Vol 8a

We recently returned from trip to Gloucester Massachusetts where we spent Easter with my father's family.  We just love it there and are making plans to stay for an extended time next fall.  I consider this to be "our" first official act of retirement. 

So naturally this got me to thinking about our history of Gloucester trips.  It's become a pattern that we try to go at least twice a year--once in the fall and then again for Easter.  Once in a great while we may go during the "high" season of summer for a wedding or other event but it's safe to say that James and I have made this trip many many times over the years. 

I have some memories of Gloucester trips as a youngster but it's these adult adventures that have defined the destination for me.  James made his first visit on our honeymoon and it's a grand sign of fate that he loved it there as much as I do so that it could become "ours".  So I dug into the archives for some evidence of our first trip to Gloucester to share with you.

I keep my photo albums in pretty good shape even in this age of digital photography.  They are labeled and numbered and I often go back and look through them; always finding a gem or two.  It's been fun to document an album's worth of memories to share with you all.  So our Easter 2013 Gloucester trip led me to look through Vol 8a Wedding, Honeymoon - June 86 and share some special memories with you of that time period. 

Logically, the album opens with wedding pictures from August 1985.  Here's the official Dalpiaz family photo from that day:

Interesting crew.

I can only imagine the joy and pride your parents must have felt every time they saw a sight such as this.

We visited Boston and Salem on our way to our real destination Gloucester.  We stayed at a very nice bed and breakfast, returning for anniversary celebrations several times after.  My brother and his wife were visiting at the same time so we did some things together such as go on a whale watch during a rain storm.  It was wet windy and cold.  We were singing the theme to Gilligan's Island much to the dismay of the other passengers.  On a nicer day we went to the beach.  My brother is standing on a cooler because the sand was too hot.

James is proudly displaying his colors.  That safari hat has a long and useful life in his tenure as a field hockey coach.  Yes, I said safari and field hockey in the same sentence!  Then we took the ferry to Long Island and stopped at 21 Duffin for a few days.  I remember being told we'd been gone an awfully long time and it was 10 days-2 weeks or so.

Kathleen, Thomas and Danielle in the backyard.

Jake was born that year

This was probably a Spring Break/Easter visit when we were able to be there to help Danielle and Lindsay celebrate their birthdays in 1986.

And the album ends with a typical sight:  James doing his schoolwork on the floor (probably pre-concert work) with the help of our friend Harry!

He still had his whole tail in 1986.  When we got married and moved, he was no where to be found so we thought he was lost.  Not long after we returned from the honeymoon, the landlord called to let us know Harry had found his way back and to PLEASE come pick him up!. 

It was a pivotal time period for James and I.  You lost your sister Barbara during this time period and I know that changed your lives forever.  It's a valuable experience to review these events every now and again to put the current perspective on as an overlay.  So, you might be the person who has pictures scattered everywhere (on your computer or in a desk).  Take some time and look them over again (and maybe do some sorting while you are at it).  Pretty soon you'll be up to album 38 like I am!