Our town picnic, rained out two years in a row. At least the Tisbury school kids were able to have their memorial March to the Sea on Friday. Rains and wind rerouted some boats last weekend as well. Hoping to get a handle on this weather soon.

In the time of weddings, graduations, first communions and such I would like to shout out to a family very close to me, and to any of you if you are Patriots fans. Angel Pinto, one of my friends in Patriots Fans Forever, is twice blessed this June. Her two sons have done her proud! Kristian Pinto is graduating from his high school with a perfect grade average. Her son Jaydien received the outstanding achievement award for technology applications from Atkins Middle School for this past school year. Angel is frantically but lovingly planning a big reception for these stunning students. That’s the way to go,Young Men.

What is going on is like Bizarro World. I frankly am not comfortable. If the news from Washington D.C., if the blatant racism and misogyny in several parts of our country are getting you down, I urge you to find where you can participate in a March for Truth on Saturday June 3. Not everyone can get to Washington. But like-minded people will hold sister marches all over. Join us.

Our library moves on with many events. You are invited to a reception from 6 to 7 p.m. on June 6, marking the opening of the exhibit by the Photography Club of the annual art group. Works will be displayed from our enthusiastic photographers. The exhibit will close on June 16. Stop by.

The library offers an informal conversational Brazilian Portuguese conversation group on Saturday, June 3 at 3:30 p.m. This is an excellent opportunity for beginners and intermediates to work on their language skills. It will be facilitated by a native speaker who is volunteering to help us. Learning languages is my favorite course of study.

I am giving you notice on two events mid-month because I want you to mark your calendars. Doris Clark informs me that there will be a document shredding day on the campus of our high school on Saturday, June 17 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cost is $15 cash for every six bags or boxes of documents. Trust me. You will feel so much better.

Ah, but the night before the document shredding is the best night of all. We English majors wait a whole year for this event. John Crelan, he with the loyalty to all the works of James Joyce, presents his 39th Bloomsday celebration at the Katharine Cornell Theater. Tickets may be purchased at the door. Some of your finest friends and neighbors will be performing. Make no mistake, this is a performance, not just a reading. I shall never forget how much it meant to me when I was too sick to attend one year. I had a doctor’s appointment with Gerry Yukevich the next day. He is one of our greatest actors. When I told him I missed the performance he exited the exam room to check on something, then reappeared at the door performing his lines from the night before. I love our Island and its denizens.

I’ll tell you someone who attended every Bloomsday event she could. An avid reader, a most cultured classy lady with an irrevocable glint of mischief in her eye, my dear friend Margery Louise Howes would attend with our neighborhood friend Christine Paffendorf. The saddest thing I have to write, and I was too upset to write it last week, our dear Marge died at her home in New Canaan, Conn. a week ago Sunday. She was the light of Lenny’s Loop, she was the Hostess with the Mostest. Made Perle Mesta look like a dilettante. You young ‘uns will have to look Perle Mesta up! Marge was kind, caring, loving, and giving. She fed us, she listened, she helped, and she was never unwilling to partake in a new adventure or anything that involved being with children. She enjoyed dogs, cats, kids, music, art, our artisan festivals on Island in summer, and stood by me through many emergencies. Ah, she was a reader, like lovely Wanda Denton across the street, and we had a rotating book club for many years where shopping bags of fascinating books were delivered up and down the street.

There will be a service for Marge at the New Canaan Congregational Church on Saturday, June 10. I am hoping we will also remember her on Island later in the summer when the gang is back. Our condolences to her husband, Paul, her children, grandchildren,and the many friends who had the pleasure to know her.

The birthday bandwagon pulls along Anna Nivala, Robbie Hale, and Louisa Leuning on June 2. June 3 is a party for Myra Stark, Chaya Rubenstein, Taylor Pierce, Justin Smith, Bill Blakesley, Sarah Lolley, Arthur Battistini, and Raiver da Costa. June 4 shines on Arthur Lenna, Ben Crisman, Peggy Tileston, and Josh Kochin. June 5 is for Margie Meltzer. June 6 is claimed by Denise Searle. June 7 smiles on Grace Murphy. And on June 8 Wendy Fitting, Marshall Cole Pratt, Miles Gross, and David Alan Friedman take the cake. Many happy returns.

Send Vineyard Haven news to iklean@yahoo.com.