July 16-20                             Southwest Harbor, Maine

Beautiful sunny weather was interrupted by a cold, rainy and foggy day on Tuesday.  We were concerned this would continue and spoil the visit of our friends from Texas.  Claudia and Rod Stepp would arrive Wednesday on a cruise ship for a brief stop in Bar Harbor.  To our delight, the day dawned cool and sunny.  A great Maine summer day!  We met our friends in Bar Harbor, passed the usual tourist shops for a brief tour of the remaining “summer cottages” (52 had been destroyed in the 1947 fire) and made a quick visit to St. Saviours Episcopal Church to view their outstanding stained-glass window (10 from Tiffany Studios).

A tour of Northeast Harbor and several of its beautiful shops was fun for Claudia and me while the guys found coffee and local conversation.  The scenic drive around Somes Sound brought us to Southwest Harbor and lunch at Top of the Hill.  It was delightful to have lengthy conversations with our long-time friends and show them The Bottom Line.  Afterwards, we returned them to Bar Harbor for an early departure on their ship heading to Nova Scotia.

Jill Cohen and Jerry Orloff, friends from Boston, arrived on Thursday evening for libations on the aft deck before going to Havana in Bar Harbor for dinner.  They are a fun couple and we always enjoy their company.  The following evening, they were guests of honor at a gathering of friends in the lovely marina home of Mary and Ed Dysart.  Jill and Jerry frequented the marina for years in their boat Mandamus and are dearly loved by others who are long-time summer residents.  Mary is the consummate party animal and always has games, entertainment and food to make a successful gathering.  Jerry “officially” marked his retirement from the legal profession by publicly burning his I.D. card. (Something he had promised to do when the decision was final).  Although their boat is still in storage, we are hoping they will return again soon.