"Hello, Dolly"

August 20, 2009 — After a delicious breakfast of brook trout fried in bacon fat, we sat outside and enjoyed more coffee and conversation with a beautiful view of the mountains of the Connecticut Lakes region. It was cool enough for jackets, a welcome change from the sweltering weather of recent days. We set out on another excursion into the wilds of northern New Hampshire. This time we got totally skunked fishing and once again there were no moose sightings, but the company of good friends and the unspoiled wilderness made it all worthwhile. The morning coolness gave way to heat once again as the sun moved higher. Around mid-afternoon, I bid a fond good-bye to my friends and began the 2 1/2-hour drive to North Conway where I had a reservation for "Hello, Dolly" at the Eastern Slope Inn Playhouse. The Playhouse was nearly but not quite as warm as the Weathervane a couple of days earlier, but A/C is rare in New England summer stock theatres. The performance was good, not quite as fast-moving and energetic as "Ain't Misbehavin'." Some of the singing talent left a bit to be desired, but there were some pretty good dance numbers.