Early fall foliage on Ansonia's Main Street

I was in downtown Ansonia Wednesday evening and noticed this tree in Veterans Park had already started to turn red.

Recuperation journey: Transplant ties

A cousin and I have more in common than just being part of the McDonald family.

I had a kidney transplant May 9, and my cousin, John, just marked his 16th anniversary of getting a kidney donated to him from a close friend in August, 2001.

We both learned way back when we were in our 20s that we had inherited Polycystic Kidney Disease, a disease that has afflicted many in the family.

Since John was driving through Connecticut today on his way to a high school reunion in Massachusetts he asked me to meet for lunch. And we did just that.
It's nice to have a flexible schedule so I can occasionally fit in fun stuff!

We chatted about kidneys and anti-rejection meds, and we shared childhood memories of extended family members and the fun times we spent at get-togethers. 


It was really great to see him. I hope we can get together again in the near future.  

Fill-A-Truck event slated at Ansonia Animal Shelter

Osborne Homestead Museum in Derby to host Holiday at the Opera

One of my favorite local events to celebrate the holiday season is visiting the Osborne Homestead Museum. 
Members of area garden clubs always do a wonderful job decorating the Colonial Revival house at 500 Hawthorne Ave. in Derby.

This year the clubs include: Derby Garden Society, Garden Club of Orange, Long Hill Garden Club, Naugatuck Garden Club, Olde Ripton Garden Club of Shelton, Oxford Garden Club, Jen Plasky AIFD, Roxbury Bridgewater Garden Club, Women Redefining Retirement Milford, and Ye Olde Kellogg Garden Club. 

This year’s theme pays tribute to Frances Osborne Kellogg’s love of the opera, according to a release from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, which operates the museum.
It continues: "Kellogg frequently attended the Metropolitan Opera, and her uncle Henry Krehbiel was a famous music and opera critic.
"As president of the Women’s Club, Frances invited many opera singers, such as Caterina Jarbora, John Brownlee, and Marjorie Lawrence, to perform in Derby. Because of her love of this musical genre, each room will represent operas seen by Frances and her family and friends." 

*Sharing this information from an online community calendar sponsored by The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven and The New Haven Independent.