We were so happy the weather cooperated while our Texas friends were here. All had been vaccinated, but also three in the party had Covid last December/January, before vaccines were widely available. The medical staff had given up on Bernice Fluitt, wife of Kit’s navy buddy, but agreed to allow her to go home for what they believed were her last days.

While being nursed by her family and on oxygen, the second challenge came when a freak winter storm hit their farm bringing wind, snow, and ice such that many trees were down and power was out. The family secured a generator, but that did not work, so Bernice had to be moved not once but twice to keep a continuous source of power for the oxygen flow. Listening to her and her daughter tell the story, it was hard to imagine how she survived except that she is a strong woman of strong faith, and she had the help of many members of her family. Not only has she made the long trek from west Texas to Southport, but she looks now the same as when I saw her a number of years ago. Quite a miracle.

Due to guests we missed the closing picnic at the Southport Yacht Club, but I hear that it was well organized by Janet Duchaine, well attended, and everyone had a good time. Here is a report from Janet and Rosalie Baker who were there.

From Janet: “Last Saturday brought abundant warm sunshine and brisk, refreshing air. On this quintessential autumn day, Southport Yacht Club members, with picnic baskets in hand, gathered outside the clubhouse to bid fond farewell to summer, to Cosy Harbor and to each other. Pumpkins and wild asters adorned the picnic tables while the jacketed crowd sipped apple cider and savored the crunch of a local Macoun or Cortland apple. Dessert was a scrumptious array of home-baked goodies — aromas of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves — complete with a reminder, especially for the candy corn eaters, to floss later on!”

And from Rosalie: “It was really fun- about 40 people and the picnic tables were all festively decorated with pumpkins, baskets of apples, asters — a great variety. Everyone brought a picnic and Janet made a variety of desserts for us to feast on!”

Perhaps there will be a picture elsewhere in the paper.

To all our year-round residents on Southport, do remember to return the questionnaires sent to gather your thoughts about improvements to the grounds around the school. This project will benefit the school children, but also is thought of as a community benefit. Planners are eager for your input.

Our other community project is the installation of broadband throughout the island. Signs around the island have the phone number you can call to sign up for this service. Do remember that if you sign up ahead of time there will be no installation fee to bring the service to your house unless, like us, you have run the wires to your house underground. Then, we are told, if there is some blockage to additional wires, we will pay the toll for that portion of the installation