August 21-August 27               North Kingstown, Rhode Island

We were excited about the impending visit of cousins from Fort Worth, Greg and Julie Galier.  After several delays at DFW, they finally arrived in New York and boarded a train to East Orange, New Jersey.  Here they helped their son, Tripp to become settled in his dorm at Seton Hall University.  Tripp, a 6’5” handsome young man had earned an academic scholarship to this prestigious school and is hoping to join their baseball team.  Greg and Julie reluctantly left him (although many phone calls ensued) to ride the train and join us in Rhode Island. 

                                        

 

The week was busy with dinner at Beech in Jamestown, a long tour of Newport on a lovely cool, sunny day, great lobsters and oyster dinner on the aft deck, a cruise on The Bottom Line northward to the Providence channel and a farewell dinner at Trattoria Romano in Wakefield.  Their late flight home on Saturday gave us time to treat them to more seafood at Blu in East Greenwich.  We try to feed our guests well!

 Most of all, we enjoyed their delightful company and sharing their plans to escape the “empty nest syndrome” now that their three children are engaged in career and school pursuits.  They will be selling their home, buying a condo in Dallas and traveling more.  With a new condo in Cabo San Lucas, they have great options for changing their life style.

 

 

 

 

August 8-August 20        North Kingstown, Rhode Island

Once again, we were faced with frequent refrigerator problems.  David did extensive research on the internet to find a refrigerator that met our needs but would also fit through the narrow opening from the salon into the galley and then into the space which held the old one.  Earlier searches had been unsuccessful but he found one at Home Depot that met all our criteria.  It was ordered and plans were made for installation.  No easy task!

Suzanne and Eileen arrived on August 15 after a delay overnight in Charlotte.  They were excited to be in Rhode Island and we were delighted to have them.  Lobster rolls on the aft deck were a welcoming treat.  The following day, we went to Newport and the girls visited the Breakers and we drove the scenic drive along the sea before lunch at our favorite small Thai Restaurant. 

We celebrated Eileen’s birthday with special prime steaks grilled to perfection by David and blueberry pie instead of cake.  The evening was cool and we enjoyed a lovely sunset.  I was very touched when Eileen declared this to be her favorite birthday ever.

 On Friday, the girls and I perused the shops in Wickford before returning to the boat to learn the new refrigerator had arrived early.

Suzanne and Eileen immediately went into organizational mode and began moving furniture to clear a path from the aft deck to the galley.  Four burly guys from the marina easily moved the old unit to the aft deck, lifted it over the railing into a flat-bottomed work boat and hauled it away.  In a few minutes the boat returned with the new refrigerator which was then lifted by these amazing men over the railing and carried to the galley.  It fit perfectly into the allotted space and with some door adjustments was soon cooling with all the stored food inside. Suzanne and Eileen quickly began cleaning, vacuuming and moving furniture back into place.  They were wonderful!.

We had dreaded this day and all our worries proved to be useless.  All went well and we were awed to have our beautiful new refrigerator installed.  A farewell dinner of steamed lobsters on the aft deck was a great way to celebrate.  On Saturday, the girls left for home.  We were distressed later that evening to learn Eileen had soon become ill after reaching home, went to the clinic and was diagnosed with Covid.  It proved to be a mild case.  No one else to date has shown any symptoms

Saturday was our sixty-eighth wedding anniversary.  David had shown a special Italian restaurant in East Greenwich.  It was a lovely place with excellent food and service.  We enjoyed happy memories of  our special day so long ago and the wonderful people (many now gone) who had been a part of our wedding.

 

 

 

 

 

July 24-August 7            North Kingstown, Rhode Island

The lovely cool weather of Rhode Island ended with days of heat and humidity.  Evenings were cool with pleasant breezes across the aft deck but days were increasingly uncomfortable.  Of course, the heat was far less than that in Texas.

To our delight, friends from Fort Worth, Toni and Wade Lowry arrived on August 3 enroute from Maine.  Their beautiful Fleming 55’ docked next to us and we were able to share dinners each night on deck. 

Toni and Wade had not visited this area and we were pleased to show them the charms of Wickford and Newport.  One day was spent touring the mansions, specifically The Breakers, and lunch at The Mooring in downtown Newport.  Toni and I enjoyed shopping in Wickford.   We were awed to see the crowded beaches at Narragansett before lunch at the Coast Guard House.

 After a minor repair was completed on their boat, they departed on Sunday headed for Cuttyhunk, Edgartown and Nantucket.  We were envious!

 

 

July 3-July 23                          North Kingstown, Rhode Island

With partially inclement weather, the Fourth of July was subdued with less boat traffic than expected.  We enjoyed a great fireworks display from the nearby beach. Cleaning and packing for our Netherlands trip began, Shannon, the designated dog sitter came for Pretzel and we scheduled a car to take us to the airport in Boston.

Before leaving, I was surprised to learn the first part of my article on our journey through Canada was published in the American Boat Club magazine, The Ensign.  The title is Octogenarian Odyssey and will be serialized in four issues.  One of my photographs is on the cover.  Sometimes I impress my children!

