Well it sure has been like a ghost town all week, mainly because of the schools’ winter vacation. People left Dodge for a warmer climate while others have gone up north to ski. As we head into March on Tuesday we celebrate National Pig Day. Daylight Saving Time is about two weeks away and spring begins on March 20. After this week’s unpleasant weather old timers will tell you that the back of winter has been broken.

The big news from my family is that our daughter Nicole gave birth to twin boys last Friday shortly after noon at the South Shore Hospital. Mother and the twins are doing fine. Everybody is helping out: Dad, Grandpa, Grandma, Sam and the twins’ brothers Robbie and Henry. They all came home from the hospital on Tuesday. I went up last Thursday and returned Monday afternoon; as of this writing no names had been selected.

Hunter Moorman and Leslie Gray have just returned from a week in Southern California (Hunter quickly points out that the temperature was in the 80s!), where they joined in the celebration of Brin Rosenthal’s wedding to Tom Weber in San Diego. They enjoyed a leisurely drive up the coast to Santa Barbara for a few nights, and returned to San Diego to visit with Drs. Sara Rosenthal and Julie Prazich.

On Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. the town will take part in the statewide presidential primary. The voting will take place over at the Public Safety Building in North Tisbury across the road from Conroy. You may vote absentee until Monday noon at the town hall. Call Tara Whiting, town clerk, at your earliest convenience.

Amy Hoff, over at the library, reports that the paintings of Doug Kent will be on display during the month of March. A closing reception will be held in his honor on Saturday, March 26 at 4 p.m.. The library has been hosting Sunday Afternoon Jazz presented by Eric Johnson from 4 to 5 p.m. every Sunday this month. They would like to extend a special thank you to the West Tisbury Library Foundation and Friends of the Library for their generous support. The final program in the series this Sunday will feature the Eric Johnson trio.

A historic note: an uneasiness felt by some citizens about the ownership of the town clock surfaced at the 1926 annual town meeting. William J. Rotch, chairman of the board of selectmen, was asked to conduct an investigation into the ownership of the clock, and on March 7 he issued the following report. The church acquired the clock in 1895, and it was inspired by Hannah Look. In her will dated Dec. 1, 1875, she left $200 to the Congregational Society “to be used in placing a suitable clock in the steeple or belfry with face and hands outside” in memory of her husband David Look.

By 1893 the money had doubled and there was community interest in acquiring a clock. Special suppers were given to raise money, though one gentleman reported he lost interest as he had “too much chowder too many times.” Chain letters were sent out to collect sums from 10 cents to $5. A special issue of the Sea Gull, a newspaper published by the church ladies, was published for the summer of 1895. The success was great enough not only to make the clock possible, but also a new bell, which corresponded with the clock machinery. No wonder it is known as the town clock. In 1926, the cost of winding and oiling the clock was about $20 a year. Half was paid by the church and the other half by public subscription. If the town could not continue to pay, Mr. Rotch said he would see that the public share of the upkeep would be provided rather than lose the clock. Many other people were of the same opinion.

Happy birthday to: Katherine Athearn, Irving Katz, Mason Fischer and Natasha Taylor Friday; Kevin McFarland, Kathryn Sullivan, Gene Bergeron and Shawn Emin Saturday; Tom Thatcher, Susan Goldstein and George Brush on Sunday; Sam Alley on Monday, Susan Phelps, Henry Geller and Anna Christensen on Tuesday; Josh Emin, David Fielder, and Greg Drake on Wednesday, and Roger T. Sylvia, Tom Church, Francine Fischer and Celeste Bailey on Thursday. Belated birthday wishes to Joanne Peterson and Dennis Jason.

Well that is all of the social news for this week. I don’t want to miss the news about your vacation so please call or e-mail me with details. Have a great week.

Send West Tisbury news to alleys@vineyard.net.