Shhhhhhh, don't tell Pam!

Our time up north just got a lot more exciting. Who'd ever think cutting the grass can be so much fun. I offered to cut Lee and Pam's grass while they were away. I also told Pam I wouldn't use her (yes her) new John Deere X300 lawn tractor. You see I don't think anyone else has been "allowed" to drive it. Pam wouldn't even let Lee back it off his pick-up when he brought it home for her! So, I trimmed and cut a portion of their lawn with their (ugh) walk behind power mower but each time I passed the garage door, I couldn't help looking at that sweet looking "green" machine just sitting there. I confess, I put the power mower in the shed and made a bee-line for the garage... and Pam's tractor.
What a beauty! Once I figured out how to work all the pedals and "safety" switches, I started it up and made my way to the lawn. It purred over the lawn cutting with scissor precision and I was lovin' it!
After cleaning it up to "hide the evidence" I just couldn't bring myself to park it without seeing what this beauty can do. I "tweaked" it and headed for the local Lawn Tractor Pull!

All I can say is WOW......

Oh man, there ain't nothin' like it! What a ride.

(Yep, that's your's truly at the controls!)

Whew, I got Pam's pride and joy all cleaned up (again) and put it back into its "parking spot" like it was never touched. ....as they say, "Nothing Runs Like a Deere."

I needed a change of pace after all that excitement so we were looking forward to an evening with friends Laura and Chuck's (park owners of our home in NH) house for pizza and some visiting with their family. We got to catch up with Chuck and Michelle (their son and daughter-in-law) and their son, Ian, and Heather (their daughter) and her daughter, Brooklyn. To say the least Ian and Brooklyn are the "light" in Laura and Chuck's eyes. We had a very special evening with them.

Ian, is the little boy who drives his Granpa "Umpa's" construction equipment. Well, he's recently set his sight on BMX riding. He's jumping and riding over any hill or whatever he can find on their property.

Tonight was a very special night. Just ask "Umpa!"

Family and Friends

Since we've set up "housekeeping" here in MA it seems that all we've been doing is driving. As you know we're camped in our friends Lee and Pam's back yard. They live just north of Lowell, MA and Pat and I are from the area north of Boston, MA which is known as the North Shore. You may have heard of a few of the towns that tourists visit such as; Salem, (the Witch City http://salem.org/ ), Gloucester, (http://gloucester-ma.gov/ ) and our home town of Peabody, (the Leather City http://www.peabody-ma.gov/ ). If you care to visit MA in your future travels an Internet search of the area will provide you with a colorful history of these New England towns. Yes, many of the best seafood restaurants can be found along the cities and towns of the North Shore of Massachusetts.

We spent a great weekend with our best friends George and Judy at their cottage in Sunapee, NH. Their son and daughter-in-law, Mike and Candice provided us with a super tour of one of New Hampshire's popular lakes, Lake Sunapee. http://lakesunapeenh.org/

George and I got to spend a couple of hours under the clear New Hampshire sky for some "star gazing." Clouds slowly shortened our session however, the highlight of the evening was sighting the International Space Station. Its south to north pass-over allowed us the opportunity to manually "track" the bright object along its path with our telescopes. I was lucky to make out shape and definition of the ISS in my 110mm refractor.
New England may well have "legendary" winters but the other three seasons make New England one of the most beautiful regions to visit.

Our Aunt Ruth invited her daughter Angela, Pat and I, our Aunt Evelyn and Uncle Joe for a lunch at one of the fine eating establishments in Gloucester, the "Azorean." http://www.azoreanrestaurant.com/ The city of Gloucester is known for its fishing fleet and is rich in European/Mediterranean ethnicity. Before heading out for lunch we sat for a time to catch up with family news. (Photo thanks to Angela.)

Our family gathering took up the afternoon as we talked and dined on a delicious lunch. Our lunch took up much of the afternoon. No one seemed to be willing to make the first step to leave.

Seated left to right is; Angela, Pat, Ruth, Evelyn, Joe and yours truly.

