Last weekend we did something we've been wanting to do for a long, long time - brought the boys out to Block Island, which is where Scott and I first met, 22 1/2 years ago.
This little island is an absolute treasure right in our backyard, and given that it's where we met, spent 4 summers living and working together, and where we got engaged, it's a pretty special place to us.
Which would lead you to believe that we'd go out frequently - but for one reason or another, it had been nearly 10 years since the last time we'd gone. And now that we finally went back, I know for sure that it will NOT be another ten years before we visit again.
It was a short visit - just a day trip - and we didn't do an awful lot besides have lunch and walk around, but it was enough to bring back a flood of memories and make me very nostalgic. And it was enough for the boys to see that it's a pretty cool place, and one that they can't wait to go back to.
The boat ride over was an adventure in itself for three boys who have only ever been on the steamboat at Mystic Seaport and the ferry over the CT River in Essex (a 5-minute ride). A whole hour on a 'big' boat was quite the event, and we checked out every square inch of that boat - up and down the stairs, in and out of the cabin, and back and forth across the deck. And luckily the water was very calm, so it was a nice, smooth ride.
We were about halfway across when Gabe told us he saw dolphins in the water. We brushed it off, telling him there was no way there were dolphins out there, but then I looked and sure enough, he had actually seen dolphins! Bonus excitement for the boat ride!
Lunch at one of our old haunts was our first stop, followed by the walk up the hill to the Spring House, where we wandered around and pointed out to the boys where Scott tended bar, and where I chopped and prepped and cooked in the kitchen, and where our rooms were in the bunkhouse and barn (nearly unrecognizable due to major renovations).
A walk through town, some window shopping, and some ice cream, and our day was done. But it was a fabulous one, and I was sad to leave.
But we're already talking about what we'll do next time - hopefully we'll bring bikes and be able to explore more of the island, because they loved the small bit they saw, but there is so, so much more I want to show them. Lucky for us, it's a trip we can take just about any time we want, so I know we'll get to all those spots, and I know the older they get, the more they'll appreciate them.
Tomorrow I start gearing up for this weekend's festivities - spectating in Hartford with Gabe and Dante on Saturday (gotta dig out the cowbells!), and my half-marathon and overnight getaway in Newport on Sunday.
I think the boys will have fun in Hartford. From what I remember when I ran it a few years ago, they have a lot of kids' activities set up in Bushnell Park, so there should be plenty for them to do while we wait to head over to the finish line to cheer.
I know they won't fully get how amazing it is to watch all these people crossing the finish after running 26.2 miles, but they are beginning to get a sense of how big a deal it is, and hopefully they'll enjoy it.
And although I'll have some time on Saturday afternoon to get my stuff packed up for Sunday, I'm going to get started on it tomorrow, so that I don't feel rushed. One thing I'm doing that I haven't done in a long, long time is making a playlist.
I think the last race that I listened to music at was Gansett, more than two years ago. And the only time I listen on training runs is if I'm on the treadmill. But for some reason I'm feeling like I want some tunes for this race, so I'm going to go with that.
I'm excited to race, and I'm excited to run hard, and I'm also excited to hang out at the finish line after I'm done and wait for my friends (several are running) to come in. And with the weather forecast calling for mostly cloudy and a high of 61, it looks like Mother Nature is cooperating, too. As long as she doesn't hit us with the gusty winds we had last year, it'll be nearly perfect!
Ready to cheer, and ready to run!
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