Monday, March 22, 2010

Briella March 20, 2010





















We had a great visit with Bethany and Robb this past weekend. This little girl must be magnetic, once you pick her up, it's very difficult to put her back down, unless she's filling up her diaper, then the magnetic field is broken and I'm only too glad to hand her off to the professionals, Mom, Dad, Grandma.

I can't wait to have the grandkids ( or great grandkids) all together.

Friday, February 26, 2010

Hi Family, It looks like the rain has stopped for a while. The wind blew very hard, at times sounding like a very large freight train coming through the yard. I guess we got 5" of rain and it is combining with the snow melt to make the rivers overflow, ponds to get very hight and Goosefare Brook became a very large lake. Trees were down all over. A few trees were on one house along seaside and there were quite a few trees that just tipped over because the water was deep around the base and the top weight was heavier that what the roots could hold. Waves were coming in at about 12 - possiby 20 feet. They were really huge out beyond the islands. A lot of power outages and we have been without phone service. We do have power though. I have to down load the pictures and I will send some out.
Poor Oreo was scared of the noise. He sat next to the bed and panted like crazy. We felt really sorry for him. He just can't stand strange noises. Well, guess I will sign off for now.
Love you all,
Mom & Dad, grandma & grandpa, and great-grandma & great-grandpa

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Late winter snow..







Wow the weather doesn't seem to know what it wants to do. Mel and I have been watching the news of the snow falling all over - the south (Atlanta, Houston) in the southern part of New Hampshire - but we seemed to be missing the storms. We still had plenty of snow on the ground to go snowshoeing, but we hadn't seen any new snow since the first part of January.

Well, that has all changed.. last night we received 6 inches of heavy snow. We are supposed to get another foot tonight, and an additional fall over the weekend..

I'm secretly dancing the happy dance - as we have taken to snowshoeing this year and this new snow will give us added opportunity to explore in the woods.

Just wanted to also pass on this message - congratulations to Beth and Robb. Briella is absolutely beautiful... the family is growing with such shining little stars... the kids will all be a center of our get together this year.

Sit back in your easy chair this morning, and enjoy my snow pictures..

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

The Greatest Time of the Day......

......is.....sock time. When our dogs see me putting on my socks it means apparently in the mind of the dog, big things, wonderful things, incredible things are about to happen. It could be a walk to the mailbox, a visit to the chickens, or maybe a romp around the pond. So getting my socks and shoes on creates a level of excitement that Norwegian curling fans must feel when their team takes to the ice. Titus is jumping on me, Zoe and Oz are biting each others ears, tails wagging, and tongues hanging. It's a great time to be a dog.

When I get out of bed in the morning, I get a similar greeting, although not as robust. After a prodigious amount of canine yoga, including the down dog and child's pose, the dogs will see me stir and come to the bed to sniff me or lick my arm to let me know they are up and ready to take on a new day. I have learned to get dressed in a hurry because I can't pull up a pair of underwear with a dog's head wedged between my knees.

Although I say it annoys me and I wind up getting dressed in the closet with the door shut, I secretly enjoy the attention.

When my kids were little, around two, four and six; we liked to keep them two years apart because it made the math so much easier, they would greet me at the door of my humble mobile home in the woods of New Hampshire after a hard day of work at the computer company.

They stood at the door pounding on the storm door and shouting in cadence. " Daddy, Daddy, Daddy". I felt like a rock star. No matter how bad the day was, it always put a smile on my face.

Now, I am a new grandpa and in my mind's eye, I see my son in law coming home from a hard day at work and his daughter and the two dogs waiting for him at the door and I know everything is going to be alright. He too will understand the Greatest Time of the Day.


When Briella gets a little older, I'll have to explain the "Dad Tax" to Robb.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

DC - the second snow storm in a week

This is from my hotel room (to the right is the Potomac, if you can see it under the ice and snow). This is the second snow storm for DC area in the last couple of days (the other one over the weekend).


Monday, January 25, 2010

Family reunion - some thoughts

Hey guys and gals,

I was thinking about the reunion and came up with some questions as we figure out the details:

  • What location or facility are we going to have the reunion at?
  • What type of rental fees, if any, will there be?
  • Should we do t-shirts, ties, bandannas, etc. with Goulding Reunion 2010 on it?
  • What type of food are we going to have - cater or homemade?
  • What types of games, entertainment, activities are we going to have?
  • We need pictures of the family, where are we going to have these taken?
  • What about music - none, live (local band, dj, etc.), cd?
  • What type of fun will there be for adults?
  • What type of fun will there be for young adults / kids?
  • What type of fun will there be for infants / toddlers?
  • What type of fun will there be for guys?
  • What type of fun will there be for gals?
  • Will there be an area available for infants and toddlers to play/sleep?
  • What is our "weather permitting" alternative?
  • Is this going to be an indoor or outdoor event?
  • How many/much .... will we need - tables, chairs, t-shirts, food, drinks, etc.?
  • How much are families willing to "donate" to cover costs ($10, $25, $50, $100, etc.)?
  • How many days are we planning on having "family reunion" related activities?

