Thank you immensely to Katie Tamoshunas Carroll for acting as guest Aquinnah columnist in my absence. Katie certainly did a spectacular job and I am glad she was willing to fill in. Tuesday was a great time for me to start writing once again as it was Katie’s birthday and I felt she really needed to be celebrating with her family. The week before she and her husband Marshall celebrated their 20th anniversary. Not sure if they ever did renew their vows at the end of the Menemsha Texaco fuel dock that afternoon as planned. Oh well, a definite plan for their 25th.

Our sincerest condolences to the family and many friends of Trudy Taylor, who passed away at her Stonewall Pond home on Oct. 10. Trudy was the matriarch of her loving Taylor family of four generations. The Taylors moved to Aquinnah, or what was once Gay Head, in the early 1960s and purchased the adjoining property. After a few conversations between our father James and Trudy, the issue of the sheep roaming around was resolved amicably. Since that time, we have embraced each and every member of the Taylor family who still surround us in our neighborhood. Memorial services for Trudy were held on Wednesday at the Chilmark Community Center. She will be greatly missed.

Alexandra Taylor will be running on Team Red Cross in the New York City Marathon on Nov. 1. This is her second NYC marathon. On occasion you will find AT, as she is affectionately known, down by Morning Glory Farm or along the hills in Chilmark. She still needs a few more donations to fulfill her ambitious pledge for the Red Cross. Run, AT, run !

Molly Purves Langer is enrolled at Lesley University this semester while pursuing a degree in speech and drama language therapy. We will miss her around town for a while this winter.

Rodeo Purves-Langer and Noah Manning are members of the flag football team that plays on Sundays at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School.

Welcome to Olivia Larsen, the new Aquinnah Public Library director, daughter of John and Susan Larsen. Stop in to welcome Olivia and view the new books and movies. Of note, Angela Waldron is also assisting at the library. On Tuesday afternoons from 4 to 5 p.m. the young ones are invited to participate in the After School Club and Homework Club.

Tribal elders met for lunch at Magoni’s in Somerset for their once-a-month elders’ luncheon, under the guidance of human services director Bonnie Chalifoux.

Congratulations to Kristina Ann Kestenbaum Williams Hook Leslie, who was a second runner up in the annual Wild Food Challenge. Kristina prepared a locally caught (by Stanley Larsen of Menemsha Fish Market) conch salad with local wild vegetables and herbs. She is hoping for a new mallet for Christmas.

Congratulations to the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School class of 1970 as they celebrated their 45th reunion over the weekend. Kenny Ivory was the emcee for the weekend. I had a wonderful morning visiting with my sister in law Salley Henley Rose Aranjo and Wendy White Stone at the lovely home of Barbara Magnuson Phillips. The half-hour gathering turned into nearly four hours of laughter, genealogy, family history, and reminiscing. Till next time!

Chilmark Chocolates is open. Stop by for your Halloween candies over the weekend and stock up for Thanksgiving while you are there.

The Aquinnah children will be celebrating Halloween Friday evening at the Tribal building beginning at 6 p.m. Prizes, mazes, pumpkins, etc. This will allow all the children to go out trick-or-treating on Saturday night. Beware of things that may go bump in the night.

Anyway, I spent a wonderful summer in Chilmark. Had one of the best jobs in the world with a very professional group of co-workers and overseers. Only one customer complained about my age factor and recommended hiring someone younger. Even at this advanced age, I was capable of learning several new computer programs to complete the tasks on a daily basis. Hmm . . . And after assisting more than 2,000 customers, only one complaint. It was a pleasure meeting so many new faces and families, renewing friendships of many generations, and connecting faces with names.

In June 1993 I started writing this column. It is read worldwide and by many across the country. My greatest audience I have learned are elders (you know, those in my age category and above). In Aquinnah Wampanoag terms that is anyone age 55 and above. The same rings true for our Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living clients. Some places require those age 60 or 65 to be considered. Over the weekend, I had been questioned by a reader from Alabama and then I knew it was time to write once more as my column was truly missed. At some point, though, there will come a day when I must retire.

Now to catch up on a few celebrations. James and Melissa Mahoney celebrated their 13th anniversary on the 19th. Chris and Kendra Buresch Carroll celebrated their 15th anniversary. Shaun MacPhail and Alexandra Taylor celebrated their 11th anniversary. Charlie and his bride Stevie Kernick celebrated their 5th anniversary on a trip to the Southwest.

Forrest Alley recently celebrated his birthday. Tillie Taylor and Abel Rutkowski both turned three years old on Oct. 17. Neal Maciel partied on the 18th, sharing the day with Darlene Pachico. Barbara Gentry celebrated on the 21st. Jenna Petersiel partied and partied from the 22nd on. Christopher Belain partied on the 23rd. Curtis Langer celebrated this week. Isaac Taylor partied on Oct. 25. Oct. 27 was a day of celebration for Katie Tamoshunas Carroll, Patty Rossi, Amy Rogers Smith, and Paul Henry Mayhew, who happened to go off-Island this week — to Chappy. Waylon Sauer is now nine years old, having partied on the 28th. Captain William Diamond Vanderhoop Jr., aka Captain Buddy, observes a milestone on the 29th. Tate Buchwald is now 11 years old. Arlen Roth celebrates Oct. 30.

Send Aquinnah news to junemanning152@gmail.com.