Winter Takes a Vacation

I imagined myself, a stack of nineteenth century literature nearby, enduring long winter days huddled inside turning pages and drumming up indoor activities for Rem. Noreasters would noisily roll in dropping ice and snow while I returned to the abandoned blog and penned paragraphs of accumulated wisdom or trite anecdotes about family life.  But alas, the end of February is in reach and winter has not yet laid itself at our feet. Winds blow and temperatures drop but never enough to keep us from enjoying a myriad of activities; more recent ones with the added bonus of my neice who spent her winter break with us.

We accompanied Craig to the picturesque town of Fall River yesterday. He'd been wanting to tour the collection of military ships docked there.  Lizzie Borden murdered her parents in Fall River but there is nothing sinister in the quaint rise of buildings from the water, especially under a bright blue sky. Even the vessels of war that greeted us at Battleship Cove focused more on ship life, living histories and honoring those who served than the atrocities of war. The entire family was unprepared for Rem's unbridled enthusiasm as we navigated the many passages and levels of the battleship and then the submarine. After all, he had spent most of the day before staging us in a theatrical production of Sleeping Beauty. The girls and I fell hapily behind, now that Craig, at last, had found a worthy companion.