Those are the questions I have for now, let's continue to discuss so that we have this all figured out way before the actual event.

Lots of LOVE!!

Melly

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Family Reunion

Just a reminder family.. we have a blog to plan the family - its time to start planning what everyone wants to do...

Let's make the 2010 Family Reunion a BLAST !

Thanks Tom for adding the countdown to the blog.. what a cool idea!

Friday, January 15, 2010

Tenley Haven

I have put some pictures up of Tenley on Facebook and wanted to share. I believe you can click on this link and be able to look at the pictures even if you do not have an account with Facebook or are not logged in. Keep checking back as I will add more pictures as she continues to grow!

(This one if you have an account with Facebook)
http://www.facebook.com/#/album.php?aid=147374&id=659710795

(This one if you do not have an account with Facebook)
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=147374&id=659710795&l=fd17b89e7c

Monday, January 4, 2010

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!!! Well winter came in finally with it's snow and cold. I guess not as cold as it is in Ellijay, but cold enough to dump 12 - 14 inches of the white stuff on the ground. There were pretty high seas and drifting of snow. In the front yard there is pretty green grass showing through most of the snow with about 23 -30 inch drifts along the front fence. Pretty but the only thing the snow is good for right now is insulation against the drastically cold weather. We are in for another storm I guess Friday and Saturday. OHHH the life of a New Englander. Will send more later if I can get some pictures to send with it.
Love you all,
Mom and Dad (who is out shoveling this gift of white.)

Friday, January 1, 2010

Happy New Year - 2010

To family and friends - enjoy the best of 2010 !

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Tenley Haven - Born 12/14/09

Sex: Girl
Name: Tenley Haven Goulding
Date: 12/14/09
Lenght: 20 inches
Weight: 8lbs 2oz
Comments: Perfect!!!

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Missing pictures

For some reason the pictures are not loading .. will try again later.

Greetings from the North Country

It is kind of hard to beat Tom's blog entry. Sounds like quite a Thanksgiving at the Goulding ranch. Wow, paintball and all!

We had a great time here in the north country, but it was a little more sedate. Amy, Jason and Cameron came from a visit.. we always enjoy spending time with them. Cameron changes everytime you see him. He can communicate with one word sentences.. but YOU know what he wants. He actually put two words together, when Jason went out to walk the dog.. "bye bye Dadda". Makes you chuckle when you hear it, but it also makes you smile thinking of what this little one can do in such a short time. Every little change is a milestone.. you will see - its truly a blessing to have grandchildren (right Mom and Dad).

I had a little mishap prior to the holiday. I took my eyes off Ariel (our female dog) for no less than 5 seconds - at the same time a fox scooted in front of her.. she decided to take off while I was still holding the leash. Needless to say, by the time I realized she was off and running I was on my way down.. broke two ribs and screw up my hip and hamstring. Lesson learned..
Note to myself - "dogs and fox don't mix - never take an eye off them". I'm on the mend.. but it will be a few weeks.. I plan to be better by snowshoeing season.. :)

Enjoy these pictures of Cameron.. unfortunately, we never all sat long enough to get family pictures.. which we had planned to do.. (silly us).

It is wonderful that we can share stories through the internet on our family time together. I am thankful for such a wonderful family. I am also thankful for continued good health for Mom and that her visit to the hospital turned out as successful as it did... I'm sad that we were not able to share Thanksgiving with Mom and Dad - but we'll try again in 2010.

We are all waiting for the arrival of Matt and Kensey's baby girl soon and the soon to follow birth of Bethany and Robb's little one.. Imagine 2010 with all the new little babies.. something to look forward to indeed.

Happy Thursday to you all! Have a wonderful day and enjoy the small things that make you smile.. they are the greatest gift of all!

Love Kathy

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Let the Games begin















It was great to have the family here for Thanksgiving. Some of us played paintball before the meal. This was far more fun than arguing politics or religion over dinner. I ate so much, I kind of feel like I might be pregnant also, but my stomach isn't kicking and poking me like Bethany's. A couple more months and we're grandparents. God willing we'll be following Mike and MaryAnn and Kathy and Mel in that ritual event. There is a lot to look forward to.

