The Kids are Grown? and Back Home!

     During the entire cruise from Texas I had visualized the scenes of coming home: my grandson Blake sitting on my knee driving the boat; my dear friends Jay Hinson and Marshall Lucas beside me at the helm listening to the stereo that is so exquisite, "we could hear the saliva dripping from the jazz saxophone!"; the giggling, squeeling and laughter from our grandchildren Faith, Kathleen, Blake and Joey; inhaling the cool fresh healing salt air from Passamaquoddy Bay; and revelling in the majesty of the most amazing tapestry of colour, as the thick sea smoke retreated back out to the ocean when the sun rose in the morning; but what I hadn't imagined, was the impact of the beauty of down east Maine on our children, now grown and returning with their loved ones who had never seen this part of the world before.

                                                                           
                                                               RJ and Alisa  

                                                            Nick and Wendy    

                                                                                                                                                                   

     Alisa, RJ's wife was at times solemn, pensive and enthralled by the beauty and power of the water and islands of Passamaquoddy Bay.  She relayed to us that she had a "moment" (an epiphany) during our passage through Little Letitte Passage on our way to Pendleton Island. She described it as a feeling of complete calmness, oneness, of feeling and being in the moment.  She could now understand why people went boating...it was just so... relaxing...so beautiful.  To this successful and accomplished physician with a career in Dermatopathology, used to making, explaining and teaching about the diagnosis and treatment of life threatening skin cancers and dealing with the hospital related pressures of her work world, this excursion into the beauty and calm of a down east Maine summer was a true mental panacea.
     As for her husband, our son......it was a return to the wholesomeness of his youth.  His brother Nick quickly challenged him to a jump off the top of the boat into the frigid 50 degree water ("only that warm on the top!" according to a squeeling RJ).  RJ was quick to respond with a challenge of "Oh Ya! all the way to the beach and back!"....their squeeling and cursing had all of us on the boat crying with laughter...especially when they realized they had to swim back to the boat!...see video!

                                                                                     
                      RJ and Nick swim to Pendleton Island Beach....blast from the past!!!

                                                                  
         As if they did not have enough.....now from the fly bridge.... only 25 years later!              

     Although their stay was short, they got to spend time with their nieces and nephews and even ran into some old friends as they strolled through the Calais downtown street fair.  The visit left them with a taste for more; so we hope they will be able to find more time in their heavy professional schedule to visit soon.  RJ and Alisa we all miss you and hope you can start "coming home" more often.  

                                                                                
                                                               A Moment.......