The Town Line’s official ice out judge has ruled that ice went out of China Lake on April 12, 2023.
Although no one guessed the exact date, the closest was Carrie McGrath, of South China, who missed it by two days, with a guess of April 10. Congratulations!
What if you could transform your life today and start feeling better tomorrow? What if it wasn’t that big of a deal to do so? And what if you didn’t need to spend a fortune to get there either? You know what would also be nice? If you could transform not just your physical appearance, but also the way you think about yourself and your life. This can seem like an overwhelming commitment at first, but once you break it down and think about it as a holistic process rather than a giant leap, it seems much more achievable. After all, we’re talking about 5 minutes per day. That’s all it takes!
Exercise is the ultimate way to increase your metabolic rate and burn fat while improving your health and well-being. Whether you choose to go to the gym, run around the block, or climb a tree, the most important thing is to do something. The best part is that even if you aren’t that great at it, doing something will give you a sense of accomplishment and increase your confidence. There’s really no excuse for not being active. All you need is a pair of comfortable shoes and about 30 minutes a day. There are so many benefits to being active, including: Better Sex Increased Energy Improved Mood Improved Mental Health Lower Risk of Heart Disease Increased Immunity Greater Sex Drive Stronger Bones Stronger Muscles
Eat healthy
Eating healthy is crucial for boosting your metabolism, building strong bones and teeth, and preventing heart disease and many cancers. It’s also essential for maintaining a healthy weight, and for keeping your energy levels up, too. It can be difficult to know what to eat, especially when you’re throwing yourself a party. This is why it’s important to have a healthy diet that consists of a variety of fresh produce, wholegrains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy products. You should also limit your intake of sugary drinks, processed foods, saturated fats, salt, and sugary snacks.
If you think about it, we’re all in this thing called life for a reason: to learn, grow, and experience new things. There’s no way you’re going to be able to do that if you’re constantly worried about money and your bills. The best way to learn new things and expand your knowledge is by getting inspired by other people and what they’ve achieved. You can watch documentaries, read blogs, attend seminars, or simply listen to what other people have to say. The more you do this, the more you’ll realize how much you don’t know and how much there is still to learn. This will boost your confidence, give you the ability to understand new concepts, and make you feel more optimistic about the future.
Sleep is essential for regulating hormones and building memory. Not sleeping well can lead to poor diet, fatigue, and a lack of confidence. While it can be difficult to change the number of hours you sleep, it’s much easier to adjust the amount of sleep you get. Try and keep a regular sleep schedule so that your body is conditioned to expect the amount of sleep it needs. Make sure you have a regular time to relax and take care of yourself, like when you’re sick or when you’re just out of the blue feeling down.
The modern world is incredibly isolating, which isn’t great for your mental health or your relationships. You don’t have to put yourself out there in a big way either. Just make sure you’re grabbing coffee with a friend every now and then, sending a quick text message, or saying hi to someone on the street. Doing this will not only boost your social confidence, but it’ll help you get to know the people around you better. It’s always good to have a few people in your life that you can connect with, whether it’s a close friend, family member, or even a stranger.
Life is happening really quickly. You have to make decisions quickly and try to find time for everything. It can be really easy to get hurried, anxious, or stressed out. This is never going to get you anywhere so try to put the brakes on it. Take a few deep breaths, try and identify what’s stressing you, and try to work out a way to deal with it. Then, when you’re feeling rushed and short of time, you can use that plan to help you to calm down. This doesn’t mean you have to let everything get to you. It just means that you have to let yourself have a little more control and that you don’t have to be rushed all the time.
Finally, it’s important to remember that you’re not going to get anywhere if you’re not having fun. If you’re feeling down, try and find the funny side of things and try to look at it from a different perspective. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take things seriously and work hard, but try and find a happy medium. It can be really easy to get trapped in a negative spiral where you’re constantly worrying about the things that are stressing you out. You have to find a way to anchor yourself and stop that spiral from continuing. There are many ways you can do this, like writing them down, visualizing them, or talking to a friend or family member. There are many different ways you can anchor yourself and stop the negative spiral from continuing. This will help you to stay positive, optimistic, and relaxed while you’re navigating life’s challenges.
by Dan BeaulieuAs most of you reading this know, it is more difficult than ever to find people, companies, contractors to work on your house or facility. Even my friends at libraries and churches are having a difficult time finding people to work on their projects.
We get it…your busy, you have a full slate of jobs until the rest of the year. But remember that things are going to slow down after a while, they always do. And then you’re going to start looking for projects again. This means you’d better treat the people trying to hire you right now with kid gloves. Sure, you cannot handle their work today but let them know when you will be able to, or at least refer them to someone who can handle their needs sooner than you can.