I hope y'all are well and survive the holidays with your sanity intact.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Life is what you make of it

So, the other day, I stepped away from the office, try to clear my head and find some greens for the goats. They bawl when they're hungry.

Anyhow, before I got to the goats I went into the chicken house scrounging around for eggs, but the birds lay fewer eggs as the days get shorter. so I only got a single egg.

While I checked each nest, I stepped in fresh chicken poop, while I was wearing my nice Italian loafers; the kind that have a woven leather topside that allows the squishy stuff to ooze inside my shoes. I scraped off as much of the crap as I could and went to the goat pen.

The goats were very frisky that morning, which is another way to say they were being difficult. I had to grab the male by the horns, hold him still so I could snap the leader line to his collar. The female is easier and has better self control, but she takes her cues from the male. So if he decides to misbehave, she will copy him, because that's what goats do.

As I am fighting with the goats to get their leashes on, I got the leader line twisted around my wrist, while they pulled in separate directions, increasing the tension of the cable. This is kind of painful.

I finally got the two of them secured and ready to move to the high grass. I've got a 1/2 inch of compacted chicken poop on the soles my shoes. My wrist hurts from trying to put the goats out to pasture.

I looked up and saw a commercial jet flying from the southwest to the northeast. It was a beautiful blue sky that day, not a single cloud between me and that airliner; 30,000 feet overhead. I thought about the passengers on that flight, especially the ones in first class who were looking out the window.

You know, where ever that plane is going, I'm certain I've been there, done that, and I wouldn't trade my contentious critters and stinking shoes for all the first class seats in the world.

I find new slivers in my fingers each day, I have dodged black widow spiders reaching for the light switch in the barn. There is a smell coming out of the barn that I just cannot identify the source. The barn roof leaks...... a lot when it rains, even when it drizzles.

But I have also sat in rush hour traffic, watching the guy in the SUV next me talking on his cell phone or burrowing a finger up one of his nostrils Or having that uncomfortable feeling that the 32 ounces of coffee I drank less than an hour ago are now past ready be passed.

I have also been to offices that feel more like a library, where exceeding a hush tone on phone call will cause the cubicle gophers to pop their heads over their respective walls.

The grass isn't greener on the other side of the fence

So, taking it all in perspective, I have no complaints.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Beautiful full moon this week

It's great watching that moon rise up behind the bare trees and then waking up in the early morning dark to see it heading for the hills to the west.

The days are getting cooler and the leaves are no longer brilliant. They were spectacular this year, although the peak color seemed to only last a day or so last weekend.
I meant to get pictures but I didn't.

We have allowed the goats to feed inside our fence in the afternoons, letting them take advantage of the last of the fescue before the cold turns it brown and kills it off. I'm trying to spread the spoiled hay across the flat spot near the barn in hopes we will have something that resembles grass there next year. I should be wearing a mask when I spread it. There is so much mildew in it that it makes me choke trying to separate it from the pile.

The hens are only producing one or two eggs a day now. I guess because the days are getting shorter. So we won't be giving away as many as we had this past summer when they were cranking out 4 per day like a production line.

We are in sort of a flux state with the time change, we didn't keep up so things get left undone, until my body clock gets back into the rhythm of the day. We get up earlier, but we've been falling asleep early too.

I've got two piles of wood that need to be split. I'll take the poplar, you can try your hand at the red oak. The poplar splits easy, like ripping paper; whereas there is no reasoning with red oak. It doesn't like to be split, especially the stuff that is twisted or gnarled. You might as well pound rocks. When you handle the wood, it leaves behind really fine splinters, the kind you can't feel when they get embedded, but by the next day you'll remember them. I've spent many evenings with a hot pin in a futile attempt to dislodge the slivers. The splinters aren't any worse than the fire ant bites so I guess I can put up with them.

The conversation about getting a TV comes up more frequently now, but it's probably just talk.
We've been without TV ( but are happy to have Netflix) for long enough that I don't think we would find much benefit in it. Even when I travel, I prefer to read or sleep rather than watch TV.

In the evenings, we'll listen to Andrew play guitar, either the acoustic or electric, play a card game or dominoes or watch a rented movie so I'm not sure if I even miss broadcast TV anymore.

Kind of a boring life, but we might not trade it for anything. We'll maybe a weekend in Cabo.

