Many thanks to Maureen Kinsey who kept Southport news coming, writing last week’s column while I made what may be my final trip to our time share at Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vermont. Our time-share week is now owned by two of our three offspring, Sue and Andy. They say I am most welcome, but it is a long way to go. My desire to learn to ski was accomplished, but now is not such an appealing activity. Swimming, the hot tub, and good food are fine, but such fun is also available here.

I did spend some time with summer residents, Louise and Clark Phippen, who also have a time share at Trapp. In fact they introduced us to the facility. They have moved from skiing to snowshoeing, but their offspring come for skiing as well as one grandchild’s birthday.

I returned home on Saturday in time to attend the Democratic Caucus meeting on Sunday afternoon, Feb. 4, at the Boothbay Region High School gym. After signing candidate forms for Cameron Reny, Holly Stover and Chellie Pingree, as well for Angus King outside the building because he is an independent, we heard speeches from Holly and Cameron. Then the towns present, Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, Edgecomb and Southport, retired to separate spaces to hold their individual caucuses. About 18 people from Southport reelected Bill Messmer, president; Jane Lunt, vice president; Vernon Rayl, treasurer, and myself as secretary. We also approved the Municipal Committee Bylaws as well as transacting other business. Look for more news as we move further into the election season.

If you are interested in gardening, mark your calendars and plan to attend a coffee klatch to discuss gardening beginning Thursday, Feb. 22 at 10 a.m. at the Southport Memorial Library. This meeting and discussion will continue each Thursday morning. For additional information call Claire Tomlin 305-775-2166. I have heard that the groundhog did see his shadow on Feb. 2, so we now can expect an early spring to start the gardening season.

Look for an obituary for Anne Grimes elsewhere in this paper. Reading it this morning online, I was amazed at all the activities Anne immersed herself in both before marriage to Mike and while raising her family. I had said in my first news of Anne’s passing that she was the quiet one among the Pratts Island mothers, but now I am not so sure I remembered correctly.

The 2004 annual Town Warrant is online on the town website and is posted around town. Note on your calendars the town meeting for Monday, March 4 with voting from 10 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. and the meeting beginning at the town hall at 7:30 p.m. We will vote by secret ballot for one selectman, assessor and overseer of the poor, a fire chief, and a member of the school committee, each for a three-year term.

Two articles that are not the usual fundraising requests are Articles 30 and 31 having to do with blasting anywhere on the island and drilling wells on Pratt’s Island. More information on Article 30 is available at the town office and on the town website. Another article that is a consequence of the storms is Article 37 that asks for $200,000 to repair the Newagen Town Landing.

Hendricks Head Beach road seems tidied up. Cars can easily park either facing the water or in the sand on the other side of the road. I expect at some point repaving will have to be done, but now the area looks much neater, thanks to our road crew, who, I expect, is responsible.