JOHN S. ALLEY
508-693-2950
With the fair in full swing it is hard to believe our summer season is fast becoming history. The weather has been, for the most part, quite warm. It has also been hectic for most everyone with house guests and the fair. The traffic was a nightmare everywhere backed up in every parking lot. By next Wednesday the fair will be a memory as most all the trucks, tents and carnival equipment will leave starting on Monday. Last weekend and again this one there will be a furious round of season-ending parties.
College students, summer visitors and their children have been filling the boats every day, this time going in the opposite direction. Many public schools open before the end of the month. We are again reminded of the late Howard Andrew’s famous bumper sticker Pray for September. It is 10 days until Labor Day.
On Saturday night in a big white tent under a full moon in Richard Knabel’s backyard about 95 people gathered to celebrate the 60th wedding anniversary of Bob and Maggie Schwartz. All of their children, spouses and grandchildren were able to be present. Everyone had a wonderful time and was honored to help celebrate the happy occasion. George Hartman drove over to the party in his reproduction of a 1902 Rambler.
Late Wednesday afternoon the entry-processing department at the fair was operating at a fever pitch. The tag stringers this year are Martha Doane, Judy Bryant, Susie Boass, Rosemarie Duys-Doane and Ann Howes. The famous glimmerglass girls have been involved with the fair for several decades. Eleanor Neubert is fair manager while Kathy Lobb has been hall manager for a number of years, ably assisted by her mother, Kathleen Brady; Eve Heyman is entry clerk and barn manager. Marion Cushing, owner of LCM Amusements from Wilmington, is again providing the rides and midway games at the fair. Marion enjoys her time here and reports that “it is like coming to visit family” every year.
Lynn Marquedant and her husband Bob of Hopkinton visited her parents, John and Judy Bryant on Middle Road last week along with her sister Karen Marinelli, her husband Bob, daughter Alexia and son Tommy of Paxson, Pa. They unfortunately had to miss the fair this year.
John Cronin and his wife Ellen have been vacationing at their son Mark’s home on Plum Bush Point for the past two weeks. On Tuesday their son arrived from Los Angeles, Calif., for a vacation. He is president of Mindless Entertainment. Also joining them are Jim and Mitzi Vorchek of Red Lodge, Mont., Arv and Connie Holt of Rose Valle and Scott and Kay Armstrong of Drexel Hills, Pa. They attended Illumination Night and plan to attend the fair and spend quality time at the beach.
Ann Howes of Tisquam Road reports that the painting group sponsored by the Old Sculpin Gallery held a plein air workshop at the Grange Hall last Wednesday. Ned Reed instructed the group, assisted by Ann.
Holly Eger of Stonewood Lane returned home yesterday after a seven-day trip to London, England. Her son Bill reports that his sister Katharine sang with a choir in which she is a member in several locations in England. His father, Ed, has been in Beijing attending the closing ceremonies of the summer Olympic Games and is due back tomorrow.
Bob Luskin of Edgartown Road held a Sunday night cookout for about 20 people. He barbecued chicken, his friend Charlotte made an ample supply of cole slaw and there was a generous supply of adult beverages. A wonderful time was had by all. His son Cass returns to the University of Texas next week and his brother Peter has been in Damascus, Syria for the past six months learning the Syrian dialect of the Arabic language.
The Spicers — Jeff and Cindy, their daughter Lily Rose of West Chester, Pa., and their dog Luke visited Ann Howes last week.
Evie and Lloyd Thornton of Newburyport arrived on Wednesday for their annual visit with Bob and Rosemarie Doane. Bob and Lloyd were old high school buddies. Lloyd picks this week to visit as they have a friendly rivalry in the adult bread baking category at the fair. Last year Lloyd took home the blue ribbon; Lloyd has won first prize in three of the last four years and Bob came in second. Rosemarie reports that they are both excellent bakers and thrive on the competition each year. Lloyd’s wife, Evie, attended nursing school with Bob’s sister and neighbor Muriel Bye.
