May 22-28                                    Portsmouth, Marina

Sunday was torrential rain so we stayed onboard all day.  Boredom was setting in.  Monday was intermittently rainy but we ventured out to Virginia Beach and West Marine to pick up additional supplies to complete the non-skid project.  I bought new charts for Chesapeake Bay to give us updated information on that area (our charts were from the original owner and were definitely outdated). 

Next door was a recommended Italian restaurant.  Reginella’s was an excellent choice.  The décor, waitstaff, and food was excellent.  We enjoyed a great fresh seafood salad, sautéed broccoli rabe, veal piccata, clams and pasta, and wonderful homemade bread.  Once again, we ignored our proposed diet!

Tuesday was a lovely sunny day and to our delight Josh arrived to complete the non-skid project begun by Miller earlier in the month.  John, the head of the marina service department, was frequently on board to advise and assist.  We were pleased to have his expertise and supervision.  The non-skid process required several coats of paint and each took about twelve hours to dry.  We were hoping for several days of sunshine.

David recuperated well and by Thursday his eyes were almost devoid of swelling.  We left Josh to work on the boat and went to see Dr. Newsom for post-surgical check-up.  All was well and David was released from further medical attention.

Eager to see more of the area and escape the confines of the boat, we drove an hour to Williamsburg.  Lunch was at Berrett’s Seafood Grill across from William and Mary University.  It was a great choice with a delightful setting and delicious food.  We dined on cheese and ale soup, she-crab soup, peanut-crusted catfish, and mixed green salad.  David had a "beer flight" to accompany his food.

After driving through Colonial Williamsburg, we toured the two museums located in the restored former mental hospital on the edge of the village.  DeWitt Wallace, one of the founders of the Readers Digest, had a large collection of early American and British furniture and decorative arts which was installed in several wings of the building.  The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Collection of Folk Art was on view in other areas.  Both were very interesting and of exceptional quality.  Baby in a Red Chair, an early American painting by an unknown artist,  is beloved by visitors as is the Peale painting of General George Washington. Intricately sewn and designed quilts were examples of exceptional skill and remarkable patience.  We were surprised to see one gallery sponsored by Barry M. Boone in memory of his wife Linda.  We had enjoyed meeting and visiting with Barry and Linda on our 1996 steamboat trip on the Mississippi River.  

Williamsburg is a beautiful place and presents an ideal depiction of early life in this country.  We envied those who live in the surrounding residential areas characterized by stately red-brick colonial-style homes, verdant lawns, tall trees, and rolling hills.  It, too, presents an idealized picture of American life. 

The Memorial Day Weekend was upon us and yachts and people descended on the marina.  Late night parties on the restaurant deck and the opening of the pool made for a festive place.  On Saturday, we ran a few errands and returned to find increased activity.  While I was unloading groceries, David found other diversions!  He told me they agreed to be our crew and he could teach them to do tax returns!

May 15-21                                    Portsmouth, Virginia

Sunday was a lovely sunny day and we were ready to leave the boat and see some of the area.  Richmond is about two hours away and has some wonderful historical sights in addition to the renowned Virginia Fine Arts Museum.  The drive northward is almost entirely by interstate highways but the sightseeing is severely limited by the tall trees and thick foliage bordering the roads.  Our GPS expertly guided us to Boulevard Way and the FAMV.

Located in one of Richmond’s oldest and most prestigious neighborhoods, the original Beaux Arts building of red brick faced with imposing Doric columns blends well with the surrounding traditional architecture.  Not so, the recently added glass and stone addition that now holds the main entrance lobby, museum shop, restaurants, and modern art galleries.  The new space is filled with light and proved to be functional and easy to navigate as we moved from gallery to gallery.  It seamlessly melds with the interior of the original structure and retains several architectural features, marble columns, small alcoves, and intimate display spaces, that lend charm to its present modernity.

The FAMV has benefited significantly from the generosity of Paul Mellon, a scion of one of America’s wealthiest families and a notable collector of art.  He and his wife have donated their comprehensive collection of French Impressionist Art, which represents every noted artist of that genre, including bronze sculptures by Degas.  As an avid thoroughbred breeder and racer, Mr. Mellon assembled an amazing collection of British and American “sporting art” that is now on view at the FAMV.  One does not have to possess a deep knowledge of equine potential to appreciate the beauty of the fine horses portrayed in the paintings and sculptures displayed in galleries that might resemble scenes from a gentlemen’s club in London.

