2019 has arrived. It’s been very cold this week with a polar vortex settling over New England and many parts of the mid-west.  We didn’t do very many weekend outings throughout the month of January due to snow and cold weather. I spent a good deal of time getting this blog caught up so that I could start posting current events. Today is my first post of an event that happened within the last 24-48 hours.

Let me start this post by noting that I am a performance artist. I have a degree in music education, and studied voice and tuba in college. My musical experiences include solo work, small vocal ensembles, large choirs, church choirs, bands and orchestras. Though I haven’t received any formal training in acting, I’ve participated in many theatrical productions both on stage and backstage for over 40 years. Including singing, playing, and acting I’ve performed for more than one thousand audiences.  Needless to say, I love to perform. As much as I love being on stage,  I also appreciate watching expert singing, playing, and acting. This weekend was perhaps one of the most exciting performance viewing events of my life.

We began the weekend on Friday afternoon. I picked Janet up at work and we drove to the Colonial Theater in Keene, NH to attend the Broadway and Main St. concert by our favorite a cappella group, Voctave.  If you’ve never heard them, check them out on YouTube! They are simply amazing.  One of the distinctions of their group is the part the  sopranos play in defining their sound. Kate Lott’s descants often soar to C’s, Ds, and an occasional Eb. For non music readers, that’s up in the piccolo range. The other soprano, Tiffany Coburn, joins her in many obbligatos, but is more often heard belting out solos with passion and energy. I love everyone in the group, but in the words of Voctave producer and arranger Jamey Ray, these two are the engine that drive the train.

They sang most of my favorites including Tiffany’s awesome version of The Impossible Dream. One of the best moments was the encore piece by Charlie Chaplin, Smile, which was not only a cappella, but unplugged as well. Simply perfect.

After the concert they sat at a table in the lobby to greet fans. It was late and Janet and I didn’t really care to stand in the line, so we just walked by on the other side of the rope. We got to the end, where Kate and Tiffany sat. I looked over at them I mouthed the words we love you guys. They said thank you, and I said aloud to Kate that Janet would love to be her. Kate got really excited and asked if we were in line. We said no and she said, that’s OK, I’m going to give you a hug. She walked over, and gave Janet the biggest hug. When Janet told her she was an alto, Kate responded that she’d always wanted to be an alto. We talked to her for about a minute or two, but that was enough. It was truly the cherry on the top of a ten foot wedding cake. We weren’t allowed to take pictures at the table so you just have to believe my story.

We spent the night in Keene, and rose early to drive to New York for the next leg of our adventure. Most people find it difficult to believe that I’ve never seen a live opera performance, including my friend, and opera major, Maria. Last fall we decided to end that streak and the four of us booked tickets to Carmen at the Metropolitan Opera. Getting Janet to attend felt like a miracle. I’ve sung in many choral groups that concentrate on “classical” repertoire. Janet has only attended one concert of my dozens of performances. Even last weekend when our friends, Dillard and Laurie, asked her to join them attending my concert with the Andover Choral Society, she passed.  She agreed to attend the opera because it was a new experience. It helped that there is a story, characters, and scenery.

We arrived at the Met and were totally blown away by this magnificent venue. If there were a god of music, this would be the national temple. From the snowflake chandeliers to the 54 ft tall proscenium, there is no mistaking that this hall is designed for the grandest of productions. The opera itself was larger than any production I remember. There must have been 50-75 singers on stage, and a full orchestra in the pit. The scenery included thirty to forty foot rounded walls revolving on a turn table. I wouldn’t want to be the cast members traveling down the stairs while singing. I could just see myself tumbling all the way down.  The leads were top notch. Carmen, of course, stole the show. But her gypsy friends were equally impressive. Janet actually enjoyed the experience, thanks to the libretto translation viewers on the back of the seats in front of us.  I don’t know if she’d ever enjoy Wagner, however we’ve decided we need to do this again! Maybe next time, Madame Butterfly.

I’d made reservations for dinner at Michael Feinstein’s 54 Below. When I reread the reservation, I noticed we would only be able to dine there for an hour. I went back to Open Table and found an equally impressive restaurant, The View. Sitting on the 48th floor above the Marriott Marquee hotel, the restaurant does a 360° revolution with views that include Times Square and the mid-town neighborhoods. Sharing dinner with our friends, Mark and Maria is always a pleasure.  Mark’s grandparents lived in the city and he shared many stories of his numerous visits throughout the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.  Our dinner was the perfect meal to connect our opera experience with our third and final performance of the weekend.

To Kill a Mockingbird, starring Jeff Daniels as Atticus Finch, was one of the most powerful Broadway productions I’ve ever seen, and the perfect ending of our trifecta performances. Aaron Sorkin did a masterful job reinterpreting Harper Lee’s classic story of racial attitudes, making it relevant for today’s audience while still retaining all the plot elements of the original. The roles of the children were all played by adults and Celia Keenan-Bolger nailed the part of Scout. Daniels inhabited the role of Finch as if it were written for him. And LaTanya Richardson Jackson’s performance as Calpurnia was masterfully executed with power and grace. Thankfully there were many humorous moments to balance the weight of the subject matter. We were all moved by the message of the play, and how our country still has a long way to go to achieve equality for all its citizens.

This was an extravagant weekend to be sure. It required many months of planning, and paying for tickets in advance. The stars all seemed to line up for us to see these fantastic productions in one brief period of time. As always, we feel blessed that we live so close to such outstanding opportunities.

February is a short month, and the first weekend is already gone. We have a cruise planned for the last week aboard Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas. Maybe I’ll be able to squeeze something close and inexpensive into one of the next weekends!

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller

 

This picture of us sitting in an airport again reminds me that 2018 was a banner year for us in terms of traveling. We took three major trips, including two out of the country. We continued to experience interesting places and events in New England. We dropped down to New York for some more Broadway shows. And, I went on another field trip to D.C. As I look back over the year, I feel blessed. Janet and I are very fortunate to have good health and resources to do these things. However, the thing we’re most blessed with is our families. This holiday season we were especially blessed to be with family both here, and in Kansas City.

At Thanksgiving, Janet and I hosted all our children, children-in-law, and grandchildren for a four-day holiday get together. Our apartment was a buzz with activity from Wii bowling to a girls coloring table. I even took Elizabeth to my office to see my Mr. Potato Head collection.

On Thanksgiving Day, we all piled into the cars and made our way to Steve & Kim’s house for the largest ever Sheppard family celebration. This was the first time for everyone to meet Amelia. Lilee and Elizabeth took to each other like sisters. It was a wonderful time. We spent another day and a half just enjoying each other’s company. Much too soon, the time came for everyone to leave, and we packed both families on their respective planes to New Jersey and Missouri.

