| When I was making plans to visit Cape
| |
| | problems and is covered with pollen and
|
| Cod, in my mind I always saw my goals as
| |
| | mildew. Peg took a ride with Al in his
|
| having fun . . . and eating lobster. In
| |
| | Mercedes and she compared it to one of my
|
| the end we had lots of fun and I had lots
| |
| | favorite cars from our past, my old 1955
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| of lobster. Sorry, but we saw a 17 pound
| |
| | Rambler . . . it wasn't a compliment. Peg
|
| lobster in a preview tank and didn't eat
| |
| | always referred to my '55 as "that dirty,
|
| him. We were there for the funeral of
| |
| | ratty, stinky, loud little Ramber." You
|
| many of his relatives, however.For nearly
| |
| | can take a bus out to the Cape, but I do
|
| ten years, our friend Al Burrage of West
| |
| | suggest that you do need a car to take
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| Seattle has been asking us to join him in
| |
| | full advantage of the Cape's wonders. We
|
| his cottage in West Dennis at Cape Cod.
| |
| | rented a car from Alamo at Logan (the
|
| We were finally able to schedule a trip
| |
| | Boston Airport) and exceeded a thousand
|
| to Massachusetts and not surprisingly, we
| |
| | miles on it in just over a week.As I
|
| loved it. Al rents his cottage, The
| |
| | mentioned, I felt it was my job and goal
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| Mainstay, out during the "season" but
| |
| | to eat lobster while in New England. Al
|
| visits Cape Cod before the season and
| |
| | took me to Swan River Seafood Restaurant
|
| then again after the season to first
| |
| | and Fish Market. Their lobstermen catch
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| prepare the cottage for guests, and then
| |
| | fresh lobster daily on Cape Cod. You
|
| to close the cottage for the winter.The
| |
| | could eat at the restaraunt or buy from
|
| cottage is a three bedroom home that
| |
| | the market, but even at the market you
|
| features a glassed-in porch as well and
| |
| | could order your seafood cooked. For
|
| an outside shower for getting rid of sand
| |
| | example you could tell them which lobster
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| and salt before entering the house. The
| |
| | you wanted and tell them when you wanted
|
| home has a crushed shell driveway and
| |
| | it cooked. You could then stop in and
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| walkway. Typical of Cape Cod homes it has
| |
| | pick it up and take it home thereby
|
| a cedar pole fence across the front and
| |
| | enjoying your lobster in your own kitchen
|
| down one side of the yard. It's painted a
| |
| | or dining room. Swan River had a great
|
| fresh looking aqua with maroon shutters.
| |
| | selection of fresh seafood AND they also
|
| One bedroom has twin beds and two
| |
| | offered cooked lobster meat. While we
|
| bedrooms have a double bed. The kitchen
| |
| | were there it was priced at $29.95 a
|
| has a dishwasher, range, refridgerator,
| |
| | pound. This seemed a little pricey to me,
|
| and microwave. We can attest that it is
| |
| | but we went to some other market and they
|
| very comfortable. The Mainstay was our
| |
| | offered cooked lobster for $5.00 more per
|
| center of operation, while we were on
| |
| | pound. I thought about the possibilities
|
| Cape Cod. Each day we would venture forth
| |
| | for several days and then we returned to
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| to places like Boston, Wood's Hole,
| |
| | Swan River on the way to lunch. I pointed
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| Provincetown and then return to The
| |
| | out which tail I wanted and Peg did the
|
| Mainstay.While Al lives in West Dennis he
| |
| | same. She picked a smaller one . . . a
|
| has plenty of opportunity to visit with
| |
| | much smaller one. I sat in the car and
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| people and scout out good places to go.
