Dupont:

Managed to throw and trim pots on the Weds and do some weed whacking. Then the trip: Got to Albany, got a bit lost; a nice lady at a garage let us phone Broome for directions. My phone which I was assured had ROAMing did not function south of the border. Had a very late BF with B at a Cracker Barrel - an interesting experience. We had to navigate, holding our breath, through the stinky stuff to a back area without candles etc. The food was Southern.

Then he guided us to the hotel and we proceeded to spend too much time trying to get the phone to work - NO customer service. I ended up paying $1 for some foolishness and the nice tech told me to turn it off and then on...!!! Just like the computer! I messaged them that I was not pleased to be taken in by some foolish "service" that I could ask advice on everything from doctors to lawyers...! Received a message that they canceled the "membership" of $46/month! Tonight I had to phone the bank re the charge on my credit card which was added two days after the message. And the possible double charge for the motel on Monday night - a mere $152 - when we were so tired we could barely see the road. I would have stopped two hours earlier...

On Friday, we went to Broome's house and saw why his wife spends 6 months/year in Edinboro! There was a path through the house - a lovely old colonial - with boxes to the ceiling in every room. Only horizontal surfaces were the bed and a space the size of a bath towel on the K table. There are also two barns, a couple transport bodies and more. He is really trying to get rid of stuff; he told of filling a van with hundreds of albums and selling the lot... it was only a small percentage of what he still has. His wife loves him! We love him.

We got lost in NYS and finally found the PA information center and a wonderful woman printed us directions for the rest of the way south. We even obtained real maps! Unfortunately, we had to phone Ingelora and ask her to meet us at the folk dancing. There I managed to give away a couple nice tops, some folk dance Cds and some printed material on folk dances!!! And a dress I bought in old Montreal in 1969 - Ingelora took that! I even managed to dance a few easy dances and it was wonderful to see my friends.

My son and his partner came to the Memorial and we met her for the first time - very nice. Some special people there for both Taun and myself. He was greeted by the sons of my friend and the parents of his very first playmate were present. We stayed for the lunch, then R and I went to the Twnshp community day because I wanted to meet a woman I liked on FB. Then we re-gathered at my bro's for a late lunch. I gave Taun all the family pictures I still had, including negatives from the last 60 or 70 years that my dad had taken. And the 3 colour sweater I knitted for him many years ago out of good British wool; It had gotten damaged and I thought I still had some of the wool but have not found it in these 15 years so he gladly accepted it, saying that Tenley could fix it. He is still slim enough to wear it - at 58.

Then we went to Ingelora's and chatted some more. I went to bed early. In the am we visited some more; we really like Ingelora. She is so happy divorced, in her own home, near the group home where her son lives. She teaches viola and violin to private students in her music room.

Then we went to the Charlestown Playhouse (nursery school) Clothing Sale - an institution! R acquired three pairs of good quality shoes ($14) and a bunch of books. I fancied a sterling silver dolphin brooch so I sent a pic to Taun to see if Tenley would like it. "She'd love it." He said he would get a nice card and present it to her from me. My son is happy!

R and I went for a quick lunch to my bro's (and SIL) and then met Taun at the house to which he had arrived as a newborn. My father and I, bro and ex built it ourselves. I had forgotten it; the marriage was already deteriorating and when my bro needed to sell his house next door my "husband" insisted we buy it and sell the one we had built with such loving care. My dad and I designed it and being there again after 55 years broke my heart - I loved it so much. Such a beautiful house to raise kids in - open and airy with huge window seat looking out at the trees and down to the small pond.Totally off the road and private. And the family that bought it from us have cared for it totally. The dad is 90 and still a member of the local volunteer fire dept. A lovely man. (Wife died some years ago.) The adult daughter was there to visit with us; we have exchanged emails and are on FB. My other son was her "first crush" when they were in grade school - grades 1 & 2, I think.

Then we went to see the woman who was our wonderful babysitter when she was 12,13... and her partner in her cluttered home in the woods near the village. I drove to the village and tried to phone - NO service! So I stood in the intersection waiting for someone to be driving or walking; sure enough: a woman walking four poodles, and a man who was walking himself gave us directions. Sara told me I did not want to move. She holds memories of that time of my life and shared only a very little in company. I hope to gather a few more. She said she helped me put a foot locker in the car; I must have taken it to Tina's for storage as I did not leave with a car.

So, I have much to sort out and much to get over - crying over the house I loved. And wondering how it all happened.

Monday, we wended our way up through New Jersey to have lunch with a friend of R's and then on up along byways until it was too dark for us to keep on. And more of the same on Tuesday; I decided I had to go to the Adirondack Wildlife Centre to pay my respects to a woman who had been a director and died in January; we stopped in a small lovely town with a beautiful library and a wonderful woman who found us directions, and told us where to get good food; R bought some books and we got the best cornbread ever and delicious soup. We found the Centre and walked the mile long wildlife trail, met the husband and chatted with him and I gave him a small donation in memory. Then we continued on until we arrived in Chateauguay about 7 pm. And early BED!

Weds, I did groceries and laundry, whacked some of the high grass, trying to miss dandylions, and pulled a bunch of weeds. And cooked a meal. Today, I managed to finish getting through the over 600 emails that had built up, sent a couple, messaged a couple folks, spent a bit of time on FB checking on a few folks, called the bank about charges on credit card, tried to fill out a govt form that was totally useless and arranged to get a vote by mail ballot sent here for the Ontario election 2 June. That is the week that was!