My husband Ronnee just turned 80 years old. We wondered how our fire department knew about that because two very fine firemen arrived at our door on Saturday bearing a large basket of Thanksgiving goodies, including a huge fat frozen turkey. It was truly magic! It was the nicest surprise we could have received. Thank you, West Tisbury fire department! You are the best.

Ronnee and Heidi Schultz
West Tisbury

Can you say Brrrrr? Sunday’s weather definitely drew our attention to the beginning of winter. Of course Monday was cold but the wind was not as bad and the cold did not go through you. But next week the Christmas carols start and at least it will feel like Christmas.

Dogs, dogs, dogs . . . those lucky enough to have one sitting at their feet as they read this must feel grateful for the presence of this ideal companion. Maybe because Islanders treasure their dogs, they are only surrendered to the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard through a drastic change in the life circumstances of the owners.

By the time you read this (and by “you,” I mean the 12 people who read my column), you will have already given all your thanks, and will busy doing things that you may not be as thankful for anymore. But allow me to give my Chappy thanks anyway.

By the time those Pilgrims landed and celebrated Thanksgiving at Plymouth back in 1621, Oak Bluffs still belonged to the original people who called it Ogkeshkuppe, part of the Nunnepog Sachemship (or tribe). Back then the 3,000 original people called Martha’s Vineyard “Noe-ope” (Noepe).

Kaitlyn L. Maciel and Ryan P. Kurth were married Nov. 9 on the north shore of the Vineyard. The bridegroom’s childhood friend Sam Griswold performed the ceremony.

Kaitlyn is the daughter of Heather and Vincent Maciel of West Tisbury, and Ryan is the son of Anne and the late Jeffrey Paul Kurth of Chilmark.

Dylan and Nili Beth (Goldstein) Morgan were married Sunday, Nov. 10 at the home of the bride’s parents, Susan and Sherman Goldstein, on Lambert’s Cove in West Tisbury. Following a welcome address by Josh Goldstein, family friend Stan Hersh conducted the service. The chuppah, the traditional Jewish wedding canopy, was held by the couple’s close friends Katherine Stackpole, Cali Coutts, Brad Rothwell and the groom’s brother, John Morgan.

Well, we had quite the storm on Sunday with lots of heavy wind forcing boat cancellations, a brief power outage and bone-chilling temperatures. We sat in awe as the Patriots defeated the Denver Broncos in what has been billed as the game of the year.

Chilmark is ready for the turkey . . . in fact, many live turkeys are wandering around our roads and yards. They are unaware of the fate of their fatter kin. Just as well. By the time you read this you will be down to the sandwich and the pot pie.

Visitors to the Simon Gallery in Vineyard Haven often scan the walls covered with famous singers and activists and make some version of the following remark: “Wow, you’ve got all these pictures with all these interesting people in them, you must have amazing stories.”