Summer Snippets, 2015 – Kindred Spirit

It’s been a busy, but fragmented summer, but I don’t mean that in a negative way, just descriptive. We never took any “long” (a week or longer) trips with the boat. We mostly spent 2-5 days on the boat, then were home for a few days again, or visiting family here and elsewhere. And that was just fine for this summer – we will have plenty of “boat time” very, very soon.

So, in tune with a fragmented theme, here are snippets from our summer on the water and on land, in no particular order:

Boat rescues and mishaps (not ours, thank goodness!!)

Al tows the SYC launch back to the dock. — Early in the season, the SYC launch broke down out in the mooring field. Al happened to be out there and towed it back to the dock.

While anchored off of Napatree, Al heard a woman yelling for help. Her sailboat was tangled with a power boat. She was alone and no one was onboard the powerboat. The police came by, but it was Al who rescued her. — While anchored off of Napatree, Al heard a woman yelling for help. Her sailboat was tangled with a power boat. She was alone and no one was on board the powerboat. The police came by, but it was Al who rescued her.

While sitting on the beach at Napatree, Al spied a boat on the sand (he has a built in radar for these things.) Naturally, he took a walk down the beach and found "Paradise". Over the weeks that followed, we heard a variety of stories about what happened. Wonder if it is still there? — While sitting on the beach at Napatree, Al spied a boat on the sand (he has a built in radar for these things.)

4 Paradise on the beach — Naturally, he took a walk down the beach and found “Paradise”. Over the weeks that followed, we heard a variety of stories about what happened. Wonder if it is still there?

House Guests – We had house guests for 5 weeks – Adam, Steph and Charlie lived with us while they were between houses. It was a lot of fun to be together and be able to help our kids out like that. I really enjoyed and appreciated that time together.

Steph, Adam and Charlie - living with the 55 and older crowd. :-) — Steph, Adam and Charlie – living with the 55 and older crowd. 🙂

Huckleberry — A lovely farmhouse, circa 1860, is now theirs. In just a few weeks they have already made it home.

A Summer Clambake – What would a summer be without a New England clambake?

9 Lobsters cooking — Rob uses the pit method for cooking his lobsters with clams, potatoes and corn – burning wood, seafood, water, and a tarp to cover the steaming pit.

10 eating lobsters — Yum – folks are digging into and pulling apart their lobsters.

“Once in a Blue Moon”
We made more trips to Watch Hill/Napatree this summer than anywhere else. It may be “local” and not necessarily exciting, but with good friends, it can be near perfect!

We never tire of watching the sailboat races.

A rainbow over Watch Hill brightens the sky after a little rain.

Not a sunset but a stunning evening sky, nevertheless. — Not a sunset, but a stunning evening sky, nevertheless.

“Once in a Blue Moon??” What does that mean? One definition of a “blue moon”, the more modern one, is when there are 2 full moons in one month. A full moon occurs roughly every 29.5 days and on the rare occasions when the full moon falls at the very beginning of a month there is a good chance that a Blue Moon will occur at the end of the month as well. Although called a “blue” moon, it isn’t blue. The Summer of 2015 had two full moons in July- the 2nd and the 31st. We were at Napatree with Mary Jo and Dean, on Jallao, for the blue moon on July 31st.

Enjoying the beach in the early evening hours. — Enjoying Napatree Beach in the early evening hours while we wait for that moon to rise.

We had the best evening waiting for that blue moon, drinking our Blue Moon beer. — One of my favorite summer memories, waiting for that blue moon, drinking our Blue Moon beer.

Photographing was half of the fun! Look how strong Dean and Al are - they gave that moon an extra push up into the sky. :-) — Look how strong Dean and Al are – they gave that moon an extra push up into the sky. 🙂

A special moon with special friends. — A special evening, a special moon, with special friends.

The next Blue Moon is not until 2018 when there will be two Blue Moons (using the definition of two full moons in one calendar month.) One in January and one in March. But the next summertime Blue Moon won’t occur until August 2023. “Once in a blue moon” is a common way of saying not very often or rare. I will leave it up to you to decide if the frequency of blue moons qualifies as rare. Personally, I like the phrase “once in a blue moon,” especially now that I have watched a Blue Moon rise over the ocean while sitting on the beach with my husband and friends.

Come On Board!
A benefit of staying close to home this summer was that we found time to have guests join us on the boat. Two family visits were extra special – Tim and Amanda were the first overnight guests, while Caleb, with his Mommy and Daddy, had his first boat ride. (blue words are links to those previous blog pictures.)

We have “dirt dweller” friends who also enjoyed time on the water with us.

Former neighbors and good friends, Pat and Steve, love the water. We enjoyed a nautical night with good grub and great conversation. — Former neighbors and good friends, Pat and Steve, love the water. We enjoyed a nautical night with good grub, great conversation, and sunset conch horns.

More neighbors joined us for an afternoon boat ride. Owning boat is even better when you can share it with others. — More neighbors joined us for an afternoon boat ride. Owning a boat is even better when you can share it with others. Thanks for coming, Jack, Linda, Mory and Dave!

Family Time

My sister, Lisa and her wife, Jeanne, visited us here in Connecticut and had a tour of the boat.

We made two trips to Pennsylvania to visit with my parents. Wish we didn't live so apart. — We made two trips to Pennsylvania to visit with my parents. Wish we didn’t live so far apart. Love you, Mom and Dad!

Because we were home more often this summer, we spent time with our children and grandchildren, here and there.

Aaron and Ella in Delaware and in Connecticut, doing the things that 5 year olds and 2 year olds do. — Aaron and Ella in Delaware and in Connecticut, doing the things that 5 year olds and 2 year olds do – eating ice cream and brownies, dressing up like “Frozen”, building with Papa, and face painting.

A rare occasion - Al with both his son Tim and wife Amanda and his daughter, Alicia with Aaron and Ella. — A rare occasion – Al with both his son Tim, and wife Amanda, and his daughter, Alicia, with Aaron and Ella. We don’t often get to see them at the same time.

My sons - Adam and Steph with Charlie, their Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier, and Ryan and Kerri with 15 month old Caleb. — My sons – Adam and his wife, Steph with Charlie, their Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier. Ryan and his wife, Kerri with 15 month old Caleb. My country son and my city son! Love them both so much.

Caleb does his version of downward dog and is learning to feed himself. Toddlerhood is here! We FaceTime at least once each week – helps to keep me sane.

Without a doubt, it is hard to leave our family to cruise for 8 months. To me, It feels even more difficult this time than two years ago. With phone calls, FaceTime, email, texts, and two flights home for in-person visits, I hope I can overcome the homesickness and heartache. These little people grow up so fast. But……. this is an adventure that can’t be postponed for too long. Life is short – so off we will go!

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