2014-16. Family & Friends

    Our trip was blessed with family and friends. We stayed with Marilyn’s cousin Scott in Orefield, Pennsylvania (near Allentown); her cousin Ann and husband, Pete, in Portland, Connecticut (near Hartford); her friend Anne and husband, Michael, in Holland, Massachusetts (near Worcester); her niece Clare and husband, Michael, and their lovely kids, Jaden, Dalila, and FionaMarie, in Saratoga Springs, NY, who provided a grand celebration for Marilyn’s birthday; her Aunt Gret in Swanton, Ohio (near Toledo); and her cousin Tim, wife, Jane, and their children and grandchildren in Naperville, Illinois. After putting Marilyn on a plane home in Chicago, Doug visited his cousin Karen and husband, Jim, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Orefield, Pennsylvania

Marilyn & her cousin Scott & their siblings spent days together growing up in Moon Township, PA.

Covered bridge near Scott's home.

Portland, Connecticut

Marilyn & her cousin Ann.

    Marilyn and her cousin Ann have become closer as adults. Growing up, Ann's family lived near Toledo, 5 hours away. Recently, Marilyn and Ann have been rendezvousing in Siesta Key, Florida, for a week each spring with Ann's mother/Aunt Gret, during her Florida break from Ohio winter. 

We enjoyed Pete's wonderful cooking...

& conversation on their back deck.

Sunset from Ann & Pete's deck.

Desk that was Marilyn's mom's, now in Ann's family room.

    When Marilyn's mom passed away nine years after her dad, she and her siblings asked all their offspring and cousins if there was anything they'd like to have. Most of their cousins, as well as many of their children, had lived with Marilyn's parents at some time during their youth.

Marilyn's parents' dining table & chairs at Ann & Pete's. Marilyn's dad had woven natural rush seats on the chairs twice.

Cape Cod, Massachusetts
    From Connecticut, we traveled to Cape Cod, where we unexpectedly made new friends.

Plaque on Joshua Slocum monument, Fairhaven, MA.

"The first man to sail around the world alone. 1895. Sloop 'Spray.' 37 feet. 9 tons. 1898. The 'Spray' was launched near this site and returned here after her voyage." 

Cranberry bogs on Cape Cod.

    Call it what you wish, yet we kept finding ourselves in positive situations. On Cape Cod we met a rather dapper gentleman named Joe at a marina in West Barnstable and began talking about RVs and sailing. Before heading to Provincetown, we gave him the card for our blog, which has Doug's info on one side and Marilyn's on the other. To our amazement, an hour later he called and offered his driveway to park on that eve. Then he invited us to dinner! All the while, we could hear his wife, Jeannie, in the background, making sure he got it right.

Yarmouth Port: typical New England "Saltbox" house, a 2-story rectangle with no roof overhang. 

Yarmouth Port.

Provincetown.

Provincetown.

Marilyn loved the bright splashes of color amidst Provincetown's gray.

Beginning in 2002, Marilyn edited several commemorative books for the Portuguese Heritage Foundation of California & has been attuned to Portuguese areas since. 

Pilgrim Monument, Provincetown.

Race Point Ranger Station, Provincetown, part of Cape Cod National Seashore.

We have been to the western end of Route 6 in Bishop, CA, on the East Side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains numerous times.

Summer cottages on Cape Cod Bay near Provincetown.

    After a great day exploring P’town, we showed up at Joe and Jeannie's lovely home, "Mermaid Cottage," in East Dennis. After meeting Jeannie, Joe's amazing wife, we had great conversation over hors d'oeuvres, and yes, they took us—complete strangers—to dinner.

Joe & Jeannie's home.

    The next morning Joe and Jeannie opened their home to us again, for warm showers, followed by more conversation over a home-cooked breakfast. Like to think of it as karma, yet….

   

Cape Cod-ese?  Local beach resident: horseshoe crab.

Pleasant Bay, Chatham.

Chatham Light, ordered by Congress in 1806 under Thomas Jefferson.

Some handsome dude in Harwich Port.

Single tulip next to a fishing shack in Harwich Port.

    Lastly on Cape Cod we went in search of Uncle Stephen's Place in West Dennis. Marilyn has very fond memories of staying there with her family in fall 1967, the only vacation she recalls her family taking. They spent a week of perfect weather and relaxation prior to taking her brother to college.

Beach at what was Uncle Stephen's Place, West Dennis.

    With no reservation—how did one find places to stay in those days?—her father simply parked by Uncle Stephen's Place and inquired if they had anything available. They did, and thus Marilyn's family spent an amazing week in a cottage on Nantucket Sound. They simply walked out the back door and were on the beach. It was Marilyn's first experience of Cape Cod.

    Marilyn's parents and their dear friends stayed at Uncle Stephen's Place numerous times in subsequent years. (And maybe that's the real reason her second son is named Stephen?)

Where Uncle Stephen's Place was.

    Sadly, all that's left of Uncle Stephen's Place is the road sign.

Marilyn, West Dennis.

Sail boats at back yard docks.

Row boats ready to launch.

Bullocks Oriole.

