Good Morning To All Our Friends and Families.
Raining today and about 50 degrees. The two cats Missy B and Casper and good ole Roscoe are taking there am naps. Lance and Ronn repairing a window in the bathroom. Fun listening to them chat back in forth,and watching them loose there tools! Jacquie is on call for 24 hours at Portland , Maine Medical. Me well I am going to make a apple pie from scratch. Already have my homemade ginger ale brewing. I will spend a bit of time sewing my quilt that Jacquie is teaching me how to do. Laundry is drying and will rearrange our room so we can find things. I have so many cool crafts going. Of course my herbal home remedies and cleaning concoctions. My sister Jenn is teaching me how to draw and color pictures which is so much fun and never would have thought I could do it. Jenn has painted me one wooded scene to add to our art wall when we have a home. I am also knitting flower plant inserts which are biodegradable,they hold the soil and plants is much neater and cleaner, will have Lance take a picture of one in a hanging basket. I am enjoying myself and taking care of health issues that are never ending. There are meditation classes in Portland and Brunswick Maine that I am hoping to attend a few. There is a very large group of Buddhist followers here in the East.
Also working on open enrollment time for Medicare and supplements with drug coverage, very confusing but think I am getting it sorted out,Lance is such a tremendous help with all this health stuff for me. Well guess I had better get a move on, before I have nap time :). Take care and thanks for following us and our life. Will be home soon, have been homesick for The Cascades. Love hugs and "Peace Within", The Gypsies

Joy in Troy!

Carlene, Jenn, Roy and I visited Robert and Suzanne Joy in Troy Maine Sunday . We had a GREAT time!

One of the greatest benefits of traveling is meeting extraordinary people. Bob and Suzanne are two of the most interesting. They built this house:

from scratch, by hand. Huge post and beam construction elements leave a spacious, beautiful wood interior, although Suzanne did say if she had to do it over, it would be bigger.

Bob's resume is a real conversation starter. He's been a carpenter, principle, college professor, funeral director and more.


Suzanne still teaches German and language at a community college. She and Bob also raise "Brie," "Jake," and "Bodie," full blooded Bullmastiffs.

Here is a picture of Brie:


We spent the afternoon, following a fantastic lunch, hearing wonderful stories about jobs, genealogies, and Suzanne's adventures in Euroland when she picked up Brie. Here is a picture of Bob, Jenn and Carlene:


We made plans to visit again while we're here and have more genealogy stuff.

The long drive through the country on the way home was beautiful and very peaceful.

Hello, Carlene here. Yes it was a wonderful day, with a fantastic lunch and dessert. Robert and Suzanne's homestead is so peaceful and remote. Love the BullMastiffs, beautiful creatures! Loved being there with Jenny and Roy and of course Roscoe (TWD). Conversation was lively and I learned things about my family --I had no idea. Looking forward to returning a couple of times before we leave the East Coast. Thank you for a wonderful Day!

Bubinga!

Dad and I have been putting in an attic stair module. What a mess.

We took a break yesterday and visited the Rockler Store in South Portland. Now, there is a place you could spend your last dime and wish you had more money.

Anyway, they have every type of exotic wood and every tool imaginable.

Including Bubinga!


That piece behind us is about ten feet tall and rings up at more than $5,000.

Speaking of exotic stuff... Sammie Robinson made an insense burner the other day...

How's that for cool?