Vacation report

I just got back from my 2-week vacation, which was one of the best I've ever had.  It was really grand.  Molly came here on a Thursday night--she came by train from RI and I picked her up in Vermont so we got to ride the night ferry home, which was really pretty.  We stayed together in the boat house until Tuesday, when we drove to RI.  That weekend we had our family's annual meeting (yes, some families have reunions but ours has a meeting).  Many cousins, lots of children, even polite conversation with ex-husband.  Lots of swimming and dock time, and great visiting with my sister, just the two of us.  That hasn't happened for decades.

We got to RI on a Tuesday and spent the next 10 days having a really good time.  We read a lot, visited a lot, ate a lot, laughed a lot--it was truly great.  Mark had to work the first week but had time off during the second week.  We went to the beach in the mornings to avoid crowds and often had the beach pretty much to ourselves.  Great beach weather.  One rainy day when we went shopping.  Earrings for me.  The ocean was cool but very nice.  Lots of swimming.

We ate lobsters and clams, and had RI corn every night for dinner.  There is the most delicious corn in southern New England--it's butter & sugar and is soooo sweet.  They don't have corn on the cob in Italy so we take full advantage of its availability while Molly is here.  And we sure did.  Wow was it good.  And me without my braces!  So easy to eat.

We went out to dinner one night, courtesy of Mark.  I have a favorite restaurant, it's an inn in an old house and the food is good, atmosphere nice, etc.  Fully of Vera Bradley and Lily Pulitzer prints on attractive women.  Anyway, we had a delicious meal and nice time.  Another night Molly taught me how to cook a chicken dish for the Hawkeye Chicken Wars which are going on this summer.

Everyone in the neighborhood is cooking a chicken dinner of some sort, scoring takes place by attendees, and at the end of the season a winner will be declared.  I dreaded my turn--it's hard to cook for 10 when you're by yourself.  Molly was a great help in getting me set up for the meal (complete with illustrated menu in Italian) so now I think I'll be able to pull it off without too much craziness.

I came home on Saturday, something I never do--I always wait until Sunday.  But Sunday was Chicken War entry #4 at noon, and book group in the boat house at 5ish.  So it was a busy day, my head was a'twirlin.  I slept in the boat house that night, all was right with the world.

Monday night I picked up the cat, released from jail.  She suffered mightily I suspect, complained for hours when she got home, but cuddled up with me at night.  Now she's treating the whole thing as if it never happened.  She's a tad tubby so I'm feeding her a bit less until she's once again svelte.

Work is busy, much catching up to do, plus my co-worker is out this week so I'm doing her work too.  Lots of running around, filling requests, cataloging books, etc.  Keeps me busy & makes the days go by (exhaustingly) quickly.