A New Year ... in several ways

This week marks the one year anniversary of our closing on our house.  In mid-October we will have been present for an entire year's cycle of seasons in Midcoast Maine.  I am still loving it, grateful every morning I wake in the "hotel." (We named our "master" bedroom "the hotel" because it's the room David did the most work on, starting with the objective of repairing a bad spot of plaster, ending up removing all wallpaper, putting up sheet rock rather than repairing the plaster, painting and then sanding and refinishing the floors.  Here, right before we moved in:

When we began sleeping in there, David said it felt like we were in a hotel, ergo...)  Grateful every morning Ella and I walk down to the water.  Grateful to watch the seasons pass.  Last fall, as a new Mainer - learning the neighborhood, watching the trees color and drop leaves, then winter - bringing blizzard Nemo, spring - watching the lobster boats head out and finally, late spring - planting our garden, summer - seeing the seasonal tourists' sailboats launched, watching the schooner parade, harvesting our first cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, now summer past full bloom - chestnut trees the first to brown, the sun swinging back down the horizon, in the early morning a hint of autumn chill.  Turn, turn, turn...

Yom Kippur services at Adas Yoshuron - http://www.adasyoshuron.org - were ... I'm searching for a one word or even brief description to capture the 26 hour experience (not all 26 hours in the synagogue but quite a few ... 8 or 9 hours, from Friday evening, Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon into evening) ... they were ... meaningful.  Attendance varied from 25 to 125 or so ... up and down the way we Jews feel free to come in and go out of on-going services as we feel the need.  Between Rosh HaShannah and Yom Kippur, I began to have a better feel for the whole local extended Jewish community.  Now we head to Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah over the next 2 weeks.  I renewed my membership.  In October I have offered to "lead" a challah baking workshop.

Meanwhile, as mentioned in a previous post, my boat-shaped-object is safely tucked to bed in our garage, and David has applied a coat of epoxy to the interior.  Here are some photos:

 I wish you could reach out and touch the smoothness of the outside hull - yes, like a baby's bottom - David's work from last year before we moved.  We're thinking a white exterior and creamsicle hued interior to highlight the rub rail, breastplates, and seats to be left "au naturel".

You can see our kayaks hanging on the wall to the right.

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Next comes more epoxy and more sanding and more ...

I'm beginning to think a home built boat, like peace, could be a long-term if not life-long goal.  No, it shall be done - the boat at least, possibly even this fall, but certainly by spring.

May we hope and work ... and hope and work ... so that Peace may come as soon - if not sooner.

Peace.