Closer to Christmas, the Sheppard family, minus our children, once again reunited for our annual Dancy hosted Christmas brunch and gift exchange. Our apartment is too small for everyone to eat, so we go to Crackerbarrel for breakfast, and then back to our apartment for the exchange. Since we live halfway between the farthest homes it makes for a centralized meeting place. The Sheppards enjoy being together. These past five years have been the first time in over thirty years the family has lived close enough for this to happen. I’m so happy we can make this happen for Jim and June!

On Christmas Day, Janet & I flew to Kansas City to be with the Dancys for the remainder of the week. Autumn and Jim joined our family gift exchange via FaceTime.

Our big adventures included tea parties with the girls, taking my mother downtown to see the lights of the Plaza and Union Station, dinner out with my brother and his wife, and getting together with old theatre friends.

In 2005, Janet and I bought a house in Kansas City. In many ways, it was our dream house. We equipped it with everything we thought we would like in a home, not only for us, but for our children. At the time, we hoped our children would see it as a place they could always come home to, a sort of nest. We changed all that in 2013-2014, and now the nest is not a place, but people. We are that nest. We moved to the east coast to be near Autumn and Jim to provide support and encouragement. Now we fly back to the mid-west to do the same for Erik, Amanda, and the girls. We’ve become closer to our Sheppard family, while still maintaining a close relationship with our Dancy family. I love the thought of knowing if they need us, we are there.  Some days I miss the house, but I’m so glad we took the nest with us.

As I reflect over this holiday season, I am blessed to be a part of such a great family who loves to see and be a part of all these many adventures. We have loved 2018, and are truly looking forward to what 2019 will bring our way!

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller

 

A few weeks ago, Janet’s brother, Steve, called and asked if we’d be interested in joining his family in Manchester for the Holiday Pops concert featuring the Boston Pops at SNHU arena. They’d purchased tickets for all seven to attend without checking all the girls’ schedules. Two weren’t able to make it, so they invited us to take their seats. I’ve loved the Boston Pops since I was a kid. If you’ve read my adventures, you know I’ve traveled to Boston for the past 3 years to stand on the banks of the Charles river and listen to them play for the fireworks celebration. At the 4th of July, I’ve only been able to see them on the Trinitron screen from across the river. This holiday concert would be the first time to see them live and in person.  Before leaving for the concert, we stopped at our clubhouse for some holiday pictures. We treated the evening as a date night with dinner at our favorite Asian restaurant in Manchester before heading to the show.

Like many of my music friends, I don’t always enjoy hearing symphonies play in large arenas, but I was pleasantly surprised. While the chorus was amplified, the orchestra was able to hold their own in less than stellar acoustics. I think Ryan and Katie would have probably enjoyed a hockey game more, but they appeared to enjoy parts of the evening. Lilee enjoyed the whole evening, clapping her hands and directing the orchestra.

I think the best part of the evening was their modified version of the 12 Days of Christmas. Each day included references to a popular piece of classical music such as Beethoven’s 5th symphony for the 5 golden rings, and an excerpt from Swan Lake for the 7 swans a swimming. The audience roared when on the 12th day a chorus member held up a Tom Brady jersey emblazoned with the number 12.

The holidays are a special time when you can experience new things in familiar environments. The Sheppard family aren’t symphony fans like us. I was pleased for them to take a step away from the traditional to try something new. They’re always supportive of our many adventures and invite us over to share pictures of our latest trip. It was fun to share an adventure with them. Thank you Steve and Kim for providing such a wonderful evening.

 

 

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller

 

We are now into our sixth year of the annual 5th avenue department store window tour in New York City. This trip is no longer an option, but a “what weekend do we have free to make this happen?”  type of adventure. Besides the thrill of seeing the designs and decorations, the challenge for me is keeping it fresh and frugal. Many of my friends are beginning to see me as the insiders guide to doing New York and other local places affordably. I don’t have the patience to write all my tricks down, but I will say that memberships at Expedia, Open Table, and Delta Airlines really helps when you’re trying see your part of the world and not break the bank. Another tool that is extremely helpful is an app called SpotHero. It helps you find the cheapest parking garages in large cities like New York and Boston. My friend, Doris, was so excited to tell me how she and her husband had reserved a spot in a Boston garage over the weekend and didn’t pay an arm and a leg.

Driving down and back in one day is doable, but ends up being eight hours in the car for a two to three hour adventure. While that would be the cheapest way to go, we chose to splurge just a little and drive down to Stamford, CT on Saturday and spend the night. That would enable us to be in the city early on Sunday morning for our walk. Sunday mornings are a fantastic time to see mid-town as the crowds don’t usually assemble until closer to noon.

The last time we stayed in Stamford was at a Super 8 motel, an experience we will not repeat. I found a very surprisingly great deal on Expedia at the Hyatt Regency that was only four blocks away from the Super 8. It turned out this was a much nicer experience, and the massive indoor courtyard was decorated beautifully for the holidays. On the way we stopped at Rein’s Deli in Hartford. It’s kind of a touristy deli just outside the city, but it’s really good. We’ve stopped before and not been disappointed.

My SpotHero found me a garage near Bloomingdales for $14 which is a great deal for NYC parking. These apps allow you to prepay your spot, which gives you some peace of mind that you’ll have a place to park.  From Bloomingdales we took the subway straight to Macy’s which is where our trek began. As always, Macy’s was great. We’ve started going inside some of the stores as well. The insides are always decked out with lavish decorations.

Next, we headed over to 5th Ave and was bummed to find Lord & Taylor’s was now closed.  I was disappointed because they used to have some of my favorite windows.

We dropped into Bryant Park which is just behind the NY Public library. There’s always a large tree, skating rink, and dozens of kiosks set up for the holidays. It was rainy, and there were large puddles we had to navigate, but it was all fun. At one kiosk, we found a beautiful paper star to add to our apartment decorations.

Saks 5th ave was kind of a let down this year. In the past, they’ve told a little story as you go from window to window. This year seemed like Vogue magazine covers which didn’t really thrill me.

Rockefeller Plaza is always beautiful. It doesn’t change but always makes for great pictures. I thought the windows in the chocolate shop were as beautiful as many of the department stores. Tiffany’s and other stores along 5th ave also decorate for the holidays adding to the experience.

Berdorf Goodman always has amazing windows, if not sometimes weird.

