Happy belated birthday to Harold Zadeh, who turned 65 on March 26. Sadly, that day also marks his retirement from firefighting duty in the Edgartown Fire Department. Harold has been a firefighter for nearly a quarter of a century, and for the last eight years served as the Lieutenant of Chappy’s Fire Pumper #3.

I need to do some repairs under the ferry ramp on the Edgartown side. The recent run of extremely low tides and then the four-day northeaster have caused scouring beneath the retaining wall that separates Dock street from the ferry slip. In order to get the repairs done in one day, we need to start early and work late.

The school vacation week in February and the few days before and after seems to be the very quietest time for the Chappy Ferry as well as for the rest of the Vineyard. This is as close as we get to the “dead of winter.” Even so there have still been some interesting outdoor activities.

We are saddened to receive word of the passing of Franny Barnard. Her obituary describes a full life and family tree with many new branches. I always enjoy hearing of the earliest years of a person’s life. Without knowing all of the details we can still gain a perspective on Franny’s youth by reviewing a few of the events of those days.

When was the last time we saw ice in the harbor? It might have been the winter that Norton Point breached. There hasn’t been any real ice since then. Last year Caleb’s Pond and Cape Pogue Bay were frozen over for awhile. When the ice broke up, it flushed away on a single tide. The opening seems to be keeping the harbor from freezing over.

With all of the major holidays behind us, we finally have a chance to catch our breath. I recommend naps for everyone. In my lines of work I never know when I will have to stay up all night. Both the ferry service and the fire department experience events that can cause me to miss my bedtime. I’m much happier and a whole lot smarter when I’m well rested.

What I like best about Thanksgiving week, other than sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top, is that the radio stations start playing holiday music. You may think that I’m being sarcastic but I’m not. I’ve been listening to Christmas music all of my life and hearing it again transports me right back to my childhood. My favorites are the sentimental ones about getting back home for the holidays or having snow.

If you’ve been watching the British TV series, Call The Midwife, then you have an idea of what our own Judy Buss experienced during her training in the midwifery service. She bicycled between assignments in the same outfit worn by the actors including the hat, often in the company of her midwife mother.

The first potluck supper at the Chappy Community Center is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 19, hosted by new CCC board member Nancy Slate and Dennis Goldin. I’ve had the good fortune to taste Nancy’s cooking, so I’m certain that the appetizers will be out of this world. Gossip starts at 6 p.m., dinner at 6:30. If you’ve already made plans with Lady Gaga, it’s okay to bring her along.