Add-on to Last Post

My last post was about my brother-in-law.

My add-on is about my friend, Mickey, who I worked with when we first moved up here 5 and a half years ago. I got a job working at the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory in Shelburne, Vermont. It was a fun place to work, helping visitors pick out their bears, giving tours of the factory, and stuffing and sewing up bears the people could make themselves (the original "Build a Bear" theme was started there.) Mickey and I worked together most days in the retail shop, she and I being the "older" ones in a group of mostly much younger adults. She was my saving grace on many days, and it was great fun getting to know this warm and caring Vermonter who was born (almost exactly 10 years before me) and raised up in St. Albans. She told me about places to visit, best restaurants to eat at and bits and pieces about local sites, including the premier cree-mee stand where they had over 100 flavors! It's still our one and only place to go for cree-mees during the summer, and to take visitors to. After we moved up to Swanton, the commute to the Teddy Bear Factory was too long, and I quit shortly after. But Mickey and I still remained friends, meeting for lunch once in a rare while, or she would stop by wherever I was working, we exchanged Christmas cards, and I would ask about her whenever I went to the post office, where her niece worked. I few weeks ago her niece stopped into my store, and I was able to talk to Mickey's sister, and learned that her health was failing. Mickey had fought breast cancer twice, but her pain now was in her back, and they were trying to figure out what was going on...

A week ago Saturday, another person we worked with at the Teddy Bear Factory came into my store, and I was excited to see her, but one look told me what I feared. Mickey had passed away, also on July 15th, the same day as my brother-in-law. Her pain was from cancer that they found in her spinal cord, and it took her quickly. I still look for her smiling face on quiet afternoons when I'm working, or think of her when I see the Vermont Teddy Bear I have in our guest room. I shall miss her, my friend. It's been a tough month...

The Distant Bonds

This Post is not about being a grandparent, or parent. It is about the distance that separates us.


Yesterday my youngest sister, who lives in Phoenix, lost the love of her life when he lost his fight with leukemia. In just a little over 4 months this man waged his war on heart disease, diabetes, valley fever, and chemotherapy which left his kidneys damaged enough to also require kidney dialysis. The leukemia entered his liver, causing that organ to begin failing. Then this week, because of his weakened immune system, sepsis set into his blood, causing an infection throughout his entire body. By Wednesday the battle was over, he had called his truce, he was ready. He had two days of calm and comfort, rest and assurance. With my sister at his side, he slipped to the heavens in the early morning hours of Friday, July 15th. The mark he made on everyone's life is remarkable, the responses truly endearing. He was a lover of life, golf, food, passionate about his work, and a friend to all. The world is better for his being here for 62 years, worse for his leaving us way too early.


The distance has been with my sister in Phoenix, my sisters in California and New Hampshire, and my daughters in Maryland and Dallas. The distance that separates us. The phone calls and the texts, the individual ways we have shed tears and reached out to one another. But our thoughts, our prayers, our wishes, and yes, our tears also unite us. We have a bond that brings us together no matter how many miles separate us. This has touched us each in different ways, in different degrees, in our own different memories. But those memories also link us as they overlap times spent with him and with each other. I can not be there as my daughter begins her run this morning in his honor, I can't help my daughter who tried to fly out to Phoenix yesterday to be with her Aunt, and I can't offer my shoulder to my sister who is facing yet another loss of someone she loves deeply. But I know that we are there with each other, we are sharing each others' pain, and we are reaching and touching and connecting, because we are loved. Watch over us Dave, our bonds are strengthened in your loss, we shall forever miss you, but our memories of you bring us joy.

