Kitchen details 2017

Comments for Suki and Wilk:

Suzy: A toast heaven sent to Alton B Hastings, Laura Cushman Hastings, Alice Hastings Porter and Clinton Jackson Porter.

And heartfelt thanks to Mary & Russ, Suki & Wilk, Hank & Louise and Jane & Frank who worked tirelessly to preserve and improve the castle by the sea through the years.

And especially to Wilk whose generous gift in honor of Suki is keeping the magic alive...

Early Cape Memories Indelibly Etched

Dave: A HUGE thanks to Wilk and Suki for initiating what at one point seemed like an un-doable task, at least for this season. I feel like we're getting ready to write our own version of George Colt's "The Big House", but with an entirely different ending.

Bruce: IT IS BEAUTIFUL - Thank you ALL who were able to do SO MUCH work!! WE can't wait to see it in July.

THANKS again from all the Buddingtons!!

Tee: Wow. Looks fantastic! And great pictures/story. When can the group come to Seattle and help Amber and I fix up our new house? Tee

Blay: Wow! Absolutely amazing! You guys are Janice's and my heros. And Dave and Linda our SUPER HEROS!! And Suki and Wilk - the ULTRA SUPER HEROS!

We will be thanking you all for years to come. Looks like a gem that sparkles now. Can't wait to see it and enjoy it.

... and thanks and congratulations also to the tireless ANGELS on the Board to have coordinated it and had it be done in a week! May you be eternally blessed.

Thank you all!!

Love,

Blay and Janice

Wendy: No one could say it better, Blay. THANK YOU BOARD AND WORKERS for making this all possible. The kitchen looks amazing!!! I can’t begin to imagine how you got all this done in a week. God bless!

Thank you thank you all!

Wendy & Peter

Jen: It looks amazing! Many thanks to Wilk and Suki, and to the Board, and the work crew, for all their efforts in accomplishing this project. And a huge thanks to my dad and Linda for being the real work crew - they stayed all week and did so much of the manual labor involved in making this happen (not bad for a guy turning 70 sooner than he'd probably like me to mention)!

We can't wait to get back there in a few weeks to enjoy the new space!

Jen

Adam: Looks great. We can't wait to give it a test run in July. Thanks to everyone who put in all the hard work. It's hard to believe that people are starting their week vacations soon, we just got a foot of snow here two days ago. Hopefully we don't bring that weather with us in July. Thanks again and looks great.

Adam Bahnson

Blay: I wanted to say something about the example that the Founders set over the years from the time of this epic adventure's founding. The pictures of you guys doing Suki's Kitchen remind me of the pictures of the Founders doing the same kinds of work back in the 50s. Talk about super heros! They're a legendary team of sisters and brothers-in-law.

The warm-hearted, but serious, competition between Dad and Uncle Wilk, Harvard Med classmates destined to become international medical heros. Mom shortly after recovering from polio, scraping the very same kitchen floor. The four sisters always smiling. Frank and Russ stepping to the plate, probably feeling a little overshadowed by their Energizer Bunny younger brothers. It's awesome!

I imagine their vibes were energizing all a' yinz this week. ... I'm jealous!

By the way, I've been really enjoying Uncle Wilk's "Doc for All Seasons" this week as I try to prepare a talk for the Annual Bahnson Lecture dinner on Tuesday. I'm embarrassed to admit how little I knew about Uncle Wilk's association with Dad from med school and professionally thereon. The H.T. Bahnson Professor and Chairman of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Jim Luketich, who hosts the dinner and speaker (not me!) was a Wilkins Visiting Professor at MGH a few years ago! It's all the same tribe! I knew they were warriors, but I didn't know it was the same tribe!

Blay again: (This is my FINAL message.) I meant to say thanks to Wendy for urging Uncle Wilk to write down all those stories in "Doc For All Seasons" about he and Suki tying their knots, bringing Mom and Dad on board (thanks for that, Uncle Wilk!! I owe you for my very existence!), and thereby giving all of us a treasure chest of stories about the founding of our own families. You should all put in your orders for a copy!! If it's out of print, maybe we should issue a second printing? Thanks again, Uncle Wilk and Wendy, and Suki, for the Kitchen, and the book, and my existence.

Heather Lee: Hi everyone,

What a fabulous job you've done on the kitchen remodel! It looks just gorgeous, bright and inspiring, a perfect reflection of Suki. I hold so close the memories I have of Suki in the kitchen at the cape, and of Wilk stealing his chocolate ice cream after meals. Suki brings love and light to any kitchen, and to have it physically reflected in a space is absolutely amazing. Thank you to Wilk for finding a perfect tribute to Suki, and to both of them for the unending love they have for each other and the rest of their family, a true example for all of us.

