While working the other day, we were talking about how the weather was cool, then warm, then back to downright cold, and now it was back to flip flops and T-shirts while watering the plants that were dry from all this activity. One of the new employees very innocently looked at me and asked if this is what we called Indian summer? I kind of wanted to laugh but realized that she was serious, and I explained that it happened in the fall and that we were just living a typical New England spring.

Happy birthday to all who celebrated their day this past week. Big balloons go out to Ester Alves, Emily Freeman, Caroline Hurley, Alexis Lavigne and Ana Ribeiro, who all celebrated April 25; Adriana Young, April 26; Christopher Marcal, April 27; Samuel Resto, Mathew Riberio, Paige Smith, April 28; Ella Blodgett and Clara Rabeni, April 29; and to Ariel Meyer, who celebrates her day April 30.

I always like to give positive news towards young people as there are only sad things in the news about them or negative, so when I was telling my friend Beth about this she told me it was something for my column.

One of the Brazilian ladies, Sandra, who I have worked with since I started at Donaroma’s 10 years ago, has two sons. They come to all the events and when they were younger, her oldest John would come and watch us set up my Department 51 village for the Christmas in Edgartown weekend. Ralph and John bonded on those nights and after the villages were all set up I would have John find all the little details that were in the village. He and Ralph would look for them and laugh and talk.

So a few weeks ago, Sandra was telling me that John was going to be a youth volunteer fireman because he wanted to do something to help people. Ralph passed away three years ago and I have been holding on to things that I knew someday would belong to the right person. I had his 222 jacket, which was the truck he was on, that he only wore if we went off-Island or going out here. So I immediately knew this jacket needed to go to John.

Sandra was very excited and when she told John he was beyond excited. He was away when Sandra told him about the jacket, and within the next few hours I received this text:

“Hey Kathie, I wanted to thank you for giving me the honor to wear Ralph’s jacket. It is my pleasure to represent him, and continue his legacy with the department. I am proud to wear this jacket.”

Needless to say I had tears in my eyes when I read this but it also made me smile to think a 17-year-old young man would take the time to write this note. It also made me happy to know I gave the jacket to the right person.

Have a great week and keep the home candles burning.

Send Edgartown news to kathleencase@comcast.net.