To just worry about the business at hand right now and not worry about your future is very short-sighted and frankly, bad for business.
Here are some things you can do to make sure that you stay in good graces with the people/customers that you cannot help at this time.
In the end, it is good business to preserve your good customers. It is also good business to gain new customers. You’ve been through the hard times. You remember what it’s like not to have enough business. What it’s like to have to send some of your precious crew home after only a three-day work week.
Try to remember that. Remember how precious customers are to the success of your business and treat them as such, find a way to at least politely placate them so they will be there when you need them. That’s the very best way to grow your business.
A pot of tulips that were forced into bloom. (photo courtesy of MelindaMyers.com)
by Melinda MyersBrighten your indoor décor, patio, deck, or balcony by forcing a few spring flowering bulbs into bloom. Just plant, give them a chill and enjoy a few extra daffodils, hyacinths, tulips, crocus and grape hyacinths this winter and spring.
All you need is a suitable container, some well-drained potting mix, the bulbs and a place to give the bulbs the chill necessary to force them to bloom. Select a container with drainage holes that is deep enough to accommodate the largest bulbs. Cover the bottom few inches of the container with a well-drained potting mix. Place larger and taller bulbs like tulips, daffodils and hyacinths in the center surrounded by shorter varieties. They can be planted close together, about one half the bulb width apart with the neck of larger bulbs at or just below the soil surface. Set tulips with the flat side of the bulb facing the pot for a better display.
If you are using a deep container, plant layers of bulbs for a more robust and longer-lasting display. Set the largest bulbs on the potting mix near the bottom of the container. Cover these bulbs with soil and add the smaller bulbs like grape hyacinths and crocus on the next level. Plant these bulbs close to each other, covering the surface, for greater impact. Cover this layer with at least an inch of soil. Water thoroughly so the excess water drains out the bottom of the pot.
Move the bulb-filled container to a cool location where temperatures remain above freezing and between 35 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 to 15 weeks. A spare refrigerator works well for this. Just avoid storing the bulbs in a refrigerator with fruit like apples and pears that emit ethylene gas that can negatively impact flowering. If refrigerator space is limited, you can store the unplanted bulbs in a paper bag, so they take up less space in the fridge for the needed chill before planting.
Those gardening in colder climates can also store the pots in an unheated garage. Just water the containers whenever the soil is thawed and dry. Or sink the container into a vacant garden space in your landscape. Mulch the soil once the ground starts to freeze with evergreen boughs. The winter mulch makes retrieving the container easier in winter or spring.
Once the 12- to 15-week cold period is complete, you can begin moving the pots indoors. Remove a few pots every week to extend the bloom time and your enjoyment. Place the pot in a cool bright location to encourage more compact growth. Water thoroughly when the top few inches of soil begin to dry. Soon the leaves will begin to sprout and flowers will appear in about four weeks.
Provide ongoing care if you plan on moving the bulbs into the garden. Remove the faded flowers and place the leafy plants in a sunny window and water thoroughly whenever the top inch of soil is dry. Fertilize with a dilute solution of any flowering houseplant fertilizer.
When the danger of frost has passed, you can move these plants into the garden if they are suited to your growing conditions. These plants may not bloom the following spring but usually do the next year and for several beyond.
Or you can toss the forced bulbs into the compost pile so they can return to your garden as wonderful compost.
Investing time forcing a few spring flowering bulbs into bloom is sure to boost your spirits this winter. Consider planting a few extra pots of bulbs to do the same for friends and family.
Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including the recently released Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” instant video and DVD series and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and her website is www.MelindaMyers.com.
A lonely sock, looking for its missing pair.
by Debbie WalkerIs your washing machine like mine? Well, it’s either the washer or the dryer. One or both of them eat socks. I even remember my mother had the same problem, so I know it’s not just mine. Well anyway, I am including some uses for the sock that’s left. I found these in my First magazine. I love this stuff!
One use for the lonely sock is to put rice in it, sew it shut. You can put these in the freezer for what my great-granddaughter calls a “cooly” for boo-boos that need the cold treatment. You could use it as a heated treatment by popping it in the microwave for about a minute. They are handy to have around. I made some for all my family.
Another use for an orphan sock is one I will have to use soon. You take kitchen tongs and put an orphan sock on each end. You spray each sock with your favorite cleaner. You use this to clean dusty window blinds.
Do you throw away those slivers of bar soap usually ignored by all. Put them in an orphan sock, tie it up and use it like a loofah. I am going to take some of those little motel bars of soaps and put in a sock. Nice and soapy.
