Our Summer Vacation

Whew!  Lynn and I just returned last night from a  whirlwind last  eleven days...Our  plan was   a  two day travel to  Boston area  to  visit our  daughter and her family... our precious granddaughter, Birdie,    then  we were all going to  the Massachusetts south coast  near  New Bedford  for a week stay in a  wonderful  area right on  Buzzard Bay  across  from  Martha's Vinyard...  We were all so   especially  expectant because none of us had had a beach vacation in about  10 years...  I know sounds  crazy, but  indeed,   that is a fact...Now packing  everything for a two year old  and  household   items  one might need for a week stay at a beach house....  can be daunting    and   both  our cars were  packed to the  max including  golf clubs  beach umbrellas,  chairs,    and  tons of toys  for  Birdie....

Lynn and I were up super early to get  the best start for our travel day  the sun offered   its glory  as we  started our  northward  trek...

Within 2 hours we were  stopping for   a  fill up  at our favorite  breakfast pitstop...

then we  set our sites for  further points north!

One couldn't ask for better travel weather....

And by early afternoon of the next day I was  one very  fulfilled  GaGa!

We   enjoyed  daily trips to the park...   may I interject here  our  wee Birdie is  showing  athletic prowess at an early age....

Ba Ba showed great promise   in the    storytime category, too! And  remember now I am only stating the facts  but for a   22 month old  Birdie  definitely  demonstrates    avid  scholarly  interests   in reading and music....  one of our favorite pastimes was singing together!...  She does the  E-I-E-I-O.

and soon we  were   packing the cars  for our  seaside  adventure!

 Such  a    thrill  to visit new places....  and after  30 years of teaching    3rd and 4th grade to my  students   I never tired of reading  Moby Dick, the  children's version....  to my classes...  Seeing New Bedford  was   a  true thrill I couldnt wait to  visit the Whaling Museum there.

 Then we were  approaching   the island  paradise  which  was to be our home for the next week!

After  opening the   cottage which had been closed  up for several days   it wasnt long before the  sea breezes were    filling the  sheer  curtains and   hearts  beat  in  cadence with the   rippling tides!

 The   first sunset  was  filled with   great  promise of  the  wondrous coming days....  That was  Saturday evening!

Bright and early   Joshua   couldn't wait to  walk  Birdie down to the water's edge....  it was  a bit nippy  and  the   breezes  were   more of a gale,  but    the forecast was   great!

 Birdie  couldn't wait to take a ride in her new wagon...  I love how it  is built for  two....   which  will   one day  soon  become  reality!

 Midmorning I   walked  down to the   shore      which    is  quite a marvel..   one never knows  what to  expect   on  New England beaches....   one day   sand, the next pebbles....

 today was  a  bit of  seaweed  , sand and pebbles....

 And    since I had  been  experiencing a bit of    a headache, I decided   to go for the   Grace Kelly look!   HAHAHAHAHAHAH!

Birdie had much exploring to do!!!

Unfortunately,,   my  mid day, Sunday  we each   had started to notice a smell   that  wasnt exactly  pleasing....   I was thinking it  was  perhaps   a  smell from off the water....  maybe a  type of fish  was   coming  in on the tide or something....  but  Amanda  was  quite sure it was  emanating from  around  our kitchen... which a bit later   was  very evident...  we  wondered  if something had   crawled under the house and died or perhaps  was  trapped in the attic.....   but it definitely   was    a  smell of decay...  and  not   very pleasant  around  where we  prepared   the food..

Joshua    elected to cook   a  fabulous    grilled meal and    our   time on the deck was  well spent   watching the world   sail by,  but also   discussing  our options.... Monday we would    definitely  call the owner and  set up for  extermination

But,   the exterminator   did nothing,   he just   told us  the smell would eventually  go away.....   not a very satisfactory   solution  so after some   deliberations it was   very sadly  agreed that  it was time to return to Amanda's  house ( the   owner  was in perfect  agreement  and   made   exemplary   reparations), and  redeem our vacation  there.....  which we  did   very   sweetly,  even though  we  were   hugely disappointed.!  We got to  explore a new park in   the next  community over....

 Birdie   got to   use her new   water toys.....

 I got to   see her in one of   her several new  swim suits.....

 Everyone got to see me  in my  swim togs   hehehehehehe

 And Birdie pointed out  that she  is     a most precious  granddaughter  whom I will get to see in just a  few weeks  when they come visit us....  and, then    we all got to   celebrate  Amanda's   big birthday   with   ice cream cake from  DQ! 

 Always so hard to say goodbye, even though 

 Lynn and I got to stay an extra day    which blessed  us so much  and in an upcoming post I will share  about   our   adventure our last day in New England!

   For   now   catch ya later!!!!

I am sharing  on Pink Saturday  found   at   Beverly's   blog, How Sweet the Sound!