Listing

To see the listing, as of today, of our Barrington house, check out this website:

http://www.residentialproperties.com/property/15659230/

Amazing fabulous news---

Obama's Affordable Health Care Act upheld by the Supreme Court!!!

In Chocorua

Last Thursday we finally arrived in Chocorua--after a horrible, stiffling hot, traffic-filled drive up.

We left a sparkling clean and totally uncluttered house in Barrington, which will go on the market in two days, to deal with this conglomeration of stuff (every room looks like this)
unloaded from our fully packed van and car.

I was still able to find a quiet wall to photograph my table and mirror which will soon go into the Tamworth Artisans Gallery.

Off for the Summer!

 

First, a dinner with the Eritreans--note the fabulous loaf of bread Wunesh made.  Today Kifle defends his thesis for his PhD degree--wishing him well.

Then, the rental of a van.....

with much more space than we'd imagined.  Chee Heng did a brilliant job of loading it (that's a painted table of mine under the protection of many layers of pillows, knitted coats, old skirts, Tulip's bed).  Much packing and moving--all on the hottest day of the year so far (90 degrees plus).  It'll be nice to get to Chocorua---Tulip is definitely ready.

De-Cluttering

A realtor's favorite word

 

for the exhausting work of sorting through and giving away, throwing out or boxing up 26 year's worth of books, photos, mementos, all the stuff that makes a house yummy in order to put it on the market, sufficiently empty and (what I think) bleak to appeal to a buyer! 

 Also giving it curb appeal--washing off the mold under the eaves,

 repainting the front porch, getting windows washed, gardening done, etc., etc.

Here's our secret selling weapon:  two brand new, shiny red furnaces in the basements. 

WaterFire

It's been years since Toby and I have been to Providence's WaterFire -- an extravaganza of fire in cauldrons on the Providence River.  Years ago it was mysterious and magnificent,

and it still is, but it's changed too.  First of all, Toby looks a little weird here because I didn't know how to make my new I-Phone have a flash.  The fires are in the background.  The music still comes out from under the bridges but it's a more eclectic and modern mix, not the enchanting arias and haunting medieval pieces. It made me fall in love with opera way back then, hearing those powerful voices wafting over the river. The  boats that carry the firewood up and down the river are still  painted black and the crews manning them are dressed in all black but there's not the enveloping smell of wood smoke in the air as there used to be.  Maybe we're just getting old and harder to please, but I know it's changed:  more tourist boats on the river including two gondolas and more concession stands around.  

But what did catch my eye, stirred my soul, were these notes under lanterns along the river bank:  "Doug, wish things were the same as 11 years ago!" signed Sarah.

And  "I hope you feel better Liam," from Douglas and Andrew.

I might go back just to catch more of those messages--very genuine.

Visits

 

Toby's nephew Ben and his cousin Jane Hersey came from New Haven on Friday for a visit--a beautiful sunny day for walks in Warren and at the Audubon Society, then a glass of wine on the patio, Tulip sniffing around.

 That evening and the next morning were spent pouring over old Page photo albums, remembering names, placing faces, all in an effort to find the missing link back to Ben Franklin.  Our Ben has done a lot of research on the family history.  He went home with stacks of albums to scan and enter in an on-line family site.

And last night, an evening here with the Rubins.  Relaxed, happy, in totally cool patterned shirts!