Some of Polly's journals

See also the Alaska link for Polly’s journal of her trip to Alaska in 1955.

Key to some acronyms and Bartlett/Polly-isms:
SFTM – Shelburne Falls Trolley Museum, “the museum”
DRWA – Deerfield River Watershed Association
ABQ – Albuquerque, NM
BPL – Bear Poop Loop, a trail (or two, upper and lower) near Polly’s house at Bob and Sal’s
Little House – Polly’s house Bob and Sally built for her on their land, Polly moved there 2017
The Beast – Berkshire East Ski Area
Beasties – Sally’s horses (or Polly’s, when she had)
Rogues Gallery – wall where lots of family pictures hang together.
RR – Railroad
BOD – Board of Directors
INR – medical check-up, specifics don’t matter here.
Daod – Dave/Dad
PBF – Pine Brook Farm, “the farm,” 44 Ashfield Rd, Polly lived there 1968 to 2017
New Mexico day – a day with sun and bluest blue skies, like is typical in New Mexico. In MA, we only have the low-humidity for this kind of day in the cold winter.
RF - RiverFest

[Editors comments are in square brackets]

Photo of Polly Bartlett

Back to the Table of Contents

2004
Wed, Dec 1. Thirty seven years ago we signed the papers to buy this house [“Pine Brook Farm”] and Gramma Haeberle [prior owner] joined us here for a chicken dinner. The house had no insulation or storm doors. We hung quilts in front of the doors to cut the drafts and called them buffalo robes. The house had not been lived in in the summer for five years and the winter for ten years. Everything which hadn't broken in that time took the first month to let go: light chains, window shades, faucets, etc,etc. We only had our camping gear for the first month and I said, Hey, we have never had camping so good. and Dave said, Or living so Rough. But we love it and don't plan to leave. It was rainy today so Dave and I went shopping etc. I walked Stoli in the afternoon.

Wed. Dec 8 Dave was looking forward to the hike with Sam et all but did not sleep well so stayed home, luckily. Everything went well but with an inch to 2 of snow on the ground, going was slippery. There were 11 of us counting Sam on his mountain bike with his chain saw in a scabbord on the side of the rear wheel. We hiked up to the dam but no one felt the necessity of hiking up onto the dam and seeing the cold water of the Harriman reservoir. I was home again by 3:30, set the tea table for Women's club, made dinner for Dave and a sandwich for myself then drove to Williamsburg for a meeting on Trails hosted by HCI and Peter Jensen who is the fellow we want to design our South River Bridge. Very good meeting. He said if we could guarantee that he would get paid (still hasn't been paid by the power company for a previous job) he would look at our situation but it wouldn't be until late next year. He also mention a fiberglass bridge company in Philadelphia. I survived that day.

Sat, Dec 24 That batch of stollen [Christmas bread] never did rise as much as it should have and I baked it anyway (It is good if soaked in coffee or cocoa). So this morning I made another batch and some how after making two pies and a few other things, I counted out the stollen and made another batch. It turns out that was one more than I needed. I delivered the stollen not already delivered. I am two days behind in reading Christmas card, and news papers, I can't find the Cards I made extra now that I want them and I couldn't fine the box which has the honey labels in it. I used it just two days ago. But we got everything together and headed to Leyden [home of Sam, Marie, Nate and Jeannie] for Christmas eve. It is a very nice tradition cherished by both families. Jeannie had embroidered a hiking hat for me and they gave me both a key chain light as well as a high powered but very small head lamp for the barn. They also gave us CD racks to clean up the corner in the living room. A very wonderful family. Tomorrow, Marilyn and Henry will come over for breakfast (Dave will get them). We will have the cranberry upside down cake they like so much. It is already to go into the oven when I make the corn bread for it. Then a little time to ourselves and the Bartletts come over around 4 for dinner at five. Sal and Bob will stop by for dessert and presents. We are just making a donation to Amy's scholarship fund for Sal and Bob and a book for Sal and a pie for Bob. We love them so much.

2005
Tuesday Feb.1 Another New Mexico day all day. 4 degrees above 0 at breakfast and melting in the sun at the Beast. I took my car to have more flexibility. We got out by 10:00 but it is harder to get the two of us out the door with breakfasts and lunches made than it is with the one of me. Andre'e decided that she wanted to ski. I didn't know the woman at the desk so she had to pay full price (not over 65 yet) of $50. for ticket and rentals. The rentals were really good. We met Hank, Margaret, George, Maureen and finally Joan. Andre'e had not skied in the last ten years but she hadn't forgotten a thing. Her style was a little old fashoned but it was beautiful to watch her come down and just as happy as could be.! I will see if any of Sally's ski boots will fit her then I will ski in my old Carvers and let her have my shaped skis because they have adjustable bindings. Simple supper tonight.

Friday Feb 4 … Sam invited us to XC ski on the Catamount trail along Harriman Res. It is to be a beautiful day so I think we will go. Made sandwich makings tonight.

