We had a marvelous week long visit with Chuck, Denise, and Graham starting 05/15/21 through 05/23.

Friday 05/14
Chuck had decided he and Graham would drive out in his too-good-lookin' custom convertible Porsche 911 Carrera. They left Thursday 05/14, pulling into Marissa's at around 3:00am Friday morning after driving 20 hours straight through.

They caught some sleep, but both had to be up relatively early Friday as Graham had to log into work around 9am, and Chuck also had some computer work to do.

But after finishing that, they hopped in the car and drove up to Shibley's On The Pier in Alton Bay for some lob-stah, and beer!

Graham on the outside deck at Shibley's getting started with some good East Coast food.

Back at the house — probably about the time Chuck and Graham were headed back to Marissa's, Sue and I were just settling into some backgammon with wine out on the screen porch.

Saturday 05/15
Chuck and Graham drove up to our house for an early lunch, and for me to meet my grandson Graham. He had been living out in Santa Barbara, California when Sue and I had flown out 07/25/19 for a 4 day trip to see Chuck and Denise, and my other grandson Braden.

We had a great visit, but they had to scoot back to Dover to meet Denise who had flown into Manchester, rented a car, and driven over. Sue and I met up with them all at 6:00pm at The Roost Restaurant in Dover for a family dinner gathering. Not only were Marissa, Gary, and Mia there, but so was Colin and Swayzie, so it was a really fun time.

After dinner Sue and I drove Swayzie home as she had to get up at 3:00am — or some such crazy hour — for work the next day. But the others headed back to Marissa's where they all stayed up until late having a wonderful time.

Chuck and Graham pulling into the driveway late morning Saturday.

Standing next to Chuck, I'm holding Beau's leash as he was all wound up over the intruders.

Me and Graham. I'm short, but not that short; he's tall....

Graham getting to know The Beau Dog.

Chuck showing Graham around the yard.

Beau, Sue, Graham, and me heading down the hill to get into the shade inside the screen porch.

Graham and Mia at the Roost Restaurant Dover where we all met for dinner.

Chuck, Marissa, and Colin at the Roost Restaurant Dover where we all met for dinner.

Sunday 05/16
Chuck and family spent a busy day with Marissa, Gary, Mia, Colin, and Swayzie. They explored both the Portsmouth, NH and York, ME areas winding up the day with a huge lobster dinner fest.

While they were off doing that, Sue and I took Beau for a walk along the Rail Trail. Unfortunately, lots of bugs, and many areas of wet mud. Beau loved it all....

Chuck, Denise, and Graham down at the tug boats on Ceres Street in Portsmouth.

Mia, Graham, Denise, Chuck, Marissa, Gary, Colin with Swayzie on camera duty.

Visiting Nubble Light in York, ME.

On the waterfront in downtown Portsmouth overlooking the Piscataqua River — High Level 95 Bridge connecting New Hampshire and Maine forms the background.

Monday 05/17
Chuck, Denise, and Graham arrived at our house Monday morning the 17th for a late breakfast around 9:30am. Sue had made a marvelous quiche for us complemented with fresh fruit compote. Because Graham has to work remotely for a few hours every day, he got to it while Sue and Denise took Beau for a walk, and Chuck and I did a food and wine shopping excursion.

We all gathered back at the house for a light lunch of chicken salad and black forest ham sandwiches, and then headed out for a hike up the backside of Blue Job Mountain. The sun was out, and the skies were clear, offering spectacular 360 degree views for miles and miles.

As soon as we got back to the house just after 4:00pm, I got started with the prep work for dinner, a Moroccan Ras el Hanout rubbed Chicken With Green Olives and Apricots complemented with a series of bottles of Chenin Blanc. For desert, Sue had made what turned out to be the hit of the dinner: a home made multi berry pie with Vanilia Bean ice cream.

Movie of the night was the so well done 2009 Star Trek with Chris Pine, and received well by everyone pumped up through my new surround sound system.

Starting up the trail to Blue Job Mountain.

It starts to get a little steeper and rocky about half way up.

Picture of Sue taking a picture of Chuck taking a picture of himself and Graham.

