JOHN S. ALLEY
508-693-2950
We did not have any new snow on Christmas Day but the day after we sure did. The record books will credit us with a rare White Christmas and one of the highest December snowfalls on record. The automobile traffic in town was nearly nonexistent most of the day as families gathered around their tree to exchange gifts and enjoy a family dinner. Relatives and friends came by to visit in the late afternoon. Church was well attended at the two services held on Christmas Eve. Children and adults were skating on Parsonage Pond Christmas afternoon and earlier in the week.
Well, this year is fast sliding away. I will begin my eleventh year of bringing you as much social news as I can find in the town each week and I hope you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have compiling it for you. All government buildings, including the library, will be closed tomorrow to observe the New Year.
Jane Konicki, of Webster, reports that her husband, Ed, removed their tree and took down all of the decorations in and outside of their home, and packed them carefully in boxes before dark on Christmas Day. They were the first couple, perhaps in the commonwealth, to put up a tree the day before Thanksgiving so it stands to reason they should be the first to take it down. Ed reported last year he suffered from a bad back from all the snow he has shoveled in the driveway. So this year they have twin snow blowers to remove the white stuff. She reports that they have put them to good use already.
On the other hand, Judy Hall out in Oklahoma City reports that she will wait until Jan. 6 to have her husband, Malcolm, remove the decorations and the tree. He reports that all the family was home for Christmas. Emily has moved back to Oklahoma City to work in his office and attend graduate school, Houston arrived home from Asheville, N.C., Amy was engaged to be married just before Christmas and dad gave her a Black Dog T-shirt. Ward, Laurel and their children came home as did Kevin and his two boys. They hosted their annual Christmas Eve party for friends and family. Both the Konickis and Halls send their very best to their Vineyard friends for a happy New Year.
Sam, Anna and I all went up to East Taunton to spend the Christmas holiday with Nicole and her husban,d Arsen Hambardzumian, his mother, Aida, and grandmother, Susie, from Cranston, R.I. On Christmas Eve we drove up to Providence to visit Anna’s sister Nina and their son Nick and had a wonderful German Christmas eve dinner prepared by her husband, Dieter, at their home. We all fared well on Christmas but as predicted we were walloped by a 17-and-a-half inch snowstorm that started the next morning that nearly delayed us getting back home. It was a spectacular storm with high winds and a heavy wet snow to shovel. We got back just before the SSA suspended boat service because of the high wind.
Steve Lohman and his wife, Jenifer Strachan, of Waldron’s Bottom Road will be ringing in the New Year in Boston tonight. Jenifer’s birthday is on New Year’s Eve and what better way to celebrate it than the first night parade.
Sal Laterra, of Providence, R.I., arrived on Wednesday to spend the New Year with Phyllis Meras at her Music street home. Sal looks forward to spending more time on the Vineyard this year.
Tara Whiting reports that her brother, Daniel, of Surprise, Fla., and his children, David and Emma, arrived on Saturday for their annual Christmas visit with his sister, Tara, at Old Parsonage Farm.
Colleen Morris, over at the library, wants to remind you that the library will be presenting Vineyard Signs and Then Some by Marshall Segall. His paintings have been shown at Howes House, Featherstone and in Saratoga Springs. Two of his well-known series in the form of greeting cards include Vineyard Signs and Saratoga Scenes. His works will be up for the month of January. Come and meet the artist on Friday, Jan. 7 at 4 p.m.
Meg Higgins, over at the church, reports that the church community suppers will begin on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. and will be held every Wednesday through March 30 weather permitting. Side dishes will be gratefully accepted but not required.
Anna Carringer, at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, reports that next Saturday at the library the museum will host a community forum to hear our ideas and receive input from the residents between 3 and 4:30 p.m. As you may know, the museum unveiled its exhibit, Your Town, Our Island, in September and is open to the public until next September and highlights just a few of the unique qualities and stories of each of the six towns. It also offers a hint of the potential stories that may eventually be part of a new permanent exhibit at the museum. They look forward to your coming and sharing your ideas.
“On Jan. 4, 1946 Burton M. and Pauline Vincent purchased the former James A. Mayhew house, on Old County Road, from Mrs. Percy Anderson of Berkeley. The Vincents have been spending winters in the summer home, of her aunt, Miss Sylvia Bates on the town line. She plans on retiring from her position of instructor of journalism at New York University this year and intends to live here permanently. The Mayhew house is located next door to the former William Rotch house and across the street from Sarah Burt’s old house that dates back to the late 1700’s. The place has remained vacant since the death of the Mayhews several years ago. The Vincents plan to take up residency in their new house, after making some improvements, in the spring.”
Happy birthday to: Jenifer Strachan and Elizabeth Rothwell today; Barbara Flynn, Steve Bernier and Ashley Hunter tomorrow; Martha Sullivan, Dan Small, Nathan LeBlanc, and Dan Gaskill on Saturday; Pat Vann, Chris Jones, Julia Mitchell, Elizabeth Cecil and Diana Manter on Sunday; Erin Alwardt, Volker Kaempfert, Elizabeth Benders Hyde and Peter Kleeman on Monday; Michael Goldfein, Lynn White, Roberta Kern, Hallie Armer, Fred Murphy and Whit Manter on Tuesday; Ryan Tucker, Grace Rouse, Todd Hitchings, Michael Bellissimo and Mary O’Connell on Wednesday; and Ike Russell, Alexis Garcia-Holden and Sam Hiser on Thursday. Happy anniversary to Akia Sharp and Wayne Miranda today and Mike and Hermine Hull on Monday.
Well, that is all of the social news for this week’s edition, the last one of this year. It is time once again to make New Year’s resolutions. If you have any news of holiday guests please call or e-mail me. Tonight, around midnight, many people will be listening and singing along with the recording of Guy Lombardo and the Royal Canadians playing Auld Lang Syne to bring in the New Year. In the meantime I want to take this opportunity to wish each and every one of you a very happy and healthy New Year!
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