End of a Generation

Shirley and Robert Bissonnette 

On January 10, 2019, I officially became an orphan. With the death of my Mother, a whole generation of my family is now gone.  Those of us who were the children of the 40's and 50's are now the next senior generation. 

Shirley Bissonnette and Tom Bissonnette styling!

Over the past ten years, since the death of my father, my sister and I have been the caretaker for my very independent mom of 96.  She has lived alone since the death of my dad in January of 2009.  When dad passed away, my sister and I questioned how long that mom would survive. She and my dad were attached at the hip and had been partners in their marriage for 63 years.  However, this strong lady was unwilling to give in to life and continued on her way through the details of daily living.  

She was a very independent caring and thoughtfull person.  She continued to be interested in today's national politics as well as the local politics.  My mother never really knew her parents as her mother died when she was one year old and her father not long after that.  She grew up under the guidance of her grandmother and cousins. She was a big city girl.

Shirley Bissonnette

My sister and I grew up in a two tenament home in the suburbs, which was owned first by my grandparents and then my parents.  When our grandparents lived downstairs from us a common communication practice was easily banging on the water pipe to alert them that we needed to discuss something.  Each would open the back door and have that discussion in the hallway. 

When my grandparents retired, moved to a livin position at Groton School in Groton, Ma., our cousins moved into the house.  We were lucky to have a home with extended family.

My mother and father worked very hard to make a good life for both my sister and I.  We both had the opportunity to be the first in our family to attend college. Mom and Dad held education as a high priority in our home.  Both my sister and I also new the work world holding jobs once we were in high school.  We certainly learned the lesson of being self-sufficient.

 Well, it has been quite a while since I took the opportunity to write in this blog.  Holidays always bring back memories.  This year many things have taken place that have embellished this review of my life. Over the past couple I have been diagnosed with a life threatening lung disease, Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.  I am getting excellent care and the disease was caught early.  Currently I have medication that slows the progress of the disease.  

In January 2019, my Mom passed away at the age of 96.  My sister and I then decided to sell the home that we were raised in.  We ran into some deed issues which has slowed the pace of passing papers on the house which have yet been solved.  However, we are currently waiting for the courts to make a final decision which will allow us to complete the transaction.  

Along with these several major issues we currently are in the 9th month of a medical pandemic with the virus Covid 19, running wild through the country. With the underlying lung condition I have I have been extremely careful to make sure I am isolating away from groups of people and situations which could have me vulnerable to this disease.,  

Today I found out that a former colleague passed away at age 73,  I just turned 72.  This man was also a long time educator as I was.  When death takes someone of your own generation who you have known and respected it does lead you to begging wondering about your life.  I have memories and mental photographs of a wonderful childhood.  My sister and I grew up in a two tenement house which in the early years we lived with our parents and our grandparents.  The home was built by my great-grandfather. After my grandparents left we had another family member living on the first floor.  Eventually we had a couple my parents new who lived on the first floor until their dea ths many years later.  Our last tenant was also a cousin and her husband.  Now when I go to check on the house, which is empty, memories of the good times playing in the yard and celebrating holidays with family come rushing back.  

We are all just passing through this life and it is apparent tome that it is our job to make the world a better place, in our small way, for all of us to live.  I hope that my 40 something years of being an educator will have allowed me to touch the lives of many of my students. I am lucky that I do keep in touch with a number of students through social media.  

I plan on taking the time to continue to write in the blog at least weekly.  I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. 

Seine River/ May 2018

M.S. Bizet docked in Honfleur, France. 

