JOHN S. ALLEY
508-693-2950
Well, my weekend was spent in Providence and East Taunton. Sam, Anna and I were going off-Island to do a little shopping and have a birthday lunch, but unbeknown to me, Anna had planned a luncheon at O Dinis Restaurant in East Providence. We arrived on scene about 1 p.m. Surprise: A gathering of mainland friends was there to meet me. Daughter Nicole and her husband, Arsen; Anna’s sister, Nina, and her husband, Dr. Dieter Pohl; Ed and Jane Konicki, and Sal Laterra. We all had a wonderful time. My sister-in-law Nina gave me a homemade piñata stuffed with candy and Sal took a number of photographs to commemorate the event. That evening Arsen and Nicole insisted that we see Christmas light displays in Attleboro. They took us to the national Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette. I had never heard of it before. It is a huge Catholic campu s with a display of 380,000 lights. About a thousand people were on hand. The next day Arsen and Sam played 18 holes of golf at a local country club. We returned home Sunday night.
Marian Irving of Old County Road wants to remind you that the Congregational Church Christmas Faire will be held tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. at the church. The Faire has been a holiday tradition in town for more than a half century. They will be selling handmade holiday wreaths, decorations, jewelry, baked goods and a lot more.
Patti Lynn reports that this year Fireman Bob was responsible for buying the tiny lights and putting them on the tree located at the intersection of State and Old County Roads Thanksgiving Day, when all of us were enjoying Thanksgiving dinner. The small lights make the tree look quite beautiful. Thanks for the correction.
Simon and Robyn Athearn have moved in to their new residence in the farm house at Crow Hollow, off New Lane, where Simon’s grandfather, Elmer, great-uncles Leonard and Clifton and great-aunt Louise Kernick were born and raised. The Athearns were able to buy the 20 acre farm at an affordable price due to a Land Bank Agricultural Preservation Restriction sold by the family after Leonard’s death in 2005. Simon and Robyn will continue to be employed at their family’s farm in Edgartown, Morning Glory Farm, but have already started planting an extensive perennial flower garden with dozens of roses and hundreds of tulips. Welcome to town!
Holiday party season has begun. The town party at the Agricultural Hall was held last night and Christmas in Edgartown is happening all weekend. The annual lighting of the Edgartown Lighthouse will take place tonight at 5:30 p.m. in front of the Harbor View Hotel,
Katherine Long of Scotchman’s Lane, assisted by Glenn and Rosemary Jackson of Stoney Hill, cordially invites you to the 33rd annual Winter Solstice party on Sunday, Dec. 18, from noon until 9 p.m. All ages are welcome. The party has become one of the highlights of everyone’s holiday season. Katherine says to come when you can and leave when you must, just don’t bring your dog along! The staff at the library invite you to their party on Monday, Dec. 12 from 4 to 5:30 p.m.
Phyllis Meras of Music Street returned home last week. On the way back home she began to work on her always entertaining annual Christmas poem that will be featured in a future edition of the paper. Everyone is always interested in the theme she chooses to see if their name makes it in the poem and what presents she has given out to them.
Chief Manuel Estrella wants to inform all the children and their parents in town that Santa Claus will make a stop at the Public Safety Building on Sunday, Dec. 11 between 1 and 3 p.m. Don’t forget to bring your list.
Kevin Gorman and Maryia Davydouskaya were wed in a civil ceremony at the Betty Alden place on Scotchman’s lane on Tuesday. It was an outdoor ceremony in the unusually mild December weather. The fire-red berries near the stream made an excellent backdrop.
Brianna Bingham over at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum reports that you can give a gift of Island history by purchasing a membership at $10 off the regular price until Dec. 23. Membership will also save you 10 per cent in the gift shop. To sign up, call her at 508-627-4441, ext. 117. The museum will be busy this weekend participating in Christmas in Edgartown festivities. On Saturday Island authors will gather in the Pease House galleries from 11 to 2 p.m. to share excerpts of and autograph their latest books. Admission to the museum is free if you buy a book. A schedule of participating authors is available at edgartownboardoftrade.com. The museum’s annual Jewelry Jingle sale will take place in the library on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Dan Waters reports that last month two Martha’s Vineyard public libraries were among 262 libraries nationwide to win “star library” status from the Library Journal, a national publication. The Vineyard Haven Public Library and the West Tisbury Free Public Library were each chosen from among 7,513 public libraries for the distinction. Only eight public libraries in Massachusetts won stars this year from the Library Journal. Congratulations!
The Democratic Council will meet tomorrow morning from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at the Howes House. Mas Kimball will talk about Occupy Wall Street and his experiences at Zucotti Park in New York city. Tim Madden, our state representative, will discuss recently passed and currently pending legislation in Boston, including redistricting that affects the Island and the important Democratic primary competition now developing.
On Friday, Dec 12, 1941, four days after entering World War II, the town civil defense committee held a rally at the town hall in North Tisbury. They were told what was expected of them during an air raid: Do not use the telephone, build and use blackout curtains immediately, and when the warning signal sounds after dark turn off all your lights. The chief air raid warden announced that Dorothy Russell would be in charge of North Tisbury, with assistance from Mrs. Robert Flanders, Jr. and Mrs. Forrest Bosworth. Lillian Manter was charged with West Tisbury village, assisted by Lillian Magnuson, Hilda Austin, Elizabeth Campbell and Lorraine Armitage. Mrs. Raymond Cottle was appointed the new warden for Lambert’s Cove, assisted by Mabelle Benson and Barbara Cottle.
Happy birthday to: Karen Colaneri, Willy Mason and Emily Smith today; Virginia Bardwell Jones, Professor Ellen Weiss, Dana Rezendes and Kansas Brew tomorrow; Lauren Withers and Deborah Pigeon on Sunday; Frank Sinatra, Brian Bilsback, Alan Reekie, Linda Baughman, John Thurber, Linda Wallace, Christy Park and Jan Schulze on Monday; Susie Trees and Simon Bollin on Tuesday; Kathleen Gibbs, Catherine Brennan, Elizabeth Specht, Leonard Bedford III, Christy Park and Brett Fisher on Wednesday; Michelle Brescia, Nicholas Thayer, Rachel Schubert, Joel Anthony and Tim Sylvia on Thursday. Belated birthday greetings to Polly Renear.
Well, that is all of the news for this week’s column. If you have any news please call or e-mail me. Have a great week and start your shopping now.
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