We arrived in Amsterdam early on July 8, met Joe and Stephanie and took our arranged transportation to Willemstad where our chartered boat was docked.  After our stay in a charming little hotel, we boarded the boat, a 35-foot Linssen motoryacht with two staterooms and two heads.  

Our first stop was Annalind in South Holland but we decided we would go north to the canal area.  We visited Oudewater, Dordrecht, Gouda, several small charming villages on the River Vecht, went through Amsterdam on a lovely summer day with thousands of other boaters, Weesp and finally Delft.  Here our trip was aborted due to serious engine problems.  We spent three nights at the Hilton in The Hague then moving to the Hilton Schiphol before our departure on July 23.

 We visited the magnificent Mauritshuis and the incredible Louwman Car Museum in The Hague.  Our final day in Amsterdam, we visited the Rijksmuseum and marveled at the many changes since its renovation. 

Despite problems with the boat, too many low bridges (or closed bridges) and one day of very hot weather, we had a great trip made even more so by Stephanie and Joe who were delightful companions and always considerate and flexible. 

As with any long trip, one of the best parts is returning home and finding all is well.  Pretzel came the following day and we began unpacking and washing clothes.  Back to normal!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 20-July 2       North Kingstown, Rhode Island/New York City

After a lengthy delay due to a Covid scare which proved to be nothing more, our good friends, Jill and Jerry came to the boat.  Always good company, we had a long visit on the aft deck before driving to Matunuck Oyster Bar.  This popular restaurant is located on an obscure road near Point Judith and advance reservations are mandatory.  Great food and delightful ambiance.  We plan a repeat visit soon.

John and Maria Carpenter invited us to dinner at Trio, a Narraganset restaurant known for great seafood and Italian dishes.  The Italian population in Rhode Island is significant and reportedly they are demanding in the quality of food served.  Trio did not disappoint us.  Another great find!

Charles Martin, a Houston friend, arrived on June 29.  As a homebuilder (now retired), he was eager to visit several mansions in Newport.  I took the opportunity to visit the studio of Oone van der Wal, a noted yacht photographer, on Bannister’s Wharf.  His wife, Tenley is the daughter of my good friend and fellow Kimbell docent, Barbara Sims.  I had a delightful visit with Tenley and we plan to have them to the boat for dinner after returning from the Netherlands.

Torrential rain caused us to cancel dinner reservations at the Coast Guard House.  Instead, we had salmon steaks and blueberry pie on the aft deck.  As often happens after a rain, the sunset was spectacular.

Tuesday morning, we left early and headed for Danford’s marina in Port Jefferson, a charming Long Island village surrounded by an enclave of magnificent homes and estates.  The wind was less than 10 kts and the water was smooth.  Of course, there is always something!  Our stern thruster quit working (only two years old) and David had to dock in a narrow slip with little space for turning.  Years of practice paid off and he docked perfectly.  We enjoyed a great dinner at the Danford Hotel restaurant.

Our journey into New York was uneventful as the weather remained favorable.  Charles became very excited as we neared the city and constantly was on his phone and taking pictures.  Cruising down the East River, we saw our friends, John and Maryanne McCormack waving to us from the walkway near 34^th.  Their new condo is located only two blocks away.  

After the Brooklyn Bridge and a salute to Lady Liberty, we turned port off the Hudson River into Liberty Landing Marina, one of our favorite places.  Unfortunately, the two restaurants were closed until the weekend and we had to improvise dinner on the boat.  Prime steaks came from the freezer, small new potatoes in a butter sauce and a pear-Gorgonzola salad made everyone happy as we watched the lighted skyline from the aft deck.

On Thursday, we took the ferry from the marina to Tribeca and then parted ways.  The guys went across town to meet the McCormacks and I taxied to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for a day of indulgence in art.  Having earlier learned, the former Trustee’s Dining Room on the fourth floor had a new chef and significant menu changes, I went there for lunch.  The room was serene as always, the service was excellent and my light lunch of yellow tomato gazpacho was delicious.  I was seated where I had a great view of Cleopatra’s Needle, the giant obelisk from Egypt and marveled again at the engineering feat that brought it to Central Park.  I perused the Modern Art galleries (which I had never visited) and then moved in and out among the crowd to find my favorites.

At three o’clock, I taxied to the McCormack's condo on the 34^th floor of a black glass high rise on First Avenue.  As expected, it was magnificent with floor-to-ceiling views of the East River and Downtown Manhattan.  Maryanne had excelled in decorating with tones of gray, white and silver.  Everything was gorgeous and we were awed by the décor and the views.. Carolyn Martin flew in and joined us just in time to leave for dinner.

Dinner was at The River Café, underneath the Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn.  We went there by ferry. It is partially located on a barge and the exterior is no impressive but the interior and entrance courtyard are beautiful. Famous for years for its food and views across the river to Manhattan, it was definitely one of the best restaurants we had ever been to in New York.  Entrees were preceded by several exquisite amuses from the chef and the coffee souffle for dessert was a wonderful finale to an exceptional dinner.  David and I said goodbye and took a different ferry to Wall Street, found a taxi and returned to the boat.

