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In support of better health, I am a regular “go-er” to the gym. I can also report that as much as a gym offers many different exercise options, I typically, just mostly use the treadmill. I used to be able to run on the treadmill. As I got older, I could still manage a slower paced jog. Now I walk, but rather than feel inadequate with my exercise choice, I can still maintain a faster walking pace than I would if I ‘went for a walk’ outside, justifying my gym membership expense.
In the USA, I walk on the treadmill, plug in and watch a fun TV program. In Germany, the gym does not offer a television and since I do not care to listen to music whilst walking, I make sure that I choose the treadmill that is in front of the biggest window. The window happens to face the courtyard of the city town hall and when I time my workout right, I can often catch a wedding!
Last Saturday, just as I began my workout at just after 11 a.m., I noticed several people emerging from the town hall. They appeared to be wedding guests because several of the young men were wearing suits. I put down my iPhone, set the pace on my treadmill slightly higher, and settled in for what was sure to be an entertaining 20 or 30 minutes. Within a couple of minutes, the best man (this is how I labeled him in my head) emerged from the town hall. He was carrying two identical bundles of balloons. Each bundle had six white helium filled balloons with a larger, white shaped heart balloon in the middle. The bundles were tied with ribbon and attached to a weight. Given that, for many in Germany, weddings are usually a somewhat simpler event, I knew that the balloon bundles were, most likely, serving as the only decorations for the nuptials. My assumption was correct as when the bride and groom emerged, the photographer utilized the balloon bundles in every photo setup. Sometimes the bride and groom were placed in between the balloon bundles. Sometimes the bundles were placed next to each other, and the bride and groom were positioned a few steps in front. At one point, only one bundle was used while the other lay waiting for its turn. That’s when a big gust of wind came and carried the waiting bundle away, leaving its poorly attached weight, behind…
I thought the bride would be upset since 50 percent of her wedding décor was now floating away up into the clear blue sky, but she didn’t seem to mind. She looked just as happy as she did before. And while I watched the balloon bundle rising higher and higher, I noticed that the groom had picked up the lonely weight and tied it to the remaining bundle of balloons, ensuring its steadfast place as the sole wedding decoration. I smiled to myself thinking that real life is always way more romantic than any Lifetime movie on TV…
LIVEstream. LIVEstream.
Kathy Naumann, possessor of NATURALLY curly hair and the understanding that you can’t control everything!

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By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — How will the trash collection system change? The town is working out the details.
Town Administrator Elaine Sistare said the goal for the new system is that it is self-sustaining — paid for by users.
She expects that July 2024 the town will transition from the current trash sticker system (which is supplemented heavily by the town budget) to a self-sustaining bin and invoice system. “We hope to have two different options for bin sizes which will be collected every other week,” she said.
She believes that there will be a 60-gallon and a 90-gallon bin options for the system. A bin smaller than 60 gallons is unlikely because the trash will be collected by the mechanical arms on the trash truck and only so many sizes of bins are compatible with the “arms.”
The system will be designed for residents, three families or fewer. Each resident will receive an invoice for the upcoming quarter. The resident would pay the town and the town will pay the vendor. “The price today will likely be more tomorrow (in July),” she said.
Commercial and apartments/condos with more than three families will have to arrange private trash collection, she said.
Sistare said the town hopes to pass through the total cost. “We hope it won’t require tax dollars, too.” Still she expects that residents will see significant savings compared with the expensive private collection costs residents in neighboring towns experience.
Those are the broad strokes of the plan. Currently town officials are still talking to potential vendors.
She said they will have much more information for the Sept. 5 and the Sept. 18 selectmen’s meetings. “We’ll be firming it up, making decisions,” she said. After that, when the town has a successful contract, the work will begin — over the winter — on working on the details of the plan. “This allows the potential vendor to gear up, too,” she said.
In the meantime, she said, “Residents should know there will definitely be more information coming.”

