July 26 2017 – Yea!  Rose is in town for a few days!  We are so glad that we were in New London and able to spend some time with her. 

Had pizza and game night with Don & Frank and Tom & Susan.   – we laughed so hard our stomachs hurt and tears were falling!  Feathers?!?  Really, Rose?!

Can't believe how time flies when one is having so much fun! Didn't realize my last post was on July 12th.  In the past week the weather was near 90 with high humidity.  But that didn't stop me from playing golf at Shenney.  I will never get tired of this view from the 16th green! 

Mike has been able to go up to Springfield, MA to see family & friends. 

Making good use of our time in CT to catch up with some business.  Mike and I had a chance to meet with our financial planner, Bob M. Good news - we don't have to go back to work!!  We also went and had our eyes checked and got new prescriptions for our glasses.  Mike and Nate are almost finished painting the house.  Every Friday Mike goes out to lunch with his friend, Mike B.

July 20th - was the APS Golf Tournament (I retired from APS 5/20/16).  It was so good to see the old gang!  Golf was fun.

July 22nd - went to our dear friends' annual NETHAP gathering.  Bob, Lynda & Andrea are the hosts of this memorable event!  Always a good time with good food and visiting with folks we haven't seen since the last party☺!

June 29, 2017 – went to Devil’s Hopyard State Park in Hamden, CT.  Hiked a couple of trails and stopped at Chapman Falls. 

That evening Mike and Nate went to Mohegan Sun for dinner & basketball game - Connecticut Sun vs Seattle Storm (Sue Bird, Brianna Stewart)

June 30^th – delicious salmon dinner at Lori & Mitch’s house.  Then we played 5 Second Rule – so much fun and lots of laughs!

July – Mike is spending time helping Nate paint his house.

July 2 – Sunday – farewell dinner for Brian M at Mary Ellen’s.  Brian is leaving tomorrow to fly back home to Australia.  It was wonderful to have the time to visit with him and Barbara.  Barbara flew back home a week ago. 
Mike and I drove Brian to PVD Monday morning.  We stopped to visit with dear friend, Nancy B, who lives in Smithfield RI.  Manny & Joyce stopped by to visit for the afternoon.  So nice to be back on the east coast and visit with friends!

July 4^th – party time at Peter & Connie’s.  Good to see friends that we haven’t seen for so long:  Sophie & Frank, Dan & Sue.  Met an awesome couple, John & Deb, who told us about Salem Valley Farms Ice Cream!  Also met nephew Nick’s girlfriend, Jess.  They make a cute couple! 

As suggested by Deb and John, we went to Salem Valley Farms Ice Cream – really tasty ice cream!!  I had Cappuccino Fudge Crunch and Mocha Almond.  Mike had Peppermint Stick.

July 8^th – Sailfest party at Mary Ellen’s.  It was so nice to see Johnny & Barbara, Claudia & Gary and Ann-Marie & Dean.  Also at this gathering were Barbara, Peggy & John, Eileen, Brian, Jordan & Ben and let’s not forget Timmy.  That evening a group of us went to Ft Trumbull to watch the New London Sailfest Fireworks.

July 9^th – Don’s BBQ cookout night – chicken, dogs & cheeseburgers!  Neighbor gathering:  Don & Frank and Tom & Susan.  Oh, how I miss these people.  Love them dearly.  The best neighbors ever!

June 10^th – Girls’ Night Out at the Mystic Boathouse.  Happy Hour is so much fun when this group of girls gets together:  Dawn, Lina, Linda, Lynn, Margaret, Stephanie, Margaret & Vicki.  Great to see them again!!

June 11^th – Mike went up to Wilbraham MA to do some minor work on his nephew’s house.  Replaced 2 toilets, installed new vanity, put in a couple of new electrical outlets and framed out door for new bathroom in the basement.

June 12th - OMG - Lunch at OLIO!!!! I missed these gatherings so much.  Finally, got the group back together!  Bob & Lynda, Vince, Ed, Kristen, Margaret, Janet, Nancy and Christina - such special friends - love them all!!!  And I have to mention special friend, Lisa at Olio.

9/27/17  My apologies - Oh, I am so bad for not posting before this time.  However, I do have 2 good reasons:  poor WiFi connection and have been very busy visiting family & friends.  It is so nice to be back!

