VERMONT - or - How to be the only person at a wedding wearing a Hat - Part Two

Let's pick up where we left off the other day, before Estelle turned 2. After eating creemees and seeing my aunts down in the Burlington area, swimming with my twin sisters and seeing my niece Rachel who just graduated from my alma mater, St. Mike's, it was back up to Glover on Tuesday the 8th.
That very night I participated in something called "Shape Note Singing", which, if anyone has seen the film "Cold Mountain", is what Nicole Kidman is doing in a few scenes in her dad's church. This old style of group singing has a major grassroots following up there in VT and nearby, and my sister's fervor peaked my interest. I wish I had a photo of the inside of the barn at the infamous Bread and Puppet where it took place, but even that wouldn't do it justice. It's without a doubt an audio thing. Suffice to say that I sang my head off, even if I couldn't always read the shapes. It was so beautiful, truly.
Back to the photo chronicles: Here's our cabin on Shadow Lake. Dad built it himself in 1957 after purchasing the land from my French-side grandfather (in other words, Mom's Dad). 51 years later, it is still going. No running water, sleep loft, and many many memories. We love it. Outhouse and all.

Wes and I took his boys overnight on Thursday evening. They fished, and I barbequed for the 2nd time in 5 days. I'm becoming a pro. This time it was venison on the grill (sorry Jeri and Sara). And man was it gooooooooooooood. Here they are down on the dock catching stuff.

Oh that's right, readers, lean in an get a closer look - yep, a real griddle. There it is. As in John Denver and sun's comin' up and there's cakes on the griddle. Even with blueberries.

And maple bacon.

Friday we got ready to leave on Saturday to head down below Boston for my niece Caitrin's wedding. I took a photo of the limo cause I knew my husband would be impressed.

Here's part of the ceremony of the wedding in the Orthodox church. They circle a table 3 times holding hands. I should be able to tell you what it means but I already forgot. Check the comments on this entry and with time I'm sure sister Laura can chime in with an explanation.

Maid of honor, my niece Maura and the groom's brother as the best man.

Me with the bride and groom, Michael.

That is one blue cake. Yummy.

The 6 sisters hit the dance floor. You probably all know who is who in there. Without planning it, we are lined up in order of beauty, I mean, age! Just kidding Joan!

This in my niece Emily and her beau Michael (can we find some guys to add to the family who aren't named Michael, please?) They both live in NYC and came on the good old Chinatown to Chinatown bus for the occasion.

Maura and Joan

Maura and me

Cait and Wes (who is sober, even though he doesn't look it!)

Mom getting serenaded by the DJ man, to a Sinatra song of course.

In case you hadn't noticed, I wore a hat to the wedding. In France, women wear hats to weddings. I brought a hat. Suffice to say there was a LOT of commentary about the hat throughout the entire weekend. As the dancing went on, the hat started making the rounds. These are just a few photos:
Wes in the hat

Sister-in-law Susan in the hat

Woman whose name I can't remember in the hat. Laura, what is her name? She is the woman who brought together my sister Laura (mother of the bride) and her 2nd husband New Paul. We call him that to distinguish him from the "real deal", our brother Paul. I have always called him by his middle name, George, so I only have to refer to New Paul as New Paul when I'm talking out loud to anyone else. Which is, I have been told after the past 2 weeks, all the time. Me?

You think here I'm laughing but really I think Mary stepped on my foot.

There are no pictures of so many other family who were there - brothers Ed and Ced, brother-in-laws Dan and Danny (again, looking forward, I ask that we try to avoid bringing in a man with a name already in use by someone in the family), brother-in-law Chris and his daughter's boyfriend Chris (you see what I'm saying here?) and all my nieces and nephews like Conor, Eliza, Addison, Alexandra, Jacob, and Jesse and his girlfriend Sara (thankfully my niece Sara was not in attendance just to confuse everyone more). And somehow WAYNE, youngest family member in attendance, escaped my shutterbug eye. So here's a shot of him 2 days later, on the eve of my departure to Montreal, a send-off BBQ with corn on the cob and all the works to go with it. And peach cobbler made by Darlene who also is in no photos! Sorry!

Here's Cole, working on his Statue-of-Liberty look.

Heather in one of Estelle's old t-shirts...

I boarded the plane and so enjoyed my anonymity and watched the films and ate my meal. I was not the "Woman with the Toddler". What a joy to travel like that!
But look who I returned to! And look at this photo and the previous one of Heather - are these girls cousins or what?