Saturday Feb 5 We were able to get out of the house by 8:45. I only forgot my warmups and my socks. I had an extra pair of socks in my ski pack which I didn't think about so used an extra pair (of mine) Andre'e was carrying and didn't need the warmups at all because the weather was so BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!! 20 degrees in the a.m. and 45 by noon. There were 5 of us: Sam, Marie, Andre'e and I and Charlie. the ONLY drawback was that it was fishing derby day on the reservoir and the snowmobiles were out in SWARMS!!!!!!. We had very few to none on our trails . I also had a hot spot on my good heel but with the help of goo it did not blister. We had left my car near the north end of Harriman Res. because that is all I thought we would do but we were having such a good time and Andre'e thought that she could go near the ice on the water, that we went the whole 11 miles with them using the new piece of trail which I had been with Sam and Matt Cole when they scouted it. Lots of variety besides the easy railroad right of way. We stopped at a convience store on the way home to fill our thermal mugs with real and delicious!!!!!!! coffee. Oh, what a day. We got home by 5:00 and fed Civi and got water from Marilyn's (ours taste bad particularly to Andre'e and otheres) before Polly French came for dinner. She is family so didn't mind that the house was dirty. Dinner I had planned ahead and was delicious. What a day!!!!!

2006
Sat Mar 4 Dave and I took a nice walk in our back "40" (12 I think), looking at trees we can't identify and how the stream changes. It was 11:20 by the time we got home so there went my resolve to clean in the bright light of the morning. I had already given up a chance to ski a couple of hours with George. To the tune of Prairie Home Companion I was knitting on violet's sweater and realized I better pull it out and start again. It was going to be too big and I would not have enough yarn. so now I have started for the third time. I am also rendering down and pouring through a curtain all the old wax from years ago. I would like to sell it to Mole Hollow Candles but Dave wants to keep it. I heard on the radio that we are defined by what we will not throw away. How true!!!

2007
Sun Apr 1 April Fool's Day. Nothing on the calendar. I finished up my TransCanada grant request for RiverFest. Big long thing to do on the computer and after lunch I rode my Civi first around the pasture then up past April's on Crittenden. She was very good. I only trotted a wee bit. Then I took to the sofa to read Tony Hillerman's latest, The Shape Shifter. I was hoping to get back to it after supper but spent most of the evening chasing things around Dave's new System 10, losing them and doing them over again. UGG.

Fri April 6 Dave's Birthday 78 I spent all day cooking a turkey dinner. I had made pies the day before. We missed our Nan very much. Nate helped Sal get her Copper Canyon pictures on a disc and we saw them on her lap top after dinner. Nate's Mexican "brother”, Rauell [Raúl], was with them. He is a charming little guy. Lots of fun. Nate had brought over his ski bike and rode it down the field in the dark. We had a little snow left on the ground and he went very fast.

2008
Fri May 2 What a happy day. Dave was feeling well enough to go to the SFABA breakfast. Sam, Marie and Nate, and Sal and Bob all came as well. Sal had approved my black turtle neck and dark flowing skirt I wore on our trip along with my Kokopelli necklace. I got out a pair of dress, bauge flats which I hadn't worn for years because I didn't think they fit. (they do ) but when I got up to make a pitch for RiverFest, I noticed that from under my chair to where I stood and back there was a trail of scone crumbs I couldn't account for. Any way, Carol Bolduc gave the run up to my Marvin Shippee award. Sam had told her things that she wouldn't have otherwise known then I had my acceptance speech. I knew I was going to say " Skiing, hiking, riding horses, playing with children. Sounds like a pretty good life which wouldn't have been possible without the support of my family or if I had had to work a 40 hour week." I went on to elaborate on some of the things which Carol had mentioned and things she didn't say like the 260 foot dam the Corps of Engineers wanted to build on the Deerfield. My speech was very well received and even Daod said he liked it. Molly Scott spoke to me afterwards. I am glad to remake that friendship. It wasn't until I got home and took off my shoes that I found out that the flat heels and maybe the soles of my shoes had disintegrated so there was no heel left at all. I guess I'll try to find another pair. I was surprised that my feet would be comfortable in a dress shoe but maybe it is because they were flat (even flatter than I thought. ) The rest of the day was without appointments, misty so I didn't try to ride but I did make rhubarb jam from last year's frozen rhubarb even though the new stuff is coming up right now. The fiddleheads are rushing out and I haven't picked any yet.

2012
Fri June 1 And a beautiful day it was. After cooking Daod his eggs, I played tennis. I am glad it was not my first day or I might have been discouraged but the sun was warm on my back and I stuck with it getting a few rallies in between chasing the balls over the bleachers. That back board really does sound dead. Maybe Sal will be able to play with me soon. A lot of "watery stuff" as Dave calls it to catch up on on the computer then between the morning and the afternoon, I got a lot of hand weeding done in the veggie garden and the fence ready for Dave to put up for the woodchuck. Making sticky buns this evening for Sunday's brunch. It was such a nice day outside today but five or more days of showers are predicted coming up. Will it stop by RiverFest next Saturday? We have a pump car school trip Tuesday.

Wed June 13 It was supposed to rain and did some last night. I didn't go on the hike in Colrain because I still have sorting out to do from RiverFest here and cleaning which has to (and did) get done. Also running around the Falls talking to supporters or former supporters of RiverFest. My computer is still a source of frustration to us both. It does some things and not others and some things not the way it used to.

2013
Wed June 5 Today was another perfect day so I joined 21 other hikers in Conway for (advertised as 6 miles but closer to 8) a very nice hike. I think easier than when we did it a few years before. Daod stayed home and planted and cultivated the garden. I hope to help him get his gigantic tomato plants in tomorrow. I'm not much use after a hike.

