Joyful June

June 1-14

The first week of June has been a long-awaited date on our calendar.  Soon after we arrived in Vermont, Misty decided that she was going to make flight reservations for her family to come and visit us the minute school was out.  By making the reservations so early, she knew there was no changing dates or backing out.  They have been saving for 9 months and we have all been looking forward to this happy reunion!

Boston

TUESDAY   We changed the schedule a little and worked the morning shift which turned out to be OK with me as I was a little stressed about picking up Misty in Boston at midnight.  For starters, I have never driven in Boston, especially to the airport and just found out that the main route through the Tunnel is closed every night for repairs so I have to find a new route.  I was glad to spend some time on the internet looking for suggestions on a way to get out on the “island” where the airport is located.  Once we were finished at the Memorial, we made a quick clothes change and packed a few things and headed for Boston in Osborn’s Ford Escalade.  We had a couple of GPS’s guiding us to the Motel.  There we talked with the Motel supervisor who told us how to park the car and ride the subway into Boston tomorrow.  He also showed us several options and ways to see what is in the Boston area. We also met the new Mission Doctor coming from California, Dr. Braithwaite, he will reside in Boston and be in charge of 10 missions.  We drove to a grocery store and bought  a few things to snack on and have for tomorrow and just waited until it was time to go to the airport and a pickup at 12:35am.  We were able to get there and back without much problem.  We didn’t do as well returning as we were trying to go backwards on the directions we had typed out but finally made it with the help of the GPS.  Our biggest problem was trying to find Misty once at the airport and they landed.   After a couple of phone calls, we were finally able to make connections.   IT SURE WAS GOOD TO SEE THEM!  Paisley just jumped into Rhonda’s arms and hugged for all she was worth.  Even though we tried to hurry, it was 3:00am when Rhonda made it to bed.

Riding the Subway

– WEDNESDAY   We had planned to meet for breakfast at the hotel at 8:00am but at that hour, everyone was still in bed.  We finally got up and going shortly thereafter.  We drove to the parking lot for the subway.  Even getting a parking ticket for the car and buying tickets to the subway was a little difficult as you did everything by automated machine.  Not being familiar with their terms, I finally got frustrated and found some help.  The guy was a little agitated that I couldn’t follow the directions but at least he did help me get what we need to get on the subway trains.  We rode for several stops and finally arrived at the beginning of the “FREEDOM TRAIL” which Misty had heard was the thing to do in Boston.  It took us over four hours for the walk as we stopped at most of the attractions along the way, took pictures and read of the happenings. It really was quite informative and interesting.   
 Towards the end of the trip Rhonda had what she thought was a migraine and she got very sick.  She finally just laid down on some grass and waited for us to climb Bunker Hill then double back and pick her up. We caught the nearest train station and after a transfer we were soon back to the car.  We headed straight to McDonald’s for some food.   I think with a little rest, aspirin, and a little caffeine Rhonda started feeling a little better.  After getting some gas, we dropped Misty and David off at the Boston Temple for a session while we tended the kids on the Temple grounds.  After the session, we loaded everyone up and headed back towards the apartment.  Paisley seemed to be relieved to finally get to VERMONT!  We arrived just after 11:00pm and were soon heading off to bed.  It was none too early for me as I had a headache when we finally arrived.  I think I had had all the stress I needed as well.   

Vermont

-THURSDAY    We didn’t get going too early today. Once on the road, we headed to the famous Ben and Jerry’s ice cream plant.  
It is kinda interesting and luckily, we all get in on our Vermont Attractions card.  

After the ice cream plant, we went to the Cold Hollow Cider Mill.  I enjoyed several small tastes of fresh cider.  It reminded me of old times when we used to make our own.  






  


Heading down the road we stopped at the Capital in Montpelier but by then it was 4:20 and they closed at 4:15pm so we didn’t get to go inside.












 From there we drove to Northfield and saw the several covered bridges and what we thought were the Northfield Falls.  But, talking to a man who lived along the road, he said that they were not the real “falls” but they looked good to us.

    
 -FRIDAY   We managed to get going a little earlier today but not much.  Once on our way, we drove the back roads to Quechee where we toured the Simon Pierce glass blowing/pottery making facility.  

Everyone enjoyed that part of the morning.  We also stopped at the Quechee Gorge (Vermont’s version of the Grand Canyon) and the Quechee Village.  Souvenir hunting and cheese sampling proved to be high on the attractions list.  Then in West Lebanon, the girls went to Joann’s and the guys to K-Mart.  We also had to get more gas as the car was saying “fuel is low”.  

 From there it was a rush to the apartment for a quick clothes change and rush to work at the Memorial. 
Rhonda spent most of the afternoon taking Misty and family around, golf cart included. I took several groups on tours and the afternoon seemed to go by quite quickly.  When we got home, Paisley enjoyed finally getting to spend a little time with our 4-year old neighbor, Tulula.  David got involved talking to Elder Kent Harman so everyone seem pleased with the day. 

Maine 

SATURDAY    About as soon as we could get organized, we headed for Maine.  We had a hotel reservation at the Anchorage Inn at York Beach, Maine.  It seemed like we no sooner checked into the hotel and the kids were off to the beach.

They seemed to be having fun playing in the Atlantic Ocean when all of a sudden both Paisley and Aspen were whimpering and screaming.  Paisley said that nobody loved her and she could have drowned and we didn’t even see.  The last part proved correct.  I guess the kids were playing and we must have turned our head to look at something else and a wave washed them into a rock they were playing on and scraped their legs, arms, and stomach.  There was a little blood so that just intensified the problem.  I guess they weren’t hurt too bad as they continued to play for a while longer.

