CT Blue

This is a totally non-political post, at least that’s the plan.

One of the stupider things we ever did was buy a vacation house shack in Chester, Vermont. It did not ruin us financially, only because we ended up renting it out for enough to cover the mortgage. Anyway, it is on Ethan Allen (street sign mis-spelled “Eathan”, which someone has defaced to rectify the abomination) Road. Ethan Allen Road is just off of Popple Dungeon Road, and don’t even ask me where than name originated.

Anyway, as a proud Vermont property owner, I have the Chester Telegraph on my RSS feeder, and yesterday I spent some time reading the police log, as artfully restyled by one of the Telegraph’s reporters. I know the editors, by the way, since they also sell hand squeezed lemonade at the Londonderry Farmers Market (one of the best Farmers Markets in Vermont) and they live near Ethan Allen Road, just around the corner, on, need I say it, Popple Dungeon Road.

So, the police log is just full of near criminal activity, but this was my favorite tale, particularly because it, too, has roots in Popple Dungeon.

Thursday, Feb. 23, 10:19 a.m.

A loose dog was found on Popple Dungeon Road and turned over to the police. The pup had no tags or even a collar so he was taken to the Springfield Humane Society, where he was recognized as Hank. The Humane Society was able to tell police that the owner lived another couple of miles up Popple Dungeon from where he was found. The officer was preparing information on the town’s dog ordinance but before he could speak with Hank’s owner, the dog re-offended. (See March 5, 2017)

Fast forward to March 5th, for more of Hank’s tail tale.

Sunday, March 5, 9:31 a.m.

Hank the Dog got back on the radar when Chester Police were called back to Popple Dungeon Road for the report of a loose dog. The responding officer found Hank’s owner out on the road looking for the dog and gave him a ride up the road to the complainant’s house. The agitated complainant “began to lecture (using some profanity)” Hank’s owner. She was upset that Hank repeatedly got loose and came to her yard. At one point, the complainant’s dog and Hank chased deer and Fish & Wildlife came to lecture about it.

The complainant said she had called the town several times. The officer told her how the process for a nuisance dog works under the town’s dog ordinance and then took Hank home. Hank’s owner told the officer that the complainant’s dog is often loose and coming over to his place. He said the dogs were inseparable. The officer explained the ordinance, warned that further problems could result in the dog being seized and issued a $25 first-violation ticket.

Of course, I haven’t heard all the evidence, but I’m on Hank’s side, and he can come chase animals at our place anytime he wants. Last summer my son and his wife saw some bears hanging around, so maybe Hank and his pal can keep them at bay.

The rest of the police log makes for fun reading as well. The writer makes Chester seem a little like a frozen Mayberry.

Epilogue: Well, I’ve reread this post a number of times, and I don’t see any obvious way to segue into an attack on Donald Trump or Republicans. So, it shall end as it began: totally non-political, though the reader should never forget that Donald Trump is an ignorant, lying narcissist, and Republicans are, to a person (mostly men, by the way), a bunch of lying, racist hypocrites.