The MI&C was run by different management when we first arrived in 1997. The facility ran quite smoothly then, and we had a great time with no great complaints. Sure, the bathroom door was a bit sticky and never got closer than 5 inches from the jamb, but we're not big on privacy, so that wasn't an issue. There were a few other glitches like the bureau drawer that nearly crippled one of the children, but we were too busy taking in the sights to notice the slights. Better yet, when we arrived for our 2nd vacation here the following summer, there was a generous gift basket awaiting us (as returning guests) featuring some locally produced soaps and chocolates. That simple gesture helped us overlook the bureau (now sporting a broken knob) and the cripplingly thin and lumpy mattress of the pullout bed. We put the mattress on the floor each night and chalked it up to our own pickiness. After all, perhaps there were people whose backs needed to curve in 8 different places at night.
When we arrived for our 3rd stay, however, things were different. The management had been changed over the winter, and the wrinkles began to show. Gone was the gift basket, along with some of our esteem for the MI&C. It became harder to acquire a beach pass, too, and this was especially vexing the following year because we now had to tote around our most recent addition to the family.
The management didn't change drastically when a new owner took over last year, but we noticed a few alterations when we arrived this time. The room looked larger, and it took us a few moments to realize that two paintings had been removed, rendering an effect that looked vaguely Skandinavian (or as Shirra put it: like something out of an Ikea catalog, but not as fancy). The same two doors still stuck (and now a third did as well), and the bureau drawer still fell out dangerously (tho this time there were two broken knobs rather than one). There were holes where the picture hooks had been. And there was still no gift basket.
As bad as the interior decor was, the exterior changes were worse.
My kids love to hang out at the playground after breakfast everyday. This is a bit of a wonder since the playground here doesn't offer much other than some dilapidated games, a climbing tree that reaches dangerous heights, and a tricky tire swing that doubles as a wrecking ball. There is no slide, there are no monkey bars or swings -- it's nothing like our playground back home. It does, however, feature two items that you don't see in most playgrounds these days, and both involve rusty metal pieces sticking out of the ground exactly where children are likely to skewer themselves.
The first is a ringtoss game devised by Vlad the Impaler. I like how the spike juts out at a pronounced angle -- perhaps the first few kids who landed on it managed to tilt it a few degrees.New Englanders call it Horseshoes, but lawyers call it Dangerous Rusty Pipe Sticking Out Of The Ground .
Because one rusty hazard is never enough...
Just a few feet away is what is probably the top of some drain that is just wide enough for a really interesting story about a child who falls into it and is unable to extract himself for several days while the news media swarm about in hopes of higher ratings. I've lifted off the lid -- it's not attached to anything. I don't recall what was underneath, but I do appreciate the shape and sharpness of the handle, which is perfect for spraining and simultaneously infecting the ankle of a child who had forgotten for a moment that it was there -- too busy, no doubt, worrying about the nearby spike.
Another nice new touch is the swamp on the way to the playground and tennis court. I think they call it a stagnant water feature. It's a great way to increase population of mosquitos, but I'm not sure it's necessary -- mozzies were already pretty numerous in other years.
Just beyond the playground is a new structure with a garage door that someone has already managed to back into. This building, whose purpose is a mystery, seems to function as an additional repository of beach towels and sundry equipment for groundskeeping... or just target practice for the towel carts.
Finally, there was a time a few years ago when each cottage had its own luggage cart to help people transport bags from their car to their cottage. Then last year, the carts had disappeared, tho there was still one of them available upon request. I went to help myself to it this year and discovered that it was out of use -- no one on the island seems to know the location of a bike pump. I filled it myself and made good use of it. This cart appears to have come to the Vineyard with the first settlers.
1 comment:
I should update this post to reflect that when we visited last summer, the owners had made several good changes, several of which had to do with the items mentioned in my blog post (tho I imagine that this was coincidental). Anyway, as of 2010 the MIaC was in pretty good shape! -- David
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