We walked all around the Barney’s building but could not find the window that I saw on the Internet. That’s the second time we’ve looked for a Barney’s window and not found it. We ended our trip back at Bloomingdales, whose windows are usually fun, but not quite so much this year. Look at me, I’m a window critic.

We enjoy eating at Irish pubs while in New York. They’re not hard to find, reasonably priced, and usually not very crowded. With our mission accomplished, we went and retrieved our car and drove home. Even after six times, it’s fun to go and see the city decorated for the holidays. Maybe next year we’ll plan for a night time trip to see everything in a different light. I’ll find new challenges and ways to keep it fresh.

 

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller

Our circle of friends in New England are mostly based around people I work with. Maria is the principal at the middle School, and Dillard is the principal at the Elementary school. The three of us dine with our boss, Roxanne before school board meetings, and we do many fun things together. Maria and her husband Mark have adopted us into their larger family and we’ve done many parties and family get-togethers with them. Dillard and Laurie have a circle of friends that they’ve known forever. Many of the group love to cruise together, and Janet and I have been adopted into this gang as well. We’ve cruised with Pam, Mike, Ron, Priscille, Joanne, and George, and been to many house parties as well.

Last year, Mark and Maria suggested we join them at the Currier Art Museum’s Night in Paris to celebrate their exhibit: The Paris of Toulouse-Lautrec: Prints and Posters from the Museum of Modern Art. Participants were encouraged to dress in period clothing and enjoy a night of art, food, drinks, and dancing. There were fire baton twirlers and aerial acrobatics to make the party really swing.  It was great fun, and we really got in to the spirit by dressing accordingly.

This year, Pam and Mike suggested that our cruise friends go the Masquerade party at the Currier to celebrate the new exhibit: Myth and Faith in Renaissance Florence:The sculpture of Giovan Angelo Montorsoli and his circle. Having had so much fun last year, we enthusiastically volunteered to go, and also invited Mark and Maria, and our new friends Lynn, the new assistant principal at the middle school, and her wife Donna.

I spent a few weeks designing and ordering my costume. I ordered a jacket about three weeks before the event. By Monday the jacket still hadn’t arrived. It was literally on a slow boat from China.  I ordered another from a company that guaranteed 2-day shipping, and rescued my costume. Janet has a dress she bought for cruising that seems to be able to fit into any gala, so she was safe.

Our whole group was comprised of six couples. For one of the first times since moving to New England, I was one of the few who knew everyone in the group. The party was amazing. Everyone wore carnivale masks, and many were dressed in period costumes. This year the food was upstairs, making it easier to nibble. There were contortionists and stilt walkers. Occasionally a dance group would commandeer the floor to do a number. The time flew by quickly and I swore I lost five pounds from dancing for three hours.

Our circle of friends keeps growing, and we are enjoying new things like Art gallery galas!

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller

Today is Veteran’s Day 2018. Janet & I have run some errands this weekend getting ready for the kids to visit next weekend. We’ve also toured some loft apartments in an old mill in Nashua. We plan to move in April.  Other than that it’s been pretty quiet around here. I’ve been writing blog posts from 2014, and creating teacher websites for my school district. The weather is clear and in the 40’s so I decided I need to go on an adventure. I believe it high time that I tackle Bunker Hill. I tease Janet about it every time we go by because she always tells me that she’ll never climb those 294 steps again. I drove down to Assembly Row and found some free parking. I was ready to pay for the subway, but as luck would have it, one of the turnstiles wasn’t working (stuck open) so I got on for free. The monument is also free, so I’m thinking I was destined to go today.

The subway stops at the bottom of the hill at the community college. To get to the monument you have to walk through Charleston. Oh that every walk could be as beautiful as the streets of Charleston. Most people don’t get to walk past beautiful brownstone apartments with gas lights still in use. It reminded me of Beacon Hill, with just a little less posh.

I stopped in the museum because I’d heard that you need a free ticket to climb the monument, turns out that’s only in the summer when it’s crowded. I’ve been exercising more these days, but didn’t know if I was ready for 294 steps.  Turns out, I did just fine. There’s only one rail and it’s on the outside wall.  This gets tricky when meeting downward travelers as to who gets to hold the bar. The inside of the steps are much narrower as the whole series of steps is a spiral.

The views were beautiful. There were four windows that faced in each direction.  Only a dozen of us were congregated at the top so everyone got ample opportunities to take selfies and enjoy the view. My trip down was much shorter than the way up and thankfully I could hold the rail most of the time.

As I was reading the information, I thought about how perfect an activity for Veterans day that I was visiting a monument dedicated to the lives lost to create our free country.  I took a different route back to the station and passed by the Freedom Trail. It’s a path marked by red pavers through Boston that passes many of the historic sites of the Revolution. I’ve seen most of the sites, but never walked the trail. Maybe some other time when I’m acting like a tourist.

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller

October means fall colors in New England. Two years ago we drove to Bar Harbor. Last year we drove the Kancamagus highway. This year I thought it would be interesting to drive west into Massachusetts and see if the Mohawk trail would be as delightful.

I don’t know if we were too early, or if the types of trees didn’t create beautiful swaths of color, Mass wasn’t doing it for us. We got to I-91 which is about half-way cross the state and headed north into Vermont. Gradually we began to notice the more colors in the trees, but there still wasn’t the washes of color to which we were accustomed. The drive was beautiful though, and we were enjoying the cloudless day.

We crossed the Connecticut river and ventured over to Claremont, NH for a bite to eat. I meet monthly with colleagues from around the state, two of which are from Claremont. Always wanting to build schema, I was interested in seeing this NH town on the western border. We chose a nice little restaurant on the town square that didn’t appear to be too busy. What we didn’t know was that a group of 24 people had just been seated prior to us. The place hadn’t been prepared for a party that size resulting in our order taking about an hour to process. We weren’t in a rush so we waited. Another couple sitting there were also “leaf peeping.” They confirmed what we’d thought, that it was one of the worst autumns for color watching they’d seen in the last few years.

After lunch we proceeded to Lake Sunupee. This area is a year round destination with water activities in the summer, and skiing in the winter.  The colors around the lake were especially pretty, but still I think we got there too early.  We stopped for some pictures, and I think we captured a little of the fall hues.  It wasn’t what we’d hoped for, but we had a lovely drive together on a beautiful day.

The following week we took Jim and June on a drive to Iconia and around Lake Winnipesaukee. That drive yielded much better foliage, but we didn’t stop the car for pictures.  Sometimes your adventures pay off big.  Sometimes they’re just a pretty drive in the car. It’s all good if you can enjoy the ride, and the people you’re with!

