JOHN S. ALLEY
508-693-2950
On Christmas morning folks in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts awoke to a blanket of fresh white snow. It was the first appreciable snow of the winter, but as the day wore on the temperature warmed up and the snow disappeared.
On Saturday morning Sam and I had breakfast at Dee’s Place in East Providence. They serve the best breakfast in all of Providence. I had an appointment downtown in the heart of the city on Monday morning and was amazed how deserted it was with hardly any traffic and very few people on the street. The Portuguese bakeries were jam-packed all day however. We had a wonderful Christmas with Nicole Arsen’s grandson Robbie, his mother Aida and her mother Susie. Aida and Nicole prepared a wonderful goose dinner.
When you are in East Providence you must make pilgrimages to two well-known places; the Taunton avenue Bakery for sweetbread and other Portuguese pastries, and Dee’s for a hearty breakfast.
Sarah Mayhew arrived yesterday from Davis, Calif. to spend Christmas with her family. Lucy arrived Thursday from San Francisco and Caroline arrives tomorrow from Washington, DC to join their parents, Jack and Betsy Mayhew. Katie is at home with her mother Deborah and grandmother Shirley. With her is her boyfriend Max Gaydos from Middletown, N.Y.
On Christmas evening all the Mayhews enjoyed oyster stew with friends at their annual get-together. Shirley, Deborah, Sarah and Max will accompany Katie when she goes over to Chatham on the Cape to sing two concerts at their “First Night” celebration.
George and Andrea Hartman of Panhandle Road received a Christmas surprise last Tuesday with the birth of a granddaughter, Hannah Karolyn Jones. The parents are Ellen Alexandra and her husband Dr. Miller Jones, who live in Apex, North Carolina. Congratulations!
Jane Konicki of Webster reports that her husband Ed removed their tree and all of the decorations in and outside of their home and packed them in boxes before dark on Christmas Day. They were the first couple to put up a tree the day before Thanksgiving and it stands to reason they were the first to take it down. 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 tree.
Dick Burt and Nancy Cramer of Music street held their annual holiday party for friends and neighbors last Sunday.
Steve Lohman and his wife Jennifer Strachan of Waldron’s Bottom Road will be ringing in the New Year in Boston on Monday night. Jennifer’s birthday is on New Year’s Eve and Steve says that what better way to celebrate it than marching in the First Night parade.
Marjorie Pierce reports that the missions committee of the West Tisbury Congregational Church will hold the first of this season’s church community suppers beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The committee will be hosting this initial dinner and hopes you will come to share this heartwarming meal and social get-together. As always, food contributions are greatly appreciated and can be brought with you to the dinner or left in the church kitchen earlier in the day. The Wednesday night suppers will continue until the end of March.
Linda Alley of New Lane reports that the final winter farmers’ market of the year will be held on Saturday at the Agricultural Hall from 9 a.m. till 3 p.m.
Mansion House celebrates 28 Years of local ownership on Main street. The Mansion House will once again host a slumber party for residents throughout the month of January. All guest rooms are just $28 per person in honor of 28 years on Main street. Room rates are based on double occupancy (some restrictions apply, does not include taxes and fees). For more information, visit the front desk or call 508-693-2200.
Well, this year is sliding away fast. Next week I will begin my 13th year of bringing you as much social news as I can find in the town each week. I hope you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have in compiling it for you. I am occasionally reminded that the senior social correspondent is June Manning up in Aquinnah who really does have a vast network of resources for gathering the news.
Happy Birthday to: Gary Blogett, Katherine Devane and Maitland Edey today; Simon Hickman, Phyllis McMorrow and Mary Van Nes tomorrow; Beth Kramer, Linda Cohen and Don Sibley on Sunday; Jenifer Strachan and Elizabeth Rothwell on Monday; Barbara Flynn, Jennifer Kelley and Ashley Hunter on Tuesday; Martha Sullivan, Daniel Small, Nathan LeBlanc and Dan Gaskill on Wednesday; Chris Jones, Elizabeth Cecil, Pat Vann, Julia Mitchell and Diana Manter on Thursday. Anniversary greetings to Akia Sharp and Wayne Miranda on Monday and Mike and Hermine Hull on Tuesday.
Well, that is all of the social news for this week’s edition, the last one of the year. It is time once again to make New Year’s resolutions. If you have any news of holiday guests please call or email me. Sunday night, near midnight, many people will be singing along with the famous recording by Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadian Orchestra playing Auld Lang Syne to ring out the old and 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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