JOHN S. ALLEY

508-693-2950

(alleys@vineyard.net)

The weekend weather was great and mild for this time of year, allowing us to complete projects that we had thought could be finished in the spring. If you haven’t done so already, now is the time to drain the outside shower and put away the garden hoses. Would you believe the price of gasoline a mere $2.99 per gallon? That is less than last Halloween. The rain and wind, more than 50 miles an hour in gusts, hit us late Tuesday, resulting in several power interruptions around dinner time but fortunately they did not last more than a few minutes each time.

Tonight we celebrate Halloween. Its origin dates back at least 2,000 years to an ancient Celtic festival. The American tradition of trick or treat dates back to the early All Souls’ Day parades in England. Poor people would beg for food and were given pastries called soul cakes. By the 1920s Halloween had become a community holiday with parades and townwide parties. Today we spend an estimated $6.9 billion on the holiday annually, making it the country’s second largest commercial holiday. The annual library Halloween party will be held from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Their will be hayrides, crafts and lots of goodies, and the parks department will sponsor a party at the Agricultural Hall.

Over the weekend the number of lawn signs promoting candidates and ballot questions for the Presidential election on Tuesday increased dramatically. The town clerk reports that absentee voting has been “feverish” in her trailer office on Music street and will continue until Monday at noon. Muriel Bye, election warden, reminds all of you that the polls will be open on Tuesday from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m., and she expects a record turnout of voters.

Linda Baughman, of Philadelphia, Penn., who house sat and took care of the livestock at Phyllis Meras’s house for the past two weeks, departed for her home on Monday. Linda reports that she enjoyed her visit here, enjoyed the mild weather and visiting friends. Phyllis and her friend, Sal Laterra, returned home yesterday after a two-week trip to Mexico and scenic parts of the Southwest via train.

Amy Houghton over at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum reports that Lucy Mayhew, daughter of Jack and Betsey, has just completed a three-week Russian language class in Russia and is currently traveling on the Siberian Express. The museum hosted a standing-room-only talk on Saturday by Laura Claridge who just published a book about Emily Post. Ms. Claridge was excited to meet so many Vineyarders who knew Emily Post and could add great anecdotal information about her. Save the date, Dec. 6, for the museum’s annual appraisal day with Skinner Appraisers from Boston.

Will Monast, of Waldron’s Bottom Road, is working at the Frank Adams’ house on Music street. The mason, Richard Gale, has commenced work on building a new fireplace, replacing the 110-year-old one that was covered by fieldstones.

Perry Garfinkel, of Music street, reports that after spending the summer off-Island, he is back at the Milton Mazer House (for a fifth winter), but perhaps not for too long. He was in India in August for a month and now may go back for several months this winter to continue research on his next book, Welcoming Spirit: India’s Secrets to Making Any Guest Feel Like God, a subject the local residents may find useful when their summer visitors show up. He will talk about his preliminary research in a discussion, entitled Third Eye on India, at the library on Nov. 5, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., followed by refreshments. Copies of his previous book, Buddha or Bust, will also be available, but not for free. He understands that this will be the night after the Presidential election so, regardless of who wins, we’ll all be in the mood for a little spiritual talk.

The visiting artist at the library for the month of November will be Edgartown Road resident Hermine Hull. She will be displaying her oil paintings.

Cynthia Walsh, of Old County Road, returned home on Sunday after a trip to Westchester, N.Y. She went down to visit her daughter, Lawler Parker, to help celebrate her 50th birthday.

David and Rosalee McCullough, spent last week at their Music street home, voted absentee, then were off again. It was good to have them here for a few days.

Deborah Mayhew, of Panhandle Road, reports that the annual Minnesingers parent group fundraiser that sends the Minnesingers to Europe every other year will be held at the Portuguese American Club in Oak Bluffs. She reports that great auction items, such as a Thanksgiving turkey from Morning Glory Farm, a spa session for your dog or cat at Animal Health Care Associates, Mansion House gym and Curves memberships, merchandise from Sioux Eagle, Allen Farm and much more. It will commence with a silent auction and food at 5 p.m., continue with a Minnesingers mini-concert and then the live auction should begin about 7 p.m.

Paul Karasik reports that the annual scarecrow contest sponsored by the Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School has been terrifically successful, with Island businesses supporting the school and finding marine-themed scarecrows decorating their shopfronts. See them now, because scarecrows will be coming down on Sunday, Nov. 2. Residents and visitors always look forward to this annual event, spotting scarecrows all over the Island. The contest culminated with a party at the Agricultural Hall on Wednesday evening and the grand prize award of a new Mac Book (courtesy of Educomp) went to the Eddy family — Jim and Anne-Marie and their twin daughters, Skylar and Kayla — for their Mermaid in front of Shirley’s Hardware. Congratulations to all the builders.

Another date to mark on your calender is the Islandwide flu shot clinic at the high school on Nov. 11. Stop by any Council on Aging and pick up registration forms.

Happy birthday to: Barbara Coogan, Adam Church and Cole Ferraiuolo today; George French, Coco Brown, Hermine Hull and Tim Donovan tomorrow; Doug Kent, Michael Rouse, Elizabeth Bouck and John Mayhew on Sunday; Charlene Douglas, Dr. Carey Rosenthal, Lucy Mayhew and Suzanne Howes on Monday; Norman Perry, Mike Lynch, Sarah Monast and Maggie Chianese on Tuesday; Ken Gerstmar and Aaron Metell on Wednesday; Marian Irving, Judy Jaries, Pat Waring and Dawn Feinsmith on Thursday.

Well, that is all of the social news for this week’s column. If you have any news please call or e-mail me. Remember to turn your clocks back one hour on Sunday or the trick will be on you and be sure to vote. Happy Halloween everyone!