The Fall with One Exception

 

The Franklin Park Zoo in Boston is a much more colorful experience than we'd had in the past!!!

One of Rowan's favorite parts of the visit -
the Carousel.

We got to see Jesse and Sarah's new baby, Oscar.
They are one of Sean and Will's favorite friends
and we love them.

We got to introduce Rowan to spaghetti and it was
a big hit.

The exception I mentioned was the Tortugeezers Reunion October 3 - 7 (officially). I'm covering that in a separate post. This entry covers the rest of September and October. The month started out with a visit from the Olivo family. Maria, Luis, Flavia and Andrea came to the Boston back in the 90's to get medical treatments for Andrea at Children's Hospital We had volunteered to house families that were unable to afford hotels or rentals. They stayed with us in Brookline that visit but returned over the years for more treatments and on one memorable visit, lived for several months up at our Lake Rescue home.  We've kept in touch and now they are all in the US, some already have residential status and some, work visas. But they are all anxious to become US citizens. Flavia has married a fellow from Massachusetts and their son Giovanni came up with Maria, Luis and Andrea.

Luis, Maria, Giovanni, myself and Andrea

Then we went down to Boston to babysit Rowan while Sean & Will went to a wedding. What a fun weekend we had! We spent a lot of time in playgrounds, nearby at the beach and at the Zoo. Rowan can go down the small slide by himself now and loves it. He really loves everything and goes, goes, goes, until naptime (twice a day) and sleeps through the night. Easy Peasy. 

And then, just a few days later on the 11th my sister Paula passed away. I had Zoomed with her every day and could see she was slowing down more and more but that had been going on so long I still was surprised when they called. She and I had made all her funeral arrangements in advance and I had constant communication with her Rabbi so it was easy to set the funeral for that Sunday afternoon. Scott and I drove down on Saturday. James, Morgen, Kolya, Morgen's sister Claire and Sean all came on Sunday. The funeral was at the gravesite and was really lovely. Rabbi Meeka knew Paula so it was a personal service and a number of her friends from the Synagogue came. James and Sean gave beautiful thoughtful eulogies. 

Two of the dessert pies we made!

Our Cooking Class 2024 Sally, Heather, Pam, Linda and Ronnie
in back, Ed, Debbie, Sandy and Weezie

Pierce's Store here in Shrewsbury is a historic Country Store since the 1865. It was run by the same family until the Marjorie Pierce, the last member, died in 1992. She left the store and her possessions to the Vermont Preservation Trust. The Shrewsbury COOP bid successfully for it and after extensive renovations, reopened it in 2009. I volunteer there most every week and get to run the store for a 4 hour shift, sometimes more than once. But I also make hors d'oeuvres for the wine tastings,  pastries for the Bake Sales, and once a year offer a Cooking Class for 8 students. All the money goes to Pierce's. This year the theme was "Pies, Pies and More Pies". The students come mid afternoon and after cooking up the 3 course meal, we all sit down and enjoy it! It's a great deal of fun and this year netted Pierce's $310.  The menu was Cornish Pasties, Individual Chicken Pot Pies, Salad and for dessert: Pecan, Apple Crumb and Blueberry Pies! Yum! It's a good thing I have 2 ovens.

Scott and Kamala on the campaign
trail

Bela Fleck with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra

A selfie with Kate and Stephen Kelley up at Spring
Lake

Our next visitors were Kate and Stephen Kelley, our neighbors from Brookline. They now live in Hyde Park and down at Pawley's Island in South Carolina. We stop and visit them at the latter on our way south each year in the RV.  There is a concert almost every night here in Vermont and this was no exception. We saw Bela Fleck with the VSO at the Paramount and then the Georgian folk singers, Zedashe Ensemble, in Westminster, VT.  One beautiful day we drove over to Woodstock and after a walk around town and some shopping, had a great lunch at the Woodstock Inn. 

The fall colors were really beautiful as usual.

The buildings in Woodstock are so beautiful and wonderfully
decorated for the fall - here pumpkins, cabbages and 
chrysanthemums. 

Leslie & Dave over at the Coolidge
Family Site.

After the Tortugeezer Reunion we welcomed our last guests of this season (so far): Leslie & Dave Silverstein, Dick Bond & Debby D'Arpa and Marty Wolf.  The weather continued to be nice, although we had one showery morning and played Mexican Train Dominos. On our full day together we drove over to the Coolidge Family Historic Site where Calvin Coolidge grew up and was sworn in as President. His home, the General Store and Cheese Factory (still in production) that his family ran, and the Presidential Museum are all in the small village. These are some of our oldest friends and it is always wonderful to be with them and catch up on news. 

Marty, Scott, Heather, Debby and Dick at the Coolidge Family Historic Site

Clear skies and a full moon seen off the deck.

Our home ready for the many guests this month. The garden and grounds keep us pretty active.

Other events this month were my Three Course Dinner for 8 - bid on at the Library Silent Auction, Scott's weekly Quaker Meeting and numerous Political events, a fabulous Pink Martini concert and a less fabulous Woman in Black at the Weston Playhouse and more music concerts! That's the short list - we keep pretty busy here. 

Gandalf (Will), Legolas (Sean) and Ungoliant
(Rowan) for Halloween.

Scott marching with the "Catocrats" in the 
huge Rutland Halloween parade.