Sat June 8 RiverFest My day started at 7:30 with Judy Harlow as my right hand. The day was bright and sunny. The river was much too high to be on so no rafts etc but that was obvious, John came over to help us put up the tent and we had Chris Skelly too. John said he had never put up a tent like this but when we started the way I remembered, he said that was all wrong. Anyway we got it up and John and Judy and i got tables etc from Trinity. Then I went down town to help set up the DRWA table with electricity etc. They had minimal help but thought they made out very well. the day was bright and sunny and in the 70s and people came out. I wore Rita the Dragon (I don't know for how many years more) in the parade. I certainly didn't get to see all the exhibits and no lunch until 4:00. Oh, I had to remember to ferry Dave back to the Museum at 10 then take him home at 2:00. The trolley had 64 blues, and lots of yellows and pinks. A good day all around and back to Polly French’s by 6:00 for Pizza.

Photo of Polly Bartlett

Tues June 11 We had 17 third graders from Sanderson School at the trolley this a.m. I had Marie and Piper helping and Richard and Dick on the car. It didn't even really rain on us although Sam put up the little pop up tent for me anyway. I got home, fed Dave and went to Greenfield to do shopping and INR (I have to go back next week) then saw George. He seems very content to sleep and eat then sleep some more but he did go out for a walk half way around the Charlene Manor with me. I made some cookies before/during dinner to take to the trolley BOD meeting. My kitchen is a wreck.

Wed June 12 I joined the Champagne Hikers for a short hike up to the Balanced Rock then back to the parking area and a long down hill mostly on very well made ( SCA) steps set in to rocks and roots to the bottom of Tannery Falls. None of us have ever seen so much water coming down nearly 200 feet. there is a matching stream coming down and we usually cross it and go up the trail on its far side but there was no thought of crossing it today. On our way home we went by the beautiful lupine fields in Hawley. At 6:00 I went to a stream crossing workshop locally sponsored by DRWA. I wasn't going to stay for the whole thing but the presentation was so good, I didn't leave until the end and let them schedule meeting here in two weeks to first assess the culvert under 112 here and then go over to the town bridge over Clark Brook at Millie March's.

Thurs June 20 I spent the whole day at Pine Brook Farm and never went off the property. I put about 8 (so far) bales of hay on the garden to keep the weeds down. Sal do you remember when we mulched the corn that way and Daod got all upset? Now he wants me to do most of the garden that way. I thought of all you kids when you had to mulch the garden with wet leaves from the woods. This was much easier and more pleasant. More to do tomorrow but I weeded (some) of my garden and trimmed back the Fall phlox. I think a deer had done some for me previously. Maybe the same deer which pruned Daod's tomato plants severely. I am trying to get caught up on RF and Trolley work too.

2014
Thurs July 3 Rain or threatening rain all day. I did get some paper work finished and little else.

Fri July 4 When I went out to get the newspaper this morning, there was Marie's picture in color on the front page with the Chinese woman she helped tutor for her citizenship exam. Congratulations. Marie does a lot of things we don't know about. April and I did our things [tickets and pumpcar] and two [operators] on the trolley for this rainy day. No one would come out in the rain, right? Wrong! 39 full fares, 11 half fares, 9 frees. Donations 32 and shop 42 dollars. It rained hard at times but people wanted to ride the pump car anyway. The brakes don't work well when everything is wet and one time I went off the end of the rails but the dirt stopped us and I had help to push it back on.

Tues July 8 A domestic day, I also weeded and thinned the rhubarb and stewed up a big batch. It was in the mid to high 80s. Maybe I will compost them this evening. .... And so I did and so I did.

Wed July 9 Champagne Hike today, one I had suggested along the Green River Road and Ted and Ed had scouted out. It really was delightful, cool in the shade most of the time and mostly level. We went off the road a bit to have lunch along a beautiful feeder stream. The whole hike was five miles with cars spotted at Ten Mile bridge. I rested for while then put on a clean shirt so I could conduct for Sam on the trolley for 12 Sr. Men's club. They were very appreciative and could remember their parents talking about riding the trolley. Most rewarding even if no one did wanted to ride my pump car. Rested before left over cold dinner at 7 or so.

Fri July 18 Another perfect day so after returning bottles at BJs, I took a picnic lunch out to the Green River Recreation and swimming pool to enjoy the shade and lunch with Marilyn. We were on the far side of the river so we could enjoy watching all the little children playing in the sand. I took Marilyn back to the Senior Center for an art class. It was packed. She has a class she goes to I think every day and so many more things she wants to paint. Home via the museum. Raspberries are coming in. Not going to be a big crop like last year's; nor with the apples either. Now to make another batch of brownies. I wasn't sure if the first double batch of brownies I made was good so I cut up part of them. Marilyn and Dave (and I) all said they passed the taste test.! Tomorrow is the big TrolleyFest and to be good weather too.

2015
[Dave died March 10, 2015]
[Pine Brook Farm is for sale]

Sun Aug 2 It is 10:00 now and after a half hour or more of talking with Nan and three glasses of wine brought to me when I would yell Marlene, May I have another glass of wine? I don't know how coherent this will be. After the phone call, I watched all the pictures of Sal working first with Auriel and then with Nicholas on Indigo (Saturday) I know the kids were happy but Sal looks the happiest! This a.m. stated with b'fast at Elmer's in Ashfield, treat of George then home to pick up April to the Museum. Business was slower than yesterday but maybe that is good. Anyway people really enjoy us and our intimacy. I enjoyed all my trips. When I got home, Auriel appeared in the blue print and lace dress I had made from other dresses which meant something to me. It fit her perfectly and she does wear dresses. She liked it too. It made me so happy. It even had one of the "hand made by Polly Bartlett" labels which Marie had given me back when I sewed.

