New Hampshire with Aunt Joyce and Uncle Dick

We arrived in Manchester, New Hampshire on a sunny cool day. (It rained most of the other four days we were there.) We drove to Joyce and Dick's home in East Manchester and literally cramed our trailer in their driveway, barely leaving enough room for them to exit the garage and driveway.  We thouroughly enjoyed our visit.  The first night their son Mark came to dinner with daughters Amanda and Sarah and wife Lynn.  I hadn't met them or Uncle Dick before.  It was wonderful to get to know more of Mike's family and to see where Aunt Joyce lives.

The next day we went to a portrait exhibit at the University of New Hampshire.  The portraits were very well done and featured people who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Each person featured had a chance to make a statement about their service that was posted by their portraits.  The saddest one, had survived his service and then committed suicide when he returned due to post traumatic stress disorder.  The strangest aspect of the exhibit was that none of the portraits were signed and no signs or other information identified the artist. 

Entering New Hampshire

                                               Two shady characters walking along the river.

Mill buildings

                                                           Museum entrance

Merrimac River

We spent some time trying to find access to the falls on the Merrimac River.  We tried two places and were fenced out of any place where we would be able to see them.  We came back the next day, to another view point and found that no water was coming through the damn to flow over the falls.  Oh well - we tried!

We went to a museum that featured the history of the textile industry in Manchester.  Much of the downtown area around the Merrimac River is covered with old three or four story brick buildings that used to function as mills.  Thousands of people were employed by the mills and lived nearby.  Many of the residents still exist as apartments or houses.  The mill buildings have been refurbished and are now used to house the university and many businesses.  It appears to be the center of Manchester downtown. It is hard to imagine the size of the footprint of the mills without seeing them in person.   It was interesting to learn how during the mill's heyday the residents were provided work, living space, medical care, consumer goods and education by the mill companies. I don't know how much they were charged and whether it wa fair, but I did learn that the mills were able to keep unions out for a long time.

We also went candle pin bowling.  I had never heard of it before, and learned that it is popular in the Northeast.  The pins are smaller than the bowling pins we are used to.  The balls are the size of a grapefruit and do not have holes.  The lanes are the same as a regular bowling facility and scoring is much the same, though you throw three balls in a frame rather than two.  It took us a while to get the hang of it, and Aunt Joyce beat us soundly.  This probably evened the score as Mike beat her continually at cribbage. 

We were sad to leave, but learned while there that we had a volunteer position with housing with the National Park Service in Pennsylvania.  We greatly appreciate the hospitality and fun we had in Manchester.  Aunt Joyce and Uncle Dick go to Georgia every winter, and we are hoping to visit them there.

                                                                 Saying goodbye :(

Notice Joyce's silk scarf that I painted myself - yes I am bragging!

                                     This would be a great picture if it didn't have a bridge rail in it!