August 22-September 7            North Kingstown, Rhode Island

Our boat is equipped with a propane gas grill on the bridge.  We rarely utilize it because most marinas forbid open flames on boats.  The location was also inconvenient for easy access.  We researched electric grills and selected a small Weber that would easily store on top of the bar area on the aft deck.

John and Maria joined us for our inaugural attempt to cook steaks.  Following directions, David placed four large New York strips on the very hot grill and waited.  At the determined time, he tested the meat and was surprised and upset to find it overcooked.  Although tender and flavorful, our steaks were definitely past the medium-rare stage we desired.  More practice is required.

We were delighted to have Jill visit us again.  The day was sunny and cool so we planned lunch on the aft deck.  Baked scrod, a mixed salad and a light dessert accompanied lots of conversation as we reminisced and made future plans.  We are hoping Jill will visit us next spring in Texas. 

Several years ago, we spent a week in Fairhaven, Massachusetts to avoid a pending hurricane.  We were fascinated by lovely older homes and several significant buildings.  H.H. Rogers, a retired Standard Oil executive and multimillionaire, returned to his hometown and generously endowed the city with a public library, city hall and Unitarian Church in Gothic architectural style.   The church is a magnificent structure with notable artwork and stained glass windows which easily rival those by Tiffany. 

We made a road trip to New Bedford and Fairhaven (twin cities across a river) to renew memories.  New Bedford remains a major port on the East Coast and the coastal part of the city is highly commercial, however, adjacent is the well-preserved older section with cobblestone streets and lovely shops and restaurants.  I enjoyed visiting the Whaling Museum while David and Pretzel  people watched on the patio.  All readers of Moby Dick (or viewers of the movie), know the prominence of New Bedford as a whaling port.

Afterwards, we had a delicious lunch at Tia Maria’s.  The menu reflected the great Portuguese influence in the area.  It was a lovely day and we enjoyed a leisurely lunch with delicious food and very friendly service.  Our waitress was also a commercial fisher and catches huge tuna and bluefish on her days off.

Labor Day weekend was fun with considerable activity of boats, paddleboards and kayaks in our harbor.  Our boat is still at dock due to a repair need.