Yesterday, Bob and I checked on the house:

• road was plowed, probably after the storm, but snow had drifted over it; and the town plow left a pile on the side of the road next to the bridge: just room to drive by and get up the hill with Bert, our Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  
• nice coating of snow, maybe 5-6 inches on the yard
  
• basement temp 46, kitchen thermometer reads 54 degrees
• some pink insulation down on floor of basement (a small rectangle near the cellar door); I stuffed it back up into the ceiling
• oil tank at >5/8
  
• watered plants with water I brought so I didn't have to turn on the water
• phone message about a CVS prescription ready in Bethesda... will let Anna Ruth know
• the door to the living room was wide open, I guess I didn't close it tightly last time, so the dining room was relatively warm! closed it tightly this time before we left
• shoveled the steps to back door and main entrance

When we got to the top of the hill to get onto 151, Bert died! We heard a loud CLUNK and then nothing. Had to call AAA and have it towed to the Middletown Toyota... down to one car again.

Thursday Dec. 23rd:

• Bob and I called ADT from the house to check the phone/security connection: this involved setting off the alarm (it is LOUD!) and 3 disconnections and re-connections of the phone. The result: all is well and communication is back.
• the pond is frozen solid: hope the fishes once again are hibernating safely.
• Tire tracks from a hunter's truck (?) in the front yard from the driveway to the edge of the yard where the path to the old spring starts. The ground is frozen so there's no damage to the yard, if we notice it continuing, we'll do what we did last year: put a large branch along the driveway to deter this.
• 
  
• Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I just got a call that the phone is fixed: "squirrels playing on the phone lines on Young Street" (even though the phone line now comes from 151?!) So evidently it wasn't just this phone! Bob and I will go tomorrow to call ADT from the house to reset the alarm communications...
Merry Christmas eve's eve's eve!

Happy Christmas!

• Pine tree near top of driveway (Aunt Gina's tree) dropped another branch (ARM reported this to me on Saturday). Smaller than last year and out of the road
• NO PHONE! ADT panel says "Comm. Failure". Otherwise system works, just can't communicate to ADT and therefore police or us. I have called AT&T and ADT and it is being worked on. I'll hopefully get a call if AT&T needs to get into the house so I can go down to meet them
• In my conversation with ADT I asked if they get a message that the communication is broken, he said "there is a test done" How often? "Once a month".
  
• Oil man came last week and oil tank is 3/4 full
• basement temp is 45 degrees, main floor set at 52 and kitchen thermometer reads 53. It's still cold: 32 degrees F outside this morning
• the cover to the outside kitchen gas tanks was off and next to the house. I wedged it back on: the bolts and metal are bent but it seems pretty secure now.

Eric S. and Anna Ruth stopped by today and were able to fix the door and get in and out quite easily. Thank YOU! They reported everything looked fine.

Today is 50 and raining, after a week of freezing (30's and below) temperatures

• Bob and I started J. Deere
• checked for leaks in the barn: mostly coming in small door due to hole-yness

• watered plants
• checked house: discovered water trickling down chimney in loft: is this a 'normal' occurrence during steady rain? Probably need new flashing on the chimney were it meets the roof. Floor/rug not wet...
  
• checked the basement: oil just under 1/2 full, floor dry by cellar door, insulation coming down in various places, pile of pink insulation at bottom of cellar stairs, Bob put it back in the crawl space that goes towards the kitchen, we'll check to see if it has fallen (pushed out by some animal?) next time
• turned off the valve in the basement to the outside pond side faucet
  
• phone message for some dr's appt: will call Anna Ruth to find out: message hard to understand: static-y
• when we left, the door was very hard to lock: the dampness? has made the bolt not meet the door frame well. We got it locked, we'll see if we can open it next time!

last week: November 30:

