Chilmark is enjoying some up-Island quiet this week. There are very few cars on the road, and even the bell buoy off Menemsha Beach is quiet, due to the ice build up I suspect. The surf is muted, too, not much surf and a frozen sand to fall on. Well, might as well enjoy the moment because they don’t get better for a while. It was 3 degrees plus this morning with lots of sunshine for the day and no snow forecast until midnight. Hopefully, many Chilmarkers are enjoying the school vacation in warmer climes. Others returned this week to the icebox that is Chilmark.

Andy Goldman and Susan Heibron returned to their Menemsha home after a vacation in California that featured a celebration of a significant birthday for Susan and a reunion with her sister, Barbara Greene, aunt Annette Drexler and cousins Danny and Gail Fliberto. While in California, Andy and Susan enjoyed visits with Eileen Kline and her husband Christian Heckscler — some will remember Eileen, who was a medical doctor on the Vineyard for awhile — and a reunion with their summer neighbors in Menemsha, Joel and Marcy Greenberg and their children.

The Chilmark fire chief is back on duty after an annual vacation on a warmer island.

We send best wishes with Barbara Rivers who traveled to Sarasota this week to join her daughter, Diane Rivers, at her home there. We hope her recuperation continues successfully.

Welcome home to Tara Larsen who is back from a month in Key West with her parents. She is back at her duties at Animal Health Care at the airport but wishing she could have brought back some warmth and sunshine.

I am sorry to report that Winkie Keith is undergoing some heavy medical treatments in Boston and will be home between treatments. We all wish her much success and will be happy to know when she is ready for visitors. The Keith’s daughter Lucy and her husband Thomas will be visiting Chilmark this week.

The soup suppers at the Chilmark Community Church are done for the season and the popular pizza nights will begin soon.

Lots of luck to Stanley Larsen who will add mussel farming to his many duties. He will continue to run the Menemsha Fish Market, the source of all that good chowder and the popular lobster rolls, among other seafood items. Best to call ahead at this time of year.

Josh Aronie and his crew keep the food truck working on weekdays in the parking lot of the Chilmark store. He is there midday for your luncheon dining. A nice treat for us up-Islanders!

This seems like a good week to look to the past for some thought-provoking information. In 1894, Chilmark spent $393.93 on those citizens referred to as the poor. This was for housing, medical expenses and clothing — all three were housed in town. The town spent a total of $634.46 to run three elementary schools. They were the Menemsha School, South School and Keephickon School. The total expended included cord wood and kindling as well as teachers’ salaries. Another number that always interests me is that there were 108 males who paid the $2 poll tax. They were the voters of the town in 1894. There was more to come!

Send your Chilmark news to: slaterjn@comcast.net.