I’ve been on the road with my gram and gramp, Ted and Floss Morgan, this week making our semi-annual trip to New Orleans to visit with Fred Morgan and family, the first-born of the Morgan tribe. Grampy spent time at the WWII Museum, where he and several other veterans were honored in a Pearl Harbor Day luncheon. Grammy once again enjoyed whipping about the Quarter in a pedicab, which has come to be her preferred form of transportation.
We were able to catch up with the next generation on this trip — my cousin Kelley’s kids, Morgan and Baxter Hebert. Gramp, Uncle Ted, and 10-year old Morgan hit the links together, continuing a legacy of club-throwing and knuckle-biting from great-granddad, to granddad, to kid. The night before, over trays of crawfish, Baxter, age 7, shared with us worlds of truth while decimating 18 saltines in rapid succession. Everyone had a great time, full of laughs, fun, and dat good Cajun cookin’.
We have a new Edgartonian, folks! Chris and Jamie Ann Greene welcomed daughter Colby Elaine Greene to the world on Friday, December 5. Big brother Christopher is currently hiding all his toys.
The snowy owl is back. That’s right, my father’s bane returneth, but just in time for the writing of this column, Dad finally — finally — saw the owl with his own two eyes. So no need to mock him all winter this time around. There goes so much material straight out the window — or over the dunes, as the case may be.
Guys, Santa is coming! Can you believe it? That’s right, this weekend, the Christmas in Edgartown celebrations will officially kick off this, the most wonderful time of the year, as the fat man rolls down Main Street in traditional Edgartown style: seated atop an antique fire truck. The weekend’s jam-packed agenda will include tours, open houses, beer tastings, bargains, parties, craft fairs, cookies, lighting displays, Teddy bears, and of course, nonstop Santa! For a complete schedule of events, visit edgartownboardoftrade.com, though there are a few highlights I think you all should know about.
First off, Edgartown’s own Brian Ditchfield will be headlining a Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival event Friday, December 12, at 6:30 pm, with his short, theatrical reading of a story based on Dylan Thomas’s A Child’s Christmas in Wales, followed by a screening of the classic Christmas movie, A Christmas Story. Brian’s story, A Child’s Christmas in Edgartown, alternates between Dylan’s tale and his own words, beginning with the line, “It was the morning of Christmas Eve and Simon and I strayed from his family’s farm…,” and I’m pretty sure we know which “Simon” he is referring to and which “family farm.”
Sara Piazza will be hosting a Christmas carol sing-along by the fireplace on Saturday, December 13, from 2 to 6 pm at her home and photography studio, 117 Upper Main Street. This should be a rousing good time. Call 617-872-6110 with questions.
Other events include a Dickens Village display with trains at the Noepe Center for Literary Arts; local artisans craft fairs at the Edgartown School and The Newes from America Pub; a gift wrap station at Lighthouse Properties, to benefit Habitat for Humanity; Donaroma Nursery’s Evening of Enchantment; the lighting of Edgartown Lighthouse, the Chowder Contest, and of course, the Christmas parade.
The Charter School will host a Big 80s Dance Party and Rock Auction at Dreamland this Saturday at 6:30 pm. Auction items include a plane ride from Katama Field with Capt. Livingston Taylor, a new freezer full of local meat and seafood, an authentic clambake for 12 at Hancock Beach, and tons more. Plus DJ Jay Araujo will spin some dance tunes for all to enjoy.
Birthday wishes go out this week to Cindy Andrews, who celebrates December 12; to Tommy Smith and Denis Toomey, December 13; to Jen Freeman, December 14; to Lauren Florio, December 15. Have a ball, y’all!