12/05/09 -

About town

It’s a first: the Berry Merry Fair opens December 5, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the school, with a book fair, arts and crafts vendors, a plant and wreath sale and lunch at the Very Merry Bistro. Come one, come all!

In the afternoon on December 5, a Christmas Ornament Workshop for adults will take place at the Harbor Church in Fellowship Hall. The cost is $3; bring scissors and a glue gun, if you have one.

Don’t miss the Annual Holiday Party at the Library on Friday, Dec. 11, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. — it’s always fun! Children should be accompanied by adults.

Girl-about-town Abigail Willi, 10 months old, was spotted recently on a smooth, unassisted stroll in the post office to the admiration of lookers-on. She hesitated at a corner, longing to go farther, but in the end opted to return to the open arms of proud mom Jessica. The night before Thanksgiving, Abigail was at it again, delighting all with her sure-footed exploration of the Beachead.

Great to see the Stiepock-MacKay family living on the island again: parents Lisa and Alan and daughter Alcy, who is enrolled in 4th grade at the school and has been enjoying karate classes.

A highlight of the November meeting of the Block Island Lions Club was the induction of three new members: Bud Martin, of West Side Road; Tracy Fredericks; and past president Johno Sisto, who is re-joining the organization. Congratulations to all!

Family matters

Carl Reynolds, Jr., now serving in Iraq, surprised grandparents Bobbie and Kip Reynolds with a visit to their East Greenwich home during a one-week leave. After a visit with his mother in Virginia, he stopped again in East Greenwich before returning to Iraq.

Great to see families together on the island for Thanksgiving: Cindy and Tony Pappas with son Jason and daughter Becky Pappas Clark were all at the Beachead before the holiday. Becky’s husband, Tim, was back in the kitchen cooking, we were told.

Another family on the scene the evening before Thanksgiving was the Abrams and Draper clan: Justin Abrams, Rita and Steve Draper, Ross Draper, recent Rhode Island State Police Academy grad Kyle Draper, Kyle’s fiancée Terin Brain, their 10-month-old baby Gavin, and Terin’s sparkling 4-year-old daughter, Carmyn.

Spotted several times over Thanksgiving weekend were Melissa and Lucian Smith with Melissa’s aunt and uncle, Mary Sue and Steve Record. Lucian, a life-long skier who has been wheelchair-bound since a motorcycle accident at age 21, is planning a trip to Alaska for a week on business before heading to Jackson Hole, Wyo., to teach skiing to disabled skiers. An avid mono-skier who loves the powder conditions out west, Lucian remains competitively active in his favorite sport. Back east, he participates in marathons and was first wheelchair finisher in the race on Philly Marathon Day, November 18, in Philadelphia, Pa.

Very nice to meet Mark Fagan, the son of Ann and Lew Fagan, dining with family and friends at Wetherbee’s on a recent Sunday evening.

Good works

We have it on good authority that Maude and Ray Chasse repaired the bench by the side of the road in their Spring Street neighborhood, and were seen planting daffodils around the newly refurbished seat. Thank you, Ray and Maude!

The Nature Conservancy Open House at The 1661 Inn drew a large crowd the evening of November 27 in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Greenway trail system on Block Island.

Congratulations!

Two weeks ago, Dan and Meg Barker celebrated the birth of their first grandchild and have now welcomed a second: Audrey Suzanne Barker, 8 pounds, 14 ounces, was born November 18 at 6:37 p.m., to David and Genevieve Barker of Louisburg, N.C. Dan and Meg had been visiting all week in anticipation, and were on hand for the happy event.

Helen and Frank Magennis celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary November 25, dining at the Beachead. Said Helen, “We got married in a hurricane and it’s been blowing ever since!”

Happy upcoming wedding anniversary to summer residents Webb and Cheryl Moore, now in Richmond, Va., for the winter.

Of cakes and candles

Belated birthday wishes to: Silas Littlefield “Dub” Barrows, whose day was November 28; Greta Heinz, celebrating with family and friends over lunch at the Beachead November 29, and Kerry Walsh Johnson, whose birthday was November 30.

An early celebration of Gail Dugan’s 60th (hard to believe!) birthday found her at the Beachead November 25, enjoying appetizers and drinks with friends and family. The early celebration came on the eve of the Dugans’ departure from the island. Gail’s actual birthday, December 30, makes her the baby of the 1949-ers group on-island.

On December 6, David Graham and 1949-er John Swienton both celebrate birthdays.

Joya Verde has a birthday coming up December 10 — wish her a happy one!

On December 13, Steve Mitchell (now living in Narragansett) and Elisa Hundt each celebrate their birthday.

Our very own Mary Donnelly has a birthday December 14. God bless!

A day to celebrate for sure is December 15, when all of these people made their debut on earth: Roger Aubut, Elva Derby, Norah Forbes, Molly Price and Rally Migliaccio.

Happy birthday to Beth Gaffett Tengwall, December 16!

What do we do in the winter?

Ah, the old refrain, what do we all do here in the winter? One of our favorite late-afternoon activities is a Chihuahua deer hunt. We take doglets Tia Maria and Coco Chanel on safari in the truck, and try to find deer for them to bark at. They find it thrilling and so do we, once their voices reach fever pitch! If the deer aren’t taking notice, we roll down a window. When the deer hear the piercing canine tones they run, white tails a-bounding, over the walls. The girls are praised lavishly for their hunting prowess, and after an hour or so they’re pretty tired. We’re not sure what they think the deer are — they look a bit like gargantuan Chihuahuas.

Let us know what’s happening! Visiting relatives, special occasions, updates on friends near and far, projects… Deadline is Tuesday morning, and Fran can be reached at 466-2892 or fran117@mac.com