Father In-Law

My wife's father passed away in our home on June 28th. He (and wife Charlotte) were headed for Massachusetts but when he arrived at our home he decided to stay, which made us very happy. My in-laws usually stayed with us every summer, so this was a natural and normal situation for us.

He faced his illness like the Brave and Strong man he was, It was an Honor to have him at my home, I was very proud of him.

All his children and most of the grand kids came to see him and their visits were GREAT! What a wonderful family he created.

We are now staying with Michelle's brother in Auburn, Massachusetts (very nice) until Saturday when we will head back home. The weather here is cold and rainy, can't wait to get back to where it is warmer.

If a Tree Falls...

If a tree falls in the woods behind your house at 4 o'clock in the morning, does it make a sound? "YES" it does, and it is very loud!

It almost hit one of our pets too which happens to be sitting on 17 eggs. Just when you think things are getting normal and quiet something happens and it is usually pretty KEEN!

It was nice to see a turkey nest with all those eggs, but it even more cool to have one only a few feet from your backyard

Home

Really starting to feel like home for all of us now, the yard is shaping up, got a little vegetable garden going, chickens starting to grow. It all feels normal! What a wonderful spot the big guy picked out for us. From being out Turkey hunting with Jake, to fishing with Hale or just trying to keep up with little Fannie (Faith), this place beats our old home in Connecticut hands down. I can say this because I haven't seen a Copperhead in the yard yet!

Garden?

Not being ready for a vegetable garden just yet we decided to wait till next year. But after Michelle brought home some strawberry plants, Tomatoes, squash, broccoli, parsnips etc.. we had one.

We decided to harvest some natural fertilizer, because the soil here needs lots of TLC. So with the permission of our farmer neighbor to take all we wanted the kids and I headed out.

Armed with a variety of shovels we scooped to our hearts content and loaded up our dump cart (no pun intended) and headed home. Another memorable day!

Hope the kids appreciate all the things I let them do.

To Vermont

Had to take a trip to Vermont last week to attend the Funeral of a great woman, my Great Aunt Fannie. She was 88 years old and died peacefullyin her sleep.

We used to spend a lot of time vsiting her when we were young, when my dad would have a three day weekend (every third or fourth weekend) we would head to Vermont and stay in the trailer we had in Whitingham and then to the much more cosy deer camp in Readsboro. Always spending more than a few hours visiting her in between hiking trips, swimming holes and whatever mischief my Brother Chris and I got into. She always seemed ready for company no matter who or when you showed up, there was always some sort of pie ready to be eaten. It seemed that dinner would magically appear only minutes after your arrival.

I never new the real reason why we went there other than that she was my grandmother's sister, until my wife started asking questions.

My Father was abandoned by his Mother when she went to Florida with her new husband, taking only my father's sister and leaving him with his abusive Father that used to hire him out and make him sleep in a chicken coop! He finally moved in with her and she helped him through his teenage years.

Anyhow we use to try and see how many times in a row we could hit the circle on that tin building across the street from her house, or the endless hours of tennis we played gainst the same building, man we must have drove the neighbors batty!

The news of her passing hit me really hard, yup I cried! She was more like a Grandmother to me and I feel guilty of all the times I went by her house and didnt take time for a visit, the main reason is I didn't want to leave, or say goodbye.

Well at least I have a little something here in Virginia to remember herby, her name is Faith Frances Alger,( I call her fannie) who is aptly named after my great Aunt.

Beautiful Black Dirt!

Finally had some topsoil delivered, got tired of trying to grow anything in this unforgiving red clay that seems to thrive here. It was some good hard work to spread it around and the whole family was involved. Although Faith enjoyed playing in her bare feet, kinda wish I did it too as she said "hey Dad it's really soft and squishy"Now lets plant some more grass seed and hope it takes root!

Florida/South Carolina

Went to Florida on Monday to visit Michelle's Mom and Dad, Her Dad "Pepe" has been diagnosed with lung cancer and we took the kids down for a quick visit before he started Chemotherapy. They live in an awesome over 55 park with a private pond with plenty of fish in it, which is where I spent a lot of time with daughter Haley who would fish every minute of every day if she could.

Anywho Michelle was able to take her Father to his Dr. appts. so her Mom could go to work. So I think we were helpful and it sure was Great to see them both.

We left Virginia with about ten inches of snow on the ground and when we returned today it was in the Eighties!!!!! Kinda sucks living in the northeast!!! LOL