Newton, NH

Aug 15 - 16, 2012

I'm visiting more US friends whom I met in Costa Rica.  Fred and Elaine Drew, who winter in Grecia, invited me to their home just over the Massachusetts border in a town I'd never heard of before, Newton.  It's a typical and lovely New England town.

On Wednesday Fred took me into Boston, my old stomping ground.  His business is importing small wooden puzzle boxes, trivets, etc., from Costa Rica and selling them  at craft fairs in Massachusetts and Florida.  I met his partner, Pat, and some other fun-loving vendors that sell at Downtown Crossing, right in front of where Filene's used to be.

We walked around the financial district, where I worked for a time, then along the new Rose Kennedy Greenway, a series of parks with interesting sculpture and beautiful flowers.  We enjoyed lobster salad rolls at Durgin Park in Faneuil Hall, then walked some more through  Boston Commons and the Boston Public Garden.  I saw the swan boats where my mother and aunt used to take me, and Marlboro Street, where I had my first solo apartment.  We stopped to listen to an entertaining musician, and sang along with him.  The weather was perfect - sunny and warm with a light breeze.

Thursday is a lazy day, with breakfast at 10:30, and then I jumped in the pool.  We watched movies at night that I got to pick (Mirror, Mirror and A Bronx Tale).  Fred and Elaine are salt of the earth, nice people, and generous hosts.

Ooh!  Pat just came over and brought a cooler full of lobsters!  Woo hoo!  Boiled lobster with drawn butter for lunch.  Heaven, I'm in heaven...

Fred and I took an afternoon ride on his motorcycle along beautiful country roads.  We finished the day with fried clams, scallops and onion rings.  Burp.