As sad as we were to leave Alembic for the winter in Belgium, we were so excited to go home and see our families and friends. So on October 24 we boarded a plane and headed home. This would be the first time in five years Alembic was unattended for so long. Even last year, when we came home for two months, our friends stayed aboard her, adventuring and taking good care of her many needs.
Our French daughter, Marie, came to see us as soon as we arrived!
Our new-to-us van 
Spectacular Tree House 
Furnished with world art
Bill followed through quickly on his plans to build a camper van. The van he chose had been a rental cargo van so the inside was pretty beat up, but the price was right for a one year old vehicle. He bought it in Maryland and drove it back to Maine.
We thoroughly enjoyed many nights in this awesome tree house, designed and built by dear friends Christian and Christine Slader.
Baby room is ready 
Study room is also ready 
We took a quick trip to Niagra Falls
Then it was home to Camp Weigel to set up for many guests, especially our granddaughter Sadie!!
Papa meets Sadie 
Nana takes over 
Thanks Ann and Al
Finally my parents got to meet Sadie, their first great grandchild. My brother Al and his wife Ann arranged the get-together at their home in Connecticut.
Early November snow 
Bundled up
Early snow at camp set us up for a fantastic ski season.
My parents and four of their kids 
Most of the adults
Thanksgiving was at my brother Dan and his wife Jolie’s home.
Ripping off the old shingles 
Sadie is telling me stories
Finally we had a calm few days to reroof Kenny’s garage. Of course Sadie had to be watched so I insisted on lots of breaks from the roof work.
Skiing with Erica 
Putting Erica to work 
Erica is a natural
Erica finally took some time off. She has been working full time in Colorado while earning her bachelors and masters degrees, but arranged to be with us in Maine for the month of December. So of course we put her to work. More importantly, we had plenty of time to begin the preparations for her upcoming wedding! Erica and Wes became engaged on Thanksgiving and are planning for a wedding on their fifth anniversary of meeting, August 25, 2019.
Tree skirts on my girls 
Sadie loves books
Lindsay came to camp to help us prepare for Christmas.
I love when my girls sing 
Skiing again!
Christmas morning 
Christmas Day hike 
All my kids
On our back deck 
Bill’s Sister Anne, Bill, and his brother Ben
Sarah and her Charlie 
Hiking with Wes and Erica
Bill’s student for weeks 
CBHS students again! 
First time on skis!
Bill and I began our sixth year of Maine Adaptive at Sunday River. We volunteer Mondays and Fridays to help handicapped people enjoy the joys of skiing. Every day, we get much more than we give. And I am still involved when the CBHS students come to ski. I used to bring a group of almost twenty every year to our camp for the week when I was teaching there.
Happy New Year! 
Dave and Lindsay read to Sadie
Yes, she’s standing on her Cello 
Neighbors helping our 90+ friend
Mt Abram continues to thrive as a little family mountain ski area with a huge heart. This is our sixteenth year skiing there and we can’t imagine ever missing a year. Management always arranges the most hilarious events and talented bands to keep every weekend lively. The village is full of wonderful folks from the newborn babies to the almost triple digit seniors. Everyone helps everyone have a great time.
Bill’s workshop 
Helen’s workshop
More Mt Abram events 
Sadie’s first sled ride
Trevor proposes to Erin at the Torch Light Parade 
Skiing with Dave, Lindsay, and Lis
So much snow at our kitchen window! 
In the Van with Christian and Christine
So proud of Erica and Lindsay 
Bill competes at Mt Abram AT
Solar panels go up the day we leave 
And she’s done!!
Lindsay’s Match Day
It was difficult to leave the mountain on March 15 for a few weeks, but we were eager to get going on the van trip. We started off by meeting Lindsay in Boston to be with her on Match Day, when she learned of her location for residency for the next 3 years. She, and Dave, were thrilled to find out she will be at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Concord Hospital in New Hampshire after she graduates from Medical School in May.
Al and Ann 
Mom and Dad seeing the van
After celebrating with Lindsay, we headed to Connecticut to begin the many stops to see every member of my original family. First stop was to see my brother Al and his wife Ann. Next was my parents. They were thrilled to see the finished van and I learned that Dad had always wanted to go across the country in a van. Too bad it’s a little late for him.
Sharon, Helen, Bill, and Eric 
These triplets are such gentlemen
Then on to my brother Eric and his wife Sharon’s home. They have the most delightful triplet boys.
Bill, Marie, Paul, Tara, Bill, Helen, Charlie, Nicki 
Rick, Mike, Helen 
Chloe, Dan, Helen, Bill
Next was my brother Paul and his wife Tara’s home. Paul arranged for my sister Marie and brother Charlie to come over with their significant others Bill and Nicki. Our final day started with a visit to brother Rick’s home and we had dinner with him and his son, Mike. The day ended with a stop at my niece Chloe’s apartment where my brother Dan was visiting. Two parents, six brothers, one sister, and many members of their families, all in a few days! What a whirlwind!
Wes, Erica, Helen, Bill at the Poudre
Setting off for Colorado was easy and boring, with twenty-four hours of driving. Luckily the van was working out well as a kitchen, bedroom, and lounge. Finally we arrived in Fort Collins and were greeted by Erica and Wes.
Erica now catches so many fish 
Bill is thrilled
I’ve lost count which one this was! 
Wes’ prize winning trout on Frying Pan
We spent the next week fishing in so many spectacular rivers.
Sunny hot hiking every day 
The Arches were spectacular
The Shire, a family home, may be the wedding venue 
Rob, Lauren, Helen, Bill at Vail
When Erica and Wes had to do more University work, we set off for Moab, and stopped at the Shire on our return, a potential spot for the wedding. An extra treat out west was to make a stop at Vail to see Lauren, a dear friend from Mt Abram. When we met her, we were surprised to see Rob, the owner of Mt Abram! We had already said good bye to him back in Maine and were surprised find him here!
These two, Wes and Erica, have a lot going on as they finish up their degrees, plan for their wedding and hunt for jobs. So, to add to their tasks, they are now in charge of the van! Lindsay will come out to use it for a week, our niece Sarah will come use it for three weeks, and then Erica will begin managing it as a rental van!
Bill finds a new van when we return to Maine! 
Birthday party for both Jenna and Kenny
Even the kitties got in this picture! 
Look at those bear tracks!! Yikes!
Skiing the double black diamonds! 
Sadie is eating her first onion! Loves it.
Lindsay runs for Dirigo in yet another Boston Marathon the day before we fly to Europe
Back home in Maine, Bill almost bought another van! We enjoyed Sadie a bunch more, celebrated her parents’ birthdays, and skied a few more times before flying back to Belgium to be reunited with Alembic.