Town Column : Aquinnah
By Molly Purves
Published: January 8, 2009
Does Aquinnah turn into a pumpkin after New Year's? I have hardly seen a single soul since 2009 began. I went to a party on New Year's Eve and South Road was deserted. It was also covered in snow and ice, but come on - it's New Year's Eve. I wasn't going to stay home. I stopped by the library on Saturday and was the only patron there. Jenny and Michelle swore that it was the first break they'd had all day. I thought for sure I'd see a lot of people at the dump on Sunday because it had been closed on New Year's Day and although one of the trailers was nearly filled with garbage - evidence of people having been there - I only saw two other people and a dog. I did run into Spa, in the Town Hall parking lot, who is leaving for Trinidad at the end of the month to visit his mother for 10 days. Which got me wondering if everyone else has deserted our wintry beaches for sunnier ones? Or is everyone just hunkered down and waiting out the cold? Or is everybody scalloping? I think I will have to stop by Joanie and Richard's salon on Sunday just to see if there is anyone left in town. They do it every Sunday and there's usually pie.
Phase one of the library renovation is complete. The old floors have been torn up and the workers found that it was indeed a good idea to replace the floors.
The day of the monthly town clinic has changed to the first Monday of every month. The next one will be February 2 from 1 to 3 pm at the town hall, run by registered nurse Juleann VanBelle. The drop-in clinic is free to all residents of Aquinnah. Appointments can be made by calling 774-563-0666. Or you can just show up.
Not one person has shared a New Year's resolution with me, which is fine. I think you're all great the way you are, but if you are not some place warm and sunny, or you are not scalloping, or you would just like to get out and learn something new, Adult and Community Education of Martha's Vineyard (ACE Martha's Vineyard) classes start January 12. You can register online at acemv.org. Some classes, like Janette Vanderhoop's Wampanoag Legends Vs. Myths, are one-time seminars. Others, like Liz Witham's Learn to Edit Your Home Movies and Saskia Vanderhoop's Salsa Dancing are five-week courses. There are many other classes available and also a GED class that meets twice a week for eight weeks.
That's all for now. Enjoy the thaw we're having and if you are some place warm and sunny, bring us back some warmth, or at least some pictures.