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Legal Notice
Town of Pomfret
Planning & Zoning
Commission
At the August 16, 2023, meeting of the Pomfret Planning & Zoning Commission, the following legal action(s) were taken:
1. Ashley Danenhower, 321 Deerfield Road, special permit application for the construction of a 2-story 3,456 sf barn.  APPROVED:  with conditions.
2. Ashley Danenhower, 321 Deerfield Road, special permit application for a home-based business.  APPROVED:  with conditions.

Dated at Pomfret,
Connecticut
August 23, 2023

Lynn L. Krajewski,
Clerk
Planning &
Zoning Commission

Aug. 30, 2023

Legal Notice
Town of Pomfret
Zoning Board
of Appeals
At the August 21, 2023, meeting of the Pomfret Zoning Board of Appeals, the following action was taken:
 1. S. Hatfield-N. Leary, 43 Woodstock Rd., application for variance of Section 10.4 of the zoning regulations, regarding an existing, non-conforming, corner lot with minimum area to build due to location of septic system.  Variance requested to build a 2-car garage with lean-to and breezeway.  APPROVED:  Variance granted due to existing, undersized lot that is heavily constrained.
Date at Pomfret,
Connecticut
August 23, 2023

Lynn L. Krajewski,
Clerk
Zoning Board of Appeals

Aug. 30, 2023

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Circle of Fun 'goes down in history'

By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — Some 50 years ago, Paul Desautels  said, one of the best-loved traditions in Putnam began.
“I was nominated to be Publicity Chair at our first Parish meeting in April 1972.  My first assigned duty was to come up with a name for our event. At our next meeting two weeks later, I suggested Circle of Fun and a logo using a washer.  The name and logo were accepted and the rest is history. William St. Martin, the father of the Circle of Fun, was our first chairman.”
The Circle of Fun’s time has passed and the former fund-raiser for St. Mary’s School and then St. Mary of the Visitation Church recently became part of Putnam’s history, joining the Aspinock Historical Society’s archives. “It was felt that 50 years was a good run,” Desautels said. He added Rev. David Choquette hopes to have future programs for the four churches in the parish.
Desautels, a volunteer with the Aspinock Historical Society, suggested to Father David  that the scrapbooks be donated to Aspinock Historical Society. “I felt the books should be available to future generations.”
He said the books contain thousands of pictures, all ads and, the list of all general chairs and booth chairs for each year. "It is my hope to go through each book and identify as many as possible so their names and memories won’t be lost to future generations.”
That first year, he said, many booth chairs were members of the Knights of Columbus and Daughters of Isabella. “Tents from our local National Guard unit served as food tent and white elephant tent for several years. Bill St.Martin built booths for games and, after several years, a stage and the other booths now on the grounds.”
Desautels served as publicity chair/photographer for 50 years. He said he was general co-Chair in 1974 with Roland Tetreault and, Car Raffle co-chair with Gerry Dupre, for several years. Many volunteered for two or three decades, he said. Most notable is George Bordua who volunteered in the food booth for 49 years, missing one year with a back ailment.
Many St. Mary parents and faculty volunteered from 1972 to 2010 and continued after the school closed.
Thousands attended the Circle each year. For 50 years. Desautels said: “The Circle of Fun brought together people from Putnam, surrounding communities and several states.  Over the years the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of early attendees and volunteers, attended the Circle of Fun.”
Asked what his best memories of the Circle of Fun are, Desautels said: “Some of my best memories are of the volunteers, from early teens to 80s who volunteered.  Many volunteers were needed, especially when the school was in operation. Many more game booths were in operation for decades, downsizing after the closing of the school. Each year, there were volunteers not members of our church who just wanted to help. Thus was a true community event. “

caption, page 1:

Circle of Fun in 2014. More photos on page 4. Linda Lemmon photo.

caption, page 4:

Aspinock's Bill Pearsall, left, and society volunteer Paul Desautels hold the letter by Rev. David Choquette thanking Desautels for his service to the Circle. Behind them are the volumes of Circle of Fun history donated to Aspinock Historical Society. Courtesy photo.


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