July, 2008

The "Big News" of course is Andrew's graduation from VanderCook College of Music with an M. Ed. in Music on July 26th. The whole family (including Emily's sister, Annabelle) was able to be there to celebrate Drew's accomplishment and to have some fun in Second City. Among other things, we visited the Chicago Institute of Art, where we saw three iconic paintings: La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat, American Gothic by Grant Wood and Nighthawks, by Edward Hopper. We also saw a live performance by comedian-commentator Bill Maher of Politically Incorrect fame, and had a really terrific Thai dinner at a restaurant Andrew and Emily discovered when she spent the week of the 13th–19th with him.

Penney and Bob at the Dolphin Show at Shedd Aquarium before Graduation.

Penney and Paul at the Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park on Friday. (Penney is wearing Bob's hat, which he and Paul bought while Penney was shopping at Nordstrom Rack. She has vowed never to take them shopping with her again!)

Bob and Paul at the Dolphin Show at Shedd Aquarium before Graduation.

Emily, Annabelle, Penney and Paul outside Shedd Aquarium before Graduation, with the Chicago Skyline and Lake Michigan in the background.

One of the best pictures of Paul that we have! Taken in an outside restaurant on Chicago's Michigan Avenue, across from Grant Park. We were able to walk to everything we went to from our hotel across from the park. Chicago is a great walking town.

Paul just had to cool off along with the other kids at the "water tower" in Grant Park. One little boy wearing goggles as he splashed around reminded us of another little boy, long ago — he's now a Master of Music Education!

Prior to the Chicago trip, Penney and Bob spent some time in Vermont and Maine, doing all the usual things, including attending the Saxtons River July 4th parade, painting another side of the barn on Penney's mother's property, eating lobster and sitting on the beach. Here are some pictures.

You have to start with the Fourth of July parade in nearby Saxtons River. The Morris dancers were back, of course, and also this "birthday cake for America," carried in the front-end loader of a Japanese tractor — that says it all.

Site of our first dinner in Maine during our four-day "break." This is a lobster dock in South Freeport, where we replenished our energy after shopping at L. L. Bean's store just up the road..

And here's the view from our motel balcony; notice the gull on the far right-hand side; they would swoop nonstop from before dawn to late evening, and we never tired of watching them.

"Our" island boasts a very nice beach in a cove sheltered enough so that the water gets warm enough for swimming. It's also warm enough to grow a lot of seaweed, as you can see.

Yeah, we ate lobster. Four times in three days, actually (lobster rolls for lunch are a Maine tradition!). Mom has taught Bob how to leave nothing but bits of shell.

The same scene as above early in the morning, before the fog had burned off. There seems to be no time or place when Maine isn't gorgeous in some way.

Breakfast on the beach! A small general store on the island serves absolutely to-die-for pastries, a variety of gourmet coffees and even their own version of Egg McMuffin (yes, it's better than the original version!).

The channel between Southport Island (l) and the Boothbay Harbor mainland (r). Like a lot of Maine waterways, it's full of lobster traps, marked by colorful buoys.

Penney was engrossed in a book about the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins, which she read atop a large rock at the beach, reachable during low tide.

Penney also read while running her tootsies through the warm sands of the beach.

A copy of this picture has been sent to the Internal Affairs Division of the Food Police!

A scene that could be duplicated a gazillion times across the State of Maine..

It wasn't all fun. This is the bluff above New Hampshire's Lake Winnepesaukee where we scattered the remains of Bob's friend, Kathleen O'Brien on Saturday, the 12th.

Kathleen's children, Chanel and Coleton O'Brien.

Our other visit was to Penney's nephew, Michael (r), and his partner, George. They entertained us royally (as always), and we look forward to being able to reciprocate,

Amid all the other activity of the month, we did manage to get in a sail just before leaving for Chicago. It turned out to be quite exciting: the steering failed (we think a piece of driftwood jammed the rudder) and we had to be towed back to our marina; just before we got there, the driftwood (or whatever it was) washed free and we were once again able to maneuver the boat—a very good thing to be able to do!