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller

 

Columbus Day weekend is usually a week we try to go back to KC and visit the family. Since we’d just spent a week together in July/August, and the kids are booked to come here for Thanksgiving we thought we’d do something different this year. Last year we took a couple of trips to Rhode Island and knew we’d be back, so it seemed like a great time to visit the rest of the Newport mansions and  Waterfire in Providence. As luck would have it, that weekend was one of final weekends of Waterfire for the year. We made hotel reservations in Providence, because Newport was pretty booked, and because Waterfire would be a late activity.

Our journey began in Newport. Earlier in the week I went online and found that a yearly membership cost just a touch more than a multi-house pass, but gave us  admission to all the houses any time in the year. With our membership in hand we chose our first house of the day to be The Elms. This spectacular house had all the adornments you would expect from these socialite palaces. A marble staircase, royal dining room, ball room,  conservatory, and sumptuous bedrooms made this house appropriate for any gathering of New York’s wealthiest and elite citizens. What sets The Elms apart from many of the others is the expansive lawn and gardens at the rear of the house. You know I love gardens, so this house shot right up to one of my favorites. This is a time when words hardly do justice.

After The Elms we visited two other houses that weren’t quite as grand, but interesting nonetheless. Kingscote has the distinction of being the oldest of the mansions in Newport. At the time it was built it had beautiful views of the ocean from both the front and back of the house. Sadly, it has no views now as it lies pretty much in the center of the island and many houses obscure the views. This house was made for living rather than entertaining. The rooms are much smaller than those at The Elms and entertaining appears to have been more of an intimate occasion than a lavish party. One unique aspect of this house was that the dining room shown was not part of the original house, though it is located in the center of the building. To add the dining room, the house was cut down the middle and pulled a part. The dining room, and upstairs bedrooms were then built between the two halves.

Our third house of the day was even smaller. It’s called the Isaac Bell House and is probably the smallest of the Bellevue Avenue mansions to tour. The house is not furnished because the primary reason to visit is to view the architecture. The guide told us fascinating stories about almost every room. Seeing these houses isn’t so much a case of class envy for me, though I have been accused of wanting a champagne lifestyle on a beer budget. I see these houses more as works of art and architecture. I really see no difference on these, and other priceless works of art. Both are created solely for the aesthetic enjoyment of the owner and do not serve as practical purposes. To ask, why do you need this much space or ornamentation is to ask the painter why he paints the subject so beautifully.

That was enough of the houses, but our day was only partway over. We drove to Providence to see Waterfire. Our last time in Providence we learned about Waterfire as we glided through the rivers of Providence. It is an art installation consisting of fire and music on the river. During the summer and early fall, bonfires are lit on the river on designated evenings. Crowds gather at the basin and along the banks to witness the extraordinary event.  We got our seats early to enjoy the spectacle. The new age style music was specially composed for the work, and began as the sun began to set. A few costumed street performers in the shape of a tree and two gargoyles worked their way through the crowd to pose on a platform in the center. A group carrying torches made their way down to the basin and began lighting torches on boats that had just arrived. They in turn circled the basin and began lighting the bonfires. Because it was fall, only the basin was lit tonight. In the summer the fires stretch down the river. It was fascinating to watch. We stayed for a little over an hour enjoying the flames and the music before heading to our hotel for a good night’s sleep.

We headed back to Newport early the next morning for breakfast and a walk along the Cliff Walk. The Cliff Walk is like the Marginal Way in Ogunquit, but is lined with mega mansions. Salve Regina University has purchased some of the mansions as part of their campus, and lie along part of the walk. The views are beautiful, and we met other sightseers and cruise ship tour groups along the way.

Our first house to tour was called Chepstow. The Breakers, The Elms and Rosecliff were all elaborate palaces that looked fantastic for large parties, but if I were to live in a mansion in Newport, I’d choose Chepstow. Chepstow is one of the smaller homes, and requires a guide rather than the headset self-guided tours. Our guide simply loved the house and made us love it too. The woman who lived here for many years entertained celebrities from film, art, business, and politics. She was a little eccentric and liked to do decoupage. There was evidence of her handiwork all throughout the home. Two of the rooms downstairs opened up, to make one large room. A small stage area lie at the end of one room for theatrical productions. This my kind of house!

Our second house of the day was probably the most different of all the homes we’d seen. The Chateau sur Mer stands in the middle of a huge lawn looking strikingly  like the Bates Motel. The architecture is French revival and much of the inside is dark. This would be a great haunted house if it weren’t filled with so many precious antiques. I thought it was an extraordinary house, but Janet wasn’t too thrilled. I think it was her least favorite of the day.

Our last house of the day was The Marble House. As in the tradition of The Breakers and The Elms, this was a stately mansion fit for large parties. The interesting story of this house was that shortly after it was built, the couple were divorced and the wife took possession. It was a case of winner take all, and this was only a very small part of what she maintained in the agreement. Marble house was impressive, the dining room alone is bigger than any house we’ve lived in. My favorite room was the Gothic Room, which was pretty much a museum of Gothic furniture and artifacts from Europe built right into the mansion. The Tea Room in the rear of the home was a beautiful addition, and I could imagine many people gathered for parties on the lawn, and getting refreshments in the Tea Room. It was a great house with which to end our tours.

Our trip was nearly over, as is this post. If you’re exhausted reading this, you’ll know how our feet felt after two days of touring these marvelous mansions. There was one more admission left on our membership that I thought would be a waste if we didn’t see it. The Green Animals Topiary Gardens was on the way out of town and took about twenty more minutes of our time. The dahlias were especially beautiful in this multi-faceted garden. Our feet could only take so much, though so we looked at the beautifully crafted bushes and said our goodbyes. Thanks for sticking with us through an amazing two day adventure. New England has a lot to see, and I’m glad you’re along for the ride.

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller

 

I’ve read a lot of epic fantasy through the years including works by authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, Robert Jordan, and George R. R. Martin. One of my favorite epic fantasy writers is Stephen Lawhead. One of his best series was the Pendragon Cycle featuring King Arthur and his knights of the round table. Authors seem to make medieval feudalism seem somewhat romantic, though most of us know the reality was far less fantastical.

Many of us are content with reading books, or watching Game of Thrones. However, one Massachusetts resident took as step farther and built his own castle right here on the north shore. Built in the 1920’s by inventor John Hays Hammond, the castle boasts a great room, a tower, a courtyard, gardens, a small drawbridge, and a collection of artifacts from ancient Rome through the Renaissance.

