Justin's house

Today was the ground breaking for Justin's House, a beach house which will be a resting place for families dealing with a child's devastating illness. The house will be in our neighborhood, just across the street from us. The entire community has been involved in fund raisers for this project, including a group of contractors, Contractors For A Cause, who are donating their time. Today was Justin's birthday. He was a college student when he died after battling brain cancer.

Corn maze Sunday

Pumpkin farms now feature corn mazes. This one was in The Plains, VA about 45 minutes from the Ashleys so it was a pleasant ride into the mountains to get there. If we got lost in this corn maze, we would be wandering for 2 1/2 miles unless the corn cop saw our waving flag and came to our rescue. Will was taking no chances and led us out with no problem. He especially enjoyed the mud on the trail, the big tires filled with dried corn to play in and the silly turkeys who ran away from him. A fun morning!

Night shot

We helped create this night shot of the National Museum of the American Indian, part of the Smithsonian in DC. We signed on as volunteers (815 of us!) who held flashlights and electronic flashes used to illuminate the museum as part of RIT's (Jim's alma mater) 25th Big Shot. Only problem was that it was in a driving rain we were doing this. After the Big Shot was taken, we attended a lovely reception inside the museum, meeting up with other RIT students and alumnae, some who had traveled from Rochester to participate! Awesome!

http://www.rit.edu/cias/bigshot/ see this website for more info.

Empty beach

Today was as warm and muggy as an August beach day, yet walking there today I saw the sights of autumn. Here and there were some people sitting on the beach with books and snacks and there were people enjoying the opportunity to fish on an almost empty beach.

"How may I help you?"

Well it was inevitable that one of us would get a PT job. Jim is working at our local UPS store owned by John, our neighbor. He has worked every day since we returned from Maine, learning the ropes, but once trained he will be working just 2 days a week, except at holiday time. He loves it! I am having fun on my own gardening, shopping and walking the boardwalk as I have the car. He can walk or ride his bike.....guess I'll drive him during bad weather.

Summer's end

The empty lifeguard stand parked off the beach signifies the end of the 2009 summer. Parking meters have been removed and dogs are again allowed to accompany their people on the boardwalk. The crowds have dwindled to small groups sitting on the beach. Many restaurants have closed, but some of our favorites will remain open in the next months, and a few of these offer great meal bargains! Lucky for us!

Day 8/ Homeward bound through Connecticut

Traveling from Vermont this morning we found the sun again and it stayed with us all day. We snacked on Macintosh apples picked yesterday and apple cider pressed yesterday bought at a small stand at one of yesterday's stops. So the hotel fridge (Stamford, CT Marriott) is full of PF Chang's leftovers, cider and the Needham's candy I finally found for our native Mainiac friends. Home tomorrow.