, we’ve cautiously (wearing masks and no hugs) spent a few hours together exchanging gifts and catching up.
Anyway, it’s great and “everyone” in the family knows how the others are coping with the pandemic and what’s going on in each of their lives, even the grandchildren put their two cents in. It’s something that we will probably keep doing after the pandemic, to keep in touch and up to date on what’s going on in their lives that we wouldn’t always speak of on the occasional visit so it’s better than before. And it’s a little like living in the same town even though we’re miles apart.
My kids and I are close, unfortunately I brought them up to be independent and to make their own decisions (with a bit of guidance of course when they were young) and to be sure they would be able to live with them. But, in my Golden Years it’s sort of a curse, because we are all missing the connection of family. We might participate more in each other’s families if we knew what was going on. I’m very fortunate that my kids have all turned out beautifully and I’m very thankful to have them in my life.
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