It finally feels like winter is coming. Gray, drizzly, hardly any leaves left on the trees. Thanksgiving is next week and people are already making plans for Christmas. I’m not ready to race this year away quite yet.
Holiday fairs are already scheduled for this weekend. Trinity United Methodist Church in Oak Bluffs will hold their Holiday Fair this Saturday, November 22, 9 am to 2 pm, with baked goods, knitted items, jewelry, ornaments, and Grandma’s Attic, an intriguing-sounding collection of goodies to inspect and intrigue. Grandma’s Attic items and additional vendors are still wanted, so call Alison Enos for more information. 508 693-4424.
The Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center Second Annual Vineyard Artist Holiday Sale is this Sunday, November 23, 11 am to 3 pm, at the Hebrew Center in Vineyard Haven. Sixteen artists and craftspeople have signed up so far.
We seem to have had a mini baby boom in West Tisbury. Four new babies were born last week. Taeko Rose is the daughter of Rebekah and Joshua Thomson. Luke Arturo is the son of Laurie and Wagner Periera. Ethan Gunnar, the son of Sarah and Marques Rivers, and Wiley Cedar is Alexandra and Eliot Coutts’ new son. Welcome and wishes for a happy life to all of you.
Sadly, we have lost someone from our town. Condolences to the family and friends of Ernie Medeiros, father, hunter, fireman, and storyteller, who died this past week. His burial service with full West Tisbury Fire Department Honor Guard is Thursday, November 20, 11 am, at Oak Grove Cemetery in Vineyard Haven. The family asks that any donations in his memory be sent to the Center For Living Supportive Day Program, Box 1729, Vineyard Haven 02568 or to the West Tisbury Firemen’s Civic Association, Box 211, West Tisbury 20575.
Paul Karasik has an article in the New Yorker Cartoons of the Year. “Anatomy of a Gag” appears on pages 6-7. It is an analysis of a Charles Addams cartoon first published January 13, 1940.
Congratulations to Joe Tierney, our new Building Inspector, after being hired at the last selectmen’s meeting. Joe has worked for the town since Ernie Mendenhall retired, working alongside Ernie while learning the job. Now it’s official. And Ernie gets to be really retired. Hah. Maybe a little?
Lots going on at the library, as usual. Besides the regularly scheduled storytimes at 10:30 am on Mondays and Thursdays, and drop-in crafts all day Saturday, here is a list of special events:
Thursday afternoon, November 20, there will be a reading by MVCC grant recipients, beginning at 5 pm. Participants are: Donald Nitchie, Emma Young, Jennifer Tseng, Jill Jupen, and Justen Ahren.
David Stanwood will perform on the 1901 rosewood Steinway piano he restored for the library this Friday, November 21, at 4 pm. His concert will be the first of many, called “Happy Music Concerts.” We’ll have to go to find out what that means.
On Sunday, November 23, the library hosts a Community Poetry Reading at 3 pm. Poets, poetry enthusiasts, and interested listeners are all welcome. Nominations for a new poet laureate will be accepted at the event.
Martha Flanders will teach a workshop for adults, Heat Embossed Stamping on Velvet, next Saturday, November 30, from 2 to 4 pm. Pre-registration is required. You may call the library, 508-693-3366, or email: programs@westtisburylibrary.org. There is a $12 fee for materials. After learning techniques and having some time to practice, you will design and make a velvet purse. Just in time for the holidays.
I went off Island for a couple of days to visit with Jayne Johnson in Sandwich. On Friday, we attended an Alzheimer’s conference in Hyannis. Anyone who knows Jayne knows we had a great time together, and the conference was one of the best ever. One of the most helpful suggestions I can make to anyone caring for someone with Alzheimer’s is to learn about the neurology of how the disease progresses through the brain. It will make the person’s capabilities more understandable. Not that it will ever be easy, but if you understand what is happening, at least it will help you be more empathetic and, hopefully, more patient with both your loved one and yourself.