Echos of Memories

The grandchildren have gone, the house is quiet, the toys are put away until the next visit, and the bed sheets have been washed and refolded. I wonder how my own mom felt in the days after we had come and gone when my own girls were little. Its easy to feel sad, and a little hesitant to resume normal life again. I know my little 2 year old granddaughter has cried for me several times since leaving. The first time was right after they got thru security and to their gate, when she realized I wasn't coming with them. I guess she was calling me about as loud as she possibly could for about 5 minutes. And she has asked several times to get back on an airplane and come back to Mimi's house. The bonds are there, and that is good, but it hurts knowing I can't just be there whenever I want to. Maybe though, maybe if I did live right down the street from them like we did before, maybe there wouldn't be this longing. Eventually she will begin to remember special trips up here, and her memories will begin to form favorite things we did, or will do again. I, too, feel some of her misery. I think of her when I take the dogs out for their walk because when she was here she "tinkled" three times outside, "like the doggies do.". Or when I walk past the baby strawberries she picked, or when I sit out in the sunroom where we spent so much time playing, even at night when I hear the barred owl calling "who, who, whoooo."  It was a good visit, and yes, its hard to say goodbye, but there are always the memories...

     Playing ball.

                                                               Standing with Mishka

                                                               At the playground

Early to Bed...

Its 9:28pm on a warm, breezy evening, and the house is as quiet as a mouse. Everyone has gone to bed. The dogs are sleeping out on the cool patio, my husband went up to bed about half an hour ago (he has one of those lousy, summer head colds) and my daughter and two granddaughters who have been here for 5 days now all go to bed about 8 o'clock. The two little ones wouldn't last much longer, both of them still wake up several times during the night, or in the early morning hours. And its just easier for my daughter to go to bed with them, although she lays up there and reads until she falls asleep. So, its either the computer, or the tv.

It has been a great week, although tiring! The two little girls are 2 1/2 and 7 months old, so it is quite a challenge keeping track of both of them, keeping both fed, cleaned, and satisfied, and entertaining them, especially the 2 year old. She plays wonderfully, but, typically, has the whiney times when she fights for some independence. We have kept fairly busy with breakfasts out, walks, playing with toys and a tent, eating, going swimming at the neighbors' pool, going to the playground, today we went to them mall. The days seem like they will be long, but then before we know it, its time for dinner, baths and books and bed. Their last full day is tomorrow, then we'll drive them back to the airport in Manchester, NH so they can
catch their Southwest flight non-stop back to Baltimore. Two best things so far: having my granddaughter run to me with a big hug and kiss at the airport (yes, there were tears in my eyes), and two days later saying "I love Mimi's house, Mommy!" Today, while we were walking the dogs, I thought she said "You're my best friend", but no, she was saying the dogs were her best friends! The weather has been just about a little bit of everything, but yesterday was a perfect 82 degrees, and today has been breezy, but nice outside. I will post a picture as soon as I get them downloaded to my computer.

Babbling Brook Mystery Solved (and repaired!)

It has been a long week, meaning last week that ended yesterday. On Wednesday we woke up to no water, and when my husband went down into the basement to check things out, he found our water booster pumps overheating and smoking. These pumps add pressure so we can actually have force in the water upstairs to enable us to take showers.  He shut the pumps down, and with just a bare trickle in the upstairs bathrooms, we opted to use the lower level shower until we could have things checked out. The next day our water guy shows up, and within minutes he realized the problem was with that little spring of water which had been flowing for nearly two months. His conclusion: the water was actually coming from a break in the pipe going from our well to the house, which means our well was supplying all of that water that has been running constantly down the driveway! The prognosis did not look good. We could have to dig up half of the yard, including the area where we thought the pipe might go under the driveway, to find the source of the leak. We called two neighbors to ask for advice on who they would recommend, left a message for one, then spoke to the second, who suggested his cousin who was an excavator. Within an hour we had set up a meeting for the next morning, the second neighbor stopped by to check things out and offer assistance, and the other neighbor followed shortly behind to see what he could do. Its amazing what these people do to help one another, and how grateful we are for knowing them. They are an unending source of information and support. We are so very lucky. The next day the crew arrives, the hole is found rather easily and repaired quickly, the dirt is replaced, and we have our water back and running. The booster pumps still need some kind of tweaking, but the pressure is strong enough to enable showers upstairs, and things looked solved. I had been up Friday morning at 3:30am to get to work by 5:15am for our semi-annual store inventory, I was tired and exhausted by the time I got home that afternoon, but we picked up a bottle of wine to take to the neighbors' to thank them for their help. That turned into hanging over there for 3 hours, eating crackers and cheese, then steaks on the grill, and having the best time, and a most special end to a rather challenging week. Okay, the week didn't really completely end on such a high note. Last night, Saturday, still this same week, I went to do the dishes after supper, and SURPRISE! NO HOT WATER! I guess this will be chapter 2-to be continued this week...

