MONTCLARION: January 20, 2012

Cupid, take note. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, I’ve discovered a new way to revitalize a relationship. Extreme sports.

What I mean is extreme interest in sports. It’s no revelation that most men love ballgames — to the point where they scream at the TV, causing neighbors to wonder if someone is being bludgeoned. As partners, we ply them with chicken wings and chips in the hopes that their mouths will be too full to cheer at earsplitting decibels.

But what if we join them in their fervor? What if we suddenly become the bigger sports nuts — leaving them awestruck and speechless?

Last month I volunteered to announce the boys basketball games at a nearby high school. I haven’t had a reaction like that from my husband since our honeymoon. He immediately offered to be my spotter.

It’s done wonders for our marriage. Suddenly, he’s got the wife of his dreams — part woman, part pal.

And I’ve got a man who whispers sweet nothings in my ear at the games — things like “number four has three fouls” and “he’s on the line shooting two.” After 23 years of marriage, the flame has been rekindled.

Email bag: Turns out there’s more than one side to the fight over a T-Mobile monopole on Estates Drive. Reader Tracy FitzGerald says the monopole would have been a better option than the existing cell phone antenna and box, which T-Mobile attached to a PG&E pole more than two years ago. That was before regulations restricting the distance from neighbors and visual impact. One thing the neighbors agree on — they want that antenna moved to meet current regulations.

Shopping alert: The holidays are over, but the shopping spree continues for crooks on the lookout for easy prey. If you leave your laptop, smartphone or purse in plain sight, it’s seen as fair game for thieves roaming streets, parks and parking lots. This goes for Montclair Park, where two ninth-graders were reportedly robbed recently near the skateboard park. The young toughs said they were armed and took cash, phones and an iPod, disappearing before police could arrive.

Meanwhile, the assistant manager of the Montclair Safeway says someone broke into a car in their parking lot recently, and it took a half-hour to find the vehicle owner. “Please,” she says, “don’t leave your car in our lot if you’re not in the store.”

Around town: Speaking of crime, there’s a new chief of the Montclair Safety and Improvement Council. Former city council candidate Jill Broadhurst is running the group that meets monthly at Montclair Presbyterian Church. On her “to do” list is finding someone to create a history mural on the old concrete railroad trestles by the tennis courts. It’s an idea that’s been kicked around for years but needs someone to spearhead the project. If you’ve got a little time to give to your town, just show up at the next meeting at 7 p.m. Feb. 2.

Freebie alert: If the mild weather has tricked you into sprucing up your garden for spring, here’s a free offering. The Montclair Village Association is giving away a few of its 3-foot-round cement sidewalk planters. A couple of them are just in the way, and two more may be coming out to make way for a bench. Charities will get first consideration. Email Dan Swafford at daniel@montclairvillage.com.