Last week, Tod & I travelled to America for the first time since my mother’s funeral in 2019. It’s actually our first overseas travel at all since that time. The pandemic set in; Tod had a busy job; then we built a house…a lot has happened that kept us happily in Japan.
I really didn’t want to go to the US; I had worries about being thrown in detention for being an expatriate with opinions. But it was an unskippable family reunion to celebrate an 80th birthday so off we went.
I kept myself insulated from the actual world around me while I was there. We had plenty of things to keep us occupied in the grand rental house near the beach in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts.
Before the trip, Maureen, Goldyn and I initiated plans so that everyone’s expectations were met and we all could pitch in with ideas. I even prepared a slide deck with schedules and suggested itineraries. It changed as we went, but having a framework was useful.
Birthday & Meals
First things first – food. With twelve people in our group, we made a decision to eat dinner at home every night. It was easier than trying to bundle everyone into cars and find restaurants to accommodate our group. We took turns cooking. Tod & I did a taco bar one night; “the kids” cooked up a pasta meal; we had crepes, pierogies, shepherd’s pie, pizza, and a birthday meal of grilled lamb.
On the 2nd day, the 24 year old oven went on the fritz, heating up even when it was off. Fortunately, Jeannie noticed this before it burned down the house. Tim cut the breaker and we used the downstairs oven after that. Good thing there was a second oven, or we’d have had trouble producing a birthday cake!
There were many trips for groceries, though I only made one. I’d forgotten how overwhelming American supermarkets can be with so many choices of brightly colored snacks and candies as well as the healthier foods
Beaches & Nature
To walk off some of the calories from our meals and snacks, we took plenty of local walks. It was a pleasure to visit the beaches and admire gorgeous landscaping and colorful gardens of the neighborhood. The rhododendrons were in full bloom, along with lilacs, peonies, and roses. The beaches provided a more subtle color scheme.
Boston & Salem
I’ve always considered Boston to be the “life I didn’t choose” as it was the other place I might have attended university in the 80s. Until this week, I had never been there and I was excited to see it for the first time. Judging from how our visit turned out, I am glad I picked Pittsburgh.
We had planned to walk the Freedom Trail together, stopping at the USS Constitution, Mother Goose’s grave, and a few other points along the way. In the morning before we left the house, we decided to try the hop-on trolley bus to help us navigate without having to walk the whole way. But we got turned around getting off the train at North Station and couldn’t find the embarkation point. We finally found our way to a trolley stop in the next neighborhood and rode it three stops to the USS Constitution.
The USS Constitution was cool. I enjoyed exploring above and below decks on American’s first warship. The sailors on duty happily shared knowledge and there were lots of informative signs through the ship and visitors’ center. But after that event everyone was hot and cranky.
We had lunch together though we walked a complicated loop with a couple of false starts to get there. After lunch, the trolley didn’t have space for us. We negotiated the situation by abandoning the idea of waiting for it and in fact gave up on seeing the rest of Boston. We trudged back to North Station, missing the train by about 5 minutes, and then Jeannie fainted while standing in line for ice cream. She recovered enough to get her onto the next train.
When we visited Salem a couple days later, we didn’t even try to keep together as a group. I had one goal: visit the memorial where my ancestor’s details, the Rev. George Burroughs, were inscribed.
After I had paid my respects, Tod & strolled through the commercial center and looked at witchy shops and bookstores. Looking at the spellbooks, potions, candles, incense blends and other pre-made occult goods, I realised that I may be more DIY than most when it comes to witchery and magic. Maybe I should write my own book. 🙂
Activities at Home
Though our excursions were good, we barely needed to leave the house. Maureen brought an “adult building set” and we all spent time fitting it together. I had art supplies and did some drawing. There was a pool. The kids plays soccer on the lawn and watched movies. We made daily trips to Captain Dusty’s ice cream just down the road. And we spent a lot of time together catching up and making new memories.
What about Fritter, Maura, and Beryl?
While we were away, the cats had a new friend for the week. Danielle was the perfect cat/house sitter. She sent daily haiku and photos.
Day 1 Haiku, by Fritter
Mom only just left
Day fades and tummies grumble
Past five, still no food
Day 2 Haiku, by Danielle
The music of rain
Cozy napping them and me
The house holds us tight
Day 3 Haiku, by Beryl
Run around the bed
Faster and faster I go
Bonus if things fall
Day 4 Haiku, by Danielle
Up the winding road
Last night’s rain fills my senses
With cedar and soil
Day 5 Haiku, by Danielle
Quiet companions
Busily I draw and write
Content together
Day 6 Haiku, by Maura and Danielle
New to them and me
Blue chair, cozy and so soft
Will I get a turn
Day 7 Haiku, by 555
I have space for all
Three new guests have come inside
They are welcome here
Day 8 Haiku, by Danielle
This magic house
Ringed by rice paddies and hills
Ocean on both sides
