Takanori

Licking the beaters is the best part of making a cake with Nanny...

Sushi for lunch...

Taka on his John Deere...

Heading out to camp at Pawtuckaway with Robert, Brian, Rob and Taka so just a quick post today...back Friday!

"Clean House"

When Nancy cleaned out her classroom after 34 years of teaching elementary school, she ended up with overwhelming piles of bins and boxes of craft supplies and memorabilia all over her downstairs. If you've ever watched the show "Clean House" on the Style channel (one of my guilty pleasures), think of the "before" scenes and you'll get an idea of what she was facing in her little craft room. Big Problem. So...who do you call when the "Clean House" crew is in L.A. and you're in Portland, Maine? Why, your slightly OCD, label-maker-toting, organizing diva of a big sister, of course. There are probably few other people who get as excited as I do when presented with a pile of clutter, plastic containers, and a labeling gun. Did I mention that, in addition to the boxes and bins, Nancy had also been given her old oak teacher desk to keep as a momento? Yup, we had to fit that in her 9' x12' craft room too. And so the fun began!
We spent two days sorting, tossing, organizing, labeling, gabbing, sweating, laughing, and driving back and forth to Goodwill. We brought the craft supplies to Kristen's Goodwill "Creative Skills" Program in South Portland and they were thrilled to get them. I threatened to come back today and reorganize Nancy's hutch in the dining area but, after hearing her tell the oncologist that she had been having muscle cramps in her neck the past few days (wonder why?), I decided to do her a favor and stay away today so she could rest. Even big sisters with loaded label-makers know when to back off! So, to those of you who have been spending your days lying on the beach this week, you have no idea what a good time you missed...right, Nancy?
p.s. the photo above is not Nancy's room...took it off of Google Images...Nancy's "before" was much worse!

Good News

Nancy had her monthly check-in with her oncologist on Wednesday and the news is good:-) The results of her recent CT scan show no changes and her CA125 blood level remains in the normal range at 22. So...here's to continued remission! She continues to take the "hedgehog drug" as part of a clinical trial to prolong remission and, other than a few side effects, this is also going well. Since Nancy basically lost last summer, it's nice to see her out and able to enjoy this one ...when the sun occasionally decides to come out here in Maine! So...good new to share today.

Camping in Franconia

On Sunday, July 12th, I headed up to Franconia, NH to meet Hank and our grandson, Brian, for a week at Fransted Family Campground. I went a day late so that I could attend the family reunion at Moody Beach on the 11th. On the way up, on Rt. 302 just past the Mount Washington Hotel, I pulled my car over and chased down this moose for a photo; the moose was cool with it but I was exhausted by the time I caught up with her. I want to post this photo because I ran a long way for it!

It was a good week to read by the stream...

...while Hank and Brian battled the rapids on their River Rats!

Our campsite was right on the river so it was perfect...good R & R after a busy school year. The best thing about camping? Once you're set up, you don't have to DO anything!

The Smith Cousins Reunion - part 2

Moody Point

Moody Beach

"Sometimes I wish we could go
back to all our childhood days,
Yet here we are, all of us grown,

With busy lives, all out on our own.
Things change but you'll always be
My cousins, my freinds, and loved by me."
~Unknown

"Remember, as far as anyone knows, we're a nice, normal family." ~Homer Simpson

"And thou shalt in thy daughter see,This picture, once, resembled thee." ~Ambrose Philips

Bob shares his memories of flying with Charles Lindbergh...amazing!

Uncle Ed finally got Dad's letter...to "Mickey", from Fred.

" I can't tell you his age, but when he was born the wonder drug was Mercurochrome."
~Milton Berle

"Family faces are magic mirrors...looking at people who belong to us, we see the past, present and future." ~G.L Buckley

*****

"How tall am I? Honey, with hair, heels and attitude I'm through this damned roof." ~RuPaul

"I have made it a rule never to smoke more than one cigar at a time." – Mark Twain

OK, Maureen...How did Grammy and Grampa Smith really meet???

"God made us cousins because he knew that our Moms couldn't handle us as sisters."
~Unknown

“Our memories of the ocean will linger on, long after our footprints in the sand are gone.” ~Anonymous

Thanks again to Aunt Ann, Bob and Brian for a day we'll never forget!

July 11, 2009

Smith Family Cousin's Reunion

Last winter, as a result of Cheryl starting this blog, the "girl" cousins started posting one another and finally one weekend Maureen and Kathy came up for a weekend. Cheryl, Andi, Joanne, Maureen, Kathy, Sue Snelling and I had a great time reminiscing and watching old family movies taken by Grampa Smith, my Dad, and Roger Snelling. That led to posting of pictures taken over the weekend, more posts and the idea of having a full blown cousin reunion this summer. Brian stepped up and volunteered Aunt Ann's summer house on the beach and the planning began. This Saturday the fun began at noon and lasted for hours...why did we wait so long?
The day dawned bright and sunny--a near miracle given the weather we've had this summer! All of the children of Fred, Arthur and Eddie Smith were in attendance as well as most spouses, many children, and Aunt Ann and Bob, and Aunt Barbara and Uncle Eddie. We had a GREAT meal in a tent set up on the lot next to Ann's house (ham of course was one of the offerings--as Brian said would it be a Smith get together without a ham?) There were lots of funny memories and stories shared, some tears shed and a few "speeches". Perhaps as a result of the genetic connection to Grampa Smith, a bit of the blarney was thrown in, but I can't swear to it! We voted to decide which version of the "how Grammy and Grampa met" story was true Maureen's or mine-we finally left it up to Uncle Eddie to decide, but he wouldn't commit! We discussed know that each of us felt we "knew" we were Grampa's favorite and all realized that this should have happened years ago. Andi gave Uncle Eddie a letter she'd come across in her genealogy work, that our Dad had written to him while he was in the service with some stripes to sew on his sweater. Better late than never, Uncle Ed!
Dessert was served in the tent also with a big cake to celebrate both Stevie's 50th birthday and his son's 17th. Steve even posted for a retake of a baby photo complete with a ball. All during the day the old videos ran and we laughed at the same old funny family memories. Then we finally posed for a retake of the last time we were all together for Easter dinner at Aunt Barb and Uncle Ed's in about 1965. We all lined up in the same order and I think we all look better (I know at least my hair does!) It was a great day!
Because Cheryl's away camping, and I'm not as good as she is at blogging and inserting pictures in the text, I'll end this entry and then post some of the pictures we took. Please post some of yours as well, we really need to share them. Thank you Brian for getting the ball rolling, many, many thanks Aunt Ann and Bob for hosting and doing so much work for all of us to be able to enjoy this day and to everyone who is part of my family- I love you all~ Nancy

You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them. ~Desmond Tutu



































Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family. ~Anthony Brandt

Do you know them?

I received this e-mail today from Roger Snelling with the photo attached. I think I can identify the ladies in the photo...who do you think they are??? Add your guess in the Comments section and then we'll ask Roger how many of us got it right:-)

"Cheryl - Came across this recently and thought you might be interested. Do you know them?? I do. Taken during ww 2. -RPS"