Ahoy from Cape Cod!

We've been so busy these past two weeks that it's been hard to find the time to sit down and blog it all.  So maybe I'll start with today and work backward? 

My college roomate Missy and her husband Ted just so happen to be spending the week with Ted's family about a mile down the road from the house we're renting in Monument Beach.  Talk about serendipity!  They invited us on a little boat ride out to Bassett's island to swim and relax for the afternoon. 

It was HEAVEN.  The kids were wearing permagrins on the boat and Marc and I had fun reminiscing about growing up on and around boats.  It really is like you're in another world where the cares of the day just disappear with the wind rushing by and the waves bouncing you along and the salty sea air in your face.

And the VIEWS!!  I got to test out my new camera and fell instantly in love.

We took off across the protected bay [ast Pocasset and Cataumet and anchored on Bassett's Island.  The kids would have made their sea-loving grandfathers proud because they loved every second of it!

The best part of Bassett's island, off of Cataumet, is that the water is WARM.  Practically unheard of in New England, to find a warm water beach - but that's why we came to Buzzard's Bay, because the barest edge of the gulf stream come by this way and make the water bearable, whereas on the inner cape, or the south shore, the water is usually bitterly cold even in August!

Even the fussiest water-snob among us fell in love!

The kids had the best time walking out on a sandbar that went nearly across the bay. 

And they had a blast catching baby minnows with Ted's patented technique:  he waits until they school in the little rivulets of water created by the incoming tide.  Then he kicks the water with the side of his foot so that the fish get tossed onto the sand, and then he scoops them up gently into a pail of water.   I can't say that Ben and Molly were terribly gentle with their captive fishies...but I can vouch that no fish were murdered during the operation and all fish were released back into the ocean at the end of the day.

We also found loads of shells to bring back to Illinois.  Scallop shells and slipper shells were the most prevalent, with some of the shells being worn so thin they looked like mother-of-pearl.

And then it was time to say goodbye and head back. Missy was kind enough to take a picture of us, and to pose for one with me..

Who ever knew that the girl we all stared at that first day of freshman year in college (because she was undeniably the prettiest among us) would turn out to be one of the friends I'd treasure twenty years later. 

Lucky me!

On the ride back, Jack got to drive - he was in heaven at the helm!

It was a perfect afternoon, filled with so much fun that Drew fell fast asleep on the ride back.  We kept getting him and Ben confused because not only do they look alike...they ACT alike!  Third children, second boys...full of the dickens they are.  But cute as can be - I swear God does that so we won't give them away for all the trouble they give us!

We said goodbye to our friends at the dock and ended the afternoon with some incredible ice cream from the Whistle Stop Ice Cream Shop which is just a block away from the house.  Ben got vanilla, Molly got cookies 'n cream, and Jack got his own creation which I think included every candy in the store...he charmed the girls behind the counter into it! 

We walked back dripping ice cream the whole way, and then everyone got showers and pajamas and we had Kung Fu Panda movie night for the kids while Mom and Dad enjoyed a glass of wine watching the sun set from the front porch.

It just doesn't get much better than that!