Chilmark looked good to me last week when Dianne Smith and I returned from a mind-blowing trip to Budapest and back. We enjoyed a river cruise on the Danube from Passau, Germany, to Budapest, Hungary. Their spring weather was in advance of ours but we were in time to enjoy the vast daffodil displays and the pretty plantings that lined almost every roadway and castle courtyard! Interesting also was seeing some old civilizations with new names like the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Both appeared to be thriving countries thanks to international trade and a generation of loyal young people who were very welcoming to tourists.

And, as you would expect from me, I spent many hours looking for the Chilmark connection, or at least, a Martha’s Vineyard connection. No Black Dog shirts, no references to local celebrities...well, maybe a Bill Murray poster in Budapest...but I was running out of time until the next to last day, when the hotel warned us of a planned student protest happening in front of our doors. The students were protesting the threatened closing of their university by the state. The university was feared to be too liberal. I asked for the name of the university and was surprised to learn that it was founded by George Soros. So there it was, my Chilmark connection. Mr. Soros is a Chilmark seasonal visitor and his son Robert is a landowner in town. Cheers to them for supporting higher education in a land so far away, the land of George Soros’ birth, and let’s hope that the proposed closing doesn’t happen.

Many thanks to Katie Carroll for writing such interesting columns for Chilmark while I was away. Chilmark is lucky to have such a good writer and reporter situated in the center of all news, Squid Row!

The Easter and Passover weekend brought lots of homeowners and visitors to town and the good weather added to the holiday atmosphere. The fishermen are busy, boats and lobster pots are going in the water and, on land, the usual new shingles are appearing.

Josh Aronie will continue serving up lunches from his truck at the Home Port parking lot until May 1.

This is the last week of activities at the Pathways at the Tavern.

The Chilmark Community Church continues to offer pizza suppers at the church on Tuesdays at 6 p.m. All are welcome.

We were sorry to hear that Warren and Nan Doty lost their pet goat, Caramel, who died this week. She had been a member of their family for 10 years. We all know the pain of losing a pet and we send them heartfelt thoughts.

John Flender, chairman of the Chilmark Cemetery Commission, tells us that Don Leopold of Meeting House Road will be a write in candidate for the commission at the town election on April 26. Polls will be open from noon to 8 p.m. at the Chilmark Community Center.

Remember to plan to attend the annual town meeting on April 24 at the community center at 7:30 p.m. You can read the warrant online to be prepared to vote.

The members of the Methodist Church on Martha’s Vineyard are participating in a project called Little Dresses for Africa. Volunteers are making cotton dresses for girls and shorts for boys. Patterns are available by calling Jean Wunsch. Harriette Otteson is a Chilmark volunteer and she will welcome your call if you want to learn about and join in the project.

The Chilmark library will continue its popular series of lectures about mid-modern architecture with the next lecture on April 26 at 5 p.m. David Fixler will speak on Building the Future, Modern Architecture in New England and America. This is a lively subject and arriving early is a good idea.

Chilmark schoolteachers Jill Rosenkranz and Eleanor Neubert are retiring at the end of this school year. The Chilmark PTO is asking us for pictures, notes, letters, and memorabilia of all sorts to include in a book of memories being prepared for them. The PTO co-chairs overseeing this project, Meg Athearn and Kendra Buresch, will be happy to answer questions. All materials can be scanned and returned. Please email them at rosenkranzandneubert@gmail.com for more details. Materials are needed by May 5. We will take this opportunity to thank these teachers for the invaluable job they have done for our Chilmark young over many years. Cheers for a long and happy retirement!

Send Chilmark news to slaterjn@comcast.net.