My wife and I were able to add to our travel log recently in May 2018, as we joined other guest on the the M.S. Bizet travelling from Honfleur, France to Paris, France on the Seine River.  The Bizet is owned by Grand Circle Travel Company and is made specifically for this river and Paris environment.
After arriving in Paris, after a smooth direct flight from Boston, we took some time to go into Paris and enjoy the beautiful afternoon.  We then spent our first night at a hotel near the airport in the village of Roissy.

http://en.normandie-tourisme.fr/discover/normandy-must-sees/the-10-top-normandy-must-sees/honfleur-86-2.html

After our breakfast, we joined the rest of the passengers and made our way by bus to the port of Honfleur to board the M.S. Bizet.  On the way to our destination we took time to stop in the city of Caen, France to visit the Peace Memorial Museum.  This museum presents a view of the circumstances that led to World War II and the duration of the war.


After our visit we again boarded our bus to continue to Honfleur.

Honfleur Harbor at twilight. 

This port, Honfleur, established in the eleventh century, provided a beautiful start to our trip as it is quite a picturesque location.  It helped that we had exceptional weather. We happened to be in Honfleur during the annual Mariners Celebration.  Boats, decorated, came into the harbor to receive the yearly blessing.  A bustling harbor area  with a large number of restaurants and cafe's created a great deal of local color.

St. Catherine's-Church.  The largest wooden church in France dominates the beautiful skyline in Honfleur.

From this location, Honfleur, we spent a day traveling through time back to June 6, 1944, "D-Day", to visit three locations that changed the destiny of Europe and the world.  First to Pointe Hoc, where American Rangers, scaled the tall cliffs as entry into France and Europe. Our second location was Omaha Beach where thousands of American service members lost their lives.  Lastly, we visited the American Cemetery where 9,368 young American service members gave their lives to fight against the tyranny of Hitler and the Third Reich.

Our next stop was in Caudebec, France . A short visit but long enough to take in the local cathedral, Notre Dame.

Another visit on our itinerary was to Rouen, the capital of the Normandy area and known historically as the place where Joan of Arc was imprisoned, tried for heresy and killed in 1431.

The Gros Horloge (Great Clock) of Rouen is iconic of the city. 

The monument that locates the location that Joan of Arc was burnt at the stake. Rouen, France.

Rouen Cathedral. The cathedral was consecrated by William the Great in 1063.

Another highlight of this trip was the visit to the home and studio of Claude Monet, in Giverny . We docked on the banks of the city of Vernon along the Seine River.  We then drove to the beautiful home of Monet which today is a museum. 

A local artist paints as we watch.

 Giverny is a village in the region of Normandy in northern France. Impressionist painter Claude Monet lived and worked here from 1883 until his death in 1926. The artist’s former home and elaborate gardens, where he produced his famed water lily series, are now the Fondation Claude Monet museum. Nearby, the Musée des impressionnismes Giverny highlights the Impressionist art movement.

Vernon, France, in the Normandy area of France. 

Claude Monet's studio in his home in Giverny, France.

Another afternoon visit to Auvers-sur-Oise. This traditional French city was the location of the end of Van Gogh's life.  Dr. Paul Gachet lived in Auvers-sur-Oise. He was acquainted with the avant-garde artists of the time. Through this connection, Vincent van Goghmoved to Auvers to be treated by him, though he considered the doctor to be in a worse state than himself. Gachet befriended Van Gogh and was the subject of two portraits, one of which, Portrait of Dr. Gachet, was sold at auction for over $80m (£48m) in 1990.^[2]

Van Gogh died by a gunshot to the chest. The room on the upper floor of the Auberge Ravoux where he died has been preserved, although no furniture remains. Auvers-sur-Oise is the final resting place of both Vincent and his brother Theo van Gogh, who died six months later.^[2]

Auberge Ravoux 

The field where Vincent Van Gogh took his life.

Grave of Vincent Van Gogh, Auvers-sur-Oise, France.

Our final stop on this wonderful trip was in the magical city of Paris.  Paris is a vibrant, modern, yet quaint city that is in constant motion 24 hours a day.  Everywhere you look in Paris is another history lesson.  

Moulin Rouge

Paris at night along the Seine River. 

The iconic Eiffel Tower shines against the twilight sky.

Bette and I with our wonderful guide Sandrine. 

Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, France.