• quick check of the house: one more dead mouse in kitchen. I should set more traps to see how many more we get. It's a matter of remembering the cheese!
• oil is 9/16ths
• picked up some twigs from the lawn
• brought a second side-bar mower blade we found in Guilford and put it in the barn near the machine
• watered plants
• brought home some wood for a winter fire
  

Today:

• oil tank at just over 1/2. This week has been cold/at or below freezing and supposed to continue, furnace was on when I went in. House a toasty 55 degrees
• quick walk through: everything looks good
• met Rob Rocks and town surveyor to check boundaries along 151 where neighbor is encroaching. A lovely 35 degrees out, birds singing merrily in the woods
• Neighbors have maintained a yard and put picnic table and fire pit over line, as well as dumping rocks and wood construction debris on our side
  
• John, the surveyor, suggested having the owners write a (certified?) letter to these neighbors to get complaint on the town records. There is some time frame (John thought 15 years) where illegal use of land without notification by neighbors, becomes encroachers' land? I will try to talk to our lawyer to get information about this.
• Got a call from ARM this week to remind us that phone service is on but at higher per call rate: when we replaced window alarm batteries a few weeks ago, we had several conversations with ADT and these calls were charged at the new higher rate. Aunt Sandy called us to make sure these calls were accounted for.
  

Everything looks okay. Searched for a missing book for Cynthia, couldn't find it (Anna, Nick's girlfriend, is missing a Persian art book). Took some wood for Thanksgiving fires. Didn't see any hunters or their trucks today.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Saturday, Bob and I spent the afternoon at Thicut. We

• watered the indoor plants
• caught 2 mice in the kitchen, didn't look like the big one though
  
• turned off the water pump and water
• used Johnny Deere to 'rake' leaves from the driveway and yard
• brought our tire pump and pumped up the garden cart with the old inner tubes: discovered one is fine and one is leaky, next time will replace the holey one with a new one and see how that works
  
• sawed up one of the logs along side the field and took down the dead girdled RED cedar (it has a really RED core, hope you all can still see it next time you go!
• watched a football game while drinking hot chocolate
• went to Village Pizza on our way to Goodspeed to see "How to Succeed in Business without really trying" (a fun musical)

Today,

• I went to check on the light timers (adjusted for Daylight Savings)
• Noticed that the SNOW from yesterday morning had been PLOWED along 151: only bare remnants left; Thicut's had melted
• checked the oil tank: 5/8ths full
• emptied and put the hose in the barn
• put the rest of the iron chairs in the barn.
  

Everything looks good. Lots of leaves down! Hard frost expected tonight.

Here it is October already! This year, bear with me as I just post shorthand notes

• Anna Ruth moved furniture and piano down October 10
  
• Bob and I have mowed
• sickle barred the field,
• replaced 4 window alarm batteries,
• had ADT out to the house to replace the faulty window unit in the right parlor window
• met 2 hunters (with permits or getting them from Eric S.)
• turned off the hot H2O
• moved most of the lawn furniture to the barn
• bought and will replace inner tire tubes for the garden cart
• cleaned out (emptied and washed) the refrigerator (no sign of mouse) and turned off
  

Here's a quick update before the Birthday party and en masse gathering of family and friends:

Bob mowed the front field with sickle bar mower a few weeks back; Bob, Daniel, Jen, and I had a (small) brush fire to clear a space in the middle of the field for Carlie's fire pit last weekend (no mishaps); the ceiling was painted, back door fixed; Bob replaced the rotten bridge railing support; yard mowed; twin bedroom rearranged; plans made for tents and sleeping arrangements, food, drink, etc, etc.

Let's hope the weather is not quite as hot as it has been lately and everyone has a safe trip to THICUT for the PARTY!

Jen helped planning for the BIG event coming up on August 1st (actually HAPPY 80th TOMORROW, Anna Ruth, Aunt Sandy, Toots, Pudy, Amos, Mormor!!!). Painting, fixing, digging for new plants is in the works. We've had rain today, finally. The grass and flowers really need it!

