Last week on vacation

The last week in NH was very pleasant and the leaves were starting to turn. We had one more game night at Jim and Ellen's. It's so nice that everyone liked Mexican Train Dominoes. The modified 7-up biscuits to ginger ale were a big hit and the recipe is now in my recipe blog.

I picked up Sim at Manchester airport then we spent some time at the Lexus dealer with my check engine light. Then we were off to Brookfield for a delicious dinner at Lee and Richard's restaurant.  I put over 300 miles that day since we returned to NH that evening.

Friday night, Sim and I enjoyed dinner at Three Tomatoes and Lucia di Lammamoor in Lebanon. John and Carol came Saturday night on their way to Maine for a folk dance camp. Sim and I left to drive to Greenbelt early Sunday morning. Traffic was fine until we passed New Brunswick then it was bumper to bumper mostly all the way to Greenbelt.  We had a lovely dinner at Popeye's. It was hard for us to leave Sunapee. Zelda hid for awhile and Zoe would not let me out of her site. 

We had a great time with the family at Lisa and Adam's new house near Scaggsville. Lisa made a fabulous dinner and we played a rousing game of Salad Bowl. It was too bad that Bill and Melva were out of town. I had lunch with the office friends and church friends. Dinner at my favorite Indian restaurant with Don & Kathy and Frank. I saw Susan and my friend Cathy earlier that day in Bowie.  Finally, my old neighbor gave me back the 11' wooden ladder that Moody and I had refinished for ML. We left on Wednesday and got home by 1pm--everyone happy to be home.  

Ferguson's, Chamblee's, and Shaughnessy's

 

Mrs. Sichur was at ML's nursery school and said hey

Friends from NCHS at Ledo's Pizza

It has taken me a week to unpack and find places for the stuff I acquired.  Bills are now paid.

A Bridge from Denmark to Sweden

So maybe you knew this but I just learned that they constructed a 12 km bridge and tunnel between Denmark and Sweden about 13 years ago.  The Øresund Bridge is the longest road and rail bridge in Europe. I am amazed that they did this and amazed that I just learned this world-changing information. I learned this from Cathrine and Mikael who are here visiting from Sweden with their two daughters, Stella and Thea. Cathrine was the Brown's first of many exchange students who lived with them when Molly was young.  They have been here in Sunapee since Thursday.

Ned and Royal and Brucie came by for lunch on Wednesday afternoon. On Thursday I went to Mt Snow as preparation for going to Saratoga Springs on Thursday.  We attended a musical Wednesday night to raise money for the projector fund for MHCA. We very much enjoyed it and the races and symphony the next day. I only lost about $10 on the races. The concert was all about horses since it was the sesquicentennial of the Saratoga race track which was the first n America.  My favorite piece was Rossini's William Tell Overture.

 

This weekend we hosted the turkey dinner for Jeff's cousins. Twenty people including our friends from Sweden.  Molly was here as well.  Molly, Cathrine and I went back to the art fair on Saturday -- big mistake for my credit card. 

Stella and Thea

Molly and Cathrine at the fair

Cool night

It's getting down to 48 degrees tonight in Sunapee. Unbelievable!  On Friday I drove down to Amherst MA to have lunch with Ted and Deborah. It was great seeing them. Then I drove back to Sunapee and met Patti and Jeff at Bubba's for dinner. Yesterday, we took the girls to the lake for swimming then in the evening we went to Lebanon for Opera North's production of "South Pacific". It was quite wonderful.  Today I worked on my rug hooking and we went to the art fair at the State Park. I cannot believe that I bought a few things.  It was like the olden days at the National Craft Fair in Gaithersburg. But this was a manageable size.

Ned and Royal are coming over Tuesday. Then on Wednesday I go over to Mt Snow as staging for Saratoga Springs the following day.  Back to Sunapee on Friday when we will have a houseful. 

Tea party and aprons

Patti and I worked on making reversible aprons and then hosting a tea party for family and friends. This morning we all went blueberry picking.  Molly and Bird left after BLTs.  Earlier in the week Patti and i went to Hanover for breakfast then on to the King Arthur Flour store.  I bought some ancient grains that can substitute for up to 20% of all purpose flour.  I also got some blue and gold sugar to go on the WV state cookies (using an old cookie cutter in the shape of the state that belonged to Jeff's Aunt Trudy).  Below are pics from this week.  The good dog pics were taken by Birdie.

Anna Bird and Molly

Molly, Bird, Marcia, Jane, and Debby

Treats for all

Patti and Molly

Maddy and Duckie

Rosey after a swim

Salade Nicoise for Molly and Bird

Zelda

Zelda

Molly and Bird blueberry picking

Zoe

Cooler and Less Humid

The weather has improved with less heat and humidity, thankfully.  I went to the Mountaineer Inn this weekend to visit Ned and Royal and to hear the concert by the Village Light Opera Group. It was fabulous with about 40 singers half of which were leads.  They sang show tunes including Gilbert and Sullivan, Rogers and Hammerstein, Kern, etc. I returned to Sunapee and had a delightful lobstah dinnah at the yacht club with Patti and Marcia.

Patti had finished her slip covers. Before I left for VT, Patti had almost finished the tie tuffet made with ties from Moody and my neighbors. 

Tie tuffet

Back in Sunapee

I returned to Sunapee Tuesday and enjoyed a dinner cruise on the lake with Patti and her friend, Susan. We taught Zoe how to swim in the lake but Zelda refused to even come with us to the lake. Game night on. Thursday included Mexican Train Dominoes with Patti, Jim, and Ellen.  Below are some pics.

Susan and Patti getting ready to board

 

Susan and me

Wet dog

Zoe swimming for fish

Zoe and me having a little rest

Floating with Rosey and ducks