Massachusetts (07-27-18)

Our two weeks in Massachusetts were a flurry of activity.  It started the morning after we arrived, when we saw a lady sitting at our picnic table, with her back to us. We speculated that perhaps she was lost, since she had a map and was using her phone. Two seconds later I got a message from my cousin Robbin, asking if I was up.  She had been passing by the campground and decided to stop in. I had great fun catching up on all her news!

With Facebook a “thing”, many people knew we were in town and reached out. We had dinner with my brother and his wife Dawn one night, and another night we met up with an old next door neighbor, Maryellen.

Soon after we arrived, our daughter Jess flew in from CA for a few days.  She spent a couple of days with friends before being dropped off at our place so she could visit family. She hasn’t been to MA in 5 years.

We spent one awesome day at the beach with my family.

(pictured from L-R: Jess, me, my sister Deb and brother Ray)

We all love the water and had a great time playing in the waves.

On the way home we stopped at Hampton Beach, played in the arcade for a while and had an awesome dinner. (Jess in the foreground, L-R: Ray, Paul, Debbie, Richie, me)

Paul had his first of many lobsters.

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We were lucky enough to see our son Stephen quite a bit, and even got the kids together for dinner before Jess left.  Of course, I forgot to get pictures so I had to steal the goofy one they took together.

There are 4 women I have known since I was about 4 years old. We try to get together whenever I get back to town and I managed to see them twice while we were in MA. One of them turned 60 and her daughters threw her a surprise party- a 3 hour lunch cruise on Lake Winnipesaukee.

Not only did she not know about the cruise- one of our friends came all the way from California to be there-surprise! Rita and her husband Ed just bought a teardrop camper and raced across the country to get here in time.

-From old friends to new: I had lunch- twice, with some new found relatives. The woman in the middle, Elaine, is my 2nd/3rd cousin. She was adopted and isn’t sure who her biological father is. I was the first person she ever met who was biologically related to her. Really cool! She brought her daughter Michele with her. We also had lunch with a man named Ed, who is my 3rd cousin.  We all met thru Ancestry, and exchange information when we find it.

I managed to see my aunt Tish twice while I was in town. She and I have been friends for a very long time. She was married to my uncle until he passed away in May.  Paul and I dropped by with Jess on the way to the airport- Tish and Jess hadn’t seen each other in about 10 years and had lots of catching up to do. Tish babysits for her grandkids, so all catching up takes a back seat to little kids climbing everywhere!

Just because we aren’t at the house, doesn’t mean we don’t have projects!  While we were in Massachusetts, we ordered two new things for the camper- A slide topper for the slide was first to arrive. It was a little tricky because it’s so big- 12 ft long and we had to make arrangements to get it since the delivery company couldn’t get into the campground. Paul is very happy that he doesn’t have to go on the roof to  brush the slide off every time we move!

We also had to borrow a ladder and a step stool from my brother to put it on!

Being somewhat spoiled, we also replaced the so-so Fantastic Vent with one that is thermostat controlled, and rain sensitive, so we can “set it and forget it”. If we leave for the day, and it rains, the vent will close,until it senses no moisture, then it will re-open and pull air through it again.

We don’t need it in places where we run the AC, but it comes in very handy if we have no hook-up and have to leave the cat in the camper.











Although we didn’t get there as often as I would have liked, we did get to the gym a couple of times before we left town.  This is the original gym I joined two years ago when we were in Massachusetts.

Traditions (Boston, MA 08-13-12)

Most families have traditions, and mine is no exception.   One of our family traditions began over 42 years ago, when my parents decided they needed a much deserved weekend away from their four kids. They stayed at a small motel in New Hampshire, directly across the street from a beautiful beach.  As soon as they got home, they made plans to bring us kids to the Dunes Motel in Rye, NH. That was the start of one of my favorite traditions, our summer vacation at "The Dunes".  Every year  we would head there, staying anywhere from a few days to two weeks, depending on how far my parents could make their dollar stretch.     It's not the fanciest, or even the cleanest motel I have ever stayed in, but it had one thing going for it- location, location, location.

On the beach in 1994- me, brother Rich, sister-in-law Dawn, my daughter Jess, and son Stephen

We could grab our beach toys and a towel and walk across the street to play in the waves and the sand.

on the beach 2012- Stephen, Debbie, Rich, Dawn, Ray

 Once we'd had enough of the beach, we'd head back to the pool for a swim before heading out to dinner at our favorite restaurants.

Jess and I at the pool, 1994

 As the years went by, life changed, and not all of us could make it to the beach every year, but we all tried to go as often as we could.  Both of my kids have been going to "The Dunes" since before they could walk.
Eventually, I moved away and didn't have the chance to make the trek to Rye Beach for a long time.  My brothers and sister try to go every year, and they do manage to get there most years, although they only stay for a long weekend these days. 

Paul joins the tradition in 1999, with Jess

Jess and Stephen on the beach, 1999

on the beach, 1994, Ray and Jess

 Part of the reason I flew to Boston at this particular time is because it coincided with the trip to The Dunes. I had a great 4 day weekend with my family and it brought back a million childhood memories.

arriving at the motel, 2012- Richie, Stephen, Dawn and Ray

rainbow over the pool, 2012