JULY, 2022

July 1. Continuing our trip through New England, Maine and Massachusetts. In the morning we said our goodbyes to the Elisa's aunt's family who dropped in to meet us, then it was a drive back into New Hampshire to meet up with Betsy and Eric for the 11 o'clock pontoon boat cruise on the Squam (Oilskin hat, a southwester) Lake in Holderness, NH. It was here the 1981 movie " On Golden Pond" was made, with Henry Fonda, Katherine Hepburn, Jane Fonda and Doug McKeon. I had seen it in the 1980s, heartwarming and heartbreaking. The real house is way out on a small island on the lake, where it was filmed, is still there, but only by appointment for a visit. The 2-hour cruise was well done - learning from the captain about the lake's crystal-clear water, historic homes, rocky shores, many islands, eagles - young ones high up on the tops of trees, and loons, paddling in the water with the babies - the male keeping an eye on anyone in the water. Earlier, when in a lake closer to Betsy's cottage, and Elisa was in the water looking at the loon mum and babies, she was noisily moved along by the father loon!  After the cruise we had a delicious lunch of very fresh fish and chips, overlooking a smaller lake. Here are some items from the restaurant.  

The poster of the movie "On Golden Pond".  I bought the Squam Lake puzzle to take to the beach in August, as a reminder of our enjoyable cruise. 

There were several of these hangers throughout the restaurant. 

 

Of course, Dan couldn't resist drooling for this Italian Vespa scooter nearby!                                      Then it was time to get back to Wentworth  where we were staying, very ready for a good night's sleep. 

July 2.  Up early to get to the amazing thrift shop in Plymouth, a must-go every time we go there. Fortunately my suitcase would not allow any extra items, although I did get a pair of L.L.Bean Wellies for $5. I wore them on the plane going home! After gathering up all the goodies, it was time to drive down to Massachusetts to meet up another aunt of Elisa. We had arranged to have dinner in town with Jean and her husband, Arthur, as we would be leaving afterwards to get back to New Jersey. It was a good pizza place with delicious salads. 

July 3 We got to New Jersey around 12:30 am, glad to be safe after a long drive to get to bed and sleep late. Later in the day, Dan and I walked a couple of miles around the reservoir, our last walk. Time to get back to pack up my things and be ready for the flight home the next day.  

July 4th. I didn't realise it was Independance Day, everywhere was so quiet, even when I got home in the evening.  After a flight of only an hour, we arrived at RDU, and I was home in 20 minutes. There was a certain frostiness from the cats, but a few treats warmed them up. They had to stay in of course, but our small community doesn't do fireworks, so there weren't  a lots of pops.                                        The trip had been a very enjoyable one, being with family and friends. Dan and Elisa put in a lot of thought and ideas to make the 12 days interesting, and it was good to meet up with Elisa's aunts and cousins - the last time I met them was in 1999 in Wilmington for Dan and Elisa's wedding!

July 5. Back to teaching private students and the School of Music Arts. During the summer, it's tricky to remember when or they have lessons, some on the regular day, others not, due to travelling. 

July 8.  Such jealousy in my heart! Dan, Elisa and Zoe have been offered a house by friends for a whole month near Toulouse in France! This will be a wonderful time of respite and relaxing for them after the last 2 years. Zoe had over a year of doing her schoolwork online from 8+am to 2+pm for most of the time. Dan still has to work online for some of the time, but there will be plenty of fun things for Elisa and Zoe to explore. Dan FaceTime on his phone showing me through the house and various places where they had been. Here are a few of some of great photos. 

Happy birthday my handsome son in France!!!!

 

Aww, so sweet and happy together

This is the one our team walked 480 miles virtually, 

A section of the walk of the Camino de Compostela. 

Dan and Elisa enjoying the shady walk along the Camino de Santiago de Compostela.

July 9. I was not feeling down - quite the opposite. I was excited to get to the Baby Shower for my great-niece Michelle at their house, about an hour and a half from Chapel Hill. It was so glad to see her parents (my niece and Phil, her husband) from Hong Kong, together with local friends and coworkers. 

July 10. Breakfast the next morning was an opportunity to be with the family. I and two friends had been given very comfortable rooms in an Airbnb house next-door, which they had rented. It was also overlooking the lake, so it was a good night's sleep. For breakfast, there was lots of fruit and croissants (the French aren't the only ones!) and a good cup of tea, to get me going back to Chapel Hill. The afternoon was spent playing my treble viol with members of the Carolina Viols in a large room in the retirement community next to Coventry. It's been some time since the group has been able to use the facilities, as there have been issues of Covid, so we never knew if we could or could not play there. This time, all went well and it was a good way to finish a very good weekend.    

