Lakeside Memories . . . . . . .

Massabesic - American Indian name meaning place of much water.

Massabesic Lake, New Hampshire

There was a spare picnic table in the shade that afternoon so we grabbed it. Sitting there without a picnic was OK. The memories were all we needed. Memories of our small children, sticky fingers, Goldenrod ice cream dripping down chins from the overfilled cones, counting sailboats, perhaps wishing for a sailboat someday. 

No swimming or paddling here, it's the city's drinking water source. It must be difficult not to sneak around to the far side of a distant island, dive in from your boat and just enjoy the calming water on a hot Summer day.

Bob grew up near this lake and recalled the days during his childhood when there was a shiny teak speed boat here - for a dollar or so, his father would take the boys on a 15 minute ride upon the hallowed waters. 

Even that far back at the Goldenrod Restaurant, est. 1951, one could buy the best ice cream cone in town, then pop over to the nearby lake to enjoy a lazy afternoon.

Last week we bought our cones, maple walnut for Bob, 

coffee for me, and sat here remembering how much my dear 

mother-in-law loved this lake on Summer afternoons.

Making a home……

If you're married, or living with a partner, have you 

moved since you first put down roots in a home together?

I was living in a tiny apartment in Washington, D.C. when 

Bob and I married almost fifty years ago! Within a 

couple of weeks we moved to Bob's home town of Manchester, 

New Hampshire . . .  

 . . . and set up house in this lovely home, renting the 

second floor from the elderly French Canadian owners who 

lived downstairs. We had to scrimp to pay the rent - times 

were really tough for us in those days. I would often sit 

on the back steps looking out across the city to 

Mt. Uncanoonuc in the distance - wondering how on earth 

I had ended up so far from my home and family in England.

I was so happy when we drove by the house today and saw 

how well it has been kept up and is obviously loved by its 

current owners. Those simple wooden steps where I sat,

planning my future, knowing I would probably never live 

in England again, have been replaced by lovely decks 

and stairs. 

The garden was neat and attractive and the red front door 

most welcoming. Some windows were open allowing the fresh 

air in. Notice the beautiful front porch, sadly it was a 

part of the house we were not permitted to use. 

My dear in-laws lived a few hundred yards up the street 

and were very kind to me during my New Hampshire years. 

Burying my mother-in-law next to Bob's father this week 

brought back so many memories. We've spent a lot of time 

driving around town and chatting about those early years.

Today we returned to the cemetery to make sure all was well.

It was, and we feel comfortable leaving for home tomorrow 

knowing our loved ones are together again.