Yes, I stayed up too late on Super Bowl Sunday.

The late hour made it tough to get up out of bed early Monday, and it was even harder to get going.

Of course, like a lot of you, I am glad I stayed until the end, although my old body was not pleased.

Was it not super? Have you seen a scene with more drama, more highlights, and more anticipation? And, that was just the presentation of the Lombardi trophy to Bob Kraft and the rest of the Pats.

The game was pretty good too.

One of my pals, and no names, please, stayed up past his ordinary bedtime (8 p.m. sharp) to watch the game.

As the woeful first half progressed, he got three calls from another friend in Georgia, (again, no names, please) who gigged him about how Atlanta was giving the business to the New England team.

After the final play in the overtime that decided the contest in the Pats’ favor, my pal tried to ring the Georgia fellow up to return the favor. No one answered the phone. Figures.

While I love pro football, this year’s Super Bowl was special for a reason that had nothing to do with offense and defense and special teams. It would have been special, even if, perish the thought, the Pats had not won.

That is because for six hours on Sunday we were able to relax on the couch, take a sip of an adult beverage and concentrate on something that did not involve the games being played in Washington, D.C.

’Nuff said.

Sherman Marsh

I know the doings in Washington and the Super Bowl are big deals, but I thought a recent letter from the Maine DOT commissioner rated at least a mention.

David Bernhardt, the DOT chief, told some 16 property owners living around Sherman Marsh in Newcastle, he was not going to “take” some 130 acres of their property.

The DOT wanted to use the land bordering the marsh not far from Route 1, as part of a land bank to offset other projects.

The owners of the land objected, but it is no wonder.

The former Sherman Lake was formed by the DOT in 1934 when they built a dam to carry Route 1. In 1966, they agreed to maintain it.  That is until a 2005 Columbus Day storm washed out the dam, drained the popular freshwater fishing spot and filled the channel with salt water.

When asked to stand by their promise to maintain the dam, state officials said no, citing a $1 million price tag.

After state officials backed out of their earlier promise, is it any wonder the residents were up in arms by the DOT’s latest proposal?

Bernhardt said he gave in after hearing from irate residents.

“I understand the use of eminent domain is something to be used sparingly and never taken for granted,” he wrote to town officials and residents.
Amen to that.

A puzzlement

Last week, voters in last November’s referendum approved recreational use of marijuana.

Now, what to do about it?

That is the question local officials are wrestling with as they try to decide how to regulate it in our towns while state officials try to figure out how to police and tax it.

Many elected officials would rather have a dead possum on their front porch than to have to deal with this question at all. But the voters did approve it, 

Here in Lincoln County, the referendum question passed by 51.9 percent to 48.1. In fact, the only town that rejected legal pot was Southport which defeated it 58 percent to 42.

In our towns, elected officials are now faced with a question that is as old as our sacred Republic.

Should they cast their vote based on their own judgment and knowledge, or should their vote be based upon the will of the electorate? Stay tuned for this one.

RIP Danny Beal

I can’t leave this page without mentioning how much Danny Beal, Boothbay Harbor’s favorite piano man, will be missed. His love of the region and her people was shown through his work at the Tugboat and the Opera House, where his show, featuring goofy notes from fictional Down East newspapers and songs like “They don’t smoke marijuana in Wiscasset,” were always a big hit.

He loved us and we loved him.

Final note

According to Major League Baseball, pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report for spring training on Feb. 14.

I can’t think of a better Valentine’s Day present.