With the fair in full swing, it is hard to believe our summer season is fast becoming history. It seems that everyone is entertaining house guests plus going to the fair and, of course, the fireworks on Friday.

The traffic has been a nightmare. It seems that everywhere you go it has been flat-out awful. The July weather figures are now history – it was the third warmest and driest on record. Ah, by next Wednesday, alas, the fair will be but a memory as most all the trucks, tents and carnival equipment will leave on Monday.

College students, summer visitors and their children have begun filling the boats every day but this time going in the opposite direction. Many public schools in western Massachusetts and other states will open before the end of the month. It will be evident next weekend that the seasonal exodus will be well underway. Long lines of people and cars leaving the Steamship Authority docks have been a daily occurrence since last Sunday. We are again reminded of the late Howard Andrew’s famous bumper sticker “Pray for September” as it is just two weeks until Labor Day, the unofficial end of the summer season.

Emily Gadd of South Road has had her usual busy summer and is tending to her garden with great care. It has responded by producing a bountiful amount of vegetables. In addition to swimming almost daily at the beach, she is also an avid fisherman.

Denise Mount and her husband Don Evon, of Canton, Conn., and their friend Tom Majeski of Charlestown were our house guests last week. The weather was great and they found time to enjoy the beach every day. We used our grill and back deck extensively. We did dine out at the Grill. As usual, it was an eventful visit.

Phyllis Meras of Music street returns home today after a business trip down to New York city.

Bob Luskin of Edgartown Road reports that he and his wife Charlotte Fallon returned home yesterday. They spent a week in southern France – a gift from his son Peter.

Lynne Christophers of Edgartown Road returned home yesterday from a business trip to New York and New Jersey.

Bob and Diantha Eisendrath have been spending August at their Middle Road home. They have had lots of family guests and are enjoying it.

Amy Coffey is the new fair manager. The theme for the 157th annual fair is Old Traditions For a New Generation. She invites all of you to visit the many exhibits, carnival, to meet old friends and enjoy the festivities.

Tara Whiting, town clerk, reports that absentee ballots for the September primary are available if you will be unable vote in the primary on the 4th. Please contact her at the town hall during normal business hours at 696-0148 to make arrangements to vote absentee.

Olivia Larsen, over at the library, reports that on Tuesday at 4 p.m., poet Donald Nitchie will lead a Poetry Drop-in Workshop and on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m., author Susan Suleiman will give a presentation titled Budapest Revisited: The View from 2018.

Happy birthday to: Sarah Murphy, Michelle Myers and Justine Hull Friday; Gerry DeBlois, Christine Napolitan and Elena Botnari Saturday; Joe Uva, Eli Berlow and Jennifer Sepanara on Sunday; Bruce Marshard, Maureen Hall, Morgan Taylor, Debra Polucci and Robert Francis on Monday; Amelia Kauffman, Susie Millett Boaas, Lynn Ditchfield, Jen Zern, Tim Gregory on Tuesday; Chelsea Pennebaker, Elizabeth Orcutt, Henry Yager and Jessica Francis on Wednesday; Judith Morse, Amy Upton, Mo Bresnahan, Bill Tsikitas and Lindsay Webster on Thursday. Belated birthday wishes to Colleen Morris.

Well, that is all of the social news for this week’s edition. Our trivia question this week is 77 years old today. National League umpire Jocko Conlan ejected Pirates manager, Frankie Frisch. He was later fined $50 for coming out on the field holding an umbrella to protest the soggy playing conditions during the second game of a doubleheader at Brooklyn’s Ebbets Field. The rainy day argument was later portrayed in a painting by which famous artist?

West Tisbury town news can be sent to alleys@vineyard.net.