Our trip to New Brunswick was everything I had hoped for.
Every time I cross the border from Calais, Maine, I remember the poem we learned in high school. "Breathes there the man with soul so dead - who never to himself hath said, ""This is my home, my native land!"" - who's heart hath ne're within him burned, as home his footsteps he hath turned from wandering in a foreign land.
It's hard to think of the states as a "foreign land" but apparently Sarah Palin agrees.
My brother John had his 70th birthday and we celebrated with a wonderful fun party. My older brother Philip came for a visit and we three were together again for probably the last time.
Helena, my best friend of sixty-eight years remains steadfast and loyal. We know each other so well that we that we have an unspoken link that binds us together.
The cottage where we stayed with my cousin Pat and her CLS (common law spouse)was just like Anne of Green Gables house. What a spectacular view of the St. Croix River.
We made a point of going over the new bridge between Calais and St. Stephen. It's pretty amazing that it finally got built after years of haggling between the two countries.
The customs office on the Canadian side looks like a big train station. It's worth seeing. We've been told that the customs on the American side is more like Fort Knox in keeping with terrorists and other unsavory characters who might try to infiltrate the states.
The reunion with my old high school friends was nostalgic. Some are no longer with us and our days are counting down. Familiar faces are lined with age but I see them as they were in 1957 when we had so much to look forward to.
The night before we left, I visited Mum and Dad's grave and said goodbye.
Endings are sad but there's always hope for new beginnings.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Hot 'n Humid
Today we went to the Lahey. It's a pretty easy trip and only takes about 40 minutes. I had my fourth fill with the lapband. Apparently the average is about six fills in a year. I am right on track.
I need to focus more. I am so easily detoured. Bad Nan!
Physical Therapy for my back is coming along. I have exercises to do at home. I'll be going twice a week till whenever.
Walking is such a joy with no pain. I can't believe I was able to stand the pain for so many years.
I made a cake for my friend Dorrie's birthday. It's been a few years since I've made a cake. I think it had to do with the pain. I am so positive about so many things now.
My daughter's quilt is coming along and I have 25 blocks all completed. I laid them out in the common room on three long tables and had lots of help from the other residents. It was fun and we came up with a good pattern.
Our music festival in Newburyport was a little damp on Saturday. We stayed until it started raining. No guts! I guess there were a lot of folks who hung in till the bitter end.
The big weekend Homecoming will be the last weekend in July. We're sorry to miss it, but we will be in the Maritimes.
Cooler weather on the horizon.
I need to focus more. I am so easily detoured. Bad Nan!
Physical Therapy for my back is coming along. I have exercises to do at home. I'll be going twice a week till whenever.
Walking is such a joy with no pain. I can't believe I was able to stand the pain for so many years.
I made a cake for my friend Dorrie's birthday. It's been a few years since I've made a cake. I think it had to do with the pain. I am so positive about so many things now.
My daughter's quilt is coming along and I have 25 blocks all completed. I laid them out in the common room on three long tables and had lots of help from the other residents. It was fun and we came up with a good pattern.
Our music festival in Newburyport was a little damp on Saturday. We stayed until it started raining. No guts! I guess there were a lot of folks who hung in till the bitter end.
The big weekend Homecoming will be the last weekend in July. We're sorry to miss it, but we will be in the Maritimes.
Cooler weather on the horizon.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Franklin Pierce
I felt compelled to pick up a book at the library by Michael F. Holt - Franklin Pierce.
Franklin Pierce has come to mind so often. Every time I read that there are very few artifacts, letters and so on, I cringe.
About ten years ago, I worked in a manufactured home community. There was a lady who had a mobile home there called "Mrs. Pierce". She was in a nursing home and in her nineties.
Well, she finally passed away and her heirs wanted nothing to do with her little mobile home which was packed solid with boxes and boxes of all kinds of stuff.
The maintenance crew took most everything to the dump with the exception of a few pieces of furniture.
