Our adventure so far!

I arrived Sunday night in Boston late, my flight had been delayed due to storms in Boston. Quite a change in weather from CA to MA. Monday we visited with Jack's brother and family and had a terrific time.

Tuesday morning had breakfast with them and headed up to Maine to see our friend Suzanne. We stopped at Portland to see the lighthouse there. We saw a stone bench where Henry Wadsworth Longfellow would sit and was inspired to write "The Lighthouse". Dinner was fun, Joseph (our grandson) ordered a lobster and the deal is "if you order it, you eat it". Well he was enjoying his lobster so much he wasn't eating his fries....so grandpa said "you have to eat your fries too"....which translated into "fill up on fries so I can have your lobster!" Suzanne had also been a lobster "chucker" before and showed Joseph how to shell it. She found meat I didn't even know existed. Which we had taken pictures, it was pretty funny.

Wednesday morning we headed up to Aunt Barbara's home in Littleton, NH. We took her to lunch at a restaurant along the river and sat outside...it was awesome. After lunch Joseph and Grandpa walked across the covered bridge and then they went walking across the river on slippery rocks. Joseph wanted to go swimming but that water was too cold! We headed back and got to visit with cousins David and Martha and was treated to Aunt Barb's wonderful mac and cheese. Later Joseph and Grandpa headed uptown to visit "Chutter's" which has the world's largest candy counter and is in the Guiness' book of world records. Needless to say they came back with lots of candy.

Thursday morning we headed out to Hanover where Dartmouth is and had a lovely drive through Vermont. We stopped and ate at a very old restaurant in downtown Hanover where I ordered a "crabby patty" made by their special guest chef "Spongebob". It was very good! Joseph really enjoyed looking at Dartmouth and having Grandpa show him where he used to live and sharing stories about his life at Dartmouth.

Friday we arrived at Taft. We have a beautiful apartment that has been redone and freshly painted with new windows WITH SCREENS to keep the bugs out. Joseph has a room across the hall. We are on the second floor this year where the older kids will be. There is another 12 year old on the floor as well, his parents are teachers too. They have become friends quite quickly and I know they will be running up to the 4th floor constantly because that is where the other 12 year olds are.

It is hot and humid here, but we are glad to be here. We went out to dinner with the faculty on Friday night and there was a Luau theme. The winner of the centerpiece at our table gave it to Joseph and he was so thrilled because it was a palm tree filled with candy. He also collected leis that were left and brought them all back to his room and then decorated it. It looks pretty cute.

Saturday a lot of students arrived for registration and Joseph is making friends. Last night he was so tired he just fell into bed. Who knows what today holds for him. The rest of the kids arrive today. He loves the food here, there is plenty of it too. We are excited to see what this summer holds for us, so far it's been great.

More later,
Nancy and Jack

Springing back into action for Summer 2008...


I am with my son in Colorado, having a marvelous time... he has put me to work, hauling supplies to one of his construction sites, removing a tailer load of trash and making an appearance at the Summit Landfill where as we dumped, the wind shifted - wouldn't have been so bad, except one of the "dumpmasters was spraying the "stuff" with a brownish nasty-smelling semi-liquid that drifted our way... YUCK! I got some on my tee-shirt! Where's the laundry?

This afternoon, I leave the mountains, pick up a grandson at Denver Airport, and have dinner with Bo Chapin and his wife, Sandy. Grandson will drive east with me, and we'll keep you posted on our whereabouts.