Oops: The Real June 14 West Tisbury column

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It’s Flag Day. Bill Haynes’s birthday. Special Election Day in West Tisbury. Voting begins at 7 am at the Public Safety Building. “Shall the Town vote to have its elected Tax Collector become an appointed Treasurer/Collector of the town?” Polls close at 8 pm. Absentee ballots are available at the Town Clerk’s office till noon on Wednesday, June 13.

If my opening paragraph seems familiar, that’s because it is the same opening paragraph I used last week. For some reason I had it in my mind that last week’s column was for Thursday, June 14. My apologies for any confusion I may have caused, or forgotten news items I may have missed. What follows is the real June 14 West Tisbury column.

Hallie Mentzel called to tell me the sad news that her former Old County Road neighbors, Sandy and Charlotte Earle, had died in Florida. I called Marian Irving, another former neighbor, for more details. Marian had spoken with the Earles’ son, Skip, who told her that Charlotte had celebrated her 89th birthday on April 6. Sandy died in the hospital two days later. Then Charlotte was taken to the hospital, where she died eight days after Sandy. They had been married for 67 years, were inseparable, and all family and friends described Charlotte’s demise as “from a broken heart.” Plans are being made for a memorial service at the West Tisbury Church, maybe in September. The Mentzels and the Earles shared a September wedding anniversary and gave anniversary parties together that were the end-of-summer highlight of the Old County Road neighborhood for many years.

Marian mentioned that yellow iris, a gift from Charlotte, had just finished blooming in her garden, a reminder of her dear friend.

Debbie Magnuson sent me details to share about our town picnic that will be held this Saturday, June 16, at the Ag Hall, from noon to 4 pm. The rain date is Sunday, the 17th. There will be picnic tables, music by Maggie’s Kitchen, games, animals to visit, hay rides, fire truck rides, and free selfies. Free also: lemonade, water, hot dogs, popcorn, and watermelon. Bring additions to your own picnic lunch for your family, and a dessert to be shared. The picnic is a “carry in, carry out” event; please bring your own place settings, utensils, napkins, lawn chairs, blankets, and any beverages you might want for yourselves. No dogs or other pets, please. For more information, call Debbie at 508-693-0081.

Soo Whiting is hosting a gathering to celebrate the life of her husband, Flip Harrington, who died in Florida earlier this spring. It is also this Saturday, June 16, and will be held at the Quenames farm house beginning at 11 am. Please bring a potluck dish and your stories about Flip to share.

Mona Rosenthal is back in her old Stoney Hill Farms neighborhood. She moved to Florida last spring, but has returned to help out with ad sales at The Martha’s Vineyard Times this summer. She is looking forward to many beach walks with old friends and her pup, Chaka. She is also looking for a venue to host her Family Dance-O-Rama event. Anyone interested in throwing a DJ dance party this summer can email her at familydanceorama@gmail.com. It’s great to have her “home” again, even for a short time.

At the West Tisbury library this week:
Friday, June 15, 3 pm, kids ages 10 and up are invited to “Remix Rovers” with Hugh Pfear. Experiment in ways to use motors and household materials to design and build your own rover. 8- and 9 year-olds may attend with a mature caregiver. At 3:30 pm, Emily LaPierre will lead a Glow Yoga Class for tweens and teens, ages 9 to 17. Sign-up is required.

Saturday, June 16, 10 am to 4 pm, the West Tisbury library is participating in the Cape and Islands Voter Registration Drive. A table will be set up in the lobby to register new voters, to check or update your voting status, and to give information about applying for an absentee ballot. If you are registering for the first time, please bring a current driver’s license or the last four digits of your Social Security number. Saturday is also Archaeology ID Day, so bring any artifacts you have discovered for identification and discussion between 1 and 4 pm. There will be informative displays on view. Archaeologists Jim Richardson, Dick Burt, James Tuck, Jill Bouck, Duncan Caldwell, and Bill Moody, and paleontologist Fred Hotchkiss will be there to tell you about your finds. At 6 pm, come to a Soulful Country Concert by Rick O’Gorman (guitar and vocals), George Davis (guitar), and Jessie Leaman (bass and vocals).

Monday, June 18, 11:30 am, join Kanta Lipsky for her Balance Workshop using techniques of Chi Kung, yoga, and breath. At 7 pm, MVY’s David Kish will show a jazz film and lead a discussion afterward.

Congratulations to the MVRHS class of 2018, and wishes for all happiness and successes as you head off to college or jobs. It’s an exciting time in your lives, so enjoy every minute of it.

Rebecca Haag of Island Grown Initiative will be the guest speaker this Sunday, June 17, at 11:30 am in the Meetinghouse, following the morning service at the Federated Church. For more information, call 508-627-4421, email admin@federatedchurchmv.org, or check their website, federatedchurchmv.org.

Mike and I were on the porch at Alley’s one evening last week with our regular coffee group, sitting next to a gentleman holding his sleepy young grandson. Soon two women came out from the store, the gentleman’s wife and their daughter, mother of the child. We all started talking. We learned that the family lived in Hong Kong, that they came to Boston for two months every year, and decided to visit the Vineyard, where they were staying at the Youth Hostel for the weekend. They were so impressed at the quiet, uncrowded center of our town, especially compared with their lives in Hong Kong. We learned a bit about the three-bedroom apartment the family lived in, surrounded by huge apartment buildings all around them in a large, noisy city with very little open green space. The young woman is an opthamologist. I have forgotten what she said her husband did. The three generations live together. After they left, we all commented that you never know who you will meet or what you might learn about while sitting on Alley’s porch.