JOHN S. ALLEY
508-693-2950
Last weekend the weather was quite nice but a little windy, but that didn’t stop folks from playing tennis on the town courts at the school while others were practicing their golf swing at the Agricultural Society field.
Gloria Sylva, over at the school, reminds parents that next Wednesday the school will be closed in honor of Veterans Day.
We returned to Standard Time last Sunday morning making the daylight hours mighty short, with darkness falling shortly after 4:30 p.m. The new exterior lighting in front of the town hall was installed on Tuesday. The lights are aesthetically pleasing and a good, responsible choice to complement the building. Many thanks to the building committee.
The parks and recreation committee and the library would like to thank everyone who made the annual Halloween party a huge success. Halloween was really quiet this year with the exception of the two parties.
Halloween tricks these days are on the decline. But in the late forties and early fifties, pushing Lena McNeil’s black Essex into the nearby swamp, uprooting the junction sign at Brandy Brow corner and planting it in Joe Howes’ front lawn, stringing his wife Bessie’s clotheslines end on end and hooking them on the barn all were “routine” tricks that were expected to be carried out each year. I remember Helen Cooper, who lived on Old County Road, played her own trick on the kids that came to her house expecting candy: she had a sign on her front door that asked the kids to knock and ring loudly, they did, but she never opened her door! On the other hand, her neighbors, Donald and Elizabeth Campbell, always gave you cider and popcorn and you got an extra glass if they could identify you even though you wore a costume. That also was the last house to stop on the road for trick or treaters as the Earle, Fales, Drexler, Richmond and Barth houses were closed for the season.
Today is the start of a long holiday weekend for some of us. The post office, school and all other town and county buildings will be closed on Wednesday in honor of Veterans Day. This holiday was created to acknowledge the armistice that ended World War I. Over 50 years ago the day was rededicated to honor the veterans who fought in all of our country’s armed conflicts. Let us pause for a moment on Wednesday to remember all of those who have gone before us.
Anna and I did some traveling last weekend in the new car. We went down to Canton, Conn., to visit Denise Mount and her husband, Don Evon, and their dogs, Clarissa and Mojito. They live in a spectacular house high on a hill overlooking the city in the valley. We did some shopping and noticed store shelves stocked with Christmas items before Halloween. gave us a tour of Avon, Simsbury, Farmington and West Hartford. On Saturday, her sister Pam drove up from New York and we dined in a superb Mexican restaurant, Besito, in Hartford, and then at the cinema they watched This is It while Anna and I took in Amelia. On the way home we visited and had lunch with Ed and Jane Konicki in Webster, then traveled down to Taunton to visit our daughter, Nicole, and her husband, Arsen, before getting on the boat. It was a swell weekend, lots of memories and fun. My thanks to Bernice Kirby and her son, Pierce, and Lynn Christoffers for pinch-hitting for me at the post office.
Jill Carlton and her husband, Pete Karman, of New Haven, Conn., were at her summer home on State Road to close it up for the season over the weekend. Pete stacked the outside furniture in the garage while Jill put the garden to bed and finished her work in the house. They both enjoyed their new back deck this summer.
The All Island Seasonal Flu Shot Clinic will be held on Wednesday at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional School from 8 a.m. to noon. It is expected to be well attended. Please note that a registration site — for up-Island residents, it’s the Agricultural Hall on Panhandle Road — will be your first stop before going to the school. After you register and fill out the necessary paperwork, you will be directed to the school to get your flu shot.
Muriel Bye, election warden, wants to remind you that on Dec. 8 the polls will be open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. The polling place is in the Public Safety Building across the street from Conroy’s. If it isn’t already marked, please circle that date or your calendar today.
David Crohan will be in concert with Katie Mayhew tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. in the Old Whaling Church in Edgartown. The proceeds will benefit the regional high school Minnesingers.
The annual meeting, including election of officers and trustees, of the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society will be held on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in their hall on Panhandle Road. Also the Barnraisers’ Ball will be held tomorrow night from 7:30 to 10 p.m. in the Hall. The public is invited, admission is free, but everyone is asked to bring a dessert to share with others.
Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard will hold a one-day event, Handmade from the Heart, at the Dr. Daniel Fisher House during the Christmas in Edgartown weekend on Saturday, Dec. 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. They are seeking handmade gifts, jewelry, needlepoint, knitted items, paintings, photographs, cards, toys, cakes, candies, cookies, Christmas ornaments and more. Someone will pick them up or you may drop them off at their office. If you can donate items, please call 508-693-0189.
Marian Irving, of Old County Road, reports that the annual Congregational Church Christmas Faire will be held a week earlier than usual this year. The date will be Saturday, Dec. 5 and workshop activities will begin in the parish house on Monday, Nov. 30.
Happy birthday to Marion Irving, Pat Waring and Dawn Feinsmith today; Fred Estabrook and Vickie Thurber tomorrow; Marylee Schroeder, John Dolezar and Cynthia Robinson on Sunday; Sharon Estrella, Gabriella Camilleri, Erin Leighton and Nicole Casey on Monday; Binny Ravitch, Ken Hurd, Michael West and Linda Talbot on Tuesday; Richard Cohen, Marian Mohr, Mary Jo Joiner, Andy Brunk, Cynthia Eakin and Salvadore Della Torre on Wednesday; Tina Fisher, Barbara Hoffman and Wendy Hitchcock on Thursday. Happy third anniversary to Nicole Alley and Arsen Hambardzumian on Wednesday.
Well, that is all of the social news for this week’s column. If you have any news please call or e-mail me. Have a great week.
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