Well last weekend felt like summer had finally arrived. The ballfields and tennis courts were busy. Short sleeves and shorts were the preferred dress of the day.

Anna Alley, of State Road, drove up to Warwick, N.Y. to visit her brother and his wife and see their new house and down to Providence, R.I. to visit her sister Nina and her husband Dieter. She also visited Denise Mount and her husband Don, in Canton, Conn. on the way back. She returned home on Tuesday. Don and Marcia Klepper Smith, of Old County Road, are back in town and report that they spent some time in Florida this winter with their granddaughter, Brynn, who turned five on May 4.

Dick and Diana Reiche, of Wilton, Conn., spent the weekend opening up their home. Dick is expecting an onslaught of visitors beginning Memorial Day weekend.

Emily Gadd, of Bosman, Mont., arrived on Thursday to spend the summer at her Vineyard home on South Road. She is busy preparing to plant her garden that yields a bountiful supply of vegetables each year. She reports that she is sure she has brought the warm weather with her. Welcome back Emily.

Warren and Marilyn Hollinshead, of Pond View Farm Road, returned home last week from a two week trip to England. Warren hopes that his invitation to the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry arrives shortly as he has already made reservations.

Sig Van Raan reports that he is delighted and his wife is Susan deliriously happy to announce the birth of a grandbaby, Benjamin William, born to daughter, Willie and son in law, Mike, in Baltimore this past week. They were both there for the birth but Susan is staying in Baltimore for the month to help out while Sig is back on the Vineyard tending to house and garden.

Tara Whiting, town clerk, reports that there will be a special election on June 14 (Flag Day) from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. She also has absentee ballots for those who need them. The last day to register to vote is May 25 by 8 p.m. It is a one-question ballot: Shall the town vote to have its elected Tax Collector become an appointed Treasurer/Collector of the town?

The origin of Mother’s Day can be traced back to Roman times. Closer to home, in 1912, West Virginia became the first state to officially recognize Mother’s Day, and 103 years ago President Woodrow Wilson signed it into national observance, declaring the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. It is her day so take her to lunch, cook her dinner and do all the chores she has been asking you to do.

Seventy seven years ago Wednesday night people gathered around their radio set in their living room to listen to President Franklin D. Roosevelt hold a fireside chat announcing that he had proclaimed an unlimited national emergency due to Germany’s sinking of the unarmed merchant steam ship Robin Moor outside of the war zone near Brazil. He has also begun the process of guiding this country to secure a strategic interest in the Azores as it was believed those islands could present a serious threat to the Americas if it fell into German hands. They had recently purchased a building to serve as an embassy on the island of Faial. Other than sending “Bundles for Brittan” we didn’t think much about it that summer but the clouds of war were forming.

On May 24, 1946 The Grange announced that at their next meeting they would observe Children’s Night commencing at 7:30 p.m. on the second floor of the Agricultural Hall. All children in town were invited and those of all Grange members as well. Refreshments were served by Lillian Magnuson, Alma Benson and Helen O’Donnell. Also a penny sale was held at the home of George and Lillian Magnuson, sponsored by the home and community service committee of the Grange. The proceeds of the sale were given to the parsonage repair fund.

Happy birthday to Bruce Smith, Shane Fisher and Allison Stearns Friday; Daniel Benedetto, Brenda Galligan, Beverly Mazza and Liza Williamson Saturday; Rufus Peebles, Martha Hubbell, Edmund Cottle III and Janice Paul on Sunday; Brendon O’Neill, Susan Hopkins, Kitty Murphy, Bill Eville and Jason Napior on Monday; Kristin Hall, Julie Meiling, Linda Gifford Skladzien and Everett Whiting on Tuesday; Muriel Bye, Robert Kimberly, James Osmundsen, Lucy Cox and James Taylor on Wednesday; Mary Sage Napolitan, Donna Goldfein, Lee Philabosian and Eric Bates on Thursday. A happy 35th wedding anniversary to David and Eleanor Stanwood on Sunday and Deb and Ron Kokernak on Monday.

Well that is all of the social news for this week’s edition. A trivia note: on Monday in 1942 gasoline rationing was imposed by the Federal Government on motorists using their car for a non essential nature. They were limited to purchasing just three gallons a week.

If you have any news please call or email me. Happy Mother’s Day!

Send West Tisbury news to alleys@vineyard.net.