Summer in New England

August 23-26, 2021  Monday-Thursday

We actually left Massachusetts and the impending storm on Sunday morning to get away from it. I was supposed to work at Tanglewood, but they were on the brink of deciding to cancel the Judy Collins concert because of Hurricane Henri, so told me I could take the day off. So we headed over to Glens Falls and helped Perry set up his new travel trailer, went for a swim in the pool and enjoyed delicious marinated pork chops. Then we set up camp in Nora’s driveway after visiting with them. Nora’s doing good with the new knee except for the times when pain is written all over her face! But she is moving about, up and down stairs with a cane, going out to lunch with us and her daughter Nora to Mi Rancho.

 

We got set up in Alpine Lake RV Resort and Judy Dobert came over to pick us up for dinner at The View Country Club. It was good to see her again. The last time was at her condo in Glens Falls last year. You may recall that her husband, Gary, passed away shortly after we had gone to Dorsett RV Park for their maiden voyage in their new travel trailer. We had so much fun with them that we went camping again at Rhinebeck, NY in October. When Gary was scheduled to go in for surgery on his heart, they arranged to meet up with us at Cheesecake Factory in Albany. That was the last time we saw him. Judy ended up having the RV set up here at Alpine Lake year round so she could have a summer respite and have her 11 grandchildren over to swim, eat s’mores, sleep over, etc. Her limit is 3 at a time - smart move.

 

As I sit outside our RV with a view of Goose Lake (really a pond) and listen to the water fountain, I wonder about the history of this place. Alpine Lake RV Resort is located in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains, between Lake George and the historic Saratoga Springs. How did they manage to create 475 RV sites/25 tent sites on these 400 acres of forest and occasional green fields? It started in the 1960’s as a game reserve and now has miles of roadway, but I couldn’t find out much more about the transformation.. 

We are happy that we brought our new bikes (thanks to Dave at Berkshire Bike and Board!) as there are very few hills of any sort and it gets us to the pool area with the greatest of ease...

September 1 - 5, 2021  Wednesday to Sunday

Sister Terri and husband Jim arrived from Tucson, AZ for a whirlwind visit. The RV in my driveway functioned as their home base which worked out beautifully - no Uber drivers needed to get them “home” safely at night. Friends and family came from all around - Rhode Island, Dalton, Westfield, Belchertown, Tyringham - to visit, share memories, and offer huge hugs. They have not been East for 4 years now and it was awesome to see them even though we snuck in a visit last winter when we traveled West. 

 

A picture is worth a thousand words so enjoy the view...

The Bickford girls!


Balderdash Winery, Richmond, MA

Highlawn Farm for ice cream… Gramma Dee’s treat. Zach asked her, “Gramma, did you know you were coming for ice cream?” She said, “Yes.” He said, “Did you know you were paying?” He cracks me up! 

Grandsons Jake and Zach

Yuck!

Awwww - it’s ok. 




Cold swim by my brave mermaids, Lily and Leanna…


Lily getting brave by sneaking outside


Leslie’s crew








Cindy gathered most of her gang on the final day before escorting T & J to the airport…


Farewell for now. We will see them on their turf in February and March! Can’t wait❣️

 

 

Summer in New England

July 30, 2021, Friday

Roadhouse Cafe - Diner or Dive? It sure looks like a Dive from the outside, but inside it is quite charming and the food is wonderful.

We were in Belchertown to help Leslie and Johan move into their full-time mobile home. Had time for breakfast first. Glad we did. 

 

August 1, 2021, Sunday

Went over to Glens Falls to have a BBQ at Perry’s house. It was a gorgeous day until it was time to picnic, so we savored the delicious meal inside - smoked brisket, potato salad, baked beans followed by pound cake with strawberries and whipped cream. Yum! Perry smokes the meats in his big Smokey Joe with hickory and apple wood.  

I did this slate for their 10th Anniversary…

August 7, 2021, Saturday

Sadly, Brenda Keller died after spending 2 months in the hospital. They couldn’t identify what was making her ill. I just met her last year while in Deming, NM, but Rich and Tress were good friends with her and Dennis for many years. She loved Rich’s art and bought several pieces from him. After we first met and visited a while, she gave me a big smile, thumbs up, and said she “approved.” :-) We will miss seeing her this year…

Very hot and humid today so the pool got a lot of action…

August 8, 2021, Sunday

YoYo Ma attracted 9,000 in-person listeners on this perfect summer afternoon. This year Tanglewood operated at 50% capacity due to Covid 19 rulings by the Board of Health and the Town of Lenox. Full capacity is 18,000. 