We hope ya'll are doing fine.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Some fall pictures






Thought you would like to see the colors.. we are WAY past peak.. and with the snow, we will have even less than normal leaves on the trees. These pictures were the past couple weeks..
Enjoy

What a difference a day makes...










Yesterday and today.. yes that's snow!

Thursday, September 24, 2009

This is a first

We were talking to the tenant yesterday afternoon. We had her come up to the house to pick some herbs and figs. So she brought her two dogs over to play with our three. After she filled a bag with herbs and picked a few figs, she walked back towards her house. Her dogs weren't on a leash. The younger one spotted the chickens, ran into the chicken yard and caused all kinds of havoc with the birds. The dog chased the birds out into the woods. Julie, the tenant and I chased the dogs and chickens through the woods. I saw the dog carrying one of the hens in his mouth. We thought he killed the bird, but we found her in the woods, pretty chewed up. She had two large, deep gashes across her back. We brought the hen back to the house. I got some hydrogen peroxide and began pouring the solution into the wounds. It was obvious, the wounds would have to be stitched or lose the hen. I got out the sewing kit and a spool of dental floss, while Julie held the hen, I sewed the bird up. I only stitched the flesh, I didn't get into the meat. ( It was a very deep cut) It took 8 stitches to close up the big cut and 5 to close up the small one. We poured more peroxide on the stitches and smeared anti-biotic cream over the area.

If she doesn't get infected, she might survive the ordeal. Probably without any feathers on her back.

But that was a first for me. I've never sewn up a live (or dead) chicken.

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Night visitor


Julie and I had finished watching a movie this evening. I got up from my recliner and went into the kitchen and I heard Julie smacking one of her flip flops on the floor. I came to see what the commotion was all about, she asked me to turn on the overhead light and there was a scorpion flattened to the floor. Right under where my feet were moments earlier. The bug below that is a mud dauber, about the same size as an ordinary wasp, which had died of assumably natural causes in a candle in the window.

That was kind of creepy, good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Fall is in the air - BIG TIME

Well the temperature is dropping every day and especially at night. 'Bout time to drag out the long johns, ayeh!! Even the leaves have started to turn color.
By any chance did anyone see the Space Lab and the unattached US Spaceship Discovery on Wednesday night? I had heard on the weather report at 6PM that it would be visible in a SW to NE trip across the sky from 8:06 to 8:11pm. Dad (Grandpa) and I (Grandma) went up to the 'uppah' deck to watch for it and WOW they weren't kidding in five minutes, it moved fast, come and gone. When it was directly overhead you could barely see the space ship but it was quite a sight.
Kathy, Tom, Mike, Jim do you remember going to California that time with Nana and Papa to see Uncle Jim and stopping outside a tunnel one night? We stretched out on the car, in the car and on that rail around the rest area? We watched the tumbling spaceship, can't remember the name but there it was, tumbling like a very drunk person wobbling his way down the street. Also listening to the tooting of the trucks and cars as they drove through the tunnel. When we pulled into the rest stop the cars already there started to roll up their windows thinking we were gypsies. That was some trip, eight of us in Papa's little sedan, squeezed in like sardines in a can.
We had a great time with Mike and Mary Ann while they were here in Maine last month, they arrived on Friday Aug 21st and Mike put in a beautiful new sliding door off the livingroom. It is such a clear door it doesn't look like there is any glass in it. Tom arrived on Wednesday the 26th and we had a terrific time while everyone was here. As you have read before we went to York Wild Animal Kingdom and had a great time there. That is the most activity that we have had all in the span of 9 days for a while but it was really fun to see every one.
Dad (Gpa) and I (Gma) had a Lighthouse tour on Thursday the 24th (Dad does the tower tour and I do the walking tour) and Mike, Mary Ann and Tom went with us to the island. We saw deer and had a great afternoon. Dad had to stay for the second tour to do the tower and the rest of us went back to the mainland and drove around Biddeford Pool until his boat came back. Mike and Tom spent a while skipping rocks when we got back to Vines Landing where the Lightrunner, our transportation to the island. They were both able to do 10 skips, Mike made his on the second turn and Tom in a few more.
I saw my cardiologist on the 4th and he said everything looked good for a person 77 years old and he would see me in 75 years, wanted to make sure he could catch any that may be a problem before I was 77.
Dad is still working off our house taxes with the Senior Tax Credit Program here in Saco. He enjoys the work. He did the taping of the City Council meetings and RSU School Committee meetings, that has now gone back to the students at Thornton Academy. Now he, and a partner who is also working off house taxes, is overseeing the Soccer fields at the Parks & Rec fields at the landfill. He opens the gate and makes sure it is locked when everyone leaves and that no one trys to bring stuff to the transfer bins after the land fill closes. VERY RESPONSIBLE JOB. They tell people that they are there to shoot rats. Since it is a transfer station there is no garbage, therefore no rats. Only larger critters like skunks, etc.
I haven't downloaded all of my pictures yet so I shall do that and send the pictures later. Not too much later though.
Everyone have a great weekend. Dad and I will probably be doing at least one lighthouse tour and tower tour tomorrow for Open Lighthouse Day. Just hopes the weather stays good. We have had some windy days and there is to be sprinkles tomorrow but not necessarily a lot of rain.
Take care everyone we love you and hope you enjoy the coming week.
Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa, Greatgrandma and Greatgrandpa Wheewww

