January. The sun plays a cruel game of hide and seek. Many of our friends and neighbors don’t play her game, but rather they follow the lead of the migratory birds and escape to faraway lands where it’s summer in winter. Those that choose to stay a little closer to home venture to the mountains, hit local trails, perfect kale soup recipes and battle sourdough starter.

Ed Sussman and Dana Nunes packed their bags, hopped a jet or two and made their way to New Zealand for another winter adventure. It’s been a number of years now that they have escaped to their home away from home. They counted down the days until they left, but likely are not counting the days until their spring return — yet.

Brooks Carroll and Tegan Fenner have begun laying out their belongings, getting visas and travel insurance in order as their departure countdown is in the single digits. With surfboards and board shorts in tow, the two are headed back to Indonesia for the winter. Skipping 172 steps down to Padang Padang Beach in Uluwatu on the western shore of Bali will just feel so right. They, and a handful of friends, are the next generation of eternal adventurers and wanderlust seekers.

Latham and Gryphon Kurth are spending quite a bit of time in Vermont with their parents Ryan and Katy. The two are perfecting skills as they become avid skiers.

There are quite a few Chilmarkers who celebrate birthdays on Jan. 1 but only one of them observed sweet sixteen. Emily Boyd ate cake, adventured with friends and marked the momentous occasion a day late by taking 25-question learner’s permit test and passing. Yes folks, we have a new and cautious driver behind the wheel. I’ve witnessed her skill first hand and can attest to her hands being in the ideal placement of nine and tree. Yes, since the addition of airbags, ideal placement is no longer ten and two.

The Chilmark fire department rescue truck 121 rode the ferry and made the trip to Bulldog Fire Apparatus in Hopkinton for a few little tweaks to the system. Bulldog has been the leader in the fire and EMS industry since 1933.

Don’t forget that a Special Town Meeting has been posted for Monday, Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. at the Chilmark Community Center. There is one article on the ballot: “to see if the Town will vote to approve and authorize a lease of no less than 3,000 square feet of town owned land behind the Chilmark Elementary School” to enable the Chilmark Preschool to pursue construction of a two classroom structure.

Congratulations to Sonya Mayrand and Lewis Colby, who recently tied the knot. The Colbys were surrounded by an intimate gathering of family and friends, including their kiddos Clifton and Zinnia, as they exchanged vows overlooking the Gay Head Cliffs.

Although I haven’t seen the ring first hand, I have confirmation from multiple reliable sources that Sarah Allar and Scott Larsen have professed their intent to marry. I’m not certain how long their engagement is scheduled for, but I’m certain their marriage is going to be a bright and happy one.

I read a little blip on Grey Barn’s Instagram, noting that their stinky cheese Prufrock has been named a Good Food Award finalist by the Good Food Foundation. The foundation’s mission is, “...to celebrate, connect, empower and leverage the passionate and engaged, yet often overlooked, players in the food system who are driving towards tasty, authentic and responsible food in order to humanize and reform our American food culture.” Finalists were selected from more than 1,700 entries in multiple categories by blind taste tests and a whole bunch of vetting. Way to go, Glasgows and team.