First of all, raise your hand if you are tired of the euphemism “supply chain issues.” It is exceptionally hard to type with one hand but trust me when I say a hand is in the air like no one cares over here. It is 2022’s “cohort” (2021 vintage) and “social distancing.” (2020 obvi). When your car has a 10-month wait list, it’s because of “supply chain issues”–ditto your Amazon package, your flight and your guacamole order at the local restaurant. From now on, when the Owl doesn’t publish on any given day, it is because of supply chain issues.

Why am I talking about supply chain issues? Because lovely Merriam Street, named for the Merriams who were library patrons, farmers and cattle prize winners (see this Owl), is now caught in the grips of SCI (yeah, got tired of writiing it out) just when the new pavement is done between Silver Hill and Westland. Sooooooo close to the finish line, and yet a stumble…

What’s the issue? Granite curbing. It’s pretty, it’s long-lasting and in short supply. Yes, indeed, Weston: Supply Chain Issues. There is a run on granite curbing for unknown reasons. I could make up reasons–anyone game? Fine, it’s because no one did road work and then everyone did road work, and there are not enough baby granites being planted. Or something like that. Why not just use asphalt, you ask? We’re going whole hog on granite, folks, because asphalt doesn’t last as long and snow plows hate it. Or asphalt hates snow plows, you choose.

Do not fear, Weston: according to Steve Fogg, Town Engineer, a truck filled with granite curbs has just left North Carolina on its way to save us from orange cones and walking in the middle of the street. Will there be enough to curb all of the route? No one knows.

So, here’s my suggestion, Weston. Let’s re-activate our town’s two old granite quarries. One is filled with water down on the Biogen property — there’s an interesting story about how the water is used to cool the buildings in this Globe article. Maybe we can use the water to continue to cool the buildings and then bonus! irrigate the Town Brown. Once we drain it down, we can chip us out some granite curbs. Who’s in? Someone else send Tom Cullen, DPW Director, a note–he’s pretty tired of my brilliant ideas.

Or another idea: let’s just wait patiently. Tick tock. School year starts August 31 when school buses shall ply the orange-coned route. Good luck to us all.