You can also use an orphan sock, even one with a hole in the heel, for packing breakable decorations. The little extra cushion it will provide might mean a positive outcome when you decorate again.
This has nothing to do with orphan socks, but I thought it could be helpful this spring. If you have screens in your windows that look like someone cut it, you can put a couple coats of clear nail polish on the tear. Keep those Maine big winged mosquitoes outside!
Did you know that ants have a “smeller”(I like my new word)? Evidently, because I just read they don’t like lemon juice. Save your money, buy some cotton balls instead of those expensive cleaners. Soak them with lemon juice and leave them where you see their activity. It works!
If you water your plants and you see the water rolling out from the bottom of the pot, do a little fixing. You can take the plant and dirt out and replace with an old nylon, and then put all together again. It will save some of the water and won’t let any of the dirt escape from the pot.
Mud season must be coming up soon, if it’s not already there. If you want to clean mud from your clothes, let the stain dry and brush the remainder of mud off. Got any baby shampoo? Use a few drops on the stain and toss in the wash.
Baby shampoo. Have you ever made a homemade slip-slide for the children in your life. Putting baby shampoo on the running water from the hose to the tarp (that was what we used) and the kids will have a ball and no burning the eyes from any soap, no tears!
I’m just curious what ideas you might have. Share? Send any questions or comments to DebbieWalker@townline.org. I’ll be waiting. Have a great week.
by Peter Cates
Ingrid Bergman
Amazon Prime has a large array of vintage films that I have been lately bingeing on and I recently viewed a few choice ones:
1941’s Adam Had Four Sons starred Ingrid Bergman (1915-1982), Warner Baxter (1888-1951), Fay Wray (1907-2004), Richard Denning (1914-1998), and Susan Hayward (1917-1975).
The story begins during the early 1900s and ends just after the end of World War I, depicting the lives of a wealthy stockbroker Adam Stoddard (portrayed with professionally honed suavity by Warner Baxter), his ailing and very nurturing wife (Fay Wray, best known as the young woman in a night dress being carried by King Kong in his hand as he clambers up the Empire State Building in the 1933 film classic), and their four sons from when they are young boys to full adulthood and military service in 1917-18 France.
Richard Denning, who was perhaps best known for the 1950s TV show Michael Shayne, portrayed the eldest son Jack with commendable skill; fans of Jack Lord’s Hawaii Five-O may remember his calming authoritative presence as the governor for the first few seasons.
A central presence was Ingrid Bergmann as the governess. She was captivating but I found her much more so with Humphrey Bogart in the following year’s Casablanca and in 1947’s Bells of Saint Mary’s with Bing Crosby.
The venomous character in the film was the gold digger Hester who charms one of the younger brothers into marrying her and then starts playing everyone else against each other.
A commendably entertaining love story/soap opera combination.
Susan Hayward
1949’s My Foolish Heart has Susan Hayward portraying a much more sympathetic woman struggling with alcoholism and an unhappy marriage; we find out why with flashbacks to when she falls in love with a young officer before he goes off to World War II (and featuring the consistently reliable Dana Andrews, 1912-1992). I used to find Hayward’s characters much too abrasive but here she completely drew me into the story. Critics trashed it but the public loved it. Highly recommended.
William Gargan
Two suspenseful film noirs – 1946’s Behind Green Lights is an engaging account of the chaotic activities inside a big city police station among the front desk cops, the detectives, the newspaper reporters, the morgue attendants and the ordinary citizens who drop in voluntarily or under involuntary duress.
The plot begins thickening when a driverless car jumps up on the sidewalk with a dead body inside.
William Gargan (1905-1979) portrays the police commissioner in charge of the investigation and the interrogation of a lady who was last seen in the victim’s apartment before he was thrown in the car (the lady was very convincingly and compassionately portrayed by Carole Landis (1919-1948) who very sadly committed suicide two years after the film’s release at the age of 29 by overdosing on barbiturates.)
Gargan had a successful career in movies and television until 1958 when, as a chain smoker, he contracted lung cancer and had his larynx removed; afterwards he had to speak into a voice box and became celebrated as a zealous campaigner against the perils of cigarettes for the remaining 20 years of his life.
Raymond Burr
1956’s Please Murder Me has Raymond Burr (1917-1993) as a defense attorney with a different name from the one he portrayed for nine years on CBS’s Perry Mason beginning in 1957 , only a year after this film’s release.
He defends a woman who has been charged with murdering her husband and, convinced of her innocence, gets her acquitted, only to find out she’s guilty. The client’s manipulative malevolence was very persuasively conveyed by the brilliant young Angela Lansbury (1927-2022).