| |
| | ate mine. Peg had two bites, shared a
|
| Once we arrived Al kept up a steady
| |
| | bite with Al and then took the rest of
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| litany of places we could go and things
| |
| | her lobster home. This was the second
|
| we could do and should do. Even when we
| |
| | best lobster I had in Massachusetts. It
|
| ignored him he still made suggestions. We
| |
| | was big, tender, and sweet. The snack
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| took him up on most of them . . . and
| |
| | costs us about twenty dollars, but it was
|
| never found a bad one.One of the best
| |
| | well worth it.The open sign seemed to
|
| places to find reasonable priced local
| |
| | always be in the window, but they were
|
| goods is at the local thriftstore. We
| |
| | only open if the owner's green van was in
|
| scored big. Al bought a miniature brass
| |
| | the parking lot. The owners of Marathon
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| cannon for $2.00, and Peg bought two
| |
| | Seafood (Peggy and Teddy Stoilas) are
|
| framed handmade lace collars. She was
| |
| | Greek, hence the name. Like many places
|
| thrilled. Al finally prevailed on a
| |
| | on the Cape you order at the counter and
|
| suggestion and took Peg to Cuffy's of
| |
| | then the food is brought to you. Since I
|
| Cape Cod. The two of them brought back
| |
| | had just eaten a lobster tail I chose the
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| purchases of a couple of hundred dollars
| |
| | fried oysters. They were small, but there
|
| . . . or so it seemed. Eventually we had
| |
| | was a ton of them. Al chose his usuall
|
| to purchased another suitcase to
| |
| | scallops and Peg ordered lamb . . . she
|
| accommodate souvineer shopping.I managed
| |
| | likes lamb and it's always best to order
|
| to confine my souvineer shopping to The
| |
| | lamb at a Greek restaurant. If we had
|
| Music Meister and the Christmas Tree
| |
| | been back in Tacoma, Peg would have taken
|
| Shops. Al loves bargains. For the wives
| |
| | the bones home to make broth. As it was,
|
| of my friends I bought Tee Pee Dreams
| |
| | the bones were picked pretty clean. Teddy
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| herbal tea. I bought my golfing buddies a
| |
| | and Peggy were friendly and happy to
|
| Cape Cod golf ball each and a box of
| |
| | please.I can generally find where I am
|
| rattlesnake repellant, which contained
| |
| | going. If I've got a map I can get there.
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| some odd little bundles of aromatic herbs
| |
| | This philosophy doesn't lend itself to
|
| and spices. I'm not sure what they do,
| |
| | traveling on Cape Cod. Confusion reigns.
|
| but I never saw a snake nearby. I gave a
| |
| | For example the town of Dennis is made up
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| box to the son of a friend on his way to
| |
| | of five villages: North Dennis, South
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| a party in Seattle. He held one of the
| |
| | Dennis, East Dennis, West Dennis, and
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| bundles up to his nose. I warned him,
| |
| | Dennisport. Towns and villages blend
|
| don't let the police search you. I don't
| |
| | together. We set off on an adventure one
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| know that either the herbal teas or the
| |
| | day to visit NOAA's National Marine
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| snakebite repellant had anything to do
| |
| | Fisheries Service Northeast Fisheries
|
| with local Indian heritage, but the gifts
| |
| | Science Center at Woods Hole. We wanted
|
| were bought in Massachusetts, which
| |
| | to see the NOAA Aquarium. We knew where
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| should count for something.Generally,
| |
| | Woods Hole was. We could see Woods Hole
|
| each day started off the same. I would
| |
| | on the map, but like NOAA on the ocean,
|
| rise earlier than Al or Peg. I would turn
| |
| | we had to submerge ourselves in the
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| on the coffee maker and then sometimes go
| |
| | countryside to find Woods Hole . . . only
|
| for a drive or a walk. Returning I would
| |