Between trips to our doctors for annual check ups we've played "catch-up" to note any changes to the area that we've missed over our first year as Floridians.

Many of you know Bill and Angela, well we headed for their house for a family BBQ.

Let's see, we got there around noon and Angela and others set the table for some "munchies" prior to "firing up the barbie!" For the next two hours fourteen of us couldn't stop picking at all the goodies. When it came time to grill we were trying to figure out if we actually wanted to eat. ....well, we did!

Then, we couldn't resist the desserts. Ashley baked a yummie blueberry pie, Angela baked a pineapple pie and Bill and Angela presented a cake to Debbie, Pat and Ashley for returning to school and for birthdays.

Unaccustomed to eating so much (uha), the kids hit a local park and the adults (most of them) took a much needed walk. I stayed back to watch the food, er house!

A good friend of Bill and Angela's family, Roy, dropped in and touched all of our hearts with his four Pekingese "mops!"

Have you noticed the sun is setting earlier? Yes, days are getting shorter and school begins next week and I've gotta rub in it! Now that I'm retired from teaching oh how I love this time of year!!!

Unfortunately, its also the hurricane season and it just so happens "Irene" is setting sights for Florida.

I think I'd rather be waiting for a good ole Nor 'Easter!

Campout!

So, two days to New England, one stop over in PA and get settled in Lee and Pam's back yard! Water, sewer and electric what more can a camper ask for. The best "campground" we've been in for a long time!

Look at our rig, snug as a bug in a rug... beside the garage! Pam moved their elegant Meridian and we backed in beside the garage for a few weeks of visiting and catching up with family and friends.

Perhaps this is a better view of our "home away from home."

Lee and Pam built the exquisite garage we're parked next to and set their yard up for their very first "Backyard Campout." What started out to be a small gathering of a couple of coaches turned out to be seven coaches.

A hand full of the Massachusetts Winnebago, Itasca, Travelers (W.I.T.) literally "squeezed" into Lee and Pam's back yard located just off their narrow street. One by one our well travelled drivers backed their coach off the street and inched into their weekend "site."

The above "stitched" photo says it all.

If you can pick them out, from left to right, (you can only see the rear end of) Pam and Lees,  Bob and Phylis', Ed and Bea's, Tom and Peg's, Jerry and Marcia's, Ed and Sandy's and Pat and Dave's.

The neighbors were all a gasp as these behemoths settled in for a weekend of friendship and good food...

did I say food.

They don't call us the "Eat-A-Bagos" for nothing.

After setting up we all headed for the garage for chat and... what else... food.

Friday night was Lobsters.

Thanks to Pam and the local Market Basket, eighteen lobsters were the "guests of honour." Along with "sugar and butter" corn on the cob (pronounced "con", ayah, New England you know) and bunches of after dinner treats, yum! (Now you understand our nick-name.)

Lobster eaters take their main course seriously.

The only meal where the plates provide the directions...

Hey, everyone smile! Ah forget it, let's eat.

...and how did they enjoy their lobsters?

Are you kidding? There weren't nothing left!

Breakfast treats galore and there was still another evening meal to go.

Deep-fried turkey and corn on the cob! (Addendum to our meal plan. We don't eat just a main course or two. Our "chefs" just can't let it go without "sides." Each meal, the serving tables magically fill-up with all the fixins one can imagine.

Would you believe Lee cooked up six turkeys and a roaster.

Hey, why waist all the peanut oil!

Above, Lee immerses the first bird while Jerry and Ed stand clear of the "blast."

Actually, only two turkeys were to be deep-fried. Until, Jerry and Marcia, and Tom and Peg wanted one "for the road." Then, hey, why not cook another one just to be on the safe side. And that's how the weekend went.

We all lived up to our "nick-name" and our coaches road a little heavier as they all made their way out of Lee and Pam's driveway on Sunday.

...As for Pat and I, Pat did a great job of pushing away from most of the food all weekend.

Me? I'm bracing for the "tongue-lashing" from my doctor on Tuesday when I see him for my annual physical!