Not a bad way to spend an Independence at all!!! -Me & the lovely wife loaded up some food & beer and made the mistake of referencing Google Maps for New England...Of course, we could have driven the route we knew from Boston to Jamestown, but in a moment of weakness, we listened to the Machine. Of course, the destination was no issue: our friend, Jason's family summer 'cottage' across the Naragansett Bay from the better known Newport cottages. We had thought that we were leaving Boston early on Friday (I know, driving North or South from Boston on the weekend of the 4th is perilous & tries the patience of a guru...). We sat in traffic on 93 South for a wonderfully long time, but at least we were mostly shaded. By the time that we were able to eke down to the 128 split, we lost most of the traffic (whoo-hoo! made it 35mph at one point), as that long crustacean of vehicles was creeping to the Cape. On again, off again traffic beleaguered us as we descended 24 towards Fall River, but all was well, well sort of. A Google-influenced miasma of error led us winding through Fall River, lovely Fall River, Tiverton & environs, all on pavement that I'm near-sure was imported from the wars in Beirut. We did not lose our exhaust, luckily, & now know where the 'famed' Yum-Mee Chinese Gourmet is in Fall River. Skye & I discussed our options in moving there; 'oh look, that fat kid would be ours', 'I'll work in the refrigerator warehouse & you in the nail salon/adult video store.' Ah. you can only dream, right.? Eventually, we crept to Newport & onto the Jamestown (Conanicut) Island, ensuing in even a more frustrating attempt to 'just get there.' Google led us falsely around the island until instinct overwhelmed that dread beast and led us happily...but at the end of our rope...to our promised land.The Lippincott 'Cottage'...sadly is on the market due to family issues about keeping it. Especially sad for we peons, who get to taste just a bit of such a life. Regardless, the fact that we have friends who have the access to such a place is a reward in itself. The estate has a beautiful carriage house (uncle/aunt occupied), a great lawn reaching down through a cedar grove to a private deck & primitive (read: rock) beach, many bedrooms, beautiful hand-crafted woodwork & memories exuding from every nook & cranny. Built as a wedding gift for one of Jason's great-great uncles, the house sits perfectly overlooking the Bay. And we were there to bring it down a notch or two! Several days of drinking with friends until the wee-hours, late mornings, swimming & just lazing about, definitely makes one appreciate the lifestyles of the rich & famous (heh). We were able to watch the Newport fireworks from the porch, and lighted our own the next night. By Sunday...everyone was fatigued from too much drink & sunshine, oh the horror!
