Family Time

Cop Car and her Hunky Husband made it in Thursday night and their first request was not to have to sit in a vehicle for too long on Friday. So, instead of going leaf-peeping, we did things around our house.

WS was going into Concord (where the parents hotel was) Friday morning to pick up the new oil tank, so he volunteered to meet them at their hotel and lead them back to our house. I made him promise to drive sanely, which be all accounts he did (kudos to him!).

First, we gave them the grand tour of the house and grounds. The main conversation between CC and myself went something like this: “What is this (tree, or plant)?” “I don’t know, does it have a tag?” “No”. “Then your guess is as good as mine.

After they had oohed and awed an appropriate amount of time, we let them off the hook and got down to business. CC and I canned salsa as last week a bunch of tomatoes decided they would suddenly ripen. Previously, I had thought there wouldn’t be enough to bother – but the tomatoes had other plans.

WS was filling the cores in the foundation to the future house addition, and HH kept him company (and I hear that he helped carry bags of concrete from the truck to the worksite too).

Of course, during the work, there was lots of talking going on, which made it so much more pleasant than usual!

We went to dinner at Country Spirits, in Henniker (the only Henniker on earth – or so the claim goes). And of course we fought over the bill. I lost but only after they agreed it was coming out of my inheritance).

We decided to go up north Saturday and do the leaf-peeping thing and catch the Cannon Mountain Tramway – well, that was the plan anyway. The fog hadn’t burned off by the time we got up there so we figured we would find something to do while we waited for the sun to break through and the wind to break chase off the clouds. We went to the Heritage Village (or something like that), on the east side of the White Mountains and took a tour of what life was like in the colonial days. We started aboard a ship (because naturally, we had to get to the New World from England). It was quite fascinating and we learned a lot of stuff about pilgrims in general and New Hampshire facts in particular. Toward the end of the tour they showcased a Segway (it was developed here in NH). CC got to try the thing out and seemed quite taken with it. I got pictures, but it will be a while before they are developed and I’ll only post them if she okays it. That stop took us a couple of hours.

We headed back outside and found that the cloud cover had not broken up and it was drizzling. Ugh! We used a different route to head back over to the west side of the White Mountains, hoping the weather was better over there. Along the way, we stopped to see some of the falls along the side of the road. The wind had become quite strong and we figured we really wouldn’t want to be on the tramway and get blown around. We couldn’t even see the top of Cannon Mountain because of the low floating clouds which meant we decided to call the tramway ride off.

WS and I were disappointed that the weather didn’t cooperate. We know what colors would have been visible if it hadn’t been so cloudy, foggy and misty. CC and HH still enjoyed themselves and thought the views were good (but hey, they live in Kansas and only see a couple of trees that change color in fall – a whole hillside is a different story entirely).

Sunday we watched some football. Well, HH watched some football while CC and I installed the rods and hung the curtains for the bay windows. WS checked the chimney for the woodstove – which was still clean so it’s good for another year. Then we took them on a walking tour of the backside of the property (ie the wooded, wild part of the grounds). They got to see the little stream that starts underground and bubble up about 10 feet before it meanders onto the Audubon Society land (and then it disappears back underground). Then, while I was busy with pet-sitting duties, WS took them onto the Audubon Society to where the lake is. It was a bright, sunny day, but a bit on the cool side – a nice day for a walk.

When I got back, we went through the history of some old handtools CC had brought for me and then we went through an awesomely created book on her retirement party in April. The cake was stunning as was the professional way that the book was presented. We then popped in the DVD of Ice Age for a little laughter and relaxation. All too soon, it was time for them to leave so they could get some sleep before they left early on Monday morning.

We enjoyed their visit immensely and have promised them a seacoast tour the next time they come up (of course we owe them, Wichi Dude and Dudette a visit to Kansas too).

Comments

[Wichi Dude]

Don't hurry on our account, I know the coast is a great place with better sights to see. One of these days, WE, need to get up THERE.
Glad everyone enjoyed the visit, even if the weather didn't cooperate.
I'm sure we'll hear all about the trip in short time.
Next time, invite them out to Sturgis. hehe

[Buffy]

heck....I only get ONE day with them!

I'm glad you had such a good time, weather not withstanding. I was snoozing when Cop Car handed out the travel schedules, so I didn't realize our visit was on the return trip. We may have some color to share with them, but none of the gorgeous hills and mountains you have. I'm hoping for clear weather.

Did you send me a jar of salsa??

[bogie]

I sent 2 jars! Well, er, um, I actually sent two jars with Cop Car for her to take home. Tell her I will send her more if she'll give you some (it's a nice medium-hot; made with jalapeno peppers only - no serranos or Thai Hots to make it fiery).

[Cop Car]

THIS is the posting/are the comments that Buffy has been referencing!
1. Had the colors been any more brilliant, we should have been struck blind. You have to spring these things on us gradually to avoid the shock to Kansas-atuned eyes.
2. Knowing that you and your WS are the souls of generosity, it occurred to me that I should have asked you about my sharing salsa with Buffy. So I did it! In addition (and I'm fairly sure that I didn't tell you this), I had already planned to present Buffy with a small jar of the salsa that Elegant Friend and I had canned, to present her mother with the aroma therapy citrus-scented hand soap, and to present Buffy's Dear Spouse with a "Non Sequiter" cartoon explaining some intricacies of physics (he had wanted me to explain string theory to him--up to which I am not, of course!) These were to be wrapped in little finger-tip towels for the kitchen and placed in the ceramic basket that you may recall my mother used to keep her scissors/pencils/etc handy.
I told Buffy that the basket (made by an old friend and neighbor of Mother's) was the family treasure that she would be charged with guarding. However, Buffy's Elegant Mother appropriated the basket. I'll be anxiously awaiting word of what BEM does with it. I think that she had an evil thought on her mind--LOL.