Retirement Tour 2013: Colorado to Lake Erie

Leaving the Twin Sisters (Long's Peak and Mt. Meeker) in Longmont, CO

After the wedding, Jim, Boo and I took a 6 week trip to the east coast to see friends and family.  

Highlights of our trip included being with those we love, rediscovering the magic of those wonderful watery worlds, taking in spectacular sunsets, watching Boo prance in the waves and play with new friends, eating lots of yummy food and, mostly, being free to just be!

We traveled from Longmont, Colorado, through Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio to our first destination:  Lake Erie in Fairview, Pennsylvania.

Me and you and a dog named Boo.
Boo is in his customary seat between us.

You can't imagine how much corn there is between Colorado and Illinois!

2nd night-arrived just in time for a beautiful sunset
over Lake Michigan.

First night on the road-
a Boo-friendly restaurant at
historic Haymarket in Lincoln, NE.

Destination #1- The Mook family cottage at
Fairview, PA, built in 1939

Bonfires were a nightly ritual at Lake Erie.
My brother, John, won the log
botherer award handily.

First swim at Lake Erie-Boo had so much fun
chasing the waves, but he couldn't stop shivering! 

Jim and Boo enjoying one of John's
 famous bloody marys.

Laura, John and Sue at the Erie, PA waterfront where we learned lots of interesting facts about the War of 1812 and, just as quickly, forgot them. 

The calm after the "Blow".

Our first experience with a Lake Erie "Blow"
-strong winds and a staggering rain storm.

The best way to view a sunset.

Retirement Tour 2013: Jamestown, New York

It was fascinating to visit the original Chautauqua in New York, as we have one of our own here in Boulder, albeit on a much smaller scale.  This one has operated programs organized around arts, education, religion and recreation since 1874.  They offer special events, popular entertainment, theater, film, symphony, ballet, opera, visual arts exhibitions, and a residential music program.  "Chautauqua" has come to represent an organized gathering to introduce people to great ideas and issues of public concern.  During the beginning of the century, at the height of the movement, some 12,000 communities had hosted a chautauqua.  For many reasons, it essentially died out in the 1930s.  Today, chautauqua is experiencing a revitalization as people are rediscovering the value of lifelong learning.

One of the many beautiful cottages
of Chautauqua, NY.

The podium at the Hall of Philosophy

One of many floor tile decorations
commemorating a  Chautauqua Literary and
Scientific book club, the oldest continuous
book club in America.  The date is when
the class graduated who started their
reading list together.

A quiet walk through the community of Chautauqua.

Carole Faulk and us waiting for
Len to pick us up at the Athenaeum Hotel.
Carole is my oldest friend (from the 50s!).
Carole and Len spoiled us with traditional
Swedish feasts and their incredible hospitality.
I wish I had taken pictures of some of the spreads
with which they graced the table.

Cocktails on the beautiful veranda of Hotel Lenhart,
overlooking Bemus Bay on Chautauqua Lake.

The Wedding

Not being the photographer at this event, I have very few pictures to share with you.  But here are a few that will give you a flavor of Todd and Erin's wedding.  Apparently, there are many more on my Facebook page.

Kurt and Pat Ritter-our new in-laws

Our bartender, Harley, and Josh, Athena's husband

The very happy groom 

Old friends celebrate with the Ritter twins

Todd and Erin-wedding party
at Gail and Harley Lyons' home.

A beautiful couple, a beautiful place, a beautiful day-
recipe for a beautiful marriage.

Retirement Tour 2013: Central and Western Massachusetts

Our next stop was in Central Massachusetts to visit relatives and to pay our respects to some who have passed.  First was Easthampton, MA to visit my handsome second cousin, Mike Vivier, his fabulous wife, Sue, and their mostly generous kitty, Puddles, who was willing to put up with Boo for a short time.  On Sunday we had a wonderful picnic/reunion with my other cousins and their families.  My cousin, Judy, their mother, just happened to be in Colorado at the time (what's wrong with that picture?!).

Mike and Sue on an earlier visit to Mt. Tom

Mike giving Puddles a big stretch

My cousin, Andy, and his wife, Teddy

Cousin, Jimmy, and his wife, Karyn

Karyn and Jimmy's youngest, Luke, and Boo

Judy's half-brother, Luigi,
known as Lou

Luigi's wife, Elaine

Helen and two of her three kids, Sarah and Billy
Melissa is in Hawaii

Four of the six Vivier kids:  Andy, Mike, Helen and Jimmy
This was taken a few years ago but I love it. Why didn't I
take a picture of the four of them while I was there? The other
two are Anne, in Texas, and Steve, who lives in the desert
outside of Phoenix.  Hoping to see them all in our travels..

And that's my missing cousin, Judy, on
the right at her property on Brittingham
Hill, taken a few years ago-looking good
for a mother of six and almost 80 years old.

While Mike and Sue worked, we drove to Spencer and Grafton to reminisce a bit and visit those we love who are no longer with us.

The house on Greenville St. in Spencer, MA
where I lived from 1944-1950

At Pine Grove Cemetery in Spencer.  This is where my
Mom and Dad, my Dad's parents, and his sister, Helen, are buried.
The heart stones I collected from Lake Erie and Cape Cod-
They'd like that.

Nanna and Diddy, my mother's parents,
are buried here.

My great grandparents and great
aunt and uncle are here.

We were so happy to see that
Marge and Al's little house in
the woods in Grafton was being
well taken care of.

Al and Marge's resting place in Grafton

And we are off to Stockbridge, MA, just as
the trees are exhibiting the first hint of fall
and the colorful show to come.

Lunch at the former Alice's Restaurant
Dog Friendly!!

Jim enjoying a cocktail at the historic
Red Lion Hotel, where he saw Gwyneth
Paltrow and fantasizes about her trying
to pick him up.

Centuries old tavern at the Red Lion

The Norman Rockwell Museum where I
gained an appreciation for his portrayal
of small-town American life.

BIG CHANGES/2013

2013 was a year of humungous change for us.  We spent most of waning 2012, remodeling, selling, giving away and organizing a lifetime accumulation of "stuff".  We sold our house on Harvest Rd. in June of 2013, spending the last few days reminiscing while camped in the driveway and enjoying a few last hot tubs. Leaving was bittersweet--so many memories but so much work we were leaving behind.

Speaking of work, Linda retired in mid-July and hasn't regretted a moment of it, though she is missing seeing her friends and learning of all the new developments with the various grants she worked on.

We moved out of Harvest June 20th and began a long, very tiresome, confusing move to Jason's new (and first!) place to Parker Dr.  Because the downstairs was being remodeled to accommodate us and our remaining belongings, we enjoyed the hospitality of our friends, Gail and Harley Lyons by camping at their farm until all was ready for us August 13th.

Family and friends began arriving August 15th for Erin and Todd's wedding.  Amazing even our own selves, we managed to get Jason's place put together enough so that we and Linda's brother and sister-in-law, Suzi, could sleep there.

On August 17th, 2013 our daughter, Erin, married Todd Ritter at the Flagstaff Ampitheater in Boulder, CO.  Everyone always says this, but it really was the most beautiful, heart-felt affair.  Being with really close family and friends, experiencing our daughter happy, safe and secure with a wonderful man and being with those we love--well, it just doesn't get any better than that.  Stay tuned for pictures.