    We camped that night at Scusset Beach State Park Campground on the west side of Cape Cod Bay. When Marilyn looked out the next morning she was excited to see a bird she immediately identified as a Bullocks Oriole, as she'd just recently been reading about Orioles.

    We departed Cape Cod reluctantly, as we were now headed West toward home (eventually) after weeks traveling across the US (Doug) and up the East Coast from Florida (together). 

Holland, Massachusetts

Anne & Marilyn, friends since the 1970s when they met at work & danced together in a dance choir.

    Marilyn and her friend Anne had met decades ago in Fresno and had last seen each other over 20 years prior when Anne drove over to Cape Cod when Marilyn, her spouse, and their boys were staying there. This trip, we visited Anne and husband, Michael, in their lovely home in the woods. Anne and Marilyn spent a day at the Asparagus Festival in a nearby town. 

Anne & Michael's living room.

One of many treasures in their yard.

They graciously allowed us to "camp" in their driveway, by their large wood pile—a necessity for cold winters.

Anne Hrobsky, husband, Michael Piatt, & Marilin.

    Marilyn is holding Michael's book Bodie: The Mines Are Looking Well, about the former mining town of Bodie, CA, which he signed and generously gave to us. (We finally visited Bodie in 2025.)

1887 Fountain in Wales. Bowls at bottom for dogs & further up for horses. 

A tornado had recently torn through Anne & Michael's area, fortunately not damaging their home.

Saratoga Springs, New York
    After saying our goodbyes to Anne and Michael, it was about a 150-mile drive northwest to Saratoga Springs, New York, north of Albany, to visit Marilyn's niece and her family. We'd last been to Saratoga Springs in 2011, for Marilyn's son Andrew's graduation from Albany Medical College.

Marilyn's wonderful niece Clare & husband, Michael.

Clare & Michael & kids live in a wonderful home with a huge yard & a wonderful wraparound porch.

Marilyn's niece Clare (her sister's middle daughter) & children, Jaden, Dalila, Fiona.

Couch & print on wall on right from Clare's grandparents' (Marilyn's parents') home.

 Dalila & Doug.

Delightful covered wraparound porch.

The porch wraparound.

The highlight of the visit for Doug was getting to use Michael's riding tractor to mow their large yard.

Then it was playtime with the kids & their bulldog.

Michael used to be a chef & his meals we shared on their back deck were totally scrumptious.

Doug taking a break after playtime.

Doug, Jaden, & Michael.

It was Marilyn's birthday while we were there & Clare, Fiona, & Dalila made her a cake.

Clare & Jaden—Marilyn's birthday party.

Marilyn & Dalila.

Swanton, Ohio
    And so, Phase 2 of our trip came full circle, as we spent several days near Toledo, OH, with Marilyn's lovely Aunt Gret, with whom we'd begun this phase in Siesta Key, FL, at her rented condo. Aunt Gret almost made Doug want to move to Ohio!

Aunt Gret still lives in the house where she & Uncle Don, who passed away in 2007, raised their 4 children. Marilyn remembers visiting her aunt, uncle, & younger cousins in Swanton as a child. Aunt Gret is her mom's baby sister.

Aunt Gret's best friend, Jerrie, Doug, & Aunt Gret. Dinner at LaRoe Restaurant in nearby Grand Rapids on the Maumee River. 

Aunt Gret's son, Paul, & wife, Maideh, who live in Toledo, were also there.

Being with Aunt Gret is always grand.

Naperville, Illinois

   After 5 days with Aunt Gret, we were off to Naperville, Illinois, to visit another of her sons, Tim, and wife, Jane, their children, and grandchildren. 

It was Jane's birthday, & her family really put on a celebration.

Opening gifts: Jane & 3 of her grandsons & their parents, Jane & Tim's son, Brian, & wife, Katie.

Watching Mom open gifts, Jane & Tim's children Brian, Kyle, & Sarah.

  Doug & the grandkids.

  

All the guys get in the act to extend the length of the run.

  

Ready...                                           Set...

Go!

Our travels from Washington, DC, to Naperville, Illinois, to visit family & friends & see Marilyn's old haunts near Pittsburgh.

    Note from Doug: Phase 2 of the road trip has ended, with Marilyn flying yesterday from Chicago to San Francisco. I am now off on the final stage, a solo road trip home via the Pacific Northwest.
    The almost 7 weeks we spent traveling through 14 states from Siesta Key, Florida, to Chicago, Illinois, have been rather great. We began Phase 2 with a desire to visit Marilyn’s family and friends in the East and Midwest and take a look at her old stomping grounds in the Pittsburgh area. It was largely successful, with the bonus that I met the wonderful family members whom I have heard stories about for years. I was treated as family, welcomed into their homes, and feasted on wonderful meals and stories. Coming from a rather small family, I was overwhelmed and honored, and I look forward to hosting each and every one of them in the near future. So to all, come visit, and expect a tour of Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks, a trek to the Central Coast, and continued great conversation.

Doug left Marilyn at O'Hare Airport to fly home, then hopped back in the MRV to continue west, toward friends, family, & more adventures.

* * *

    Up next: Across the Upper MidWest.