YIKES!!!!

Here it's been a month since I added anything. Welllllll, I hope to keep up every week from now on. I*t has been a busy month: a terrific 2 weeks in the MTC, 10 days across the country hitting 14 states and blessing Dave and Kristin's new baby. We were glad to be able to do that since we're going to miss 3 baptisms, 3 boys getting the Priesthood and a baby blessing. I hope they all know we wish we could be there, but also I hope they know that what we are doing is important and we need to be here.

It's been a busy 8 days since we arrived. Our apartment is very cozy----as one bedrooms apartments tend to be. But we've gotten tons of furniture from some the Elders had stored and also from the Mission Presidents basement DI. We have pictures on the walls, clocks, a couple of fru fruhs, some greenery, mirrors, tablecloths and cockroaches.............I HATE cockroaches and fortunately these are small ones and not like the ones on Okinawa that were HUGE and would chase me across the living room. I remember retreating to stand on the couch with the DDT spray gun and fly swater and the darned thing just wouldn't die!!!!

We've had a trainer from New York here all week with us and we're about ready to fly on our own now. We've learned a lot and it's a bit scary. We met with the agent Stake President Tuesday night that is the agent over the 8 of the 10 stakes in employment. He's very concerned about unemployment as the problems of the stock market and the financial doom hits Boston directly. He expects the unemployment rate to rise dramatically in this area over the next few months. So he's a great support. We've met every day with different stakes--high councellors and employment specialists. Tonight we went to Providence, RI and then did a conference call with the Concord, New Hampshire folks. On Monday the Northeast Area Employment director is coming to spend the day with us and then Tuesday we're going to New Hampshire to see the programs their Stake Employment specialist has. She works full time for the state employment department so she's REALLY a specialist.

On Nov 8 we are in charge of a training workshop for all the stakes. Fortunately the New York guys will be here so we can depend on them to drag us out of the mire!!

But we've been able to drive all around the area. What would we do without our GPS??? All these one lane roads thru the woods have us completely lost but good ole Garmin gets us home every time!! I can find my way to the Post Office and grocery store without it and I think I can now get to the freeway on my own!!! Today we went to Watertown Square where we lived back in 1963. The apartments are still there but we don't remember any trees being there in the 60's


Our apartment was up on the top left side of the picture. You can barely see the living room window thru the tree. These apartments are now condos and there is one in this building for sale for $239,000!!!! For a third floor walkup!!!!

We also went to Walden Pond today since its just 3 miles from us!!! You'll see a replica of Thoreau's little house that he built for the huge price of $28.12!!!!!






Now here's three pix of Walden Pond from the road, halfway down the path and on the beach part. They say during the summer this is one of the favorite places to swim. It's one of the few fresh water ponds around.







And now a picture of our apartment building. Our livingroom is on the left of the first column on the second floor--.



Well, in a couple weeks we should have pictures of the fabulous fall colors. Already a lot of trees have turned and the wind today started blowing them across the road!!

So we're ready to dive in tomorrow and make appointments to visit all these stakes. We never realized what an important part of the Welfare Program this is. Love all your blogs and pictures!! They're so cute!! We don't post comments very often but we read them all. Thanks