Two (Better) Weeks in Martha's Vineyard

We just got back from our tenth annual mecca to Martha's Vineyard, and this time, I think we got it right.

This particular vaca requires a lot more driving than most. Of course there are trips where the whole purpose is to see America as you tootle around in your mobile home, and I'd love to plan one of those some day when the kids are grown up. Maybe Shirra and I can forgo the mobile home and take a smaller, greener car instead. But our two weeks on the Vineyard are supposed to be relaxing. Last year, I set the car's odo at 0 when we arrived and discovered to my disgust that we'd put on more than 500 miles. The year before, it was over 700! So I'd just about had it with MV when we arrived this time. After all, I drive 1000 miles a week as it is.

LESS FUDGE and ICE CREAM...
As soon as we arrived off the ferry into Vineyard Haven, we shopped at our favorite spot, Murdick's Fudge. Only there had been a sad transformation. Beverly, the lovely woman we'd seen for the previous 8 years, was no longer there. Her coworker, a lovely young woman we'd seen for years and had assumed (incorrectly) was her daughter, was still on hand, but in Beverly's place was a gangly teenage boy who, while helpful, lacked the charm of our old friend. Things worsened when we checked out the Murdick's in Edgartown a week later. At that location, all of the people we'd come to know over the years had been replaced by young Slavic women, repeating a bizarre trend seen at several other stores across the island. This was a real downer, but the good news is that after the E'town experience, I'm no longer a slave to fudge. And while I still have to lose the 5 or 6 pounds I put on this year, I'll have an easier time in years to come.

Similarly, we are no longer beholden to the wonderful flavors of Mad Martha's Ice Cream. It used to be that any trip to Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs, or E'town meant stops at both Murdicks (to replenish the eaten fudge) and Mad Martha's, where each of us would buy some huge amount of home-made ice cream. But a few years ago, the small island chain sold its stores, and the new owner seems to have done away with the 'home made' part. We haven't been back since. And of course, every Mad Martha's store is now almost completely run by young Slavic women. I have nothing against the Slavs; they're always helpful and do a fine job, but it was nicer when we had a stronger connection to people who actually lived year-round on the island.

...MORE BEACH!
Another reason we took in fewer fatty calories this time is that we made far fewer trips to the big towns. Most days we spent at least a few hours on Squibnocket Beach or, twice, Lucy Vincent Beach. Since the kids are older, we have less to worry about, so while we still kept an eye on them (especially at the windy and wavy Lucy V), Shirra and I got in a lot of reading and relaxing. So did Fiona, for that matter. She was more interested in reading than in swimming, and she worked hard to avoid getting tan, which she pulled off quite well, returning home even lighter than when we left, if that's possible. Hats, long sleeves, and 50 SPF will do that for you.

Another reason we enjoyed this trip more was that we had a lot of friends to hang out with. Early on, we connected with our friends Holly and Sandy and their two kids, whose sexes and ages matched our big two. We got together with them on three occasions: once at their rental home just a few lazy miles from our cottage, once at the cottage for Emmett's birthday party, and finally a few hours at Squibby. Emmett has celebrated all ten of his birthdays on MV, but this one was by far his favorite since he had a good buddy to spend it with. The two boys (and the girls) ran around the Inn's grounds with the kite that Emmett had just gotten as a b'day prezzy. Meanwhile the parents, as well as my brother, his wife, and my mom, all hung around chatting for hours.

A few days later, we reconnected with a couple we'd met a few years ago at the Inn. Like us, they both graduated from Vassar, so we had that in common, and they also live in NYC. Their son is 3, but he's as physical and verbal as many 4-year-olds, so Maeve and he were able to have a great time together. Soon after that, we all made more friends with other couples with children, as it often happens.

OLD FAVORITES
* Shirra had fun visiting her friend Susan, who runs the country's first (and only?) fiber CSA out of her home near Edgartown (she's sort of in "Edgarvillage" on the outskirts of the main town). After visiting her, we got to walk around E'town and visit some of its shops.
* No trip to Martha's Vineyard would be complete without a visit to the Flying Horses carousel in Oak Bluffs. We went on the Emmett's birthday since we were already planning to be in OB for some jetskiing. Emmett's birthday got off to a great start: Jetskiing (during which time the president's helicopter, Marine One, flew right over our heads as we waved) followed by the carousel (where Emmett got the brass ring twice, entitling him to two free rides). Shirra couldn't ride a jetski this time since she'd recently broken one of her pinky bones, so I took Maeve and Emmett. We had a great time, hitting 45 miles an hour and scaring ourselves to shrieks.
* We also had fun getting dinners to go (or to stay) at the Galley, a little take-out joint down the hill from our inn in Menemsha. The kids fell in love with their veggie burgers, and my mom usually had a tasty grilled cheese sandwich.

NEW FAVORITES
Thanks to our Vassar buddies, we learned about a few quiet spots to buy wonderful tomatoes or blueberries, but better still was our trip to the weekly make-your-own-pizza party down in nearby Aquinnah. This party has been going on for years. We went with the Vassar folks and ended up running into Susan and her hiree, Erin, also there for the first time.

So now we have more reasons to return than ever: our friends. And we managed to drive fewer than 350 miles this time. And we even left a few things for next year that we just didn't manage to get to this time (like a visit to the Chilmark graveyard). For once, I can't wait to go back.