Poconos 2023 - It's a Wrap

The Poconos seems like ancient history, but it was only a week ago that we came home (and celebrated Mary's birthday, while others were celebrating Donald's birthday.)

Let me start by quoting Janie who wrote such a lovely note that I wanted to share with everyone.  "At last I am finding a moment or two to tell you how much it meant to all three of us to be part of your terrific celebration of family with the continual chorus of praise (and humor) as we thought of those two Dicksons - Mom and Pop or Sis and Don or Aunt Georganna and Uncle Don - however we named them over the perfect weekend ….. It was special for me to get to know or at least get acquainted with the next generations and their spouses and offspring.  Fond memories:  The beauty of MSL resort and its seductive silence.  The sun shining through the dense trees.  The beauty of the lake and the beach with the Dicksons scattered on or in it. The delicious food and good conversation.  The apparent ease of it all happening. Thanks to you all for what you've given me and my family."  And, of course I wrote back about how we obviously enjoyed having their joining us. 

Her account is a good enough wrap-up, for me.  But, I'll add a few more thoughts, things we learned.

-- Two Dicksons have added tattoos since last year, making a total of at least three who have made that leap!  Can you name all three?

-- Rell has started her own art studio and is selling clothing made of her art work.

-- It's hard but not impossible to get everyone to follow directions – think of group photo, lining up for chow, etc.

-- We had a few firsts, but one that I remember is pizza night.  That may not be the last time we do pizza, even though we probably didn't need ten large pies.

-- Fernando is not a chef, contrary to what I've been saying for years.  He works for the Department of Health which taps into his language skills to reach the sizable Brazilian community on the Vineyard.

-- Jacob has lost 70 pounds by eating only between the hours of 12 noon and four pm

-- Kiernan loves the water!! Everett loves dinosaurs!! Simon loves tetherball!! Donald loves to swim to the dock!!

-- I think I know where everyone works, but I'm not confident enough to match people with places of work.

Donald made it all worthwhile when he ran up to me upon arrival and asked where was Thomas.  Next year, Donald.  

And there is going to be a next year. And we have better cabins.

And next year, we hope that David and Paula are there, the Bill Jones family, and the Joe Dickson family. We missed you all.

Janie passed along these photos that  typify the random chaos of beach and meal time.  There's also one here of Thomas' birthday in Portugal.

Oh, and before leaving, there was a resounding consensus on the title of the weekly letter book – Have a Great Week. Love!  The publisher says there's still time to make that change.

Love from up here!  And Happy day tomorrow Everett.

 

 

Mission Impossible

Sure feels like the tropics around here. Wouldn't be surprised to see palm trees lining the roads soon.

We're back home after our annual camping trip. To Pittsfield State Forest. Five miles away. Makes it easy if you forget something (flashlight) and can run home and get it. Makes it easy if there's thunderstorms (at 6-ish this morning) and can run home for proper shelter. But we made it through the night.

You ask why? Well, Annie had invited some friends for Saturday night and we offered to get out of their hair. They went to Tanglewood for music and we went to the woods for the music of the roaring brook by our tent.  Mary got there after dark so the tent was already set up. She claims she had a swim meet in Connecticut somewhere but I just don't know.

Another busy week at the Hancock Road B&B as Charlie and Annie came over for a night and we were changing the sheets when Annie's friends arrived.

If our week was busy, I'm not sure how you describe Joe's. Mission Impossible, perhaps. He accompanied Secretary Yellen on her trip to China (see NYT photo) and after four days of meetings and jet lag, boarded planes for Brazil. He had one day to adjust when the movers showed up and then three days of packing out. I bet Thomas and company were a big help too. They leave tomorrow, for Portugal. He'll have a short vacation there and return. Leonor and the children stay until mid-August when they return, with Leonor's mother. Are you exhausted reading this? We barely remember doing these moves, but we never had to contend with relocating across four continents.

Did you all have a memorable 4th? So did we. Parade and fireworks and rain and barbecue. We had invited over the two Afghan families we're tutoring. Not sure we get high marks for cultural sensitivity as we had planned on a barbecue of burgers and chicken until someone reminded us they only eat halal meat. So with no halal butcher for fifty miles, we grilled fish. And it rained on and off. But we all managed.

To round out Simon's stay up here (and Margaret and Andrew) we headed to our old Rhode Island beach haunts for a couple of nights. The excuse was Kathleen Boyle's baby shower so we extended it. And well worth it. Simon loves the beach and sand.  We saw almost all the Dan Boyle family which was nice too. Kathleen is due on August.

