She’s baaack!! Sorry to have missed you, gentle readers, but I have been caught up in a whirlwind of events. Thanks to the sharp eyes of my Island doctor, Ellen McMahon, I was sent immediately to our stellar partner hospital, Massachusetts General, to have some worrisome tests further checked out. I have just spent two weeks on the Charles, with a glorious view of the duck boats, the Zakim Bridge, the Museum of Science, and what would have been part of the Red Sox victory parade route had I stayed past the series.

The many people I have to thank include but are not limited to: Doctors Penson, Growden, Goodman, Alejandro, Barbara Smith, Moy, Campo, Cooper, Rosenthal, Sadowski,Sarah Napoe, Franjione, Hoagland, Humphrey; nurses and assistants Krsiten Mondello, Jolene, Carol, Emily Skinner, Lisa Sinatra, Ruth, Peggy Baldwin, Toneah Epplu, Carla, Stacey, Eloisa Marie Joseph, Kim, Liz, Kara, Andrew, Beverly, Lindsay, Jean, and the incomparable Christiana Kamara. Louie and his capable staff kept me well-fed. Pet therapy friends Lois brought Rummy, Bobbi Evans brought Grace, chaplains Anne Dineen and others came to pray with me, and thank goodness for Michael who brought the book cart! Thank you to all who visited, called, sent books, food and good wishes. My college friend, Wendy Fitting, recently retired Unitarian Universalist minister of Gloucester, brought her first book and we reviewed the old days at NYU. I am home. I can’t drive yet (my son says that’s probably a good thing) and Teri Praskach is taking wonderful care of Nonna and me. Doesn’t get better than this.

Confidential to Lyn K: now you know why I missed writing to you. The book cart at Mass General was excellent, all borrowed books are considered gifts so I did a lot of reading and brought some back for Nonna, which we will recycle to our Island hospital’s book cart. However, I did buy one at Bunch of Grapes the minute I got home, Simple Dreams by Linda Ronstadt. What a dedicated, professional musician that woman is! I know you will love it.

Good friendships are very much in the news and I am pleased to report that Gloria Eaton Riviera and Dillon Goff, two frequent Island visitors, are celebrating 10 years of their exquisite friendship on Island, mostly based in our town. So often a great friendship outlasts marriages and family ties. Here’s to one bound to go on forever!

What to do? Two events tomorrow. Martha Coakley, the candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor, will be at a voters’ forum at Howes House in West Tisbury Saturday morning at 9 a.m. I fully expect my friends Marge and Paul Howes to trek up from Connecticut and meet me there. But — conflict! Also from 9 to 11 a.m. at the First Baptist Church parish house in Vineyard Haven is the Second Saturday breakfast: casserole, sausage, bacon, sweet rolls, juice and coffee at $8 for singles. Families of four are admitted for $25 with a mere $5 for every additional member. You need not make reservations, all are welcome. Call 508-693-1539 for more information.

Our Martha’s Vineyard Museum is certainly shaping up at the former Marine Hospital/St.Pierre School property in Vineyard Haven. Chris Murphy will be leading a forum asking for input from the community. You may attend all or what you can no matter what town you are in. All meetings are scheduled from 5:30 to 7 p.m. I’ll see you there.

Get well wishes go out to Tamma Willoughby.

Anniversary bouquets go out to Rene and Joanne Moncada on Nov. 14.

The birthday bandwagon pulls along Kara Best, Adelaide Silva, Ed Panek, and Nancy MacMullen today. Nov. 9 belongs to Barbara Jo Cayer, Matt Medeiros, Maria de Pinha and Evan Scott-Jennings. Nov. 10 is the birthday of the United States Marine Corps, founded in a tavern in Philadelphia in 1775. Nov. 11 shines on Willa Shalit, Lizanne Donegan and Victoria Hehre. Nov. 12 is a party for Suely Oliveira, Matt Brown, Cricket Willoughby, Tim Sylvia and Isaque Silva. Nov. 13 celebrates Lisa Quartiroli, Rosemary Jackson and Lillian Beal. And on Nov. 14 John Gardella, Alfred Francis and Ellison Brasil take the cake. Many happy returns.