Edgartown: Back in business

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I am delighted and grateful to share that I am sitting up nice and straight with a whole new outlook on life this week. I was able to get an epidural injection on Friday that has returned me to a semihuman form, and it’s amazing. I still have pain and numbness, but I’m a solid 60 percent better than where I was last week at this time. Now we wait and see if I continue to improve, as it can take up to 14 days to know for sure, and if it will last. Fingers crossed.

I walked into Sharky’s Edgartown earlier today to talk about my return, to hostessing not bartending, in a week or two, and I was shocked by the number of people hanging around in there. I thought everyone was there for the Daytona 500, but it seems that the Wharf, Rockfish, and Town MV are all closed! It was nice to see everyone. It will be interesting to see what next week will be like there. This Island is usually pretty desolate during February break.

Congratulations to Devin Del Torto, son of Nick Del Torto and Amy Rezendes Del Torto, and grandson of Joyce Del Torto and the late Edward Del Torto, and Tony and Doreen Rezendes, owners of the Square Rigger, who completed the Crucible this week, and earned his eagle, globe, and anchor. He is officially a U.S. Marine. After roughly 10 weeks of training, these recruits hike out to the site with their gear, and test their strength, willpower, skills, and teamwork for 54 hours with little food, and almost no sleep. It is a true challenge. As my son, Riley, is two weeks behind Devin, I’ve been keeping tabs on Devin with his aunt, Gina DeBettencourt, at school. I know he has so many family members and friends who have been supporting him through this. Semper Fi, Marine. And congratulations to his family. You may now breathe easy. 

Happy birthday wishes are going out this week to Erik Bruguiere on Feb. 16, Caroline Moffet and Jerry Fritz on Feb. 17, and former Edgartown girl Mary Carroll Goodsir on Feb. 21.

Are you like me and looking for things to do next week while school is on break and everyone has taken off to distant locales? Well, I’m cleaning my house and catching up on stuff that I’m way behind on. But you might have more fun in mind. There is a winter beach safari on Saturday at the Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge from noon until 2 pm. The cost is $20/$25 for kids, (members and nonmembers) and $30/$40 per adult. For more details, email shurley@thetrustees.org.

Felix Neck is offering events next week from 9 am until 3 pm, Tuesday through Friday. For more details, you can contact them at dengenis@massaudubon.org or 508-627-4850.

Tuesday, Feb. 25 offers up a Fat Tuesday Pancake Dinner at St. Andrews Church, starting at 5:30. All are welcome. They will follow this up on Wednesday at noon with their Ash Wednesday Service. Their contact information is office@standrewsmv.org and 508-627-5330. 

The FARM Institute welcomes you for a special vacation-week Kids Can Cook event, which includes lunch. Sign-up for one day or all three, and receive a discount. For Wednesday, they’ll be making classic diner food, including beef or veggie sliders, sweet potato fries, and root beer floats, complete with homemade ice cream. On Thursday, they’ll be cracking eggs for Breakfast Anytime. And on Friday they’ll be making a fan favorite: mac and cheese from scratch. They’ll even make their own pasta to roll out into bowtie shapes. This is a drop-off program for ages 6 and up. All FARM Institute cooking classes require preregistration. To register with the discounted rate of $60/members or $75/nonmembers for all three days, you must call to secure it. Please contact Lindsay about any allergies, food restrictions, or other questions at lbrown@thetrustees.org or 508-627-7007, ext. 1101.

And of course, the Edgartown library has lots of fun on deck for vacation week, with Clifford the Big Red Dog’s birthday on Saturday at 10:30, an open painting group at 11 am on Tuesday,

music with Sara Piazza at 10:30 and Zumba for kids at 3 pm on Wednesday, Discovery Days with the Family Center on Thursday at 10:30, Dr. Seuss Story Time on Friday at 10:30, with a special visit from the Cat in the Hat, movies on Friday starting at 11 am, and a Leap Day Celebration on Saturday, Feb. 29, of course, 10:30 a.m. to noon. Celebrate the leap year with games, refreshments, and supplies to create your own time capsule. 

Phew. There’s actually a lot of things going on next week. I hope you get out there and have some fun. 

I have to say, I have never experienced anything quite as debilitating as this back problem, including broken bones, and knee and shoulder surgery. It’s a herniated disc in my neck, with bone spurs, and something in there was seriously pinching a nerve. And it was constant. The nerve is happier, but the other damage is still there. And it has been so upsetting to be so helpless over the past month or more. I had to take a leave from Sharky’s, I’ve missed a ton of school for appointments and because I simply couldn’t handle the pain. It has given me a new perspective. I have always taken my strength and stubborn Portagee genes for granted. This is the first time I actually had to cry “uncle.” And I just want to thank people who have been there to support me through it all. I’m lucky I have this public spot where I can tell everyone how grateful I am. From warm wishes to emails of support, to suggestions of doctors, to shopping and running errands for me, my friends and family and people I barely know have come to my rescue. I am humbled and in awe of the kindness that is woven into our community. And I promise that I will pay it forward.