 

We went out to eat at a place called “Lobster in the Rough”.  It was an outdoor place and there were lots of alcoholic drinks, etc going on.   We ordered some food but before it was ready, the mosquitoes had driven us to the car for safety.  Once we had the food we drove back to the hotel and ate on the outside deck watching the ocean. David ended up ordering a lobster but Braxten was the only one daring enough to try a piece besides David.

 

    

We could see the Nubble Lighthouse from our hotel

SUNDAY   David and Misty got up to watch the morning sunrise on the beach.  They walked around for a while and then came back and went to bed.  The rest of us just stayed in bed and rested.  It wasn’t long before we were in a rush to meet the 11:00am check-out time.  Once we got our act together, we started driving the Maine coastline.  We headed north to Kennebunkport, ME.  We finally made it to “Walker Point”.  This is the retreat of Pres. George H. W. Bush and family.  It is really some kind of place.  There was a sign on the way which said if the flags were up, the Bushes were home.  The flags were up and we saw people on bicycles, (probably George W.) dogs, etc. as well as secret service vehicles guarding the entrance. 

 

It was really a beautiful setting right on an island type piece of land on the ocean.  After seeing the Bush retreat, it was a rush to (probably drive to Portland ME and try to get there in time for a “costal train ride”.  We did make it but it turned out to be not so thrilling as advertised. It was a narrow gage railroad that drove one and a half miles up the coastline of what appeared to be a harbor.  There were no waves on the water or for that matter, much else.  Once we had gone the mile and one-half, the train backed back to the starting position. 

I guess the only exciting part was they let the kids blow the whistle and ring the bell while it was waiting for the return trip.  This mile and a half trip took an hour but wasn’t too exciting.  We headed home taking the ME turnpike and going a longer route in hopes of making it quicker but I’m not sure we succeeded in our attempt.    
MONDAY     HAPPY ANNIVERSARY   42 years and counting--------We spent most of the early morning getting the kids ready to travel.  They were finally on the road at 10:20am heading for Niagra Falls, NY.  Once they were gone, we spent some time trying to straighten things up a little before going to do the afternoon shift.  We got to work just at the end of a rush and things soon quieted down until about 5:00pm when the bus from Heritage Tours arrived.  Bob Eliason was really surprised to see us here.  Rhonda and I each took half a bus load and conducted the tours.  Bro Pello (Eliason’s helper) told me he thought I gave a really good tour which made me feel very good.  The group stayed until after 8:30pm.  The Osborn’s were really impressed with their group and the behavior of the students.  Once home we were hungry and tired so we really didn’t do much to celebrate.  
TUESDAY - WEDNESDAY  Misty's family was gone until late Wednesday night.

 THURSDAY      No one got up too early.  As a result, breakfast was a little later than usual.  About the time we were clearing things up, Misty decided they needed to go to a store and get a souvenir for Braxten as they hadn’t settled on anything for him yet.  It his rained all morning so it was good there were not definite plans.  Shortly after 2:00pm I started getting ready to go to the Memorial.  Once there we loaded the racks for the picture backdrop, the pictures and everything else we were taking to South Royalton for their “festival on the green."  Luckily they had arranged for a big tent.  We, along with others, about had the display set up when Misty and her family arrived from their shopping trip.  David and the kids had a great time blowing up the Helium Balloons.  The kids also had their faces painted at some of the booths.  After a short time, we headed to the apartment and got a quick bite and packed the car for the trip to Boston and eventually to Utah for our family.  We arrived at a Clarion Inn around 8:00pm. ( We tried to stay at the other Quality In but it didn’t have a vacancy.)  About as soon as we got things unloaded, Misty wanted to go find a souvenir from Boston.  No luck, even WalMart closed at 9:00pm.  We went back to the motel and talked a few minutes then Rhonda and I retreated to the car for the night.   I tried sleeping on the middle seat and Rhonda was leaned back in the passenger seat.  By the time 3:30am arrived, we hadn’t had too much sleep (none for Rhonda).      

FRIDAY   By 4:00am we had things loaded back into the car and were on our way to the Boston-Logan airport.  With the Tunnel being closed we followed the same route we used to pick Misty’s up.  Made it to the airport at 4:45am and said our final good-byes and headed back to the motel.  We got lost in the airport and had to drive around the second time in order to get out and then we were lost on the way back to the motel.  Rhonda’s gps locked up so we had to load up our old garman.  It took us through some really small streets with sharp turns and I would have sworn we were going the wrong way-- but we finally made it back to the motel at 5:30am.  Rhonda and I each took a bed and tried to get some sleep but it didn’t come easy.  I’m sure we were both awake far more than we slept so at 8:40am we started getting ready to move out.  We had a certificate for breakfast at the motel café but they were so slow (1 woman operation) we finally ate a little and got a box and headed up the road for home.  We thought we would stop for groceries on the way home but we only stopped for gas as we were running short on time.  Once at the apt. I changed clothes and headed for the Memorial as we had two buses scheduled for 1:30pm.  (the buses were 30 min late)  With the continued rain, we couldn’t send them to the house foundations as we had planned so we divided into 3 groups and took one in the theater.  Things soon got really hot with too many bodies in such a small place.  I really don’t know much what happened with the group as I was busy giving others a tour of the facility but they roamed around for about 4 hours before getting on the bus to leave.  As we finally got rid of the bus kids, a large group came about 5:30 and that kept us occupied until quitting time.

(A side note for Misty’s trip. The plane was late in Boston so they missed the connection in Dallas and had a long lay-over and other problems getting home).