FIRST, about getting that mortgage

First, we did get a mortgage in New Hampshire at a very high rate but we were able to transfer to another bank the next year at an excellent rate.

The first season, we had to abide by previous rentals by the original owner, but I was thinking about changing "our" room. Other new neighbors were making plans to make the two rooms over inside to a kitchen, two bedrooms and a dining/living room. There were three "units" upstairs doing the same thing. But we only wanted to change our side since we knew Gordon would be having friends over to go water skiing and we also could rent it when he was not coming up. The side units were all just one room.

A piece of interest: we found out that in OUR rooms both Katherine Hepburn and Henry Fonda used OUR rooms while filming "On Golden Pond". How about them apples? Nice trivia, huh?

We were introduced to a man who bought several units to renovate and sell. We told him we wanted a kitchen set up just at one wall (in back of the bathroom area). He showed us a plan and it was just as we wanted. We bought a small refrigerator with a separate freezer - really small but cute AND very expensive. I also made arrangements for the two double beds to be removed and ordered two twin trundle beds(which could sleep four) and made the room bigger. We bought two small tables with chairs for each room, a small refrigerator for Gordon's room and two toaster ovens. We bought a small microwave for ours and used that mostly even though we did have a stove put in under the kitchen sink.

We each got dock space (did not go well with the others - tough! We were the first and had a written promise). Most of the new owners were nice, but there are always trouble makers. The owners had a meeting and we voted in officers. I was made treasurer (surprised?). Mel was in charge of the docks. We set up a schedule for dues, and the new president made arrangements for the Condo to be incorporated.

Each room had a front door (one taken off by those who remade theirs over) and we in the central building each had two parking spaces since we had bought two adjourning rooms in front of our doors. Facing the lake was a sliding door with curtains and when we opened both back and front received a wonderful cross breeze.

Center Harbor housed the famous Mount Washington Tour Boat and we would see it come and go for the two tours made each day (one day and one evening). It was and still is magnificent. This New Hampshire Lake is so famous but was too big for "On Golden Pond" and they used a smaller one five miles up the road.

We went there for New Year's Eve and our kitchen was finished. On our table was a bottle of wine, and the owners who still lived across the way had us over for dinner. It was quite nice and we became good friends until they moved.

We also made friends with two couples. We introduced our "carpenter" to a single woman who wanted a kitchen and they married for twenty years. Our other new friends were people our age who only could come up for short weekends since he (a piano teacher) also played at weddings. They turned out to be very dear, especially to me when my husband passed away so suddenly up there.

Mel loved boating, as did my son.He had radio control airplanes and boats and was like a kid. Gordon loved his boat as did his friends. Many times I would bring up work, but I did enjoy just rocking in my chair and looking at that lake. I am a swimmer and that lake is pure joy. I did a great deal of needlework making my own designs. i also loved making afghans.

So between work we went to the lake and did not travel much due to Mel really not being himself. But his work was wonderful as were the conventions. We played a big part in them as well for several years, and life went on in this manner with nothing really exciting except for the 1983 Convention.

Now, I can't tell you EVERYTHING at one time, so - next chapter will reveal a really super event, or maybe even two!

Thanks for reading, Marian