Come on down! Town water is flowing to the island and "Abigail Swett" is on station. The first over-nighters arrived on Friday. Keith and Scott MacGilvra got themselves across only to find that the water was NOT flowing to their faucets, because of a broken pipe under the house, which was quickly repaired. They also lost electricity for a short while, until CMP was able to locate the problem, a blown transformer I believe, and corrected it. Peter Burvill on the top of the island did not experience a black-out as he had power when he arrived on Saturday with a new boat. Mike Thompson happened to be on the Sawyer's dock when Joan and Juliana made a day trip and so were a surprise to Peter. It was perfect timing, for Juliana was able to wade into the water at Knickercane to assist Pete on getting his new boat on the trailer for the trip home to Mass.

This was Fishermen's Festival weekend and Matt and Chase came up for some of the festivities. They took me out to lunch at the new Knot Gray's Wharf, where we encountered Betty Jean Adams Maddocks and her brother Bobby, whom I might not have recognized, for he is quite bald these days. In a wonderful catching-up chat with Bobby, he revealed that the family had given Bob Sr., a small family celebration in honor of Bob's 80th birthday on April 16th. How's this for a wild coincidence? Former superintendent Bob, and current superintendent both were born on the same day, as Mike Thompson also celebrated on April 16th. I recently saw Bob in the supermarket and he is looking and acting great after his ill health this winter. Send him a belated B-day card at 20 Giles Place, Boothbay Harbor. I think Paul Abbott's hearty laugh traveled over the backyard to the Adams' house, for both Bobby and Bob have that wonderful laugh.

Deb and Art Pierce were down earlier this week and stopped by to check on me and say that the former P.O., now library looks great. And there is a new face on the island working for Mike. Warren Page will be glad to meet you whenever you get to the island. Deb also wanted to point out that gremlins had gotten in the column and the party at their cottage for Memorial Day is at 5:30, 5:30, 5:30. Deb also gave another small world fact. On the lift at Sugarloaf one day she heard mention of King Pine Ski area and found another rider was a HOYT. That was the name of Peggy Baxter's second husband, Milt Hoyt who owned King Pine. The person she spoke with probably was one of Milt's kids.

Herewith the current hospital report. I am back in the swing having had a cyst removed from my spine, which eliminated a pain in my right leg. Whoopee! Beth Ayer was here to keep me on the straight and narrow, and before she departed, we went up to Wiscasset to see Joy Sturgis Foster at Deb Widbiller's home. Wiscasset had an earlier school vacation than we did here, and Deb, Max and Amanda spent the week in Cancun at a time-share owned by Claudia Lawlor, a friend of Deb's. Her tan was super. Joy looks great and it was wonderful to see how well she is doing.

After two trips the ER at St. Andrews, Edgar Reed was zipped to Maine Med., where they did lots of tests, no surgery, but medication to control his heart process. He is looking better than he has for several months, and can enjoy the news that granddaughter Kimberly has been accepted at Wellesley. Do you hear that Jane McClennan?

A phone call from Edna Stoddard let me know that she was safely home from a visit with her sister Charlotte and Clayton in Virginia. Everything was blooming to beat the band and this week our Maine weather has the forsythia and spring bulbs growing great guns. She normally was able to visit with daughter Linda on these spring trips, but England was a bit far this year.

It would be thoughtful if you are planning to bring books for our island library, to let Sue Woolson know. She and Monty had recently been in northern Arizona which she termed "breathtaking."

The Phillips, Joanne, Richard and Amanda, who will come from England, are down in San Antonio for the wedding of Amanda's best college friend. I hope they put in a call to Mike Potts and find out what he is up to. All those McClennan kids have been working hard to get Jane's house ready to put on the market.