Stuff that didn't make the column

It's not the usual course, but this month some parts of my "around Florence" column got cut for space...and instead of cutting the one that I had suggested could be cut if necessary, they (the big THEY) cut the one and only one that was actually timely..

Well, at least there's the blog -- so you, dear reader (yes, that is singular) will get this little tidbit or two before the rest of the world:

Raffle time

The knitting group at the Lilly Library was hard at work this winter knitting an afghan and pillow to raffle off to benefit the library.

The fruit of their labors goes on display at the library on June 1 and raffle tickets will be for sale at the library all summer. One ticket is $2 (or 3 for $5) and the drawing is scheduled for August 30 (just in time to bundle up and ward off the crisp fall breezes).

Proceeds from the raffle go to the library to be spent at the director’s discretion, according to children’s librarian and knitter Kim Perez. The only request the knitting group made was that the library buy a subscription to a knitting magazine. Seems fair enough.

In other real estate news

The Real Estate Connection has left their digs at 141 North Main Street for a new office at 247 Northampton Street, near the Easthampton line. Their old space is for rent, but no word on possible tenants.

Florence man has narrow escape in Rte 91 accident

My neighbor was driving home from Vermont last Monday after spending Easter with her family. Looking ahead on the highway, she saw a truck at an odd angle on the median, almost as if it was trying to pull a U-turn on the highway.

As she passed the truck and looked in her rear view mirror she realized with horror that there was a car smooshed under that truck. The accident had just happened -- she could see the truck driver getting out of his cab. She called 911 and was told that help was on the way.

She told me the story the next day, and she was still shaken by what she saw.

The day after that I was walking with a friend and she said, "Jim was in a really bad accident Monday," and sure enough, his was the car under that truck.

Unbelievably, the driver of the smooshed car, Jim Ault of Florence, is okay.

"I was able to climb out the driver's side window. My only injuries are neck pain and stiffness--torn muscles. We don't know yet how long they ill hamper me and exactly how. But, I'm alive!"

According to the police report, the truck driver missed his exit and decided to take a U-Turn to the southbound side of the highway.

He didn't see Ault on his left and turned right into him. Ault had a bit of warning and was able to slow down. When he realized what was about to happen he just "closed my eyes and relaxed my body", he told a friend.

The truck driver, who wasn't injured, was charged with negligent operation.

I love the picture below, with the NO U-TURN sign right in front of the truck (you know, in case you ever thought for even one second that a u-turn was an okay thing to do on a highway).

Gotta start somewhere

When I first envisioned this blog I had a million things to write about. A million -- there was the woman in the park with the metal detector, looking for a lost wedding ring; the battles on the bikepath over the 'community' bulletin board; the little pile of odd objects I used to see on a stone wall on Bardwell street that reminded me of Boo Radley's offerings; and of course the new stores, cafes, and vibrancy of downtown.

So now the blog is here and I am tongue-tied. Maybe it's because the winter is never-ending and I feel like I haven't left the house in two months. Maybe when I get out there again, these stories will fall into my lap like manna. 

But until then, if you have any compelling story ideas (or even boring ones), please pass them along. I promise I'll treat them like queens.