A Ride to Gloucester and Rocky Neck

The last time we were in Boston was for the surprise fiftieth wedding anniversary party for my parents in 1998. This time we were invited to a memorial outdoor gathering for the unexpected passing of my oldest cousin last year. Things have really changed from twenty five years ago! Last week on this day we took a ride to Gloucester and Rocky Neck. It’s so nice to be driven around and just take everything in. Luckily I was in the front seat, my husband was in the back, and my cousin was the tour guide. There was some sort of church carnival going on. It’s also the home of the famous Gorton’s. It seems we always lived somewhere near the water and this place is another seaworthy village. The boats are everywhere and there is a definite sea, fishing and beach vibe. My cousin is in to the arts and we looked around the less touristy artsy places. The homes are beautiful and the gardens are even nicer - although I can imagine the winters are quite brutal. It all reminds me of my New England roots even though we moved away when I was in second grade. But a large chunk of my family still lives in this part of the country. It’s a great place to visit and see family, but I think I know why my dad moved away. We really had a lovely time there. I just wish we could visit more often. 

Jamaica Pond

It looked a bit familiar. We used to visit my cousins in Massachusetts back in the day when we lived in New England and a few times more after we moved south and a few times more after we moved to the midwest. This time we were visiting for my oldest cousin’s memorial that was being held a year after her passing. Near my cousin’s home was a pond where we would walk over and play. It’s called Jamaica Pond and was established in 1892. Back then it felt like quite a walk to get there. But it’s really only a couple of blocks. On the way there are now beautiful stately homes - many now converted to condos. Back then I remember many of them had seen better days. Parking in DC aid a pit, but it’s no better in this neighborhood. The first structure you come upon at the pond is the boat house that was erected in 1910. This day was a bit misty and overcast but that didn’t stop all of the exercise nuts. Everyone was rather friendly. We had to pass through a flock of geese resting in the middle of the sidewalk. There was a very odd bench that we later learned was part of an art installation. Good luck sitting in it. Obviously there were ducks but also lovely gardens all along the way around including morning glories. It was a very lovely walkabout. Imagine all of the people who have come and gone walking this place. 

Mini Globes Plant Watering System

We were going to be gone for five days. It’s been over three years since we have left the state to go anywhere. So much so that we almost forgot how to pack. But within that five day period the plants and the flowers still need attention. The indoor plants would be fine because we water them once a week. But the outdoor balcony flowers might be at risk - especially the grocery store mini rose plant that my husband has been successfully caring for for three years. So my husband tends to these balcony flowers and would feel terrible if anything happened to them. So I remembered that we had the mini globe plant watering system that we used for our indoor plants whenever we were gone for over a week - in the old days. After watering the window baskets for the last time and on the evening before we left, we got out the glass balls and filled them with water. Then we placed them in the rose plant and the baskets. The next morning the water level was still full. Between any rain storms and this set up we hoped everything would turn out okay. So when we arrived back this week we were so happy to see that all of the plants and flowers survived. Because we have such a tiny garden each flower has a lot more meaning. I’m glad I remembered the water globes. When we were putting them back to store again I realized that we had three more larger ones that could have been used. Oh well - maybe next time. 

The Parking Lot Ride to New England

We have not been out of the state since the pandemic hit. A couple of weeks ago we got an invitation to visit New England for my oldest cousin’s memorial service. She passed away last year and now a get together was planned. So we decided it was time to take a ride. We are very familiar with the freeways to the Midwest and the south, but have never driven from DC to New England - the most congested corridor anywhere in the US. If we could get through this we could get through anything. I can honestly say that we would never do it again. It was essentially a parking lot from the time we left home to the time we arrived. From DC to Baltimore and the tunnel, to Philadelphia to New Jersey. Then the ultimate hell hole of New York. Everything looks so old, rusty and cruddy. On top of that it was raining most of the time. The toll roads were ridiculous. I don’t know if my easy pass transponder worked but it was replenished twice along the way - eighty dollars worth. The George Washington Bridge alone was seventeen dollars to cross. Google maps was constantly red and we crawled along. We never planned trips in the summer months because of all of the traffic and especially since the pandemic. Everyone is taking a vacation now. But this was for a different reason. The drive back was just as bad as the drive up. To make matters worse we had an hour delay because of a presidential motorcade on the freeway near our house. It was just too much. But we are still happy we went and glad we were able to survive the gridlock. And the company is always so good. 

A Ride In to Town

Our road trips these days are driving in to DC to visit the old neighborhood and back. It’s only nine miles away so it’s a relatively safe distance. We haven’t done one for a while so we ventured out last week to put a few miles on the car. We can’t remember when we last filled the gas tank. The city was still pretty much shut down, although the traffic on the GW Parkway was much heavier. The skies were blue and the clouds were dancing - giving off a very different vibe than what most people must be feeling inside their heads these days. The streets were empty, there were a few people mulling about, but most of the activity was construction on the roads and the some of the museums. We stayed away from the White House area and spent most of the drive around Capitol Hill where we lived for thirteen years. We are glad we moved to northern Virginia last year but there will always be things we miss about the old neighborhood. A lot of that is in our minds rather than reality. Every time we visit, things just don’t look the same. But then again, things never really are the way you remember them.