In the great hall is an 8,400 pipe organ which was regularly used for concerts both private and public. The hall is decorated with coats of arms sewn on to colorful banners. Beyond the great hall was a covered courtyard containing a swimming pool tinted green to disguise the depth of the pool and make it look like a garden pond. The courtyard also contained sprinklers to provide rain showers during dinner parties. The courtyard was surrounded by the bedrooms for the family and guests.

Outside, the castle is adorned with gardens on the north, and the sea to the south. The waves crash against the rocks just like the fantasy books describe. As we toured the house, we met a family with their two boys wandering through the halls dressed in Harry Potter robes.  It truly is a magical place.

As I wandered through this unique residence, I marveled at what eccentricities can be indulged with large amounts of money.

 

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller

 

It’s been awhile since I opened up Google maps to see what local site was begging to be seen. Today Decordova Sculpture Garden in Lincoln, MA popped off the map and into my head. Janet had no desire to join me on this little adventure, so I was back to solo sight seeing. I always find it curious that some of the most interesting places to visit are in the most inconspicuous places. I’d have never found it without a GPS.

 

De Cordova Sculpture Garden inhabits 30 acres of space in and around the former estate of Julian de Cordova. Scattered throughout the lawn are dozens of modern art sculptures of all shapes and sizes. My friend, Mike Terrile, has tried to explain modern art to me, and I think I can appreciate it as art on some level. I think what I enjoy most is simply the creative mindset being played out through someone’s hands. The composition doesn’t need to make sense to anyone but the artist.  That’s not to say that there weren’t some beautiful pieces, but some are just pretty pieces of metal painted in beautiful colors. I don’t have any earth shattering emotions or revelations about the De Cordova Sculpture Garden. It was just a beautiful day walking amidst the art.

Lincoln borders Concord, so I thought I drive by Walden Pond on the way home. Unfortunately it seemed that half of Massachusetts also wanted to be at Walden Pond and the traffic was bumper to bumper on the two lane country road. Traffic withstanding it was a great day for an adventure!

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller

 

This has been a busy year. We’ve taken three major trips, a Caribbean Cruise, Italy, and the Outer Banks. After returning from North Carolina we’ve taken it a little slow. We’ve both had lots of work to do to prepare for the beginning of the school year. We did make time for a Sunday beach trip, but other than that we’ve had some fairly unadventurous weekends. Janet’s birthday deserves an adventure so I made reservations at Top of the Hub. Top of the Hub is a restaurant at the top of one of Boston’s tallest buildings, The Prudential. We invited Mark and Maria to join us as they love these kind of outings, and they’re very fun to be with.

Top of the Hub is a touristy, special occasion restaurant. The food is probably overpriced for the cuisine, but I suppose the views (and the rent) are what you pay for. Now that I’m a local, I can give some New England tourist advice. Never order lobster at a fancy restaurant. There’s only one way to prepare lobster so the gourmet chef is not going to fix it any different than the local grocery store. That’s right, the local grocery store will steam your lobster for you to take home and eat. It will taste exactly like the lobster at Top of the Hub and cost about one-third the price. That’s my tip for the day.

We had a marvelous dinner, and as expected the views were awesome. In some places the service is slow and it feels like you’re forgotten.  At Top of the Hub, the meal is meant to be appreciated and enjoyed, which is why we spent two hours savoring our dinner. Two hours is a great amount of time to share with people you love and celebrate the love of your life. Happy birthday Janet! Hope it was the Tops!

 

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller

 

Dave and I were born in North Carolina. My father and mother had both served in the U.S. Navy and were stationed at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Maryland where they met and were married. Soon after leaving the military, dad got a job outside Elizabeth City, NC and Dave and I arrived in the following two years.  We didn’t stay there long as dad was laid off shortly after Dave was born. During that time, we lived in apartments in the little town of Hertford, NC about 10 miles from where Dad worked.

I had just turned one when we moved to Missouri so I have no recollection of living in North Carolina. Mother and dad always talked about taking a trip back there with us so we could see the place, but sadly it never happened before dad passed away. Still wanting to do this, mother made a plan to use some money and treat us all to a week at the Outer Banks and spend a day showing me & Dave our roots.

Dave and I did some research and found a great house to rent called “Dancy’n by the Sea.”  It was in the town of Avon. Had I known how far down the island it would turn out to be, I might have chosen a different place. But this house had it all; a short walk to the beach, a pool, hot tub, mini-theater, pool table, 6 bedrooms, and most importantly an elevator for mother.

Dave, Jenn, Devyn, Gracyn, Mother, Erik, Amanda, Elizabeth, and Amelia all flew in to Norfolk on Saturday afternoon. Janet and I chose to drive to Delaware the first night, and arrive in Norfolk around noon to provide an extra car for the group. Our plan was great until we got into a traffic jam in Newark, NJ. It took three hours to travel 10 miles. We made it to our hotel around midnight, though and proceeded to Norfolk the next day. Our final leg in to Norfolk included crossing the 23 mile Chesapeake Bay bridge-tunnel, something I’ve wanted to do for a very long time!

Huge storms had left the Outer Banks, partially under water and our drive to Avon took us through many pools of standing water. We arrived, got unpacked, and went to explore the beach. The surf was really high and there were cautions about the strong undertow, but Dave and the girls braved it anyway. Elizabeth was excited to stand in the water till a wave knocked her down. After that it was hard to get her to go back. Mother enjoyed sitting in her chair watching as everyone enjoyed having a great time.

Mother’s sister, Aunt Shirley, and her friend, Redmond, arrived later in the day to spend a couple of nights. I admire them both for their get up and go attitude. Together, they’ve seen more of the world than they haven’t. Her condo outside Philadelphia is a little museum filled with memorabilia from around the world. I’m not sure anyone in my family doesn’t have strong opinions on many sides of the issues. That being said, our evenings were filled with lively discussions regarding current events. Before heading back to Philly, they treated the whole gang to a great seafood dinner in town

On Monday, Mother, Dave and I headed back north for our trip down memory lane. She was thrilled to take us by the hospital at which we were both born. We drove through town so she could see the places she used to shop. We stopped for lunch at a BBQ place just on the edge of town where we learned that North Carolina BBQ and Kansas City BBQ are very different! At least the hush puppies were good. We continued our journey to the blimp hangar where dad worked, and then on to Hertford to see the two apartments where we’d lived.  We spent the remainder of the time trying to find a beach on Albemarle Sound where they’d taken pictures of us as babies. We think we found it, but after 53 years who knows?

