Morning Folks August 1, 2008

Here I am on Old Cape Cod and it is the first of August already. And let me tell you, on the Cape there are Rabbits Rabbits Rabbits! I don't know where they all came from and I don't remember there being so many of them. But they are in every yard every day. I don't think I would ever forget to say my rabbits around here.

I bet when people see my Tennessee license plates they just think I am a redneck tourist who knows nothing about the Cape. That is until they see the Patriots logo on the back window. And this trip I notice Massachusetts accents so much more than I used to. I haven't taken on the Tennessee twang myself yet, in fact I think I emphasize the slight MA accent I do have when I am down there just to rebel. I have noticed my R's occasionally move out of the middle of some of my words and settle on to the end of others, but just occasionally. But, oh Brothah, the accents around heah ah wicked.

Being back here makes me realize how much I miss the ocean and I try to get down there every day that the weather cooperates.

Things are a lot greener here than I remember for this time of year. In Tennessee, the summer has already been going full strength for a month or more longer than here in the northeast, and many of the flowers are gone by and some of the lawns are a little brown. I guess it's been pretty rainy here this season and as a result, the hydrangeas on the Cape are amazing! I just love them and I have never seen them as beautiful anywhere else.

I have been having fun visiting with folks. I wrote in an earlier blog that I spent time with my Aunt and Uncle and cousins in Maine and I have seen both of my kids and some of Ed's family, (now they are mine also, of course).

And I have had some time to visit with friends.

My friend Ruth came down here a couple of times and last weekend we went to Provincetown to see friends of ours who live right on the beach in the most beautiful location. The gardens and the views are spectacular. I don't think I have ever seen a more beautiful spot.

Then on Thursday night I drove to Sudbury and had dinner with some of my gal pals from work. Hopefully I will be able to hook up with the rest of my family and more of my pals before I head home.

I guess I have gotten used to thinking of TN as home, to some degree. I miss some things there, now that I am here. I miss my hummingbirds at breakfast. I miss having a washer and dryer and my desktop computer. Being in a travel trailer, I miss the spaciousness of our home and the dishwasher and town sewers. I miss $3.63 gasoline and people wishing me a blessed day.

I miss the silhouette of Lookout Mountain and bluebirds on the fence.

And our grandkids, of course.

But mostly I miss Ed and wish he was here. I guess I've gotten used to having him around.

Have a wonderful day and a great August!

Love,
Suz
Love.

Morning Folks July 27, 2008

I have been on the Cape for the past couple of weeks. Ed is in TN, but he'll be back in a few weeks to spend some time here.

Before Ed headed back to TN, we spent a long weekend in Bangor, Maine to attend the wedding of my cousin Dianne's son Greg and then to celebrate the 60th wedding anniversary of my Uncle Lee and Aunt Kath. Uncle Lee is my mother's brother and Aunt Kath is also a Sudbury girl. It was a wonderful reunion as all 5 of my cousins and their families were there.

Some of them I hadn't seen in years, since they were kids.
Cuz Liz, my pal, and I have stayed in touch over the years with the occasional visits and e-mail phone calls pretty often. I have seen her more than any of the others over the years. The last time we saw each other was about 10 years ago out in California, though. It was so much fun to see her again. Since we were kids we have signed our names 'Cuz Liz' and 'Cuz Suz'. Isn't that cute? We have lots of funny stories, like the time we drove the 1/3 scale model Tin Lizzie through my Dad's porch. Liz was driving, but I admit I grabbed the wheel to avoid a collision with my mother's mock orange tree. So we drove through the screened in porch instead. It was like Mr. Toad's wild ride.
Ed with Cousin Liz and her husband Chris at the wedding. We have a date to go see them in San Luis Obispo when Ed and Liz both retire in 2010!

Greg and Sarah dance their first dance. The wedding was fun and Ed got to meet about 24 family members he has never met before. I hadn't met quite a few of them myself.




Cousin Dianne and husband Steve, parents of the groom. They hosted the whole group for several meals and parties over the 3 day weekend. They were great to open their home like that to everyone. Steve and Ed got along famously, both being postal employees and having similar senses of humor.
A bale of hay bounced off a passing truck onto Dianne's front yard the day before the party and the farmer who lost it came back to get it the next day. That's Maine, ayuh. "what the hay?" was the pun of the day.


Cousin Scott, the youngest of 5 lives in CA. He brought his wife Teresa and their 3 kids.




Cousin Susan and husband Bob live in CA. They brought their son, his wife and their baby, Nathan.
Cousin Dan, the eldest lives in New Hampshire. His wife Pam did not want me to include the picture I took of her, so I obliged. But we had a nice visit.




Cousins, spouses, their children and even grandchildren. A big family.

The 60th anniversary cake had the clipping from the Sudbury paper from 1948. If you click on it, you should be able to enlarge it enough to read the article.

Their kids had a trivia game about Uncle Lee and Aunt Kath's history together. My dad was there when they met in Bradshaw's store, Aunt Kath's parents' business in downtown Sudbury. A Navy man who came home from WWII and worked with Dad mowing lawns they stopped in the store for a cold soda pop! He would come back to the store a few days later to cash a check...(and she has been cashing his checks ever since...badumbum). Their first date was on Memorial Day, (a double date with my mother and father) and they got married in July. The didn't waste any time. It was fun to hear their stories


Uncle Lee and Aunt Kath...the bride feeds the groom...


Cousin Liz and Chris's daughter Nichole and Aunt Kath. Nichole also lives in CA.

It was a great reunion with the Waters side of the family. Ed and I are eager to go back to Maine to see Uncle Lee and Aunt Kath, Dianne and Steve. Maybe next summer!





Have a great day!


Love,
Cuz

Suz