KATHIE CASE

508-627-5349

(kathleencase@comcast.net)

The weather has been great and it is going to make it harder for the kids to go back to school. It is now official: the school buses are lined up in the parking lot ready to roll.

It has been 22 years that I have lived in this house and I never get tired of watching the kids going to school. It is fun to watch the parents getting the kids in and out and know they have a busy schedule ahead of them again. What I do object to is that now I am watching parents that used to be the kids I watched all those years ago.

Happy birthday to all who celebrated their day this past week. A big balloon goes out to Adeline Smith who celebrated her first birthday on August 27.

Happy anniversary to Bob and Teri Brown who will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary on Sept. 10.

We had our big bash at the beach on Sunday as it was Labor Day and now we don’t know what our Sundays are going to bring. We stayed on the ocean side this week so we were really spread out and could not see everyone, but we all had a great time.

Our fun was watching some brave souls walk out on the sand bar that Mother Nature has formed by the opening. It was calm enough and most of the time the people were only knee deep on the bar. It still made some of us nervous knowing that the current could change at anytime. But they had fun and have some tales to tell.

It was great to see Bobbie Donovan at the beach. Her daughter and son in law, Linda and Paul Condlin, had brought her to the beach a few times this year for the first time in some years. So on Saturday Bobbie informed Linda that Sunday was going to be nice — so she would not miss the day. While there, Linda and her daughter Alicia walked Bobbie out to the water and put her on a raft, and they walked with her as she rode the current down the beach. It was great to see the joy on all the faces.

Cleveland Brown Miller and her son Kevin were up from Connecticut to visit her mother, Susan Brown, for two weeks. They all had a great time going to the beach, eating lobster and going to the fair. They went to the senior center where Kevin entertained every one.

This week our neighbor Zack Waller headed to Boston College. It will be funny not seeing him running to his car to get to school on time.

The good news is that his dad, Steve Waller, is home after being in Boston for almost two months. He was in Mass General for a long while, then at a rehabilitation center for a while. Ralph went over to visit, and he looks great and is doing well. Welcome home Steve. It is great to have you back.

Pat Tyra e-mailed me this little tidbit: At least five Edgartown women won ribbons in this year’s ag fair skillet throwing contest. And one was again the all-around winner, as she was last year. Four ribbon winners (first through fourth) in one age category were from Edgartown, including the grand winner, and one was in that older category. Perhaps there were others, but I missed it as I was admiring my ribbon.

I loved it and I wonder what these women do to practice. I know that the winner was Kara Shemeth, who this year broke her own record in the skillet toss, and her sister Justine came in fourth. Congratulations to all.

It is coming to one of my favorite times at Donaroma’s, as today we had the first truck with chrysanthemums and asters. Once everything is here it looks like Oz at the nursery with all the colors. I know it seems early but in a few weeks we will be getting pumpkins and corn stalks which will make it official that fall is here.

Have a great week and keep the home candles burning.