June 14-June 20           North Kingstown, Rhode Island

Boston friends, Jill and Jerry, who share with us great memories of boating at Southwest Harbor, Maine, battled heavy traffic to come for a visit and early dinner.  We seldom see them but stay in touch throughout the year and easily resume conversation when we are together.  They are the best of friends.

After a snack on the boat and time for Jill to give Pretzel much tender love and attention, we left for East Warwick and Chielo’s Waterfront Restaurant.  The place was enormous with a huge lawn filled with tables overlooking the massive marina.  As the weather was exceptionally pleasant, it was packed with a happy crowd experiencing post-pandemic euphoria.

Cool, sunny weather continued throughout the week and we felt guilty (only a little!) reading the reports of extreme heat in Texas and the western states.  Office and boat projects occupied several days but we could bear it no longer and planned a driving trip across the bay to several historical scenic communities.  Pretzel, wearing a bark collar, would go with us.  Her manners have greatly improved and she is miserable being away from us.

Bristol, Rhode Island has a deep harbor and was once a major shipbuilding center.  It obviously had considerable wealth because interspersed with colonial structures are some magnificent mansions built by nineteenth century entrepreneurs.  The population of Bristol is small but they have preserved blocks and blocks of beautiful homes and businesses in charming, flower-bedecked buildings.

Quito’s (it’s Portuguese, not Mexican) is a local favorite seafood restaurant located on the bay next to a lovely little park.  We were seated on the patio with a great view.  Pretzel was admitted without difficulty and remained at David’s feet throughout lunch.  The menu was the best of any seafood restaurant we have experienced in this area and our food was excellent.  We hope to return with Jill and Jerry.

                                        

Warren is adjacent to Bristol and displays much of the same charm and historical significance.  Large farms are present throughout the area and roadside markets are frequent with bins laden with locally-grown produce.

Father’s Day was incredibly beautiful with 80-degree weather and little wind. I spent most of the afternoon on the aft deck watching a continuous parade of boats returning to the marinas or the town dock at Wickford.  Numerous restaurants attract boaters who enjoy visiting on their boats.  David was pleased to receive many calls and messages acknowledging his status as familial patriarch!

    

 

 

 June 2-June 13                North Kingstown, Rhode Islaned

This year we are docked second from the end facing the bay.  This was our choice as we have a great view of the boating scene and the lovely homes on the opposite shore.  Next to us and adjacent to the bay is a 65’ Hatteras motoryacht which sold two years ago, moved to Portland, Maine and has now sold again and returned to Wickford Shipyard.  The new owners are friendly and interesting folks who live about an hour away in Connecticut. 

On the starboard side of our slip is a space periodically leased by Jim Armante, whom we met last year.  Jim has a 75’ tug-like boat which is used to bring large ships into port.  Although it is a working boat, it is always clean and polished to look almost new.  Jim is a delightful fellow and we look forward to visiting more with him this year.

David quickly recovered his enthusiasm for grocery shopping and returned almost daily to the wonderful market here in Wickford.  We are well stocked and eating on the boat is preferable most of the time to eating out.  Fresh seafood is readily available and easy to prepare.

We will probably remain at Wickford for several more weeks.  We are content to finish projects (David) and read and do needlepoint (Wanda).  A long overdue reading choice was “The Age of Innocence” by Edith Wharton.  This book is often mentioned by other authors who find her descriptions of life and customs of the New York City wealthy social set to be fascinating. 

I agreed and thoroughly enjoyed the book.  Needlepoint is progressing.  I finally finished a pillow with a difficult design and have happily begun another simpler project.

Rhode Island is a botanical treat with the magnificent rhododendrons and colorful lilies.  We made several drives to see the lovely yards filled with flowering shrubs and tall beech trees with their dark purple foliage.  Stone walls border the fields and yards adding a special charm to the scene.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 21-June 1              North Kingstown, Rhode Island

Plans to return to the boat on May 19 were twice changed by a proposed court date for one of David’s clients.  After canceling, rescheduling and canceling again, we learned the case will not be heard until August (if then??) and definite reservations were finally made to depart DFW on May 21 for Providence, Rhode Island.

We were met at the airport in Rhode Island by the daughter of our good friend and helper, Rupe Bodden, who was enroute home from Honduras where he had purchased a boat for fishing charters.  His lovely daughter was an excellent driver and insisted on helping us load our luggage onto the boat.

All was not good!  The refrigerator was warm again (although the freezer worked well), the icemaker on the aft deck did not work, a bad water leak in the mid-stateroom on the port side of the boat had dampened the bedding of one of the twin beds.  The room was in a shambles as the workmen had not determined the cause of the problem.  Rube’s wife had graciously come and cleaned the interior and we were spared months of dust. 

The heads and the TV worked well so we had the essentials for temporary living on the boat!  On Monday, the water leak was repaired and Scott arrived to repair again the refrigerator which persists in repeatedly freezing the mechanism and stopping the cooling process.  Although this is not “a rocket science” problem, no one has been capable of solving it.  A new refrigerator is not an option as installation would necessitate major dismantling of the entrance to the galley.

David and I soon realized we were both becoming ill with constant coughing and extreme fatigue.  No fever or pain but totally miserable.  On Wednesday, we went to the doctor and learned he had acute bronchitis and I had pneumonia.

Medication was prescribed but we were not in good shape when Blake, Amanda and Winn arrived on Thursday before Memorial Day. Their trip was primarily to attend a shower event for long-time Fort Worth friend, Taylor Van Antwerp who now lives in Connecticut.  They quickly adapted to the situation and cleaned, shopped, cooked and cared for us.  We tried to placate them with fresh oysters, an assortment of delicious seafood and the fantastic ice cream from the renowned shop nearby

The weather was cold and wet for the duration of their visit.  After they Ubered to Boston on Monday to return home, the skies cleared and we enjoyed sunshine.  Unfortunately, they had experienced a difficult visit with sick grandparents and nasty weather but they endured all with their customary graciousness and generosity.  They are always the perfect guests.

Following another round of medication, we began to feel better and the coughing ceased.  David hired Fen Wang, a charming little Chinese woman, to clean the interior of the boat.  Rube returned in time to clean the exterior and the ice maker was eventually repaired.  Now we are ready to enjoy the summer!