Editor’s Note: no date perhaps a post-mortem for 1991??
Before I write my very final word for the summer, I want to thank several people for great kindness and helpfulness:
All readers of Grindstone Island News should know that the pony express is not dead. This is how the news gets to the Thousand Islands Sun:
Someone writes it, compiling the article from all the notes passed in church or across picnic tables, or from hand-to-hand on the country road, writes it in manuscript printing, in pencil, on a yellow pad. Then, as the sun is setting on Sunday evening, the writer telephones Clara Carnegie to say she/he is starting for the boat (Debbie Donaldson did, and, perhaps, Bubby will, start for an ATV).
At the same time Clara starts her walk down to her dock on the north side of Grindstone. When the writer pulls along the dock, the news is passed, with a few words of greeting, to Clara, who then gives it to Milt, her husband, who takes it to Clayton on Monday morning and delivers it to his daughter Stella, who, finally speeds it to Alexandria Bay and the Sun office where she works, in time to meet the Monday noon deadline! Thank you, Carnegies, one and all! Thank you Thousand Islands Sun for your accurate printing from such hand-copy!
Next, I want to tell all Grindstone Islanders and their friends about the Riverside Cafe, owned and managed by Roger and Sherrill Wakeel. We have, this evening, just returned from a Middle East dinner they prepared for us, and it was so beautifully prepared that it makes me want to write a "Where to Eat Good Food" column! All the traditional foods were on the menu: humus, pita bread, tabouli, stuffed zucchini (which I know as Khusa Mashi), grape leaves, and (the Wakeels are from the Christian-Arab tradition) pork chops.
Each new offering was more delicate than the last. The sauces were superb, the tabouli was, as all the salads we've had there this summer have been, fresh and lively. The vegetable stuffings were proportioned - rice, meat, raisins, spices - just right. Thank you, Wakeels! We hope the Riverside Cafe will have a long and successful life on the river! (The prices at the cafe, by the way, are very modest, and the view is toward Grindstone).
And, finally, I turn this column over to Bubby Bazinet, a Grindstone Island winter resident, a guard at the Cape Vincent Correctional Facility, a relative of many, many islanders. He tells a good story, so read him faithfully, and send him your news this winter. His wife, Carolyn, will be his right-hand in keeping us all up-to-date on the affairs of Grindstone Island. Carolyn works at the Clipper Inn for yet a little while, but expects their first child in about two months. So it is ... Aminta Marks.
Addendum by Bubby Bazinet
To begin this column I would like to speak for all of the islanders. Thank you, John and Aminta Marks, for all of your hard work and time involved in this column. It is truly appreciated, by everyone.
Last week, representatives of New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and Health accompanied Pete Mellon on a tour of several aerobic sewage treatment systems. One of these was recently installed at the home of Dr. Fred and Joan Reuckert on the head of the island. Laurie Marr, executive director of Save the River and dark Deper, a representative of the Multi-Flo Aerobic System Company, also went on the tour. The purpose of the tour was to inspect several Multi-Flo Systems and show state officials how well the system works when a conventional septic tank and leech field cannot be used.
The Reuckerts' system is working well and the state officials were impressed. The Reuckerts had their new system inspected by Save the River and received the Great Blue Heron clean water award, because they're not polluting the river with their sewage.
The dances may be all over but the islanders have taken advantage of the nice weather with campfires and conversation. Tom, Susie and Shawn Marshall entertained any interested guest by campfire both Friday and Saturday evenings. The conversation was plenty with stories of island history and history to come.
Through lots of hard work and very secretive planning by Debbie Donaldson, a surprise breakfast, baby shower consisting of around 60 guests was held at the island carriage hall for my wife Carolyn. The men, women, and children from all areas of the island worked together on homemade decorations and food ranging from homemade doughnuts, bread, cakes, eggs to juice and coffee. Carolyn was very surprised on her way to the Donaldsons' for breakfast to see the Donaldson girls and Jada Lashomb in front of the church with a banner welcoming a visit from the stork. The raccoon car is all better and delivered Carolyn's parents Margaret and Harold Shultz along with Bob and Emmy Sorth, all from the foot of the island.
Carolyn was very surprised and would like to thank everyone for their love, support and wonderful gifts.
Ed Barlow's variance was denied by the zoning board. Rumors are he is going to put his tent on a hay wagon and transport it around the island.