August in Burbank

Watching the (partial) eclipse at Edison Elementary

 

with Max 

and Maddie.

 

An evening at the Hollywood Bowl

Fire on the mountains near Burbank--too close for comfort.

My 75th starts!!!  A pedi/mani thanks to Jess and Maddie:

 

 

 

Maddie's sparkling toes.

 

 

A most amazing birthday cake made by Sam with marshmallow in the frosting.

 

Very delicious.

Julie gives me a 75th birthday bash at her house:

 

Sam and Jess,

the M's,

Maddie serving appetizers---

Spencer and Theo,

 

enjoying the Woodward's gracious hospitality.

 

 

The cake--overflowing with flowers!

Thanks to

all!

Page Kender Visit to Chocorua

I raced back from Maine to meet Sam and Jess and the kiddos who were coming up from visiting friends in Rhode Island.

 Their's was a short 5-day stay but packed with fun things:

Canoeing, of course, and picking water lilies.

 

Jess' parents came to visit too and

 we all went to dinner at Dale's charming barn eatery then to see "The Ghost Train" at the Barnstormers.

Front row seats and so scary that Maddie hid under her hood much of the time.  But fun! 

Afterwards Sam and the kids went backstage to see how the sound effects were made--effects he'd worked on when he was a teenager working at the Barnstormers.

Maddie got an autograph (her first) from our friend Jean Coulter Brown who was one of the actors.

 

A very slippery slip and slide.

Max on the piano

(I still don't know how to make a movie work on my blog).

 

Jess and Maddie setting off for a walk to Heron Pond but turning back almost immediately because of  millions of ravenous mosquitoes. 

 (I tried the walk two weeks later and the same thing happened...never seen them so bad!). 

Monkey Trunks:  Getting geared up,

 

traversing on a wobbly rope,

getting higher and higher and crossing on very teetery planks,

then the fun part--the zip line.

 

Picnic on top of Black Cap.

Indecision 

at Black's.

A cozy evening watching "The Wizard of Oz."

 

Next Trip to Chocorua--in July:

The Maine Portion

 

Spent 5 days at Lea's house in Small Point, Maine--a lovely old house that had been her grandmother's.

 

 

Candis was there and Jan, artists and friends, who--with Lea-- know how to wrap up in warm blankets at breakfast and talk the morning away.

 

 

 

The fun continues:  Candis painting a lamp she found in the house,

 

 

 

Jan inscribing a tree branch,

 

 

 

Lea modeling possible outfits for son David's wedding in NYC. 

 

 

 

Finished product!

 

 

 

 

Candis swinging on a nifty living room chair. 

 

Selfie us!!

Then to Mt. Desert Island for Katie Harris' wedding:

 

 

 

Steffi at meal preparation

 

 

 

and Katie.

 

 

 

 

Good grand uncle Jim reading to Alex's boys.

 

 

 

Got no wedding photos but did get this moment of joy while on a hike--camp kids descending in delight on the Harris' 3 golden retrievers.  Dogs were happy too.

 

 

 

Chocorua in June

 

I'm making three short trips to Chocorua this summer--wanting to open up the house but not leave Toby for too long in his board and care home in Burbank.

 

This first trip

 

 

 

was to get the raft and the dock out, 

with much help from Alan and neighbor Tristan and her friend.

 

 

 

To lay the straw down on the path for a soft trek down to the lake.

And do a thousand more things!

 

 

I saw the loon with a babe on the back, maybe two, not three--but now there's only one (where is the sad emoji when I need it?). 

 

Checking out Simon's "shelter" which he made last year.  It's still standing and strong,

 

I love the two stones holding the shelter support sticks--repeated all around the structure.

 

My Tante Ann's piano got moved in from Becky's Chocorua piano studio where it had been residing since our move out of Barrington.  It's tuned and ready.  I just have to relearn how to play!

 

 

 

Julie and Andy came to dinner

 

 

 

as did Alan.

 

So good to be back in Chocorua again with the lake and the land and the friends.

 

 

 

Visits

To the Ahmanson--Jess got free tickets to the Scottish Ballet's "A Streetcar named Desire" --
wonderful ballet and fun, fun dinner afterwards.





Kids and I went to the Long Beach Aquarium for a special meeting with the otters who had been trained to get food when they put a paw through the window opening.  This delighted the kids--





as did these hungry birds loving the sweet syrup in Max's hand--delighted and a bit freaky!!




Then a visit from Sarah and Alan and Christina.
Toby recognized all--and seemed very happy.


 

 I love these hands--sister and cousin and Toby, together through the years.



 
Thai dinner in beautiful downtown Burbank!




Saturday brunch with the PK's and Amelia.