Well, on Friday morning, Chieko and I were looking for something to do. We've done most of the touristy stuff around New Haven. Then we decided, "Hey, why not visit the PEZ visitor's center?" It was actually pretty interesting. I had never realized how many PEZ figures existed. I really wanted to get the presidential set, but I would have to buy seven or eight sets to get them all, which was pretty expensive, and we would have no way to carry them home--we traveled with only carry-on luggage this time--and I really have no place at home to show them. So I bought the Hobbit (limited edition: "only" 200,000 made). On checkout the girl put an extra box into my bag. I said, "I only bought one of those." She said, "When you buy the Hobbits, you also get Lord of the Rings free, because it's been discontinued." (Only 150,000 made.)
For lunch we met John, Misa, Susan and the kids at Lenny and Joe's Fish Tale in New Haven. I had clams and oysters. Chieko had scallops and scrod. Chieko and I took John back to work and headed to Essex.
I know, we've been here a few times, but I love Essex. I would buy a house here if I could afford an historic place built in the 1700s for a few million dollars plus maintenance. I'd also have a $350,000 tug-style yacht.
This is possibly the world's first submarine. It's in the Connecticut River Museum on the Essex waterfront.
These guys are catching and cleaning what I'm quite sure are oysters in the mouth of the Connecticut River.
On Saturday morning we went to New Haven and wandered a bit until we saw the Yale Art Gallery. It's free to the public and has wonderful art pieces. We had to eat lunch at a Korean place in New Haven and then be back at John's to go to Caroline's play, so we didn't see the entire gallery, but we loved what we saw and have a good reason to come back next time.
Auguste Rodin was obsessed with the Renaissance poet Dante and his imagined journey through the Inferno. This seated man by Rodin is looking down at the circles of Hell and contemplating the human condition. He was later renamed "The Thinker."
This gallery was first opened by the artist John Trumbull, who was a colonel in Washington's army and thus experienced many battles and other historical events first hand. His paintings are like photographs from history. Trumbull and his wife are buried beneath the gallery, by his request.
This painting is the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Trumbull painted each person's face separately and then used those to paint this picture, and a museum guide identifies each participant in the signing as well as in other Trumbull paintings in the gallery.
This is the Battle of Bunker's Hill, which Trumbull witnessed.
At John's house, we got to meet the wide-awake Lennox, (Nox), the boy who was supposed to be born on January 30, when I happened to be in Boston for a conference and expected to see him as a newborn. But he chose to wait until February 4, after I'd gone home.
I think he's a cutie.
On Saturday afternoon we went to see Dr. Dolittle, put on by sixth, seventh and eighth graders. This was a major production, for which the kids practiced hours and hours, put on two performances, and held three after-show parties. Caroline is holding the flowers for one of the producers, who apparently had left the building.
Dr. Dolittle finally found the Giant Pink Sea Snail.
Saturday night we got takeout from the Jalapeño Someplace. It was very good. Then we watched the General Women's Conference on LDS.org.
On Sunday morning we went to Nox's blessing and then enjoyed ham, guacamole deviled eggs and a lot of other stuff Susan and Misa's sisters prepared. Even though it was cold outside (the weatherman said on Saturday that it was the 10th Saturday in a row with measurable snow), the sun did come out for most of the day. Hooray.
Mei running around the yard.
And climbing the tree.
The backyard.
John's whole family.
The men from the blessing circle (minus the bishopric).
Coloring Easter eggs.
I know it's not Easter, but we won't be here next week.
Elliot.
Caroline.
Nox in his blessing outfit and the blanket Misa was blessed in.
On Monday, Chieko and I took off to Cape Cod. We've been to the Nobska Lighthouse at the base of the Cape, but never to the tip. This is the Nauset Lighthouse.
Same lighthouse. Different view.
These are The Three Sisters. Some of the lighthouses have been moved, some like the Nauset a few times, because the cliffs are eroding at three feet per year. The Three Sisters have been moved to a little park a few hundred yards inland.
This is the Truro Lighthouse.
Same lighthouse. Different view.
At Race Point, which is near Provincetown, at the tip of Cape Cod, we discovered that nothing visitor-related is open until May 1. We also discovered that the winter storms dumped a lot of sand where people don't really want it. Like up against this beach changing room and shower.
Same beach.
Chieko is just very happy because there are almost no people anywhere.
This is the top few inches of a fence along a pathway to the beach from the parking lots, which are also buried in sand.
I think this is Longpoint Lighthouse.
I think this is Race Point Lighthouse.
Chieko on the beach at Race Point.
She is so happy that the sun came out, at the end of the day.
We decided to head back to Middletown, Rhode Island, to eat at Anthony's. We made it with 40 minutes to spare and no speeding tickets. The 1-1/4-pound lobster dinner was $25. We paid $15 the first time we came here with Jackson. But still great food and a great deal, if you ask me. This picture makes everything look small, but Chieko couldn't finish her scrod. It must have been close to a pound. This is our third time here, and we will be back.
We returned home on Tuesday.
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