Marty Talbot got in touch today with the following:

Yesterday when we capsized the sailboat we lost a fender. It is white and on a long blue line.

I used to have our name on it but I think it is very faint by now.

Thanks for your help

Marti

563-3335

There was quite a bit of activity on the pond today - some folks getting equipment out of the water; others, like the folks in the canoe above, were enjoying the brief periods between showers. Some folks seemed to be pretty well buttoned up, but others - especially those who are here throughout the year and don't have to pack up and travel, are still going to enjoy what's left of summer right into fall.

We have been watching Richard Hackett's new cottage going up over in the cove at the corner of Old Homestead Road and Otis Drive. It's amazing how rapidly that has taken shape. Looks as if it will be a year around place, too. Most who decide to tear down and update their cottage do it as a year around home rather than rebuilding a seasonal cottage. That certainly makes sense when so many people want to come here to retire or at least have a place here in the summer when they retire and then head someplace warm in the winter.

We didn't go down to the demolition sale yesterday at Richard and Carmen Gagne's on Sandy Beach Road, but we were told by afternoon there wasn't much left. We'll be watching as the tear-down and building progress, and post pictures.

We've heard a rumor that Keith and Florence Chamberlin may have sold their cottage on Old Homestead. The Chamberlins haven't owned it for very long, but they are very busy with their varied business interests in the St. Johnsbury area and I imagine they haven't had much time to enjoy the cottage. Perhaps the timing was off and they'll be back in a few years when they don't have quite as much on their plate.

We had some of the Cabot students come by collecting returnable bottles and cans this morning. Nobody was at camp and that's where all the returnables are, so we went down and put them out just in time. The kids were organized - a girl named Laura came by our house headed towards Rt. 2, and her brother in this truck was collecting from Rt. 2 west so they could "meet someplace in the middle," he said.

We thought this shot of Carolyn and Ned Hamilton's was kind of neat - looks like they aren't in the "get ready for winter" mode at all yet. But across the cove from them there was a lot of work going on getting water playthings out of the water and secure. Our crew had planned to pull the boats out this weekend, but then hurricane Earl came on the scene and earlier in the week they agreed next weekend would be a better time, so all made other plans that didn't include Joe's Pond.

For Jamie, who didn't get the CorrectCraft, "Raja" in the water until a few weeks ago, it probably seems like it was a short summer. Bill didn't get his Century in the water at all, in fact he tells me there's going to have to be some intense work done on it, hopefully during the winter, to have it ready for next summer. Bob had his ski boat operational from the get-go although he and Theresa spent less time at camp than usual because of their new toy - the tandem bike with come-along doggie buggy I showed you a picture of a few posts back. And so, another summer ends.

There will be a few weeks before the road signs come in and things get really closed up for the winter, and we hope those weeks will be nice enough to enjoy the coolness and colors fall brings when the pace here slows a bit with fewer motorized craft and more paddlers enjoying the last days of summer. It's been a good one.