After Labor Day

So here is the dense fog that welcomed me every morning on the first several weeks back to school when I was young. It seems so familiar even though I haven't seen it in many years. It kind of keeps you from looking too far ahead and focuses your attention on closer things like first class, sharpened pencils, and accessible homework. The fog probably occurs this time of year in river communities in the U.S. as the water joins the cooler air aloft. 

This Labor Day was interesting in that there are no more Union mines in KY.  How can that be?  So much blood was shed to get workers to stand up and be heard. It is good that the Federal Government has instituted many fair labor practices and created work safety standards for mines and other industries, thus negating the need for unions. But I hope things don't start to deteriorate without collective bargaining. 

Going to school in the mornings after our family moved back on the hill, was usually a tense situation as my father had no patience for bad drivers and slowed traffic.  It's really the only time I remember him cursing. His favorites were, "Goddamn!, Son-of-a-bitch!, and Bastard!" He did not hold with vulgar or lewd phrases so he never said "F**king Bastard!" or "Sh*thole". He had his standards. The worst that he would ever say in response to agregious driving behavior was to use all three of his phrases together, "Goddamn, son-of-a-bitchin' bastard!" It's probably the reason I don't much like to go anywhere in the car.

So fog in the morning means the advent of cooler weather, green tomatoes, and apples for applesauce. I'll have to check out the farmer's market tomorrow.  Also, chorus starts up tonight and Scottish Country Dancing next week. Time to get cracking!

First Day of School, Fall 2015

Hailey and Alex

Ben and Becca

Drew

Arlo

Progress Home

The summer 2015 progress is winding down. We left from Boston to New London CT. Then took ferry to end of Long Island at Orient Point. Visited Sim's brother and sister-in-law. Monday we drove to NJ for lunch at Mastori's with Sim's friend Jacques then on to Garnett Valley PA to visit Sue and Steve. We toured Winterthur and had a lovely dinner in West Chester.  We played some Foosball and hardly held up our ends with Sue and Steve. Traffic was only bad in NYC.  It took over 3 hours just to cross Brooklyn and Staten Island. Never again!

Last night we visited family in Howard County MD (Fergusons, Chamblees and Shaughnessys) and today we drive home. I enjoyed lunch yesterday with my former coworkers in Hyattsville (Susan, Linda, Esther, Don, Dale, and Betsy) and seeing Kathy in Greenbelt where ZOe and Zelda visited while I went to lunch.  I visited Sue's parents, Frank, Moody, and Phyllis in the Columbarium.  Arlo, ML, and R are in Nantucket this week at Mariner House. Below are some pics.

Happy 4th Anniversary at the Ellicott House

Molly and Matt's Wedding

It was fabulous! In Cambridge MA on August 15, 2015, see pics.

Molly's Bridal Shower

We had a great time hosting Molly's bridal shower. Nineteen women came for luncheon yesterday. Patti had the house decorated with garlands of yellow dots and blue triangular flags. Tables were set on the porch and in the house with yellow carnation plants and little blue glass sailboats as centerpieces.

At one pm we put out appetizers of hot cheese crackers, deviled eggs, smoked salmon canapés, cucumber sandwiches, herb butter spread, and assorted cheese and crackers. Guests were offered Prosecco, iced tea or cucumber water when they arrived. At one-thirty we put out the buffet lunch of chicken salad with croisants, fruit salad, Caprese salad, and spoon bread. Molly opened all of her wonderful shower gifts. WV and NH sugar cookies and Patti's lemon cupcakes with lemon curd filling were available for dessert. Mary Laurel had drawn up the invitations and a sign for the favors of "Molly's Turtle Soaps". A good time was had by all. 

One table had Matt's mother, aunts, and cousin. Another table had the Sunapee crowd (Jeff's cousins) and a third had Molly's friends from Boston University. The last table had Molly with her Maid of Honor, Patti and myself. Each guest signed a special card that Patti and I fabricated for Molly as a keepsake of the occasion. Below are some pics.

Lake Sunapee

The lake is very lovely with refreshing water that all the dogs like to swim in. We have been playing a lot of Mexican Train Dominoes with neighbors and watching a lot of tennis at Wimbleton. ML and R traded in the Audi for a RAV4; pretty exciting stuff. I enjoy seeing pics of Arlo.

Summer Progress

I made it to New Hampshire in one piece but it was a hard 2-day forced drive. I had a tire blowout on I95 just north of Petersburg VA. I swerved all over the road before getting on the right shoulder. It was scary but only took an extra hour.  A nice man stopped and changed my tire then led me to a tire store to get a new tire. The dogs and I got to John and Carol's just before dark. It took 12 hours all together. Next day took about 7 hours with bumper to bumper traffic over the GW bridge.

We had a very sad Fourth of July as Rosey, Patti and Jeff's corgi, was fatally wounded by a car on Friday.  I now feel I must keep my dogs on a leash when walking down to the lake.  We will miss Rosey very much.  All the dogs are quite subdued. Thankfully, Matt and Molly were here to help during the crisis.

My week at Montreat Music conference near Grandfather Mountain was cut a bit short because I needed to get home to arrange for the summer progress. It was a nice place but very hot -low 90° s. The folks in the group house were lots of fun. Not sure I would go again, however. The rehearsal and meetings rooms had no A/C.

I hope to be seeing Ned and Royal soon and visit my former neighbors in South Hero VT. Then it's back to prepare for Molly's bridal shower. The weather here at Sunapee is wonderfully cool.

Arlo has been having adventures in CA. Below are some pics from ML.