ON ISLAND — by Nora Mendis
For many years, whenever I met my mom’s mom, Grandma Audrey, we would meet at the Grand Central information booth. Now, at 93, she’s still up for adventure.
In the summers before I was born, Grandma Audrey always went to Martha’s Vineyard, through the ’60s and into the ’80s. Her nostalgic glow for those summers has always shaped my own experiences there.
On the other side of my family, my dad’s family also went to the Vineyard — Inkwell instead of Menemsha. My great-aunt Winnie (or is she a second cousin?) bought a little house in Oak Bluffs near the East Chop lighthouse when she retired, back when a teacher from Queens could actually buy a house by the beach.
When she died, my Uncle Roger bought the house, and the family goes in the off season. For the past decade, I’ve gone in October, when you can drive onto the ferry without planning ahead and a cold snap hangs in the air. A swim is required for all of us.
Amaru eats scones from Orange Peel Bakery with its big stone oven, and Grandma gets feta at Mermaid Farmstand with a rare chestnut tree outside. Niobe sleeps in the carrier as I hold Grandma’s hand on the walk to Lambert’s Cove for sunset, my shared family memories are tied in with this island, this house. Amaru fills my pockets with seashells and sings to baby Niobe with the clay cliffs as a backdrop. On the same beach where I cared for Amaru, I now breastfeed Niobe. I am someone who puts a lot of love into places and objects, and we revisit our favorites on the island together: our favorite painted mailbox, our favorite place to collect rocks, our favorite spot to fly a kite — this is family.
Nora is a production designer who lives in New York City with Sam and their daughters, Amaru and Niobe.