Important dates are circled on my mental calendar: Election Day, June 14; Town Meeting is June 18. This year Windham has many candidates from which to choose and some whose names are complete mysteries, inasmuch as this is the first time they’ve surfaced. Who are these people and what are their goals? What do they stand for? Why are they running? We’ll all learn more in the newspaper pages, I am sure. Don’t forget that you can vote at the town clerk’s office prior to Election Day.

The Golden Years of Retirement took a hit in the solar plexus this week when I discovered it would cost more than a month’s rent to get my old car healthy enough to run the roads of Windham. My dependable mechanic, George Varney, is the doctor who will do the operations and hopefully, by this time next week, the patient will be out of the recovery room and give me back my independence.

Being carless brought home the reality that while living on Route 115 may mean a person is “close enough to walk” to the shops and stores, that walk will only take you to the post office and nearby businesses. It’s quite a healthy hike up Route 302 to the Windham Mall and crossing 302 to go to the drugstore in Rich Plaza would be inviting disaster. It makes me wonder how many more times I’m going to hear that Route 115 is a great place for senior housing because it’s “close enough to walk.” Someone (no doubt a lot younger) must believe this, because there’s a lovely sidewalk here now to accommodate those gray-haired strollers. I’ve yet to see many folks carrying bags of groceries, while taking advantage of this amenity. A better plan would be some kind of public transportation, like a shuttle bus or van, which would make regular trips between the senior housing (Marcus Woods, New Marblehead Manor and the soon-to-open Unity Gardens) and the stores easier. Perhaps some of the many folks opposing using tax money on projects such as this, would volunteer their time and provide this needed service to the elderly. Perhaps businesses could subsidize such transportation so these customers would be able to partake of the restaurants and retail operations.

Beginning in June, Windham Historical Society will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays as well as most Thursdays during the same hours. It has been mentioned that the museum and its facilities should be open more often. The Society is a non-profit, educational institution, depending entirely on volunteers in its operations. For the time being, hours of operation will be determined by available voluntary help. To visit at other times, call Kay Soldier at 892-5381. Regular meetings are held on the 4th Monday each month at 7 p.m. and there is no charge. The public is always welcome to attend these programs which are held at the headquarters on Windham Center Road, next to the school superintendent’s office.

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