There were boxes and boxes of letters addressed "Dear Frank". Yikes!
I have tried not to think about it as I have this awful gut feeling that history went to the dump that fateful day.
How sad!
Franklin Pierce has come to mind so often. Every time I read that there are very few artifacts, letters and so on, I cringe.
About ten years ago, I worked in a manufactured home community. There was a lady who had a mobile home there called "Mrs. Pierce". She was in a nursing home and in her nineties.
Well, she finally passed away and her heirs wanted nothing to do with her little mobile home which was packed solid with boxes and boxes of all kinds of stuff.
The maintenance crew took most everything to the dump with the exception of a few pieces of furniture.
There were boxes and boxes of letters addressed "Dear Frank". Yikes!
I have tried not to think about it as I have this awful gut feeling that history went to the dump that fateful day.
How sad!
Friday, July 2, 2010
July 4th - Fireworks 'n Hot Dogs
What a beautiful day here in Newburyport. Our apartment has the curtains standing out straight with the breeze blowing through one side to the other end of the apartment.
We are so lucky!
The music down on the boardwalk at night has been spectacular. Some young men singing a cappella were the best. The group is called Overboard. Check them out on Overboardvocals.com.
We had two Irish guys a couple of nights ago who did a great job playing guitar and entertaining the residents of a 156' yacht that was docked in Newburyport harbor. That was some boat!
Last night we were happy to listen to a three piece band - guitar, violin and base guitar. The violinist also played the mandolin. They played and sang all the old songs including one of our favorites, Charlie and the MTA. Wonder if he ever returned.
Tonight is Friday night so I imagine we'll have some sort of musical treat awaiting.
Happy Fourth. It will be my first year away from Andover for many years.
It's not easy to make drastic changes in your golden years, but you do what you gotta do.
New adventures await.
We are so lucky!
The music down on the boardwalk at night has been spectacular. Some young men singing a cappella were the best. The group is called Overboard. Check them out on Overboardvocals.com.
We had two Irish guys a couple of nights ago who did a great job playing guitar and entertaining the residents of a 156' yacht that was docked in Newburyport harbor. That was some boat!
Last night we were happy to listen to a three piece band - guitar, violin and base guitar. The violinist also played the mandolin. They played and sang all the old songs including one of our favorites, Charlie and the MTA. Wonder if he ever returned.
Tonight is Friday night so I imagine we'll have some sort of musical treat awaiting.
Happy Fourth. It will be my first year away from Andover for many years.
It's not easy to make drastic changes in your golden years, but you do what you gotta do.
New adventures await.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Father's Day
Father's Day was ineventful. We strolled through the flea market in Rowley. By noon it was so hot, the vendors were packing up and heading out.
Lucky for us, we don't have room for the smallest item.
We didn't make it to church being as I can't stop coughing. I will be glad when this sinus infection is over.
On a good health note, I was discharged from the wound clinic last Monday. Amen to that. I will miss the visiting nurses from Beverly and Partners. I certainly got great medical care. They came almost every day for ten weeks.
The boats are almost all in the water here in Newburyport. Whale watches and cruises are leaving daily for outings. Maybe we will get to go this summer.
Tomorrow we are driving to Rhode Island to visit family. It should be a nice day and not so humid.
We continue to walk a lot and it's so wonderful not to have pain. We visit Dr. Banco on Friday.
I'm working on a quilt for Kelley. It's coming along pretty good. It's been thirteen years since I made a quilt and thirteen has always been my lucky number.
Lucky for us, we don't have room for the smallest item.
We didn't make it to church being as I can't stop coughing. I will be glad when this sinus infection is over.
On a good health note, I was discharged from the wound clinic last Monday. Amen to that. I will miss the visiting nurses from Beverly and Partners. I certainly got great medical care. They came almost every day for ten weeks.
