February 2014 #1

Where in the world is Jeff Berthiaume?

Jeff made it home from the sand pit and has been providing daycare for Mia this last week. Mia will be heading off to Frenchglen, OR.  Her Grandmother Kathryn & Great Grandmother Mary Agnes will accompany her on the way to Oregon by way of Delta through Salt Lake City, UT and Boise, ID. She will spend the next few weeks with Stacy and Elaine Davies at the Roaring Springs Ranch which lies in the shadow of Steen's mountain. Stacy and Elaine are the Paternal grandparents of Mia.

The State Department recently reassigned some countries for Jeff's Alarm System group. Below is a list of the countries Jeff is responsible for now: Jeff specifically works for OBO in the Department of State. Next week Jeff returns to D.C. for work.

Lebanon  , Jorda, Syria & Israel
Pakistan  , Afghanistan &Bangladesh
Gambia , Nigeria, Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger & Senegal
Barbados  , Grenada, Dominican Republic, Jamaica & NetherlandsAntilles 
Samoa  , New Zealand, Tonga, Tuvalu, Kirabati, Nauru, Marshall Islands & Fiji
United Kingdom  , Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg & Reepublic of Ireland.

Some of the countries have multiple diplomatic posts. The United Kingdom for instance has a Post in London, Edinburgh and Belfast, Northern Ireland. I've inserted a link in each group of countries should you wish to get geographically educated. For the future I'll try and create more links for those of you who are not that computer savvy.

There are times when Jeff or his co-workers have an assignment that needs more than one individual to complete an assignment. In instances like this Jeff and his cohorts could wind up in countries they are not personally assigned to.

In Jeff's case, “The world is his Oyster” literally.

The Dog, Cat and Chickens

Just so you all know the players, the Dog is Maggie, the cat is Simon and the chickens are 14 hens and one rooster.

The chickens have been fortunate that there were a lot of cuttings and leftovers this past week for added nourishment. Kale has really gone over big. We also experimented with Yogurt, which they were quite messy eating and enjoyed very much. Last night we had Sir Fry and the pepper cuttings were thoroughly devoured this AM.

Our cat, Simon will be a year old on March 2nd. We're not sure the exact date but picked the 2'nd in memory of Mary Agnes' best friend, Linda Lataille who passed away last year.

Until now Simon has been a house and screened porch cat. Last weekend we introduced him to the fenced in back yard. Of course we know the fence will not deter him should he decide to defect. It has been interesting watching him traverse the almost 3/4 acre yard with multiple out buildings and the ever interesting fenced in Chicken run, a separate 60 x 28 foot space within the yard.

I wonder now on the ethical considerations regarding bird feeding, a daily mixture of Scratch Grain and Sunflower seeds and allowing Simon to roam this space. So far the birds are all intact. Simon however has an interesting day trying to apprehend the flighty prey.

When Simon exits the porch in the morning he first attempts to disrupt the sitting Morning Doves in the Princess tree.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulownia_tomentosa The tree is 30-40 feet high and Simon has gotten about half way to his prey on any occasion, only to watch the Doves fly away to the rear of the property.

As I write this piece on Simon he is in hour three of a long nap after 6 hours in the yard chasing anything that moves

This, That & Other Things

On January 21, 2014 Allen, MD lost an incredible person who resided in Allen for close to a century.
On May 16, 1988 we closed on our house here in Allen, MD after 20 years in Connecticut and upon my retirement from the Connecticut State Police. Knowing we were going to close on the house we went to the Post Office adjacent to the general store to open a P.O. Box. The person we met that day was Mary Lee Kolb.

For so many years we were fortunate to come in contact with Mrs. Kolb daily. She was the Postmaster and with her son Butch ran the General Store in Allen. We even got to see and wave to Mrs. Kolb on Sundays as she went for her weekly ride with her son Butch through the countryside of the Eastern Shore.

Mrs Kolb attended both of our daughters weddings and graced the keys of our Steinway piano in Allendale Cottage on many occasions. To us she was as much family as one could be without the blood test. Just to have known her for over 25 years, makes us a better person.

Mary Kolb (1918 - 2014)                         

Allen-Mary Lee P. Kolb of Allen died Tuesday, January 21, 2014 , at her home. Born in Allen May 14, 1918, in the same house in which she subsequently raised her own family, she was the daughter of the late Sheriff Jesse M. Pollitt and his wife Agnes Malone Pollitt.

Known by many names (Honey, the Boss, Mamie, Miss Irene - but most of all Tutu, which is Hawaiian for Grandmother) she is survived by her daughter Agnes Culp and her husband John, of Allen; grandchildren David and Kiwako Culp of Tokyo; Andrew and Brandy Culp of Warwick, R.I., their sons Chase and Caleb; Lea and Aaron Knarr and their daughter Marielle of Thorndale, PA; and many beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was predeceased by her husband David W. Kolb, Sr. in 1988 and her son David W. "Butch" Kolb, Jr. in 2001.

Tutu was totally devoted to her family and to the people of the Village of Allen. She was the church organist for over 70 years - almost her entire adult life. She was the Allen Postmaster for 35 years, appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, and served until she was 84 years old. She and her husband ran the Peninsula Farm Market in Allen for 50 years, supporting the residents of Allen in good times and bad. Likewise, she was a lifetime member of the Allen Fire Co. Auxiliary and, late in life, insisted on purchasing Allen's first fire truck when the Fire Co. retired it and put it up for sale.
After high school she attended St. Mary's Female Seminary (now St. Mary's College) in St. Mary's, MD for two years on scholarship, of which she was proud. She was a Past President of the Elks Auxiliary in Salisbury, a member of the Allen Historical Society, the Somerset County Historical Society, and the Allen Asbury United Methodist Women.

Loved and respected by all, she was a dignified, peaceable, gentle, and generous woman of indomitable will who leaves a vast legacy and example.

A funeral service will be held Saturday at 2 PM at the Allen Asbury United Methodist Church, where friends may call from 12:30 to 2 PM. Reverend Lisa Jordan will officiate. Interment will follow in the Church cemetery. Arrangements are being made by Bounds Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in memory of Tutu to the Allen Volunteer Fire Company, P.O. Box 128, Allen, MD 21810 or the Allen Asbury United Methodist Church Outdoor Paint Fund, P.O. Box 123, Allen, MD 21810.

The family is also deeply grateful to Coastal Hospice and Tutu's various caregivers whose genuine love and support so greatly eased her passage.

Sam & Zed Davies

Congratulations to Zed who found out he got Heavies, them's be big planes.

Zed will now be starting his next phase of training http://www.baseops.net/militarypilot/tone_phase3.html in the T1 Jayhawk aircraft. http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:T-1A_Jayhawk.jpg

Sam is in school at Keesler, AFB, Biloxi, MS attending a Personnel Officers school. By the time of this edition hitting the air, she will be half way through her educational deployment.

Have a great day and be safe!!