What a long strange trip it’s been! Sorry to have missed you last week but I was overwhelmed, in a good way.

We did not have one huge party for Nonna’s 95th birthday on May 18. We had that huge party for her 90th and last year when she was recognized at a big do at her college. This year we are all showing up when we can and taking her to dinners, lunches, brunches — the woman has been out every day since May 18. My son, Chris, his wife, Lilly, and my two grandsons, Corbyn and Dominic, managed a few days off from college and work. They drove to White Plains from Rockford, Ill. on Monday and arrived Tuesday, June 12. I drove down from the Island. First time I had seen them in over a year! It was wonderful.

We were also highly entertained by the arrival of their new kitten, SnowBell. Lilly found the kitten abandoned at less than a week old. They had to travel with her, as she is being bottle-fed. Nothing is more heartwarming than seeing these two marines, Chris and Lilly, holding adorable SnowBell and drop-feeding her. For her safety, I left my own pets home under the capable care of Teri Praskach and Renae Brown. The boys loved seeing neighbor Olivia, now approximately 13 months old, and almost four-year-old Justin across the street. Justin is the grandson of Tony and Bonnie Massaro. He loved the Island eggs I brought him, and he was very kind about sharing his toys with Corbyn and Dominic.

We also met noted author Sonny Singh, who is Olivia’s uncle. Sonny has published a book, 55 Leadership Tips, which you can find on Amazon.com. On Wednesday night we took Nonna to Ernesto’s, one of the Gardellas’ favorite Italian restaurants, and brought friends and neighbors John Doyle of White Plains and the Vineyard, Anne Breslin, Nonna’s good buddy, and Nancy Hantman, a great friend and accomplished magazine editor. The service was exquisite, and Ernesto himself came over to say happy birthday. The staff surprised us with two complimentary dessert plates and a birthday candle in Iole’s sherbet. Same time, next year.

A fundraiser for disabled children in Zambia will be held tomorrow at the Tisbury Public Water Works from 4 to 6 p.m. Come see the first solstice puppet festival, which includes all sizes of puppets as well as magicians, jugglers, and clowns. Rain date is Sunday, June 24.

But tonight you may hear our esteemed Tisburian Bruce Doten hold forth at the Federated Church Parish Hall in Edgartown at 7 p.m. Bruce is presenting a free travelogue of Normandy, Brittany, and Paris, especially meaningful in this, the 68th year of the anniversary of D-Day.

Our library cancelled its children’s programs for the first three weeks of June for the annual preparation of the summer reading program, now open to all ages, including us grownups. But story hour returns on Tuesday, June 24 and crafts return on Thursday, June 26. The library is also offering free help tomorrow from 10 a.m. until noon for those of you who want to download free books for your Kindles, Nooks, Sony Readers and so forth. This is made possible by our CLAMS. Good luck with that. I shall never read a book th at doesn’t have paper and print.

Anniversary bouquets go out to Allan and Michele Berman on June 24. Len and Georgia Morris celebrate theirs on June 27. Phil and Gail Derick also share many years of wedded bliss on June 27.

The birthday bandwagon pulls along Michelle Alton, Pam Bahal, and Eric Pachico today. Tomorrow is shared by Byron Kennedy and Charley Wulshleger. June 24 honors Frank T. Bailey, Vanessa Williams, and Hamilton Walker. June 25 is a party for Carly Simon, Ashley Willoughby, Suzanne Webb, Jack O’Callaghan and Eva Lemoine. June 26 shines on Eileen Whiting and Charlie Mead. And on June 27, Michael Wilson takes the cake. Many happy returns.