Chance encounters

Most of my friends know that Matthew has had some health issues that have kept himout of school.  He started back this week.  So, after dropping him off, I headed to a local coffee house to do some work on my laptop. The woman at the next table had recommended to me next to her.  So I spoke to the woman and asked her if she bought the book locally. Turns out, she has a son with similar issues. He is 8. We talked and exchanged numbers. Her name is Hope.


Then an older woman at the next table got up and spoke to us and said she works in corrections and that the book was excellent and the principles really work. She recommended another author as well.

So, as I was sitting there earlier today, there were two woman at two tables right next to mine who was processing the same stuff I am processing. One in the trenches like me and the other a professional. Neat huh?

Love these chance encounters that are not really chance.

Kelsey and Erin's Duet

Here is the link to K & E's duet.

Kelsey and Erin's Tap dance   press this link to the left

Erin loves the arts

I brought Erin and Kelsey to their first practice last night for White Christmas.  They sat there and went over a song over and over again.  I thought they would be bored and ready to quit trying to learn a tough new song and just sitting there with strangers.  But, when Erin got home, she wanted to go hear the song right away on YouTube.  It fits her so well.  Broadway Baby.  She watched many different versions and then sang it some more in bed.  On Saturday the cast was asked to bring tap shoes so I think this was an inspired substitute for the girls.  Thanks God.

So I decided to upload a practice from her spring dance recital.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8f5p5TwKKQ

My girls are nice and they are glamorous

Just as we were getting ready to leave Iowa, a friend of Kelsey's invited her to do a fundraiser for a group.  It was a version of glamour shots.  Of course there is the promise of a free picture.  Then they took at least 8 fabulous photos of each daughter.  So we splurged for the CD Rom so we could use at will.  It was a nice ending.  I am hearing that Erin looks like my niece Kristin and Kelsey favors me in some of them.  She always thought she didn't look like the family.  I am glad they got the chance to do this.  Soon we can get some developed and use them in our new house.

Can rafting in September make you sick?

This isn't really us because I didn't want to ruin our camera.  But this is what we did.  We took the kids white water rafting on the Kennebec and then the Dead River.  We had a great time.  We stayed in our camper for the first time all season.  So it was below 40 in the morning when we got up and we had no heat.  So the water was a little chilly.  Is that why two of my kids had fevers and sore throats this week?  After all, the other one had the sore throat last week. So, whether it was a wise decision or not, we all had great family time and after the hectic summer we had with so much up in the air, we needed the time away.  By the way, in our picture, we would all have helmets on.  Uncle Bob insists on it.

Matthew and his turtle

Go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1Ws0NMML0A
One of the reasons we moved here was for Matthew to be able to find things in the local river.  Wow, he really found something.  Good thing we do not live in Florida.

This is our new house

This is our new home at 22 Elliot Lane in Bowdoinham.  My grandparents lived in this town 30 years ago.  I have found some people who remember them.