Newport – Day 2

Noon, straight up, and it is hot. 82 degrees. Real Feel 88. 75% humidity.

As I promised myself, I got some maintenance done this morning before it got too hot. Washed clothes, added a quart of oil, pumped the bilges. Exciting? No. But satisfying.

The heat is a limitation for Guinness, because it is simply too uncomfortable for long walks. Plus, I am realizing that I am very susceptible to the heat. I really must drink ungodly amounts of water to stay on my game. It’s actually a lot better when we are underway: we are never hot on the boat, because we generate our own 20-mph breeze. I often wear a long-sleeved shirt, because I’m chilly.

Right now, I was hanging out on the air-conditioned boatl,listening to Taylor Swift’s “Red album” over and over, and reading a crime thriller. Actually on vacation! When I finish this post, however, I will take Guinness to a nearby beach so he can cool off. And I will carry water!

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As they used to say in Monty Python’s Flying Circus: “And now for something completely different!”

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I had a personal revelation this morning:

Cathy and I had visited Newport twice : once on vacation, and once for a National Rolls Royce Meet, when we owned an antique car that we wanted to show. I remembered that Newport is charming: Bannister’s Wharf, all the restaurants and bars, many with water views. But what I remember most is the simple pleasures of being here with someone you love.

We stayed in a hotel; our balcony had a water view (of course). I always reserved a water view. And we always enjoyed a simple ritual: we’d run out to the local liquor store and/or deli, and get pepperoni, cheese and crackers. And enjoy cocktails on the balcony or deck. Always.

The town is fun, but what I remember is BEING here with Cathy. So it is very heart-warming to realize that this traveling is fun, but what truly makes it memorable is enjoying the places and sights with someone you love.

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OK, I have to admit that the words above sound banal as I see them on the screen. Like, DUH!

But at the same time, they seem rather profound. A simple truth, perhaps. If you’re with someone you love, let them know it. Your time together is what you’re going to remember.

(And if you’re still seeking, keep your heart open.)

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Well, this is obviously not the post I intended…

I thought today would be a travelogue, but instead it’s introspective…

All part of the journey, I guess.