SOLON & BEYOND: Thrift store, community center re-open

by Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

I was very happy to receive two e-mails with wonderful news this week! The first one was from Mary Frear and she wrote, The Embden Thrift Store, at the Embden Community Center, is back in operation. The new hours are Wednesday 9 a.m. – noon and Saturday 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Only five customers can be in the shop at the same time, and everyone must wear a mask. No one will be allowed to enter without one. Thank you for your always interesting articles. Keep up the good work! Sincerely Mary Frear. ( Thank you, ever so much for your kind words, I shall treasure them!)

Also received an e-mail from my faithful helper, Carol Dolan, and she wrote, Changes at the Embden Community Center; The Neighbor to Neighbor Thrift Shop will be open Wednesday’s 9 – 10 a.m. – noon and Saturday’s 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., ( not open on Friday’s )

Other events: Sewing – Wednesday’s 9 a.m. – noon, and Bone Building, 9 – 10 a.m. Thanks so much, Carol.

This week, because the above e-mails are the only local news that I have received, I am going to print some of the Solon and Beyond news of February 11, 2005, from the newspaper that my cat Percy and I started in January 2005.

At the beginning, it starts with these words: Perseverance (Percy) Rogers co-owner of SOLON and BEYOND

Would like to introduce you to my partner and supporter, Perseverance (a/k/a Percy). On bad days he is right there to cuddle with me, with one paw as far as he can get it around my neck.

Percy started out as a frightened stray kitten and was rescued by a family on Route 43. They called and told me about this sweet little female kitten that needed a home and it was love at first sight. I named her Faith, but as luck would have it, on the first trip to the vet, I found out that a boy’s name was needed instead. After a short time this little kitten started his true personality and hence Perseverance, or Percy for short.

Percy has many talents besides being a good cuddler, he is always at the door to welcome me home, loves to sing, (Amazing Grace is his favorite song!) He has become famous and much loved for his good advice in the columns I have written. As you can see from his picture, he is very intelligent and he’s promoting this book of meditations – for-cat lovers. Oh yes, he thinks he is a mighty hunter and is still looking for the mouse that got away! (For those of you who didn’t get the January 21, 2005, issue of this paper, I told of his letting a live mouse loose at my feet and how upset I got at him.) I must confess, there is a slight power struggle between us as to who who is really the “Boss!”

There was a lot of local news printed and then it continues with these words: One of the things I have always enjoyed over the years as a reporter, is hearing from people and then sharing their news. It is now early Thursday morning and we’re in the middle of a beautiful snowstorm. I quite often write this paper during different times and days, am finding that this is a full time job. The reactions that I get when I tell people that I’ve started my own paper, are basically the same, total amazement! It affects me like that some days, also. One day this week someone said to me, “What are you trying to do? You’re giving this paper away!” True….and had hoped for a miracle of some kind, but when the miracle doesn’t materialize immediately, you compensate. Sometimes you have to eat your words, as in this case, never say ‘never’! I had tried to sell ads for another paper for awhile last year and couldn’t reach the goal set for me and so I quit. I remember saying the words, “I’ll never sell ads, again, ever ! Well, you will notice that I have started selling ads again, and my many, many thanks for those who responded so graciously. (And you know, I did receive a miracle, never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined your wonderful response to this little paper, my heartfelt thanks..)

And so with your great support, I have decided to expand to Bingham. And so the first story from there will start with a question. Can someone in Bingham tell us Solon people the story, (what, why, who did it and more) about the, as we call it, “Mystery Light,” on the river? Going north, it shines from the island, soon after you go by Goodrich Road. When I heard about it, I called Glen Wing and he said he had never seen it. So being a person who has to be shown, I have been up both during the day and night to witness the mystery for myself. If anyone has any information about this would you call or e-mail me, I love a mystery. End of that story: I don’t seem to remember all of that happening, hope some of you will clear that up for me.

This message that Percy is approving this week is from his favorite book, What My Cat Has Taught Me About Life. And it says, “To get a grip on a job that’s waiting, dig in with determination. Work past that imposing start, and get hooked on a dreaded task. Nothing productive in this world happens without hard work. Sharpen your character with a little gutsy determination, and sink your energies into that next project.”