The boats are almost all in the water here in Newburyport. Whale watches and cruises are leaving daily for outings. Maybe we will get to go this summer.
Tomorrow we are driving to Rhode Island to visit family. It should be a nice day and not so humid.
We continue to walk a lot and it's so wonderful not to have pain. We visit Dr. Banco on Friday.
I'm working on a quilt for Kelley. It's coming along pretty good. It's been thirteen years since I made a quilt and thirteen has always been my lucky number.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Fraser Automotive - Salisbury, MA
I feel better than I have felt in years.
We are enjoying our walks along the boardwalk and I love seeing the boats in the water after a long winter.
It's wonderful to be able to walk completely without pain. I am anxious to start physical therapy at the Anna Jaques Hospital. Maybe in the next week or so I will get the OK. My wound is almost healed and that's what we're waiting for.
Everyone said it couldn't be done!! So to all you "nay sayers" - it can only be done by Nan.
I was determined to get rid of our two old rust bucket cars so I put ads on Craigslist and on Ebay.
We met up with two Nigerian brothers from Boston in the parking lot of CVS and exchanged cash and title for the Izuzu. I told my son Chris, I wouldn't know a fake 100 dollar bill if it bit me in the ass.
I was more than a little nervous about it but we got the cash and went immediately to the bank and deposited it.
Then we were left to figure out how to get rid of a 22 year old car. The Olds was in great shape and will probably go another 50,000 miles, but that's a chance I wasn't willing to take.
We found a wonderful store in Salisbury, MA called Fraser Automotive. What wonderful people. They agreed to take the Olds in trade and gave us a great price on a brand new car.
However, the brand new car is actually 14 years old. It's a 1996 Buick with 25,000 miles on it. It was always in a garage and looks like it was just driven out of the showroom. This car is gorgeous and should "do us out".
We are enjoying our walks along the boardwalk and I love seeing the boats in the water after a long winter.
It's wonderful to be able to walk completely without pain. I am anxious to start physical therapy at the Anna Jaques Hospital. Maybe in the next week or so I will get the OK. My wound is almost healed and that's what we're waiting for.
Everyone said it couldn't be done!! So to all you "nay sayers" - it can only be done by Nan.
I was determined to get rid of our two old rust bucket cars so I put ads on Craigslist and on Ebay.
We met up with two Nigerian brothers from Boston in the parking lot of CVS and exchanged cash and title for the Izuzu. I told my son Chris, I wouldn't know a fake 100 dollar bill if it bit me in the ass.
I was more than a little nervous about it but we got the cash and went immediately to the bank and deposited it.
Then we were left to figure out how to get rid of a 22 year old car. The Olds was in great shape and will probably go another 50,000 miles, but that's a chance I wasn't willing to take.
We found a wonderful store in Salisbury, MA called Fraser Automotive. What wonderful people. They agreed to take the Olds in trade and gave us a great price on a brand new car.
However, the brand new car is actually 14 years old. It's a 1996 Buick with 25,000 miles on it. It was always in a garage and looks like it was just driven out of the showroom. This car is gorgeous and should "do us out".
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
May on the River Merrimack
My apologies for almost missing May.
The positive events in my life are: I can walk without pain and am up to over a mile a day. The pain I was experiencing at night is now pretty much gone. I am not taking medication of any kind. Horrah!
On a "not so good note", the bottom part of my incision has not quite healed yet. There was a pocket in there and it has to heal from the inside out. I go to the wound clinic every Monday and the visiting nurses still come every day to dress the wound. Marv is pretty good at it too.
I have had only lost about three more pounds the last time I went to the Lahey, but I am holding. It's easy to slip and I really need to be more conscious of protein, protein, protein. It's very necessary for healing.
The walks with the dogs along the Merrimack have been wonderful. We watched as the boats went into the water one by one after a long winter. What a pretty sight!
Roger is having his usual Memorial Day get together and we are planning on going as a lot of our old friends will be there. We should never miss an opportunity at our age as you just never know.
