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We added up the miles we put on the SUV. It is about 2,030. Good thing we are flying home. I heard reports from the gallery that Dick has children climbing on him. I forgot to ask how Dick felt about children. I can picture it now. I love the idea, interaction, creating memories. I hope people send pictures.

We are finished with all of the having to be someplace at sometime! It is great to relax. Yesterday was the trip back to Buffalo. We left Vermont early but spent some time stopping, eating a leisurely breakfast at a place called Bees Knees in Morrisville, Vermont. This little girl was there. I thought she might be an artist and hope that she finds my email and keeps in touch. Wonderful personality! I love her pose. It inspires me to paint or sketch or do something of her.

Today was an incredible day. Spirit filled- with the honoring of Jenna, and Dick and Charlotte.
It started with a long walk in the mountains of Vermont.

Jenna’s parents met me in Vermont to pick up Jenna. Jenna was an incredible part of the unveiling of the Dick Hathaway memorial as she was “the angel that came from Texas with Dick.”
I loved spending time with Jenna’s mom. I am glad that we have our book project going as I can keep in touch with her and still have a connection.

The sculpture of Dick Hathaway was unveiled tonight. David, Dick’s son did the unveiling and posed with his dad on the bench. My client was actually the people of Vermont. Those who knew and loved Dick and who helped to raise money to cast the sculpture and bring Dick home. One of the local stations covered the event and I hope to be able to provide the video of this event on the blog at a later date. Several of Dick’s friends shared memories of the man, and then the unveiling. I waited to see the faces of those in the audience. The emotion would reveal if I had captured the essence of this incredible man. Tears where shed and the comments were all favorable. Not many people posed with Dick or even sat with him. One person mentioned, “I’ll come back when no one is around to spend some time with Dick.” I think it will be that way for many and I look forward to sharing the thoughts and experiences of many on the Dick Hathaway blog.
Ben Scotch put a magazine next to Dick stating that this would now be a new tradition. Leave a book for the next person to find. Dick would have liked that.

When the crowed had cleared three young students came up to the sculpture and commented on how incredible it was. “Who did this?” they asked, then next question was one that promoted me to create the sculpture, “who was the man, why did you make it.” This gave me the opportunity to tell of the works of Dick Hathaway and what a wonderful man he was, and how we could all be a little more like Dick Hathaway. I know those students will think about that each time that they go by, they may even tell their friends. That is exactly the goal that I wanted to achieve. the memory lives on.

After eating a hardy breakfast at Betsy’s B & B I headed off to meet the maintenance crew of Vermont College to install Dick Hathaway. It went so easily. The guys had reinforced the bench, and did a great job. They had plenty of muscle to unload him and when placed on the bench his foot touched the ground. there can sometimes be shrinkage with bronze and I feared his foot would not touch. The satchel was placed next to him, holes drilled to secure him and he was actually welded onto the bench. when the gallery curator came she wept. That is the emotional reaction that I long for. It is a younger Dick Hathaway, after placing him the maintenance crew just stood on a looked.

They also took the plywood out of my car. This helped to secure Dick in the back of the SUV, it was also used to secure my windows during the hurricane. It is a reminder of what a long two weeks this has been.

Once the sculpture was placed I could not help but have a few shots of the two of us on the bench. I can’t wait to see others interact with the sculpture, and when you do, PLEASE SEND PICTURES. When the sculpture was installed, I covered him with the sheet that I sewed by generator in Houston after the storm. There he sits, a black ghosts awaiting the unveiling tomorrow evening. I can’t wait.

This evening I sit in yet another bed in another home, the home of the curator. I guess until now I was working on adrenaline. I feel quite tired now, but relieved! I hear I am hiking in the woods in the morning. I hope I can get up.

When it was all done I jumped for joy!

I failed to mention the auction items from Pennsylvania and Ohio. Pennsylvania auction item is a small coffee cup. Ohio is a corkscrew from another winery, no we are not winos we just could not find anything at the last minute. I’ll have to post pictures of the coffee cup later.

New York’s auction is… I believe Jam, but I’ll have to look and post that photograph later.

UPDATE
It took much longer to get to Vermont than we thought. we had estimated 7 hours but the ferry from NY to Vermont runs on the hour and we missed it. Then it took an hour on the ferry before arriving in Burlington and another 30 minutes to Montpelier. Dick at this moment is home in his green mountain state.

Prior to getting to Vermont we drove through the Adirondack mountains. I learned so much like, “never sleep in the clothes that you cook in.” It is a black bear thing. Gloria and I tried to dump the trash from our cars but could not open the trash cans. It dawned on me that they are bear proof, apparently they are also Gloria and Bridgette Proof. If there was a hidden camera taking pictures I am sure the rangers would have a good laugh at the humans. Cell phones don’t work in those mountains either. God forbid something should happen to the car, we have food for those black bears and it also occur ed to me that we could not get to the spare tire for the weight of Dick Hathaway. No more worries about that, we are here now!

The “send help” poster was on the back of a map of the Adirondack mountains.

Tomorrow we install the sculpture. This is what I have worked so hard for the last two years. Can’t wait.

Leaves were beautiful in the Adirondack mountains. I think they will even be better by Friday when we leave. We got in so late that we had to stay at Betsy’s B. and B.’ s in Montpelier for the night.

More later

We are just outside of Columbus Ohio, on our way to bring Dick Hathaway to Vermont and Jenna to her mom. Stopped in Memphis the night before last night and was so glad that I had a friend that lived there so we could get some much needed rest—thanks Sunny. http://www.dickhathaway.blogspot.com

Went through Tennessee and before leaving the state picked up another auction item for the Dick Hathaway auction. We found it at a winery. Great place to stop and the blackberry wine was yum. I’ll post the name of this winery later, as it is buried in the SUV, along with the wine glasses I bought for myself. Here we picked up a bottle of Tennessee whiskey jelly. The two ladies at the winery posed with Dick. Driving through Tennessee was uneventful but pretty. The Tennessee auction item is a pack of playing cards, with of course the name of the state. One of the criteria for these auction items. Dick and I took a time out from the trip to play a hand or two. A wonderful person at this Holiday Inn express introduced us to the security guard who watched the SUV last night. Thanks Holiday Inn. We are off for a hot meal. I am surprised at how excited I am about toast. Remember we were out of electricity for a while. Through Ohio and next stop is Western New York. More updates later.

I’m happy to report the studio, the foundry and most of all the Dick Hathaway bronze sculpture are all intact. I spoke to Budget rental car this morning and they said that their SUV’s are intact and that one will be ready for me on Saturday. We are leaving then for the long trip up to Vermont. Unveiling is still on schedule for Thursday the 25th.

We still don’t have electricity at the home/studio so I don’t know if I’ll post again before arriving in the North. Wish us well. I’ll take lots of photographs of our adventures.

Bridgette

Though a storm is raging out in the Gulf of Mexico we were able to finish the sculpture. He looks great.

Spoke to the college about installation and that is underway. All arangements are made to travel. Still hoping the balance of delivering of the sculpture will happen. Those wishing to donate can do so through the T.W. Wood Gallery.

Here you see the sandblasted version of Dick, the foundry man darkening Dick’s glasses, and the patina being put on Dick. All my attention must turn to the Hurricane that is headed toward Houston. Pray that winds don’t damage the foundry where Dick and Jenna are, nor our home.

Between the bronze of Dick and the bronze of Jenna I have been going back and forth to the foundry every few days. Here is a view of the Hathaway piece upon last visit. Tuesday is patina day. I can’t wait.

I have heard it takes three men to lift thissculpture. Not sure how he is going to fit in an SUV but we will do our best.