100 years old . . .

Not a very good picture of John because it was copied from the black and white flyer the club put out for the party.

Best adult birthday party ever! Puppies and Dante's Pop's horse shoe pitching friend from North Kingston, RI is almost 100 years old and so on this beautiful day his horseshoe buddies for many years celebrated his birthday with him and Dottie. John has been pitching for more than 80 years and he pitches very well. This was the first summer league season he missed because he is slowing down and pitching with a hernia just doesn't work. Everyone brought food and most also played horseshoes. Puppies and Dante's Pop missed playing in the league this year because of his commitment to the Yankee Flyers but he will be back to play in Coventry, RI next year. I'm so glad we decided to stop in to see everyone last week where we found out about the party. We've been meeting these players and their wives/girlfriends for over 10 years so it'll be good to get back to Thursdays at the Jogues Club even though some of the faces have changed over the years.

On the way home we got to see a whole lot of antique trucks going back into the heart of Rhode Island from the Truck Show on the border with Connecticut at RICONN. That was a real plus and . . .we also saw a Cessna 170 taking off  and rising up over Route 14A. Just perfect.

Got the house pretty well cleaned up and ready for the Sunday of Labor Day Weekend Party and especially for the visit from our youngest. All set and ready to go! Making me smile a lot!

Quote:  To be happy, we must be true to nature, and carry our age along with us.    ____Hazlitt

Now, this is funny . . .

Guess I should have cropped the wires!

At our Tuesday ritual, breakfast at Roadside, we bumped into a couple who live close to the Inglesia ni Cristo church that had been a Baptist Church in Moosup. I thought I had seen all of the cars possible on Sunday when I drove by the church. How wrong I was. The church goers were parked at the Little League Park along with five buses! J and W, always thinking about ways to get money for All Hallows, said we should have run a shuttle service from the Little League Park and the far reaches of Dagget and Church Streets! I found that really funny.  They had also noticed the people were dressed to the nines and the cars were all very expensive models. I really must do my homework on this group. It seems that the church has also bought the property to the church's right on Main Street and that their top ecclesiastic was here for this large, formal grand opening. Wow. I guess they over ran the SnakShack in Moosup (near the old railroad bridge that crosses the river.) I do believe it can only bring good things to town although it seems the head honchos don't care to consult with the town fathers in any way! I shall have to manage to get a look inside the church and see what wonders they have wrought. They had almost the entire property covered with air conditioned tents for the guests and the lawn was newly laid sod. Incredible.  Think I shall go take a photo. Hold on.

I'm back and as noted  I took a couple of photos that really don't do the church justice. Now, time to clean out the crate of balls, rackets, bats, et cetera on the sun porch.

Quote:  There are certain things in which mediocrity is not to be endured, such as poetry, music, painting, public speaking.   ___La Bruyere

Alone yet not alone . . .

Adorned puffy little sun flower

Grampa is off for the second day in a row for the two hour drive to Lee, MA. Today he will fly in control line competition in the expert class; his first time in expert. I feel pretty confident he'll do well. Yesterday was just a fun fly and he sold three planes and, I believe, four engines which put gas in the Dodge Ram and a bit of money in his pockets! Now we have room for some more building projects! What a character! So . . . our Sunday morning breakfast got snarled up because I really didn't want to get up at 5am so we could breakfast together early in order for Puppies and Dante's Pop to be able to be on the road for 7! He gave me a good bye kiss at 6 and went to eat. I managed to get to early Mass, 7:30, and then went to breakfast. Sat at the counter when a handsomely gray gentleman came up to me and said "Madame Rose?" I had to ask him to refresh my memory. He is a former Plainfield 7th grader whom I taught in 1978. Yikes. Doesn't seem possible. He teaches Physics in Norwalk, CT and was visiting with his family. That was really neat. As I finished up my pepper jack cheese omelet Oneco friends came in with her wonderful father so I sat with them and we chatted about the reincarnation of the Baptist Church on Church Street in Moosup. I believe it is a Christian Filipino Ministry and the cars for their grand opening lined both sides of Church Street, Dagget Street and the school parking lot! The cars were from New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and points beyond. Everyone was properly dressed for the Lord's Day. The church building has been renovated and is sparklingly clean and beautiful. More power to them. For the last few years they have given away bottled water and popcorn during theVJ Day parade and always let people set up their chairs and blankets on the lawn just as in years gone by. Mama would have gotten a kick out of seeing the church today. Shall have to check out their website at iglesianicristowebsite.com. I find this completely fascinating. Time to do some homework.

Had the best visit in a very long time from Aunt P and her son T from Huntsville, Alabama. They took a chance yesterday evening and we lucked out. We were home and had a great reunion. He will not be here for our Labor Day Party but it was so nice of them to stop and chat. Grampa had him down in the basement ogling the planes! I have a sneaking suspicion he'll be buying the computer simulation for radio control as they ended up playing it last night! His son is 11 years old, perfect age to begin!  Will go get Kiddo at 6:30 this evening because there are more bartender problems. I think he and I will go to play miniature golf in Cranston, RI at mulligansisland.com tomorrow morning.  It looks like we can have a grand old time. Then we'll go South on 95 back to Groton and hang out until Mom and Dad get home from Richoni's. Looking forward to a good day. The weather should be fine.


Quote:  Ten thousand harms more than the ills we knew, our idleness doth hatch.   ___Shakespeare

I feel a song coming on . . .