Pond cleaning! Anna Ruth and I emptied the pond and cleaned out all the muck on the bottom. We left a bit of water in the bottom for the fish. I don't think we lost any fish in the process. Pulled three water lily pots out and only put one back. They were masses of leaves and roots! And SO heavy! Now the pond is being refilled with clean water. The fish will be SO happy! It was a beautiful 75 degree F day with sun and clouds, wonderful to be outside!

Break In.

Along with everything else going on... Thicut was broken into on Tuesday afternoon. Anna Ruth was volunteering at the E. Haddam Library; ADT called me to say the front door was breeched. The police were sent, I called Anna Ruth and she went home and walked through the house with the police. The alarm had gone off and scared the would-be burglars away before they disturbed anything. Daniel stopped by on his way home from work to check on her; she decided to stay. The door on the driveway side is damaged. She called the locksmith and they were able to fit a new lock Wednesday morning.

The John Deere....

IT HAS ARRIVED! and Anna Ruth, Bob, and I all took a turn driving. The side yard against the driveway was mowed in 5 minutes!. Good turning radius, but have to remember to point the grass shoot AWAY from the gardens. It looks very big, but fits in the barn. Aunt Sandy and I plan to 'practice' (I mean mow...) more this week, together, before we try it alone...

Monday afternoon, Anna, Jen, and I went down to mow the lawn one (last???) time with the old lawn mowers. Tonight the new JD ride on mower is arriving! Jen straightened the bookshelves that are temporarily in the twin bedroom. We'll tackle the ceiling in a few weeks, but first there are Bush vacations to the Cape and Maine!!

BIG NEWS! Bob and I have bought a John Deere Riding Lawn Mower for THICUT. It will be delivered on Thursday. It will be stored in the barn. SOOO,

Saturday and Sunday Bob and I cleaned out the end of the barn with the two barn doors, took stuff to the dump (if you're interested, we'll give you a list) and repaired/replaced the supports, sill, and floor at that end to accommodate the weight and size of this new contraption. In the process, we went through most of the pile of lumber under the canoe and sailboat behind the barn and sorted it into rotted and usable. We found perfect flooring and a 4x4 for the sill! We used stones that were under the barn floor to shore up the lengthwise beams and the new sill. I Wish I'd brought my camera to document all the work! You can't even tell all the stuff Bob did.

From a natural point of view, we saw several small black snakes with a yellow ring around their necks in the wood piles, and heard the Barred Owl sing to us from the woods. The fish are swimming madly in the pond, happy to be fed.

We missed Anna Ruth as she heads to George's graduation, but got the lawn mowed. Jen moved books and shelves from the stair landing in preparation for scraping and painting that ceiling. Shall we wait for Anna Ruth to come home or start it while she's away? ...

Bob and I went down Sunday afternoon to mow the grass, feed the fish, inspect the bridge and brook, trim the trees hanging over the road by the brook, and inspect the asparagus (of which there are 3 stalks). The weather was sunny with a few clouds to break up the heat. Anna Ruth will be home Tuesday or Wednesday.

7:30am: stopped by Thicut to pick up papers for ARM for refinancing Bethesda house... fed fish and watered plants. It is a foggy, damp morning! We need to trim a tree that hangs over the road before the bridge. Picked up some branches on the road at the top of the hill.

FROST warning tonight! Summer's not quite here yet...

Bob and I stopped down at Thicut on our way out for dinner at the Gelston House and Annie Get Your Gun at Goodspeed. Bob fed the fish and I looked for a book I'd lent Anna Ruth (Anya Seton's Foxfire). Probably in Bethesda or Great Falls... The show was GREAT and the food was Delicious. The river was beautiful, too. We live in a beautiful part of the country.

