Christmas in the UK...

I never thought I would ever spend Christmas abroad and this year, I was given the opportunity to do that. These are some of the many pictures that I will be posting!! The picture above is Tower Bridge...absolutely breathtaking up close!

This is the Gherkin Building...also featured in a 007 movie. I was completely facscinated with the architecture of the building...so modern against the back drop of such historical buildings!

St. Paul's Cathedral....had to download pictures from the interior because I couldn't take any in the building. :-)

And, of course, Westminster Abbey! Many hours were spent touring this amazing structure...and a lot of time waiting in line to see it! I was moved to tears by the energy in being in that space.

I'll continue to post pictures...stay tuned!

Christmas in the 70's....

This was Gram...always the famous expression of a gift well thought out!
And a great picture of my grandfather sipping coffee...

I always spent oodles of time with my Grandfather. He'd have Gram come and pick me up to come over to the house and notoriously, he'd sit down after dinner, turn on 60 minutes while I escaped upstairs to play in my grandmother's beautiful pink and black bathroom! It was the lady powder puff and the fiber optic light that I loved to play with. I would always end up getting caught, Gram would get upset with Gramp that he stopped paying attention to me....

How can you not love this face! I was two years old and we had just moved into the house my father built. No rug yet. Got to love paneling!

Let's cover up the baby and put her to rest...

The following year...one of my most prized possesions...the pink, sparkly bassinet!!! Loved this. I thought that my parents would have saved it. Mom said that dad got up in the attic and started trashing everything. I managed to save Cookie Montster and some other old childhood animals! One was my teddy bear that I loved so much, it hardly has any fur.

And really....how can you have a new bassinet, baby and no highchair! I was a spoiled, spoiled child at Christmas...well....that's not true...spoiled all my life! This was just what was caught on film! ;-)

And who could foget the knitting that my grandmother did. This was a product of a knitting machine that my grandfather bought her one year. She also made our Christmas stockings too. I just don't know what I did with mine! From Left to Right...Me, Kari, Laura, Cousins Phillip and Lloyd! We all loved Christmas!

It's a Blizzard out there Charlie Brown!!!!

Here it is...the furry of Ol' Man Winter!!! It hasn't stopped snowing since yesterday and we're getting another blizzard now. I love being in the house, baking, cozy...catching up with friends online or by phone. There's a sense of peace and tranquility. I've got the housemates outside shoveling again! Life is GOOD!!!!

It's days like today, this time of the year that bring me back to fond childhood memories. I'll never forget the countless memories I have of being curled up on the couch next to my grandfather....my cousin Lloyd and Phillip too (I don't clearly remember were Kari and Laura were) and listening to my grandfather read, "Twas the Night Before Christmas"...I can still hear his amazing deep voice that had so much character and love. I also remember Gram plowing in...with all the packages. She and Gramp always had some BIG surprise for my parents....the kind of gift that makes you cry. Every year! Gram was always known for her interesting gifts...always something neat that no one else would ever have. She had the biggest creative mind and loved to buy gifts for people at Christmas...and then pretend like it was no big deal! ;-) I miss them both! Wonderful, amazing childhood memories....good and bad. I remember being sick eating Peach Blossoms....hard pink candy with peanut butter in the middle. Gramp always had them at the house on Christmas Eve and I LOVED them...needless to say, I spent several hours after in the bathroom being sick from all that sugar. To this day, I cannot even smell them...my body goes into complete rejection!

Anyway, Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

First Storm of the Year....

The Beast of Burden is being shoveled out. We got about 10 inches of snow and it's still coming down! It's absolutely beautiful. The only thing missing at this point is a fire place with all the fixings for S'mores!!! ;-) Another storm coming in on Sunday!!! Ol' Man Winter wanted to make sure he was present for the Holidays! YAYYYY!!!

The Beauty of Completing Life...

Last Friday, I received a call from my friend Nicki telling me that Craig died of a heart attack on Thanksgiving night. I couldn't believe it as she said it....years of being on his team flashed in front of my eyes. On our call, we both remarked at how uncanny it was that 10 years ago, he had his first heart attack on Thanksgiving Day. At that time, I was working at his dental practice and managing his apartment property. I remember at Christmas, I bought him a Christopher Radko blown ornament...it was a heart. I remember him being moved to tears as he looked at it and thanked me.

Today, I remembered how I first knew of him. I was dating Casey Brown at the time. Casey broked a tooth playing basketball and called me and said he was going to see his dentist in Thomaston, ME. Casey lived in Portland and it was a Saturday morning!!! I said, "Are you nuts to drive that far for a broken tooth"? He said, "He's waiting for me to show up". Little did I know back then, that I would be working for him a year and a half later. :-) I remember walking into his dental practice. I knew NOTHING about dentistry, except I had great teeth, always went to the dentist (THANKS MOM & DAD), never had any fillings and have a nice smile! He asked me why I wanted to work for him. I told him the story about Casey and that I wanted to work for someone who cared about people. Needless to say, I got the job, and worked for him for five years....even rented one of his apartments! Now, Craig and I didn't always see eye to eye. :-) Craig and I knocked heads but he literally taught me the business that makes me successful today in my own profession as a consultant.