On the return trip, we stopped in Norfolk to pick up Adee, Dave’s oldest, at the airport. She would be spending the night in Norfolk to join our daughter, Autumn who was flying in later that evening. We rented another vehicle and left my car for Adee and Autumn to bring down the next day. The two cousins are like sisters and we knew they’d have a great time rooming and driving together.

The remainder of the week was spent dodging rain storms, spending time at the beach, making puzzles, and enjoying the little girls as they watched countless episodes of Daniel Tiger.

Partway through the week we went on adventures to the Hatteras Light house and Kitty Hawk, home of the Wright brothers’ first flight.  Dave’s family climbed the lighthouse, and also took surfing lessons. It was a great week together, and my mother was pleased to no end to share this adventure with everyone. With us in New England and Autumn and Jim in New Jersey, it’s not often that everyone can get together. Thanks mother, for a wonderful week! I love that our family loves as adventures as much as I do!

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller

Up till now, all my adventures have involved driving my car, taking a train, flying in a plane, or boarding a ship. For the past two years, we’ve lived on the banks of a beautiful pond. We often take walks around the northwest side and have always admired its beauty. There are lots of water fowl including geese, ducks, and swans. Sometimes a flock of geese or family of ducklings will stop traffic on the street as they make their way to the pond. Last fall I counted no less than nine swans on the pond at one time. There’s a beaver lodge in the marshy area. People also like to take boats onto the pond and fish or kayak. Many mornings there are beautiful sunrises and I just can’t help but snag a picture.

I’ve often thought that kayaking on the pond would be fun and great exercise, but it’s hard to store a kayak in an apartment. I’ve expressed this to Janet, and she came up with the perfect solution. For my birthday she got me an inflatable kayak. It was awesome! I was so excited, I inflated it in the living room. I’ve taken it out a few times this summer and I really like it. I confess, I put it in the car and drive to the other side of the pond to put in (making it kind of a car adventure).

The pond is only about four or five feet deep throughout and has lots of vegetation. You have to be careful of the lily pads as they’re hard to paddle through. Usually I take a lap around the whole pond and get out. It takes about an hour, so I put my earbuds in and listen to my audible book.

The pond is peaceful. Even though we live in an area that densely populated, the trees surrounding it block out much of the civilization beyond. I try to stay about fifty feet from the swans, but I can’t resist taking pictures when I see them.

The first time I went in, I wore my Vans slip on shoes. The muddy area I had to push through nearly ruined them, so I ordered some fun water shoes from Amazon. I have a nice waterproof pouch for my phone as well. I feel like a kayaking monster now. I hope  it’s not just a fad.

The pond routinely freezes over in the winter time and I’ve often thought how cool it would be to go skating on the huge slab of ice. I won’t mention that to Janet, though!

 

 

 

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller

 

 

My New England journey began five years ago. I flew to New Hampshire on my 50th birthday to interview for the Hampstead School district technology director position. Now, here we are on my 55th. Who could foresee how much my life would change in these five short years?

I find just about any excuse to go in to Boston, and my birthday was as good a reason as any. As always, I checked my trusty Internet to see if anything special was happening. As it turns out, July is a great time for theater in Boston. I’ve kind of avoided going to the theater in Boston. I know it sounds kind of snobby, but there is a good reason. Cities like Boston, Kansas City, and Portland (places I’ve lived) are routine stops for most touring productions. The problem is that the houses they play in are often 3000-4000 seat monstrosities. It’s OK if you get seats in the front half of the orchestra, but the mezzanine and balcony in those venues are a little far away for my liking. However, Broadway houses usually seat between 1200-1500 for musicals, and even less for plays. This makes the experience much more intimate. Broadway is also able to be more extensive with scenery, sometimes reaching out into the audience like CATS and Les Miserables. Because of this, we’ve mostly opted to drive four hours and see shows in New York, than pay the same amount to see a touring show in a large house in Boston.

My research showed that Moulin Rouge was having its Broadway tryouts at Emerson Colonial Theatre, and Aladdin was playing at the Boston Opera House. Janet wasn’t too thrilled about Moulin Rouge so we opted for Aladdin. I found some decently priced tickets in the middle orchestra section for resale on TicketLiquidator and snagged them.

A cool summer evening in Boston is almost magical. We took the subway in to relieve the stress of parking. Our restaurant, Maggiano’s, was a few blocks away from the theatre so we killed some time by taking the scenic route through Boston Commons and the Public Gardens. The gardens are one of my favorite parts about Boston. The ornamental trees surrounding the pond, with it’s graceful swan boats, makes for a very idyllic and romantic setting. We circled the pond and walked past the “Make Way for Ducklings” statue.  We passed a wedding party taking their photographs, and then exited the park to make our 6:00 reservation. We really enjoyed our dinner at Maggiano’s. For a chain, they really achieved all the atmosphere of a locally owned favorite. We’ll be back.

The Boston Opera House is beautiful. Theaters are like cathedrals to me. Each has its own style and grandeur.  The Opera House is grand to say the least. The chandeliers, marble columns, and ornamentation felt similar to the our experiences at the Louvre or Versailles. Well maybe not quite that opulent, but beautiful nonetheless. Aladdin was great. Our seats were perfect. We’d seen the actor who played the genie a couple of years ago on Broadway in Something Rotten, and he was terrific.

I know I write about going to New York a lot, but Boston is just as thrilling to me. It has become a place I’m proud to live in. I’ll probably never be a Red Sox or Patriots fan, but I’m a huge fan of the city, the people, the history, and the culture. Thank you New England, for being my home for the past five years.

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller

I don’t know that I’ve written enough about the beach.  We live about 45 minutes from the coast where there are three or four beaches to choose from. Our favorite is Hampton Beach, but sometimes we choose Jenness Beach in Rye. We have a couple of beach chairs, blanket, umbrella, and a beach cooler. The night before, we throw bottles of water in the freezer. In the morning, we pack a lunch, some snacks, and our water and go. I store the umbrella and chairs in the back of my car through the summer to make it easier. Most of the time we go by ourselves and arrive early in the morning to beat the crowds. If we go with Mark and Maria, it’s more of an afternoon thing. Going to the beach has become a way of life. If you’re wondering why I’m writing about going to the beach as a tourist activity, you didn’t grow up in the midwest.

In the midwest we didn’t have oceans, we had lakes. We didn’t have beaches, we had docks. Going to the beach required plane tickets and hotel reservations. We owned a pool because we didn’t have a beach.  Though I loved and miss my pool, living so close to the beach,  feels like I’m on vacation with every visit.

