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New England Jaunt - April 2003 |
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Friday, April 18 - Friday, April 25: Easter and a big anniversary
Anyway, with all these factors to consider, we decided to pay a quick trip East. They arrived on a Friday night and promptly made themselves at home at Miki and Colleen's spacious abode, where they played with C.C.'s nephews Sebastian and Harrison and met two new arrivals: Zoey and Elmo, a pair of Golden Retriever puppies. On Saturday, we trooped out to a local field to watch the boys at T-ball practice. Dave gave some fielding lessons while proud dad Miki broke out the video camera, and C.C. chased stray balls. That evening, we wined and dined C.C.'s parents in high style at a top-end restaurant in Boston. Who's concerned about a $300 bottle of wine when you're celebrating four decades of marriage? (Whew!) Sunday was Easter, which was spent consuming far too much chocolate and partaking in the traditional egg-coloring activities. The day was sunny and gorgeous, and we ended up outside where Dave created random games involving swings and balls, and the whole family strolled through the woods adjoining Miki and Colleen's house. Monday saw us spending the afternoon with C.C.'s parents, then meeting up with an old high-school friend of hers, Suzanne, for pizza and beer. On Tuesday, we got an early start and headed up the coast toward Boothbay Harbor, Maine, where Brian and Ed awaited. En route, we detoured into Hampton Beach, one of C.C.'s old stomping grounds, and discovered the joys off the off-season: no traffic, no crowds -- and no place to eat lunch! We finally located a local spot and gorged on seafood...Dave, of course, had to have lobster (which was also out of season, as it turned out, as evidenced by the poor texture) and C.C. indulged in an enormous platter of fried clams and tartar sauce. Mmmmm. Back on the road, we reached Boothbay Harbor mid-afternoon and were warmly greeted by our innkeeper buddies. Brian and Ed had purchased a landmark in Boothbay Harbor, the Topside Inn, which was a weathered gray clapboard inn (a former sea captain's house) and two motel-style outbuildings. They were in the process of renovating, refurbishing, reworking, and re-doing everything in preparation for a May launch. When we arrived, they were installing new carpeting, painting, and refurbishing each guest room. What a ton of work! But the place was amazing, situated at the top of the highest hill in Boothbay with a stunning view of the harbor. The main inn was spacious and attractive, and even the '70s-style motel buildings had their own appeal. We bunked with Brian and Ed in their own private quarters, taking over their bedroom while they graciously slept elsewhere. We spent a short Tuesday and Wednesday visit with Brian and Ed, exploring Boothbay Harbor and its environs -- a beautiful place, but in April, cold as...well, cold as a New England spring can be! We fought gray skies, drizzle, and dipping temperatures, but still enjoyed our visit. Brian and Ed were quickly carving out their niche in the community, as evidenced by the warm greetings they got everywhere we went. On our way back down to Boston on Wednesday, we made the obligatory stop in Freeport, Maine, which is basically a town built around outlet shopping. We did a quick pilgrimage into the flagship L.L. Bean store, then departed without hitting any other outlets (with great reluctance on C.C.'s part!) . Dave promised a return trip sometime in the future...we'll see if THAT ever materializes! That evening we joined Deb and her husband, Bruce, at a brewpub to catch up, and Deb sprung the news of her pregnancy on our unsuspecting duo. Way to go, Deb! On Thursday, we had dinner with C.C.'s good friends Steve and Mike, who live in Andover in a charming duplex with an unbelievable garden, thanks to Steve's green thumb. Dinner was a feast and a half (Steve's talents extend to the kitchen! Hooray for Steve!) and we had a great time catching up, sharing stories from C.C. and Steve's UMass days and heading Mike's Broadway tales. We bunked at C.C.'s parents' house that night, in neighboring North Reading, and spent Friday morning sightseeing around Phillips Academy Andover, where C.C.'s mom works. Our short trip came to an end when we hopped a flight back to California on Friday evening, but it was a wonderful way to kick off spring. |
April 2003 brought several landmark occasions for our East Coast family and friends. First, the elder Sandorfis celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary. Then, Dave's longtime friends Brian and Ed realized their dream of opening a bed-and-breakfast on the Maine Coast. Finally, C.C.'s best college buddy, Deb, was celebrating her new marriage -- and her first pregnancy! (Although she kept that one under her hat for a while.)