The solo keeper of the boat has been doing well!

I've developed a routine here in Boston; I get up and make my coffee, go to work on my morning's chores and then in early afternoon I dinghy ashore and go somewhere. Back onboard in the evenings, I eat a light dinner, sip a glass of wine and sit in the cockpit watching the lights of the harbour. It is only after dark that things calm down a bit and there aren't as many rock'n roll wakes coming through the mooring field from the many tour boats and ferries passing by. It's a nice life!

Jim always said he enjoyed his interludes alone on Madcap and I agree with him. Neither of us has ever been anxious about being on our own and it has never even occurred to me to be nervous. If I had to do it all the time, I'd have to go looking for someone to talk with, but he comes back tonight so we'll probably both be talking nonstop!

I'm really impressed with the water parks here. Both in the one downtown near the aquarium and in the large park in the North End there are great jet fountains that always have children - big and little - playing in them. None of this "Stay out of the Fountain" stuff around here. Because of the tunnel taking through-traffic down under the city, they've been able to make great open expanses of people-space. That's in contrast to the narrow and curvy streets leading away from the water. Once through the maze to the Commons, the space opens up wide again and once more, there are people playing and walking and sitting on benches.

I strolled through Beacon Hill on Monday, pausing in front of #10 Louisburg Square - once the home of Louisa May Alcott (Little Women) and wondering which front door belongs to John Kerry, a current resident in this elegant little square. The gas lights and occasional cobblestone streets recall the days when famous literary and high society figures lived here, and it still looks to be a well-heeled neighbourhood. According to the brochure I picked up, the largest age group living in Beacon Hill is 25-29, average family size is 2.42 people and price per square footage ranges from $500. per sq.ft. to over $3000. per sq.ft.

My favourite place so far, is the North End. I love wandering there - stopping to buy more shrimp at Mercato del Mare, and have a pastry at the Modern Pastry Shop, and generally mingling with the families and folks on their way home from work. I don't know the facts and figures for this area, but it strikes me as a mix of young and old, families and singles. There are a number of festivals coming up and signs are everywhere, along with lights being strung across the streets and along the sidewalks. Wish we could stay...

I've worked on the stainless, and done a lot of sorting out of the "stuff" that filled our aft cabin, and cleaned up the insides of the boat.

The weather has stayed overcast, not as hot but still heavy and threatening rain.

.... Jim got back on Tuesday afternoon after a fine time in Ottawa. His work related discussions went well so now he is back on board and ready to cruise for another 2 months. He's been dining well there and came back with reports of fine meals so we headed out to find another one!

We went to Rabia's on Salem Street for dinner (North End of course) and had spectacular meals - mussels, clams, calamari, shrimp cooked in garlic wine sauce over risotto for me, and salmon and scallops baked in cream sauce and served over spinach linguine and little green peas for Jim. Both were perfectly prepared, the service was good and the atmosphere lively Italian. It's on our Must Visit list

We decided to stay here another day to give the man time to relax a little before we move north again. I'll go off to see the ducklings in the park and he'll visit the JFK museum and then if the weather report is good, we'll head out on Thursday - Isles of Shoals if the wind is right, or a spot on the coast if we need more protection.