Weather predictions for Saturday were not favorable so we planned to leave on |Friday and make our return trip to Wickford in one day.  We left the marina at 5:20 AM and had little traffic on the East River.  Long Island Sound was busy with freighters, fishing vessels and ferries.  Fortunately, there is plenty of depth so we could negotiate the route and stay in the clear.

About 2:00 PM, we realized our auto pilot had failed and then all the steering was gone.  David was reading manuals, checking systems, adding fluid, etc.  After about 30 minutes, we recovered steering but the auto pilot remained a problem.  We were relieved we did not have to call for a tow.

As we neared Block Island Sound, the wind changed and we experienced 3-foot swells which caused some discomfort as we rolled back and forth.  After passing Point Judith and turning into Narragansett Bay, the wind subsided and the waves were light.  Wickford Shipyard’s sign was as welcome sight.  We were home—well, almost!  The fellow we had engaged to meet us and catch our lines was nowhere in sight although he had promised earlier he was on the way.  Fortunately, several fellow boaters dropped everything, ran to us, caught our lines and secured us to the dock.  The guy who was supposed to have helped us never showed.  No matter, we were home after a 13-hour cruise from New York City.

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 7-June 19                North Kingstown, Rhode Island

With no one expected to visit until Charles Martin comes on June 26, we focused on boat chores.  With Rupe’s help and David’s supervision, new surface paint was applied to the bridge and bow areas, engine rooms were cleaned, storage compartments were emptied, no longer useful items were discarded and small repairs were made as needed to the interior and exterior.  The Bottom Line is ready for inspection!

With beautiful, cool weather, we enjoyed a steak dinner on the aft deck with John and Maria Carpenter.  It was an opportunity to renew our friendship from last year and learn more about their interesting professions (she is head of the elementary section of a prestigious private school in Connecticut and John is an entrepreneur who manufactures various objects for industrial clients) and delightful family.  Their knowledge of the local scene is extremely helpful.  Maria has promised to take me shopping at some of her favorite places and I am ready to go!

To our delight and amazement, Wes, the owner of the marina, had a railing constructed and installed on our dock after he learned David was worried I might fall into the water.  No one wants to have to rescue a drenching wet octogenarian who has lost her balance.  The railing is very helpful and I am grateful to have the additional safety feature.

My early morning breakfast and reading session on the aft deck was recently disturbed by the muted voices of several guys in canoes fishing near our boat.  Within a period of less than fifteen minutes, one of them caught three large stripers. Suddenly, other boats were joining in the fun and fishermen were vying for what they hoped would be more stripers.  We regretted Lincoln and Lochlan did not experience such luck when they fished off our dock last week.

We were delighted but not surprised when USA newspaper named Wickford the best small historical town in the United States.  With blocks of well-preserved eighteenth and nineteenth century homes, this small community is truly a jewel of civic pride.  The oldest home is dated 1735 and is a charming little cottage which is still occupied.  George Washington could have slept there!  We love being here.

We enjoy a boat show from our dock as magnificent yachts, small fishing boats and commercial vessels pass by to and from the bay.  For a few days, we had a charming little boat, recently restored, as our dock mate.  

With perseverance, an appointment was finally made with a dog groomer for Pretzel.  Apparently, this profession is highly in demand and we were quoted times in late4 July and August.  Perfect Paws in Wakefield had an opening and we left Pretzel there while we enjoyed a Mexican lunch (with a great frozen Margarita) nearby.  It was delicious food and satisfied our need for an infusion of salsa!  Lisa, the owner of Perfect Paws had four assistants and was swamped with dogs in the process of being groomed.  Pretzel, the smallest dog in the room, survived the chaos and was returned to us beautifully clean and trimmed.

 

 

June 3-June 6                  North Kingstown, Rhode Island

We were excited to have Jackie, John, Lincoln (age 6) and Lochlan (almost age 3) come for a visit.  They flew into Boston, rented a car and arrived at the marina a little after 8:00 P.M.  We had lobster rolls waiting.  Our local supermarket has an exceptional seafood department.  They sell chunk lobster meat which is already out of the shell.  It is expensive but worth it!  No cracking shells, no picking meat and no lobster juice sprayed all over me!  David enjoyed teaching Lincoln how to play dominos.  Lincoln quickly learned the game and won the final match!

On Saturday, we went to the nearby beach and its adjoining playground.  The boys were ecstatic!  After playtime was over, we enjoyed a picnic lunch of fried chicken and all the trimmings.  Reluctantly, we returned to the boat for naps, snacks and fishing on the dock.  We had a late dinner of grilled salmon steaks, potatoes, caprese salad and ice cream. 

John had researched the zoo in Providence and planned a trip.  They left before noon and spent the day enjoying the animals and activities at the zoo.  After retuning and resting, they took the dinghy for a long cruise in the channel.  Dinner was the usual New England feast of lobsters, oysters, clams and corn on the cob.  I had made a blueberry pie for dessert.  We enjoyed long conversations on the aft deck while the boys amused themselves in the salon.

We waved goodbye to them on Monday as they departed for Cape Cod and eventually to Boston.  Always considerate and thoughtful, we found a sweet note and a gift card to a local favorite restaurant.