Grindstone
News - August 21, 1991
The summer weeks seem to be coming to an end. The air and the sun and the trees all have the hint of fall upon them. The smell of the ripening apples is in the air, and occasionally you can see ducks starting to flock together - as are the families gathering together and then having to leave Grindstone because of schools starting and/or jobs waiting.
Roy and Lolita Pfieffer have to leave this week. Roy has to get started back to school.
Manley Rusho's wife Mary-Lou is another one of these people gone home to Florida to start back teaching. Their daughter. Sue Greenberg, and her three sons have been visiting from Florida with her grandparents Leon and Marjorie Rusho, but now they have gone home also. Manley still has one daughter here, Cathy and her friend Erin Carlson, who came to the Saturday night dance and seemed to really enjoy the tunes played by the Whirlin' Disc DJ. Watching the DJ. perform the tunes was just as much fun as dancing.
The sound of everyone singing "Bye-Bye Miss American Pie" surely made some of the "older" generation wonder if the "younger generation even knew what the song was all about. But the singing and dancing went on, smiles were on everyone's faces, the rain didn't seem to dampen a thing. Susie Marshall won the 50-50, and Cody Higgins was the proud winner of the lunches at Potter's Beach. Next Saturday night the band That's That will entertain the crowd.
As Rev. Gipson said himself, he's "made history on Grindstone. Remember the summer we didn't have an outdoor service, that Gipson fellow was here." The Aunt Jane's Bay service was cancelled again due to weather that didn't look promising. Joyce Irwin Smith played the organ while we sang our songs of worship. Carol Marsh sang "Whither Thou Goest" by Susan Bingham, accompanied by Joyce.
Mrs. Heine's granddaughter Jenna joined Erma Slate and the rest of the Sunday school. They had a grand time talking of sharing and making chocolate chip cookies. Joshua's baking skills were really helped out by Jacey, Jamie, Stephanie, Rachel, Amber, Meghan, Anna and Jolyce.
Brenda Slate said the canning of her beans and tomatoes could hold off for a day when she finally got to go to Boldt Castle on Heart Island last week with the Steve Donaldson family. They had a lovely boat ride down and back and were in awe of the castle. They even ran into some other islanders, the Larsons, Carl and Anna and their dad, Ken. Ken was giving a 1000 Islands tour to his company. Jonathan and Kathryn Bawie are now visiting the Larsons on Long Point. Maybe they'll get one of those 1000 Islands tours, also.
I guess someone or everyone must have put a bug in the Town's ear because the roads on Grindstone have been graded. The Town has done a wonderful job, and I'm sure everyone on Grindstone thanks them!
Quite a few of the male population just had to leave Grindstone on Saturday morning. The call of the wild, the annual Clayton Gun Show, was beckoning them. It was quite amazing to see them up and going so early in the morning. You would have thought it was hunting season. Juny Brown told Madjel he just had to have a new gun. Tommy Marshall dug into his reserves and came home with his new purchase and empty pockets. Thanks to the guidance of Bub Bazinet and David Higgins, Steve Donaldson said he was only along for the ride.
Sunday afternoon, at Salt and Kitty's, was a wonderful time. The band played, the people dance, the speedies were great. Family, fun and friends - that's what our paradise is all about.
Coming Events:
• Wednesday, Aug. 21, Robbie Lashomb will talk about his experience in Saudi Arabia at 7:30 p.m. at the church. Refreshments will be served.
• Saturday, Aug. 24, two-piece band That's That at Dodge Memorial Center.
• Sunday, Aug. 25, pot luck lunch and charge conference.
• Friday and Saturday, Aug. 30 and 31 at the Opera House in the Clayton Town Hall, 8 p.m., "Reflections in G."
• Next week, Aminta will be back to write her column. According to Aminta, So It Is. Addendum
Flash - Tents of all kinds are illegal in the Town of Clayton. As of July 1990, the new zoning ordinance for the Town of Clayton prohibits tents of any kind north of Route 12 except in a licensed campground. This means no screen yard tents, no pup tents for kids, no storage tents, no tents of any kind.
This has come to the forefront on Grindstone Island this year when one couple lodged a complaint against another property owner for having a tent on his property. Both parties own property on the west side of Thurso Bay, north side of
Grindstone Island.
Even though the man has not stayed in this tent this summer, and has only been using it for storage, the zoning office of Clayton issued an order to take it down by July 30 or go to court. The man complied with the order and has applied for a 13-foot variance to erect a wooden storage shed in its place. The zoning board considered the application at its Aug. 13 meeting.
One letter was received by the board in favor of the variance request from his neighbors across the bay. Another verbal approval was given by his neighbor bordering on the back line of the property. This is the line where he is asking for the distance variance. No objections were formally lodged against him either written or verbally at the public meeting on Aug. 13. Pictures were submitted of the illegal tent, however, with no name attached to them as to who took them.
The decision has been handed down by the zoning board concerning this matter to date. (We'll keep you posted when more happens.)