And finally thank you to the team that made this possible, including the Board for their organization and the work crew (David and Linda, Ashley and Jon, Jen and Chris, Gregg) for their sweat. We may not be able to get to the cape often, but when we do, it will be all that much more special because of your hard work.

Tee: I wanted to write another, more heartfelt, thank you. With the variety of activities, work, and limitless information that flows through our busy lives, it's very easy to take for granted our heritage and all the things our elders have done to make our lives better. For me, vacationing at the Porter House leads to reflection on our great family and all the wonderful childhood memories I have had there. I'm very thankful for all that you have done to keep this house and family partnership going so well and for so long--to Wilk for the generous donation, and to the rest of you who made this most recent improvement possible. I also would like the elders to know that I'm personally committed to help keep The Porter House and partnership going strong for future generations to experience. Thanks again for all that you have done. Warm regards, Tee

Bruce and Cheryl: The pictures are wonderful, we can't wait to get there and see it up close. Thanks to all the workers and THANKS WILK AND SUKI for making this possible. So excited to see you soon. Bruce and Cheryl

Barb Bahnson: Thanks to all. Wilk and Suki for setting the idea in motion, the Board for all the execution, and the work crew for an amazing effort in putting it all in place. The effort that went into it is another wonderful tribute to the amazing energy that the Porter House has. I feel very blessed to have it be a part of our lives.

Barbara, John, Annalise and Karissa

Clint: On behalf or the California crew, we all want to thank Wilk for his transformational gift and express our love to both Suki & Wilk on this grand occasion.

Carla and I and our kids (Heather, Jacqueline and Tim) have been able to visit only sporadically over the years, but for the last five years I've had the privilege of having Suki & Wilk pretty much all to myself -- with cameo roles from Wendy & Peter and Wayne & Kate -- and overnight visits with Barb & Chip -- in mid-late September -- the most mellow season of all. We all treasure having such "quality time" with them.

(Being with them in September brought back to me one set of memories long lost -- Indian Summer, 1956, when Wendy and I and Suki stayed away from school in Newton until the first frost, because of the polio epidemic.)

Carla & I are hopeful we can share in the Porter House experience next summer -- and celebrate Suki's Kitchen -- with our entire clan, including two of Suki & Wilk's great grandchildren -- Mirabelle and Elodie Lee -- Heather & Matt Lee, Jacqueline, Tim & his fiance Alex Cotter.

With Love and a Big Hug to Suki & Wilk,

Clint -- for the California Wilkins

Jay: Greetings from Marion,

Meredith and I would also like to thank all of you who participated in this year's undertaking. I'd especially like to thank Ashley and John for representing the Ryder labor force and Suzy and Fred for their ongoing support. Way to go Herrimans.

Tyler: Hi Porter family,

Wow what a team effort in the true Porter family spirit! Thanks to the board for putting all the details together. Design selections are right out Architectural Digest! Huge thanks to everyone in the trenches and taking their lead from Dave as the general. Just amazing what you all accomplished in a weekend. Thanks Uncle Wilk for initiating the tribute for Suki. A wonderful testament to the both of you and your love for the Porter House. We can't wait to enjoy it next year.

HUGE Thanks from the Denver Ryders...love, Tyler, Dana, Madison and Wyatt

Ashley: One of the unanticipated benefits of moving to Maine in 2015 has been the opportunity to reconnect with the house and to introduce it to my husband. Although my schedule has generally been too unpredictable to commit to a full week, the ability to dash up during the shoulder seasons to help with work has been such a pleasure. I have a million memories all over the property, but to me the kitchen/dining room is the heart of the house, and I'm so grateful to Suki and Wilk for their gift to refurbish it. Whenever I'm home staring at the boring backsplash on the wall behind my kitchen sink while I do dishes, I can pretend I'm staring out that big bay window onto Back River. (And now that dream sequence will also include the big, shiny, efficient new sink. Anyone who has ever done dishes at MB or anywhere will appreciate that thing, believe me.)

The work crew is getting a lot of credit on this thread, and I need to reiterate what Jen said: This renovation would never have made it to finish line without Dave and Linda's work last week. After we went home, they oversaw counter installation, installed all the new cabinet fronts themselves, replaced the oven door, probably did touch ups on a lot of my lousy painting, not to mention cleaning and putting the kitchen back together again (and thanks to Barbara Angle, who helped take it all apart and put everything in labeled boxes to simplify the putting back together). It was a team effort for sure, and I can't wait for Suki to see her kitchen in person! Hopefully there will be some pictures of that, too.

Jacqueline: Hello everyone,

Thanks so much for all your hard work and time spent on suki's kitchen! I can't express enough what a valuable gift this truly is to the whole family to carry on sukis beautiful legacy with a physical space that represents her. I am so thankful to all that put their time and heart into this project! Big hug!

Jacqueline