Yesterday, Bob and I went down after work and mowed the (very) high grass. It was sad to mow the beautiful purple and white wild flowers poking out of tall tufts of grass, but it had to be done. No sign of wild life (i.e. snakes, etc) in or out. The fish are swimming merrily around and I fed them, but the pond is in dire need of cleaning out. MANY tiny tadpoles, too! We found a few stalks of (is it wild now?) asparagus at the edge of the front field and cleaned out a bit around them. We made ourselves pasta/sauce and ate in the quiet evening, then headed home. A slightly muggy but breezy 80 degrees F.

Anna Ruth left this morning back south for Yale alumni trip and grandchildren concerts. Bob and I will try to get the lawn mowed before her return! It's been hot and muggy the last two days, so it seems summer has arrived early.

Bob and I had a very nice visit yesterday! Cleaned out gardens where all kinds of flowers are blooming or promising to bloom, Bob mowed a bit (but NOT the violets). Had a comfortable tea and girl scout cookies: mmm, thanks Katie!

Anna Ruth is in residence for the next week or so. I'll update after I visit her! Happy spring.

Cloudy and 50 degrees F. But you should see the FLOWERS! The yard is carpeted with purple violets, there are bright red tulips next to the pond, and the yellow daffodils and forsythia and pink quince are still blooming. The magnolia is about done, but more flowers are on their way. A good time for Anna Ruth to return. I turned on the water heater, the fridge and turned up the thermostat to 60 degrees so it's not too chilly when she arrives on ?Monday. The silly bird is trying to build a nest on top of the door AGAIN, and unfortunately I found evidence of mice (teeth marks) on the soap in the upstairs bath. The mail should be delivered starting Monday or Tuesday. Love to all.

The magnolia is in bloom. BEAUTIFUL. The daffodils are all blooming, the forsythia are full of yellow and green, the flowering Quince is bright reddish pink. I cut some quince to bring inside and some daffodils that are just about to bloom. Hopefully they will still be pretty next week when Anna Ruth arrives. The fish are down deep since it was cold last night and should be cold tonight. (maybe frost). The temperature today got up to about 65 degrees F. I brought back the night blooming cereus to see if it will recover and bloom again... There was the beginnings of a bird's nest on the door AGAIN. I brushed it off with the broom. It looked like it had been started and abandoned, so I didn't feel guilty. I picked up about a week and a half's mail from the mailbox and stopped at the post office to have them hold the mail until next Monday. They are very nice at this tiny old post office.

Here are some pictures I took on Sunday, April 4th.

Bob, Lady, and I had a wonderful quiet 3 days at Thicut. It was the first time in probably 40 years that I've actually slept overnight. Bob has never. It is SO quiet during the night. No car sounds or neighbor sounds. During Saturday, we heard the dirt bikes somewhere in the woods and motorcycles on 151, but other than that, birds and rushing water kept us company.

I cleaned cobwebs and dust bunnies and chased (MILLIONS) ladybugs from sunny window to sunny front door while Bob cleaned brush from the front field and sprayed Roundup on MORE barberry. We raked some of the winter debris off the yard, cleaned out between the barn and (3/4th full of water!) Well, and even trimmed off the dead parts and tied up the rose to the barn.

Along with ladybugs inside, the TICKS are outside. Lady was unscathed, but Bob and I picked several off ourselves (is there a 'Frontline' for people?).

We walked up the Grassy Lane to the falls to marvel at the rush of spring water filling the swimming area and obliterating the slide. It was just white water all around. We walked along the brook from there to the bridge in the 'flood plain' left by the now receding water. The other swimming hole and slide (nearer the house) were rushing whitewater too. There was hardly any indication of the dam we build "every summer".

We watched the fish in the pond. Lady watched their movements so carefully, we were afraid she'd fall in. Bob agrees that there are at least 13-14 of all sizes. Forsythia and daffodils in full bloom, flowering quince about to bloom and magnolia will bloom this week.

Spring has Sprung! Aunt Sandy, thanks for letting us stay!

