Turning 14 in California...

As crazy as this sounds, after visiting Massachusetts, we flew back to California to spend another week at my parent’s (Jimmy was already back at work in Holland). We arrived just in time to celebrate Veronica’s birthday with my family at a Chinese restaurant. Sadly, we forgot to include Ashlynn or my brother-in-laws in the photos. As usual, the girls spent much of the week in the pool. I went to a few movies with my parents without the girls. Then the three of us went to a slumber party at Leigh and Mike’s.

I Could Have Stayed Longer...

The younger girls didn’t always include Veronica in their plans, 13-year-old Chris stuck to himself and I was busy chatting with Lisa, but Veronica managed to entertain herself.  She enjoyed swimming out to the swim platform despite the chilly temp of the water; occasionally Ashlynn would join her. She convinced me and Lisa to go with her once; I made it, but had help from a boogie board since I didn't have fins. Our time at the beach came to an end much too quickly, but we needed to head into Providence on that last night to check into a hotel because we had such an early flight in the morning. It was Joe’s birthday, so we all went for a nice dinner in the Federal Hill area (known for its good restaurants and its mobsters). After dinner, we did a quick walk around and the girls enjoyed dancing to a swing band in a plaza. We might have arrived nearly strangers, but left good friends.

A Sweet Friendship...

Ashlynn and Ally might be six years apart in age, but they formed a very sweet friendship when they met in Bonaire. Ashlynn seemed to thrive in the role of the big kid and was very excited about visiting Ally. They started their beach adventure with some crabbing. First, they dug out some mussels as bait, which they tied on strings and dangled among the rocks. Then they collected the crabs in a bucket so they could show us their catch before throwing them back.

Much of our day and a half in Mattapoisett was spent at Crescent Beach, which was very laid back and relaxing. In addition to crabbing, the girls swam, took walks and went shelling. After a sushi dinner, we went back to the beach to watch the beautiful sunset and to set off some fireworks.

Off to the Beach...

Joe and Lisa both had to work in the morning, so I had the task of driving the four kids to the beach in Mattapoisett. Luckily it had stopped raining and the path back to the freeway took us through some lovely countryside. Their charming cottage was just a block from the beach in a area with no thru traffic; they said the terrain in this area is quite similar to Cape Cod without the craziness that comes with the influx of tourists. They’ve only owned the house for a short time and are in the process of updating it; the new oven and indoor shower had both arrived but weren’t hooked up yet. Of course, no one complained that we had to eat out or use the outdoor shower, which was fantastic. Shortly after we arrived, Lisa joined us and we headed down to the beach, which was really beautiful.

A Detour to Massachusetts...

Planning this summer’s itinerary was complicated already, but then I had the crazy idea of taking a detour to Massachusetts to visit some folks that we met in April while scuba diving in Bonaire. It was a risk for both families because we really didn’t know each other well, but it was a risk worth taking as we had a great time. The original plan was to head straight to Joe and Lisa’s cottage at the beach, but due to torrential rains, they decided it would be better to spend the first night in their home in Rehoboth. It was a really special treat to have a dinner cooked in the Italian pizza oven that Joe built (he even studied masonry for the task). We started with tomatoes and courgettes, then shrimp cooked in cast iron pans, followed by a variety of pizzas. What a great way to cook!

Brunch at Weaver Street...

Another home leave tradition is going to Weaver Street Market in Carrboro for their jazz brunch. Unfortunately, due to some early morning rain, the band was cancelled, but we still enjoyed the delicious food. I didn’t manage to get to a hash while in town, so was extra happy that a few hash friends (Carolyn H., Jim and Suzanne with little Celia) were able to join us.

We were thrilled that Erika, Rachel and Ben joined us in Carrboro for the first time. There might not have been a band to dance to, but at least the folks were there with their giant hula hoops.

Dinner with the Ladies...

It’s now a tradition to go for sushi with the ladies when I’m in town. Of course, the group varies depending upon everyone’s schedules (unfortunately, both Theresa and Carolyn S. were out of town), but typically there’s several Harriettes (Carolyn H., Jeannette, Anna and Carolyn V.) and some of my scrapbooking buddies (Karen and Debby). This year was a small group, but it was a lot of fun as it was much easier to chat with everyone. Kristine wasn’t able to join us, but luckily was able to meet me for lunch at Neomonde, one of my favorite places.