Al Roberts is in big trouble. As of Monday -- their 41st anniversary -- he still hadn't made plans for a celebration, and instead of accepting roses and chocolate, Becky was on garbology duty, accepting mixed paper, magazines, and tin cans, while mumbling under her breath about how Al would be lucky to make it to their 42nd.

Becky will not be our garbologist Friday, nor will anyone else. We've had our last Friday pickup, but listen for that beep-beep-beep of the Roberts dump truck every Monday until Columbus Day.

The Pat-a-Mac blackberry patch is ripening faster than Bayvillians can pick. That was either Cooter Schneider or a bear in the middle of the patch Monday, harvesting quarts to take back to Vermont and preserve some Bayville sweetness for the long winter.

Next door, the Merrills were admiring their growing fleet. By Smokey Stover's count, Lawn Cottage has the highest per cottage boat census in Bayville, numbering some 11 vessels, including four kayaks, three dinghies, a Turnabout, a Lightning, Celebration, and the still anonymous Southport '40 (David insists there's no such thing as a Southport '40, but it's got to be at least that long if it has taken the Merrills that much time to get ready to launch). Latest acquisition is David's Dyer Dow dinghy (how's that for alliteration?) picked up last week in a New Hampshire pawn shop.

At press time, we were all waiting to see Perry Bradley's expression when he and Sue return from their cruise and Perry spots the new Merrill dinghy on the stringer float hitherto reserved for inflatables.

Still recovering from a long Sunday expedition to Monhegan, Smokey and Kit Stover are closing Rock Cottage today. Smokey finally figured out how to assemble all the canvas on the Permanent Wave and converted it into a cabin

cruiser, welcome shelter for the wet trip back from Monhegan to Linekin Bay.

Our able overseer, legal scholar, and expert witness Chuck Wolfram was due to head west yesterday with Nancy after a summer of swimming and occasional sailing. Berkeley's gain is our loss.

Washing machines and vacuum cleaners were running full force in a lot of other cottages Monday as Bayvillians fled west and south, in spite of what Joe Cupo says will be one of the prettiest weeks of the year. But Will and Max Jordan are due to return for the last week of September, thanks to a break in Max's year-round school calendar, so we're counting on good weather

at least until October.

And it's not so easy to get rid of the McDonoughs, either. Moose and Janet are planning to stay on until Thanksgiving, when they're planning a Bayville family reunion before they head south. David and Chrissy McDonough, with Chrissy's parents Jack and Diane Breslin of Vero Beach, were enjoying the Labor Day weekend with Moose and Janet.

Unless someone sends me particularly juicy scandal, this will be the last Beat until June, but stay in touch! Mail to: peterjordan@mi ndspring.com.