JOHN S. ALLEY
508-693-2950
With the fair in full swing, it is hard to believe our summer season is fast becoming history. It seems that everyone is entertaining houseguests plus going to the fair and of course the fireworks tonight. Most all the trucks, tents and carnival equipment will leave starting on Monday. Next there will be a furious round of season-ending parties and summer guests. The President and his family are staying close by and that has brought an added flurry of activity, news people and excitement into town. The rain earlier in the week was sure appreciated by all gardeners.
By next weekend the seasonal exodus will be well underway. We are again reminded of the late Howard Andrew’s famous bumper sticker “Pray for September.” It is just two weeks until Labor Day, the unofficial end of the season.
Up until late Wednesday afternoon the entry-processing department of the fair was operating at a fever pitch. The tag stringers this year were Judy Bryant, Susie Boass, Rosemarie Duys-Doane, Joan Jenkinson, her grandchildren, Peter Bario, his sister Emily, and Wyatt Jenkinson and Ann Howes. The famous Glimmerglass Girls have been involved with the fair for many decades. Eleanor Neubert is the fair manager while Kathy Lobb has been the hall manager for a number of years and is ably assisted by her mother, Kathleen Brady; Eve Heyman is the entry clerk and barn manager. Marion Cushing, owner of LCM Amusements from Wilmington, is again providing the rides and midway games at the fair. Marion says that “It is like coming to visit family” every year.
Dee Lobb Quesnel of Hamilton and her sister, Amanda, of Winooski, Vt., came down to visit their parents, Norman and Kathy Lobb, and go to the fair. They got to ride on the L& W tree farm float on the parade.
Holly and James Maequedant of Hopkinton and their children, Heidi and Joey, are visiting Andy and Susie Boass and of course attending the fair.
Lloyd Thornton and his wife, Evie, of Newburyport, arrived on Tuesday for their annual visit with Bob and Rosemarie Doane. Bob and Lloyd were old high school buddies. Lloyd and Bob have had a friendly rivalry in the adult bread baking category at the fair. Rosemarie reports that it may not happen this year, but she says with authority that they are both excellent bakers and have thrived on the competition each year. Evie attended nursing school with Bob’s sister and neighbor, Muriel Bye.
Several hundred motorbikes, riders and guests attended the 28th annual Run to the Rock last Saturday. The Martha’s Vineyard Harley Riders Association and its president, James Pacquette, of James Way, sponsored the event. This month is also the 108th birthday of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
Jim Johnson reports that they were in and out of the Vineyard too quickly this year. His daughters, Abby and Amalya, stayed with him at the old William Marshall place (Bildad’s roost) on Norton Farm Road. They came earlier than usual because Abby is headed to school and needed to get back before the end of the month. Jim says they had a tremendous time, filled with sun, surf and a joy that seems indigenous to the Vineyard.
Warren Hollinshead, of Pond View Farm Road, reports that he and his wife, Marilyn, were in Stratford, Ontario, Canada, last week going to see several plays and visiting with three college classmates of his. It has become almost an annual visit for them and the productions, he says, are every bit as good as New York or London. They are now home visiting with daughters, Anne and Dana, and their families and four of their grandchildren for fair week.
Bob Luskin, of Edgartown Road, reports that friends Jonathan and Rebekah Cramer, of Atlanta and New York city, were visiting last week for three days. They liked things enough that they’ve rented a house in Edgartown for a week. Bob sent them and the girls to the jumping bridge yesterday and Jonathan, seeing the new “no jumping” signs on the bridge, thought for sure he was set up. Expect big doings on Edgartown Road this weekend as Bob’s son, Peter, is expected home on leave from Afghanistan today!
Lynn Marquedant, her husband, Bob, of Hopkinton, are visiting her parents, John and Judy Bryant, on Middle Road and plan to be here for the fair. Her sister, Karen Marinelli, husband, Bob, daughter, Alexia, and son, Tommy, of Paxson, Pa., visited with them last month but unfortunately had to miss the fair this year.
Phyllis Meras, of Music street, returned home Friday night after a week-long business trip down to NYC. Last weekend her guest was Judy Randall, of Virginia. Judy enjoyed dinning out and visiting with friends.