Fri Aug 7 At 8:00 sharp, Bob, Jeff and Sam were cutting up the maple behind the garage to better remove the old gas tank from there. It took them and John Durant all of one and a half hours to completely fell and clean up the branches and by the end of the day, Sam with his splitter had finished up all the fire wood except the butt log which Jeff said he could use. Sal and Marlene cleaned up a nice path to the side pasture through the brush and trees. Oh, the men took down the dead hemlock from the East Park and disposed of it too. Amazing and I am so grateful. I was making sticky buns for tomorrow’s race. George came in tonight and helped me get tables etc out. Sam had dinner with us which was fun too.

Thurs Aug 13 My 88th Birthday. It was not a beautiful day but a perfect day!! It started out with Breakfast with Jim Picardi and daughter Emma up Rand Road from us. they didn't even know it was my birthday. then home and a Birthday ride with Sal up on her hill which I always have loved. I kept my trails and direction straight most of the time but she has new trails too. Beautiful up there even without any view points. We only walked (Jogged up some hills) and I kept myself comfortable and did not have any hip problems either. Getting on and off the horse are the biggest problems. I need a hoist like they used to put the gladiators on their horses. (they don't show that in the movies.) I had enough time at home to lie on the floor with my legs up and take a nap before getting ready for a family party at Sal's. Delicious meal and ice cream cake by Marie. Nice family!

2016
Thurs Sept 1 I am going to write this before supper because I will go to hear candidates for our State Rep tonight at Mohawk. What a wonderful day it was. It started with Josh Schaefer (tree guy) coming at 8:00 limbing then felling a maple and big oak by the parlor and office windows. (They were too close to the house and rubbing the slate roof.) Josh was amazing the way he climbed and cut the branches then climbed some more and stood on the 3 inch diameter limb stubs he had just cut. His step father was on the ground throwing stuff up to him and hauling the branches away to a chipper heading into the woods. I said Josh was a monkey, a STRONG monkey as he would reach out with the saw in one hand to cut off a branch. Now, I just have more light and visibility in the office and no sign of the trees except the butt and larger branches they left behind the garage. I left before they had finished to meet Sam at Unity Park in Turners Falls to ride our bikes on the rail trail down to the "cabumping yard". We crossed the Conn. River on an old RR bridge made into the rail trail. We got stopped on our way out by the RR Police. I thought we were on McClellan Farm road but it had veered off without any signs and we were on RR property. Two Policemen each in his own cruiser stopped us. We pleaded lack of signage and had a nice ride home, 9.2 miles round trip. I was very impressed with Unity Park and the rail trail. I hope I write a letter to the editor about it. Then we walked up to a little restaurant where I had a BLT and Iced tea and Sam had corned beef hash with an egg on it, Blueberry waffles and coffee then a Big piece of apple pie. Peter Miller came in for a cup of coffee as we were finishing so we could ask him about which and when railroads went where. Of course I can't remember all he said.

Fri Sept 2 Leslie, Margaret and I set off from the top of Bray Road to scout a new trail to Flagg Hill. We went to Warger Hill Rd in Conway but then thought we saw a trail which would parallel the (abandoned) development road to the top of Flagg Mountain. It had been a trail but was no longer. Anyway after much bushwhacking and following trails we did not know, we finally came out to the ridge trail (road ) and got to the sites now overgrown where Rowe had cleared out views for people to want to buy house lots. It is now Fish and Game land and they don't care anything about people and trails but apparently they allow the snowmobilers to keep some of the trails open. It was a nice day out and we were back to the car about 1:00. Sam came over after a day at the trolley to cut up the Ash before splitting it and I went up to Sal's to see the Minis do some tricks Sal has been enjoying teaching them. they seem to learn very easily. then we walked the Minis down to get corn. She has a sort of a harness for Guy to carry the corn back for a delicious supper.

2017
Sun Oct 1
Rowan was available to take my shift this morning so I got a little cleaning done here and packed up some more stuff from the farm. Where to put it all? Fun at the museum this afternoon. I had time to get out my Subaru manuals but not enough time to read them. Such fun when people enjoy the pump car so much. I got myself a nice ice cream on the way home so I could stop at the farm and take in the blankets I was airing. Dinner here then picked up Heather who had had dinner with Rowan. As I waited in the car as Heather finished her ice cream, I could enjoy the animation of the two of them as they chatted away.

Wed Oct 4 I picked up Loretta to give her a tour in the country as we drove down to pick up Hattie then back to the Falls for a Sr Ctr Pot Luck lunch and the Drama Club's reading of Sylvia. They loved it especially one friend of Marilyn's but the Sr. Ctr said we could only read the first Act because they had to set up for something else and the audience's attention span wouldn't last. I doubt that but anyway they and we enjoyed it. Then I brought Hattie home here where we walked up to see the horses, had lamb for dinner and three games of Shanghai. She Loved the Little House and said the sofa bed was very comfortable.

