Dundee News

We've had some busy days recently, starting with picking Claire up from Hope, with two carloads full of stuff. Another positive year, heading into the stretch. She was home for two days and then off to Vienna. Surprisingly easy drop-off, considering it was the International terminal. But you couldn't get anywhere near the gates. She says it was a good flight, and seemed shorter than it was.

We talked to her on Sunday, and she is enjoying Vienna nicely, although she still has classes. She is living with her good friend at a house with a woman who has older children. She is looking forward to some upcoming day trips. 

This Saturday Daniel graduated from high school. Almost 800 kids, in a big sports arena. And the microphone didn't work very well. One interesting note was how many assistant superintendents and assistant principals there were. All making very good salaries. I wonder what they actually do everyday. Anyway, a nice sunny day, lots of smiles, and many selfies. One of the highlights was a video of a first year English teacher dancing very well in front his class. Dan said the video went viral. Nice going, Dan!

Lur wrapped up her semester last week, after a hectic last couple of days. We planted our garden at the hospital, and since the plot is much bigger than last year, we actually gave some of the space to another person. Lur still volunteers at the hospital, and we are getting ready for some summer volunteering with the village.

We have had numerous coyote sightings in the neighborhood. One afternoon, Willie and I were sitting on the back patio, and a coyote strolled past us about 20 feet away. Luckily, Willie did not see him, because the coyote just kept on walking not caring about our presence. A few weeks ago, after buying plants at our Home Depot, I was carting the plants out to the van, and noticed a duck following me. As I opened the back end, the duck flew into the car. After shooing it out, a guy two cars down asked, "your last name wouldn't happen to be Doolittle?". What is the matter with these critters?

Spring is here, looking forward to the summer.

It's Beginning

to look a lot like summer!  And every day more so.  Even today, when it was cold and cloudy and drizzly.  We've been spending a lot of time in the garden cleaning out and mulching the flower and garden beds.  It's a lot of hard work, for a brief period every spring.  Then we get to enjoy it all summer long.

Lots of news this week.  First, happy birthday Sean.  Some great photos of Sean through the years on Facebook yesterday.  Hope you spent the day after Friday the 13th in a lucky way!

Next, bon voyage to Claire, who left for Vienna this week for six weeks of music workshops/seminars and homestays!  She had a performance last weekend at the Hope graduation, then packed up and headed back home for a few days before getting on board the big bird.  Hope to see some photos and hear some stories.  She'll return in early July and then head to Green Lake where she'll be a camp counselor again, just like Grandma was in the 1940s.

Then, welcome home to Margaret who returned from ten days in Nigeria and Cameroun.  She also posted some wonderful photos on Facebook, including one with her arm around a young Nigerian deaf woman who will be coming to the US this summer on an exchange program.  You'll have to ask Margaret about her cross-cultural talks preparing people for what to expect when they arrive.  Somehow, the debate now over transgender bathrooms does not translate into the African context.

Speaking of which, Mary and I went to see "From This Day Forward," a documentary movie about a transgender father, made by his daughter. Timely, and lots to discuss.

And finally, happy Mother's Day to all the mothers in the clan.  Must have been a special one for Bill and Jen, who are celebrating with a newborn.  Annie came over the weekend, and then took advantage of her being here to head to Schenectedy on Monday for work.  I tried to get her car inspected, but it looks like a major repair bill, so she has a big decision coming up.  Lew and Marj were also here for the weekend.

Right now, Mary is at her first swim meet since we returned.  She says she's still hasn't returned to form, but had to jump back in to it.  When she left this morning she said the meet was in Great Britain.  I'm hoping that's in Connecticut; okay maybe she said New Britain.

This weekend, Joe and Leonor are not in Europe, but in Pomfret.  Joe went back for his 15th reunion.  Can it really be 15 years?  You can imagine the tour he's giving Leonor, of Meadow Rock Farm, the Vanilla Bean, Dayville.  Maybe the dump and Spag's?  

Speaking of schools, Andrew sent a letter he wrote to the Lawrentian about Paul Porter, the housemaster of Griswold at Lawrenceville who recently passed away.  A special teacher, who touched three Dicksons' lives.  He got a nice note back from the editor of the alumni magazine.  

