Sue & Mark at Steve & Katie's wedding, July 3, Mount Snow, VT
It's that time of year when we both face the new year with wonder and anticipation, and tend to look back at what just ended. And, for Sue & I, it was an action-packed 2010 to say the very least!
February found Sue & I in Florida - St. Augustine to be exact - for a great week there. TRex from Georgia joined us at the end of the week and at a little mini meet that we arranged at the Gypsy Cab Company for drinks and a nice meal. Because of the snow birds that attended, there were more people from out of state then locals! It was, as always, terrific to see both old friends and new. We still have a series of boxes that we planted when down there that I've yet to post! Sue thinks I'm awful and I've promised to get to that. It's a series of boxes entitled "Take Time to . . . " that we developed on the plane ride to Florida as I thought how precious vacation time was, how short life really is and the importance of taking time to do those special things. These stamps are a series of non-related subjects, artfully carved by RTRW, that we've managed (with some success I hope!) to tie together to create a series that will take you around the St. Augustine and the nearby area and serve as a bit of a reminder on how precious a gift is life.
April found us in West Dover, where our cabin is located. West Dover was the location of our first ever New Boxers Gathering. This all day seminar included history of letterboxing, choosing stamp images and manipulation, transfer and carving of stamps, and making home-made logbooks. About 30 people attended and it was wonderful to see them enjoying and learning from all of our wonderful presenters including Sue, Deanne the Lazy Letterboxer, RTRW, Choi and Tony. It's been some time since that gathering and at times I feel like a proud father when I find a box by one of the "graduates" of the gathering and see the terric job they've done! It was a great event and one that we hope to provide in the future - maybe in another location like CT. All "graduates" received an official diploma from the (tongue-in-cheek) Pinecone Academy. (Sue really thinks I'm nuts because I come up with all of this stuff - and - maybe she's right!)
May and June were busy in VT with wedding prep for our youngest son, Steve, who was going to marry Katie on July 3. Plans to be made, the yard to spruce up and so many other loose ends. We did manage an hour out of our schedule to meet with our pal, Funhog, at a little picnic spot along side Lake Whitingham the Saturday before the wedding.
Meredith, Katie, Steve and Matt at Steve & Katie's wedding on Mount Snow
The wedding was a great event. Cool temps, dark blue skies all atop Mount Snow where the ceremony was held overlooking the beauty of the Green Mountains and the valley below. Everything went off without a hitch. Because it was the holiday weekend, the party continued Saturday night, Sunday and even Monday. Sue & I vegged out the rest of the week from pure exhaustion but we wouldn't have changed a single thing. It was a weekend chocked full of special times and wonderful memories.
Tonto, Tiptoe, Sue, Nancy, Dave & Mark at the Chinatown Fire Station, Chicago
The end of September, Sue & I, along with our friends Dave & Nancy, flew out to Chicago for a week vacation in IL. Tiptoe and Tonto were the ultimate hosts as they picked us up in their van every morning and we made our way to another corner of the beautiful city of Chicago. We toured from Friday to Monday; hitting all of the best places (and boxes) and some adventures that were not planned. We can't thank T & T enough for their planning and the great gift of their time that they so willingly offered. One of the best finds we've had in our 8+ years of letterboxing was when Sue & I stumbled across this lovely pair at the Great Lakes gathering many years ago.
Some of the attendees at our Chicago Mini Meet
Navy Pier on our first night in Chicago. They even made sure there was a full moon for us!!!
Our mini meet with the Chicagoans was truly an adventure! There were about 35 or so in attendance - and from 5 states! Some of the boxers told us that they had traveled 4 hours to meet us from both Kansas and Indiana and were headed back that night! Two of the women told us that they couldn't sleep the previous night because they were nervous/excited to meet us. I told them all that they were crazy! Sue & I are no different than any one else. We hope that you will consider us as friends and even family. Don't feel shy about emailing us or asking us to befriend you on Facebook. I think once I dribbled some pizza sauce down the front of my t shirt at the gatherig (I really didn't) they believed me! Our thanks to all of these hearty mid Westerners who made us feel so right at home and took the time to visit with us for a few hours.
Sue, Matt (Hart x6) and Mark after a great day on the Yellow Brick Road
After the Chicago leg of our trip, we headed to Springfield, IL for the Lincoln-related sights but made a side trip to the Land of Oz and that terrific series there. We were accompanied by the 3 planters of this wonderful journry - Pitties, Shorty & Hart x6. They did their best ushering us to the locations to save us time, but we still insisted that we find the boxes! I've long been a fan of the Wizard of Oz and it was a joy to spend the time not only in Oz but with the creators. We all enjoyed the back story that they shared with us during the planning of this epic endeavor. We left with over 20 of the boxes and hope to be back again to finish up. The kindness of letterboxers never cease to amaze us; all 3 of them taking time out of their busy lives to spend the day with us. It was most memorable day to be sure.
