Town Column : West Tisbury
By Hermine Hull
Published: January 8, 2009
The last of our visiting family has gone. Dan, Xiaoshi, and Sunday Hull arrived on Christmas Eve from Somerville, then were joined on the weekend by Stephanie Haviland and her children, Alexander and Claire, of Brooklyn, N.Y. Then my cousins arrived. Sharon Rubens, my cousin Michael's wife, came from Chappaqua, N.Y., with her children. Elise has completed her first semester studying Forensic Psychology at Cedar Crest; Craig and his friend Stephanie Lawrence came from San Francisco, Calif. At this time of celebrations, it seems particularly poignant to lose someone dear. My condolences to Nancy Huntington and family, whose husband/father/friend, Sam Huntington, died on Christmas Eve.
Condolences also to Garrett, Lucy, and Tim Orazem, for their loss of Priscilla Durkin, sister-in-law, aunt, and genuine bon vivant.
Holly and Marco Bario and children came from Los Angeles, Calif., to spend Christmas with Joannie, Pat, Patrick, and Wyatt Jenkinson. The kids especially loved playing in the snow and seeing the movie "Marley and Me," which they highly recommend. (Me, too. We saw it Sunday.)
Bob and Maureen Fischer decorate their house beautifully for the holidays with lights, little vignettes, and a spectacular tree that just touches the ceiling in their living room. This year they added a collection of dollhouse furniture that had belonged to their daughters, now enjoyed by their grandchildren. Colette Kurelja and her daughters, and Kristen and Jeff Albert and their son, spent Christmas with the Fischers and Maureen's mother, Marguerite McDonough.
Bill Honey, his daughters Betsy and Sarah, and daughter-in-law Laura are regulars at Sunday morning breakfast. This past week they were joined by Betsy's two sons, home for the holidays. Ross MacPherson, who lives in Duxbury, works in Boston for Seaport Graphics and Advertising. His brother Reid, a student at Massachusetts College of Art and Design, lives in Boston.
Debbie and Alan Coutinho were also at breakfast, here visiting their daughter Nancy Hawksbee and her family.
Caroline and Lucy Mayhew were home for two weeks with their parents, Betsey and Jack. Caroline heads back to Law School in Los Angeles and Lucy is going to San Francisco. They brought a houseful of friends home with them, much enjoyed by Jack and Betsey, who find things pretty quiet once they have gone.
When I saw MaryLu and George Hough at the library last week, they were celebrating the last of the turkey leftovers from their holiday table. They had a pleasantly full house for Christmas. Their daughter, Mary Pat Hough-Greene, was here from New Freedom, Penn., and her son and his wife, Neil and Amy Greene, came from Brighton. Now the house is empty, the freezer is full, and the Houghs were looking forward to steak for dinner.
George and Andrea Hartman entertained both of Andrea's daughters over the holidays. Ellen Northrup and Nina Gabel-Jorgensen were here along with Nina's daughter, Allison.
Alison Dougherty spent her vacation from teaching on Long Island here at her Island home. She must have spent most of her time preparing for the most excellent party she gave. Everything was delicious, especially a ginger and pear cake I hope to get the recipe for.
I had a telephone call last Friday from my friend Linda Hearn. She was being uncharacteristically coy, saying she had a certain houseguest I might be interested in visiting. Of course I was! Morgan Emily Caruso (a.k.a. "The Princess") would soon be awakening from her nap and I was invited to play. Morgan will be two in March, so every time I see her she's up to something new. Her hair has grown long and she is speaking in whole sentences, explaining things to the grown-ups who are rapt at her every word. As I write this, I smile at the memory of seeing her and her parents, Paul and Laura.
Another special friend, Henry Bassett, told me about his favorite present this Christmas. It was a kit for making his own telephone, a see-through model that he put together in no time at all.
Hap Bernard, his wife Kate DeVane, and their twins spent the holidays and their birthdays with Kate's family in New Haven, Conn. Hap's birthday was December 27, Kate's the 28th.
Maya O'Neill and her parents, Brendan O'Neill and Linsey Lee, drove over 700 miles visiting friends and family between here and Pennsylvania. They had a wonderful time.
Melissa Breese called to tell me about the exhibition of paintings she was planning for our library this month, from the permanent collection of The Martha's Vineyard Art Association. She also told me about a trip she had taken just before Christmas, helping deliver a restored wooden sailboat to Key West, Fla. She returned by Christmas Eve to celebrate the holiday with her family.
There are lots of things happening at the library. On January 11, at 3 pm, Nancy Gilfoy begins a seasonal series of lectures, "Living in Harmony With Nature." It focuses on nature's creative cycle and the unique energetic patterns of each season. Monday morning at 10:30 am is the kick-off for "Mother Goose on the Loose" for infants and toddlers up to age three. There is also a four-week free introductory computer class on Thursday mornings at 9 am. A Kids and Teen Advisory Group meeting will take place on January 12 from 3:30 to 4:30 pm. On January 14 at 5 pm, there will be a lecture by Michael Galasso and Jackie Walters, "Free Housing Rehabilitation Loan Grant Program."
I've finally finished my column, but it's going to be a long night. Having just seen "Marley and Me" I am reminded of some of the things Marley got into, as my dog Murphy is most decidedly unwell. His leash and my boots are by the door. He's been out three times in two hours. It's going to be a long night.
