Beautiful morning! Crisp and bright - it's the beauty before the beast that's lurking for us on Saturday when we can expect rain and gusty winds starting off a pattern of cloudy, rainy (or snowy) weather for most of next week, if the forecast is correct. We'll enjoy today even more knowing what's ahead.

A couple days ago I posted a picture of the cannon at the Parizo's. George sent me the "rest of the story" --

In response to the Cannon sitting on our lawn :

First let me say’ IT’S NOT REAL’

Back in 1965 Pat’s parents had a dock made using a set of farm wheels that the builder supplied. The old dock was used for a couple of years, then disassembled and the wheels were pushed into the woods where they were forgotten about for over 35 years.

Being blessed with 5 grandchildren, I thought I should build something they could play with when they were all here together. Ha, the wheels! A large piece of electrical PVC conduit and some lumber that I had left over and the cannon project was launched. It took me 3 months to get the rusty wheels to turn and another 2 months putting it all together.

With a little training, the grandchildren became a crack gun crew, keeping the Pirates in check on Joe's Pond with their “ toy” cannon. We can all rest safely at night knowing that the fearless protectors of Joe's Pond did battle with the imaginary Pirates such as Captain Kid, Black Beard, and Captain Jack and his band of Pirates and were successful in bringing law and order to the lake.

As the children get older the cannon remains as a reminder of all the fun they had when visiting us. It’s also used to sit on and talk about things that teenagers talk about. The wooden bucket under the carriage is full of tennis balls and the Lab. dogs can get them out and play with them when ever they want ( they don’t put them back) . . . And at last, it looks good on the Fourth of July under the flagpole with the stars and strips floating in the breeze over head.

(If the Pirates ever dare to return, I’m sure that the next generation can be trained to man the cannon and be pressed into service).

George Parizo

So there you have it! Thanks, George for the story and for the photo.

George also sent two beautiful foliage shots - both were taken in September before we lost the beautiful colors. The first was taken from the water looking at the shore along West Shore Road. From left to right are cottages as follows: Fillion, Vanetti, Rogers, Pollack, Rouleau, Rossi, LaPrade, Beattie, and a little of Bertrand's. Some are hidden in the shadow of the trees, but you can pick them out, I think. (Click to enlarage.)

This picture was taken from the car on Rt. 15 in Walden in September. George said Pat was driving, so that corn field was going by at 50 m.p.h. Nice shot, George.

I stopped in at Hastings to pick up the mail this morning and Jane was about to leave for Jenny's. Jenny and James are expecting the birth of their little girl in late November - right around Thanksgiving. Jane said everything is fine and the whole family is excited about the new baby coming. Garey really wanted to go to Jenny's baby shower, but the ladies were firm and told him no men allowed. However, at the party a very strange looking lady nobody knew showed up. It didn't take them long to figure out it was Garey - in drag. (Somebody please send me a picture!!) They called him "Blanche" (and perhaps a few other things) and kicked him out.

I got my flu shot this morning. I'm going to find out about getting a shot for shingles, too! I think I'm pretty much over them now, but I sure don't want 'em again. I'm still a little parenoid and keep thinking "there's more coming!!" So far, so good, though. I'm told it isn't unusual that the creepy sensations hang around for a while, but it sure keeps me guessing - and worrying the end isn't in sight.

Some of you may have walked on Wightman Road, the loop off of Rt. 2 opposite the power plant road that takes you past Laferrier's and comes out near the VTrans depot, before the washout this summer. According to last reports, no decision has been made on whether to fix that big culvert or leave it as is. Quite a lot of work and material will be needed to fix the deep ravine where the brook runs, but if it isn't fixed there will be two dead-end roads which would make it harder for the town plows, etc., and lots of folks would miss being able to walk the loop. Apparently nothing will be done in the near future, whatever the decision.

We've noticed work going on here and there on this side of the pond. On Sandy Beach Road, the Richer's are working on their garage/workshop; at Byrd's there is a nice new garage and new metal roof on it and the camp; on West Shore Road, workmen are at Randy Rouleau's; and what looks like septic stuff going on at Geer's. We haven't been over to the other side of the pond lately, so I don't know if anything is getting updated there. We'll try to get over there soon.

I think that's about it from here today. I need to get back to work on the musty old newspapers and other stuff for the Cabot Historical Society. I have finished the Blodgett book - I combined two manuscripts written years ago by the Rev. Fred Blodgett, into a hard cover book for the historical society and published it this week. It's always exciting when I publish a book - can't wait to see the finished product. I'll have it in about two weeks. We had lots of pictures of Rev. Blodgett's family and I added those so there are 168 pages in the book. I'll be putting other papers and documents into book form as time goes on. That way the information is readily available for use and the originals are stored to prevent being destroyed by further handling.