Home for about a week in October and then the wedding of our oldest son, Matt, to Meredith in a beautiful ceremony and party in their back yard. Unlike the wedding in VT where most of the activities were centered around our place there, we were totally uninvolved in this wedding which was a blessing because we got to experience the joy and excitement at all of the events just like the rest of the attendees. Matt called us that Friday night when the tent was put up and we ran over to see it. Luckily they live a mile away from us and Steve & Katie live 2 miles away. Makes it very convenient to say the least.
Mark, Sue, Matt, Meredith, Steve & Katie at Matt and Meredith's wedding, October 10, Kensington, CT
The tent was huge! Something like Cirque du Soliel would use. And his friend put up staged lighting which helped to create a magical space. Saturday night the rehearsal dinner was held at our house (because we're getting so good at this stuff!) Sunday, wedding day, was cool and sunny and just a great day. The ceremony was filled with so much meaning and special moments. To experience it for the first time was a great thing and made it even more meaningful. Another successful wedding filled with more memories. Glad we have so many memories because we don't have much more in the bank! :-) I wouldn't wish 2 weddings in 3 months on anyone!
October brought our annual Bed & Boxing with surprise guest Tom Cooch and his wife. The group started out the weekend Friday night at McGrath's Irish Pub where we had pre-reserved the banquet room. Tom also had the original event box from that first gathering, held at McGrath's, recarved and he rehid it. We all spend the weekend searching for it at our leisure but it sure was a challenge. What a great piece of history it makes in our logbook!
On the AT during Bed & Boxing, Killington, VT with Lundy, Jess, Tsuki Ames, Sue, Enjoinder, Tom Cooch & Tiptoe
Saturday brought the group hiking together on the AT behind McGrath's to some historic boxes that were planted there for that very first gathering by Tom Cooch and Erik & Susan Davis. These are the very same boxes that you see Rae Record hunt for in her video of that first Killington gathering - see the end of her interview from our Interview Series located on the right of our home page. How many times can you look for a historic box with the planter? It was a very rare delight to say the least. Both Tom and his wife were very wonderful and it looks like Tom might have been enticed to dip his big toe back into the letterboxing pool with his post gathering appearance on both Atlas Quest and the Newboxers talk list.
Susan Davis in the shadow of Prayer Rock
We offered to take a group of interested people to Prayer Rock which was about an hour or so drive from Killington. Only about 6 to 8 others joined us; although I tried to encourage more. Little did the group know (although I didn't know for sure when we left Killington) that I had pre-arranged for Susan Davis to meet us at Prayer Rock. It wasn't until we were getting ready to leave Prayer Rock after stamping into the box that my cell phone rang. "I'm on my way" Susan said. Ten minutes later she drove up and we spent a great hour with her. After exchanges, we were all on our way. It was a great weekend. It seems that we've attracted a nice returning group to these Bed & Boxing events along with a few very new, young couples who seemed to fit right in. Each event seems to take on a life of it's own and there's nothing like spending quality time over a weekend with such great people. I always say that you may come to these events as a stranger, but you leave as family.
Thanksgiving and the holidays were on us in a flash and here we are - closing out one year and looking forward to a new one. We love the "clean slate" of a new year as it dawns with endless possibilites and adventures. This year we look forward (and are already getting quite excited) to our Letterboxing Cruise to Alaska with 17 cabins booked (34 boxers) and the possibility of a few late entries. It should be a trip to remember with a great group already signed from 12 states: California, Arizona, Illinois, Virginia, Rhode Island, Massachussetts, North Carolina, Florida, Pennsylvania, Florida, New York and Connecticut. I'm sure I've forgotten a state or two but I won't forget to have a great time in the beauty that Alaska holds! Sue & I cannot wait for 2 weeks exploring interior Alaska, the ship and the many ports along the way.
Towards the end of the year is our 4th annual Bed & Boxing event; once again changing venues to the Mount Monadnock area. This is one of our most favorite Pinecone Adventures. We already have a large signup on Atlas Quest and will publish the location of that event (hotel) once we finish with our Alaska cruise. Who knows what surprises we'll have in store for those that attend???
So - that's our past year and some of what we're excited about for this coming year. Hope you had a great 2010 and face 2011 with hope, anticipation, new adventures and boxes to find! Be well and be safe! And look over your shoulder; we might be right behind you!
