I think we have had more snow already this year than the past two years. Plus, with the temperature so cold the ice has been the main concern. Thanks to the thawing on Tuesday, we were able to get rid of the bad spots. So, now we wait and see what else is in store for us.

Happy Birthday to all who celebrated their day this past week. Big balloons go out to Hazel Chrebet and Augustus Fisher who celebrated Jan. 3; and Aliyah Bennett, Maria Oliveira and Acacia Lima, who celebrated their day Jan. 4.

First, Happy New Year. I hope you all had a nice holiday season. It was hard on our Island to accept the tragedy that happened on New Year’s day and how it affected many people here and off the Island. I was in Swansea and Tricia’s name was in many of the local papers there. Roy and Tricia touched many lives, and we all share in the grief with their families.

I have returned from being with my family over the holidays. It is never uneventful with four children under nine, three dogs and a very busy schedule. The most important part was we were able to all be together on Christmas Eve at my nephew Doug’s house in Plymouth. I looked at all the generations that were in the house and how the kids who were the start of the next generation not too long ago are now caring for the kids of the next generation to come. It was a wonderful night with lots of laughs, talks of memories and most of all filled with love.

JJ Polleys has returned to his studies at BYU in Idaho. He was here for the holidays with his family: Jonathan, Tina and his sister Audrey. He had a brief moment with his brother Christian and his wife Karla at the airport when he arrived. Christian and Karla, after their visit here with family, were waiting to depart to El Salvador to visit her family. Tim, Debbie and Cooper Gilkes then arrived to spend Christmas and returned to Greenfield. They too had a busy season but enjoyed all their family time.

It is now downtime for most people in town. I have heard a lot of people saying they will be doing a lot of purging in their houses, which is one of my plans. Hopefully, we can catch up with friends we have not seen, be able to get some reading done or just plain relax. Whatever you do, enjoy yourself and stay healthy.

Have a great week and keep the home candles burning.