[Buffalo Gal]

I've been "lurking" around this web site daily for over a year, reading everything, but this is my first posting! I consider some of the regular posters to be almost Winnipesaukee Forum Celebrities. Thanks CSUhockey3, this was a great idea for a topic. The explanation for my user name is very simple....I was born in Buffalo and my name is Gail. There is an old song (very old) about a "Buffalo Gal", and so it seemed to be an appropriate name. I haven't chosen an avatar yet, and probably wouldn't know how to add it anyway. My husband (a Rhode Islander) and I met while working in the Boston area. We live in Massachusetts but we have always loved the mountains and woods of New Hampshire and we started tent camping in the White Mountains with our children when they were very young. About 15 years ago we bought a small cabin in the Newfound Lake area. We'd spend as many weekends as we could, winter and summer, at the cabin. On my mother's side I come from a long line of Adirondack mountain people. My father's side of the family originated in the Abruzzi mountains of Italy. Maybe it's genetic, because I'm never happier than when I'm surrounded by woods and mountains. My husband is drawn to the lake and is happiest on his boat. Now with our children almost on their own we are finally building a home we can retire to on the BIG lake. Like many others we've considered going south to retire, but we'd miss New Hampshire too much. The boating is terrific in Florida but it's too flat and too hot for me! We bought a new boat last spring and spent the summer learning how to navigate Winnipesaukee, and now we count the days until we can be full-time residents of New Hampshire.