August 9, 2021, Monday

Today was a lifestyle altering day. Rich had his annual checkup in Glens Falls and while the doctor listened to his heart he asked if he could do an EKG. He was told he has AFib and needs to go on medications and cut back on alcohol! We shouldn’t be surprised since his father had it and his sister does too. 

 

Went to Lake George to visit David Colomb, his cousin who lost his wife Bonnie recently. 

They call this place The Gazebo because there is a 100 year old gazebo in the front yard. It is deteriorating and the roof is covered in moss. He has thought about donating it to the Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake where we visited a few weeks ago. 

August 10, 2021, Thursday 

Paula Salinetti, Debbie Mougin and Cindy Wassell, high school classmates and long time friends, came to visit today. We had so much to catch up on with Cindy as she has lived in Portland, OR for the last 27 years. She is retired now, but was a big rig driver for most of those years. She credits classmate “Snookie” Crawford, local garbage truck driver at her Dad’s business in the 60’s, for sparking her interest way back then. 

Snookie still drives for Donovan Trucking and took Cindy for a ride while she is here…

August 11, 2021, Wednesday 

Rich’s cardiologist, Dr. Jack Layden, happens to be a doctor who grew up in Whitehall and whose family went to the Silver Diner (Colomb’s for 3 generations) every Sunday. He was the bearer of good news: 8 out of 10 people have AFib and don’t know it; keep doing what you're doing; will check condition again in October to see if the medication is working and/or necessary; didn’t mention lifting or drinking (but Rich has cut down his alcohol consumption).  

 

August 14, 2021, Saturday

The First Congregational Church in Lee (my church) had its Craft Fair in the park with 36 vendors participating. It was the second time Shannon has shown her pottery and Rich’s 1st time displaying his art - pen & ink with watercolor, colored pencils and ink brush pens. He has done several commissioned pieces of houses, pets, barn animals, and is currently working on a portrait. He took art lessons during high school and then life happened and there was little time for it. After retiring and being exposed to so many crafters in the Southwest, he started caning chairs, building bird houses, weaving pine needle baskets, and started drawing again. Both he and Shannon did very well, within dollars of each other in sales. 

This illustrates the process for his commissioned pieces - took a photo, drew Mougin’s house for 11x14 matted frame, and reduced it for a pack of note cards. Voila!

He has registered for the Sasquash Festival in Whitehall, NY (his hometown) on September 25th. They boast of having 2500 in attendance - more importantly recorded sitings of Big Foot himself! It is a combination of family fun day and arts & crafts vendors, and a calling contest! Can’t wait!

August 16, 2021, Monday

Today is my grandson’s (Jake Clark) 12th birthday. 

Where does the time go? His best birthday present will be getting his cast off tomorrow! Hopefully he will go for a real swim in the pool soon. 

 

While in Whitehall, we drove around and came upon Sherry Davis and her dog, Isabella Rose. 

Her house used to be an officers’ barracks and is positioned high on a hill looking over Lock 12 of the barge canal. It is just up the street from a stone house which stored Revolutionary War powder kegs. The next item on this dead end street is a defensive canon aimed at the harbor of Lake Champlain. Uncle Leonard worked on the oil barges which ran from NYC to Canada in the 50’s and 60’s. He was David Colomb’s (earlier in this writing) father.  

Check out the upstairs windows. Impossible to find that size, so Rich custom built them in his basement for a former owner. 

 

August 17, 2021, Tuesday

Jacob’s surgery went well with an ace bandage on it - no swimming for 2 weeks! 

 

August 18, 2021, Wednesday 

My sister, Leslie, Johan, and their granddaughters, Charlotte (12) and Julia (8), came by with a car load of food (as always) for a visit and swim. 

In the mid-afternoon their son, Johannes, Catie, and 14-month old Sierd stopped in. 

My mom (91) was here too so it was a nice get together on a day that wasn’t scorching hot! Debbie Dutton was passing by and stopped to say Hi. Glad she did because she met Leslie and Johan who will be her new neighbors at Klondike Campground in Otis, MA. The Duttons are leaving for Tennessee on 9/8 and Leslie is closing on her summer mobile home on 9/9 - so they wouldn’t have met if she hadn’t stopped in...

 

Until the next adventure - Alpine Lake RV Park, August 23-26…