Ma Tante's gloves.

"I hate the things you do, but I still love you." Tu te souviens? Yes, Ma Tante used to remind us of that often when the kids were growing up. It does make me cry when I remember all the beautiful, useful lessons we learned from the old folks (tongue in cheek.) What a smart bunch of whippersnappers were they! Not sure anyone even thinks clearly, lovingly, astutely, calmly, sweetly, acutely, accurately  any more. Sure do miss the old folks at home. (Stephen Foster) Unsure why I'm off on this tangent this grey morning. Perhaps when I roam around this old house and I see all the changes it has undergone through the many years I feel the permanence of people past. In any case I do love this old place with its hidden stories.

Have a new wall in the basement. It's not dry yet but in five days or so Puppies and Dante's Pop will be painting it with a cement paint. It looks just fine. No more crumbling bricks. Oops, gotta run. Mémère needed!

Quote:  Memory is the receptacle and sheath of all knowledge.   ___Cicero

Bunny day . . . (prononcé en français, bien sur!)

Rainy day Friday's experiment.

Heard the secret a couple of days ago but today the news was spreading so it's okay to reveal (drum roll) an Italian Baker, really, from Italy who speaks very limited English is coming to the Roadside Diner. Holy smokes, I shall have to start practicing self control. Can't wait for it to begin. He will have his own display in the Diner and of course we'll get a chance to buy and order all the things we would like. Can you believe he's coming to Central Village? The Gentleman Farmer located in Plainfield has already thrown in the towel. I really hope the guys at the Route 12 Roadside can keep up the goodness. Wish I liked Shore Dinners because they had one for $27 yesterday as their special - the whole shebang.

Was in one of those weird and wired moods yesterday and so after bringing The Kiddo home to Groton and forgetting to bring his plate of experimental M&M Cookies I donned my work shorts and t-shirt. I spent over five hours painting the ceiling and trim (again) in the little bedroom. The best part happened when I went to change to a new can of paint and the suckers at Lowe's had sold me the wrong thing! I wanted the ceiling paint that goes on pink so you can see what the heck you're  doing but that was not what I got. I know, I should have checked when I bought the paint last week. In any case I raced up to Dayville, returned the nice new opened can and got what I needed. Not a delay I was looking forward to. Finally finished the job in the early evening. Showered and suppered at 7:45 pm.

While I was racing around getting my goes on pink paint Moosup nephew stopped in to get the picnic table and a couple of card tables for today's VJ Day Party. We may make it but very late in the day because Kiddo's birthday party is from 1 to 4. He's so excited because about 8 kiddos from his class will be there and a monster bounce house and the pool is beautiful and the cake will be terrific and, and, and . . . So much fun with a kid around.

Quote:  No metaphysician ever felt the deficiency of language so much as the grateful.    ___Colton

Eureka . . .

Five Mile River Bridge, Danielson

Haven't quite reached the eureka moment but they're getting close! Yankee Gas and it's minions are tearing up the front yard and the road to hook us up to the gas line! Hip! Hip! We've been waiting for two months. Glad they're finally here. I've been taking photos as they work and have posted them on Facebook to the chagrin of Friends, I'm sure! But I'm ecstatic. Can't say enough Alleluias!

Picked up younger sister yesterday and we toured the UCONN campus before stopping at the dairy bar for our ice cream lunch. Excellent! We spent the afternoon here in Moosup before eating dinner at Riverview. Had fun outsmarting a word app on the iPad before leaving for her lodgings with kid brother and his wifey in Preston. Had an odd day Tuesday when I had to go have a permanent cap put on one of my old root canals before heading to Richoni's and middle child's home to spend the day waiting to go to see Dr. Quinn in New London for a procedure! Yuck. But all is well in this more than reasonably healthy woman. They're always taking precautions so although I complain I do appreciate how much modern doctors are doing to keep me super healthy. May be going to a Sun Game in the near future. They're having a horrible season but I still enjoy seeing them play.

Quote:  No man is happy who does not think himself so.  __Marcus Antoninus

Imperative I stop pondering . . .

Tom Kollenborn - Lost Dutchman
This stunning scene moves my soul. Oh the wonders of our media-centric world.

Sitting out on my garage swing smiling, enjoying the wonderful September day ( yes, I know it's August 3 and Ma would be 110 tomorrow)  lovely thoughts came streaming through my head. I was thinking about what I could do if my ships came in. (I need plural ships. Trust me on that.)  Just plain delightful thoughts. I could buy the sixty or so acres above our two and put up a guest house where we would live while this comfortable old house was restored to its primitive homeliness. As we were living in the cottage, complete with three bedrooms with baths, vast living room, kitchen combination  and a glorious library cum study we could have a few acres cleared for a flying circle; place for a bike track next to the walking paths; viewing stands for the remote control vehicles of every sort:  air, sea and land. We would also need another ruggedly built house for the full time gardener and a monster garage for his equipment and my Porsche. As I was laughing and almost fell out of the swing I realized how contented I am with our life. We continue to have a good run at living and loving to the best of our abilities. Pretty damn good. Bien sur, we would still be visiting all and sundry and hope they would come home some what often! And that's the way it is on this clear, dry, bright cool evening.

Quote:  It is worth a thousand pounds a year to have the habit of looking on the bright side of things.    ____Johnson