Island News October - November 1997

 

EMAIL me at bjohnson@nlis.net

November 27, 1997 - HAPPY THANKSGIVING - The day started off with rain and snow and wind. The temp was in the 20,s. There were 90 people on the 12:00 boat mostly families visiting families for Thanksgiving. The Christmas Craft Fair will be held this Saturday at the CIHCC from 10:00 to 2:00. For more information you can call Peggie Jones or Florence Rich at 846-4595.

November 22, 1997 - The snow is coming down quite heavily at noon. I understand the driving conditions are quite bad right now. I have never seen a November like this one on Chebeague.

The CIHCC (Chebeague Island Hall Community Center) is planning a New Years Eve Party to benefit the Hall. It will start at eight o'clock with hors d'oeurvres.

November 19, 1997 - We have had more snow than has ever been recorded for the month of November! Please let me know if the satellite picture messes up you getting this page or if the page takes too long to load now because of it. I am just experimenting.
November 17, 1997 - They say it snowed more than 12 inches in the area but most of it must have settled because there is about 6" out there now. I can't believe how much work it is getting three kids ready for school when there is snow on the ground. I don't think we had too much snow last year. It is a beautiful but cold day today.
November 15, 1997 - It snowed 6" here yesterday and boy are the kids having a blast. We had to go to LLBeans for Vika's boots and snow pants - we were caught without the necessary items for her. I am going to try to have a picture of the current weather without me having to change it everyday. It is a link to the Portland weather page which should come up automatically - we'll see.
November 14, 1997 -
November 13, 1997 - Gail Miller and the 5th and 6th graders are putting together a slide show about the island for the children on the mainland to see and some of the slides were taken with Seattle Filmworks so if anyone wants to download them they have until Nov 16th to do so.

1. From the Seattle FilmWorks' home page (http://www.filmworks.com), select the PhotoMail option.

2. From the list of PhotoMail options, select the option to download your photos.

3. Enter your customer number: 19622114.

4. Enter the roll number: 13786483.

November 12, 1997 - I have added another islander's page Bill Calthorpe's. He is big into genealogy along with the rest of the island. This morning the temperature is below freezing and it looks as though it will be that way for a while. Jon and I still have a lot of prefreezing plumbing to do.
November 11, 1997 - Happy Veteran's Day!! We have had four days of from school and as usual I am looking forward for 8:00 tomorrow morning. Isn't that awful we do all that work to have three children and then we look forward to school. Well, about noon I will be looking forward to their return home.

This weekend the LADIES AID CRAFT FAIR, at the Parish Hall, 12:30 pm - 3:00 pm.

November 2, 1997 - Last night there was quite a storm with lots of wind and much of the island is without power today. Fortunately we still have power and we are gradually getting an ocean view. Last night in front of Zauggs house five very large spruces came down in a domino effect. We went and took pictures this morning which I hope to have soon. The house was not hurt - one spruce fell but got stopped from hitting the house by a large pine tree which had been scheduled to be cut.

John Dougherty's report about the children is scheduled to air Thursday night on Channel 4 in Boston - I hope it came out all right. The Channel 8 segment was one of the nicest reports I had ever seen about anything.

Bob Riddle Benefit Raffle - Raffle tickets are on sale at the Island Market and Martin's Hill Garage to help Bob Riddle. All money raised will go to help with the cost of Bob's transplant. Two prizes will be raffled off in December. First Prize: 12 Gauge Shotgun with case. Second Prize: a basket of Cathy MacNeill's Crafts. Tickets are 6 for $5.00.

I can't wait for the Halloween Candy to be gone - I just can't stay away from it no matter how sick I feel - I'm a candy addict!!

As witnessed on the people page there has been a population explosion on the island - 4 babies within 2 weeks - Congratulations to all!! If anyone would like a picture of their baby included just get me a copy and I will scan it. I took one of William Robinson which I have included on the People page.

October 29, 1997 - Tomorrow night, Thursday night Channel 8 will be airing a segment about Vika joining her siblings. I am not sure what time it will be on - Jeannine Lauber who did the interview has a news show that goes from 5:00 till 6:30. On Friday John Dougherty is coming over for WBZ in Boston to interview the children and talk about their story - my hope is that it will help people realize that adopting children and especially older can be wonderful and rewarding.

The Halloween party was a fun time for everyone and the costumes were great. They added the pumpkin carving contest which I think was won by Herb Maine with a scene of a lobster boat. Anna Maine won for her age group. Darren Hillicoss had some wonderful carvings and Kaela M. and KayKay H. did a wonderful job with Mr. and Mrs. Edible Jackolanterns.

The well drillers are back and are just going to be here for a day putting in three wells for people who have no water in their wells.

October 24, 1997 - It has been cold, the temperature has been below freezing during the night last night and the night before. Our bird bath was frozen. Hopefully it will warm up for a while - so many people still have their water on and we are waiting to hear about turning them off. We have over a 100 to do and there are no guarantees we will get them in time. If everyone would let us know as soon as they know they won't be back it would be helpful. Hansen's well drillers are coming back again - we have two definites for new wells and two maybe. This will be the third time this year for the well drillers coming - it is a record, it is also a record dry spell!

