The weekend weather was seasonable. Some ferries were cancelled on Friday due to strong winds that brought down thousands of leaves. The days are mighty short with a 4:30 p.m. sunset. Old Jack Frost has made a brief visit, but he says he will be back soon. The parks and recreation committee would like to thank everyone who made the annual Halloween party a huge success.

Today is the start of a holiday weekend for some of us. The post office, school and all other town and county buildings will be closed on Monday in honor of Veterans Day. This holiday was created to acknowledge the armistice that ended World War I. Over 50 years ago the day was rededicated to honor the veterans who fought in all of our country’s armed conflicts. Let us pause for a moment on Monday to remember all of those who have gone before us.

Anna Alley went out to Oklahoma City to visit her brother Curtis and his wife Jeri. She visited with other friends, participated in Halloween festivities Oklahoma-style before returning home Monday night.

Leon Brathwaite, county commissioner from West Tisbury wearing his hat as secretary of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, was off-Island last Saturday to attend the annual diocesan convention at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Boston. The convention attendees got a special treat as Leon was able to arrange for a video camera feed that displayed the Red Sox World Series celebration inside the cathedral as it passed along the parade route. Also attending the convention were Father Robert Hensley, rector of Grace Episcopal Church in Vineyard Haven and Senior Warden Peter Landry.

Sarah Kuh, director, reports that the Vineyard Health Care Access Program will be celebrating its 14th anniversary today.

Old friend Horace Salop, better known around these parts as Bob, died last week. He was very much a part of the fabric of this town in his own quiet way. Our condolences to his son Alex and his family.

The Martha’s Vineyard Museum is accepting donations of unwanted jewelry to be sold as holiday gifts during Christmas in Edgartown.

The Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society’s annual meeting will be held on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Agricultural Hall on Panhandle Road. In addition to the election of officers there is a proposed bylaw change on the agenda. Refreshments will be served.

Paul Karasik, the cartoonist, is mentioned in this week’s New Yorker magazine. He was part of a panel discussion that marked the 20th anniversary of the graphic novel adaptation of Paul Auster’s City of Glass last weekend.

The annual meeting of the Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 9:30 a.m. at the Tisbury Senor Center on Pine Tree Road. For more information, contact Ginger Duarte at 508-693-6570.

On Sunday from 4 to 5 p.m. the Bunch of Grapes bookstore in Vineyard Haven will host the West Tisbury Library’s semi-annual Community Poetry Reading. This event features community members reading their own poems and/or the poems of others. Help keep the tradition alive by attending as a reader, a listener or both. As always, numbers will be drawn from a hat to determine the reading order. West Tisbury’s Poet Laureate Justen Ahren will be the master of ceremonies. Also congratulations to the West Tisbury library on receiving the Library Journal’s five star award for the fifth consecutive year.

History note: On Nov. 7, 1950 about 60 per cent of the town’s registered voters (146) cast their ballot in the state election. The Republican ticket received generous support from top to bottom. The Democratic candidate for governor, Paul Dever, garnered 30 votes — a dozen more Democratic votes than cast at the last state election. Franklin D. Roosevelt was the only Democrat to get more than 100 votes in the history of the town. There were seven ballot questions — horse and dog racing, all liquor licensing, lottery and succession all were handily defeated. The question seeking permission to increase the state rate on automobile insurance was defeated 143 to 2.

Happy birthday to: Fred Estabrook and Vickie Thurber today, Marylee Schroeder, Sharon Estrella and Cynthia Robinson tomorrow, George Hough, Robin Nagle, Craig Miner and Antonio Saccoccia, Gabriella Camilleri, Erin Leighton and Nicole Casey on Sunday, Binny Ravitch, Ken Hurd, Teresa Nelson, Michael West and Linda Talbot, on Monday, Richard Cohen, Marian Mohr, Mary Jo Joiner, Andy Brunk, Cynthia Eakin and Salvadore Della Torre on Tuesday, Tina Fisher, Barbara Hoffman and Wendy Hitchcock on Wednesday, Bob Gothard, Lucy Mitchell, Al Littlefield, Cheryl Kram and Rosemary Jean Jackson on Thursday. Belated birthday greetings to Erin Leighton, Jane Coakley, Wendy Rose and Jeri Berry.

Happy 7th anniversary to Nicole Alley and Arsen Hambardzumian on Monday.

Well, that is all of the social news for this week’s column. If you have any news please email me (alleys@vineyard.net).

As we approach the holiday season please be reminded of what the late Will Rogers said about making your money last longer: Fold it in half! Have a great week.