Vassalboro Community School (contributed photo)
At a short April 11 meeting, Vassalboro School Board members talked about the 2023-24 school calendar, without making a final decision, and accepted two more staff changes.
The calendar issue was how to provide teaching staff with more professional days, time without students to work together, school-wide and in groups by grade or specialty, on the variety of educational issues they deal with.
The initial proposal was more early-release days, Thursdays when students are sent home at mid-day. This year has seen one early-release day most months; the draft new calendar proposes two.
Discussion suggested an alternative: full days when only teachers come in. Advantages include longer uninterrupted discussion time and, school board member Jessica Clark pointed out, days when buses wouldn’t have to run.
Board members and Principal Ira Michaud tried to figure which option would be less disruptive to parents’ schedules. Michaud proposed sending out a survey before a final decision is considered.
The staff changes were:
McCausland succeeds Mary Dumont. Michaud said Dumont will stay through the current school year, as will art teacher Susan Briggs; both women are retiring.
The next regular Vassalboro School Board meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 16, at VCS.
The following Personal Representatives have been appointed in the estates noted. The first publication date of this notice April 20, 2023. If you are a creditor of an estate listed below, you must present your claim within four months of the first publication date of this Notice to Creditors by filing a written statement of your claim on a proper form with the Register of Probate of this Court or by delivering or mailing to the Personal Representative listed below at the address published by his name, a written statement of the claim indicating the basis therefore, the name and address of the claimant and the amount claimed or in such other manner as the law may provide. See 18-C M.R.S.A. §3-80.
Representatives.
To be published on April 20 & 27, 2023
2023-083 – Estate of ALFRED C. CORSON, late of Cornville, Maine deceased. Timmy Charles Pelotte, Sr., 18 West Ridge Rd., Cornville, Maine 04976 appointed Personal Representative.
2023-084 – Estate of ROBERT JAMES STONEHOCKER, late of Madison, Maine deceased. Leslie A. Stonehocker, 377 Kincaid Rd., Madison, Maine 04950 appointed Personal Representative.
2023-085 – Estate of CAROL ANN LITTLE, late of Smithfield, Maine deceased. Linwood R. Little, Jr., 407 Lake View Dr., Smithfield, Maine 04978 appointed Personal Representative.
2023-089 – Estates of PATRICIA J. PERKINS, late of Cornville, Maine deceased. Richard Perkins, 258 Emmons Rd., Kennebec, Maine 04043 appointed Personal Representative.
2023-016 – Estate of EDWARD J. BOYER, late of New Portland, Maine deceased. Robert B. Boyer, 15 Water Street, West Warwick, RI 02893 appointed Personal Representative.
2023-095 – Estate of LURENE B. PARKER, late of Athens, Maine deceased. Coleen C. Swan, 77 Exeter Rd., Corinna, Maine 04928 appointed Personal Representative.
2023-096 – Estate of AMY F. COTA, late of St. Albans, Maine deceased. Jon Loring Cota, 151 Dexter Road, St. Albans, Maine 04971 appointed Personal Representative.
2023-097 – Estate of SYLVIA A. COWAN, late of Madison, Maine deceased. Adam H Cowan, 55 Trolley Line, Madison, Maine 04950 and Denise A. Luce, 20 Perkins St., Norridgewock, Maine 04957 appointed Personal Representatives.
2023-098 – Estate of MAURICE J. MIVILLE, late of Bingham, Maine deceased. Charles Mathieu, PO Box 527, Bingham, Maine 04920 appointed Personal Representative.
2023-099 – Estate of EDWARD S. RUBLESKY, late of Highland Plantation, Maine deceased. Jeff M. Ellegood, 41 Wright St, Stoneham, MA 02180 appointed Personal Representative.
2023-103 – Estate of TONI L. AVERY, late of Skowhegan, Maine deceased. Brenda Avery, 118 Brighton Rd., Athens, Maine 04912 appointed Personal Representative.
2023-105 – Estate of BLACKE LADD, late of Mercer, Maine deceased. Deborah Ladd, 11 Eastern Ave. Apt. #31, Wilton, Maine 04294 appointed Personal Representative.
2023-106 – Estate of COLBY R. MOON, late of Pittsfield, Maine deceased. Carmela L. Daniels, 6822 Bellamae Court SW, Tumwater, WA 98512 appointed Personal Representative.
2023-107 – Estate of GINA MARIE CAPIZZANO, late of Cornville, Maine deceased. Desiree Capizzano, 751 E Ridge Rd., Cornville, Maine 04976 appointed Personal Representative.
