Jennifer Tseng began her reading at Wednesday’s night’s Speakeasy benefit for the West Tisbury Library held at State Road restaurant with an apology for being morbid. Her poem, When You Are Gone, was in honor of Andrew Jephcote, a “beloved regular and friend” who leaves little found-object sculptures around the library.

Four members of the Martha’s Vineyard masters swim team traveled to the Boston University aquatics and athletic center for the 2011 New England short course metres swim championships in December. The meet saw several New England and national records set. Nearly 400 swimmers from all over the country competed. Leslie Craven and Les Cutler swam the 800-metre freestyle. Leslie was second in the women’s 50 to 54-year-old age group (11.07.29), while Les was third in the men’s 65 to 69-year-old age group (16:48.72).

MARGARET KNIGHT

508-627-8894

(margaret02539@yahoo.com)

Now that the holidays are over, the “crowds” have left and we have the Island to ourselves. It’s a quiet time of year and the Chappaquiddickers still here are settling in for the duration, getting out those indoor projects, big spy thrillers, 1,000 piece puzzles or just breathing a sigh of relief to have made it this far in the year. Or maybe they’re thinking about that trip to somewhere warm where not everything out the window is brown or gray.

JUNE D. MANNING

508-645-2574

(lthslnks2004@yahoo.com)

Lauded Elder Lawyer

Certified elder law attorney R.J. Connelly 3rd, a longtime seasonal resident of the Vineyard, has been awarded the Alliance for Better Long-Term Care’s Hero Award for his dedication to protecting elder rights.

Mr. Connelly has practiced elder law for more than 16 years and maintains offices in both Pawtucket, R.I. and Mystic, Conn. He is also certified to practice law in Massachusetts.

Welcome Pablo

Nicole DerManelian and Mark Begle of Vineyard Haven announce the birth of a son, Pablo Ganesh DerManelian Begle, born on Dec. 30, 2011 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Pablo weighed 9 pounds, .5 ounces at birth. Pablo is welcomed by big sister Arjuna Inez.

JOHN S. ALLEY

508-693-2950

(alleys@vineyard.net)

Well, December has gone into the record books as the third warmest ever recorded. The only snow was a few scattered flurries on two occasions. Last year this time we were dealing with several inches of snow that had stacked up and froze solid. I remember having to shovel snow to get to our car on New Year’s Day. We don’t have to wait for the January thaw as there isn’t any frost in the ground.

JANE N. SLATER

508-645-3378

slaterjn@comcast.net

The Ice Moon, the first full moon of the year, rises and dominates the eastern sky after sunset on Monday night. The moon is in the zodiacal constellation Gemini.

HOLLY NADLER

508-274-2329

(hollynadler@gmail.com)

Normally this is the time of the year when we make messes in our checkbooks, writing in the old year, then wondering how long it’s going to take to key the brain to the proper date. Not so this year: 2012 is so rich a figure, we’ve been virtually clomped over the head with it.