The thunder rumbles in the distance as rain comes down in sheets, and as lightening provides an exclamation point in the dark sky, it is apparent that we have turned the corner from a lovely weekend to an unwelcome start for a new week. We can still use the rain and I’m certain my grandfather could say approvingly, “the wells and lakes and ponds are full and we will soon get colder weather.”

Several family members gathered up their tag sale treasures and a box lunch and joined the many others at the park pavilion Saturday, in support of the Civic Association’s effort. It was a perfect day as acquaintances and friendships were briefly renewed and many visitors found treasures that put a smile on their faces and a few dollars changed hands.

Somehow, it isn’t the business part of a tag sale, but the fun part – where small jokes were often heard when an item found a new owner, or brought to mind a memory or even established the start of a new friendship. And when the day was as perfect as Saturday was, who could ask for more?

A great letter arrived last week from Jean and Gordon Hatch up in Willington, accompanied by a picture of a beautiful shepherd pony. They raise them as a hobby and because they live on Tinkerville Road, their ponies are called Tinkerville Surprise and Tinkerville Sun Rise. When I saw the pictures they sent, I wanted to start for Willington with an offering of a carrot and the privilege of petting those velvet soft noses! Perhaps when I’m all the way mobile again, I’ll be able to ride that far. What a great hobby!

I had an unexpected visit from my friends Dr Patrick Lavery and his wife Alma on Monday. They live in England – in the northern area where they can enjoy the sea, the mountains, and the town where they also have childhood memories. They vacationed in past summers at the little red house in Vermont.

Patrick is a consultant in the area of tourism and gets “about” to many places.

When he mentioned recent visits to Norway, I called my friend Ginni Garis and a notice of that country, and she came over and we had an English tea party – their kind of tea and our kind of dessert. We talked non-stop for three hours and just wished we could do that more often.

The Lavereys are “house swapping” with a family in Duxbury, Mass., near where we have vacationed in Scituate, with Susan and Allan. They talked a lot about the various differences in the cost of things in England. Gasoline is $9 for the equivalent of our gallon and we think it’s expensive here!

They did a lot of Christmas shopping here, and mentioned the cost of “jeans.” Patrick said they would cost four times more in England than they do here. The purchase of dolls for two granddaughters for Christmas made their eyes sparkle when they told us the prices they paid.

As long as we have known our English friends, they have been greatly interested in comparing facts.

Several times I have passed along recipes from the Laverys. They have promised me they’ll send one for “the best lemon cake you ever had” when they get home. Stay tuned!

Going home at the end of this week will be easier, since their son John called on Sunday to announce the arrival of a new eight-pound, two-ounce boy! It is going to be three weeks before Pat and Alma will meet him, and they can’t wait, of course.

Meantime, I am left with many thoughts of our visit, and with 18 beautiful deep red roses they brought to me. Plus promises that we will all keep in closer touch, in the future.

The words that ended the column last week were spoken at the funeral of George Washington, by Henry Lee.

Who said, “Women and elephants never forget”?