Alan Northcott of Hopps Farm Road brought the summer to an end with his traditional participation in the Agricultural Fair at Cozy’s Last Stand with his partners. He reports that all signs point to a successful and enjoyable fair, with the added bonus of catching up with customers from years past. The Northcott-McCarthy-Petkus family have had several visitors this summer. On Monday they plan to go to Halifax, Nova Scotia, for a week.
Eliza Lewis and her children Lily and Evie of Newton arrived last Tuesday to spend two weeks at her place on Deep Bottom Cove.
Emily Gadd of South Road has had her usual busy summer and is tending her garden with great care; it is producing a bountiful amount of vegetables. She is supplying neighbors and friends and selected retail outlets in addition to swimming at the beach.
Geoffrey McCullough of Hingham and his children Nellie and Louisa stayed at his parents’ Music street home last weekend. While his parents David and Rosalee went up to Maine, Geoff left his wife Signe and the rest of his family back on the farm.
Joseph Sebrenzi of Washington, D.C. and Rwanda, visited Ben and Paddy Moore at their home last week. Ben reports that his wife teaches with him at the school for international training in Brattleboro, Vt. He is a former speaker of the Rwandan parliament and was a very interesting house guest. The Moore household will be filled with family on overlapping visits that began on Wednesday. Patrick and Dana Worlock and their children Calder and Serra of Brooklyn, N.Y. and Hub and Zoe Moore and their children Frieda and Happy will be arriving today followed by Max and Berta and their children Mia and Matias.
Alex Karman of New York city hosted a weekend party for some old friends last weekend at his mother’s house. Alex reported that he made a significant harvest from his mom’s vegetable garden and it was delicious! They biked, held philosophical discussions and drank adult beverages.
Andrea Rogers reports that a sneak preview of the 14th annual Vineyard Artisans Labor Day Festival will be held next Friday night at 5:30 p.m. at the Agricultural Hall. The show will be open to the public next Saturday and Sunday.
Bruce Keep, chairman of the Community Preservation Committee, reports that funds are available for open space, historic preservation, community housing and public recreational space. Applications for eligibility may be filled out and delivered to the committee before Sept. 26 to initiate an application process. The monthly CPC meetings are at Howes House on the fourth Wednesday of the month at 5:30 p.m.
Town clerk Prudy Whiting would like to remind people that the last day to register to vote and/or change party enrollment for the Sept. 16 state primary is next Wednesday. The last day to register to vote in the presidential election is Oct. 15. She also cautions that if you have not replied to the annual town census in the past few years you run the risk of being removed from the voting list. Call her at 508-696-0148 to check your status.
Will Monast, the builder and project manager of the Frank Adams house restoration reports that the new dormers are installed and replacement of the sills are nearly complete. He found an empty bottle of Old Reliable Rye Whiskey that has to be 100 years old and would like to find out more about it, plus several containers of red pepper, priced at 75 cents each, scattered in the attic space that were gnawed open and partially eaten by mice who more than likely were forced to seek some water outside of the house pronto, and a 1932 New Bedford Standard Times Sunday edition that Mr. Adams used as pipe insulation.
Colleen over at the library reports that on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. there will be musical story time with Josh Levine — music for parents and kids to groove to. Call 508-693-3366 for details.
Happy birthday to Sharon Edell and Kevin Hopkins today, Judith Morse, Mo Bresnahan and Lindsay Webster tomorrow, Michael Oliveira and Caryn Broitman on Sunday, Sherm Goldstein, William Knight, T.J. Hegarty and Alene Peterson on Monday, David Rhoderick, Susan Caron and Ken Rusczyk on Tuesday, Nancy Burleson, Alan Northcott, Chris West, Sarka Havlatkova and John Christensen on Wednesday, Steve Hart, Jessica O’Connor, Bob Potts and Mae Deary on Thursday. Happy 46th wedding anniversary on Sunday to Dick and Diana Reische.
Well that is all of the social news for this week’s edition. You have a choice of activities tonight: fireworks in Oak Bluffs or the fair. If you have any news please call or e-mail me. Have a great week.
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