Cape Cod - Summer of 2010

November 3, 2010

Before I start the blog again, a little retrospective on what has happened to us over the last six months.

Of course, you all know I flew home in March to greet my granddaughter and 8th grandchild, Gracie Belle who arrived on the 21st. Another beautiful girl added to this family from Peter and Lindsay. (We were also informed that we could look forward to another Luckraft grandchild next April!!)

Soon after we arrived home I traveled to New Hampshire to join Jodie, Dennis and Zander to welcome another granddaughter, Jazmine Lyn, who arrived on June 7th. The count is now five girls and four boys.

And, on the day before my 60th birthday we moved into our new home at 23 Canonchet Avenue on Cataquin Pond in Mashpee. (FYI, this is not our mailing address as we are still receiving mail at Jen's until we stop our wandering ways!)

We are so comfortable in this house...everything we could want. Thanks so much to Peter and Ken, Susan and Bob; and all the others who made this house our perfect retirement home!!

And speaking of birthdays....my wonderful husband and children surprised me on the 4th with a wonderful birthday spread at Jen and Chris' house.

When coming around the corner, I was greeted by family and friends holding what looked like the same Happy Birthday letters that were used at my 50th back in Hopedale. That Sandra, Regina, Kathy and Alice save EVERYTHING!! I spent the day surrounded by family and friends and, for awhile anyway, being 60 didn't bother me! I have been blessed with a wonderful, wonderful family and the bestest of friends. Not everyone could share my day with me, but you were all there in my heart. Thank you to all!

Of course, the girls, Jodie, Jen and Sarah...

and Susan and Bob.

The gang at the table: the Butlers, Bucells, Garabedians, Scanos and Farrers.

Kathy, Alice, Regina and me.

Donna (as she kept reminding everyone, the "younger" sister), Hannah, Ted and Janis.

Continuing on the birthday theme...I was
lucky enough to hop on a plane for Buffalo, Minnesota in August to help celebrate my Aunt Beulah's 95th birthday. Here are the amazing women in my family, my aunts Ruth, Beulah, Evy and Irene (my father's twin who celebrated her 92nd birthday October 29th).

My father's family had six kids and amazingly enough, each family was represented on this wonderful day. No matter how far I travel or for how long I'm gone, these people keep reeling me in...I love them all!

Here are a few of my Storry cousins: Jim, Greg, Judy, Ann, Steve, Gratia, me and Suzie!

And here, are the "non-cousins" but we love them all the same...Jeanette, Ruth, Wayne and Mary.

Steve cooked up a wonderful feast for the occasion.





And Steve, Ann, Suzie and daughters Andrea and Amy (along with Wayne) couldn't have made me more welcomed.

We were lucky enough to catch up with Suzie and Wayne and their friends, Don and Faye, again in October when they made a quick trip to Cape Cod. Wish we could have had more time together.

We continued the tradition with Luckfest '10 in August, spending a week at a rented house in Friendship, Maine.

The house was perfect for the occasion. It was located at the end of Friendship Harbor, a tidal cove with swimming and diving off the dock at high tide and frolicking (for some) in the mud flats at low tide.

There were canoe trips...

to the fisherman's village in Friendship

...and relaxing.

Here's the Luckraft grandkids: Brody (3), Jazmine (almost 3 months), Jake (10), Ryan (4), Cassidy (almost 13), Gracie (5 months), Addie (2), Ella (5) and Zander (2).

And here's the crew (minus Ken who was taking the picture and Dennis who had to work and couldn't make the festivities.)

We did manage a trip with Susan and Bob to Salisbury Beach State Park north of Boston. It's a beautiful spot on the ocean even though the weather was "iffy" with a nor'easter heading up the coast.

Our stay turned as gray as the weather when we received a call from Ken's sister that his Dad had taken a turn for the worse and we should probably come home. A week later we lost Dad who went peacefully in his sleep at the age of 88. Vinnie was our last surviving parent and grandparent and the last survivor of his three younger brothers. The number of family and friends that turned out to say goodbye and to give us some much needed support was overwhelming; again, reminds me how lucky we are. (To my brother Bob, your words meant more to me that I can say. I love you!)

This is one of the last pictures we have of Gramp, taken on his 88th birthday, a birthday he shared with his great-grandson, Ryan who turned 4. I thank you, Vinnie, and also Norma, Pat and Jetta, for making my family possible. Rest in Peace.

We'll see you on the road again!!!