[Polly is getting ready to move from PBF to her new Little House at Sal’s]

Mon Oct 16 Good yoga. I came home and cleaned house, or started to. The vacuum is really quite good once I get used to it and I even cleaned the car mats of leaves. Sam met me at the farm. John Boyd took some more things. Then Sam went through the house and made me decide what goes and what stays. Hard to do when there are things I want but don't have room for all the boxes (which I am trying to hide) that I have here already. We threw out the front of my cast on which Mother had painted a horse jumping. Then I swept up the buttery. I came across the list of things to take camping. Good memories. Now I am trying to pack. Night night.

2018
Sat Dec 1 [Albuquerque] What a wonderful day. Nan took Cookie and me to the South Valley to the Hubble/ Gutierrez Historic homestead/ museum. The Docent was very glad to see us, her only visitors so far and showed us the house then we got to walk around the homestead . Very nice, as we were coming up the valley next to the RR and in to ABQ where we were going to have lunch at the Pueblo Cultural Center, I recognized the old Santa Fe shop buildings and asked where the steam engine was now. Nan looked it up on her I pad and took us to it; open Saturday mornings. Oh how I wished Dave could have seen it. An older fellow greeted us then turned us over to a young fellow who works on the Cumbres and Toltec during the week. He really knew his stuff. He showed us things which were not on the original like the MU connector so they can run the steamer first and remote control a diesel behind it, They have done one steam boiler test and have more corrections to go but it is really looking good and hope to be running next Summer I think on the main lines. It is a 4-8-4 Santa Fe 2926. They not only gave us the tour but a lot of info both about this engine and the Cumbres and Toltec too, Reading material for tonight. We then had a late lunch and home a short while before going to the first part of Gloria's (Nan's Monday Yoga teacher)' open house party.

Mon Dec 3 We woke up to 24 degrees this morning. (Sal said it was in the 50s at home) We are the only ones on Nan's loop with blooming flowers because we cover well the big pot and bring in the two smaller ones. It is worth the work. Joan Wilkes was not feeling well today so Cookie and I took an hour walk around the neighborhood before lunch. The mountains with snow frosting on them and blue sky are beautiful and the sun was warm.

Photo of Polly Bartlett
Marie made a calendar for Polly each year with an updated picture of her "Little House"

2019
[Polly is now living at the Little House, Sam and Marie have “bought the farm”].
Tues Jan 1 Nan and Sal came down to help me set up my Rogues Gallery [family pictures] and helped a lot. Sal will get frames to fit some of the pictures I want up. The others I will take out of their frames and put into a scrap book. Marie took Nan to the plane. Her trip to CHI was supposed to be good weather but the weather in ABQ was to be 7 inches of snow. I will be glad when I hear from her safe on the ground in Pat's arms. The afternoon and evening I spent on printing pages one by one with a typed note to each person of my New Year's Letter . I got done all the ones for which I had made the envelopes in ABQ. Not too many more to go. I walked down to pick up the News Paper. I wonder if I can keep my eyes open to read it.

Thurs Jan 3 We got an inch of new snow last night as promised. Dick Stone and Maureen and I had a great time at the Beast. It was great but I bet I would not have liked it as much if I hadn't had my skis freshly tuned and sharpened because we could hear the hard packed man made snow under the fresh snow. We skied until noon (all the mountain that was open including Umass where I practiced "finishing my turns". It is easier to do with edges. Sal came over for the afternoon with frames she had bought for my rouge's gallery. They are all framed placed and mentally placed but right now they are on the rug in front of my bureau. I am going to write Mary Staley now. She is the only one [from Washington State]I really keep close to. She usually sends a picture from one of our climbs 70 years ago but she didn't this year. We all are not doing what we would like to do or used to do.

Sun Jan 6 Sal and I waited a bit for the drizzle to abate then had a great day of skiing. (I skied each trail once then Sal went out and burned up a few more). I asked her to give me pointers and she told me what (I knew) I was doing wrong. It was fun anyway and I got a little cleaning done before a nice dinner with Sal and Bob. (Next Sunday, they will dine with me). Tomorrow it is to be beautiful weather again and after yoga, I will go to Northampton to see my beautiful friends Hattie and Marilyn on the way home in Greenfield.

Thurs Jan 10 I gave up a chance to ski with Sal in uninspiring weather to tend to my desk and cleaning. In getting my desk cleaned up, I managed to find a folder of pictures Sam had put together from Dave's slides of me during our (short) engagement and on our honeymoon (sitting or walking on the rail heads in Canada because there wasn't enough snow for skiing) I do look happy and Dave is so handsome. A dream come true. The a.m. was at the computer and the afternoon I actually cleaned. I found that a collapsible umbrella with a dust cloth pinned around the umbrella gave me just what I needed to clean cobwebs over head and base boards. I got out my nice light weight vacuum cleaner too. I guess I haven't been upstairs here yet as I look at the computer. Yoga at 6:00 then made squash (pumpkin) bread and prepared the rest of lunch to take to Eggerts tomorrow.

Fri Jan 11 The temp got down to the teens last night. I dressed warmly (but forgot my neck up) to ski with Hank (his first for the season) and boy, it was COLD. And on ski patrol we used to have to stand outside for an hour or two shifts in that weather. (Now they have radios for everyone and they patrol from the lodge a lot.) We skied with Maureen until noon when I took lunch to Eggerts. Margaret is doing quite well but Hank says she spends a lot of time sleeping or resting. She Never used to nap. We had a nice visit anyway and I napped when I got home then tonight I did dishes which had patiently waited for me from last night.

