July 1-12                   North Kingstown, Rhode Island

The Fourth of July was busy in the marina.  Intermittent rain delayed many boats but the fireworks display on the beach nearby occurred as planned.  We had a hot dog dinner with apple pie on the aft deck.  It was fun to watch on TV  the Tall Ships parade in New York Harbor.  We celebrated our nation’s birthday by continually watching historical movies and documentaries about Revolutionary heroes and events.

We had a special evening with John and Betsie on the aft deck of their beautiful boat.  Betsie served an amazing display of appetizers.  With a cool breeze, we enjoyed the ambiance. the food and the interesting conversation.  Their two small dogs carry on frequent “conversations” with Pretzel.

On July 12, we drove to Westerly to have a reunion with John and Maria Carpenter.  They no longer have their boat, and are absent from the marina.  We miss them  as they were the catalyst for much of our social life in summers past.  Maria had chosen  to meet at The Bistro in The Ocean House on the beach in Westerly.  We went early to avoid the traffic and have time to see the area.

Westerly is a delightful town of lovely, large Victorian and Cape Cod style houses set among spacious lawns adorned with blooming hydrangeas, roses, and lilies.  Taylor Swift’s house is one of the grandest, but others can compete.  It is a gorgeous neighborhood that winds through rocky hills overlooking the sea.

                                              TAYLOR SWIFT HOUSE

                                 

The Ocean House is a magnificent property that commands  an imposing view of the expansive beach and Atlantic Ocean.  We had often passed it as we cruised from the Cape Cod Canal toward Mystic or Essex.  We were impressed with the beautiful yellow and white Victorian structure as well as its renown as a five-star accommodation. 

We were glad we had driven our new car as our old VW with its faded paint would surely have been sent away.  The valets were busy with a new Mercedes, a gorgeous Rolls-Royce and a bright yellow Ferrari.    As we arrived early, we went to the outdoor bar to view the beach scene.  It was crowded with sunbathers and cabanas.

We were delighted to see John and Maria,  Our brunch  was a great occasion to catch up with news of family and friends.  We celebrated John’s birthday (the following day) with champagne toasts and delicious food.   After more than two hours, we reluctantly said goodbye to special friends with promises to meet again soon.