July 16. A busy week of teaching, but the light in the tunnel on Saturday was with MATA walkers, having a good trail walk along the Eno River in Hillsborough. Although it was very hot, most of the trail is in shade. We definitely noticed the heat when there wasn't shade.  I gave in to have lunch with a fellow walker - my weakness is for the Hillsborough Barbecue restaurant, and although we had to wait for it to open, my barbecue sandwich and salad was just the thing, plus sweet ice-tea with lemon, my other weakness. As I drove home from the restaurant, I realised I had been invited the next day by Angela and Michelle for afternoon tea at Fearrington, and thought it would be a pretty addition to give them corsages for this special gathering.  My florist to-go-to is Margaret, originally from Zimbabwe. I met her when she opened her florist shop, the Victoria Park Florist, in Chapel Hill many years ago, we having much in common from Africa. Over the years my nieces and I have enjoyed her beautiful flower designs, especially with proteas, a South African plant hard to find in the US. Recently Margaret has moved the shop into a renovated old house with flowers everywhere. So on my way home, I stopped to ask Margaret to make two corsages for Michelle and Angela - pale pink for the Mum-to-be, and warm red for Grandma-to-be. 

                                        Margaret's beautiful floral work, done so quickly for me!

July 17. So looking forward to the afternoon tea! After catching up on household chores, it was time for a shower and to go to the Fearrington House Inn. Since the 80s, it is renown as a top-notch restaurant for weddings and receptions (my groups played there for years). In our alcove we had a large circle table to ourselves, away from the dining rooms. 

                                                                         Not much left!

                                                           Gorgeous South African protea

July 18. Doom and Chaos. My lodger, returning on Monday from visits to friends in New England and Maine, brought back Covid. On Tuesday, July 19, she decided to self-test, so I gave her a free box of tests that is given to everyone. I did the self-test at the same time, which came out negative.  Unfortunately, she tested positive and had to go somewhere for the 5+ days of isolation, as she could not be in the house. Three people – her UNC advisor, a neighbor and I, had told her earlier to go for free tests as often as she can, to the Orange County Health Department. By the end of the first 5 days of isolation she still had not re-tested, so she could not come in to the house, and it was a few more days before she got tested again.  Fortunately it was negative, so she could come back to the house. Let's hope she is doing better than President Bider, who went through his 5 days of isolation, but today was tested positive again, so is back in isolation in the White House. 

I knew immediately it was my duty to tell my students, parents and the school where I teach that, although my test was negative, someone in my house had been tested positive. All students except for one, decided to cancel lessons, so no teaching that week.  During that week, I took two more tests at the Orange County Health Department - one, the local test, the other was a stronger test which was sent out to another lab. (All for free).  The local department told me within an hour my second result was negative, the next lab contacted me early on Monday, my 3rd result was also negative. 3 tests in a week, all negative, and I was able to go back to teaching the second week!

July 29. My lodger  came to the house on Friday to pack,  bringing some helpers  over the weekend to load up her things. Although I am glad that she has recovered, I don't feel comfortable how she has handled this and I asked her to find other accommodation. Two years ago, my doctor told me not to have anyone other than family in the house, which I followed his suggestion, and had no repercussion. I thought life was getting easier, so I could let my room out but it is not. Only family and good friends are welcome! 

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 July 28, On the happy side, today is my grandson James' is 17! Happy birthday love, you baby boy. Wait, that was 17 years ago! I can't even reach his shoulders now! We celebrated lunch at his favorite restaurant, Tandem, in a shopping center which originally was a mill in the small town of Carrboro,  next to Chapel Hill. Their father and uncle Dan grew up in Carrboro loving Elmo's, a favorite restaurant, with a good solid menu, but moved over to Durham. What did these teenagers eat? Burger and fries for James,  toasted cheese sandwich and fries for Kate. As a freshman at college next week, it's well known  that freshies gain at least 15 pounds in their first semester. Somehow I don't think that's going to happen to Kate. Hardly eats a thing!  I'll miss our messages at odd times when I am asking for help on technical stuff or when you are arranging things. Love you, baby.  Wait,  that was 18 years ago!                                   PS, my lunch was a delicious curried chicken salad. 

So it looks I'm on time this month. Getting photos from France was a squeek, but Dan was ready with his phone and sent them in just a few minutes. One of the good things about being old is watching  amazing technology move so fast. Photos sent from one continent to another in just minutes is an  example of incredible speed. How did this come from 3 minutes for a phone call from South Africa to England for Christmas calls, to chatting with Dan, Elisa and Zoe for over an hour? I'm not sure who pays for the calls. Love to all, wherever you are, we can reach out. 

Jane.