It has been like Siberia all week with record cold temperatures, wind chill and the danger of frost bite, making it a memorable experience for the start of 2018. The Mill Pond and Uncle Seth’s are frozen over. Many people are busy working at their New Year’s resolutions. The SSA is now operating on their winter schedule. Anita Botti and Paul Magid held their annual New Year’s Eve gathering of friends and neighbors; it was well attended and a good way to ring in the New Year.

Anna, Sam and I returned home last week from our annual Christmas adventure to Taunton and Providence. R.I. Sam and I shopped until we dropped while Anna targeted items she needed to fill out her list. We enjoyed a Christmas Eve dinner with her sister Nina and husband Dieter Pohl, and their son Nick Dieter did the cooking. Mary Fran Edge was present and she baked all the culinary delights. We had Christmas dinner at Nicole’s with the grandchildren: Robert, Henry, Eddie and Mark. Arsen’s mom Aida prepared most of the food and Aunt Nina and her family attended. We did catch the 7:30 p.m. boat on Tuesday and it was packed with folks returning from their holiday.

Hunter Moorman and Leslie Gray returned to their Panhandle Road home after a memorable Christmas vacation in Europe. They got back in time to enjoy the cold blast.

Sig Van Raan and his wife Susan Dickler of New York city were here for the holiday season. They had to cut their visit short do to the Arctic weather conditions.

Olivia Larsen, over at the library, reports that as we start the New Year there will be plenty of activates at the library. Friday at 3:30 p.m., tweens and teens are invited to Dumbledore’s Army, a monthly meeting of wizards and muggles to create, discuss and enjoy all things Harry Potter. It is open to ages 10 to 17, and 8 and 9 with a mature caregiver. Saturday at 4 p.m., the library will host a reception to honor the work of Bob Kimberly. Bob’s photography will be displayed in the community room throughout the month of January.

At 7 p.m., Basia Jaworska will give a talk titled Surviving the Madmen’s’ War. Basia will share her exploration into both of her parent’s wartime experiences during WWII in Poland. Both their teenage lives were upended by the 1939 Nazi and Soviet invasion.

On Monday at 7 p.m., the library will host its monthly Writers Read evening. This event features community members reading short original prose pieces. Both fiction and nonfiction readings are welcome. Each reader is allotted eight minutes to read. Sign up to read in advance by calling 508-693-4307 or just come and listen.

Happy Birthday to Dr. Michael Goldfein, Fred Murphy, Mike Jacobs and Lynne White Friday; Robert Hambardozian, Renee Bonnell and Mary Ann O’Connell Saturday; Ike Russell, Lila Griswold, Sam Hisler and Alexis Garcia-Holden on Sunday; Joanie Ames, Lila Griswald, Will Whiting, Sydney Blackmar and Oliver Becker on Monday; Joyce Capobianco, Ann Burt, Davis Solon, Jennifer McCann and Shuva Sellers on Tuesday; Johnny Hoy, Sam Arruda, Sara Whyte, Christina Reinhardsen, Jennifer Garcia, Annabelle Brothers, Steve Anshutz and Rose Campbell and David Gaskill, on Wednesday; Annabelle Brothers, Kern Grimes, Adam Petkus, Gay Nelson, Christa Fischer on Thursday.

Belated Anniversary greeting wishes to Manny and Jessica Estrella.

Well that is all of the social news for this week’s edition, the first in the New Year. Trivia facts you can use at the next party: Western Union delivered its final telegram 12 years ago this month, and 107 years ago Sunday the first picture from an airplane in this country was taken. Please call or email me with your news.

Send West Tisbury news to alleys@vineyard.net.