The beach is different every time you go. Sometimes the waves are calm and you see people taking their chairs right to the water’s edge to soak in the surf. Other times the waves are high and young people ride the swells on their boogie boards or try their hand at body surfing. If you time it right in June, you might see a sand sculpture competition, or maybe there’s a Miss Hampton Beach pageant in the shell.

I’ve noticed that people in New England go to the beach to enjoy the sun and the water. One of our favorite things is to just walk up and down the sand letting the surf crash against our ankles, and watch people. You see all types at the beach, from old men in Speedos, to Sports Illustrated model wannabes.  You might have to dodge a frisbee or make way for a triathlete, but the walk is fresh and rejuvenates your spirits. It also reminds you that people are people, and the beach tears away many of the boundaries that divide us. There are very few politics at the beach, just people enjoying the beauty of nature.

There’s kind of an unwritten code at the beach that you don’t invade someone else’s space. That’s not to say that people won’t set up camp within two feet of you. It simply means that people tend to stay out of other people’s stuff. You can leave your things, take a walk, and be pretty sure that all your belongings will be there upon your return. Umbrellas are great markers. After you’ve been on a walk, they make ieasy to spot your spot!

One Sunday morning we arrived before the crowds and set up our area on the ridge of sand that overlooks the tide. It was a great view, and not too crowded. As time passed and more people came, Janet began to notice that many of the women around us had abandoned the top part of their swimsuits as they played in the water. A quick search on my phone revealed that the day had been declared “Bare the Breast Day” at Hampton Beach, and our area was headquarters. You just never know what you might see at the beach.

Janet loves the beach. I try to take her as often as I can, because it’s like a second home to her. She reads as she soaks in the sun, relishing every moment, content to listen to the crashing of the sea. I’ve said before that adventures can be repeated. For me, the beach is an adventure that not only can be repeated, it can be routine.

 

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller

Two years ago I made it a point to go down to the Charles River on the 4th of July to hear the Pops and see the fireworks. Last year I convinced my brother-in-law, Steve, and three of his kids to join me. We had a great time among the throngs of people. I thought it was funny that they’d never been, and they’ve lived here for over ten years.  I showed Steve my favorite parking place at Assembly Row, and led them all through the transfer between the orange line and the red line at downtown crossing. The student has now become the master.

This year, no one could get away to join me so I was on my own again. Maybe I arrived early, or there wasn’t as many people as the two previous times I’d attended, because there were quite a few empty places along the rail next to the river. But I didn’t want to stand at the rail for two hours waiting for the show, so I made my way up the lawn to the area in front of the big screen television that displayed the broadcast of the concert. I parked myself on a manhole cover, since I didn’t bring a blanket, and made myself comfortable for the concert.

The fireworks finally arrived and they were as spectacular as ever. At 54, I’ve seen many fireworks displays including some really awesome finales. As this finale began, it occurred to me that all these thousands of people would wait until the very end before heading to the subway station. With that thought in mind, I chose to miss the last three minutes and make a bee line to the Kendall station. Fortune was on my side as I slipped right down to the platform as a train pulled up. It was virtually empty, and I made it to my parking garage in record time. I don’t advocate leaving early to most performances. At Broadway shows I find it quite rude for people to leave during the ovations. But this strategy was guaranteed not to offend anyone.

I’ve attended the event three years straight, but I’m having second thoughts about returning. Solo adventures are great when you find something new, but repeat events feel like I need someone to share them with. Maybe next year the kids will be here and Erik will come with me.  Who knows?  Happy 4th of July.

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller

 

Erik and Amanda just bought a house. Everyone is so excited for them. For the last two years, they’ve been renting a condo from my brother, Dave, and his wife, Jen. They’ve loved having E & A and the girls as tenants, but the family is growing and they need a little more space. It seems like the stars just lined up for this sale. The house they’ve purchased is only a quarter mile from the condo, and was owned by one of Erik’s work colleagues. With three bedrooms, two baths, two living rooms, and a 2 car garage they have more than enough room for their little family.

Probably the best feature is the sizable backyard with playhouse, and a play set. Well, almost a play set. At the closing, the mother who had purchased the structure put pressure on the sellers to take it with them. Erik called that night very stressed, as that had been one nice selling point.  One of the nice things about being an empty-nester is the ability to come to the rescue for your kids during times of trouble. This was one of those times. Throughout the week we traded suggestions and finally came to an agreement on a set we all liked. I priced the cost of installation, and determined it would be cheaper for Grammy and Papa to fly to Missouri and assemble it ourselves. And that’s just what we did. In the course of three days, Janet, Erik, Dave, Jerry, Karla (Amanda’s parents) and I became play structure construction agents while Elizabeth played on every piece as it was completed.

There’s a real satisfaction knowing you can help your adult kids as they raise their own. Jim, June, Barb, and Al (Janet’s and my parents) modeled this behavior, and we are happy to carry on their legacy. Enjoy the structure Elizabeth and Amelia!

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller

I met Janet in the summer of 1984. She had just joined the Christian music and drama group that I’d been traveling with for the past three years. Agape Players had three road teams, and one international team. We were slated for separate tours, so I didn’t have the opportunity to get to know her through summer training. After touring through the fall, the buses made their way back to Lake Wales Florida for Thanksgiving and the Christmas holiday. During December, we performed many different holiday shows in the hotel we’d renovated in the center of town. After Christmas, the tours reassembled and prepared to go back out on the road. In my four years, I’d never been switched to another tour mid-way, but there’s always a first time for everything, and this was it. I was switched to Janet’s tour which would be performing from January through May in churches along the eastern seaboard. I’d done this tour my first year and was pretty excited for the opportunity to go back to New York, New England, and all other points along the Atlantic.

To say I was a self-assured young man would be an understatement. I’ve always possessed a good memory, which made learning new things pretty easy. I’m also somewhat fearless about trying new things. I’m also a tenor. Many people often used the words conceited, arrogant, or full of himself in the same sentence as my name. Janet, on the other hand, was quiet, gentle, and wise. She was, and still is, two years older than me. She had completed college with an elementary education degree, and already taught for a year before joining the Agape Players. She was smart, and she caught my attention at once. There was really only one issue, she couldn’t stand me. To her, I had a newsreel running across my forehead with all those same words; conceited, arrogant, and full of himself.

In fact, I was all these things. One day I had the hubris to announce to her “I know that you hate me now, but before the end of the tour we’ll be a couple.” I’m not sure that hate was too strong a word for the feelings she had for me at that moment. I don’t recall that she even looked at me for the next two or three days.