Wed Jan 16 Skied with Hank 10:00 to 12:30. Very good and I would have picked up an Austrian older gentleman after lunch if I hadn't already taken off my boots. Margaret came over for lunch. (her cleaning lady dropped her off at the mountain) She needs to get out of the house.

Sun Apr 14 Sam's Birthday - Was it Sunday or Saturday that Sandy came over and she and Sal and Nicholas and I went down to the river. Always fun and good to see Sandy. I made buns and went over to have dinner with Sam and Marie. She had a delidious Chocolate cake for Sam. Was it that which didn't let me get back to sleep for two hours in the middle of the night or was it just all the other blessings I was counting that kept me awake?

2020
Sat Feb 1 I watched one and a half games of Nicholas' basketball. Those kids can be fast and jump right up when they fall. When I close my eyes, I see kids jumping up and down flailing their arms. Mona and I went to the Met in HD at memorial Hall to see Porgie and Bess. The auditorium was filled to capacity. The acting and singing were outstandingly good.

Mon Feb 3 A full but different Monday since I decided to do Yoga once a week (Thurs 6:00) and fitness twice 10:00 on Mondays and 9:00 on Thursdays. It was my toenail day at the Sr. Ctr so by the time I got home I was hungry and too tired to take Sal up on her offer to go skiing at the Beast. Then Brenda called inviting me to dinner so we could go over Niagara Falls plans. So I made the Hot Fudge sundae cake I have been wanting to make and got in some firewood in preparation for bad weather coming. We had delicious meat which they had bought on their way home from Island Pond and Brenda had done a lot of work on the trip. We want to go when we are sure that the Lady of the Mist will be running (boat) under the falls but before high tourist season comes. Amtrak has package tours which sound just right for us for one day then the second day we can go back to see more of what we liked or see the Welland canal around the falls on the Canadian side. Now to wait for Nan's phone call.

Tues Feb 4 I could barely get out of my own way this morning even after a walk to Sal's to deliver some rice pudding to them and apple cores to the Beasties. I then went up the 'dozer road to Bear Poop Loop and down to the stream. Sometimes fresh air wakes me up. I made a batch of Anzac biscuits for the soup/supper at the Library. I had a couple of nice hands at Sr Ctr Bridge at 1:00to 4 then the Library at 5:00. It was a lot of nice people some I hadn't see for a long time. Luckily I could remember the names of those whom I had seen recently. A Nice time. I took Anzac Biscuits and watched people's faces as they ate them. I came home with four emails to send the recipe to but luckily I had it already on the computer. (I had a miserable time trying to get the recipe from its file onto the email list. ) Time for my snooze paper.

Mon Feb 10 I woke up at seven expecting to go to Fitness class but I saw three inches of snow out there, still coming down and Bob without a truck or plow but Sal was out there shoveling her yard then down to my house. I told her that shoveling around my house was MY exercise but she still did a bit around the doorway then did the whole deck. I was very glad to have my Book which I read until the snow started to get warmer and I knew it was to turn to rain then freeze. So a couple of times during the day, I shoveled the deck and then the roof would let go and cover all I had done (but luckily I was not underneath the roof fall.) The snow from the roof does make an awful clatter but not like at PBF where it sounded like an Elephant with diarrhea. I also walked up to Sue's to get some eggs but no one was home and no eggs in a refrigerator on the porch. By that time, Bob and Sal had returned from Agawam with a loaner truck for Bob but no plow. John Durant was plowing so now I am ready for some more wintry mix tonight and tomorrow. Otherwise, I finished my book. The depression was hard on most people and many of the families in the Kentucky hills and around starved to death (or died of Black Lung disease.) Brenda came by to help with our ticket rezzies but she needs Nicholas's passport number first. I had seen some Juncos on the deck but Brenda said she saw a Cardinal in the Christmas tree! I will have to put out more peanut butter and sunflower seeds on the branches.

Wed Feb 12 A beautiful day! Hank was unavailable but I talked Mona into a couple of runs this morning.. This is only her third time this year and her skis are ten or more years old. (she also hasn't been skiing with Sal) We quit at noon and I still had strength to bring in two loads of wood from the deck. THANK YOU, Sal and Bob for loading my deck up. From the deck inside is all I am up to even with only doing five logs instead of the six I used to do from the Shed to the house at PBF.

Thurs Feb 13 I awoke to the alarm to go to Fitness but when I saw the 2 to 3 inches of snow, with rain and sleet forecast for the rest of the day, I went back to bed. When I got up again, Sal had shoveled my deck and front yard. Thank you Sal. I also saw a nut hatch on my deck wood pile and the Christmas tree which Bob "planted" for me is alive with Juncos inside. And a cardinal!!!! So I had the day to myself until a perm with Brenda ( Christmas present!!) but I didn't get anything done! ..... I didn't have a book to read so I read some of my old Journals to sort and file. These were 1982, Sam was in Rochester, Sal and Bob were married and pregnant with Jeff and Pine Brook was humming. People whose names I don't recognize were staying over night. Fun to remember.

