JOHN S. ALLEY
508-693-2950
A Justice of the Peace named John
Author of this here column
He is Master of the Grange
And is comfortable roaming the range
He sorts the mail and has a lot of fun
A limerick by Colleen Morris
Well, it snowed for a while Monday afternoon giving us a start. On Tuesday morning we awoke to a sheet of ice covering everything; fortunately it was short lived and melted away. It was old man winter leaving his calling card and telling us that although spring begins on Sunday, he will be back. Spring is not a moment too soon for many of us. Last Monday, my wife spotted a flock of robins in the backyard, and daffodils are about to burst into bloom all around town.
David Stanwood, over in Lambert’s Cove, reports that the last of their Katahdin lambs were born this week. They now have a gang of eight lambies frolicking, gamboling and just starting to play king of the rock under the willows. A joy to see, and visitors are welcome. David received notice on Monday that he will be getting a patent for his latest invention that allows pianists to change how the piano plays and sounds at the turn of a knob. He recently returned from a trip to Germany and made a sale to an important German piano maker. Bea Whiting, over at her father’s farm, reports that twin lambs were born on Monday and she expects more lambs by this weekend. It is also about time to locate, in the barn, the outdoor barbecue that was carefully put away last fall — and while you’re at it give Jim Gaffney a phone call so he can schedule an appointment to tune up your lawn mower.
We went off Island last weekend on business and we stayed with Anna’s sister, Nina, her husband, Dieter, and their son Nick in Providence. We went to visit Ed Konicki his wife, Jane, and their family up in Webster. Ed suffered a severe heart attack 10 days ago and underwent quadruple bypass surgery at UMass medical center in Worcester. When we visited him Sunday afternoon he had more wires and gauges attached to him to monitor his condition then I have ever seen. He seems to be recovering quite well, given the fact that he was in surgery for nine hours. We, and all of his Vineyard friends, wish him a speedy recovery.
If you want a great breakfast any morning and you are in the Providence area, you must make a pilgrimage to Dee’s Place in East Providence; we did and were delighted. Our waitress, Elaine, treated us with kindness, like we were family, and Dee’s cooking was superb as usual. The staff makes you feel that you are all part of their family. It is a darn shame we missed their St. Patrick’s Day dinner last night as it was reported to be outstanding. We visited our daughter, Nicole, in Taunton before returning home Sunday night.
Warren and Marilyn Hollinshead, of Pond View Road, returned home last week from their usual winter stay in Virgin Gorda. This year, they shared the Island with several other Vineyarders. Chris Morse’s family and his sister Robin’s family were there, as well as Alan and Winky Keith, Denys and Marilyn Wortman, and Tom and Marsha Seeman. They have been home for nearly 12 days and are ready to go back for more sun. They weren’t always on the beach, as they were frequent users of Skype to see videos or their new granddaughter, Lauren Rae Gill. Congratulations and welcome home!
Arsen Hambardzumian of East Taunton was here last weekend to inspect eight septic systems in Tisbury. He was assisted by his brother in law Sam Alley.
Bruce Keep, of South Vine, is convalescing at home after a recent hospitalization. Our thoughts are with him and his wife, Mary Lu, during his recovery period.
Marjory and Robert Potts, of Elias Lane, and the Broadside city room will be celebrating the 11th year of publishing the Broadside, a two-page weekly chronicling life in town. Their good friends Howard and Charlotte of New York city and others will be on hand to help them mark the occasion.
Bea Phear reports that on Wednesday, March 30, the public is invited to a West Tisbury candidate forum at 7 p.m. at the Howes House, sponsored by the League of Women Voters. The forum will offer an opportunity to hear statements from those running for office and to ask questions of the candidates. Please make it a point to attend and bring your friends.
Michelene Soina reports that the third annual Cake Walk will be held tomorrow night from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the agricultural hall. A cake walk is similar to musical chairs; music is played, and you walk in a circle on numbers. The music stops and a number is drawn. If your number is drawn you get to pick a cake. She assures you that there will be lots of games, face/nail painting, lots of prizes, a cupcake decorating table, raffle baskets and silent auction items, plus chili, corn chowder and hot dogs.
The finance committee has been considering recommendations on the 45 articles on the annual town meeting warrant; by next week it is anticipated they will have completed action on all of them. The last day to register to vote in the annual town meeting and election, in April, is next Friday. Tara Whiting, town clerk, will be in the office until 8 p.m. Absentee ballots will be available the following Monday.
Colleen Morris, over at the library, has two events planned for next week and they are: A John Wayne movie, Red River, on Monday at 7 p.m. I told you before and I will say it again, who wouldn’t want to go to the movies with her —and a John Wayne film to boot! The winter reading series continues Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. this week; Malachi Black and Christopher Shortsleeve will entertain you.
A history note from over 40 years ago, March 23, 1965. “Although Look’s Pond is now drained it was a superbly appropriate stimulus for Shirley Mayhew, whose year-long study of the living instruments of water was instrumental in earning her a long-coveted bachelor of arts degree recently from Goddard College. Part of the pond and the old Mayhew homestead, a part of their family, was sold a short time ago to David O. Douglas. He drained the pond to facilitate dredging work and the pond life has been temporarily suspended. Shirley’s research work, however, was conducted while the pond was in its full glory. Goddard College is in the second year of an experimental adult degree program. Shirley was one of 11 students to receive a degree out of the 86 people enrolled in the program. With her new degree she is now prepared to fulfill an ambition of long standing, becoming an elementary school teacher.”
Happy birthday to: Chuck Schmidt, Bob Douglas and Patricia McCarthy today; Patrick Jenkinson, Shelly Brown, Shelley Christiansen and Joanne Roddy tomorrow; Linda Hughes, Maria Moody, Arthur Eakin, Nora Winsryg-Karasik and Anna Finnerty on Sunday; Heather Rynd, Jack Howland, Julie Robinson and Karen Lowe on Monday; Beth McElhiney, Christopher Cohen and Christina Shropshire on Tuesday; Paul Jackson, Renee Metell, Dwight Kaeka and Lori Vanderlaske on Wednesday; Sophie Brush, David Stanwood, Hal Child, Fatina Berichi, Ed Pierce, Babette Benoit, Gus Ben David and Carla Hutker on Thursday. Belated birthday greetings to Richard Skidmore and Mike Stutz.
Well, that is of the social news for this edition. If you have any news you would like to share, please call or e-mail me. Have a great week and a hearty welcome to spring!
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