The spaces devoted to Modern Art were large and so was the collection.  I was delighted to see represented most of the artists we show at the MAM of Fort Worth but there were many, many others.  Quality had not been sacrificed for quantity and it was truly amazing to see the creativity and unique efforts of so many artists.  Usually not a fan of Modern Art, David was an avid participant in our tour.

We left the museum at almost five o’clock and opted for a late lunch/dinner.  Seafood was our choice and we drove to the downtown area to dine at Rappahannock’s, a local favorite.  Funky minimalist upscale décor with a limited menu of seafood with Asian “infusion,” this restaurant proved to be an excellent choice.  We had several appetizers rather than entrees, a cold green pea and she-crab soup, a medley of Virginia oysters, and wood-grilled octopus.

On Monday, we learned our contact for completing the non-skid project was not going to be available (he waited a week to let us know!!!!!).  We contacted the service manager here in the marina and he assured us he could complete the needed work in time for our departure near the first of June.  Rain is in the forecast so it is imperative they take advantage of sunny days when and if they occur.  Unfortunately, we have learned OUR schedule is usually not THEIR schedule.

Tuesday was a difficult day.  It rained almost all day and David was very sick with the same symptoms I had experienced before our departure for the boat.  He stayed in bed, ate nothing, and tried to recover.  Surgery was scheduled on the following day.

Wednesday morning was damp but rain had ended.  We left the marina at eight and David was feeling much better.  We arrived at the surgery center, a beautiful facility in Suffolk, waited almost two hours, and finally David was called for surgery.  Two hours later, he emerged with dark, swollen eyes swathed in bandages.  I was concerned about his ability to walk to the boat from the car, a distance of a long city-block, but he assured me he could do so without falling.  Slowly and carefully, he trudged the distance, boarded the boat, and promptly succumbed to the remnants of the anesthesia and pain medication, falling asleep for hours.  I awakened him periodically to apply ice packs to lessen the swelling.

Unfortunately, the stomach virus returned and David experienced four difficult days, surviving on little food and as much liquid as I can persuade him to imbibe.  The weather alternated between rain and sunshine so we stayed onboard.  David slept most of the time and I cleaned and did needlepoint.  It was interesting to observe the constant changing scene in the marina.  We were touched by the concern of the staff who frequently inquired about David.

2016

May 7-14                                      Portsmouth, Virginia

After enjoying a wonderful family brunch at our home, we departed for Norfolk at approximately 7:00 PM.  We were fortunate to be in first class so the flight was easy.  Our taxi driver from the airport was very accommodating and took our heavy bags to the boat and lifted them on deck.  Of course, David tipped well as his courtesy was greatly appreciated and facilitated a wonderful arrival on The Bottom Line.

David and Miller Dupuis, our friend from Maine, had completed a renewal of the overhanging eves.  As expected, Miller had done an amazing job.  The non-skid decking was not completed due to weather so we had to find another source to complete the project.

Sunday was a day to relax, unpack, and enjoy again our wonderful boat.  David’s eye problems, diagnosed before we left as a blurring of vision due to eyelid growth, seemed to be accelerating.  He wanted to have surgery as soon as possible to remediate the problem but did not want to leave the boat. 

With internet research, we located a local ophthalmologic plastic surgeon in the area with impressive credentials.  We were able to secure an appointment on Monday and traveled to his clinic in Virginia Beach.   After extensive examinations, he agreed with the previous diagnosis and operative procedures were scheduled for the following Wednesday. 

Another internet search found a company specializing in boat painting.  We visited their facility, learned they did only government work, and made contact with an employee who indicated he would do the job for us.  We had made progress!

Intermittent rain and wind kept us on the boat where we completed projects, began others (the nativity needlepoint canvases brought from home), and observed the changing marina scene.  As we are located at Mile 1 of the Intracoastal Canal, boat traffic headed northward from Florida and the Caribbean is significant at this time of year.  In addition, there are commercial vessels, naval ships, Coast Guard boats, and numerous local sailboats cruising past the marina in the Elizabeth River headed toward Chesapeake Bay.  We find it to be an interesting and often compelling sight.