DIABETES: Not-so-thin mints

A friend and I were breakfasting at Perkins the other day and she reported ruefully that her HBA1c number had jumped significantly (it's a blood test that shows how well you've been controlling your diabetes over the past few months).
"What happened?" I asked.
She said she hadn't been walking at Longwood Gardens as much as usual because she'd suffered a concussion in a car crash over the winter. And she admitted that one other factor just might have played a role in her weight gain: "It was Girl Scout cookie season."

POLICE: Reduced hours for Clarkie

East Marlborough Police Chief Robert Clarke ("Clarkie") will stay on patrol in West Marlborough Township, but his hours will be reduced from 40 to 12.5 a month.
At their April 5 meeting, the West Marlborough supervisors passed a resolution updating the township's policing arrangement with East Marlborough. West Marlborough will pay $1,000 a month (12.5 hours at $80 an hour) for Clarkie's services. That will decrease the total amount West Marlborough pays for police services from $42,000 to $12,000 each year.
"He will always be available by phone," explained Supervisor Bill Wylie. "We just don't have him for as many hours."
Earlier this year the West Marlborough supervisors considered eliminating local police services entirely in the township, leaving only the Pennsylvania State Police to provide protection. But numerous township residents told them that Clarkie did a great job and they liked being able to call him as needed. Mr. Wylie described him as "extremely well-liked."
The brief township meeting was lightly attended, with only the three supervisors (Mr. Wylie, Hugh Lofting Sr., and Jake Chalfin), township secretary Shirley Walton, Township Planning Commission members Tom Brosius and Anna Myers, road crew boss Hugh Lofting Jr., and myself in attendance.

WHIP: Possible litigation?

Also at the April township meeting, Supervisor Bill Wylie announced that the board members will be holding some unscheduled executive sessions to discuss with the township solicitor possible litigation on the township's part against the Whip Tavern. Mr. Wylie said he could not say anymore about the issue because it's a legal issue. Parking has been an ongoing issue for years at the popular Springdell bar, with patrons parking illegally along the road and on private property.

DINNER: A meal at the Market in Kennett

The patrons of the Market at Liberty Place definitely skewed toward the younger side the evening of April 6. The Market was hosting a fund-raiser for the Kennett Square Preschool Co-op, and lots of families showed up for dinner. We had excellent (as always) Buddy Burgers, followed by ice cream from Punk'd Pineapple. Other members of our clan (we took up an entire large table) had crepes or pizza. One fellow tried the cod sandwich and the lobster mac and cheese from Ray Maxwell's Chef-a-Topia and pronounced it fresh and excellent (it looked delicious).
During dinner I got to sit next to a certain very cool four-year-old. He claimed to be a "fast eater" but kept setting down his cheese sandwich because there were far more interesting things going on, like counting the number of working versus burned-out light bulbs in one display.

FARM MARKET: Opening for the season!

The King family's Maple Arch Farm south of Parkesburg is opening for the season on Friday, April 22. I've written several times about this roadside market, which sells organic produce, beef, chicken, eggs, plants, canned goods and homemade baked goods (love the whoopee pies!). The market is on the west side of Limestone Road (Route 10), just north of Friendship Church Road. They are closed on Sundays.

LGFK: A "garden party" at London Grove Kindergarten

Deni-lyn Lane, the Head of School at London Grove Friends Kindergarten, wrote to tell me that the kindergarten will be starting a preschool program this year. "I also wanted to let you know that we are having a Garden Party on Sunday, April 10, from 12:30-2:30," she wrote. "Families will be planting a lettuce garden in clementine boxes, enjoying spring activities, and getting to know our school community."

London Grove Friends Kindergarten is holding a "Garden Party" on April 10.

I asked Teacher Deni-lyn to please keep me apprised of Kindergarten goings-on because I know a lot of "graduates" read this column! LGFK is at the southwest corner of Newark and Street Roads in West Marlborough.

INSECTS: What is this creature?

I wonder if any readers can help me identify this insect. It's an inch and a quarter long, antennae included, and I find one wandering around the house every few days. When I put its photo up on social media I got several different answers. Some say it's the so-called assassin bug, which is getting all kinds of bad press, but reader "Mr. S" thinks it's a harmless Western Conifer Seed Bug. Any entomological advice would be welcomed.

Tilda wants to know what kind of bug this is.