Rattling the Canned Ham: A Bon Voyage Party

Leaving for the Dutch Caribbean island Saba for several months, Tom Jusdon's send off 'Hello, Goodbye' party was a smash success. With fab friends in tow, many of whom had never met each other before, Tom opened his home Idlewild and his camper Canned Ham for a sunny Memorial Day BBQ. Thanks to the name tags, our opening question thus became, "And how do you know Tom?" What was evident is that for many of us, beyond knowing Tom, we were creative folks who escaped our busy everyday lives to weekend places in the area. From Allan and Randy in Round Top, to Adam and Gregg in Freehold, Wicki and Zac in Germantown, David and Ralph in Athens, Bill in Cairo, Margo and Greg now in Earlton, and of course us on Potic Mountain Road, all of us agreed that our weekend places proved to be a saving grace, allowing us to unwind and in some ways, appreciate our weekday homes even more. As for the range of friendly people on hand, it also became clear that Tom collects people in the same way he collects careers: with wit and charm. We wish him well on his new adventure. Follow along with one of his two blogs: Rattling the Saba and Canned Ham.

Tom Judson: Part One

The illustrious Tom Judson, who has reinvented himself more times than Madonna, is planning another journey. When we met Tom two years ago, we purchased Potic Cottage from him-- a place he renovated and decorated with taste strikingly similar to mine. He was in his "home remodeling phase" which is now leading him from his last renovation job Idlewild, pictured here, to Saba, a Caribbean island, where he will be renovating hotel cottages. His blog Rattling the Saba, is about the process of divesting himself of his belongings and heading on this very exciting adventure. While in Saba, Tom, a former Broadway musician and film actor, will write a one-man show about his life. In true multiple personality style, Tom is writing another blog, Canned Ham, where he chronicles his plans for adventure once he returns to the United States in the fall. Traveling cross-country in the camper featured above, Tom, armed with little more than an accordion and a smile, will perform his one-man show nationwide, interviewing and filming those he meets along the way. How could this not be an HBO special? Or at least a show on the Travel channel?