It's cold

We had our first frost two nights ago and then our second one last night. The days are warm but it's chilly when the sun is down or behind clouds.

The workers here are trying to close up the addition before it gets even colder. That would be good since the old house has open spaces to the new addition. Progress includes work on the garage foundation, the porch, plumbing and closets. I've been painting and pruning.

But it seems quiet compared to Bethesda where we've had a steady stream of visitors. David and Paula came down for Jeffrey and Melodie's engagement party. Joe and Margaret represented us since we were still in Pittsfield. Peter and Janet were there last night as they were attending a wedding. And in between an Irish friend spent the night.

Mary should be right now on her return flight back to Albany, pending the weather. She was up here last weekend for her high school reunion (40)! Marj and Lew came up and stayed at this construction site. It was the first time I had gone to one of her reunions and I earned a ton of brownie points which I intend to cash in for many years to come. While here we went for a hike in the October Berkshires. Beautiful.

Joe is busy preparing a proposal for an aid project in Iraq. Margaret is busy preparing for a conference with Iraqis in Virginia. She had gone up to New Jersey with her friend James and stopped in to see Grandma. Annie went to Hong Kong and met up with my college roommate Bruce Von Cannon.

Nature notes: We think we had a bear in our garden. What else could have smashed the fences, left big footprints and eaten the sunflower seeds? Sasquatch. Also we saw a big, fat owl on a hike. He looked at us as if we might be lunch and then thought better of it and flew away.

We're looking forward to the Restore Sanity rally at the end of the month. Johanna and Janet are coming down.

Heading back to Maryland on Sunday. What's next? I make it up as I go along.

Love from up here.

Foliage and Nostalgia

The road trip is over, and thanks to all who hosted us and met up with us in Grandma's week-long tour through upstate New York, western Mass, and eastern Connecticut.

We packed a lot in, returning to familiar sites and places connected with family and extended family.  Our connections seemed to have one constant: FOOD!!  But it was wonderful to see everyone.

Our send-off was dinner with Peter and Janet the night before we packed up the car and took off.  Our first stop was Old Chester Road, a last-minute diversion from the already boring interstates.  There were plenty of apples on the ground Andrew.  And after 40 years, it's nice to see many things untouched - including an old stables and the back-door walkway/entrance.  Having just put on a new roof, I zoned in on this house's roof and think I saw the same roof which was new back in the 1960s.  Looks like it is time they invest in a new roof, but I will not volunteer to clean up the removed shingles.

On our way to David and Paula's, we stopped in the Poconos for lunch a Friendly's in Tannersville and one of had a milkshake!  

We arrived in Fairport in time for DINNER and Matthew joined us.  Saturday we went on partially successful shopping missions (Grandma couldn't find the red blazer but David got a new toilet seat!)  In between Yankees/Red Sox games we played pinochle where Paula and Grandma took advantage of the fact that I was a novice.  Sunday was a major birthday party dinner for Paula and Tina, and we were joined by Matthew, Tina, Oliver, Tina's parents, and Paula's brother-in-law.  Niiiice. Happy Birthdays (and to Johanna)

We headed east on Monday and got to Pittsfield just in time to see the house, settle Grandma in at Jiminy Peak ski resort and head to dinner with John and Marilyn.  They had just returned from a trip to India and confirmed that the poverty, the number of people and the Taj Mahal were the most remarkable features of that country.  The next day was a quiet one and we mostly checked out our house and Jiminy Peak, as a place where we might want to congregate next summer.  

On Wednesday, we returned to Pomfret.  A beautiful day for that spectacular drive down route 169 from Sturbridge.  The colors were just coming out and you all will remember what that was like.  We drove around the town, the school and went up the driveway a couple of times to "inspect".  Things looks the same, but with some major changes -the garage out back is a now a stables; they are putting a fence in for a horse right now.  The bench and the sign on the porch the same, but gone are a few of the fruit trees, including the pear trees on the front walkway.  David, I think it's time for some pruning and clean-up out back and the shutters clearly miss their annual painting friend.

We had lunch at the Harvest with Gloria Glenn, Joy Nelson and Margi Huoppi, who bought the house from Grandma.  We talked of house renovations, of Pomfret people but not of politics.

We did talk politics in Mystic and Stonington where we spent the night and had dinner with Dan Boyle at Skippers Dock right on the water.  A beautiful sunset which forewarned the terrible weather we were about to get.

Blinding rain was in store for us as we headed to Greenwich for lunch with Aunt Georgia and Rell at the country club.  Georgia had just finished putting in a bedroom on the first floor and was getting ready to de-camp for Florida for the winter.

The final leg to Hightstown and then onward to Bethesda came under the threat of weather and tornados, and then some actual rain and wind.  But we both made it home safe and sound.

Grandma seemed tired by the end of the week.  She has a hard time seeing and gets out of breath easily but is alert and remembers camping trips and children's and grandchildren's exploits proudly.

We are now planning our next road trip.  Chicago?  Washington?  Alaska?

Love to all.