New England 5

July 24, 2024 - Wednesday 

If you guessed Marilyn as our nomadic visitor, you are right. Her brother and niece live in Oregon, so she calls that her home base, but she has lived/traveled on her own for the past seven years. We first crossed paths with her in Deming, NM in 2020. She was always walking with her sticks around the park and beyond. When she wasn’t walking, she was cooking in the outdoor kitchen of her teardrop camper OR she was knitting! I knew I wanted to meet her and learn more, but we were all isolating at that time due to Covid. In 2021 we had more opportunities to chat. I'll never forget her asking me if I knit and how to “turn the heel” when knitting socks. I hadn’t done socks in a few years, so turned to YouTube to get the answer. Success! I love to walk too, but couldn’t keep up with her for long. By the way, she is one year younger than me but has the energy and drive of a 50-something. She is very regimented in her daily activities and lives by her iWatch to “close the rings” in the fitness app. Her diet is mostly nuts, cran-raisins, fresh vegetables, and black lentils - meat on occasion, but not often. She also loves fish.

 

This particular journey started in Alberta, Canada and over a month of 1 to 3 night stays made her way on the Trans Canada Highway to Prince Edward Isle, New Brunswick (3,763 miles). She loved PEI as the focus was on sheep - shearing, washing, combing, dyeing, and spinning of yarn. She was able to attend workshops while there. Then she headed south to visit us. We continue to learn about each other and the many things we have in common. 

August 1, 2024 - Thursday

Went with girlfriends to see Simon and Garfunkel tribute band, the Good Acoustics. Wow! These three guys are amazing with their instruments and harmonies; the drummer has a terrific voice and manages to play those drums while singing - a rare treat. Short video clip in email…

After the show, we went to dinner at Cal’s. I had the Cioppino (seafood stew - mussels, shrimp, clams, scallops, half lobster, tomato wine broth, shaved fennel, baby Yukon potatoes, garlic toast). Yum!

August 3, 2024 - Saturday

An animal activist group was a vendor next to us. They told the story of how legislation was just passed in Massachusetts prohibiting the use of large animals in a circus. Senator Ed Markey was involved in making this happen, so the woman bought one of Rich’s elephant mattes to gift him. 

August 4, 2024 - Sunday

Pastor Marcia was in the area visiting friends and family. She lives in Australia on her daughter’s property, but had to come to the States to see all of the other folks she loves. While here in Massachusetts for nearly 2 weeks, she blessed us with her choir presence and one of her uplifting Children’s stories in church. Then she was off to Wickenberg, AZ to visit family there. Amazing how both of us have connections there!

August 8, 2024 - Thursday

Went to Chester Railroad Museum for lunch, followed by a presentation on watercolor painting by Carol. 

Museum pictures:

The Keystone Arches are a series of stone 

Arch bridges built in 1840, when the railways of eastern Massachusetts and Albany, New York were connected. 

The amazing part is that these arched bridges are made of stacked stones WITHOUT mortar. Rather, they arch toward the apex in the center and have one stone (keystone) positioned to hold everything in place! The Romans created them in the beginning of time…

We had a lesson in painting pastels and watercolor painting by Carol Larkin:

August 10, 2024 - Saturday

Very successful Church Craft Fair today! This event brings in people from all around with 40 craft vendors plus 9 farmer market vendors. It was a slow start for the first hour, but things picked up right up until the last minute at 4pm. We were packing up and a cute couple stopped by - she was gushing over the $50 Crab Shack tissue dispenser. Rich knocked 5 bucks off and they were thrilled. I always say we make really good sales with the last minute shoppers...

Look who stopped in - Vaeda.

I took a stroll around to see what other vendors had to offer and came across Kevin Flanders, an author from nearby Worcester, MA. He is a young newspaper writer and during Covid he wrote many books.  In support, I bought one of his books, Spurious. I prefer listening to books, but authors only make pennies on digital books. 

August 11, 2024 - Sunday

Church followed by Ice Cream and Meet the Cows at local Highlawn Farm.  Back row - moi, Lily and Leanna  granddaughters, Leanna and Lily. Seated in front, Melissa, Karmela and Vaeda (standing).

August 13, 2024 - Tuesday

Rich and I took a ride over to S. Glens Falls to visit Perry as he continues to upgrade his backyard and facilities. While they worked together on building a new fence and entry way, I pulled out my yarn, sat back and enjoyed the time and view. 

