The Great North Atlantic

Saying farewell to Beantown, we drove about an hour and a half to get to Newport, Rhode Island. It was later in the afternoon by the time we arrived, so we stayed the night planning to load the next morning. 

I must backtrack just a bit, and share that we were able to add to the Scrapbook Of Stadiums for Hubs. During our trek from one end of the country and back again, we are always keeping vigil for stadium sightings. 

The Patriots play at Gillette Stadium, which is located in Foxborough, Massachusetts, a short distance from Boston. 👇🏻

We nearly missed that one. We would've zoomed right by Foxborough, but at the last possible second Hubs realized where we were. He took the very next exit, and despite narrow roads, and tiny turns, we finally found our way to the stadium. I use the term loosely, because the place is big enough to be a small town! I'm not positive, but it looked like it could give Lambeau Field a run for its money. 🤫 

~ ❄️ ~ ❄️ ~ ❄️  ~ ❄️ ~ ❄️ ~ ❄️ ~ ❄️ ~ ❄️ ~ ❄️ ~ 

Nights up north are getting chilly. Being a Texan, I find this pretty exciting! I mean, it's nearing the end of August, and I'm needing my hoodie in the evenings already. August!! 🤭  Back home, we're still sweating in front of the open freezer door just trying to breathe until sometime before trick or treaters ring the doorbell. 

This welcome climate change has us looking for coffee in the evenings as we finish supper and relax with our episodes. And the most recent binge, since finding wonderful inspiration in Boston, is the 7 part miniseries 'John Adams'.  We watched it years ago, but it's just as good on repeat. Besides, you'll discover through these posts that I am nothing if not a creature of habit. There is a huge amount of security in repetition. But, I digress. 

By the following morning, underneath my toasty covers, I blinked a few times and realized where we were headed shortly. I grew up spending my summer months on the Outer Banks of North Carolina in the island towns of Hatteras and Buxton. If my family wasn't combing the beaches for seashells, we were traveling from island to island on the ferry, or piling into the beds of our friends' beach trucks to go build a covered fort of lounge chairs and coolers and a grill on the sound side of the island from sunup to sundown. I have a gazillion memories of playing on and under the Frisco Pier. Now it had been over 20 years since I had strolled those beaches. Today would be no different, but I would at least be seeing the beauty of the Atlantic once again. It felt like a glimpse through a living photo album of memories. 

We were due at the Newport Shipyard soon. We gathered coffee and breakfast, and hit the road. 

The scenes from that drive and the several hours at the shipyard went a long way to soothing my nostalgic feelings. It was such a sight for sore eyes. I think you'll enjoy the trip through the photos. 

The big boss came over to check on us, and brought me a complimentary iced coffee. Someone must've told him that's how Hubs & I speak Friend. 😂