Saturday, August 24, 2013


Nifty Surprise!
Turns out both Sam and Jess were off from work starting the Monday we were in Burbank, so they decided to all come to Chocorua with us for the week.  Pretty nice!
The weather wasn't great, our flights were fine (we couldn't get on the same planes because of the last-minute planning) but their's were so delayed that they didn't get to Chocorua until 3am -- in fine style however, as you see from this photo taken later--in a convertible (one of the last rental cars at the airport).
The weather was a bit too cold for swimming, but wood stove fires felt good 
and so did running around during a rain storm, rinsing off the feet under the gutter.
 
Sam and Toby got the swing up on the willow tree.
We hiked to Heron Pond--kids trying to catch the tiny frogs along the way, grown-ups trying to persuade them to let them go!
Scant luck for finding blueberries--
 
but much fun in the Panama hammocks!

Tuesday, August 20, 2013


Quick Trip to Burbank
from the 9th to the 12th Toby and I did a hasty California touchdown ...



but quite wonderful.  Got to see the ice skating/hockey lessons.  Max, especially at this point, is whirling around the rink on his own.




And we got to get more stuff going on the new house--new refrig, washer/dryer, selecting paint colors and garden designs, sitting in the "studio" and imagining!!!



Then, a  trip to Disneyland on Saturday night--not for the rides, but for a Microsia conference being held there where Jess was on a parent discussion panel.  Toby and I were amazed at how kid-friendly everything was--but why should we be surprised--it's Disneyland!  Here's our hotel room where the wall behind the beds lights up with twinkly lights and "When You Wish Upon a Star" plays.  Sounds totally hookey but was in fact very wonderful (and so comfortable).


Al Fresco dinner on the esplanade near the hotel.




Sunday morning--who cares about special effects--the kids just wanted the birds to eat croissant crumbs from their hands.



Then a yummy breakfast at a tropical cafe--complete with frog crowns, thunderstorms and winking apes, if you can imagine that.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Back to My Back Porch Breakfast
 
 
 
Now that it seems summer's finally started, I'm back to eating early morning breakfasts outside, hot coffee, a good book--this one is the knitter Kaffe Fassett's autobiography--fabulously full of color and design.  Makes me want to paint, paint, paint!


 
  The kitchen garden, dahlias blooming.
 
 

 
Toby holding up one of my first ever cherry tomatoes.  Hurray for getting up here early enough for things to actually grow.
 
 
 
Another first for me--learning how to set a mouse trap.  Not fabulous but we did catch 4 mice in the red Volvo--had to, they were chewing out the wires.
 
 
 
A first for Alan and Toby a few weeks ago--young racoons peering at them as they walked across the back meadow.

Tuesday, August 6, 2013




Auntie Cindy's
While we were in Panama Tulip stayed  just up the street at Auntie Cindy's Pet Care, more like a home than a kennel.

Here's Cindy and her daughter Veronica who read to Tulip every evening.
Tulip LOVES it there.
She always comes home very jaunty with a scarf around her neck and all clean and groomed.

Friday, August 2, 2013


 Back to Gamboa



Dinner the evening we got back from the mountains--David feeling a little under the weather, Simon falling asleep at the table with his bottle, Rachel in the mirror taking this picture.



Checking out the nifty murals on Rachel's bat cages.


Clarice and her cohorts making cards for the big "Goodbye Clarice (and Why Do You Have To Leave?) Party."


Snuggles with Simon,


Smoozing with Gwen. 
And then we flew home--love you all, it was a wonderful visit for us.