Back in NH to Play

June 10: We made it back to NH by mid afternoon. We found a campground that was located only a couple miles from the Phaups. So we set up the trailer and loaded the lobster in the car. Because of the time was late, we decided to cook the lobster the next day. Wednesday night church services were about to start so we met the Phaups at Londonderry Baptist.

This was the first time we had been back in the church for a number of years. It brought back many memories of the years that we spent there. The pot belly stove was gone. The baptistery appeared to be rotated against the back wall. Changes had been made to the restrooms to allow for handicapped access. But the same pews were still in the sanctuary and the services were still held in the same corner.

June 11. Connie and Bonnie went shopping. Dick and I went fishing. 

Connie shopping with Bonnie was a real Godsend. You need to understand that I literally hate to shop. Now I don't mind buying, but I don't like to look then move to a different table then look again, then move to a different table, then look again, then move to a different table, then check that price, then go back to the first table, and look again...  You get the idea. 

Con had a mission. She was after some wrought iron candle stick holders. These candlestick holders needed to match the decor at Phil and Carly's house. It took all day, but she was successful. Actually, I think she just enjoyed spending the time with Bonnie. 

Dick and I had other ideas to spend the afternoon. Dick had a small park and entrance to a stream very close to his house. We pulled in and scoped access to the water. 

Now a flyfisherman has to pull on waders, rig up his rod, choose the right fly, and tie on wading boots. It takes some time. While we were struggling with our equipment, another car came in with kids. They stripped to swimming trunks, grab their tubes and headed to our water. Our water. Oh well. I guess we can share. 

The water was pristine. A small dam held the water in a small pond. The stream flowed clear and clean over rocks into pools that promised to hold big fish. 

We fished for a couple of hours. The kids went farther down stream. Another young angler came and caught a small fish. Dick pulled one in upstream. But, alas, I had no bites. 

Thursday night we cooked the lobster. They were still alive and the help from our Maine butcher was right on. Corn on the cob, cole slaw, lots of butter, good friends, what a great time. 

Friday was a work day. Laundry had to be done and a computer needed fixed. Do you remember the trout caught the first week? Well, they were delicious that night. Bonnie even added the left over lobster to the salad. Yummm. 

June 13. Dick and I went fishing west of Manchester. It was really different for me. The stream was cold and clear. The water flowed fast over boulders dropping into a little pool. Dick called it pocket water. 

We donned our waders, Dick went downstream, I went upstream. 

You might notice that there is not much room for the cast. I spent most of my time pulling my line out of the trees. 

But there was some moments of exhilaration. I tied on a yellow grasshopper imitation that floated. Lots of wiggly legs. I dropped the fly right at the bottom of a boulder that water flowed over. The fly drifted straight at me. Suddenly it was sucked under. I struck. My fly flew past me and hooked a branch. Next five minutes were spent retrieving my fly. But I knew where a fish was holding and he liked my fly. 

For the next 30 minutes, the above senario repeated itself over and over. It kept repeating until the fish no longer liked the look of the fly. I was fish less. 

So I came out of the water and waited for Dick. Of course, I asked how he did. 

"Oh I got one, how about you?"  Let's not go there again. 

Back at Londonderry, Connie and Bonnie hit the bargain shops. Consignment shops, Goodwill, and yard sales. They even stopped for ice cream to leisurely eat by the lake. The biggest win for Connie was picking up a BOGO iPod protector screen for 25 cents. Of course it did not fit our iPhones but it was a great deal. Think about this. We traveled across Canada to New England just to purchase  a couple screen protectors. Go figure. 

By the way, our niece needed the screen protectors. 

Monday we leave for home. 

Trip Home via Gordon and Neen

Just in case you didn't see these pictures before, this is the church that we attended from 1977 to 1985. We have tried to revisit the church each time we return to the area. Of course this was no exception.

This would be our last day in New Hampshire and we realized it with sadness and happiness.

Services started on Sunday at about 10 o'clock with Sunday school. So the kids moved to their own classes and the adults stayed in the sanctuary. After Sunday school the regular services started. 

The pastor lead from the pulpit. His wife lead singing with the guitar while his son handled a very small sound board. It was good to see 30 to 40 people attending and worshiping the Lord.

Londonderry Baptist has a rather unique service schedule. After the morning service, the church gathers for fellowship over dinner.  After clean up the members gather again in the sanctuary for the evening service. It is a time where they have devoted their Sunday to the Lord.

It was a great day and it was time for us to crawl into our car, head back to the camp site and prepare to leave the next morning. It was hard to say goodbye again to great friends.

You might notice the absence of pictures of our friends Dick & Bonnie Phaup. You might also notice the absence pictures of our friends Dawn and Alan Beaulieu and their family. I do not know why it is that I do not take pictures of the people we love. But this has to change. I don't want to do this again in the future with more pictures of our trailer than people. It's not like I don't have a camera in my pocket.

June 15: We're off on the road back to Ohio. We decided to use the southern Vermont route to Glenfalls, New York where our friends Gordon and Martiena Haymon live. It was rainy for the whole trip so I wore sunglasses to shield my eyes from the reflection off my white knuckles. 

We found a campsite at King Phillips campground. King Phillip was a Native American chief that warred with our original English settlers and Native American allies. 

The first site we were given was pretty and we easily backed in. Leveled the trailer and pulled out the utilities. Whoops!  No 30 amp service. Could be cold and no microwave in the morning. Time to go back to the check-in counter. 

There was no problem and he moved us down one site. He just didn't read our reservation. 

We called and met Neen and Gordon for supper. Again great food and good friends go together. (Do you see a pattern here with our lives?)

And did we pull out the camera and take pictures? No, again I blew it.

We left the next morning. We had about 11 hours left to get home. We could push it and take the freeway but decided to take the road less traveled by. 

The weather was still rainy, so beautiful vistas were few. Connie did get this picture. 

We stayed in Conewango near the Finger Lakes. Of course, they had plenty of rain. 

The owner pointed to a small pond to the right of the camp store. He said that I might be tempted to fish it, but in reality it was just a depression that had filled with water. It was wet. 

We pulled out the next morning and were on the last leg home.