Jim and I each had an excellent time visiting with family last week. I even had a special bonus, courtesy of Air Canada. It was one of the rare times when a cancelled flight and layover works out for the best. My Boston to Halifax flight didn't happen, and they rerouted me through Ottawa where both our sons live. Now wasn't that convenient? Liam picked me up at the airport and delivered me to Alex's apartment where there was a bed made up and waiting for me. It felt so very good to wrap my arms around my boys, shower them with kisses, and make eye to eye contact with them to see for myself how they are doing. Within a couple of days I was able to do that with Mary Beth, and with my parents as well. There is just nothing like touch and vision to get that bone deep connection with loved ones. Phone and e-mail contact, and the sending and receiving of good vibrations helps - but it's not quite enough!

Jim and Mary drove to Ottawa in 8 hours. Imagine - it took 3 months to sail this far and 8 hours to drive back home!! He enjoyed 5 great days worth of connecting time with the boys, with friends and colleagues, and came back feeling very pleased to be on a boat.

We left Portland at dawn on Monday morning and after a very long day of motoring, arrived in Rockport around 6pm. Strathspey had reserved space on a floating dock but we planned to anchor. Unfortunately, even though our book said there might be anchoring space, there was none at all in the tiny harbour. Anchoring was possible only outside the breakwater in Sandy Bay, so we circled around a few times in a fruitless search for another mooring, and went back out. We rocked and rolled wildly, and although Jim had planned to fetch Blair and Mary in the dinghy and bring them aboard for a special dinner, it was just too dangerous to go around the breakwater after dark to do that. We cancelled the dinner plans, and resigned ourselves to leftovers.

Blair decided this just wouldn't do, however, and after a call to the harbourmaster, received permission for us to raft to a big motorboat next to them. We crept in just as the last of the light was fading away, tied up in much calmer waters, and pushed ourselves in the dinghy to Strathspey for a relocated dinner. Mary roasted the pork tenderloin in her oven, poured the wine, and even produced a luscious chocolate cake so we were able after all to celebrate my birthday and toast to the year ahead with our good friends and sailing buddies.

Exploration of Rockport must wait for another time because the next stop was Boston!! It was just amazing to motor into this busy city with huge jet planes coming in above our heads for landings at Logan airport, and ships both small and large, sail and motor, cruising by. At one time, we had a tall ship, a high speed ferry, several sail boats and motor cruisers in sight. Our guide book said Boston is harder to navigate than New York City, but the trip in went very smoothly. The channels are clearly marked, everyone stayed in their expected lanes and we cruised right in to the Boston Harbour Sailing Club mooring balls at Rowes Wharf. This was Mary's "find" and a good one it was. We were smack in the centre of the waterfront, with the Aquarium and Faneuil Hall about a five-minute walk away. The view of the lights in the high rises was superb last evening - and now, as I sit comfortably at a little caf� with my laptop connected, it is a crisp clear morning, the laundry is in the machines, and the bustling old city awaits our explorations. Once again, Jim and I feel like we've found ourselves in a charmed moment in time.