More on schools, we spoke with David who said that he and Paula were thinking about coming east for the Darrow alumni day.  Hope they do (and hope this nudges them a little.)

I too have jumped back into my projects, mostly history ones.  I signed up for tours at Arrowhead and Hancock Shaker Village again this summer, though not as heavy a schedule as I had last year.  We've also joined an effort to get on the ballot this fall an initiative to raise money for the preservation of Pittsfield's historic buildings.  While at one meeting, we saw the photo on the wall of the the Pontoosuc Lake parking lot, some time in the 1950s, it looks from the makes of the cars.  What struck us were the houses in the background!!  Another summer, long ago. I think we owned a car like the station wagon on the left.

Hope you all are thriving.  Love from up here.

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Welcome Elliot

Let's start with the good news.  Great news indeed.  Jen and Bill are parents of three children, welcoming Elliot Grace into the family on Saturday around 10am!  The picture here shows the happy family, and raises a few outstanding questions.  Why isn't Jen more tired?  Is Auden closing her eyes because she's in denial, and doesn't want to be the middle child? When did birthing rooms have cool couches (I could have used one to take a nap.)  And can it really be true that Elliot will grow up to be as big as Auden and Miles (and Bill and Jen?)  Congratulations to Bill and Jen, and to the proud and happy grandparents.

I was tipped off that Jen was due during a phone call with Andrew who was worried that with a cold going around that it might be hard to see and hold the baby.  But photos showed everyone around and holding Elliot, so there must have been some quick recoveries.  Andrew also said Saturday night was Daniel's senior prom, so there was a busy weekend in Dundee.

Other life events included Peter's birth, day.  And he had previously announced that on the eve of his birthday, he caught the first fish ever in his life.  Two of them, to be precise.  We also send out congratulations to Sean, who, as we saw in the last letter from Peter, has started a new job as a clerk for a judge in New Jersey.  Wonderful.

We've been back a little over a week, and still feel tired, although our hours are getting synced.  We stayed in Annie's new apartment in South Boston the first night, and drove home the next day, only to return on Sunday to help her with the move-in process.  Then a week here, and down to Washington for this past weekend.  Margaret is heading out to Nigeria and Cameroun as part of her work, so we wanted to see her and everyone before she left.  It was a fast visit, but worth it.  Dinner at Joe and Leonor's the first night (where someone ate three hamburgers!) and then a visit to the Arboretum to see the azaleas in bloom.  And a movie - "Spy".  On the silly side, but we could all use silly.

We spent a fair amount of time discussing Portugal in September and are trying to work out an excursion to northern Portugal for a few days after the wedding on Saturday the 24th.  Getting excited. We'll let everyone know soonest what we've cobbled together. I learned an indispensable word in Portuguese "Shcoop."  It means sorry, I think.  

From Fairport, we heard there were a few cases of pretty serious flus that took quite while to shake.  Hopefully everyone is better now.  David also attended a Shaker box workshop and got a band saw, so expect some great projects out of his garage! 

John and Marilyn have moved into their new home, and sold their old house.  There are a couple of nail biter stories that went along with those two events, but all turned out well.  Heather went down to Daytona to help out.  When we talked to Johnny, he was out on the golf course, and he put the phone down to tee off.  We heard a pretty solid whack.  

We saw a lot of photos from Guadeloupe, and it looks like to was a great vacation for Johanna and place to visit.  

We are slowly getting back to our routines.  UMass, swimming, naps, regular food, history projects, teaching.  I did do some spring things last week, including a brush burn and a lawn mower tune-up, including my first mow.  But, as it sinks in, we realize that as hard as the living and work was in Sam, there's a lot we miss.  

In our travels, I discovered a new punch line that can be used in almost every single conversation: "Well, when Trump becomes President....."  It's a sure way to get people to laugh, and to like you.  Check this space next November to see if you're still laughing.  And if anyone likes me.  

On that, we end as we opened, congratulations to Bill and Jen and we're looking forward to meeting Elliot.

Love from up here.