August 14, 2024 - Wednesday

Nights are cooling down, so pool time is getting short. Here is daughter, Shannon and school comfort dog, Macie, enjoying the moment. They return to school tomorrow. 

August 16, 2024 - Friday Happy 15th Birthday, Jacob 

Jacob has grown so much this year - physically and emotionally. He is now 6’3” with no signs of slowing down! He started working while still 14 at Tanglewood (summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra)  directing cars to park properly. He really likes the idea of putting money in the bank. At the same time, football practice took place in the extremely hot and humid evenings. 

August 21, 2024 - Wednesday 

Finally got to meet up with Joyce for a 2-hour dinner at the Morgan House - forgot to get pictures. 

August 22, 2024 - Thursday 

And just like that, she’s gone! Marilyn pulled out today bound for the Wild West. Thank you for the enormous amount of heavy lifting you did digging the weeds out of my gardens💕 And for the inspiration to walk harder and longer without breaks😛 Much appreciated…

A few of my favorite former Big Y coworkers came to Lee for lunch - love catching up with them…Kim, Tony, Pat 💕

Still meeting up with East Coast friends before we pull out on September 17th… 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New England 5

June 16, 2024 - Sunday 

Rich’s daughter, Nora, and her family came over to Lee for a Father’s Day visit. It was great day and the girls went for a swim. 

June 19, 2024 - Wednesday 

Twelve ladies from the Class of 1965 gathered for a luncheon. It was good to visit with all of them - haven’t seen some in years.

Another dear friend gone - RIP Pat. She and Goody were in love since they were kids. They married young, had 4 children and many grandchildren. Goody was our best man when we married in 1970. Bob grew up with him in the neighborhood, but I didn’t know either of them until 1965 when Bob and I started dating. Over the years, Pat and I enjoyed scrapbooking, girls’ getaways in Maine, maiden canoe voyages, chatting, etc. She was a sweet soul with a smile that lit up a room. 

June 20, 2024 - Thursday

Lake Bomoseen in Castleton, VT was our destination today. Nora is camping in the area and has bought a slip for her boat on Lake Bomoseen. The name comes from an Abenaki tribe word meaning “keeper of the ceremonial campfire.” The boat was not ready for launch yet, so she took us for a ride around the lake. We drove by the old stomping grounds of Rich’s childhood where his parents owned a cottage on the water. 

These beautiful homes are made of logs and slate, abundant in this area.

June 24, 2024 - Monday

Rich was having a problem with his apps duplicating if he opened them on his 3-year-old Google Pixel phone. So we went to Verizon to get it fixed. Let’s just say we walked out 4 hours later with 2 new phones, new iPad for me, new tablet for him, new phone number for him, new carrier for me. So a learning curve for both of us. It wasn’t fun for the first several days, but now we are enjoying the new equipment. The best part is that the tablets have cellular service which means that I can watch my grandkids streaming basketball games, streaming shows/movies! No more squinting at my phone to see these events. YAY!

 

June 26, 2024 - Wednesday - Happy Birthday to my son, Randy

His wife, Kristie, is a great baker/cook. This is a tuxedo cake - it was delicious. 

Long time friend, Debbie came by with her Casio keyboard for a little jamming. We have been singing together most of our lives, but now playing instruments too. 

June 28, 2024 - Friday 

Fourteen-year-old grandson, Jake, started his first official job at Tanglewood this year. He helps direct cars where to park. One night a big black luxury SUV pulled in and the driver said, I don’t have a pass. Jake told him he would have to go to the Main Gate to get one. The driver said, “I've got the artist!” Jake immediately pointed in the direction of VIP parking. Thankfully, he knew where that was. The artist that night was John Batiste! He saw him in the back of the car.

June 29, 2024 - Friday - Happy Birthday to Eileen, Rich’s sister

We took the motorhome to the family camp in Maine for a few days. My daughter is there with her family and her friend, Danica and her boys. At this time, these four boys are 12, 14, 14 and 15. They spend a lot of time together and really have fun times on vacation.

View from my hammock...

On the water, we see a mama duck and her 2 chicks, mama and papa loon with their loonlet on their back, a gaggle of 20 geese who strategically came ashore on our beach to leave a nasty deposit!

