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You’re already here, so why not?
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I know it’s going to sound weird not to say chocolate or cheese or something wonderful, but honestly?
My answer is broccoli.
Every night when I’m cooking dinner I pick a vegetable for the husband and then choose fresh broccoli for myself. I could literally eat it with every meal. Steamed broccoli, roasted broccoli, broccoli casserole, broccoli salad… I love it all.
Weird, I know.
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How about you?
What could you eat every single day…
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After our fabulous meal, we felt the need to walk off some of the calories.
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And took a stroll around the waterfront of downtown Bristol.
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Quiet on the off season, I’m sure the marina is full of pleasure craft in the summer.
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Along the edge is the Maritime Center. A one time armory built in 1894, it now houses public restrooms, showers and laundry facilities for boaters as well as a wi-fi lounge and a 4,000 square foot multi use hall displaying local artists.
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Though the marina was people free, the seagulls kept a close eye on us.
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And since we were roughly 20 miles from the wind tunnel that is Newport?
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A smile and a relatively in tact hairdo.
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Should we visit the area again, I would take more time to explore this lovely town.
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And perhaps bring the seagulls a treat.
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The gulls concur.
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As we were leaving I glanced over the side of the pier and saw…
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Eggs?
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They’re actually jellyfish, but tell me that doesn’t look like someone randomly cracked a few eggs in the harbor.
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As we made our way back to the car through the park, my husband made a friend.
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Who was a little reticent at first, but when he realized the strange man could push him higher than his mother?
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Was quickly and happily on board.
😊
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After multiple stores, extensive research and an extremely aggravated husband…
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A mattress has been chosen.
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An Aireloom night stars luxury firm.
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It will be hard to say goodbye to our old mattress that’s served us well for an unbelievable 39 years.
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But stretching out on this handmade beauty was almost a spiritual experience.
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Firm, but soft… if that makes sense.
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And while I know this one won’t last nearly as long as our first..
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I’m looking forward to the change.
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And though the furniture store hopping drove my less than patient husband nuts, it paid off in the end as I found a family run store that was celebrating its 70th anniversary with a 25% off sale on mattresses.
Delivery in 3 weeks.
😊
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Deciding to take a drive to Bristol on our 6th day of vacation, the husband spotted an antique shop on our way out of town.
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Which turned out to be more of a tourist trap gift shop where the new items outnumbered the old so I thought I’d dodged a bullet. Until my guy started chatting up the owner and she told him about two giant antique malls he simply had to visit.
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Damn her.
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Bristol, Rhode Island is a lovely spot.
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Waterfront, like most of the towns we visited.
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With its share of stone walls and beautiful old homes.
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Arriving at lunch time, we chose an assuming little place called the Beach House.
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It was on the water, no surprise there.
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And was nicely decorated, with a warm, welcoming beachy feel.
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One aperol and pink guava spritz in…
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I was feeling right at home.
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My NY strip crostini with shallot brandy cream sauce appetizer?
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Omg.
I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. The beef literally melted in my mouth.
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And when my husband raved over his butternut squash bisque? I knew we’d chosen the right place.
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They even had his new favorite local beer.
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My main course of homemade wild mushroom ravioli with caramelized onions and porcini cream sauce?
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Absolutely decedent.
But the husband’s crab topped filet mignon with stuffed lobster tail, sautéed garlic spinach and mashed new potatoes?
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Huge.
Filling.
And perfectly cooked.
This entree alone… in Maine, would easily be $100. And we’re the land of lobster. In lovely little Bristol, Rhode Island? $44.
We were stunned.
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And vowed to come back to this hidden gem if we’re ever in the area again.
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The red b*tch is back and driving our boy crazy.
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Running across the deck railing and making Lord Dudley Mountcatten cackle in frustration.
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He was so agitated I had to take him outside for a closer look.
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He tried….
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But she’s just too quick.
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As our fifth day in glorious Newport, Rhode Island was drawing to a close… we made one final stop.
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Needing a bottle or two of regional wine to gift our pet sitting neighbor upon our return, we ducked into a local favorite.
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I can honestly say I’ve never visited a winery that’s also a brewery, but this place made it work.
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With multiple tasting rooms…
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And outdoors spaces…
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We browsed their large retail shop, purchased two bottles of wine for our neighbor and chuckled at this hard cider I know Mark would love.
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Making our way into the tasting room, we stood on line and ordered a flight.