The Louve along the banks of the Seine River. 

The Eiffle Tower during the day.

This was the third time I have visited this beautiful city.  It is such a beautiful and rich city. Travel the world, you will see how small it really is.

Tom

St. Maarten Visit January 14-20, 2018

During the third week of January, my wife Bette, and I had a chance to go back to St. Maarten.  Bette is the Director of Library Resources for the American University of the Caribbean on the Dutch side of the the island.  During the month of September a devastating hurricane, Irma, did major damage to the island it's infrastructure and buildings.  While on the island, Bette was working, and I had a chance to see some of the major damage.  

Sonest Hotel, Maho, St. Maarten

While spending time on the island during the last two years I have had the amazing opportunity to volunteer some time at a local school.  The Hillside Christian School, started by an amazing woman, Asha Stevens, is a vibrant school with a very competent staff and administration.  The school weathered hurricane Irma fairly well.  They lost their main office but were able to reorganize and reopen once the government allowed that to happen.  

Front of the Sonesta Hotel, Maho

Back at the American University of the Caribbean (AUC), the damage during the storm was not as bad.  The buildings constructed of concrete withstood the hurricane force winds. Winds up to 185-200 mph were recorded on the island.  Students and staff were evacuated after many days and just now have returned to the island.  

Main road through Maho, St. Maarten

It was evident that cheaply constructed buildings did not withstand the storm leaving them in rubble.  The tragedy is that now many individuals are out of work until the island gets back on its feet.  There is signs of reconstruction all over the island.  Hopefully we will be able to see more new construction when we return again in March.  

Mullett Bay Lagoon

The beauty of the island still is evident as you enjoy the warm weather and crystal clear waters. 

St. Maarten Strong!

As a parent we are all looking for a connection that creates a bond with our child.  It may be a multitude of things.  As our children move into adulthood that bond becomes even more important as we tend to see our children less as their individual lives blossom.  My son and I have a love of several things. The first being good food.  He has even gotten the cooking bug from me.  Another  is a love of music.  Although he does not play any instruments, no fault of ours, he does have a great appreciation of many kinds of music from Rock, to Grundge, Accoustic, A Capella, Blues, and Jazz.  Finally we have an appreciation of sports and follow our teams, especially the Celtics.

A pleasure of mine is to join him for breakfast, lunch or dinner, in an off the beaten path location.  The above photo I took at the Paul Revere Restaurant, in  West Medford, MA.  A little hole in the wall that has great food and very fairly priced.  Don't hesitate to try it.

Several years ago my wife and I took a week long windjammer trip on the Schooner Isaac Evans out of Rockland, Maine.  We arrived on a Friday evening, boarded and got to know our fellow passengers.  We were leaving port in the early morning.  When we awoke we were barely able to see our hands stretched out in front of us.  We wondered how we were going to maneuver through the harbor. However, our crafty and well trained Captain was able to maneuver us out of the harbor into the open bay so we could enjoy the sights.  Several hours later the fog had lifted and the sun shone brightly. At first I was a bit disappointed with the weather but later realized that the fog had provided an opportunity to take pictures such as the above photo (Foggy Morning #1).


Each morning we would wake and prepare for a new day once we had a wonderful breakfast cooked by the cook and her assistant on the wood fired stove in the very small galley.

During the day we would enjoy the scenery, take photographs and compare them as this was a photography cruise.  Later in the day the Captain would select a spot to pull in for the night as we enjoyed our time on the schooner.

The first night out we anchored in a quiet harbor and the crew prepared and amazing lobster feast.  What else do you eat when in Maine on a schooner?  There was lots of lobster, corn, burgers and hot dogs to go around.

Dinner is served!

Safe Harbor for the night.

During our trip we were able to enjoy the majestic, beauty of the coast of Maine in the Rockland area. 

If you ever get the chance or opportunity to take a trip on one of the the majestic schooners in Maine do not hesitate to do so.  It is an amazing experience.