Suffield Observations

Boxed out of a holiday tradition

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In England, Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, is kind of a big deal. A national holiday, it’s a bona fide part of the holiday calendar. It’s the perfect coda to the Christmas celebration. Friends and family not seen on Christmas get together. Everyone’s relaxed.

Suffield Observations

Something to talk about

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Last month, while dining at a local restaurant, a Suffieldian I’ve known for almost 15 years came to our table and asked us how things were going, and I told her things were not perfect. She breathed this huge sigh of relief and revealed to us that things in her life were not perfect either.

Suffield Observations

A Fresh Start

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A new school year is upon us, providing a chance to shed all those bad habits and start the year right. My fellow parents, I am talking to you. For those of us who drive our children to any of Suffield’s fine schools, there are procedures for the safe and efficient drop off of students. Why are there people who don’t follow them? Consider the situation at the McAllister Intermediate School.

Suffield Observations

Forever young

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Thirty years ago this month, I said good-bye to a friend for the last time. It was short and far from meaningful. It was finals week, and I caught her at very stressful moment. I left campus a few days later, and she spent the following semester abroad. I didn’t have her address or number in London, but in truth I probably wouldn’t have written or called.

Suffield Observations

Parenting by Association

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When I was 15, I was sitting in on a driving lesson my friend Chris was getting from his dad. After practicing all the fundamentals, Chris was given the green light to drive home. It was sunny, the windows were open and an air of triumph permeated the car. Inexplicably, a bee flew into the moving car, hit Chris’ neck and landed right on the inside of his leg as he was driving swiftly down this stretch of road. As the bewildered bug began creeping up his leg, and as Chris was wearing shorts on that hot day, he let loose a stream of expletives, pulled the car over and, after deliberately putting it into park, jumped out and danced until the insect flew away.

Suffield Observations

Orange in a Blue State

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Connecticut’s a funny state. It’s the third smallest state in the nation, but it has 169 municipalities. To contrast, our neighbor Rhode Island has 39. Complicating matters is that each one of those Connecticut cities and towns believes itself to be an entity unto itself. Even towns that share a border, like, say, Suffield and Windsor Locks, consider the other to be so different as to be another state.