When I think of Sheldon, what always comes first to mind is what a nice man he was. He was the epitome of masculine niceness, the kind of person we call a “true gentleman.” And of course he had that Southern accent and gracious manners, which made him all the more charming. He was attentive, friendly, humorous and courteous. That he was smart and well-informed was just a bonus.

Betsy Bell Baliunas was always intimidated to walk into the Box. The name didn’t help either. The Box didn’t look like your normal gym, Ms. Baliunas recalled. “Where are the machines? There are no machines. There’s a rope — what am I going to do with that?” she wondered.

Oct. 29 marks the one-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy. Had she headed 200 miles farther north of her Atlantic City-area landfall and then taken a left, we’d still be dealing with the havoc left in her wake.

I love fall, from the beautiful weather to the change in routines, with schedules a little more ordered and the kids back in school. But with back to school also comes the annual school lunch challenge. Parents and kids have a choice: buy lunch in school or pack a homemade lunch.

I was 15 minutes late to the Allen Farm this morning. It was cold and getting out of bed felt like torture.

Ever since we had to put down our beloved dog last February, I have lost the will to exercise. Floyd, our yellow lab, was my physical fitness program as well as my religion.

Walkabout at Sea Level

From the Sept. 16, 1920 edition of the Vineyard Gazette, by David M. Cheney:

Let my Vineyard friends give me their attention: a brief lesson in geography.

Locate on your map Kapawack.

And when you have found that small enclosure of the earth’s crust, see if you can find Strauney.

The reign of the water queen is coming to an end.

We were packing to leave for a trip to Maine on Sept. 14 to visit old Vineyard friends and attend a wedding. Our backpacks were on the kitchen table and I had just filled the hummingbird feeder. One of the juvenile ruby-throated hummingbirds flew up to the kitchen window, hovered for a few seconds and then flew off. That was the last time we saw our hummingbirds.

Family scalloping begins in Edgartown Oct. 1. In Oak Bluffs Sengekontacket Pond opens Oct. 12 for family scallopers. In both towns the forecast for the season is fair.