| | to find the aquarium closed.We enjoyed
|
| knock on Al's door and he would be up in
| |
| | our drive in the country. We saw many
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| a jiffy and ready to go. I knew we would
| |
| | rock walls, which reminded us of Minute
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| probably have a big lunch and a big
| |
| | Men and Lexington and Concord. We saw
|
| dinner, so breakfast I wanted to keep
| |
| | many shops and Inns. The road through the
|
| light . . . but within reason. My first
| |
| | country side dipped and climbed through
|
| breakfast in West Dennis was at the Good
| |
| | lovely cool, green lush growth. The only
|
| Friends Cafe, which is only a few yards
| |
| | frustration was the long search.Once we
|
| from the local post office.I never like
| |
| | found Woods Hole, we still had trouble
|
| to eat at national chains. I prefer local
| |
| | finding the aquarium. We ended up
|
| establishments. You never know what
| |
| | following an arrow out of town half a
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| you'll find. Al had eaten at the
| |
| | mile into a residential area. We drove
|
| restaurant before under its old name, but
| |
| | back and found the arrow again. It was on
|
| never at the Good Friends. I saw on the
| |
| | the building where the aquarium was! We
|
| menu something called "grilled bread" and
| |
| | peeked in the windows, and Peg walked out
|
| I asked the waiter, a young man named
| |
| | to the harbor behind the facility for a
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| Tchigo (I hope that's spelled correctly,
| |
| | few pictures. It just never occured to us
|
| I'm not sure with the accent and all)
| |
| | that an aquarium would be closed on
|
| what it was. The bread is homemade by his
| |
| | Saturday. We should have visited the
|
| father, who was a cook at a different
| |
| | internet site for details. We enjoyed the
|
| restaurant before the purchase of the
| |
| | ride back and ended the evening with a
|
| Good Friends where he is now cook and
| |
| | movie.I don't know how many times I drove
|
| owner. It was excellent. A good hefty
| |
| | past this sign that greets visitors to
|
| slice is cut and then grilled until warm
| |
| | West Dennis. The sign promises $12.99
|
| and aromatic. It's served with a dollop
| |
| | lobster at Sundancer's. Everytime I saw
|
| of butter on top. There are three kinds
| |
| | it I thought to myself, we should eat
|
| of grilled bread: apple, cinnamon raisin,
| |
| | there. They have a deck that looks out to
|
| and cranberry. I ordered both the apple,
| |
| | the water. They have music several nights
|
| and the cranberry. The bread was good
| |
| | a week. They have a river cruise most
|
| without the butter. It was delightful
| |
| | afternoons. Oh, well. Sometimes you have
|
| with the butter. It was good dunked in
| |
| | to make sacrifices . . . and leave
|
| coffee. It was good just plain grilled. I
| |
| | adventures for the next visit.Al was
|
| shared the apple grilled bread with Al,
| |
| | determined that we would eat in one
|
| but never offered the cranberry to him. I
| |
| | night. Like Peg and I, he loves to cook.
|
| REALLY liked the cranberry. Sometimes
| |
| | Al was in charge of a simple meal. I
|
| they use the bread in their French toast.
| |
| | bought salad makings, and some fresh
|
| I'll have to try that another time.I ate
| |
| | greenbeans. We had prawns, scallops
|
| at the Good Friends my last day in West
| |
| | (cooked to absolute perfection), seafood
|
| Dennis by myself. Again, I just wanted a
| |
| | pate, clam stuffing, rice and white wine.
|
| little something. I ordered the corn beef
| |
| | We stuffed ourselves silly. We ended up
|
| hash expecting something from a can. What
| |
| | with scallops and prawns leftover. There
|
| I got was homemade corned beef and
| |
| | was food everywhere. Al looked around and
|
| onions. I don't think there was even a
| |
| | said, "It looks like the food fairy
|
| potato anywhere in sight with it. While I
| |
| | visited my home and puked." We sipped a
|
| was wolfing it down, I almost ordered
| |
| | little more wine. Two days later Al got
|
| some hashbrowns to mix in. When I walked
| |
| | up at five in the morning and made
|
| in and sat down, Tchigo asked if I was
| |
| | himself a rice and scallop snack . . .
