After a hectic couple of weeks with lots of island activities, this past week has been decidedly slow! A good week for sitting back and watching life going by, even if it was rather cool and damp.

The Bowen Cottage was filled with family — Brenda and Michael, and daughter Emma; David and Sherrie and daughter Natalie; as well as Betsy Bowen and her husband Jeff Schwartz, annual visitors and longtime lovers of the island.

The Stoddard cottage was the place to be for birthday celebrations, however! David and Cat Koch arrived on Thursday to celebrate his birthday. Lots of traffic from Maryland to Maine meant grandson Mark arrived after dinner, but in time to watch an enormous full moon rise over Indiantown. Friday, Edna's actual birthday, was quiet, but the real fun began with the arrival of her nephew, Scott and Camille Woodard on Saturday. Scott shares Edna's birthday, so it was a three-way party all afternoon and evening. It seems we never stopped laughing, eating and chatting. We had an indoor birthday cookout and Glen and Cindy McCandless came over for the dual birthday cakes (one chocolate and one pound cake) as well as the spectacle of the 98 candles on the birthday board! Between them, Edna, David and Scott managed to blow out all the candles for a combined birthday of 228 years old!

Speaking of birthdays, we must also wish a very happy birthday to both Lillian O'Connor and Jenny McKenzie Loughridge who also celebrated their birthdays the 15th and 16th, respectively. Later this month, on the 30th, Glen McCandless will be celebrating.

Friday night, despite the grey weather, there was a modest turnout at the wharf party. All who went were heartily entertained by watching Pat Smith motoring in at an amazingly slow speed with literally no wake. Pat has now set the standard by which we know all wakes will be compared.

As per our new tradition, a group of energetic souls ably lead by Jeannie Reed and Patsy McKenzie were line dancing away on Sunday morning. Jeannie taught the Rita’s waltz and we danced the tush push and the electric slide. Finally, bring your two left feet and join us for two more Sunday mornings 9:30-10:30 at the Casino. Exercise that doesn’t feel like exercise. Come for the laughs, friendships, and exercise!

A short, but memorable service was given by Beth Richardson on Sunday night. She was prompted by the terrible roof fire at Notre Dame this past spring to speak of the connection between buildings and religion. The buildings of her Quaker childhood were spare and empty, while in comparison our Casino was a symbol of warmth and light and it's wonderful unique smell.  The music was provided by Micheal Smith. The flowers came from the Rydell garden.

Upcoming events include a dance at 7:30 on the 23rd in the Casino featuring The Music Men: Bob Esterberg on drums and Arthur Norton on Piano. This event is a fundraiser for the IOS Tennis Association and is BYOB and a dessert to share. After that, it's the Labor Day Picnic at the Farmhouse on the 31st. Can it really be the end of August already? Where has the summer gone? Don't forget to get those Island Women photos to Susan Reece by Labor Day for next year's book.