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Tuscaloosa





Julie and I went to visit Bethany and Robb in Tuscaloosa this past weekend. I had a bunch of projects at home that needed to be attended but we haven't been to Alabama in a while, so at the last minute, we tossed some clothes in a bag, asked Andrew to watch over the animals and left on Saturday. Bethany and Robb invited us to see the Crimson Tide season opener against Virginia Tech. The restaurant was packed and we had the good fortune to sit with a group of Virginia Tech fans, who were woefully outnumbered. There is nothing as exciting as college football in the south on a Saturday. Oh, yeah, Bama finished on top after a sloppy first half. It's going to be a great season.

Sunday, Bethany and Robb took us for a walk around Northport, Alabama, which has a really quaint downtown area. There is a wooden trestle train bridge outside the downtown. After we walked through the downtown and bridge area, we went to the dam over the Black Warrior River.

On the way home from Tuscaloosa, Julie and I stopped at a sporting goods store and bought two kayaks. We dropped in the river near our house later in the afternoon. We have a lot to learn about where to put in and take out in Ellijay, the rapids change from Class I ( flatwater) to Class III and if you aren't prepared, you'll wind up going for an unscheduled swim.

We hope everyone had a great long weekend. It was great to see Amy and Cameron, Kathy and Mel, Mom and Dad earlier this month.

Sunday, August 30, 2009

End of Summer 2009

I'm not sure what was in Mel's water that afternoon.
Cameron is having second thoughts about holding the python.
The bartop in this picture was cut from a single tree. They had to cut the slab in a few places to get it inside the building, but what a beautiful piece of wood. It must have been 30 feet long.
Sucking in my gut and hiding behind Mom at Wood Island Lighthouse. The sky was a perfect shade of blue.
Dad, trying to stay ahead of the tourists at Wood Island.

What vacations are made of...













Mel and I had the absolute best vacation this year.. we took two weeks off - enjoyed the first week at the Belgrade Lakes....

Mike & Maryann came and stayed with us and we had a great time..
Then we went to Amy's and went with Cameron, Amy, Tom, Mom and Dad to York Wild Kingdom..celebrated Mom and Dad's birthdays...

Imagine two weeks - no computer, no work, no looking at projects that needed to be done! We just kicked back.. wow! I think we will plan to do this again next year..

Here are some pictures to share! Pictures are not in any particular order because I can't get them to do what I want them to...

Saturday, August 8, 2009

What a beautiful sky.
I tried to post last weekend, I guess I wasn't on yet.
I had said that everyone was so busy. I had been working in the shop on some cabinets for a bath remodel that Matt is handling and I'm building the cabinets. I'll take some pictures and send them when it's installed maybe today.
Saturday I did my first funeral, for a friend and volunteer of ours at the World Impact Center at Church. Bill died as result of alcohol abuse. His wife wanted a full gospel message because most of his friends were going to the pub after the service. The first song was Face to Face then my message from Luke 16:19-31, the rich man and Lazarus, we then closed with Amazing Grace and a benediction. I was a bit nervous my mouth dry but I made it through it.
Sunday we went to church at 8am-2pm, Pastor was back after a month long sabbatical, he was loaded with ALL barrels. we had a number of visitors stop by the World Impact Center (where we kinda of Live on Sundays)
We went back for the evening service and had a great time, after the service we went back to the WIC and had a number of friends and missionaries stop by that we hadn't seen in a couple years, some had just come from the field and were back on furlough we finally left the church at 9:30 that night and we never even got to the ice cream social they were having.
What a good day in the Lord.
This past week back in the shop some more, today I help Matt on a job, another busy day and weekend.

All for now, Love to All
Michael
Col 3:23-24