The Third Time Is the Charm..

 Official Song of the State of New Hampshire

 Old New Hampshire~Written by Dr. John F. Holmes~Composed by Maurice Hoffmann

With a skill that knows no measure,
From the golden store of Fate
God, in His great love and wisdom,
Made the rugged Granite State;
Made the lakes, the fields, the forests;
Made the Rivers and the rills;
Made the bubbling, crystal fountains
Of New Hampshire's Granite Hills.

Old New Hampshire, Old New Hampshire
Old New Hampshire Grand and Great
We will sing of Old New Hampshire,
Of the dear old Granite State

Builded He New Hampshire glorious
From the borders to the sea;
And with matchless charm and splendor
Blessed her for eternity.
Here, the majesty of mountain;
Here, the grandeur of the lake;
Here, the truth as from the hillside
Whence her crystal waters break.

Old New Hampshire, Old New Hampshire
Old New Hampshire Grand and Great
We will sing of Old New Hampshire,
Of the dear old Granite State

    I know an odd beginning to a post when I have been writing about my newest adventure working  @ Caz....
So EM & I are taking a trip to see our friends from Church, Brent & Darcie who have a summer cottage in Alton Bay, New Hampshire....It is part of the Christian Conference Center for which Brent's family have deep roots...Back a  month or so ago when Darcie mentioned what they do after her & Brent go on their summer hiatus from their respective jobs, Brent is a high school principle & Darcie a music teacher....I was curious enough to find out more info & said that if things worked out we would like to spend a little time with them if I could get a long weekend off....So I was able to get both a Friday & Monday off for which is pretty remarkable when I have only been @ my job for just under 2 months....This is another reason that I love what I do & where I do it....We left Friday morning @ 7 & reached our destination by around 1:30....Beautiful scenic drive through Eastern NY & Vermont to get here, even saw a moose crossing sign!...We originally planned on getting a motel on the site of the Center, but it was booked...I then found a motel about 20 minutes a way & booked it for 2 nights....We weren't thrilled with having to drive up to Alton Bay but as fate does intervene sometimes, on a morning walk Darcie & Brent saw a sign for 'cabins stay tonight'....We got a text of that sign & was able to make a reservation...It was much less expensive & within a mile or so of their place....

 We spent the afternoon & evening with our hosts & today, Saturday we are having a lobster dinner @ their place & then go to a concert @ in the Tabernacle i.e: (a house of worship; specifically :  a large building or tent used for evangelistic services) to hear the dual, Devoted.

                                                          Edmund and Gisela Bullock

Edmund began performing with his father and uncle and their singing group, the Bullock Brothers.  A songwriter since the age of nine, and directing his own choir by ten, Edmund has been in ministry for over forty-seven years.  In October 2000, he was ordained a Baptist minister.  Gisela Morgan was two when she began singing with her identical twin sister.  Coming to Boston in 1989, and taking the name Double Blessing, (later choosing simply the Morgan Sisters), Gisela and Myrna officially established themselves as a singing ministry, quickly becoming one of Boston's best and best loved.  For fifteen years the Morgan Sisters performed throughout the United States, the Caribbean and as far as Korea.  In 2006, Edmund and Gisela united in marriage and ministry, choosing DEVOTED ("to God and to one another") as their name.  Together, blending their individual styles, personalities, and cultural backgrounds, they are truly unique - their music original, relevant, and powerful.
So that should be a great concert for sure....
   EM & I were actually in this state for the first time back in June of 1970....We had met in July of 1969 when I was discharged from the Army....We decided to take a mini trip to Hampton Beach, it seemed like a good place as any to go on a whim...Now back then I had my Opal GT, which is a poor man's Corvette...Here is a pretty good pic of what it looked like...

It was a sporty little thing with a 4 speed manual transmission, so fun to drive when you are 21 & free from the discipline of the military....
'The 1970s were a tumultuous time. In some ways, the decade was a continuation of the 1960s. Women, African Americans, Native Americans, gays and lesbians and other marginalized people continued their fight for equality, and many Americans joined the protest against the ongoing war in Vietnam. In other ways, however, the decade was a repudiation of the 1960s. A “New Right” mobilized in defense of political conservatism and traditional family roles, and the behavior of President Richard Nixon undermined many people’s faith in the good intentions of the federal government. By the end of the decade, these divisions and disappointments had set a tone for public life that many would argue is still with us today'.

How Much things cost in 1970
Average Cost of new house $23,450.00
Average Income per year $9,400.00
Average Monthly Rent $140.00
Cost of a gallon of Gas 36 cents
Postage Stamp 6 cents
Sports Illustrated 15 cents
AMC Gremlin $1879
Chrysler Newport $3861
Apples 4Lbs 59 Cents
Dog Food 12 Cans $1.00
Head and Shoulder Shampoo 79 Cents
Car 8 Track Stereo Tape Player $38.99
Chair La-z-Boy Rocker Recliner $188.00
Men's Leather Shoes $6.99
Striped Ladies Flare Pants and Tunic $10.00
Back To College Typewriter $28.88
Barbie Doll $4.77
Lava lamp $19.95

Some News Headlines
United States invades Cambodia to attack Communist base areas.
Ohio National Guard open fire on protesting students at Kent State University. Four students are killed, nine are wounded.
The Beatles disband~John Lennon and Yoko Ono marry.
Apollo 13 mission to moon Accident
   As for me I have to state even though I was in the Army I totally was against the Vietnam War & as anti war as any civilian of the time... My brother Jimmy was stationed there @ the same time I was serving in Germany & I would have died fighting for our country even though I had my own views...I also know my Brother would have also...I found out later when he died tragically while driving his big rig through Arizona, that he was awarded a purple heart.... I am so proud & humbled by that...
   So back to our first road trip together to New Hampshire...Let me tell you upfront that we don't recommend going to the ocean in June there...It was frigid for sure but we had fun & made the best of it.....The 2nd time I was in this state was when, my Granddaughter, Daniele, &  I did a dealer trade  run for Romano Chrysler Jeep to Nashua...It was fun as it was her first trek outside NY state & more importantly some private time with her...She graduated this past June & is going to SUNY Broome in the fall...So proud...Our third trip to this state although 47 years removed from our first is just as memorable....
   I will be back @ my 'observation perch' on Tuesday, so if you are still not bored with this whole blog thing, stay tuned...Thanks & Blessings to all....