Perspectives

If you think "cereal" can be classified as soup, we can't be friends. Really. If you see me on the street, just scoot on by. Don't make eye contact that will lure me into thinking you know where cereal belongs in your kitchen and where soup fits in your life. Don't say hello.

The calendar says it's still autumn, but I know winter when I see it. As I write this, there is snow on the ground, it's 30 degrees, and the weather station says there's a 30-mph westerly wind gusting to over 40. There are whitecap rollers in the bay and I'm loving Maine being Maine. But, for some reason, today's weather makes me think of a time long ago when Maine weather taught me a life lesson that I'll share with you.

Question from Garry Hansen: It's getting a bit out of hand here in Harpswell with signs nailed to poles or stuck in the ground. Approaching the Orr's and Bailey Islands Fire Department station, there were three in a row, and over the bridge many more. They seem to be everywhere. Should the town do something about this?

We are entering the last month of the year! This means the temperatures are falling and storms could bring ice or snow. As the weather grows colder, it may be wise to have your vehicle looked over. The cold takes a toll on car batteries. It is also a good idea to have snow tires.

Carol Lord, manager of technical services at Curtis Memorial Library, discovered how much she loved being in the library when she volunteered to shelve books. She had tried several other careers, but decided the library was for her. She has been at Curtis for 25 years and knows the collections especially well, as part of her job is coordinating and overseeing the annual new books budget.