Our tour made its way through Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, and into New Jersey by the third week of January.  I don’t quite know how it happened, but we were all staying at the home of our members in Ellicott City, MD, and I was reading poetry to her. And to top it off, we had just spent the whole day together in Washington DC. We ended up getting married in June of 1986, and now we’re celebrating 32 pretty wonderful years together.

We may not do Valentines, but we always seem to do something special for our anniversary.  This year we went back down to New York to see a couple of plays. We laughed at The Play That Goes Wrong, and followed the stories of nine friends in The Boys in the Band. We had a wonderful Italian dinner at Ninos 46, and enjoyed a nice summer walk through the streets of Manhattan.

Thirty-two years seems like a long time, but the time has really flown by. We’ve had some rough times here and there, but we’ve been able to work through those times through trust, honesty, and long hard talks. Most of our time together has been one fantastic experience after another including raising two wonderful children, welcoming two terrific children-in-laws, and adding two beautiful granddaughters.  We’ve lived in five states together from the Pacific to the Atlantic, traveled to fifteen countries, and forty-seven states.  All that to say, our life is good.

This post is a little different because I want her to know that she has always been my favorite traveling companion, not only on weekend adventures, cruises, and international trips, but also in raising children, talking shop, and being my best friend. I love you Janet Ellen Sheppard Dancy! Happy 32nd anniversary!

P.S. I’ve still got a lot of hubris. This page is filled with selfies of us because I know we’re a very cute couple!

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller

The end of the school year has come and once again I’m a chaperone on the 8th grade field trip. This year we returned to Washington D.C. for actual sight seeing. Last year’s trip to the inauguration was quite an adventure, but I have to admit I liked the less populated experience better.

Our Hampstead students are a great bunch of kids. The teachers really try to instill in them a sense of national pride, and obligation to make a difference in our world. Sure, they’re eighth graders (13 & 14 year olds) but they’re fun to be with for three or four day trip. We have school policies about posting pictures of our students, so I’ve chosen pictures that only contain pictures of the places we saw, and my selfies.

We began our trip with a stop in Philadelphia to see the Liberty Bell, and the first hall of congress. We’ve done the Philly stop three of the four trips I’ve been on. It’s always fun to see the kids marvel at the Ben Franklin press, and line up for the obligatory picture at the bell.

Upon arriving in DC,  our trip included some of the events from last year including a tour of the capitol, the National Air and Space Museum, the war memorials, and the Lincoln Memorial. We were fortunate to also add visits to Mt. Vernon and the White House to our itinerary. Janet and I had our first date in Washington DC in 1985. We were scheduled to see the White House that day, but because of a snow storm didn’t arrive early enough for our tour. The 33 year wait was well worth it. My only regret is the speed at which our students moved through the building. I really wanted to slow down and absorb the moment and appreciate the history made in these halls of the president. But we moved ever forward, with barely enough time for me to snap a photo to remember the experience. Foreign dignitaries were meeting with the President that day and we were fortunate to see a color guard march past us as we exited the White House.

Our trip to Mt. Vernon was later the same day, but we were given two hours to enjoy this gem. We split into small groups to explore the house and grounds. Walking through the halls of the first president was another trip backward in time. Regardless of wealth, I’m not sure I would have enjoyed living in the 18th century without my running water and Internet. Knowing I’m the tech director, our tour leader gave me a group of guys that leaned toward an inquisitive mindset. I have to say, I was blessed with this group of gentlemen as most were very interested in all aspects of the estate and were a pleasure to lead.

Our evening began with a visit to the 9/11 memorial at the Pentagon. Like the New York memorial, it includes a water feature. Actually it includes many water features as there are benches with fountains for each of the people who died either in the plane, or from the impact. Our guide was there that day and shared his experience. It was a very solemn moment and our students learned a lot that evening.

Following the Pentagon we proceeded on a night-time tour of the monuments. Our group started at the Air Force memorial near the Pentagon, and proceeded to the WWII monument, and the Lincoln Memorial.  Each are beautifully lit at night and really give you a sense of awe and wonder of the nation’s capital.

Our final day in DC included a trip to the Arlington National Cemetery. The teachers and students had prepared a service of honor for the fallen son of a former principal of the middle school. The town is small, and though none of these students had her as a principal, the family was well known. I was amazed how quietly our students proceeded for nearly half a mile to the grave side. They respectfully performed their service. At the conclusion, a military band, preparing for an official service, marched by playing a hymn. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect.

We moved on to the tomb of the unknown soldier to view the changing of the guard, then finished our trip at the graves of Robert, Ted, and John F. Kennedy. We were tired, but very satisfied with all we’d seen and learned. I really do enjoy these trips with the students and staff. I see and learn about new things every time I go. I find it hard to believe that before turning 50, I’d only been to Washington D.C. once. Since moving here, I’ve returned three times. One more advantage to living in New England like a tourist.

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller

Hallmark really made a fortune by designating a day of the year to celebrate mothers. Restaurants and other retail establishments were quick to follow suit, pressuring children and fathers to make this mom’s special day. When we first got married, we agreed not to buy in to the Valentine’s day hype, but it’s much harder to get around mother’s day. We always try to remember our own mothers, and I try to do something special for Janet. Sunday was a beautiful day and we thought the best way to celebrate was a walk along the coast. There’s no better place for that than the Marginal Way in Ogunquit, Maine.  I’ve written about Ogunquit before, and the Marginal Way. It’s probably my favorite town in all New England.  I’ll probably write about it again because each time we go there we find something new and different.

The something new today was exploring the Christmas shop at Perkin’s Cove called Uniques and Antiques. Janet loves to search through the ornaments in holiday shops, and find that special animal figurine that will fit nicely on our tree, or maybe a special nativity to add to her collection. We’d never been to this shop, and we were eager to explore. After a few minutes combing each aisle, we found a beautiful glass jellyfish that was perfect. The owner was personable and friendly, and loved the idea we only decorate with animals.

We walked back along the way enjoying the warm sunshine and the crashing waves. We were joined by many mothers and their families on this beautiful day. Lunch without reservations on Mother’s Day can be tricky, but we found an Asian Buffet in Wells that we were able to get right into. Janet doesn’t usually care for Asian buffets, but the food was fresh, and she seemed to enjoy it.

This adventure was easy and familiar. Janet likes easy and familiar. Sometimes my adventures are go go go.  These tend to wear on her, so my gift this Mother’s day was to slow down and visit one of the most beautiful tourist areas in New England… like a local.

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller