JOHN S. ALLEY
508-693-2950
Well, the weekend weather was wild, to say the least. We are recovering from back to back nor’easters. Saturday was not the greatest, but on Sunday we were slammed with another two inches of rain and winds that had gusts up to 50 mph. After the 5 p.m. boat, all further trips were cancelled to the Island. Tons of leaves and a few limbs fell during the gale force winds, and we lost our cable TV reception late that night. As all of you early risers noted, old Jack Frost paid us a brief visit Tuesday morning, scouting the area. He left his distinct calling card and vows to return shortly. The annual bass derby has come to an end, and two residents of our town did quite well. Billy Pate, of Willow Tree Hollow, won the new Chevy truck. It was just three years ago he won the boat prize. Wyatt Jenkinson did very well for himself and came in second. Congratulations to the both of them!
Emily Gadd returned to her home in Bozeman, Mont., last week after spending the summer months at her home on South Road. Emily reports that the wet weather was the reason her garden did not produce as many vegetables as last year. She enjoyed her visit and looks forward to returning to the great Northwest.
Paula Black, of Campbell Road, passed away last week and it will leave a big void over at the library where she had worked for 10 years. I first got to know Paula and her faithful husband Mike more than 35 years ago through a mutual friendship with the Dunkl family of Chilmark. Mike and Paula, among the many other things they did, cleaned the old town hall, library, church and parish house on a weekly basis for several years. She also had the best telephone voice anyone has ever heard, soft, sultry and all business. Unfortunately she had been in declining health these past few years but kept an optimistic outlook on life and it was always a treat to talk with her while checking out a book. Our heartfelt condolences to Mike.
Linda Baughman, of Philadelphia, Pa., and Music street, took care of the livestock over at Phyllis Meras’ house, and departed for her home on Tuesday. Phyllis and her friend, Sal Laterra, are expected home today after a three-week trip to Viet Nam.
Bob Luskin, of Edgartown Road, is back at his home for a short while. He has made many trips to Europe recently as part of his business. He plans to be here for the holidays.
Adam Block, of Reston, Va., has been spending some time at his home on Music street. He plans on staying for an indefinite period of time.
Simi Horwitz, of New York city, enjoyed her recent visit to the Island, seeing most of her many friends. She knows the answer to the question I ask in today’s historical moment.
Perry Garfinkel, of Music street, a regular contributor to the Huffington Post, reports that he has been in India for some time and three weeks ago for a fascinating cultural phenomenon, the Joy of Giving Week. Last year Give India raised $6 million from 55,000 donors. He says it was better than a humongous garland-laden wedding celebration on Jagmandir Island in the middle of Udaipur’s Lake Pichola.
Anna Alley, of State Road, returned home on Monday after a long weekend in New Hampshire. She met up with her old friend Denise Mount and together they traveled to the Bombay Inn owned by Richard and Vicki Galler. They enjoyed visiting with them, shopping, lunch in Kittery, Maine and climbing Mt. Washington.
Fred and Jeanne Barron, of Campbell Road, returned from Los Angeles earlier this week. They went out to help their daughter Julia and their newborn granddaughter. Julia was married in their backyard last September.
Stop over at Vineyard Gardens for their annual Harvest Festival from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow. The nursery is located on State Road in North Tisbury across the street from the post office. Join them at the festival for fun, games and free refreshments for the whole family including hot chili, corn bread, caramel apples; join their nursery tour and a plant identifying contest. Also, the Holly Society of America will be present at the Harvest Festival. Be sure there.
Paul Karasik reports that the 10th annual Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School Scarecrow Contest is in full swing. You can see scarecrows in front of businesses all over the Island that have chosen to sponsor the charter school with $75 donations. The school hopes to raise $6,000 this year towards upgrading their science lab.
Stephanie Dryer, West Tisbury School librarian, reports that the recent book fair was a huge success; well over $6,000 was collected. The door prize was won by Patrick Persanowski and his teacher, Sue Miller. They both selected $25 worth of books. Thanks to all the volunteers.
The next PTO meeting is Wednesday, Nov. 4 in the school cafeteria with principal Mike Halt at 8 a.m.
Parent/teacher conferences are on Tuesday with a noon dismissal.
Beth Kramer and Colleen Morris, over at the library, report that all the children in town are invited to the library Halloween party next Saturday afternoon from 3 to 5 p.m. There will be crafts, games, refreshments and hayrides. So come in a costume and have a good time.
As Halloween is nearly upon us, let me remind you of the biggest Halloween spoof accidentally played on the public. It was the broadcast, on Oct. 30, 1938, of Orson Welles’ dramatization of H.G. Wells’ tale War of the Worlds on Mercury Theatre of the Air, aired nationwide on the CBS radio network. The invasion from Mars was covered by realistic live reports interrupting the regularly scheduled program. The headline on page one of the New York Times the following morning read: Radio Listeners in Panic Taking War Drama as Fact. If, however, that Sunday evening you were listening to the program broadcast on the NBC blue radio network, you knew nothing about “the invasion” and enjoyed the show. What was the name of that weekly comedy program that starred a small man in a top hat and was sponsored by Chase and Sanborn coffee?
Happy birthday to: Dianne Rothwell, Susan Faraca and Caroline Flanders today; Betty Cottle, Ben DeForrest and Shirley Wilcox tomorrow; Carol Koury, Doreen Rezendes and Sarah Mayhew on Sunday; Sid Counsell, Laura Roosevelt, Sarah Bergeron, Amy Lawry and Maureen Fisher on Monday; Barbara Child and Heather Slayton on Tuesday; Brian Alwardt on Wednesday; Fran Finnegan, Barbara Moment, Paul Wells and Joe Capobianco on Thursday. Belated 66th wedding anniversary wishes to George and Mary Lu Hough, of Indian Hill, John Paul Jones and Irene Selvino.
Well, that is all of the social news for this week’s column. If you have news, please call or e-mail me.
Comments
Comment policy »