I'll never forget the time he took us to Boston for the Yankee Dental Conference. He was sooooo excited to take us to this "special" restaurant for dinner. We WALKED for what seemed 2 miles in hour heals (all of us girls)...Pam had blisters on her heals...he wouldn't get a cab. None of us could believe it! We were all complaining and making him so wrong about it and he just laughed. He was also known to give us L.L. Bean gift certificates each year for Christmas. It was a substantial amount. Every year, I would always invest in a new L.L. Bean jacket. I LOVED that gift. I looked forward to it every year, would come in and model my purchase.

Today, I was with the original team of woman who ran his practice. I looked at all of them and said, "Craig was really surrounded by amazing, powerful women". We all looked at each other, laughed and agreed.

Ohhhhh, how years slip by. I'm sure I'll continue to have many memories of him float through my mind but what was so beautiful about today....as I was traveling up from MA to his funeral, I thought to myself, "I never really got to see him to say goodbye. I haven't seen him since I left his practice in 2003". I realized I was having these thoughts and then wondered why it took a week for his funeral, why couldn't it have been earlier in the week when I was already in Maine...it dawned on me that he gave me a gift....today, not only was I going to say goodbye to a friend, but I was also going to Noah & Isabelle's 8th Birthday party. Both Leslie (twins mom) and I worked with him and is acutally how we met and became friends. He new how in love I was with the kids and how long Leslie tried (years) to have them. The beauty of completing life.

Thank you Craig! Your generosity and love is still present. You were an amazing dentist, husband, father and friend to many people. You will be greatly missed in the community. Thank you for who you were for me in my life. I love you and will miss you!

Obituary

WARREN – Craig E. Leidenroth, DDS, died unexpectedly at his home Thursday November 27, 2008.
Born in Cherry Hill, N.J., November 19, 1947, he was the son of William F., Sr. and Helen M. Preis Leidenroth.
Craig was a 1966 graduate of Cherry Hill High School and went on to attend Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA., graduating in 1970 with a Bachelor of Arts. In 1973 he earned his Degree in Dental Surgery from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. Having graduated earlier than scheduled, he finished the year teaching at Temple for six months. At Temple, Craig was a member of the PSI Omega Fraternity – Eta Chapter.
In 1974, Craig moved to Thomaston where he established his dental practice, Maine Coast Family Dentistry and Implant Center. With the support of his family and an exemplar staff, Craig diligently grew his practice to its present success. Craig was driven by the passion and care he felt for his patients and he greatly valued their friendships. While in Thomaston, he served on the Maine Dental Association Executive Board. He continued his education by attending implant seminars at Harvard University from 1989 – 1990 and by completing an Osseointegration course.
A ‘gentleman farmer’, he enjoyed working on his Anderson Road farm where he raised Belgian horses, steer, and goats. He loved being outside operating various types of machinery and for many years did his own haying. His family said that he was knowledgeable about many things and could fix just about anything.
An avid sailor, he earned his Captain’s License in 2006 and enjoyed taking friends and family aboard his 52 foot Hinckley sailboat, “Tomhegan”. He was an active member and Commander of District 19, Mid-Coast Sail and Power Squadron.
Craig was a part owner of Tomhegan Wilderness Resort at Moosehead Lake, Maine, where enjoyed walking in the woods, canoeing in his Grand Lake Stream canoe, and cruising the waters of Moosehead in his Grady White power boat. He served in many adminstrative capacities and was on the Board of Directors for the Tomhegan Camp Owners Association.
For several years he was a member of the Thomaston Area Chamber of Commerce, and was pleased to be involved in acquiring the first Christmas lights on the Thomaston Mall. He was also a contributor to the new sidewalk, planters, and historic timeline in the black marble inserts on Thomaston’s Main Street. His name is included on the permanent wall plaque of sponsors.
July 30, 1988, he married Kim E. McLain at their home in Warren. Besides his wife of 20 years, of Warren, Craig is survived by one son William C. Leidenroth 18, and one daughter, Kelly A. Leidenroth 15. From a previous marriage he is survived by two sons, Eric A. Leidenroth 33 and his wife Marilyn of Georgia, and Kurt C. Leidenroth 29 of Thomaston. Craig is also survived by one brother, William F. Leidenroth, Jr. of California; his mother-in-law, Jackie V. McLain of Rockland; four sisters-in-law, Ferolyn J. Curtis and her husband Colonel Douglas Curtis, Jr., U.S. Army, Retired of Rockland, Dawn L. Wilson and her husband James A. Wilson, Jr. of Rockport; Kristin L. Brown and her husband Charlie Brown of South Thomaston, Staff Sergeant Stephanie S. McLain, U.S. Army, Fredericks, MD; as well as several nieces and nephews.