Town Column : Edgartown
By Gail Craig
Published: June 26, 2008
We're into day two of summer vacation. Riley was off-Island until last night and already the disagreements have begun. One kid wants to go the beach, one kid doesn't. One kid wants to go bike riding, one kid doesn't. And whichever kid "loses," which by my definition is a very loose use of the word lose, complains that they are having a no-good very bad day and how unfair the world is. Somehow, spending a day at the beach, or riding bikes, or playing outside seem far from disastrous, but to them, it's a life sentence of some sort. On the positive side, though, I haven't yet heard "I'm bored." I suspect it can't be too far off though.
Nancy Corwin Dillon and Becky Donnelly are trying to put together their class reunion and called me to publicize it because they can't find everybody. So if you graduated with them, I guess that would have been in 1988, you can contact me and I'll pass on the information, or call Nancy at 508-428-6830.
Susan Convery Foltz, whose watercolors brought to life the story of Laura Jernegan in "Thirty Dirty Sailors and the Little Girl Who Went a-Whaling," will host an art opening on Saturday, July 5, from 5 to 7:30 pm at MM Stone Gallery at 671 State Road in North Tisbury. Joining her will be popular folklorist and performer Dillon Bustin, who wrote the music on which the book is based. Mr. Bustin will perform his children's song, "Thirty Dirty Sailors," and other music from his original folk opera about Vineyard history, called "Tidebook."
Ms. Foltz and Mr. Bustin collaborated with Island publishers Vineyard Stories to produce the book about the life of the six-year-old Edgartown girl who lived for three years with her family aboard her captain/father's whaling ship in the 1860s. Her diary is now in the collection of the Martha's Vineyard Museum and is only one of two in the country written about whaling from a child's viewpoint.
More than 30 original illustrations will be on display and for sale at the MM Stone Gallery from July 5 to 26. Ms. Foltz, daughter of Leo and Alison Convery, calls her show, "A chance to own a piece of Vineyard history." Of course, children are more than welcome.
Additionally, "troubadour" Dillon Bustin will be performing music and signing books on the porch of Edgartown books at 4 pm, just before the Edgartown Fourth of July parade. The book itself is available there and at other Island outlets. For further information about either event, contact Jan Pogue at Vineyard Stories at 508-221-2338.
Happy birthday wishes go out to my brother, Bob Gardner, who turned another year older yesterday, as did my friend Jack O'Callahan, resident computer expert at all the branches of the Martha's Vineyard Savings Bank.
Welcome back to our neighbors, the Rubin Family, for the summer. It's nice to see life across the street again. And a big happy birthday to Lindsay Rubin, who turns eight today. Time flies. I think she had just turned four when we first met them, but it seems like yesterday.
I am completely blown away by the fact that next week marks the Fourth of July. Every year I find myself less and less prepared for the summer season. Don't get me wrong. I'm always ready for the warm weather and swimming, but I'm always caught off guard by the traffic and people. But if I start winding up now, maybe I'll have it together for the Fourth, which leads into a weekend this year, generally meaning a bit more chaos than if it falls on a Tuesday or Wednesday.
That's really all I've got for this week. Is it a case of no news is good news, or is everyone just too busy to drop me some news? Either way, we'll try it again next week.