2023-110 – Estate of CHRISTOPHER JOHN LAYMAN, late of Solon, Maine deceased. Tanya Jo Layman, 199 South Solon Rd., Solon, Maine 04979 appointed Personal Representative.
2023-115 – Estate of ROGER C. SMITH, late of Fairfield, Maine deceased. Valerie S. Eisworth, 364 South Main St., Brewer, Maine 04412 appointed Personal Representative.
2023-117 – Estate of WILMER RUSSELL DOANE, late of Mercer, Maine deceased. Russell D. Doane, 292 Somers Road, East Longmeadow, MA 01028 appointed Personal Representative.
2023-119 – Estate of DELBERT D. HAYDEN, SR., late of Madison, Maine deceased. Lynn M Richard, 161 Location Rd., Belgrade, Maine appointed Personal Representative.
2023-100 – Estate of THOMAS SOUZA, late of Canaan, Maine deceased. Odelta Souza, 7219 Salerno Court, Naples, Florida 34114, appointed Personal Representative.
2023-123 – Estate of DONNA F. BOWMAN, late of Fairfield, Maine deceased. Kelly S. Rogers, 68 Nyes Corner Dr., Fairfield, Maine 04937, appointed Personal Representative.
2023-124 – Estate of STEVE ALLEN LAWERYSON, late of Solon, Maine deceased. Daniel A. Laweryson, PO Box 245, Solon, Maine 04976 and Kristen L. Koehler, 9 Wilson St, Topsham, Maine 04986, appointed Personal Representatives.
Dated April 17, 2023
/s/ Victoria Hatch,
Register of Probate
(4/27)
TO ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN ANY OF THE ESTATES LISTED BELOW
Notice is hereby given by the respective petitioners that they have filed petitions for appointment of personal representatives in the following estates or change of name. These matters will be heard at 10 a.m. or as soon thereafter as they may be on MAY 2, 2023. The requested appointments or name changes may be made on or after the hearing date if no sufficient objection be heard. This notice complies with the requirements of 18-C MRSA §3-403 and Probate Rule 4.
2023-069 – Estate of VICKI ANN COLSON. Petition for Change of Name (Adult) filed by Vicki Ann Colson, 1050 Canaan Road, Hartland, Me 04943 requesting her name be changed to Vicki Ann Clark for reasons set forth therein.
2023-108 – Estate of DONALD FREDERICK VOSBURGH, III. Petition for Change of Name (Adult) filed by Donald Frederick Vosburgh, III, 450 Main Street, Madison, Me 04950 requesting his name be changed to Donald Alexander for reasons set forth therein.
2023-112 – Estate of TATIANA ASHLEY-PIMENTAL FLANDERS. Petition for Change of Name (Adult) filed by Tatiana Ashley-Pimental Flanders, 3 Pine Street, Skowhegan, Me 04976 requesting her name be changed to Tatiana Ashley Flanders for reasons set forth therein.
2023-113 – Estate of BRENDEN MICHAEL CARTER. Petition for Change of Name (Adult) filed by Brenden Michael Carter, 177 Birchwood Terrace, Pittsfield, Maine 04967 requesting his name be changed to Lauwren Cecily Carter for reasons set forth therein.
Dated: April 13, 2023
/s/ Victoria Hatch,
Register of Probate
(4/27)
Huard’s Sport Karate team member Lucia LaCroix, 12, of Skowhegan, captured first place in forms at the Ocean State Grand Nationals Martial Arts Tournament, in Warwick, Rhode Island, on Sunday, April 2. She also captured third place in weapons competition. (photo by Mark Huard)
The Kennebec Valley District of Scouting will honor the American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary, and Sons of the American Legion during a special breakfast to be held on Saturday, May 6, at 8:30 a.m., at American Legion Fitzgerald-Cummings Post #2, in Augusta, located at 7 Legion Drive.
“Each year, scouting honors a person or group for their amazing contributions to our lives,” said Kennebec Valley District Commissioner Eric Handley, of Sidney. “Last year, we recognized the important work done by the medical professionals and support staff at MaineGeneral Hospital. This year, we are recognizing the veterans of the American Legion and the entire Legion family for providing outstanding service to our communities since 1919. They answered when our nation asked for their help and when they returned home, they continued to serve as members of the Legion, Auxiliary, and Sons of the Legion.”
Join them for this breakfast to help say thank you to the American Legion family of groups for more than 100 years of patriotic service to our nation and state.
Space is limited to the first 100 attendees. Contact Chuck Mahaleris at cmahaleris@gmail.com to reserve your spot.