Good news for all readers! Beginning Saturday, Oct. 17, we can once again enter our Southport Memorial Library to browse through the offerings. However you must call ahead (633-2741) to make an appointment. You may stay up to 30 minutes so that the librarians can ensure only five people are browsing at one time. If you do not feel comfortable entering the building, you may continue to phone in a request for a book, and Jen or Anne will put it outside on the bench for you to pick up. You can find more information at www.southportlibrary.org

From Susan Quimby comes this news. She calls all well-wishers to help Newagener Dick Snyder celebrate birthday #83 in his new home in Camden. Dick’s sense of humor is stronger than ever, so funny cards of all kinds would be a welcome surprise and can be sent to: Dick Snyder, Windward Gardens #30, 105 Mechanic St., Camden, ME 04843. Sally Eastwood and Joan Hurd visited him recently and were greeted by Dick saying, “Here comes Southport,” so he is delighted to see his island friends. You can now visit inside as well as outside, but please call (236-4197) to make an appointment through Jessica Mason.

We cannot clean up the COVID-19 virus, but we can clean up the Southport roads. Next Sunday, Oct. 18, the Southport Island Association will again sponsor a road clean up. If you want to participate on your own or with your team of COVID-19-free family and friends, just head to the Southport Town Hall any time between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. with your drink and pickup stick. You will be greeted by a member(s) of the Southport Island Association at the back of the Southport Town Hall where you can to pick up heavy duty trash bags and plastic gloves, and sign up for what road area you will be cleaning up. Because of the pandemic, there will be no
hamburgers/hot dogs, but instead, an edible, safely pre-packaged surprise for you. When finished, leave your bags of refuse anywhere along Route 27 or Route 238, where they will be picked up by a guardian angel and taken to the dump. For more information call or text Alice Mutch, 410-353-3861.

Many friends are packing up this week, having stayed as long as they could in homes without well water. The summer water goes off on Thursday, Oct. 15 at 7 a.m., so take your last shower early that day if you are among the summer water customers.

Confusion continues to reign concerning names of beaches. From Ken Baker comes this tale. He was at his house on Beach Road a month or so ago, “when a nice lady and her teenage daughter pulled into the driveway. When I went out to meet her, she asked if I was getting ready to check out. I told her that I lived there. She said, “Isn’t this 47 South Beach Road?” I said it was 49 Beach Road, and I had never heard of South Beach Road. She responded that her boss owned a home there, and she would be staying in it for the weekend. She went on her way and, I assumed, called her boss.

My sister is at our place this weekend. When she got there on Thursday, she said there was a FedEx package on the front step addressed to someone at 47 South Beach Road I wasn’t able to find it on Google maps so I sent her to the Southport Post Office to find out if there really is a South Beach Road. As you may know, it’s on Pratts Island. When I put the full address (including city and state) it does come up on Google maps. Since I will again by on Southport next week, I will take the package to that address and see if anyone is home.