JOHN S. ALLEY
508-693-2950
Well, we got smacked up side of the head on New Year’s Eve with a snow storm, howling winds, single-digit temperatures and a howling wind with gusts over 50 miles per hour. So you can safely say the new year arrived on a cold note. The Mill and Parsonage ponds were frozen over but not a lot of ice skating took place on Parsonage Pond over the weekend.
The temperature dropped nearly as fast as the price of gasoline, which was on sale Sunday for $1.93 per gallon at the Up Island station, the lowest it has been around here in nearly 10 years and they were mighty busy. The price of gasoline has dropped more than $3 since August. With the current crisis in the Middle East it is uncertain if we will continue to enjoy the saving at the pump.
Ellen Weiss, a professor of architecture at Tulane University, who usually comes back for the holiday season to visit her friends, was unable to do so this year because as she was preparing for the trip she was suddenly taken ill and was forced to spend several days in the hospital. She is at home recovering and she sends her best wishes for the new year to all of her friends.
Lynne Demond, of Natick, our favorite amateur geologist, and her significant other, Steve Hart, celebrated the new year at Times Square in New York city. Steve reports that Lynne competed in the women’s division of the New York Road Race on New Year’s Day.
Bob and Barbara Day, of Willow Tree Hollow, report that they spent Christmas in Los Angeles, Calif., with their daughter Elizabeth Churchill, son in law John and children, Freddy and Bobby. They enjoyed the Christmas concert at the Disney Center and spending time with Bob’s great-niece, Felicia Day, who was recently in an episode of the hit television show House. She also has written, produced and acted in season one of a show called The Guild, now on DVD, a comedy series about gamers, for gamers, by gamers which was the winner of the YouTube, Yahoo, and South by Southwest Best Web Series Awards. They returned home last Wednesday.
Marian Irving, of Old County Road, reports that she enjoyed reuniting with family at her son’s home in Wayland during the Christmas holidays. Joining them from California was her niece, Lee, and her husband, Jay Russell, who is currently preparing to direct another film in the Boston area. His last film was The Water Horse which was filmed in New Zealand and Scotland. The family is eagerly waiting for the shooting to begin. Marian entertained friends on New Year’s Eve preparing a Sicilian dinner. She said shopping for food in the North End of Boston lent an air of authenticity to her menu. She is an excellent cook and really enjoyed her trip to that part of Italy last May.
Ina Andre, of Old County Road, reports that her parents, Manfred and Sabine Buettner, from Schlagsdorf, Germany visited them over the holiday season at their new home. They enjoyed the beauty of the Island, the snowstorm, their grandson Nicholas and the friendliness of Islanders very much. They return home today but will be back in the spring.
Phyllis Meras, of Music street, and Sal Laterra, of Providence, R.I. departed for New York city and Sal to his home. Phyllis baked me my favorite, mince pie, last Sunday. Phyllis returned home on Thursday after a business trip.
Tina Miller and her husband, Steve Gallagher, and their children Theo and Henry, of Panhandle Road returned home last Monday after spending the Christmas vacation with friends, Bill and Beach Bennett, in Galway, Ireland. Tina reports that they had a wonderful time visiting many cities and towns on both coasts.
Roger and Gloria Sylva, of Old County Road, returned home on Sunday after ringing in the New Year in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Gloria reports that they had a swell time, did some shopping and relaxed in the warm weather.
Linsey Lee, her husband, Brendan O’Neill, and daughter, Mya, of Southgate Road, traveled up to Boston to attend the annual Motley family Christmas party. Linsey reports that this event has happened for 148 years. They then went down to visit family in Bethlehem, Pa., and enjoy Christmas with them. The last weekend Lindsey and Mya went up to New Hampshire to visit friends.
Lynne Christoffers, of Edgartown Road, nationally known photographer, returned home on Tuesday after spending the holidays with her sister in Newark, N.J. She reports having a wonderful time.
Chuck and Martha Schmidt, of Seven Gates Farm, report that they had a busy holiday season with family and guests from as far away as England.
Tara Whiting, of State Road, reports that her brother Daniel, and his kids, David and Emma, were her guests all last week. They stayed with her at the farmhouse and enjoyed a second holiday with all the family. They live in Celebration, Fla., and were excited to be able to play in the snow and have some sledding time. She reports that they had a wonderful vacation.
Alexis Garcia, of the PTO, reports that coffee with the principal will resume on Tuesday at 8:20 a.m. with parents of fifth through eighth grade students. School will be closed next Friday as it is a professional development day. A schoolwide food pantry drive will be held all this month by eighth grade students, and they are planning a winter festival and country store to be held next month. Stephanie W. Dreyer, the school librarian, reports that they hosted their ninth annual second-hand book sale for students and teachers before the winter break. Selling titles for 50 cents and $1, and they grossed more than $400 to donate to the Red Stocking Fund. Many good books were taken home, while they helped others.
Muriel Bye, of Edgartown Road, the election warden, wants to remind you that the voter registration cards you will be receiving in the mail shortly need to be filled out promptly and returned to Prudy Whiting, chairman of the board of registrars, so that your name will remain on the voting list. Also Tara Whiting has taken out nomination papers to run for the office of town clerk, hoping to replace her aunt, who will not be a candidate for re-election in April.
On Jan. 1, 1943, all of us were asked to contribute in some way to the war effort, in addition to rationing stamps, scrap drives and purchasing war bonds in many locations. Did you know that women were also asked to save just one tablespoonful of waste cooking fat each day? They were urged by the Federal government to do so as it would go a long way toward the glycerin requirements need for the war effort. Each community was assigned a monthly quota in the Massachusetts waste fat collection campaign. The government did not ask for these fats until you got the cooking good out of them. But after that was done, every spoonful was wanted. After the first four months of the campaign West Tisbury cooks had contributed about 85 per cent of its allotted monthly quota. However, they consistently met their assigned quota of making bandages for the Red Cross. Many times they helped neighboring towns complete their work on time.
Happy birthday to: Mary Ann Hartigan, Ann Burt, Joyce Capobianco, Joan Baez and Bill Solon today; Sam Arruda, Christina Reinhardsen, Annabelle Brothers and Rose Campbell tomorrow; Kern Grimes, Gay Nelson, Adam Petkus and Christa Fischer on Sunday; Brian Athearn, Joe Eldridge and Pierce Kirby III on Tuesday; Mal Jones, Heidi Schultz, John Mancuso, Rod Welles and Barbara Day on Wednesday; Butch Downs, Jane Rossi and Richard Lee on Thursday. Belated birthday greetings to Lisa Dimitri. Anniversary greeting to Tom Vogl and Katherine Long on Wednesday, also belated wishes to Manny and Jessica Estrella, Mike and Hermine Hull and Dan and Beth Serusa.
Well, that is all of the social news for this week’s column. If you have any news please call or e-mail me. Trivia facts: Western Union delivered its final telegram three years ago this month and 98 years ago tomorrow the first picture from an airplane in this country was taken. Have a great week.
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