Denise, Graham, and Chuck with the valley below and mountains to the north as their backdrop.

Graham and me chatting — notice I have my custom Cane Masters cane 'Janis' with me. Though I don't need a cane to walk or hike, I try to bring Janis with me where ever I go, as I have since getting my black belt in Cane Masters International in 2008, just a couple of years before my hip replacement.

Denise, Graham, and Chuck loving the top crest of what's known as 'Little Blue Job'. Everyone else goes a little further up the mountain to where the fire tower is located, but we prefer the more quite aspect of this area of the mountain.

Back at the house late afternoon having some wine out on the screen porch and just enjoying having everyone visiting with us.

Putting the finishing touches on dinner.

Dinner is served. When we were out, the only Chenin Blanc I could find at the State liquor store was this $19 bottle of Pine Ridge. Hummmm.... Sorry, but not worth $19. The bottle of inexpensive Welmode Chenin Blanc that we had before dinner was soooo much better. But this area just isn't tuned into really nice wines as it seems folks around here favor Moscato, or many of the local way, way, way too fruity and sweet blueberry variety type wines. There are some great local craft beers, but for the types of more flavored and spiced foods that I like, beer just doesn't do it for me. Give me a slab of red meat on the grill, and then we'll talk trying beer!

At least Chuck got his glass of wine into the picture! Great dinner, and great fun!

Do not bother us when Star Trek is on!!!

Tuesday 05/18
Sue and I drove down to Dover to meet up at 1:00pm with Chuck, Denise, and Graham where they were all staying at Marissa and Gary's home. Sue had wanted to make sure Denise and Graham saw some of her favorite places along the coast, so we headed for North Hampton to start.

We drove the coastal road up to show Denise Sue's favorite Bass Beach, and I didn't think we'd be able to pry either of them out of the sand; two peas in a pod tickled to death to roam the beach, dodging waves, and clawing through the rocks for some find.

We drove further north along the coast road to the public park by Rye Harbor, and walked around there for a few minutes so Graham could sort of get the difference between what he saw the ocean as it is here as opposed to his experience when he was on the west coast living in Santa Barbara.

From there, it was a beautiful drive along the water with the large estates lining the other side of the road into Portsmouth. Since Marissa and Gary had shown them around Portsmouth Sunday, we wanted them to see Newcastle, and then to walk around Fort Stark. Unfortunately, Fort Stark wasn't really open for the season yet, but while I minded the car, Sue took everyone over to the fort so they could do a short exploration of it. She said she thought they could have left Graham there and come back in a few hours to pick him up he seemed to enjoy it so much.

But then it was time to head for home as I was going to cook hamburgers on the grill which we'd have with a special Gouda and mushroom sauce Sue had made to pour over the burgers. Sam Summer beer was the drink of the evening for some, and Dr. Jack Daniels for others.

Sue's favorite Bass Beach in Rye, NH.

Graham, Denise, and Sue looking for suffffff....

Chuck wanted me to get this shot of Graham — "...with his head in the clouds."

Denise, Chuck, and Graham at the public park on Rye Harbor.

Chuck and me taking it easy on the breakwater rocks.

It was tough convincing Denise, Graham, and Sue that time was pressing, and we needed to get a move on it....

View along the coast north from Rye Harbor.

Fort Stark in New Castle.

Finally! Back to the house for a cookout!

Wednesday 05/19
Unfortunately, Denise and Graham had to head off to the airport Wednesday late morning to return home, though Chuck would stay through until the following Tuesday.

Chuck had some things to do in the morning so didn't arrive here until after lunch. We had a cup of coffee out on the screen porch as the sun was bright and temps were pushing into the low 80s. I wanted to show him an area close by which he hadn't seen that I thought he'd enjoy, and so he drove us around in his custom 911 Carrera, top down, and warm breezes blowing over the windshield.

When we got back, we popped open a fairly expensive bottle of 2017 Charles Krug Cabernet Sauvignon that went so well with Monday night's Moroccan Chicken leftovers. We had listened to a CD of Phillip Glass's score to the movie Hours, and Chuck said my description of the movie sounded good, so we watched that. A good afternoon and evening for sure!

