Almost every day daughter Lise did something to help with the upkeep of things here. She and David went under the house to check on the water filter that David and brother Bob had worked on. Our water comes from a well, and it has to be filtered to get out silt and impurities. We never did change the filter as often as we should have, getting neighbor Bob to do it several times. One should NEVER over-use a neighbor! We’ve all decided we should get a new system that would be easy enough for me to tend. Meanwhile, this one is clean for now.

Shawn and another neighbor (who prefers not to be named or pictured) wanted time to visit with Lise, so we got together for coffee. This photo shows Lise, Shawn, and the hands of the other person cutting the pie. I made a Cheesecake Pumpkin Pie and botched the cutting. She said, “Let me do that.” She did a much better job of cutting and serving than I did.

We took a whole day to drive to Tennessee and back. Lise and I both wanted to see the train layout where John spent so much time. Two of John’s and David’s friends met us there. Here is David with some of his own cars and John’s engine just out of sight.

Lise’s new favorite place to go is a frozen custard restaurant in Asheville. We were there on the first of December and back again on the way to the airport.

Here Lise is finishing a jigsaw puzzle that a special blogger friend sent us. Linda chooses photos of mine from the blog and has a puzzle made. Knowing Lise is usually here for Thanksgiving, she orders it early so that Lise can help work it. This was a unique puzzle with the last photos taken of John, along with pictures of the inner family circle. We rework puzzles from past years, too. These are family keepsakes that will eventually go to the grandsons.

The last photo is a selfie Lise took at the airport. She is back in Denmark now, working until she flies to Washington state to spend Christmas with her brother.