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Which is when the men who stood beside us paid for it. Thanking my husband for his service and saying Semper Fi started a conversation with one of them which would last until the employees were locking the doors and we were the last people in the building. My husband’s money was no good and stories of the military flowed.
Turns out this fellow was a Commander who was in the Persian Gulf the same time as my husband and an instant friendship was formed.
I’ve been married to my guy for 41 years and have heard his stories so many times I could recite them myself, but there’s something about veterans getting together and talking about their experiences that resonates. It’s special. A brotherhood that civilians can never truly understand.
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Commemorating the meeting with a photo as I always do, our new friend asked me to text him a copy and shortly after we parted ways sent me this message.
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He included this old photo.
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And not that we needed one, but reuniting these two men will be an excellent excuse to visit Newport again.
❤️
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After our lovely lunch in Galilee we took the advice of some locals and headed off on a scenic drive to Watch Hill.
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A popular beach destination in the summer, the carousel.. and pretty much everything else.. was shut up tight off season.
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But the beautiful waterfront homes were still there.
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With impressive stone walls…
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And neatly trimmed hedges.
I include this photo because the perfect shrubs weren’t just in front of one home, it was an entire neighborhood of likeminded shrubbery.
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Which was hella impressive and must be beautiful when fully leafed out.
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Along the way we drove past this.
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An impressive looking place of which I had no previous knowledge.
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“…one of only fourteen Five-Star resorts in the world to hold this honor.”
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Impressive indeed.
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Reading that, you know I had to check out the accommodations.
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Oh my.
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Holy hell.
I somehow doubt any bed in Rhode Island is worth that.
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At the end of our drive we were astonished to find this house.
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Where being waterfront meant on the actual water.
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How crazy is that?
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Use is a subjective term.
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How about… don’t.
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Geese.
You never know where they’ll show up.
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Bit noisy for nesting, but clearly she’s a Cubs fan.
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Lord, I hope not. Mine have expanded greatly post menopause.
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I’m sure you’ve all read about this genetic abomination. And while I am completely and absolutely 100 percent against rejuvenating extinct species… as a GOT lover I will say this now that’s it’s done –
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😉
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Good for her…?
🥴
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Does Artificial Intelligence require bacon treats as well?
How odd.
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There’s a restaurant under the black awning in this corner building in downtown Augusta.
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It’s a place my husband continually thinks he likes, but really doesn’t.
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I love that their beer is tapped in an old copper still.
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And while the pomegranate margarita was killer, I admit their version of hushpuppies was not.
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We’ve been here a few times and because I enjoy barbecue, I liked my meal.
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Half a dry rubbed chicken, sweet potato fries, slaw and jalapeño cornbread.
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My husband on the other hand complained his (very tender and flavorful) ribs didn’t have enough meat, his beans weren’t New England style, his slaw was too dry and his cornbread too spicy.
He doesn’t really like barbecue, but always thinks he does… no matter how many times I tell him he won’t be pleased.
Short memory, or stubbornness? Either way it will probably be another year before he suggests going out for barbecue again.
😉
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Another day, another scenic coastal drive.
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Through Narragansett…
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And under the remnants of its once famous casino.
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Down to the end of a peninsula, an area called Galilee.
You can see Jerusalem from there.
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No, I wasn’t kidding.
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Our destination was George’s.
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A seafood restaurant with a water view.
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Lunch off season left us with the place pretty much to ourselves….
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So I settled in with a perfectly refreshing Spring Sangria…
grey goose l’orange vodka, st. germain, pineapple, white wine, club soda
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Husband started with garlicky mussels..
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And I had Rhode Island clam chowder, which is pretty much the same as New England clam chowder… rich, creamy and delicious.
Before long a few locals joined us at the bar.
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Since the gentleman closest to me was wearing a Marine Corps hat, a conversation began. These two men had been friends since they were in elementary school. They married local girls, went to war and came back home to raise families.
We bought their drinks.
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As we watched the Block Island ferry come into port.
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My crab stuffed shrimp with garlic butter roasted baby potatoes and broccolini was divine.
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As was the husband’s shrimp scampi.
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After eating, serious storytelling commenced.
😊
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I left them to it and wandered outside to enjoy the view.
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You can always tell when a fishing boat has taken on bait.
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They have a dedicated seagull following.
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🐟🐟🐟
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River's world..... 