July 12, 2024 - Friday - Happy Birthday to Rich 

Rich and his sister, Eileen, were born 11 months apart so they are literally the same age for 2 weeks each year. We went to Salmon Run to celebrate with wonderful food and drink. 

 

Finally finished a couple of my crochet projects… and started a new one with the left over yarn from the $300 sampler afghan. I literally have 18 skeins left of the 33 skeins they shipped to me.

This has been years in the making - done! 

July 14, 2024 - Sunday

Back over to Lake Bomoseen for a birthday lunch with Rich’s family at the Tap Room. They have a lot of diversity packed into a small menu. It was very good. To top it off granddaughter, Kieran baked a cake for the occasion - yummy!

July 18, 2024 - Friday

Our little town of Lee was chosen to have the only mural in the state of Massachusetts painted to represent it as "The Gateway to the Berkshires.”  The artist managed to capture the primary features - my church with the tallest steeple in New England, one of the paper mills where my mother worked, the green rolling hills, the gorgeous flower baskets, the Housatonic River, and a cow from Highlawn Dairy Farm.

The artist, Cheyenne Renee, is going to all 50 states to paint a custom mural in one of its towns. 

She is a young lady who drove a pick up truck with a cap from Virginia to house her for the week long process. Her husband is often with her with their travel trailer.

So far she has completed 11 states/murals - next stop Vermont.

July 23, 2024 - Tuesday 

Rich’s sister, Eileen, and hubby, Steve stopped in today for a nice visit. 

Busy day - another visitor arrived today with her Casita… stay tuned to learn more. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New England 5

May 24-25, 2024 - Friday - Saturday

Rich was very industrious creating over 40 new drawings this winter! It paid off at the Lee and Lenox Farmers Markets this holiday weekend. Customers were delighted with the old and the new. It's so validating for Rich to have repeat customers! We are very pleased with the proceeds. 

May 26, 2024 - Sunday

We chose Sunday, the warmest/sunniest day, to gather for Memorial Day at my house. My mom, my two kids and their kids had a beautiful day in and around the pool. Everyone brings their specialty dish to eat and we provide the protein and potato salad. Followed by a little music jam with Randy and me. Can’t believe I didn’t get a picture or two!

 

RIP 💔  too many losses of friends: 

Roxine Carty

George Ingegni

Tom Kelly

 

June 4, 2024 - Tuesday

On a lighter note, several friends and I went to see Wizard of Oz’s 85th Anniversary on the big screen with the extremely talented 16-year-old Judy Garland playing Dorothy. We’ve all seen it time and again over the years - with our children and grandchildren, but on TV. But now we saw so many things that we hadn’t noticed before (or hadn’t remembered)! To think this movie was produced in 1939 using 4 directors over 6 months (4am-7pm days) at the cost of $2,777,000. There were many things that went wrong during its making - Buddy Ebsen (Tin Man) was poisoned by aluminum dust, Margaret Hamilton (Wicked Witch) caught on fire due to a faulty trap door, the snow was made of asbestos, a director slapped Judy Garland, etc. Considering it is such a light-hearted, whimsical film, it is quite a contrast to the “cursed” events that occurred. I did not recall those claims as I watched each scene with a new, older, more technical point of view.

 

How did they find over 120 munchkins? My research shows that most of them were adults with dwarfism who fled Germany to get away from the Nazis. They didn’t speak English and were treated like children. They were paid $50/week and were handled badly.

 

How did Toto do such an amazing job - never getting underfoot in the very acrobatic scenes with the Scarecrow or with all of the main characters skipping up the Yellow Brick Road? He and his trainer were paid $125/week.

 

How was that set so beautifully detailed with bright colors and rich with imagination 85 years ago? It was NOT refilmed as I thought to make the vibrant colors. It was filmed in Technicolor and black and white (for the Kansas scenes). 

 

How did they do all the magnificent costumes and makeup? The Cowardly Lion’s costume was made of lion pelts and weighed nearly 100 pounds. It was sold for over $3 million at auction. How did they make his tail wag and move randomly? Of course, it was a fishing pole above the set with line attached to it. 

 

How was the set and its moving parts coordinated? The only thing I found is that it was filmed entirely on stages at MGM’s Culver City studio which still stands and is part of the Sony Pictures Studio Tour, where you can see behind the scenes of where the magic happened. 