Sat Feb 15 Sal and Nicholas were up at the Beast at 8:30 to meet and ski with Nate and Cassadie [Cassidy] (I couldn't find the spelling in my dictionary of given names to spell it correctly). I came up a little later.. The mountain had none of the trees and challenges which they are used to but we all had a good time. I hadn't seen Nicholas since he really got everything together and skied like a pro. He just doesn't have the body weight that us older folks have so we pass him on the flats. N and C had to leave by noon to catch a plane. Lots of fun while it lasted. Nap and got some more wood inside with Sal's help. Now to get back to my journals.....I was reading 1982 and 83 which was when Tete was bringing girls by, often including Liz [whom he married]. I haven't gotten to their wedding yet. Fun to relive all the company we used to have!!!!

Sun Feb 16 Morning at home enjoying the birds etc then a nice walk on the flat on a field then into the woods with Mona before tea in her sun room. She gave me a book to read "Tomboy Bride" a true story about a young couple in Teluride, "To Hell You Ride" when it was a mining town. I had a delicious dinner with Sal and Bob and brought up bread pudding, a request from Bob then Sal and I watched a Doc. Martin which I hadn't seen. Always fun. She walked me home Nice evening .

Tues Feb 18 How I wish I could share the book with Dave. The names are so familiar to me from his slides and when we went out there together on our camping trip and followed many of the (previous) RR lines and visited Teluride before skiing there the next spring. Of course the story is told by the woman and her point of view. This morning after doing yesterday's left over dishes, I went down to PBF and treated some more lead paint then to Bridge at the Senior Center, home to close my eyes and then to Soup night at the Buckland Library. Only 8 of us came out on such a Wintery mix night of snow and sleet and rain but it was very interesting. The snow is sliding off the roof but only in small patches.

Fri Feb 21 It was a beautiful day and Hank was ready to go skiing, too. Lots but not too many kids still on vacation so we had a good time. Hank dropped his pole getting on the lift so we waited for it at the top but it never came. The lifty left it down below. o.k. On what was to be our last run, my pole got caught in the chair and I got off o.k. But the pole went around the bull wheel. I skied down without the other pole by holding the one pole in both hands in front of me: No trouble. On our next trip up, we looked for it under the lift but no pole. As I was trying to climb up to the lift operator with only one pole to ask him if he had seen the other pole, I slipped and fell. Even after Hank took both skis off for me, I still couldn't get up until John LaFlueur came over and just hoisted me on to my feet. A call to the ski partol had gone out "There is a little old lady in trouble at the top of the lift". I could see that someone had gone in boots around the Bull wheel but John said my matching (pistol) grip) pole was not there. Another one the right size was there so we made our final run. Lunch nap, book and Marie and Sam stopped by on their way to a retirement party for Bruce and Karen who have sold Zoar Outdoor to the Beast. Pretty soon we will be calling Charlemont "Scheafferville".

Sat Feb 22 This was a big day I had been preparing for; The Deerfield chapter of Trout Unlimited was to award me with the Conservation achievement award, "Bob Anderson award". I took it easy all day and Brenda, Bless her heart, came by on her way home from work and gave me a nice hair do. Sal and Bob picked me up at 5:00, cocktails at 5:30 (my treat although I only had applejuice) and Sam and Marie, and Jeff and Brenda met us there. I wore my Pink shirt with my Kokopelli pendant so Nan was with us also. A lot of people I did not know and many who knew me and I had forgotten their names. Luckily, the award was given before the meal so I could really enjoy the beef and chicken and vegetable dishes. I didn't say a lot of what I had on my notes but I said enough and got laughs so that is the important part. After the dinner, there was a presentation by the USGS service which has been conducting with the help of TU a radio study of where the trout are swimming or hiding and spawning. When we moved here and Rowe Yankee Atomic plant was on line, Fish and Game said how wonderful the trout fishing was because of the warm water releases. Now since there is not warm water releases, the trout which did not winter over are wintering over and spawning. Then there is the flow fluxuation loved by the boaters, and the electric company which owns the Fife Brook Dam and helps out with our electric demands. How to balance them all. Anyway a nice evening. We snuk out before the live auction of fishing gear got underway.

Fri Feb 28. Nothing on the calendar but I got a phone call from Anita Fritz from the Recorder asking me more about my award from Trout Unlimited. I was able to give her a few lines which I had forgotten at the presentation, "It takes a healthy watershed to make a beautiful river". When I recovered from that, I went down to the farm and treated more lead paint. Late in the afternoon, Bruce and Karen came out of the woods on their "Fat Bikes" and were very glad to warm up in front of S and M's modern and very efficient wood stove. They also invited S and M and included me in an invitation to a ground lamb supper. It was delicious and good company with Rich Warner joining us too.

2021
Thurs Mar 4 It has been such a busy week or I have been too tired at the end of the day that I have not written for four days! I was so tired last night I fell into bed then couldn't get to sleep even after my snooze paper. Melissa came back today (I had Quarantined so I could be with Jeannie) and we had lots of dishes for her. Then Brenda gave me a perm. My hair is still longer than most times and I think that the length and curl are going to be perfect. I don't even have to wait for it to”soften or grow out a bit”.

Sat Mar 6 I got a nice letter from Andree today who sounded quite up beat and glad that I am sending her my journals snail mail instead of email since she can't seem to keep her confuser running. So glad to be in touch again!!! I made a trip down street this a.m. and lunch with Sam and Marie then Marie and I walked up to Crittenden road. I had to stop before Jim's mail box to breathe. I thought so much of Marilyn! My hip did not quite live up to its performance yesterday and I was aware of it often but still better than it used to be. I find that when it acts up (besides straightening up) that rubbing the tight tendons with Muscle Care Roll on, it feels all better.

