Bear, Grandchildren, Etc.

It's been a long time since I last posted. I'm motivated today because of a bear sighting that we experienced this morning. Kristen and I were sitting out on the porch at about 7am, reading the news on our tablets, when a very large black bear came bounding up the driveway. When it caught sight of us it veered off across the lawn between the trailer and the bird feeder and went crashing off through the trees. We mentioned this to a neighbor later and she said that that explained why her dog was unwilling to pass in front of our house this morning,

Grant, Melissa and the kids visited recently so, for the first time, we had all 5 grand kids together,

Here they all are with their parents and us.

 On one of their early days here, Briar, Grant, Niko, Maya, Colton and I attended an open house at the Patriots training camp.

Here's Tom Brady (#12)

And Rob Gronkowski (#87)

Grant couldn't resist taking a picture of this deflated football in the Patriots display case. He was sure that this must be the one.

Briar and Gus had rented a cabin in New Hampshire's White Mountains for a week. With a squeeze, they had room for everyone. We all went.

We all travelled by car to the top of Mt. Washington, the highest peak in New England. The hiking trail to the top was marked by a series of cairns. Couldn't resist getting a picture of all of the Cairns next to the cairn at the top of the mountain.

Grant had seen a story on Animal Planet about Marty, a Maine coon cat that lives at the weather observatory at the top of the mountain (there have actually been several Martys). The observatory was closed to the public but I asked for Marty at the door. Here he is. We made a friend. The woman who rounded up Marty showed up at the counter wherever we went.

There was a mountain close to where we were staying that we climbed on 2 different occasions. Briar, Grant, Kristen, Niko, Colton and I went up one day (Gus and Maya started up but Maya got sick). The next day, Gus, Niko, Maya, Grant, Colton, Riley and I made the same climb.

Gus must have taken this picture of the rest of us at the top.

The kids at the top.

The girls frond some tiny, but delicious, blue berries,

We all road the scenic railroad from North Conway to Conway and back. Riley had  ball. She shrieked every time that the train blew it's horn (which was often).

A good time was had by all.

Grandma photobombs a picture of Cooper.

Back at the cabin.

Swimming at Comet Pond.

It didn't seem like this could possibly end well but Riley saw Niko get buried in the sand and insisted on the same treatment.

Grandpa, Grandma and Grand kids picking blue berries at a local Oakham farm.

On other fronts, we've made steady progress on finishing the unfinished room above our kitchen. It now has heat, AC, insulation and lighting. I have drywall coming on Monday so that will be the next step.

-JC-