Dateline July 25, 2019, Sunapee Golf and Goodbyes
The generator, and the Blue Bowl. Wednesday morning we ran the RV down to Deerfield, where the generator was being put back in. Our Flagler Beach neighbor Frank happened to be up in Manchester with his wife, Linda, visiting family, and though Linda was spoken for that day, Frank came up to meet us for breakfast. We had a good long chat about their summer travels through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and Wisconsin, over a meal at a cute little deli and grocery called the Blue Bowl Store.
The folks there could not have been nicer. We wanted a picture of Cody, the manager, and she pulled in her father, who had run the place before her, and had a good laugh that she is now his boss whenever he comes in to lend a hand. If you find yourself anywhere near Manchester or Concord, treat yourself to a meal from the Blue Bowl. Sensational.
Lake Sunapee Country Club. We drove the hour or so back up to the lake and, with Brian, got ready to play the Lake Sunapee Country Club, a beautiful course and another Donald Ross design. We had a wonderful day of it, Brian missing Janice by a single stroke.
There is history here for Janice. When she was young her parents belonged to this club, and the family played a great deal of golf together on it; Janice and her mother once won the member-guest, and she has the glasses still. It was Gene Sarazen's home course as well; he was a member, lived just across the street, and was often about the place.
Out on the water. We took Sandy's boat out for another turn around the lake, and came upon a sailing race, a lovely thing to see against the backdrop of Sunapee Mountain.
Lee had to head back to Derry for the auto auction, which left Connie, Brian, Janice, and John, and Connie barbecued chicken legs to go with fresh corn on the cob. There were meant to be enough legs for all seven of us, but the four who were left made such short work of them that only three remained at the end. We had a good laugh imagining the rationing if all seven had been at the table.
Very early each morning the lake came alive, the club's slalom skiers out practicing, an instructor giving a lesson, a sculler slipping along, all of it quiet and lovely.
Thursday was a quiet day, everyone making ready to clear out of the house Friday morning, and we took one last ride around the lake, Sandy kindly lending us her boat to the end. It came up sunny and beautiful, and we spent a good while just sitting on the dock, soaking up the sun and throwing down a cocktail or two.
One last dive. Brian and Connie marked the leaving with a farewell plunge off the dock.
Dinner was John's barbecued pork ribs, and a good thing only the four of us were left, because the ribs vanished to the last bone. Friday morning we cleaned the house, packed the RV, and pointed it toward a winery in Seneca, New York, where we would spend the night.
