Chop chop

This un-PC phrase occurs in a Honda commercial. However, I was reminded of it this morning when we finally met with the surgeon who will (eventually) deal with my achilles rupture. He is a good fellow who has done lots of achilles repairs and was at Dartmouth when Hannah Morgan was there. I have to have lots of blood work before the surgery because of the awesome clot that went from my elbow into my jugular in 2004. But likely the surgery will happen by the end of September so that I will be able to be an inactive participant in the Family Cruise. If you are curious about the operation, here is it on YouTube (of course), complete with jeans.

Searsport

Having driven by it for years, we decided to stay for a night at the Captain A.V. Nickels Inn, a huge old sea captain's house that is being rehabilitated as a B&B. Because of Internet problems, the owner did not expect us, but put us in a third-floor suite, very elegant, with a large terrace overlooking Penobscot Bay. Two highlights of the trip: first, we drove via Rt. 218 from Wiscasset (then 17, then 131 to 3 to Belfast), which provided a gorgeous slice of Maine and no summer traffic. Second, we had dinner at the Mermaid, in the B&B next door. It was one of our best meals ever on the road.

Quietude

"Free at last, Free at last, Thank God almighty we are free at last." Well, that's overstating it a bit, but today we awoke to a silent house and empty bunkhouse. There are no limits to love, but there is a finite amount of energy in a grandparent, and we have had a lot of young folk around here this summer... a sold month of them in fact. So the quiet is welcome. We're not answering the phone today.
On the other hand, it was kind of wonderful to have all that energy around us. Maybe in a day or so, we'll miss it and them. Maybe more like a week....

Coaches

As I donned my Seabridge Storm shorts this morning, I realized how proud I am that all three of our children have been, or are, coaches. I loved seeing Bart with the little laxers on the playday in Andover, and tremendously respect what Em does with Sail Maine and Special Olympics. And I'll never forget that lovely day in Chelsea, when the Storm crushed their hapless foe.
Coaches affect their charges' brains, bodies, and soul. I have always thought that there is no better education than coaching.

Vive le roi

The King of Koof's Island! Recently it has been circumnavigated many times by the youth, but only one has claimed the territory. Apparently, if you do not inhabit your territory for seven years, any punk can come along and claim it. Ah, well.
It has been a long and busy month with lots of children around the Crotch. So far everything is standing. We have only two left this week, and we are sharing Maggie and Jonas with the McGraths. Those kids are attending a day camp at the Maritime Museum, which seems pretty successful.

After all this time with grandchildren, Papa, did you want to extend it to another week?
Well, I call it taper.

Bad to verse

Friday already! How confusing things have become, the pace too swift for an old retired buzzard. Our house is still full, and joyfully so, but today brings rain, and the noise level is pretty high this morning.
My little book of poems is out. After eight months of writing, it required only about 90 minutes to publish it on Lulu. Amazing. It received positive reviews from Hannah and Dave and Bart and Molly, but I do not foresee it racing up the Amazonian charts.
Grandma is down in CT with Nancy, sorry, I'm sure, to be missing the grandchildren, but enjoying the family down there. More maturity, less noise on Money Island.

Locomotion

 Wow, it has been active around here lately, sometimes much less organized than this! We have had lots of grandchildren and they have been...stimulating. Sometimes, having lots of kids around makes one feel younger. Sometimes, not. They have been pleasant and there hasn't been any whining...at least, not to Papa and Grandma. One cannot ask for more.

Boothbay again

What to do with a couple of kids on a beautiful late July Tuesday? Pop 'em into Autumn and off to Boothbay Harbor. Both Coco and Sam surprised us by claiming they love calamari... which, it happens, is not everywhere in BBH, where fresh catch is the rule. However, we found it at Andrews' Harborside and indeed, they polished off the little critters. I thought the fish sandwich, my former Midcoast #1, was a bit down from the peak, but still good. A grand trip on a glorious day.