Town Column : Edgartown
By Gail Craig
Published: July 24, 2008
It has been a whirlwind week for the family, as my brother and his family were in town all last week. We also had Riley's best friend, Zeke Iammarino, with us for a few days, and a play date with Amelia's pal, Emily Mello, during that time, adding to the chaos. There were bouts of extreme insanity mixed with very relaxed downtime, but still, it's amazing how tiring it can be to run around with family for a week. Riley is sitting beside me as I type this and he said to me, "Mom, I don't want anyone to visit us this week - no special friends or family. I just want a normal week." Kids are sometimes very good at putting our thoughts into words for us. You think that they are having a blast, and they truly are, but if we get exhausted, they must be completely wiped out. Sometimes I forget that because their happiness overrides their exhaustion.
The Vineyard Playhouse is looking for volunteers to usher for this season. Ushers greet the patrons, help out at intermission, and best of all, get to see the plays for free. If you are interested, call the playhouse at 508-696-6300 and leave your name and phone number with MJ Bruder Munafo.
The Friends of the Edgartown Library have elected new officers at the June annual meeting. Serving as Co-Presidents are Marvene O'Rourke and Ellen Gurnitz; Dorris Housman will serve as Vice President; Treasurer is Janice Belisle; Secretary is Betsy Campbell. The Friends rallied around the Library during the Fourth of July Parade selling water and other refreshments. On Friday, July 25, between 10 and 11 am, the Friends will present their music on the library lawn program. Adele Dreyer, noted pianist, will perform ragtime and other popular tunes. This will also be an opportunity for patrons to purchase raffle tickets for the spectacular stainless steel Weber grill (model S-310) to benefit the library. The next meeting of the Friends will be July 28 at 10 am at the Library. All are welcome.
Jimmy Santos has arrived for three weeks with his wife, Pat, from The Villages in Florida, and he has been hard at work with former neighborhood friend and classmate, Pat Tyra, trying to plan their second "old" neighborhood cocktail party on July 23. The pair has been struck by all the changes on Planting Field Way and the three dead-end streets off the Way. Since they graduated from the Edgartown High School, about a dozen new homes have been built, several old homes have been enlarged, garages added, and at least one home razed in their old neighborhood. In fact, only three homes are still owned by their 1940s families. And one of them, the 1831 Shurtleff farmhouse, is shortly "going on the market" according to Pat and her brother Gordon Tyra. So more change is coming!
I feel compelled to comment on the drama going on with the Second-Hand Store, though I certainly don't know the realities of the entire situation and I don't pretend to have the answers to the problems that have recently come to light between the board and the store staff. I feel badly for everyone involved in this unfortunate situation. I write about it now just to remind people that everyone involved is doing their best under the circumstances. Let's all do our best to come together as a community to help them through this challenging time. Penny and Darlene have long been the smiling faces behind the register at the store, while the board members are just doing their jobs as volunteers who are trying to do what they think is in the best interest of the Club.
I don't know why I'm so surprised when friends' kids grow up. I see mine get older and yet I'm surprised when it happens to other people's kids. Such is the case with Justin and Catie Chapman, children of Jeff and Ruth Chapman. Justin, who turned 24 on July 16, has recently been accepted into the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute. And Catie recently graduated from the University of Massachusetts as a psychology major. Heartfelt congratulations to the entire Chapman family.
Happy birthday to Jack Murray, who turned 8 on July 20 and to my Riley, who turned 8 on July 21. The Murray and Craig families became friends during birthing classes when Judy and I were both expecting our first babies and then we ended up in the hospital at the same time, as our boys were born a day apart. We've remained friends through the years and this year, for the first time, the boys will actually be in the same class together. Jack is just an all around great kid - which can actually be said about the entire Murray family - very low key and relaxed and just plain nice, exactly the kind of people you want to have for friends for yourself and your children.
That's all. I'm off to breakfast with some cousins who are in town for the day. Have a great week.