 

How much were the actors paid/week? Judy Garland $500; Ray Bolger $3000; Jack Haley $3000, Bert Lahr $2500; Margaret Hamilton $1000.

 

I highly recommend seeing this film in movie theaters near you!

June 6, 2024 - Thursday

In 2012, I was sitting for my oldest grandson, Jacob, at their house. It might have been the day after his 2nd birthday party as I was bending over to gather up tarps and blankets in the yard. It was a hot, sunny day and suddenly I passed out. I woke up to him saying, “Mimi fall down?” Don’t know how long I was out, but it was scary since there is a river on one side of the property and Main Street on the other. So I went to the doctor who put a heart monitor on me for a month. One night I woke up in a cold sweat - my heart was racing and I felt like a car engine boiling over! In no time, the phone rang - it was the person monitoring me. I said, I was fine. My heart was racing, but I am fine now. They informed me that they had already sent a police car to check on me. Sure enough, an officer came to my aid. I said that I didn’t need an ambulance - Bob could drive me up to the hospital 20 minutes away. When we got to the ER, they were waiting for me. Apparently my heart had paused for 18 seconds and they were passing the EKG around the room in awe to prove it. Into the OR we went to put in a pacemaker to correct the electrical malfunction. The surgeon was training another doctor on this procedure, so I asked to be awake so I could listen in. They wouldn’t let me watch with a mirror. Afterwards they had me do a sleep study as that might have contributed to the event. I was diagnosed with Sleep Apnea and prescribed with a CPAP. Well, that was 12 years ago and I have a mobile app with a monitor that I transmit to the cardiology dept. quarterly with annual visits to the cardiologist. Everything has been just fine - until lately. I noticed a shortness of breath, rapid heart beat, and pressure in my head 😳! So I called my PCP and sent a non-scheduled transmission to my cardiac doctor’s office followed by a call. Turns out my pacemaker battery is on its last leg, so I will get a brand new shiny pacemaker on Friday, June 14th. If the wires are ok, I will be home the same day. If not, I’ll stay over. It maxed out on June 2nd, so is working differently to conserve energy. I have a pre-op appt on Monday morning. Can’t wait for a surge of energy!

 

June 8, 2024 - Saturday

We had a decent day at the Lee Farmers’ Market - Rich made a new batch of mini-boat magnets and sold two today.

His son, Perry, came over with his family to see his set up and visit at the house afterwards. It was the first chilly and windy day we’ve had in a while, but the kids don’t care - they quickly jump in the pool. The wind drove us inside where we had a little musical relief - Perry builds and plays electric guitars, but played some cool riffs on Rich's acoustic. I played a couple of songs and PJ tuned the bass ukulele while Lynn and Ellie listened. Then we had cheeseburgers, potato salad and watermelon. 

June 9, 2024 - Sunday

When I am on the road, I am happy that I can go to my church online. And now that I am home, I get to sing with the choir in person.🎶

The Lee United Church of Christ was founded in 1778 and has the tallest steeple in New England. The building is rich with history. This is Rich’s rendering of it...

Amy stopped in for a visit this afternoon and we spent 2 hours catching up with each other.

 

June 12, 2024 - Wednesday

Today is four years since our first in-person meeting at Lilac Park in Lenox. 💕

 

June 13, 2024 - Thursday

Decided to take in a free jazz concertina at Edith Wharton’s Berkshire home, The Mount. Our M.O. is to attend intimate venues, arrive early and leave early. This allows us to get good seats right up front and grab a shuttle before the mass exodus. We really enjoyed this group - Tarik Shah and Friends. Tarik plays the stand up bass and three songs into it, he lost two strings. I must say he improvised and figured it out without skipping a beat. (Short clip in the body of this email.)

The theme this year is sculptures - here are a few along the way:

This is a panoramic view from the main house porch:

June 14, 2024 - Friday

Happy to report that my new pacemaker is installed and ready for action! Arrived at hospital at 8am - released at 1pm. Love these drive-through surgeries!

June 15, 2024 - Saturday

A rare quiet time at the pool in early morning. Notice on the right side, the basketball hoop that Jake and friends made in Carpentry. This replaces the one from last year - Rich has already had to tighten things up on this one due to overpowering usage by strong, zealous 15-year-olds!

Until next time, tata💕