Here are pictures of the water under the bridge and down path. These were taken on April 1st. Bob and I are spending the weekend here to get some dust and cobewebs out and explore the woods. It's supposed to be great weather! Happy Spring and Happy Easter!

Saturday was sunny and 45 degrees. The daffodils near the house are blooming! I cut some forsythia to see if it will bloom this week inside. The fish are still happily swimming in the pond and as I was walking around, I discovered the white Lenten Rose blooming! in time for Lent! Sometime this past week the oil man came and filled the tank to about 13/16ths full. I couldn't find a bill anywhere, will talk to ARM to make sure she received one in the mail. Bob and I plan to spend Easter weekend at Thicut inside (cleaning cobwebs and muddy floors) and outside (cleaning up twigs and branches in the yard and walking in the woods) in preparation for Anna Ruth's return.

St Patrick's Day and the fish are alive and 'swimmin'. We had a terrific rain storm over the weekend, and sometime the power went out because the stove clock was blinking. I reset all clocks and light timers. No limbs/trees down, so I guess the wind was not too bad. The daffodils are up about 3 inches, forsythia tightly closed still. We're supposed to have wonderfully warm weather this week, so I'm looking forward to more life!

Spring is springing! The temperature is 59 degrees; a bakers' dozen fish, plus a beautiful orange baby with a black tail swim merrily in the pond! The two dead ones were a good meal for some lucky animal (or snake?) because they were nowhere in sight. I did pull out the pump filter which was floating on top of the water and when I walked around the yard, I found the 'barley ball' (?) that was floating in the pond last year to deter pond scum. Did a raccoon scoop it out and decide it wasn't good to eat? It was all the way behind the large rock east of the pond. I retrieved it and left it next to the pond. I fed the fish and stood watching them for quite a while: mesmerizing. the daffodils are about an inch to inch and a half out of the ground by the garage. I couldn't resist clearing the leaves around some clumps.

It's definitely looking and feeling less like winter and more like SPRING! The sun is out, the snow is gone and the ice in the pond is only tiny pieces. Unfortunately there are 2 large goldfish floating on the surface! Too bad! I didn't see any other fish at all. Hopefully that means the little ones are still sleeping peacefully on the bottom. The temperature is almost 50 degrees F and I was so tempted to open up the doors and windows and let some fresh air in. I opened the blinds in the solarium to let the sun on the plants. The ground wasn't quite so muddy/squishy today. Lady enjoyed herself and the car (Bert again) didn't get as dirty :) There are reports of snowdrops in Guilford, no evidence at Thicut, yet...

The oil tank reads about 5/16. I think that will be enough until Anna Ruth comes in April. I HOPE we don't have much more cold weather ahead!

Just a quick check up: the 7+ inches of snow is melting fast, the road is muddy and grass is showing through on the yard: Lady dashed around in the snow and got Bert's seats a bit muddy on the way home. The plants inside look a little unhappy, they're ready for more sun, I think. Nothing major, just not perky. Bob says maybe they miss being talked to... Bob and I pruned some of the overhanging bushes at the bridge so they don't brush the car as we go by. Spring's only a month away!

In the midst of winter, cactus blooms!

Yesterday, Eric V. and I met at Thicut to meet an electrician to look at and fix the water heater fuse. He came right on time (9am), diagnosed the problem, replaced the double fuse switch and was finished in 15 minutes. We turned off the water heater; he said Anna Ruth should see a noticeable reduction in her electric bill. HOPE SO!

There was snow in the yard (about an inch) and the road had been plowed. I shoveled a path the the door easily.

The oil tank still reads 3/8 full, plants look good, everything seems secure. Here in Glastonbury the snow was mostly melted by afternoon. BUT:

Today we have about 5 inches of new snow! and more predicted. I am almost ready to have winter be done. But the trees are so beautiful with their dressing of snow.

