Our cottage is open! We had 14 helpers to do yard work, do plumbing, lift up a floor and organize our tool room! Aunt Peggy, Sarah and Alison plus Rob Ayer were our CT contingent. Max and Xantha introduced the Island to her parents (Paul and Betsy Morse of Wiscasset) so they wouldn’t be totally shocked when they arrived for the wedding. Xoe and Micaela enjoyed each other, too. Deb and Amanda joined that group on Friday night. Scott and I arrived on Saturday and shared a ferry with Rob and Susan Reece. I will say my “new knee” got a workout, but I am happy to say it didn’t hurt! (Now to work on the rest of my parts!)

The weather was gorgeous! We worked and played and invited the Olsens to a spaghetti supper. On Sunday, Scott ferried people across and we were lucky enough to hone in on the Olsens’ trip to lunch in the Harbor. We enjoyed our ride in “High Jinks”, the Olsens’ boat. We had a chat with Tom Strickler on Sawyer’s on our way out.

Passers-by our cottage included Glen McCandless and Julianna Faccenda and her fiancé. We saw Arthur Pierce as we arrived and Deborah came to visit Sunday morning. I expect there will be more Islanders up for Memorial Day and the opening party at the Pierce Cottage …remember, they are providing the food, we provide the rest.

I have been collecting tidbits from people who send them (Betsy Morrell, I have Molly’s kudos and will include them next time) and this update is from Elizabeth Pierce…albeit slightly “old news”: “Nicole, Ella, Benjamin, and I hosted Mom and Auntie Em to attend "A Year With Frog and Toad" at the Wheelock Family Theatre. Nicole's mother joined us for the show. Benjamin and Ella both are both fans of the Frog and Toad books. (Me, too, Elizabeth! They are so wonderful for first graders who become independent readers!)

“Last month, we four visited Ayer Mountain Farm while in CT one weekend, and we were able to see several cousins while there, including Aunt Peggy, Sarah, Alison, Tim, Rob, Beth, and Mike Potts (I hope I've not forgotten anyone who was able to be there!). Ella and Benjamin loved seeing all the activity in and around the horse barn, and asking many questions. While Ella rode a horse, Benjamin collected eggs from the chickens. It was great fun to catch up a bit with people "off season," and we all discussed looking forward to Cousin Palooza this July.

“Several weeks ago, I caught up with Kate Rydell over lunch prior to her current travels in Europe (I believe she's traveling through August). Such fun that she's off on this multiple-country adventure. Benjamin, Ella, and I also bumped into Kate at the Museum of Science while she was still working there before her trip, and we were very fortunate to have an impromptu "behind the scenes" tour with her of the live animal care area. It was very interesting to see the numbers and variety of live animals in their care.

“We four will fly to the UK mid May to attend our dear friend Heather's wedding in Cambridge, England. Heather has visited IOS, as well as Sugarloaf, and joined the Pierce Thanksgiving in Belfast a few years ago. While on the other side of the pond, we will also visit "Opa," Nicole's father, in Germany. And then it will be high time to look forward to IOS!” Yes, indeed, Elizabeth…you might need some R&R by then.

And this from Niki Patterson: “So the news I have relates to April 18th's Boston Marathon. Andrew & his girlfriend Hayley ran it as planned. Since Andrew injured his back during training in February, he knew he'd be unable to train to run it at his race pace. So he trained with Hayley at her pace so they could run it together. She is a fast woman! They both qualified to start in the "first wave" (of 4 starting times.) So they started together and ran the whole 26.2 miles together. Hayley finished 51st of all women, with a personal best time, under 3 hours. Sarah and Alex came up from Philly to watch, with a bunch of friends. They all watched in Wellesley. Jon, Sarah's dad, and his wife were there too. We had planned to go watch, but I had a nagging winter/spring cold for months, and since Sarah and Alex were coming to Maine for a couple days, we met up with them for lunch in Portland the next day. We actually had better "seats" here, with NBCSN on TV and the race streaming live on the computer. We all got text messages as they passed certain mile points, so I switched to the "finish cam" when they were about a mile out. I was able to see them finish, holding hands…and then "the hug." Sarah and Alex ran the Philadelphia Broad St 10-miler May 1st in POURING rain! It was Alex's first race! Sarah has run this race each year they've lived there (this was #5, I think.) They ran together, and decided to try to just enjoy themselves—if that's possible in rain like they had! It has thousands of runners who participate, and we weren't able to watch it online, but I did get text alerts throughout to let me know their location and time. Andrew bicycled to see them, and arrived just as they got to his spot…he said it was way too wet to watch the entire race.

“Neil and I are once again preparing his rental house for new tenants. Looks like it will be a full time job until they move in June 1st. Hopefully, I'll get to the Island by mid-June. Sarah, Alex and friends will be there the last week of June; and of course J. and Peg Grady will stay with me for the Sturgis Cousin Palooza! Big doings!

Andrew and Hayley are moving to New Haven, CT in June as she starts a new job at Yale July 1st. Fortunately Andrew's job is "portable." So things are busy. Phinn is 7 months old now and getting big. He is a natural comedian and keeps us laughing! He has been into the lake up to his belly, so I look forward to introducing him to the ocean! I know he will love the Island! Rufus is still chugging along … over 13 1/2 years old now, but he likes his "little" brother, which is good. Island time is near. Yeah!” Yes, Niki, I think that’s how we all feel.

Hope to see many Islanders next weekend!