JOHN S. ALLEY
508-693-2950
Well, last weekend we enjoyed seasonable weather and some rain. The holiday spirit and parties are popping up all around us. Fire Chief Manuel Estrella of Indian Hill Road reports that the holiday lights were put on the tree at the Old County and State Road intersection recently. It will be lit each night until the New Year.
Marjorie Peirce Irving reports that the First Congregational Church Christmas Faire will be held tomorrow from 9:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. They have handmade wreaths, table decorations, vintage jewelry, baked goods, their own jams, and fair trade gift baskets will be available for sale. Lunch will be available beginning at 11:30 a.m. Also, they will have their 5th annual Fair Trade Mission Table in the church parish hall.
My wife Anna and son Sam cooked a birthday dinner for me Tuesday night. I received over 75 local, national and international well wishes via Facebook, not including several telephone calls and e-cards. It was a bit overwhelming but much appreciated!
Leon and Brenda Brathwaite of Vineyard Meadow Farms celebrated Thanksgiving with dear friends Mariann and Mike Nogrady from Newton, daughter Liz from Westchester, and Mimi and Tucker Drummond from Ashland and Keith Farm, Chilmark. The following morning, the Brathwaites hosted a “meet and greet” with attorney general and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Martha Coakley, who was visiting her sister for the Thanksgiving holiday. Ms. Coakley told the gathering of civic and community activists that Martha’s Vineyard was one of her favorite places.
Katherine Long of Panhandle Road invites you to her 35th annual Winter Solstice party on Sunday, Dec, 15 from noon until 6 p.m. All ages are welcome. Their party has become one of the highlights of everyone’s holiday season. Katherine’s Texas chili is an extra special treat and you haven’t lived until you have tasted it. She says come when you can and leave when you must, just don’t bring your dog along!
Kim Heath requests that you join the sixth graders — aka Santa’s elves — for a festive fundraiser this weekend at Middletown Nursery. On sale will be Christmas trees, wreaths and garlands to benefit the sixth graders’ future England exchange trip. They will also be selling purple fleece MV throw blankets, baked goods and warm drinks. The fun starts today from 3 to 6 p.m, and continues tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Janet Bank reports that the town holiday party will be on Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Agricultural Hall. Please bring a dish to share. Families are encouraged to come and share the music, food and to meet your neighbors.
Linda Alley reports that there will be a Winter Farmer’s Market tomorrow from 10 a.m. till 1 p.m. at the Agricultural Hall. Time to start thinking about and buying holiday gifts ... great ideas from Flat Point Farm, New Lane Sundries, Breezy Pines Farm, Vineyard Herb and Apothecary, just to name a few.
Patricia Cliggott welcomes all of you to her home on Indian Hill to celebrate this season with clothing, crystal, jewelry and edible gifts, and to find local treasures. Join her for tea and plenty of joy. A portion of the proceeds will fund efforts to end domestic violence and support our community. Her home is open Saturdays and Sundays in December from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Hanukkah — the eight-day festival of lights — began on Thanksgiving evening. Coming at the onset of winter, it celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, purity over contamination and spirituality over materialism.
The History Channel reminds us that President Roosevelt and Secretary of State Cordell Hull knew a Japanese attack was imminent 71 years ago today. They had received intelligence reports of intercepted coded messages from Tokyo to the Japanese ambassador in the United States about an imminent attack. However, they did not know where or when it would happen.
It was quiet and chilly that fateful Sunday in this town. Frank Adams on Music street had started his coal furnace for the first time since March. Donaldson’s Garage was about to receive its monthly shipment of gasoline from the Mobil terminal in Vineyard Haven on Monday morning. S.M. Mayhew Co. had closed at noon. Antone Campbell, Harry Athearn and Johnson Whiting were preparing to milk their cows later in the afternoon. Most folks in town had returned home from church services and Sunday dinner had been served. Many families had cut a proper Christmas tree and had prepared their parlors to receive guests that afternoon. The most popular song of the day was Glenn Miller’s Chattanooga Choo Choo and it was just 17 days until Christmas and the Sears and Roebuck Christmas book had some serious use. The attack was announced over CBS radio by John Charles Daly at about 2:30 p.m., and as evening fell, people kept their radios on to learn more news from Pearl Harbor. Plans were made for the president to address Congress the next day shortly after noontime to declare war on Japan. The school would hold a special assembly at noon so the students could listen to his address to the nation over the radio.
Happy birthday to Sarah Vail, Robert Hennessey, Elizabeth Dowd and Grace Murphy today; Christopher Cini, Jane Sobel and Joel Anthony tomorrow; Sam Mason, Ellen Pesch and Emily Smith on Monday; Kansas Brew, Karen Colaneri, Ginny Bardwell Jones, Galen Brew, Ellen Weiss and Dana Rezendes on Tuesday; John Sonia, Deborah Pigeon, Prudence Fisher and Boris Yanez-Veiasco on Wednesday; and Alan Reekie, Linda Baughman, Brian Bilsback, Frank Sinatra, Donald Gosselin and John Thurber on Thursday. Belated birthday wishes to Bob Bunch, Polly Renear, Avi Lev, Ronni Simon, Grace S. Batesole and Laurel Wilkinson.
Well, that is all of the social news for this week’s edition. If you have any news, please call or email me. Have a great week.
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