Lastly, despite my jetlag, this girl was ready to go the day I arrived at 7:30 a.m. after stepping out of a taxi.

All in all, what a lovely trip!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ESTELLE

The festivities began early: yesterday was our annual visit of Genevieve, her daughter Charlotte, and HER daughter Eleyethana, our "Ley", now living in Rennes but formerly of Nice. They brought a playdough set and pump for Estelle. This was a big hit.
Here we are having cake with them and a friend and boyfriend.
Going to the park with Ley.

Last night we laid out all her presents and cards that awaited her for this morning:

But, when morning came. who has time to open presents when you live on the French Riviera? What else is there to do when you turn 2 but go to a fabulous beach in chic Villefranche-sur-Mer. We went with our little friend Ines and her mom Kristel. Ines is 5 months older but no taller!



It's true, she's two today. Two candles avoided any disputes about who blows out what.



at 11:30 we went home for lunch, and were treated to Daddy taking a half day and coming home at 1:00. After naptime we went to visit nanny Cathy to celebrate (again) with Carlo and Mila.

Homemade by yours truly in a jetlag blur yesterday, frosting at 10 pm.

Even the candles have soccer balls on them in Europe!

Finally back at home in the late afternoon, opening presents with Daddy.

More gifts!

Here's a little video of some birthday fun today at Cathy's:

And lastly, Ines's mom just emailed me this photo from a beach adventure we had about 3 weeks ago. Look at my hat and it's crazy MC Escher effect! Wild!

All in all, a great birthday. I think she sort of understood that something was different since people kept singing to her in person and over the phone all day.
Thanks everyone!

VERMONT - or - How I didn't change a diaper for 16 days - Part ONE

Thanks to Thomas parents, Guy and Andree, I was able to fly to Vermont (via Montreal) for 2 weeks and have a little holiday with my family.
There were many things there are no photos of, like driving into deer camp to see all
my brothers cutting wood on top of a mountain; thinking I had been stung in the butt by a bee in my sister's car whilst on the way back from Montreal, only to find out it was just a push pin that had been lingering in the crevices of her passenger seat, etc. That was just in the first 24 hours I was there.
Let's start the show with this photo:
Beet greens. One of my favorites.

Other incidents unchronicled by photos are when a certain nameless animal was found malingering in our pond and had to be "removed from the wildlife population" (to quote a term from a certain wildlife biologist I know) by someone who shall remain nameless. This is illegal, technically, thus I have to be coy about what I am talking about in case the Feds come after us. I have strict instructions to include no photos or names. Also found a snakeskin behind my 6-year-old nephew's bureau in his room. Welcome to Vermont.
Photos:
Cabot, Vermont: My niece Lillian with Mom. This was 2 days before she left for China with the Governor's Institute. In this photo she's at her job as a waitress at cafe in Cabot. And yes, they serve cheese.

4th of July - the usual, starting with the tractor pull at the Fairgrounds.


Wayne and Cole and I get decked out in patriotic finery, and John Deere t-shirts.

Jumping in the bouncy house.

The 4th of July parade. Watching with Joan, Mom, Aunt Cecile and Uncle Ernest.



Coach Wes walking with the Wayne and his T-ball team...

The next day, a little picnic in a cemetery, true to form to Wes and I as children getting dragged around cemeteries throughout the entire 2nd half of the 1970's.

My Quebecois grandparents.

Heather wearing Estelle's old mud boots.

On Sunday the 6th, brother Ed had a delayed arrival for a BBQ with my mom's sisters thus I was forced to get behind the grill for country ribs. I managed.

Just a few desserts.

Mom and 2 of her 4 living sisters, Celine and Yolie. Missing are Rita (Colorado) and Estelle (Massachusetts).

That evening I went with my brother Cedric to our cabin on Shadow Lake.

Monday I took Mom back to NH, and then headed to Burlington to see my twin sisters and college roommate Becky, who has turned everyone on their heads by becoming a motorcyle driver.

This is a twist Creemee from Broad Acres in Mallets Bay, former roller skating oracle.

Tuesday the 8th, brunch with 2 of my 3 father's sisters Eleanor and Rebecca. Missing is Elaine, who I had already seen in West Glover. Also in the photos are my twin sisters and my cousin Debbie.

That's about enough photos for one day, don't you think?
Part Two to follow.....