|
| waiting for my friend. It had been a week
| |
| | then went back to bed. He didn't join me
|
| since I had been there and he remembered
| |
| | that morning for breakfast out.I really
|
| me and Al. Now, that is why I like small,
| |
| | loved the mornings on Cape Cod. The bogs
|
| mom and pop, family run cafes if I can
| |
| | and estuaries change with the tides and
|
| find them. Another meal or two and I
| |
| | the fog. I would visit the same places
|
| would have been behind the counter
| |
| | day after day and was never disappointed.
|
| helping my good friends Tchigo and his
| |
| | I was also rarely disappointed in our
|
| papa out at their Good Friends Cafe. Very
| |
| | choices for meals. Al and I dropped Peg
|
| nice.As we left the restaurant a couple
| |
| | off at a laundromat one morning and then
|
| drove up and asked us directions to
| |
| | returned as she was finishing folding her
|
| Dennisport. Al complied. I think this is
| |
| | clothes. There are two shops nearby we
|
| funny because as we drove all over the
| |
| | decided to visit and tucked in by them
|
| cape we often had to consult maps and get
| |
| | was a little cafe. The waitress was funny
|
| our bearings. Driving is a constant state
| |
| | and friendly. The food was excellent. I
|
| of confusion on the Cape. When I left the
| |
| | had a tuna Ceasar salad. I asked if it
|
| restaurant a week later by myself I saw a
| |
| | was from a tuna fillet or just out of a
|
| man with his car parked and the hood up.
| |
| | can. "Tuna salad made from a can," was my
|
| The license plate showed that he had been
| |
| | answer. It was excellent. I might make it
|
| an American POW (I'm guessing in World
| |
| | on my own one day. Al had a Reuben
|
| War II). I drove up beside him and asked
| |
| | sandwich on a "bulky" roll. He had to ask
|
| if he needed assistance. He said he
| |
| | about the bulky. It was chewey and yet
|
| didn't need any help. He had the engine
| |
| | soft. The corned beef and cheese spilled
|
| belts replaced and his wife complained
| |
| | out. He managed to eat it all.It's always
|
| that they were squeeking. The Vet, with
| |
| | tough to live up to high expectations. Al
|
| two hearing aids, couldn't hear them, so
| |
| | highly recommended Captain Parker's Pub
|
| he had to open the hood and stick his
| |
| | for dinner. He raved about it. We saved
|
| head down near the engine. We had a nice
| |
| | it for our final meal in Cape Cod. The
|
| chat. If it hadn't been my last day, I
| |
| | food was good, but the restuarant was
|
| would have begged him to tell me stories
| |
| | loud, we were seated by the door, and the
|
| of his military career.One of Al's
| |
| | waitress was abrupt. She also forgot to
|
| favorite places to stop is the Music
| |
| | serve us bread with our meal. On the plus
|
| Meister. Owner Lew Taylor has access to
| |
| | side, however the food was good. I
|
| DVDs galore. He only has some in stock,
| |
| | followed Al's advice and ordered the
|
| but can order almost whatever you need.
| |
| | seafood pasta. The seafood included
|
| Knowing how much I love classic TV and
| |
| | lobster, prawns and mussels in a heavy
|
| movies, Al wanted me to meet Lew. I was
| |
| | cream sauce. I wouldn't have thought the
|
| reluctant. Al told me what a great guy he
| |
| | mussels would work with the cream sauce,
|
| was. He told me how Lew used to be on the
| |
| | but they were excellent. I had to walk
|
| rodeo circuit. I didn't care. I had other
| |
| | over to the service counter and retrieve
|
| things to think about. I pulled into the
| |
| | a table dispenser of cheese. This
|
| driveway of the local library instead of
| |
| | irritated me. Al's scallops were great.
