SOLON & BEYOND: Carolyn Waugh celebrates 103rd birthday with family and friends

by Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Good morning, dear friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

On Sunday, July 1, Carolyn Waugh, of Solon, was honored with a 103rd birthday party at her home. Sixty-four relatives and friends were there to help her celebrate this wonderful event. I was told, by one of her relatives, that there were four or five generations of Carolyn’s family present at the party. Some of the states they traveled from were Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Florida, and California.

The relative that gave me some of the particulars, said she thought every one of those who attended the party went up to Carolyn and hugged her or shook her hand before leaving.

I didn’t know about this party until after the fact, but learned about it when I went to the alumni meeting the week after. (I happened to see one of Carolyn’s relative this week and he apologized and said he was supposed to let me know, but kept forgetting.) I told him that was quite all right. Anyway I went out and called on Carolyn one day this week and had a really nice visit with her at her home on French Hill, in Solon.

She was very pleased about so many of her family coming to help her celebrate, her words were, “It was nice seeing everybody.” And she added, “There was plenty of food and some left over, which was good.” It was lots of fun to visit with her, she still takes a lot of interest in the news and really likes The Town Line and calls Fridays, “Percy Day,” that is when someone picks up the paper and reads his message each week. (It does me good when I hear good reports about people loving Percy and his contributions to our column.) But….another wonderful part of the visit was that I met Annabelle! She is Carolyn’s cat, and a quite active one, I think she and Percy would have made quite a pair. One of the things Annabelle did while I was there was jump up on a high animal tower and knock something down with a loud crash! But Carolyn just laughed, I’m sure she enjoys her cat’s company.

Oh sorry, I got side tracked with animals: more about Carolyn. She received the Boston Post Gold Cane as the oldest resident of Solon on her 100th birthday. She was a teacher in Maryland for 22 years and taught in Maine for ten years. The home where she lives was built in the Civil War era.

We talked a bit about getting older and she said she can’t see much anymore and her hearing isn’t good, but, she said, “I’m Happy!” (And I thought to myself, what a wonderful message that would be to so many people who call themselves “Old” and haven’t lived nearly as long as Carolyn. )

Saturday, August 4, from 10 a.m. – noon, paddle a kayak or canoe up the Wesserunsett Stream with SWT Trustees. This tour is given as a free activity during River Fest, an annual multi-day event of Skowhegan Main Street that celebrates recreation and life on the Kennebec River. The paddle begins at Cleaver Landing on the Kennebec River. After the paddle enjoy a picnic lunch at the Kennebec Banks Rest Area. The picnic starts at 11:30 a.m. and closes around 1:30 p.m. All proceeds help SWT maintain this popular rest area. If you don’t have a canoe or kayak, just ask them! They may have an extra one.

And now for Percy’s memoir: (I’m going to use another one that Percy put in back when he was alive in 2011, entitled, The Gift of Some of the Most Wonderful Wisdom of All. “Beautiful tomorrows are wished for you, beginning today and lasting your whole life through. Have a safe journey on a smooth and steady path… one that will guide you from where you are to where you want to be. One that will bring you so much fulfillment, so many challenges met, and so much serenity. May the words and thoughtful things that have touched your heart… join in the journey., and may they serve as supports to lean on, inspiration to encourage you, and stars to steer by. (words by Douglas Pagels.)