Bridge and falls in Center Barnstead.

Despite all of Chuck's driving, the car was hardly dirty at all. I could have taken him on some beautiful back roads that would have changed that, but he passed....

Ahhhh.... Chuck got a nice shot of our famous Snow Depth Chair!

And the bottle of Charles Krug awaits.

In my library showing Chuck something on the computer.

Upon request, Sue jumped up and snapped this picture so that we could get on with dinner.

Crashed out, but content watching the movie, 'Hours' with the Philip Glass score. Great stuff!

Thursday 05/20
Sue and I met up with Chuck at the game field behind the high school in Rochester to watch Marissa coach one of her last lacrosse games of the season. Though the sun was out, it was just a little cool with the wind that was blowing, but we had a good time watching.

After the game we left Chuck with Marissa as they were doing something together. When we got home, the weather was so nice, I just went outside, and plopped into a chair to read a little more of Jane Austin's Sense And Sensibility that I've been enjoying.

Marissa (between the gate entry posts) watching her team run down field.

Chuck was sitting on the opposite side of the field from Marissa, and so we joined him over there.

Enjoying the day outside reading Jane Austin's Sense And Sensibility.

Friday 05/21
Colin scooped Chuck up and they had a day of it driving around as well as going out on Colin's boat.

Well, there goes the Cub Cadet. It's served me well, though has been a constant pain in the ass maintaining it. Rather than keep getting aggravated with it, I sold it to Butch and Jen to give to her son as his mower was dead whereas mine is in fine running shape; it just takes someone with a love for fixing stuff - which I don't have.

Colin and Swayzie enjoying the lake.

Beau is celebrating 4 years here with us today in his usual casual manner....

Saturday 05/22
After attending Mia's lacrosse game in Portsmouth, Chuck drove up to spend the day with me. Before he got here, I helped Sue do all of the prep work on our dinner because she had to leave at 11:30 for her Aunt Carol's burial service in Ossipee.

Sue got back just in time for a late dinner and sharing bottle of Gnarly Head Red Vine Zin and then watching the 1976 Dustin Hoffman movie, The Marathon Man.

Chuck with Mia at her game Saturday morning.

Beau looking out over his domain.

A bottle of Gnarly Head Red Vine Zin sits on the table, ready to compliment our dinner.

Chuck pulling out of the driveway on his way down to Marissa's. I understand that they were all up late having their own party.

Sunday 05/23
Chuck spent what we thought would be his final day with Gary and Marissa down in Dover. He later decided to stay another day, and called to ask if I wanted to get together at some point Monday. So, we worked that out.

Sunday started out really sunny and warm, though windy, but the forecast was for heavy thunderstorms and wind later in the afternoon. Sue and I had planned on going kayaking with Steve and Cathy, but because of the uncertainty of the weather changed plans to go tomorrow, Monday.

Chuck with his niece, Mia, hamming it up in downtown Dover.

Monday 05/24
What a difference a day makes as far as the weather: bright and sunny with temperature expected to hit low 70s, and light breezes. Steve and Cathy drove over to our house around 11:00 am to deliver 4 small wooden tables Steve had made for us.

From there we loaded our kayaks up, and headed off to Brindle Pond. It was such a beautiful day to be on the pond. Around noon we all nosed our kayaks into some tall grasses so we could have picnic lunches. But then we had to press on to see a part of the pond we hadn't been to because I knew Chuck was planning on coming over later in the afternoon.

Just as we had finished loading the kayaks on top of the car, Chuck called and said he'd like to drive over and meet us at the house at 3:00 pm to hang out for a couple of hours until he returned to Marissa's for an early dinner. His plan was to be in bed by around 9:00 pm, and out the door on the road the next morning by 6:00 am.

We had only gotten home, unloaded the kayaks, and squared the gear away when we could hear the sound of his Carrera coming down the road. We had a really nice visit, but way too short. On the better side was all of the quality time that he got to spend with both Colin and Marissa on this trip. He's already planning his next visit.

Seeing Chuck off Monday afternoon.

Weather is great, so have to drop the top!

RDGS: Retired Don't Give a Shit