Jill Carlton and her husband, Pete Karmen, have been spending a quiet summer at her house on State Road and have returned to New Haven, Conn. They will be back next weekend for another month. Their son, Alex, of Brooklyn, N.Y., arrived Friday night with a few friends and spent the weekend on the beach, cooking and relaxing with his guests before heading on to Cape Cod.
Doris Anton, of New York city and Tiah’s Cove, has been in residence all summer. She has cut back on the number of houseguests this season but is pleased to report that she is having a swell time.
Carol Craven of Music street had her son, Michael Boardman, his wife, Kate ,Tabner, and children, Samantha, Nicholas and Walker, visiting for a week from Orono, Minn. They had been visiting Kate’s family on Lake George. Everyone was happy to be here as the weather was perfect, all sunny days! So lots of tennis, going to the beach, building sand castles, treats from Alley’s, eating clams and lobsters, a great time was had by all. Also Carol has just returned from a brief trip to New York city to see a marathon of five plays in three days being performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Park Avenue Armory. These were the last performances, after a six-week run, of King Lear, Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, A Winter’s Tale, and As You Like It. A three-sided, three-tiered, full-scale replica of the RSA theatre in Stratford-on-Avon was built there, and then reassembled in the Armory’s massive Wade Thompson Drill Hall. Carol reports that it was a magnificent experience.
Kendall Gifford Miller, his wife, Carla, and their children, Daniel and Carl, of Newark, Ohio, vacationed at their home on Edgartown Road for the past two weeks. Kendall has a garden of daylilies and corn on his property and has been selling them from in front of the old Gifford’s store. They returned home last Sunday.
Sue Goldstein, of Makoniky, reports that the Mansion House is pleased that Island chef Benjamin deForest has joined as executive chef to navigate Zephrus Restaurant into a new season of deliciousness. In 1999 when the owners needed a critical chef’s eye to make sure the open kitchen design would work, they turned turn to Ben. In addition to their high regard for Ben’s culinary brilliance, Ben and his sister, Melanie, had been Susan’s students in the West Tisbury School.
It’s almost football season and the junior high cheerleading program is open for signups for girls or boys in grades six to eight. For more information, call Sue Costello at 508-627-9568 or costellofamilymv@comcast.net.
George Hartman, of Panhandle Road, reports that on Saturday at 10 a.m. the fair’s fourth annual antique garden tractor pull will take place. Garden tractors must be at least 25 years old. There will be four weight classes: 1,000 pounds, 1,500 pounds, 3,000 pounds and 4,500 pounds. The competition is fierce, and it is a lot of fun for competitors and spectators alike.
Steve Lohman, of Waldron’s Bottom Road, is having a sculpture show at Shephard Fine ArtSpace in Oak Bluffs starting today and running until Sept. 2. The opening is tomorrow from 5 to 8 p.m.
Happy birthday to: Joe Ulva and Jennifer Sepanara today; Bruce Marshard, Maureen Hall, Morgan Taylor, Debra Polucci and Robert Francis tomorrow; Amelia Kauffman, Susie Millett Boaas, Lynn Ditchfield, Jen Zern, Tim Gregory on Sunday; Chelsea Pennebaker Elizabeth Orcutt and Jessica Francis on Monday; Judith Morse, Judith Morse, Amy Upton, Mo Bresnahan, Bill Tsikitas and Lindsay Webster on Tuesday; Michael Oliveira, Vaughn Russillo, George Eli, Mike Oliveria and Caryn Broitman on Wednesday; Sherm Goldstein, William Knight, TJ Hegarty, Scott Vanness, Pete Karmen and Kendall Chaves on Thursday. Belated birthday wishes to Colleen Morris, Joan Jenkinson and Rosemarie Doane. Happy 49th wedding anniversary greetings on Tuesday to Dick and Diana Reische.
Well, that is all of the social news for this week’s edition. You have a choice of activities tonight, Fireworks in Oak Bluffs or the fair. I’ll see you at the fair, and don’t forget it is discount night on the rides. If you have any news, please call or e-mail me. Have a great week.
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