In a little less than seven weeks I will start living my 50th year.  In three weeks we leave to drop Grace, our youngest, off to begin her college career.  Angus, our middle,  is spending his summer working on the shores of Winnepasaukee at Camp Kabeyun.  He will return home for just a few days before leaving to start his second year at Hobart William Smith Colleges.  Conor, our oldest, continues to work toward his college degree while working part time at a veterinary practice.  He has recently purchased his own car and we are seeing less and less of him.

Next year we will celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary.  We are so excited to see all of our children begin their independent adult lives.  I feels like this is a great time for new beginnings.  I have always loved hiking but have not always had the time to climb as much as I would like.   Now I have the time!  I have decided to make a goal of hiking the 4000 footers.  I am beginning with just simply -  climb all the peaks.  I will let other goals such as, when or how quickly naturally develop overtime.  For now I am simply beginning.  The first will be Mt Tecumseh. Climbing the shortest seemed to be a good place to start.