|
| the Music Meister because I saw that they
| |
| | He knows what he likes. Peg ordered
|
| had WiFi. Unfortunately, they were
| |
| | mussels, which surprised me. Like mine
|
| closed. I was disappointed. Al said,
| |
| | they were wonderful with a nice broth. I
|
| let's go visit Lew. He's the board
| |
| | had to catch the waitress, though and ask
|
| president for the library . . . small
| |
| | for bread, so Peg could enjoy sopping up
|
| towns . . . don't you just love 'em? We
| |
| | the broth with the bread. This is one of
|
| pulled in to the parking lot of The Music
| |
| | the joys of ordering mussels or steamed
|
| Meister. It was after closing hours. Lew
| |
| | clams. Broth and bread are major
|
| and his wife Kathy, an expert seamstress,
| |
| | requirements. The three of us shared an
|
| were still there.Lew confessed that I
| |
| | apple crisp with vanilla ice cream.After
|
| could connect in the library parking lot
| |
| | finishing our meals at Captain Parker's
|
| with my laptop, but I didn't bring my
| |
| | Pub, we walked behind to the parking lot
|
| laptop to Cape Cod. I was hoping for a
| |
| | to the ZooAquarium. Peg sat on Flipper to
|
| WiFi Cafe. Lew said, "I don't think
| |
| | rest in the cool evening breeze. Our
|
| you'll find one on the Cape. We're kind
| |
| | eight days on Cape Cod had worn us out.
|
| of low-tech out here." Peg and I consoled
| |
| | Even though we had cut our activities to
|
| ourselves by looking over some Celtic CDs
| |
| | almost nothing for the last day, we were
|
| that Lew had for sale. Peg bought three
| |
| | all still tired. I think we were all a
|
| and headed towards the car to listen to
| |
| | little sad that it was almost over as
|
| Maura O'Connell (one of our favorites),
| |
| | well.We returned to The Mainstay and
|
| while I talked to Lew about Celtic
| |
| | packed our bags. I dropped off to sleep
|
| singers and groups. I went outside and Al
| |
| | about eleven. My alarm was set for 3:30
|
| and Peg were looking at a tree with long
| |
| | AM. We left West Dennis about 4:15 AM and
|
| pods on it. None of us knew what it
| |
| | left the Cape in the driving rain. We
|
| was.Al went back in to talk to Lew. He
| |
| | left Cape Cod, but our memories will take
|
| didn't know what the tree was either.
| |
| | us back anytime.I think Al was a little
|
| Later Kathy called with the name,
| |
| | lonely when he woke up to an empty house
|
| Catalpa. We stopped in to see Lew several
| |
| | (I think there was still a full
|
| more times. Once before he opened, once
| |
| | refridgerator, however) that Thursday
|
| after he closed and twice when he was
| |
| | morning. We hadn't even picked up our
|
| actually open. He was always friendly and
| |
| | baggage at Sea-Tac when we had a call
|
| always helpful. I was looking for a song
| |
| | from Al on Peg's cell phone. The flight
|
| I had heard in the background in the
| |
| | on Alaska went well. Excellent service
|
| feature film, Saint Ralph. It was a
| |
| | from friendly people . . . just like most
|
| Canadian film and I thought the singer
| |
| | of our stay in West Dennis on Cape
|
| was probably Celtic. Lew searched and
| |
| | Cod.Don Doman is a published author,
|
| gave me the news: Jack Ingram from Texas.
| |
| | video producer, and corporate trainer. He
|
| The song was Goodnight Moon.Al keeps a
| |
| | owns the business training site Ideas and
|
| car at West Dennis. He loves (and
| |
| | Training ( which he says is the home of
|
| tolerates) the car and when he leaves for
| |
| | the no-hassle "free preview" for business
|
| the season he parks it between trees so
| |
| | training videos. Don and his wife Peg
|
| anyone wanting to steal it would have a
| |
| | also travel in the Pacific Northwest
|
| tough time towing it away. I think Al's
| |
| | writing of their fun and adventures.
|
| car is safe. The car has a few rust
| |
| |
|
