July 31: Madison, Wisconsin via Ripon

We took a detour a bit north to Ripon, Wisconsin, the town where I was born but which I only dimly remember because we moved away then I was three.

The address of the house where we lived is on my birth certificate, and Siri found it with no trouble:

One of my dim memories is that the house was white, but that of course can easily change in 70 years. Also that it was bigger, but it would be me, not the house that has changed in that respect.

There were at least 3 apartments--ours was upstairs and the bow-shaped room was our bedroom. There were kids cut-out pictures in the window, so it is still a kid(s)' bedroom.

July 30: Back to South Bend

A night in South Bend going back the other way. A picnic and walks in the park along the river.

July 29: DuBois, Pennsylvania

July 28: Cousin Penny's in Rhode Island

A night here to regroup, then with Penny on west to Seattle.

July 27: Last Day in Massachusetts

Bobby and Eloise had a long walk, and Auntie gave them chicken soup for breakfast, and Mom stuffed toys with treats. Now she has to sort, pack, mail boxes. However, it would be a much better idea for her to forget about that and throw the ball.

July 25: Mason, New Hampshire

My niece Em and I had lunch with old friends at Pickity Place:

https://www.pickityplace.com/pages/dining-at-pickity-place

I took a picture of my dessert before I ate it. Em officially welcomed me as an honorary millennial.

Doggies had to stay in our friends' kitchen. They were not pleased, but survived.

Now three days of organizing and packing to get ready for the six-day Westward Journey. Cousin Penny is coming along to visit our mutual relations in Seattle. This will be make everything a lot easier.

July 20-23: Nantucket

https://www.travelingmom.com/family-vacation-destinations/northeast-destinations/5-reasons-to-choose-the-nantucket-hotel/

A weekend on Nantucket for a reunion of Peace Corps friends, after 45 years. (Doggies in South Hadley with my sister, whom they seem to consider an acceptable substitute for mom.)

Re-connecting after so many years, with so much water under the bridge is a complex and many-layered experience. Maybe material for a novel, if I had the time.

In the Berkshires

My sister and I took off for two days of theater at Shakespeare and Company in the Berkshires:

https://www.shakespeare.org/shows

We saw Macbeth, well-acted but with a director's decision to omit the three witches, which really doesn't work.

The program notes mentioned the modern religion of Wicca and not wanting to offend anyone with the negative image of witches.

No Wiccan with half a brain expects our use of the word "Witch" to re-write centuries of cultural history, including Shakespeare. We just capitalize it. Keep the witches in Macbeth, uncapitalized, and produce the play properly.

The best play was a modern one, Morning after Grace, three characters in their seventies on the morning after a funeral. The first half a truly hilarious situation comedy, the second half the heart-warming resolution to everybody's predicaments.

We also saw a good outdoor student production of Love's Labour's Lost, and I went to a concert production of La Boheme at Tanglewood.

Bobby and Louise stayed with my niece Em, and went to the Wrong Groomer (as noted below).

Bad Hair Day

We went to the groomer Cousin Em didn't recommend because the groomer she did recommend was booked through the end of the month.

With only two groomers in town, it's now clear why the other one gets booked up.

Fortunately, hair grows, but our artistic groomer back in California is going to be very upset.

Auntie says well, now we are clean, at least.

Barre, Vermont

We're just back from a few days in Central Vermont, visiting with an old high school friend.

There's a new small-dog park in Barre. Bobby and Eloise met a little poodle mix and had a wonderful time playing.

The next day, cream tea on the lawn at Perennial Pleasures in East Hardwick:

http://perennialpleasures.net

Miss Eloise got a new harness a few weeks ago. She can get out of this one, too.

July 8th Was Bobby's Birthday

15 years old!

We've been together since he was a tiny puppy. Now his kidneys are gradually failing, his vision is limited and his hearing is selective. We take one day at a time. He spends mornings sleeping or acting confused, later in the day rallies, orients himself, and plays.

(with Eloise).

WON'T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? - Official Trailer [HD] - In Select Theaters J...

We saw this in Amherst last night--very highly recommended, especially if you grew up on Mr. Rogers, or even if you didn't.

Very timely. (He was a lifelong Republican--shows you what they have come to now.)

Fourth of July in Vernon, Connecticut

Happy Fourth from Eloise!

We went to the lake and met a lot of cousins.

Marty the Corgi is totally cool. They threw sticks for us and we ran around like crazy.

(Bobby stayed home with Auntie because it was so hot.)

We did get pretty hot, so we had to drink a lot of water and take a break in the shade under the picnic table.