IT TOOK ME BY SURPRISE....YES IT DID!

Thank you to all of our family and friends for the wonderful "get together" in honor of Salt's dedicated service in delivering the mail over the last 23 years. He was very surprised and very touched by the event.

It was no easy chore getting him to leave the dinner table with friends to go help Brian with paperwork! Next time someone wants to surprise him it would be much easier if they said they had a mechanical problem.

Emma was SO proud of herself when Pop walked in. She had known about the party for almost 12 hours and did NOT tell him. It was the FIRST secret she has ever been able to keep. Perhaps she is growing up!

Oh NO don't let the rain come down!
Why is it every time Pop and I plan an outside day with Emma it pours?? Pop promised her last Saturday that he would take her training wheels off her bike her bike today. She certainly came prepared for the worst. When she hopped out of the car decked in all her knee and elbow pads we couldn't help but laugh.

Grandma and Pop bought her a new pair of Nike sneakers since she was the ONLY kid on the bus without a swish (swoosh)????? Whatever!

It has done nothing but rain since she got up this morning..... and she keeps reminding pop of his "promise". I think Pop is about ready to take her biking through the mud puddles. Emma is an "only" child for a reason! We made homemade icecream which occupied her for awhile but after that was done we all had cabin fever so bad we went up to the Acorn Studio (the ONLY shopping on the island) for some new shirts for Pop. I guess it is now tic tac toe and coloring.

Patsy Parker is planning a surprise "retirement" party for Salt this evening at the Community Center....Let's see how easy it is to get him to it and still have it be a surprise. Jim and Laura Adamson will be here having dinner, so at least he will not have on his mud clothes. We have set it up for Brian Parker (the new mailman) to call Salt and ask him for help. We all know Salt would never turn down someone in need.

Wacha gonna do with all that junk?...all that junk inside your trunk!

Well, two weeks ago both of my kids came home to claim or reclaim the "stuff" that mom is NOT taking to the new summer house.

First of all Betty said going through everything made her feel like I was either dying or dead....she also said she polished the silver enough when she lived here and wanted no part of it.

Their dad is probably turning in his grave to think that neither of them want all those trapshooting trophies we won over the 10 years we shot competitively. Mike went back with some of his dad's guns, decoys and duck prints. Betty took the rest of the guns (except for the ones Salt and I will use for trap or hunting), a few prints and after twisting her arm, the rest of the decoys. I guess it's going to be a REALLY big lawn sale.

Well, since I wrote that last papagraph, Emma came to the house and is going through the stuff and she wants EVERYTHING....sorry about that Betty...make room!

Hey, Mr. Postman look and see....
Today is truly the first day of the rest of our lives. After 23 years of delivering the mail to Grindstone Island (6 days a week, 52 weeks a year) and 3 additional islands during the summer months, Salt has resigned from the post office.

Although he enjoyed his job (most of the time) the schedule made it most difficult to get any time off. It was next to impossible to find a qualified substitute when you are not feeling well and the temperature is -20. Thanks Betty and Frank for the times you picked up the ball over the years!

Although he will not be able to officially retire...He will be changing jobs. I told him he could work for me for 3 months overseeing the construction of our new house...Working for me will put a whole new meaning to "going postal".

Somewhere around the first of September, we will head out in our 40' motor coach and traverse the country, ending up in California, for Christmas, with our son (Mike) and his family. As of June 19, they will be in Lake Arrowhead, CA. After a visit with them, we will head for warmer climates and stay until the first part of April. When we return to the island, we will complete the house and Salt will work for 6 months, here on the island. By then we hope to know in which warm climate we will want to spend our winters. If not, we will keep looking!!