All the card games and the puzzles played, all the laughter and the story telling – the cups of coffee, the feasts and the not so festive meals and the sad times too – how many women and men, too, I suppose, laid their heads down on this ever-ready receptacle for tears and frustrations. All the checks written out for bills paid and budgets which were never adhered to and letters written to sisters in far off places and my own letters and thank you notes written only a year ago thanking friends for their offerings of sympathy at the sudden death of my beloved husband. I sit at this great table alone a lot of late – but I am not really alone – I run the palm of my hand across the smooth surface of this golden oak destined to be my source of great comfort and what a joy to sit here and feel the energy of the life this table has known. I am overwhelmed at the treasure I have here in my big old kitchen with the big old rocker in the corner!
Alice Feeney
April 2, 1989
I am a nephew of Alice. I and my family spent many a day here. I fact my father chose to die in this peaceful place while Alice lived there.
I became friends with Alice around late 1984. I was truly blessed to sit at that beautiful table she wrote about with her and sometimes with a bunch of other women as we talked through our pain, laughed through our joy and broke bread with one another. Alice (and John while he was still alive) loved and supported me through my early (and even late) years of recovery from incest, sexual abuse by a priest and alcoholism. The wisdom, kindness, and generosity of spirit that Alice had was immeasurable…perhaps more than words could every say. As I grew stronger she allowed me to support her through her struggles and that was truly an honor. Alice was also a lot of fun and she was open to new experiences one of which is when I invited her to watch the meteor showers in August from the deck of her house. “Sure” she said..”Come on over and we’ll do it.” Of course, they did not start until about midnight but we would lay out on her deck til the wee morning hours.. sometimes as late 3AM talking and watching the many “shooting stars” that flew through the sky. It became a tradition for us and hope those who are at Alice’s house in August have likewise been blessed with such a great experience. I thank Janet Gibson, the Board and the volunteers who have helped to keep Alice’s House thriving. Getting it off the ground initially was a miracle let alone rebuilding and doing it all again. May the spiritual energy that Alice filled the house with be forever available to all those who continue to enter this loving and sacred home. I hope this was not too long but, as I am sure you can imagine, I could go on forever about my dear friend Alice and what it meant to be able to sit with her by the sea and talk or just be. Kathy Dwyer