I went on a quilting marathon last Friday night and am planning to finish a quilt that Kelley started thirteen years ago. Bless her heart! I am reorganizing my bedroom to make room for my little Singer Featherweight.
My inspiration was a series of books I've been reading by Jennifer Chiaverini. The theme of the series is quilting, but a lot of history about the underground railroad and how quilts were hung on the clotheslines with secret codes on the quilts.
My goal is to finish at least three quilts for Kelley, Jon and Chris. Kelley says, "Be sure and sign them."
Jon had a great birthday party on the 15th. It was wonderful to see my grandkids, Tyler and Julianna and all the family.
The Thompsons who rented our house just love it there. I'll bet they love it even more since the 90 degree weather over the last two days. (Central Air).
I miss our home in Andover, but not the loneliness of being so isolated and having to drive so far to everything.
We are so fortunate to live in such beautiful surroundings. We love Market Square and just sitting and listening to the local musicians giving their mini concerts. Sunday there was a guy playing a harp - Wow!
We took a trip to Ipswitch as I had never been there. What a view from "Little Neck" and "Great Neck". The water is green, like I remember Hawaii on my honeymoon 45 years ago.
Massachuetts has many rural and beautiful areas that are well worth visiting. I am anxious to go to Glocester which is next on my list.
We have made many new friends by going to the church suppers in the area. The volunteering for the Firehouse continues to bring on a network of friends and our next assignment is for the Back Bay Bell Ringers.
More good news is, "Yes, you can live on social security!"
The positive events in my life are: I can walk without pain and am up to over a mile a day. The pain I was experiencing at night is now pretty much gone. I am not taking medication of any kind. Horrah!
On a "not so good note", the bottom part of my incision has not quite healed yet. There was a pocket in there and it has to heal from the inside out. I go to the wound clinic every Monday and the visiting nurses still come every day to dress the wound. Marv is pretty good at it too.
I have had only lost about three more pounds the last time I went to the Lahey, but I am holding. It's easy to slip and I really need to be more conscious of protein, protein, protein. It's very necessary for healing.
The walks with the dogs along the Merrimack have been wonderful. We watched as the boats went into the water one by one after a long winter. What a pretty sight!
Roger is having his usual Memorial Day get together and we are planning on going as a lot of our old friends will be there. We should never miss an opportunity at our age as you just never know.
I went on a quilting marathon last Friday night and am planning to finish a quilt that Kelley started thirteen years ago. Bless her heart! I am reorganizing my bedroom to make room for my little Singer Featherweight.
My inspiration was a series of books I've been reading by Jennifer Chiaverini. The theme of the series is quilting, but a lot of history about the underground railroad and how quilts were hung on the clotheslines with secret codes on the quilts.
My goal is to finish at least three quilts for Kelley, Jon and Chris. Kelley says, "Be sure and sign them."
Jon had a great birthday party on the 15th. It was wonderful to see my grandkids, Tyler and Julianna and all the family.
The Thompsons who rented our house just love it there. I'll bet they love it even more since the 90 degree weather over the last two days. (Central Air).
I miss our home in Andover, but not the loneliness of being so isolated and having to drive so far to everything.
We are so fortunate to live in such beautiful surroundings. We love Market Square and just sitting and listening to the local musicians giving their mini concerts. Sunday there was a guy playing a harp - Wow!
We took a trip to Ipswitch as I had never been there. What a view from "Little Neck" and "Great Neck". The water is green, like I remember Hawaii on my honeymoon 45 years ago.
Massachuetts has many rural and beautiful areas that are well worth visiting. I am anxious to go to Glocester which is next on my list.
We have made many new friends by going to the church suppers in the area. The volunteering for the Firehouse continues to bring on a network of friends and our next assignment is for the Back Bay Bell Ringers.
More good news is, "Yes, you can live on social security!"
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