July 2004

Caro's Time of Remembrance Weekend - as recalled by Tom Saunders

Kate and I used some frequent flyer miles to fly back east for a visit to Randolph for a get-together of the Folsom clan for a memorial celebration for our Aunt Caro Stoddard, who passed away earlier in the year. Kate had an adventurous trip from Portland (Oregon) to Minneapolis to Boston.  I managed to get in a few hikes. As usual Clare and Hank Folsom supplied wonderful hospitality, Hank even kept inviting me back after all my politicking for John Kerry.

The participants, in order of appearance:

Hank and Clare
Tom ("Tommy")  and Kate ("Break-a-Leg") Saunders
Mac and Charlotte, Jon, Jane, and Chris
Jon ("The Salient Point") Stoddard and Bill
Sandy and Lorraine, Jeanine, Lou, Louey, and Ava
Joan
Peter, Sarah, and Mai Ly
Anne ("Two Crash") Barschall, Eleanor, and Kelly (Eleanor's aide)
Thumper ("Henry") Folsom
Ginny, Rick, Julia, and Charles
Alan Horton
Alan Lowe (in charge of transportation and Kate's accommodations)

Thursday, July 22: I hiked up Washington via the Ammonoosuc and down the Jewell Path.

Sunday: I was asleep on the porch when Kate arrived at 10:30 PM. Since I thought she was arriving the next night, I had turned out all the lights and locked the door. She fumbled around in the dark but managed to get in okay without scaring me too much. Kate had an adventurous trip from Portland (Oregon) to Minneapolis to Boston. The Democratic National Convention was scheduled to start Monday in Boston, and in Minneapolis she noticed that one of her heroes, former Vice President Walter Mondale, got aboard. While waiting at the baggage claim in Boston she was wondering how to get to say hi to him, and turned around and there he was standing right next to her, waiting for his bags! She introduced herself, and being a bit awestruck, told him that she had named her pet turtles Walter and Geraldine after him and his 1984 running mate, Geraldine Ferraro. He said he was honored and was sure to tell Geraldine when he saw her later during the convention. Regaining her composure, they talked for 15 minutes or so about Democrats and Bush and Kerry and stuff like that. As he was leaving, she told him, “Bear to the left”, and he replied, “Always have and always will!”

Monday: Kate and I drove across Vermont and around the top of Lake Champlain to Mooer’s Forks, just over the border in New York. We found the graves of some ancient ancestors on Dad’s side: great great grandparents Beauchamp Colclough and Jane Moocock.

Tuesday: A short hike in slight drizzle to Lowe’s Bald Spot. I got an email from Patti saying that back home that the house was surrounded by raccoons and they seemed to be gathering to attack and our ace guard poodle Reginald was whimpering in a corner.

Wednesday: Charlotte and Mac arrived, and we all had dinner at Hank and Clare’s. (Clare had started taking care of us all a few days earlier; I’d been over for dinner twice already.) There’s room for me to stay at the cottage; no need to vacate to Dolly Copp.

Thursday, 4:00 AM: Jon Campbell arrived. When his clawing at the door woke me up, I figured that since whoever it was turned off the lights, it probably wasn’t a bear. Bill and Jon Stoddard arrived latter that day at a more reasonable hour. We had a major work party clearing up the mess of downed trees across the street, then beer and barbequed pork chops at the cottage. Kate moved into #9 Lowe’s Cabins, a big thrill and something she’s always wanted to do. Particularly when the doorknob came off in her hand.

Friday: The rest of the attendees started to filter in. Jon C. drove down to Boston to pick up Jane, and Mac drove over to Portland to pick up Chris. Anne, Eleanor, and Kelly (Eleanor’s aide) arrived in a rental van, bravely driven by Anne who had wrecked two previous cars in the last month. Kate tripped on the way down from Lookout Ledge and broke her leg. Look up “cute” and you’ll find a picture of Mai Ly, although we’re not supposed to call her that in front of her. Sarah, Peter, and she walked up to Lookout Ledge, but just missed Kate, who had hobbled out just ahead of them. I hiked up Lion Head and down Boott Spur.

Saturday, July 31: We all had a wonderful celebration for Aunt Caro at the charade site at Mossy Glen. Kate, in cast and on crutches, and Eleanor are hauled in by four-wheel drive. Waters from all over from special places where Caro had lived and visited were mixed and poured into the stream. (There’s even some from below Lookout Ledge, which Kate had gathered when she stumbled into a stream while hobbling out.) We sang songs and ate a picnic lunch. Later that afternoon Anne lost her underwear at the Ravine House Pool. That night Clare whipped up another big dinner party for Uncle Bill’s 90th birthday party. Jon finally got his projector working and showed a picture show of Bill and Caro’s life. Thumper and I sang Happy Birthday to Uncle Bill after sucking empty one of the helium balloons floating around. We’re thinking Rick or Ginny can drive Kate’s rental car and Kate to the airport on Tuesday.

Sunday: Ginny and I drove over to Bethel, Maine to pick up Rick, who broke down in their car (the car broke, not Rick). Kate discovered she can drive okay, she figures she can set the speed control to 55 (65 within Boston city limits, of course) and cruise on down no problem. Ginny has South Beached herself skinny, but Rick and I don’t think she did it to lose weight, just to have an excuse to buy a whole new wardrobe.

Monday: People started to leave.

Tuesday: Ginny and Rick took Hank’s car down, and Kate managed to get out okay, without too many hassles. A final hike for me: Mt. Adams.

Wednesday: Cleaned the place up a bit and took a laundry basket full of leftover food and drink down to Clare. Up at 3:30 the next morning to zip down to Boston for my morning flight.