To answer Paul's comment about what/why/how land management plan is:

This is what I understand the history is: Chuck Masters initiated the process of preserving the land around Thicut (with Eric V) by selling the development rights to the Forest Legacy Program, meaning the deed has been changed to prohibit developing 'forever' on a designated part of the property. (all of it except the roughly 20 acres around the house). However, one of the stipulations of the program is to have a management plan for the forest. Connwoods was hired back about 10 years ago to create the plan. It was a 10 year plan to maintain a healthy forest/get rid of invasive species, etc.This is why there was logging back in early 2000s: and why a company was hired to spray the barberry several years back. Rob Rocks is the forester who 'checks up' on landowners who have land in this and other national programs and reminded Eric V. and Anna Ruth that it was time to update/redo this plan. They hired Connwoods again. Eric V. was trying to get some government help in paying for the plan, hence the introduction of WHIP. It's not outrageously expensive, but when Eric V. heard that there might be funds (national/state) to help pay for this sort of thing, he investigated. It looks like that is now not going to happen.

Just to be clear on the property: Eric V. and Anna Ruth own all the property in Forest Legacy together, Anna Ruth owns the house and about 10 acres around it, Eric V. owns about 10 acres adjacent to Anna Ruth's and across the driveway over Lady Brook way.

Eric V and I met Seth from WHIP (Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program) to walk around the woods. The picture is at the culvert up the road that Bob fixed a couple years ago. Still holding. Seth, for WHIP, would write a proposed land management contract for us to sign and would reimburse 75% of the cost of any work we did, if the proposal were accepted. We were under the impression that this group would pay for part of the management plan being developed by ConnWoods (for the Forest Legacy requirements), but that is incorrect. Instead, WHIP would come up with their own plan and if we sign the contract, we would agree to to manage the property and get reimbursed for 75% of that cost. Sound confusing? IT IS! Bottom line, Eric V. will talk to Anna Ruth and decide whether to go ahead with the WHIP proposal.

While we were there, John O'Connell (sp?) from ConnWoods was finishing up his gathering of information for that land management plan. He stopped by after Seth had left and we had a good chat. He was disappointed for us that we would not get help paying for his plan. He thought there should be some state or federal money to help and would ask his coworker if he had any ideas.

During the course of the conversation, he asked if we knew of any old metal working mills along the brook, because he had found some charcoal dumps on Larry Frye's (sp?) land. (Kruger/Brooks' former property that abuts Thicut). He was intrigued by the sword factory. He said he was a little surprised not to find any charcoal making areas on Thicut property, but they are hard to find unless you are really looking, and the proximity of the ones on the other property made sense, now.

Eric V. and I

• Had tea
• checked out the house
• tried again to flip the water heater fuse/switch with no luck
• turned on and off the water, pump, and filter
• listened to the phone messages (I called Anna Ruth to relay the two calls from Yale/Vassar friends)

1:30pm: a balmy 34 degrees and sunny at Thicut. The yard is mostly covered with snow, but in the sun it is melting so the grass is sticking through. The ConnWoods truck was in the driveway, but no sign of the forester. However, there were cans of 'tree marking' paint in the back of the truck. I went into the house to check up:

• watered plants
• oil tank at 1/2
• unplugged the water filter in the basement (it was making it's normal noise which reminded me that it was on, could this be the drain on the electricity?) Left a note in the kitchen sink reminding us to plug that in when we turn on the water
• watered plants
• took some wood from the pile for a fire on Superbowl Sunday

When I left a half hour later, there was still no sign of the forester. It is a beautiful day to be tromping in the woods!

I just called Bob Naughton and he's plowed the road (from last Thursday's snow), so it should be fine for this week's visitors. We only had a dusting last night and it's sunny, so the roads (at least in Glastonbury) are dry by now.

