What a loss for us all with the passing of Bob Carroll. There is nary an Edgartonian without a story or two to impart about Mr. Carroll. That broad smile. That devilish twinkle in the eye. He always seemed like he was up to something, and all he encountered were eager for a part in it. I’m glad I got to see Mr. Carroll at the Harbor View oyster benefit a couple weeks back, at a big table, holding court as usual. His presence will be sorely missed.
We ran into Peter and Nancy Shemeth on their way home from Mr. Carroll’s memorial celebration, and they assured us it was a very appropriate sendoff, complete with foul language and dirty jokes. Sounds about right. As we chatted on the road, windows down in our trucks, we all had to stop for a minute and listen to the pinkletinks. Jernegan Pond sounds like it is hopping, both literally and figuratively. The frogs have officially declared winter kaput, and hallelujah for that.
My husband Dave celebrated winter’s demise by putting the window scrapers into storage until next year, which was a bit less dramatic than that scene we imagined on West Tisbury Road yesterday when we saw a window scraper lying on the roadside. We decided that driver had had it so badly with snow that he or she threw the thing straight out the window in relief. Amen.
Louis Paciello offered a culinary welcome to spring with the first pizzas of the year from his outdoor pizza oven. A happy Easter indeed for kids Vinny and Frankie and their cousins, who got to munch on the delicious homemade pies. Who needs holiday ham when you’ve got pepperoni? Mangia, indeed.
Are you ready for Town Meeting? The annual gathering will take place Tuesday, April 14, at 7 pm in the Old Whaling Church. If you lost your warrant, which came in the mail recently, you can read up on the town’s website, edgartown-ma.us. See you there.
Dianne Durawa, Paul Mohair and many other volunteers from the Healthy Aging Task Force are preparing for the Town Meeting by talking to people about two important items on the Town Meeting warrant — First Stop and MySeniorCenter. If approved by voters in all Island towns, First Stop will be an information and referral website, staffed by a real live human being, to provide comprehensive information for island elders, their families, caregivers on- and off-Island, and Island service providers. Designed to close the current information gap, it will help elders get the information they need about everything from assisted living, home and respite care, geriatric assessments, and ramps, to home repair, transportation, and wellness programs. MySeniorCenter is cutting-edge digital technology to strengthen COAs, saving staff time and enabling COA members to sign up from home for a broad range of activities all over the Island.
Join the Vineyard Conservation Society for their 23rd annual Earth Day beach cleanup, Saturday, April 11 from 10 am to noon. It’s a great activity for families and individuals looking to get outside while giving back to our Island. Volunteers will be on hand with what you need, but bring your own gloves and bags if you have them. For a full list of beaches, go to vineyardconservation.org. And make sure to visit the Harbor View Hotel around noon for the afterparty. Contact Signe Benjamin at info@vineyardconservation.org for more info.
Birthday wishes go out this week to Nancy Morris and Amy Heil, who celebrate April 9; to Jennifer Neville, April 10; to Pam Cassidy, April 12; to Paula Smith, April 13; and to Mikey Harmon, April 14. Have a good one!
