I guess her name was Izzy and she barreled up the eastern seaboard, wreaking havoc locally by churning up and raging the seas. She not only raised the water up over the docks in Menemsha but she tore up the entire south side.

At least one person decided to dance with Izzy. Brock Callen put on his storm-dancing shoes and raised his kite. Off he went into the raging waters, taking advantage of the wind and surf between Squibnocket and Stonewall. Before he set out I told him to have fun and be careful. I was pleased to see a personal flotation device around his waist and a friend spotting him from the shore. Kite surfing will never be my thing but, with a handful of others, I watched in awe.

Welcome home to Julie Flanders and her daughter Bella Thorpe. They have returned from a wonderful little excursion to the Hawaiian island of Kauai. Fresh fruit at breakfast, sunset beach strolls, strenuous hikes, reading and long talks filled with laughter were just what the doctor ordered.

While vacationing, Bella had a two-day adventure with a couple of fellow Chilmark chums, one of whom just so happens to be her cousin and my son Brooks. He and buddy Fynn Monahan took advantage of an opportunity to travel 5,000 miles for an 18-year old adventure of a lifetime. After a month of sightseeing, surfing, snorkeling and more that was, according to them, “epic“ on Maui, they decided to island hop for a couple of days and take in some sights with Bella. According to Julie, the three of them regressed to their elementary school behavior and were totally silly for the two days they were together.

Bella is on the verge of her 19th birthday — oh happy day on Jan. 24 — and preparing to return to her second semester at the University of Vermont. Vacation is in the past and it’s time to hit the books once again.

He may have been a down-Island guy but John “Duzza” McCarron worked for the Chilmark Police Department as a special officer since 2014. He was a regular figure who popped up in various town spots, quite often as a detail officer directing traffic around the many tree trimming or utility trucks that need to do work along our roadsides. He almost always was highly visible in that characteristic fluorescent yellow shirt or jacket, waving you around and quite often making the internationally-known “slow down” sign of raising his arms and pushing them down repeatedly. It didn’t seem to matter if you’d come to a complete stop or were going all of two miles per hour. He wanted you to go slower and, in turn, keep his detail as safe as humanly possible.

John died unexpectedly last week. His presence on earth will be sorely missed by many, including me. I’ll miss our regular chats over coffee and peanut M&Ms. He was a creature of habit who was kind, positive, curious and a pleasure to have known. He was laid to rest on Tuesday, Jan. 18 in Edgartown.

You may not have heard but Bruce Gray had gone missing- missing for nearly three months. Bruce is our former town tax collector, Polly McDowell’s son and stepson to Dennis Jason. Longtime Chilmark kid and friend Jessie Damroth created a Facebook group Help Find Bruce Gray and asked anyone who had been in touch with him since Nov. 9, 2021 to please contact Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police since he had last been seen on M Street NW. Positive thoughts and hopeful wishes went out to Bruce and the extended Gray, McDowell, Jason and Lehman families. After being missing for 70 days, Bruce Gray has been located. His presence allows all a sigh of relief, a moment to exhale and a reason to hug your loved ones.

A quick shout out goes to Jimmy Zisson who kindly emailed a great photo of Curly Carroll, Marshall’s grandfather. It is likely from October 1978 at the Demolition Derby. It’s amazing how a snapshot can prompt a flood of memories and stories of days gone by.