Long, long days of June

It is after 9pm, and the sky is still light behind the silhouette of the trees. In another 3 weeks we will have the longest day of the year. Up here, if it is clear that week, it won't get completely dark until nearly 10pm. And then the days will start getting shorter. My son-in-law, who is from Honduras, couldn't comprehend this concept at all because down there, a day in December is just as hot and has just as many hours of daylight as a day in June. I like the long days, even if it means that the sky begins to get light shortly after 4 am. I really like the short days when I can come home at 5pm and put my pajamas on because it feels like it is almost time for bed right after dinner.

The rains have let up, for now. We have had the snowiest winter on record, with 128.4 inches. And the rainiest spring with 24.78 inches so far for the year. And that is compared to 12.63 inches normal for the whole year. Talk about green EVERYWHERE! Our little babbling brook still continues to flow several gallons per hour, and everyone who sees it says they have never seen anything like it.

Yesterday was nice. After 3 days of very warm, humid weather, it cooled off dramatically, with lows into the 40's and the high of only about 68. It was perfect for heading up to the local nursery and buying some flowers to plant in our large barrels. And while looking for the best flowers to plant, I came across some called "Elfin Mix Impatiens" and just had to buy them to plant near my Elf door that my brother-in-law made a few years ago. Here is what is now looks like:

There are 6 impatiens plants in the mulch. I love this area because I can see it from the kitchen window when I am doing the dishes or cooking. Hopefully the little garden takes, and the flowers spread. Maybe the elves will help with the weeding!

My youngest daughter and her two little girls will be here in just over 2 weeks. We are looking forward to some special time with our granddaughters who are almost 7 months and almost 2 1/2 years old. It should be fun having them all here for a few days. I hope the weather is fairly good, and the bugs aren't too bad. I have a multitude of tiny no-see-um bites that are very itchy right now. The little buggers should hopefully have died off for the year before they get here. Of course, about the time they are gone, the pesty deer flies start dive bombing us as we walk the dogs, and right behind them will be the swarms of blood-thirsty mosquitoes. Ahhhh, summer life in the country!

Blue Skies and Warmer Days

It's been awhile, so, time to do some writing. We have had some very rainy, wet weather this spring, resulting in lots of flooding all over Vermont. Especially along the coastline of Lake Champlain down in Burlington, and up here in St. Albans Bay. We have even sprouted our own small stream on our land that begin showing up last week, and has been running strong since last Saturday. It seems to be bubbling out of the ground, pools around a bunch of trees, then spills out onto and down our driveway and into the woods. It's very crazy, but rather interesting too. We are estimating several gallons an hour continue to flow out. Here is a picture I took on Sunday:

Notice the pool of water, and where it is running down the driveway. It continues on down the hill.

We have finally had a break from all of the rain, and it has been sunny and warmer since Sunday. What a great break, even if I have been working. Speaking of working and water running-last week while I was working in my maternity store, a young woman was in exchanging some items, and returned to use the restroom in our store. Not a noteworthy story, except she thought her water had broken, which it had, and I spent a short while trying to calm her down, and sent her on her way with a new pair of pants and a roll of paper towel. She came back on Tuesday to thank me for my help, and introduce me to her new little girl, Genevieve.

And, speaking of little girls, I have been busy sewing during all of our chilly, rainy weather, and here is a picture of the quilt I made for my 6 month old granddaughter:

I thought it really turned out cute. I also made a pillow to match it, as you can see in the photo. I appliqued owls on it because that's what my daughter said she wanted on it, and I couldn't find any kind of fabric with owls on it. It was fun doing. Now I am finishing up a pillow for my other granddaughter so she will have something in the box also. Then I will send them on their way and hope they both like them. We are trying to figure out a time for the three of them to come up here, maybe next week, or more likely, in June. But I know I won't be able to wait for them to get it, so I'll mail it out soon.

May is already a third over, as always passing way too fast. Hopefully more things will happen so I will have more to write about in the next few weeks.