Fri Mar 12 This was a very good day. Weather was warm like Spring but best of all was that my hip did not talk to me ALL day. I had a walk to the stream (Nicholas nearly went with me but then Bob came home and N went sugaring with the men). I walked up to the barn to give Sal apple parings and glop from making applesauce then before dinner Sam and Marie and I walked down to the lower ball fields where Sam had heard some chain sawing and wanted to be sure it was [not] on their land. It was part of his tree which had fallen off onto their land. Then we went to the far end of the ball field and came back the “Bambi trail”. It was pretty level and I was slow but did not have to stop. Nice soup supper while watching “All Creatures Great and Small”. It was a Very Nice Day.

Sat Mar 13 Another good day. My first after two weeks after my second shot of Covid Vaccine which means I am safe but I could still shed viruses. I went to the village and got Granola makings I have been wanting and swung by the SFTM to say hi to any who were working today. The rest of the day (plus naps) was spent in the kitchen making bread (2 loaves), granola... (must be something else). I didn't get out to walk. I have a loaf of bread in the maker now. Radio was very interesting especially how the U.S. Interfered with the Iranian changes of government. And we complain when others interfere with ours!!!!

[Polly is getting ready for a heart valve replacement.]

Mon Mar 15 Today was funny and frustrating for all concerned. Kim [cardio nurse] from Bay State who has been so helpful in many ways, called to see how I was etc. She said two trips up and down my stairs per day (impossible) and I could take short walks on the level. I mentioned my trails in the woods. No, but I said I always take my trekking poles, OH, NO!! So she and Marie had a chat on the phone and Kim said well she can walk around the neighborhood. Then Marie had to tell her about rural living. Maybe I can get her to drive up here some nice sunny day and see our neighborhood. I was late getting going. Melissa came and then Sandy Duprey came for a visit and a walk on lower BPL and brook. Then the Sun was on the deck so Sandy put the chairs and a TV tray out there and we had herb tea and the last of Nan's Xmas fruit cake. I took it very easy and listened to my body. After Sandy left I had a nap with my lower legs propped up on a box and pillow so the lower legs are parallel to the floor. (I do not know the reason behind the exact angles but I had a nice nap. ) I can't get my Sonos with news to go but I did get a wonderful program on red foxes on my tablet. Now I am looking forward to talking with Nan.

[Polly has had her heart valve replacement.]

Sat Mar 27 So much for the good intentions on a beautiful day and Sal invited me to come watch Nicholas and her make a new trail from Lower BPL to the brook trails. I just did watch and see how hard Nicholas (and Sal) worked. Nicholas reminded me of one January night when I had taken a memorial gift up to Sal's knowing they would not be there but got stuck in the snow ditch on the driveway on the way down. LUCKILY, Jeff came by and how he did shovel until he got me free. Nicholas shoveled just the same way and they had a trail wide enough for a 4 x 4 before they were finished. Sal has had all the horses on it too. I don't have much else to show for my day. I did try to do some sorting on last year's papers but didn't get very far. Kitchen is a mess and I didn't even cook anything new.

Thurs Apr 1 I don't know of any April Fool's Jokes coming or going. The big thing for me was that I was allowed to walk Upper BPL!!!!! I walked to Bob's wood pile without any temptations to stop and breathed through my nose the whole way. It wasn't until I got to the far end of the loop that I stopped only because I wanted to look at things. (Monk's weed is coming up) It felt great. Melissa came with her new little Chiwawa puppy which she says I bought. I didn't get down to paint but I did get to the store for milk etc. The town is being all Christmas time staged up for a TV show. I don't even remember the name of the town we are supposed to be.

Friday Apr 2 (As related by Marie) Friday morning Polly came over to Marie and Sam's house and painted a second coat on the bookcase she'd worked on earlier in the week. When she left she was still feeling energized so immediately on arrival at her home she took a walk on Upper Bear Poop Loop and beyond. Polly was thrilled to finally be given license by the doctor's protocol to walk on terrain that wasn't flat. She felt terrific and breathed easily. She returned home for lunch and her daily exercises. Then she came back to the farm for a virtual appointment with Mike, her whole body exercise guy (and Marie). She was so engaged and excited about what they learned together and the anticipated benefit from the additional exercises he prescribed. She came downstairs and held the couch down for an hour or so. As Marie helped her arrange cushions to get comfy and made unnecessary suggestions for her comfort, Polly mildly commented, "I've done this before!" So true, so true! After resting, Polly got up and joined Marie in the kitchen while dinner prep was underway. Jeannie had come home for the weekend and was outside pruning the apple trees with Sam. Polly and Marie looked out the window at them working and Polly exclaimed, "Oh they've done such a beautiful job! The trees look wonderful! The branches will get more light, maybe you'll get more fruit... oh that's so nice!"
And after that, Polly turned, had a stroke and fell unconscious to the floor. She aroused for a period of time during which she gave us a few more gifts- when asked by the EMT's if she knew where she was, she answered, "Sitting on the floor in what used to be my kitchen!" On the way to the hospital, Polly lost consciousness and never regained it. She came home to her Little House on Sunday. Tuesday was Dave's birthday and Polly was in a bed out on her deck in the sunshine with the breeze on her face, birds in the trees and family surrounding her when at last she stopped breathing and flew to meet Dave.

Photo of Polly Bartlett
Marie made this poetic poster from one of Polly's journal entries.

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