We had a pretty good time in New Hampshire. The tram that climbs Cannon Mountain was a big hit, as was the Flume, Polly's Pancake House, the Littleton Toy Store, and not surprisingly, the playground next to the Franconia Elementary School. It was also great that the house we stayed in was so well equipped for 4 and a 5 year olds. Here is a view from our front porch of Cannon Mountain.

The house belongs to the wife of my former boss (and/but still a friend), but they only use it for skiing in the winter which is our good fortune for the summer. I was worried about the three and a half hour drive, but they were pretty good, and Hank even slept a little bit.

We returned on Wednesday, and my mother returned to her home on Thursday, over a month after the surgery. She's doing OK.

The oncologist (onkos GR mass) has recommended follow up treatment for my mom. She is thinking about it. Whatever is decided will not start for at least three weeks.

Skipper and Hank have spent most of the week at the swim club. Skipper has made great progress in swimming. Hank is still reluctant.

Sunday we are planning a three day trip to New Hampshire (Franconia). A first trip to the mountains.

I went to see my mother's surgeon with her Wednesday. He likes the way she is recovering and has given the go ahead to head home sometime this coming week. We will be going to see an oncologist together at the end of the week. She is occasionally depressed but usually cheerful.

I took the day off today. In the morning we went to the swim club. In the afternoon we went to Worcester to visit Sarah's sister and the boys' cousins. Later they returned to Providence with us for dinner.

It was a good day but with too many temper tantrums over nothing. At the club, Hank flipped out when I initially refused to get him a drink from a vending machine to match what his brother had already received. Later, Skipper flipped when I refused to help him draw a boat in Arts and Crafts. Finally, Hank flipped again when I mistakenly gave Skipper Hank's underwear and pants to wear home.

Later in the day at dinner, Hank flipped when Skipper initially refused to give up a seat at the dinner table that Hank believed was rightfully his. Moments later, Skipper lost it when I ate a piece of his sausage off a skewer.

That evening we discussed each event while they took a bath. They remembered in great detail what had occurred and were ready to defend their behavior. At one point, I made the fatal mistake of scoring the temper tantrums at Hank - 3 and Skipper - 2. At this point Skipper began to recall other periods of poor behavior by him during the day which he believed qualified as temper tantrums. This would put him on an even footing with Hank.

I'm off to a bad start on a "no temper tantrum" theme weekend.

A few minutes later as we played our nightly five card draw poker game I said "And let's not have any temper tantrums by the loser of this tournament" As Hank eyed his cards he said "No temper tantrum from me. I've got a good hand."

My mother is doing OK and looks good. She had the staples removed yesterday. The Doctor told her she should stay at Hallworth House for at least another week. She said OK.

This morning when I went to drop off the New York Times, she was waiting for someone to take her home. The memory lapses are disconcerting to me, and she was upset about her own condition for not remembering what had been decided the day before. "I want my own green grass." she said.

She likes Hallworth - especially the food! Today for lunch they had real broiled sea scallops. For dinner there was the best lobster bisque she had ever had followed by real fish and chips. Everything looks good. The boys like visiting her there and are very curious about the house cat named Angel.

Both of the boys (especially Hank) incessantly ask questions. "One plus six is seven - right dad" said Hank. "What other numbers will add up to 7?" I gave him the answer. "What about 40?" he asked. Pretty good questions.

Then there are questions like "What's your favorite tool, Dad?" What is my favorite tool? Or, after Hank lost three hands of poker in a row "Will you fix the cards, Dad?"

Skipper found a checkbook around the house. "What's this for?" he asked. I gave him a too long explanation about how banks work. "I don't get it." he replied. "Will you explain that again?"

It's been a week since the operation and there has been great progress. Tomorrow my mom will move to Hallworth House on Benefit St. Two weeks there and then home. That's the plan.

Today when I visited her at the hospital during my lunch break , I walked into her room and there sitting on the edge of the bed was her surgeon. "Will I be alive in September?" she asked him. "Yes" he said. "What about the next September?" she asked. "Probably" he replied.

She doesn't like him. "Too hale and hearty." she says. I like him, although I think he could be a better communicator on the technical details of what he did and the prognosis.

A treat for her on my evening visits has been a daily short video of the boys taken on my digital camera. I bring the camera along and play a video with sound recorded just a few minutes earlier. She has seen them filling her bird bath with water, making a salad in the kitchen, climbing a tree, and playing in the ocean. They have been very good about saying "Get well soon grandma!" as I am finishing the recording.