June 15 2017 – Springfield MA

Stayed at Peter & Connie’s for 2 nights.  It was great to see them since we left them last September down at Dataw Island in So. Carolina.  Nephew, Mark, was also around to joke around with his uncle!  Also had a nice visit with Mike’s mom, Ellen.  Friends, Kris and Brent, had dinner with us on Friday.  Peter, thanks for helping Mike wash the car!

June 17 – arrived at our new campsite, Salem Farms.  We will be staying here until Sept 5^th.  Not a bad place nestled in a quiet wooded area just north of New London.

Had dinner with part of the beloved O’Neill family:  Mom O’Neill, Mary Ellen, Barb and Peggy.  It’s so nice to be back “home”!

Sunday, June 18^th – didn’t play golf this morning due to rain in the forecast.  Went to the USCG Band concert held at the United States Coast Guard Academy’s Leamy Hall.  Went with dear friends, Mike Brown and his mom, Frieta.

Monday, June 19^th – went out to dinner with Mike & Mary Brown and Frieta.  Always a lovely evening with these folks.

After dinner, we made a surprise visit to Don & Frank.  Thank goodness they were home and not out partying!!  Met their newly adopted girlie-dog, June-Bug, now known as Jaylynn!  So great to visit with them.

Saturday, June 24^th – the Big Event!!  Don & Frank’s wedding at Ft. Trumbull.  Saturday morning it poured and poured.  The rain stopped before noon.  The sun came out!  The rest of the day was just picture-perfect – sunshine w/ light breeze.  Just perfect for a 4:30 wedding.

Have connected with my old golfing girlfriends.  So, am playing at Shennecossett Golf Course a couple of times a week.  Feels good to be back!

June 26 - Sad note to this trip.  A long-time friend and neighbor on Bellevue Place, Don H., passed away on June 19^th.  We attended his funeral on the 26^th.  Don loved the annual Bellevue picnics, card games at our house and he was active in civic and community events.  Don will be missed by family and friends.

June 12-14, 2017 – Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Kentucky

Staying at Woodside Lake RV Park

Tuesday, June 13 – hiked 10 miles through this park.  Stanford Trail to Brandywine Falls, Buckeye Trail to Blue Hen Falls and trail to Kendall Lake.

Wednesday, June 14 – hiked the Ledges Trail

June 8-11 2017 – Lexington, KY – the horse capital of the world

Arrived at Whispering Hills RV Park at 12:30pm.  Huge RV park w/ 230 campsites.

Friday the 9^th – went to Keeneland Thoroughbred Racing and Sales Track.  Toured the facility:  old Clubhouse where dignitaries & celebrities would meet, saw the paddock where the jockeys would ‘saddle up’, went up to the 4^th floor of the grandstand to the owners’ viewing suites, down to the Winner’s Circle, and ended up in the sales pavilion.

Went to WinStar Farms for an up-close tour of a real Lexington Horse Farm.  The stables are absolutely gorgeous.  The stallions are treated royally. 

·         Super Saver – Kentucky Derby winner

·         TizNow –

·         Revolutionary – descendant of Man O’ War

·         Pioneer of the Nile – sire to the Triple Crown winner, American Pharaoh

·         Bodemeister –

·         Distorted Humor

·         Constitution

·         Commissioner

·         Fed Biz

·         Carpe Diem

·         Tourist

·         Speightster

·         “More Than Ready”

·         Paynter

·         Exaggerator

Not only is Kentucky known for horses, but how about Bourbon!  We took a tour of the Wild Turkey distillery. 

Saturday, June 10^th – we went into Lexington for the day.  We took the self-guided walking tour of the historic district of Lexington.  Stopped at the Farmer’s Market and bought some huge, delicious tomatoes and delicious peaches.  Went to the Big Ass Bluegrass BBQ Fest.  Enjoyed BBQ brisket and pulled pork from Red State BBQ Co.!

Sunday, June 11^th – went to the Kentucky Horse Park – “the place to get close to horses!”  It took us over 5 hrs to go through and see everything:  Man O’ War Memorial, International Museum of the Horse & the Arabian Horse Galleries, American Saddlebred Museum Showplace for Saddlebreds, Breeds Barn Show, Big Barn for Draft Horses, Hall of Champions and the Country Hunter Jumper Competition.