Time. Where does it go?

It's been awhile since I've been able to find the time to post. Work has been quite hectic and my normal lunch hour time to write has been lost. I uploaded a few pictures last evening in the hopes that I could at least get something out there today.



Sally and I recently took the RIPTA ferry from Providence to Newport. This was an excellent and fun outing that our Office Manager (Robin) at work set up as the firm's Summer Outing. The plan was to take the ferry to Newport, enjoy the day in Newport with the Black Ships Festival ongoing, then ferry back to Providence. The event was planned for a Saturday in July which just happened to be in the midst of a five day heatwave. Knowing Una would not enjoy 8 hours in the stroller in Newport in 90+ weather, we decided that Nana and Gramps would get to enjoy Una for the day and Sally and I would enjoy some alone time.

We left Providence about 8:30am on a HOT day. Knowing we were going back to Westport to get Una that evening, we left a car overnight in Newport. Once we arrived in Newport we enjoyed hitting a few shops (contributing to the local economy, of course) and seeing many of the historic homes in the downtown hill area. (You'd think having lived in Newport for many years I'd know what that district is called, but I don't.) Anyway, we wandered around a bit, hit the outdoor Black Ships Festival, enjoyed a Dell's and then decided to take comfort in the air conditioned car we had left in Newport. While driving around Newport to Ocean Drive we noticed a sign for an auction going on at Fort Adams. We love a good auction so we decided to take a look. Five hours later we left with a backseat full of nautical prints and paintings. Having been in the Navy for 21+ years, I enjoyed seeing all the old nautical memorabilia. The auction was a benefit for the Newport Museum of Yachting and much of the 500+ items were donated by local Newporters or the NY Yacht Club (Headquartered in Newport). They picked an odd day for the auction since it seems that most of the Yachting Museum members who live in Newport were out for some kind of sailing regatta (we saw about five America's Cup boats leaving Newport Harbor as we arrived in Newport on the ferry.) Their loss was our gain. There probably were only 30 people at the auction, thus the bidding was not all that intense. All it all it was a great time. I now have a great print of the USS Constitution for my office wall.

Sally and Una have been able to spend lots of time at the beach with Nana this Summer. I usually get to join them on the weekends. Here's a recent pic of Una enjoying destroying a sandcastle. (Yes, the red tide was bad that day, but it's the first time this year. 100 yards to the left and the water was fine.) Una just loves the beach (she is her mother's daughter, after all.)








Here's a cute picture of Una washing her face after making a mess. Thanks Nana for showing her how to pick and eat wine berries. :-)












And, lastly, here's a picture from last evening while I was doing some gardening. Sally snapped this photo as Una smiled for the neighbor Mrs. G.