So, evidently the process for creating a new land Plan for the Forest Legacy has started; meaning foresters will be wandering over the property this week. Eric V. and Anna Ruth signed lots of papers while she was in CT and one more needs to be signed for help with funding this project. Eric V. and one of the guys that works for the group that will partially fund the Plan will meet Thursday to walk around. We're due to get a bit of snow tonight, I haven't been down since last Thursday night's snow, so I don't know the status of the road..., but there's been some sun, so some snow has melted. It's been frigid, and is still pretty cold (25-30 degrees F).

I went to Thicut yesterday, lunch in hand, prepared to spend some time in the quiet. I brought Lady along so she could do some off the leash running (she loved it!). It was about 40 degrees, snow gone and sunny outside. I

• checked the furnace: at 9/16 full
• turned pump and H2O on (and off when I left)
• reset stove clock which was blinking (power had gone off sometime only for a minute or two)
• tried to turn off the water heater at the fuse box to see if that would lower Anna Ruth's electric bill, but couldn't get the double fuse to budge; I'll ask Bob to try next time he comes with me
• checked all over the house to see what else may be drawing electricity: only the stove clock, the lights on timers, the answering machine and the radio in the kitchen are on as far as I can tell
• replaced the dead bulb in the basement near the stairs
• cleaned up dead leaves on oxalys (sp?) and wandering jew and swept the floors
• sat down to read my book while eating a warm lunch of mac and cheese and hot chocolate
• let Lady run around outside while I filled the car with wood to donate to the church's youth 'Homeless Awareness Sleepout' happening this weekend. The kids gather around a fire barrel in shifts all night in front of our church on Main Street to raise awareness of the homeless.
• picked up the few branches in the yard and driveway from the week's blustery weather

Last Thursday, Anna Ruth, Eric V. and Ann stopped by Thicut. The report is that everything looks good. They were doing 'errands' like: paying taxes, visiting the library, having lunch at Moodus' Village Pizza, visiting John and Phyllis, etc. It was a successful visit, I think. The big news from Ann's point of view was that SHE found Ben's HS class ring on the rug by the door! "The light must have been just right because I saw something shiny and asked, 'what is that'. When Eric looked, it was Ben's ring!" They didn't even know it was missing. [It's on it's way to Texas today] Anna Ruth's CT visit was overall a good time.

Bob, Jen, and I went down to check on things yesterday. The snow is melting, the house is 'warm', plants are watered and no sign of mice or snakes! (knock on wood). The evidence of fireman's boots outside the house has melted away, Bob and Jen nearly completed cleaning up the fallen branch, so things are good!

3:30 am: We got a call from the ADT security company that a fire alarm had activated in the basement of THICUT. Bob and I rushed down to find 3 huge firetrucks, a police car and various pick-up trucks parked near the entrance to Sexton Hill Rd. We drove on down and found (NO SMOKE OR FIRE) 5 firemen in full gear walking around the house trying to determine how to get in to check it out. We let them in, and we all trooped into the basement (one fireman was tall enough that he couldn't stand up straight). We located the smoke detector. It was not even activated at this point. They found nothing to indicate danger. It was about 10 degrees F outside...Remember, it takes us about 30 minutes to get from our house to Thicut. (Bob made it in considerably less time this morning...) I've decided to send the East Hampton Fire Dept a thank you note saying that we really appreciate them. We had gotten about an inch or two of new snow (unplowed) which was one reason the large trucks didn't even attempt to go to the house... My question is: what if there HAD been a fire? Where would they have gotten the water to put it out? Would those big trucks have wanted to negotiate the bridge? I called ADT and they suggested that dust, a spider, a web, any number of things could have set the smoke detector off...

What a wonderful visit with the Eckersons and Sarah's fiance Luke!

We spent a couple hours showing the Texan the falls, the swimming hole and foundation to the sword factory.

Then we had hot chocolate in the kitchen and to top it off, Jen, Sarah, and Ben went through the hole in the ceiling with 6' 8" Luke to 'catch' them.