SOLON & BEYOND, Week of June 8, 2017

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

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

In the many years that I have been writing, one of the things that gives me the most enjoyment is doing stories about people. One day last week I spent an hour questioning and listening to a very interesting and unusually talented person.

One of the clocks carved by 84-year-old Solon resident Bob Therrien. Photo by Marilyn Rogers-Bull

His name is Bob Therrien and he lives on north Maine Street, in Solon, where he makes cuckoo clocks and beautiful wood carvings. The clocks have been on display in Griswald’s Store and three of them have been sold within a very short time, the ones that sold were 36-inches x 21-inches, but he makes smaller ones also. Each one is chip carved around birds, deer, moose, people etc. that are painted.

He took up this hobby when he retired and is self taught, and said he “Loves doing it,” that was very evident. When I said it must be very difficult to do all the chipping, he demonstrated how he does it and made it look easy.

He is a very generous person also and doesn’t charge as much as he could for the hours he must put in for all the carving that goes into the finished product. His garage is his workshop, along with a wonderful, cheery one in his house. He has been selling his wooden carvings and clocks from his home for several years. He doesn’t have regular hours, but when the garage doors are open he is there.

He told me several very interesting stories about giving things to people, and one of them really impressed me . He said he had carved several eagles and had them on display in his shop for $50 each. One day a lady came in and he could tell she really wanted one but perhaps couldn’t afford that much money, so when she asked the price, he told her a quater. He insisted she walk away with the eagle for 25 cents, there were other stories of his generosity, also inspiring.

He is 84 years old but hasn’t slowed down much, which is wonderful with the talent that he has. He said, “I have met many excellent people, and I do things for them.” He has a great philosophy about many things, and I agreed with him on many. He had two friends stop by while I was there, it was a wonderfully worth while visit.

It brought back many happy memories of when I had my GRAM’s Shop for 22 years and of moving the building three times, and of the wonderful friends I met during that time.

The mystery has been solved! I am so happy, (just received a call of confession) now I can thank the wonderful giver of that beautiful surprise carnation. My heartfelt thanks go out to the Solon Pine Tree 4-H Club!

The Embden Historical Society meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 12, at 7 p.m., at the Embden Town House. Art Ray, of Sidney, will be giving a PowerPoint presentation on the Early History of Central Maine Power and Wyman Dam. A business meeting will follow along with refreshments. All are welcome.

The date for the North Anson Congregational Church yard and bake sale is Saturday, June 17, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Percy’s memoir this week is about getting older – he lived to be 17 which is pretty old in cat age: “Getting older is not for sissies to help you face the inevitable changes with a spirit of fun and fearlessness, here are a few words. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctor worry about them, that’s what you pay him for.

Keep only cheery friends. The grouches pull you down.

Keep learning. Learn more about crafts, the computer, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain stay idle. “An idle brain is the devil’s workshop.”

Enjoy simple things. Visit a friend or read a good book, just for fun.

Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

The tears happen, endure, grieve and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life is ourselves.

Surround yourself with what you love, whether it’s family, pets. keepsakes, music, plants and hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

Cherish your health. If it’s good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it, If it is beyond what you can do to improve it, get help.

Don’t take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, to the next county, to a foreign country, but not to where the guilt is.

So put a spring in your step and a lilt in your voice and grow old gracefully without losing your youth. Remember, life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away. (words by George Carlin) These wise words were given to me by a good friend to pass on for Percy.)