SummerVacation2007 (127 images)
We have been WAY overdue for a family trip ANYWHERE outside of the Merrimack Valley. So we hopped on down to Sears, bought what is essentially an enormous “backpack for cars” (I'm not kidding, it's a HUGE backpack with straps for your car!) and loaded it up with all of the necessities for a 5 day camping trip...or so we thought. :) The pictures below take you on a day by day pictorial of our adventure, which we all determined afterwards was as close to Chevy Chase's “Vacation” as you can get. No, we didn't make it to Wally World, but we were there in spirit.
Day 1 was our journey to the Cape. We stopped by Battleship Cove on the way to see the big, big boats. So MANY boats…and planes and helicopters and all kinds of really cool war stuff to take in. Andrew was very concerned about the disparity between enlisted men and commissioned officers. “They didn’t even give blankets to those men! The officers got all their meals carried to them!!” Fascinating what the mind of a 6 year old sees at such a young age. The remainder of the day was set-up, cooking and sleeping under a blanket of BEAUTIFUL stars.
Day 2 it rained. It rained and Rained and RAINED some more. It was a very unpleasant day. Libs deserves an Academy Award AND a Nobel Peace Prize for her work that day. We are all very fortunate to have her as wife and mother. Undaunted, however, we packed up the car and left the camp grounds for the day to find other, non-wet activities to do. Those consisted primarily of obtaining gear and supplies we forgot and mini-golf at a place that had a $6 Play All Day dealie. Six bucks…play all day. COOL! Then it began raining in earnest so we went back to the tent and went to bed.
Day 3 was better. We went and visited friends who live at the military base down there. Had SUCH good food, fun and banter that it was literally painful to leave (my hips were screaming in agony around dinner time).
Day 4 was spent with one of Lib’s co-workers who has a beach house down there. More and more and MORE good food and then a 3 mile walk up and down the beach. This was a bit of a miracle…the warm, sea air and soft sand made walking not just effortless but completely painless. My next domicile will be located in Florida…and I now have a much greater understanding of why old people migrate there. It’s Heaven before you die.
Day 5 we left for home, but stopped at the National Cemetery along the way to see my parents’ resting site and the locations of some of Lib’s ancestors. It was a very emotional journey…further compounded by an ongoing funeral literally right next to us. It was cathartic….and way overdue. I have not been to visit my parents there since they passed in 1995. I began with soulful apologies for not being there sooner, introduced my wife and children – none of whom have any recollection of my parents since they died well before I had a family of my own – and that’s when my great, big heart just kind of plopped into my stomach and I began to come to terms with a grief I have kept buried deep inside me for the better part of 12 years now. It was beautiful and terrible at the same time, but the deed was finally done and I am a better person because of it.
Before we got home, we went to Friendly’s restaurant where I became so agitated with the older couple behind us (who did nothing but complain to the wait staff and managers for 45 minutes) that I nearly took my cane to their skulls. I’d have done it too were it not for Libs. Lesson for everyone – if you go to a grease pit that serves you “free” ice cream at the end of your meal – don’t expect good food, service or ANYTHING…just pay your 8 bucks and LEAVE. If you want a fine dining experience, go to a RESTAURANT…not a fast food joint or one that yearns some day to be a real restaurant….but a place with tablecloths and a WINE LIST. Friendly’s is NOT a restaurant and doesn’t even pretend to be. They ask you before you’re even seated “Do you want menus or are you just here for ice cream?” ‘Nuff said.
The End.
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