John Boyle stopped in this week. He had come up from Florida for the funeral of a friend and we compared heat notes. Florida beats the Berkshires hands down.

Out in Fairport, Paula is home and looking at a long recovery. But she's home and has an attentive care giver.

If you're on Facebook, you saw Peter and Janet's new dog. We should hear all about it later this week.

This WEEK! Yes, it's here. Thursday night we'll see everyone in our own compound of cabins. Hope the weather cooperates.

Old news. Billy has been coaching a girls baseball team. With Elliot. Player-coach team! Here's a photo of her holding her rapidly growing younger brother Theo.

Not old news. Happy birthday to Andrew and Annie. I know we had a festive day here; how bout in Illinois?

The rain has started coming down in buckets. Sure glad I'm not in a tent.

Love from up here. And see you Thursday.

The Livin' is Easy

Summertime!  It's here at last.  But that means it's almost over.  The anticipation is always better, right?

This summer up here means wildlife.  We had another first yesterday: a snapping turtle in the yard. And all the excitement that went with that. Reminded me of the time a snapping turtle had snuck into Pop's garden and the scary moment when I tried to lift him/her out with a snow shovel. He/she later went on his/her own.  (too many pronouns?)

Speaking of garden, we've had a few strawberries (very red but small), good lettuce, a couple of broccoli pieces and radishes. Other stuff is growing well, now that we've had all this rain. Maybe the turtle thought our yard was a swamp.

Busy as ever up here. Mary has been teaching a couple of Afghan children how to swim, and they learned, after a few weeks! We continue teaching English, and I've been teaching a class at the lifelong learning institute.  I've got two more starting in July, and then I'll be able to relax.  But we still find time to do story time with the crew in Brazil, who sat through 200 pages the other night of a book on ocean life.

Annie and Sankar have figured out (everyone hopes) the cats' travel arrangements, after scheduling 4 or 5, maybe even 6, different flights.  We have reached the stage where our cat and theirs are now tolerating each others' presence. Not best friends, but not mortal enemies either. And they both have been helping out on the yardwork!  நன்றி  Nanri!  (Thank you in Tamil.)

New Jersey update – Peter and Janet are getting things ready for a new arrival, a mixed schnauzer, about 2 years old. Janet says she thinks the dog was found in a kill shelter in Mexico and is now in a foster home in Texas and will arrive at in NJ before the Poconos.  She added this in an email – "We are both still working. I just finished my 25th year at PDS. Wow. I never thought I would have a job that lasted more than a year. My attention span didn't last long. I am moving with the 7th grade up to 8th grade next year because the class is so large ….. And tomorrow I start summer programs …. I am also teaching two classes on Mystery Mayhem, which I taught last year and had a lot of fun. Two that I would not have chosen if the only classes left were bear wrangling... a pond class based on Thoreau's Walden Pond, and a class based on Caine's Arcade.

Illinois update - Andrew and Lur made it safely back to Illinois after their east coast trip, but then they packed up and headed north for their annual pilgrimage to Green Lake. The owner of their rental, also a former Ripon professor, passed away this winter, so it's a different feeling, they said. Also a different smell, as the smoke from the wildfires is enveloping the lake.  (Here too, and I imagine elsewhere in the Dickson orbit, but hopefully not in Brazil.)

Fairport update - "we're hanging there."

We were hosts for one night to Mary's niece Maura and her daughter Elsie. Maura's husband Steve used to fish lobster but gave that up for electrician work this year, meaning we had burgers and chicken on the barbecue this year. We had an emergency consult with Steve when the smoke alarm batteries started dinging and driving everyone crazy. After two sets of fresh batteries, we figured out one alarm was malfunctioning.

Too much boring stuff for you?  Well, how 'bout this? Today is Leonor's birthday!  Parabens chica. Anyone remember who else was born on this day?  Gramps, George Abiathar Dean.  1899.

And finally, did someone mention Father's Day?  Here's a photo of three fathers hanging out with one son, at a brunch in Georgetown.  We drove down so my children could enjoy my presence on this spectacular day. We went to a Nats baseball game the afternoon before.  Simon didn't appreciate the hit-and-run play that I tried to explain to him, but he did like the seats that folded up.

And, it wasn't just Father's Day, I should add, but Melodie's birthday.  Another parabens shout out.

And with all that excitement, this letter is a wrap. Love from up here.