Southport Column: Soups, a parrot, a new hip and more

Thu, 01/19/2017 - 3:00pm

Parking was tight and the Southport Town Hall was full on Monday, Jan. 16, for the Library Aides’ Souper Bowl luncheon. Word has clearly spread that the wide variety of soups are delicious, as are the homemade breads and desserts. I filled my tummy with chicken taco soup, a spicy treat on a cold day. Thanks to all those working and all those who donated money, about $700, for the Aides’ work to support our excellent library.

At the library when I walked in this morning (Tuesday), the children were clustered around the hibiscus tree I described last week, with a parrot perched in its branches. The children were jumping up and down, so enthusiastic about their conversation with the parrot, who, in true parrot fashion, flapped his wings and repeated back to them what they had just said. Even though I am sure the children knew the parrot was mechanical, its movements and speech were so convincing that the conversation evolved as though he were truly listening. One little girl even asked the parrot, “Are you nervous because we are talking with you?” When you consider that often we adults parrot back to children what they have just said to us, the parrot’s side of the conversation may not have seem too strange to them.

Also at the library we celebrated Cathy Barter’s birthday in song and with a delicious trifle brought all the way from New Hampshire by Susan Flaherty to share around the table. In truth we were the guinea pigs as Susan was practicing her trifle-making skills. We judged her ready to serve this specialty to all her friends.

Peter Brewer has a new hip that is healing well. He should be able to be back at lobstering when the weather permits.

Joan Britton had family visiting this past weekend. Daughter-in-law Jill Britton was here along with her daughter, Meredith. Meredith has recently returned from the first semester of her junior year spent in Copenhagen, Denmark, living with a Danish family and attending school. Next week she will be returning to her home base at Smith College, having enjoyed Danish smorrebrod, the traditional open-faced sandwich. Jill also met up with summer friends while here, including Connie Colby and our daughter, Susan Axelrod.

Cy Seifert asked about progress on plans to repair the Decker Cove Bridge, which the state calls the Thompson Bridge, #2848. According to the maine.gov website our Southport Bridge is due this year for $300,000 worth of repairs, but the Thompson Bridge, although budgeted for $2,700,000 worth of repairs, will not be repaired until 2018-2019. I will try to track down more info on this data.

Closer to home and much easier to track is the progress of ice forming on the school pond. Eileen Higgins says the school has asked Selectman Gerry Gamage to drill a hole in the ice to see if it is safe for skating. Look for the yellow flag flying from our town center flag pole, the sign that skating can begin.