Saturday night is the Halloween party - I'm excited but not as much as the kids. My sister has made about 12 M&M costumes which will make great throw pillows after the holiday. Denis is a yellow M&M, Dasha and Vika are clowns. Oh, oh, I gave them away - now everyone will know who they are. Everyone is bringing goodies for the party and I am in charge of cleanup.

Don't forget to turn your clock back an hour and you'll be able to get an extra hour of sleep.

The recreation center hiring committee have be interviewing for the Rec Director and have had a number of wonderful candidates. Meanwhile the roof is being shingled and one window is all framed and finished off so we can get an idea of what it will look like. The pool hole is dug and the beginning of next week it will be poured. The opening is scheduled for the end of this year - it's fabulous.

October 20, 1997 - Tonight the Historical Society meeting with a special program "Maine in World War II", at the Parish House, 7:30.

The school board meeting is also tonight and being held at the Chebeague Island School at 7:00. Once a year SAD 51 Board of Directors meet on the island and tonight is the night.

The recreation center is coming along beautifully and the building is almost closed in. Over $560,000 have been raised totally from the community. There have been substantial donations earmarked for the pool which means the pool has been totally paid for without cutting into the donations for the building.

October 14, 1997 - There is a wonderful article in the paper today about our adopting Dasha, Denis and Vika. Everyone will laugh at the comment that my house became quiet before we adopted but in comparison it did.
October 13, 1997 - What wonderful weather we have been having - of course it doesn't help the people with dry wells. It looks like Hansen's Well Drillers will be back for the third time this year - it must be a record. There are two more people without water whose wells have never been this low before.

If you were trying to get the page on Saturday, the connection was down. If you use the same server as me you could get the page but we couldn't get out and outsiders couldn't get in. Saturday was a big day - The Frost Tournament at the Golf Club - for three hours the island was without power - a tree had fallen on the lines and knocked a wire off. From 12:00 to 3:00 I couldn't cook my casserole for the Bean Supper. We got the power back and I'm sure everyone at the dinner was happy. The Hall was packed and at 6:10 every seat was taken - there was a line out the door. I think the Hall must have done well and they had the raffle for the beautiful quilt Jeanette Hamilton made, unfortunately I didn't win.

Sunday we had a family join us for a few hours who lives in Cumberland and adopted three children from the same orphanage as Denis and Dasha were in. Vika and I had visited them at the orphanage four weeks ago and they have been in the US for a week. They are 2, 3, and 5 and join their new 8 year old twin brother and sister. They loved the island and we all had a blast - thank goodness for beautiful weather!

October 8, 1997 - It was another beautiful day but the temp was about 40 degrees this morning. This weekend there will be a bean supper to benefit the CIHCC (the hall) at the hall. I'm even making a casserole so I'll expect to see everyone there. It starts at 6:00 pm and cost $5.00 what a deal!! and a good cause. It's listed as a bean supper but they asked me to bring a casserole which is fine with me.

The walls of the Chebeague Recreation Center are up and the roof was put on today - it is incredible - by mid-October the building will be enclosed and interior work under way. Outside, pool construction will be on fast-forward to beat winter's early snows. Volunteerism is alive and well on Chebeague, particularly at the Recreation Center!!

LOOKING FOR KIDS!! The CRC needs kids (ages 10 and up) to help develop and plan for the Youth part of the Recreation Center. We need help planning a trip to check out the Biddeford Youth Center and the Boys and Girs Club in Portland for ideas. We need help making a wish list of equipment. We have had a pool table and pin ball machines donated. There will be a meeting at Linda White's house on Tuesday October 14th at 7pm. For more information call Rachel Damon, Linda White or Gail Miller.

October 6, 1997 - Virginia Calder had a 10 1/2 lb baby boy today - congratulations!!
October 3, 1997 - I couldn't resist putting this picture of Vika, Denis and Dasha the night of September 14th when they got together again after 3 long years.
October 2, 1997 - It is getting cold! This morning it was in the 30's - just a little preview of what is coming. The October Calendar has been sent and I will try to keep up with the events before they happen. This weekend the Chebeague Island Hall Community Center is having an all day painting party - come all day Saturday or just for a couple of hours. The hope is to get the side toward the store scraped and painted and make it a real community effort. I might bring 3 scraper wielding children up for a few minutes - I'm sure that is all they or anyone could handle.

Saturday is also Alnah Robinson's Baby Shower at the Parish House at 10:30 Everyone is welcome to come. William Grant Robinson is doing well and is expected home in a few days!!!

NEWS FROM MAY THROUGH SEPTEMBER 1997

NEWS FROM FEBRUARY THROUGH APRIL 1997

NEWS FROM DECEMBER 1996 AND JANUARY 1997

I would love to have any news, poetry, stories to add to my news page so please email with anything you think would be of interest to islanders around the world - yes Singapore, Egypt, Mediterranean, Boston etc. checking out the news page everyday! So please email me at bjohnson@nlis.net
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