Before we move on.

Thanks for the compassionate comments left following Midou's passing. Arriving at the decision to put a pet down is difficult, though KJ's being both the grieving parent and the administering vet makes it more so. We've crossed this bridge a number of times already, but it never gets easier.

Midou joined our family as an adult dog five years ago after KJ treated him for a local shelter. He was beyond mellow and, apart from rides the car, was rarely excitable. He never talked about his past and so we never knew what he had been through, but he seemed to enjoy his life here with us and for the most part preferred his own style of proximal isolationism.


What more should a Mainer want for breakfast in August! It will be a sad day when we have to try and explain to her that her favorite food is only seasonal.

You folks from away can keep your gargantuan, white-centered, GMO-style 'blue' berries and we'll keep our tiny little blue/black flavor pearls - even if they are around but a few weeks a year.

They definitely make for interesting diapers.


I would love to think that we've had so much family around all summer because they all want to see Tougy, though I have to expect that a good bit of it has to do with the fact that we now live in one of the most beautiful parts of New England. Either way, we have loved it.

My younger brother, his wife, and their four children came up for the day yesterday (they are vacationing in MA) and were able to visit both our house and our mom's house across the street, before heading into Boothbay Harbor for a walk-around and the requisite scoops of ice cream.


Tougy is not always the well mannered angel we often portray her to be. Here she hones her skills in anticipation of her future sibling.


Thankfully cousin Lauren forgave her. Such a beautiful smile.


This past Sunday was the East Boothbay Boatbuilders Festival, an annual fundraiser for the local Land Trust. A highlight for me was that the "Spirit of Massachusetts" was in town and open to the public.

Why is that significant? Well it just so happens that this particular boat holds a hugely important place in my life.

I was 19 and had just returned from three months in Southern Chile when some friends and I drove to DC for the weekend. Long story(trust me this one is long) short, I ended up talking with the captain of the Spirit and after convincing him that I was a hard worker, he had agreed to take me on as a volunteer deckhand from DC up to Philly, and longer if that worked out.

Mind you, I had grown up in Cincinnati. I didn't know anything about sailing, the sea, or boats. What Captain Smith did for this midwestern kid was to open up a whole new world.

I sailed for him for several months along the northeast(including the reopening of the Stutue of Liberty sail parade in New York Harbor)that year and then went back as paid crew in the early nineties. In all, nine of my 25 months at sea were spent aboard this very boat that my daughter now held in her hand. And the captain aboard on this day in Maine - none other than Captain Smith.


Memories abound as I look over the boat. Storms, doldrums, fatigue, friends, ports, food, work, life. I recall every inch of her and it is fun to see things still on the boat that I remember making or doing during my time on her.


A welcome sight anywhere it is found.


After our time at the boat show, we headed in to the harbor with KJ's parents and Aunt. Here Tougy walks along the wharfside with Mommy and Morfar.


Tougy loves walking up and down the landing to the public dock in town. Depending upon the tide, it can range from nearly level to absolutely thrilling. Mormor and Morfar see to it that our little adventurer lives to do it again.


As we were walking along a section of the waterfront paved with sponsors, Tougy suddenly stopped still in her tracks, pointed to the ground, and said Phoebe. It was amazing. She knows how to say Phoebe because she has a cousin by that name, but we didn't know she knew how to spell it. She is so smart to have randomly picked it out as she was walking.


She loves water - what can I say.


At the end of July, we drove down to the cape for a long weekend with family and stopped along the way to see friends. Next to KJ is Deb, the initial link between KJ and I, and Kerrie, Deb's former college roommate whom I also knew during our years at BU.


Those eyes - Seriously!


She was so excited to get out of the car and have a chance to run around. She is such a toddler, and not just a little bit tomboy.


As we had convinced my step mom Susan to come up to Maine for a couple of nights provided we could give her a ride to the Cape on the weekend, she had stopped off with us and got to meet our friends and spend more time with Tougy. It was really nice to have her see our world in Maine as well as some of our dearest friends.


Sporting her 'My mamma's for Obama' shirt, Tougy reaches out with tired eyes to say "Upa" - her call to be picked up.


"As you Wish..."


So after a wonderful afternoon in Ogunquit, we finally made it to the cape where we were joined by all 6 of Tougy's cousins. Somehow Susan(Mimi to the grandkids) ended up at the kids end of the table while my two brothers and our wives all sat at the other end. Unfortunately Tougy fell asleep before dinner and so missed the wonderful meal on Poppy's patio.


Tougy has gone through a verbal explosion of late. It seems every day brings a new quiver of words that she can draw upon. Names are especially fun for her, and Emma's is among her favorites. It has been over a week since we were with her, and yet not a day goes by without Tougy calling out 'Emma, Emma, Emma'. At night when we put her in her crib she sees a pillow there that Emma made for her and the chorus begins again. It is adorable.

She says Emma in a clear and robust voice which stands in stark contrast to the way in which she pronounces Emma's sister Phoebe's name. For that she always uses a hushed tone as if to whisper. Why? I don't know.


This pony came from her Mimi and Poppy, and as you can see, she loves it. It is the perfect size for her right now. She can get on and off by herself, and she can also pull it by the handle to bring it anywhere she wants. Occasionally she will just walk over to it and give it a hug or a kiss. She's just that sort of girl.

Anytime we are out and come across a dog, she heads straight for it and tries to give it a hug or a kiss. She absolutely loves dogs - which is fine with us. Animals are good Sweetheart.


KJ and my sister-in-law Torrie put together a great breakfast spread for all of us on this beautiful morning, and Tougy was immediately enraptured by the oversized bowl of fruit and berries, though it was the bacon that eventually stole her heart.


Demonstrating that you are never to old to play with food, Mimi entertained the grandkids with her berry eyes. It was so special to have both the occasion and the space to bring everyone together, even if only briefly. Thanks Poppy.


With full bellies we set out to take a quick drive around the waterfront of Osterville and Cotuit. Tougy loves going fast and feeling the wind in her hair, and she is fascinated with steering wheels wherever they may be found.

Remember Tougy, Red, Right, Returning.


Later in the afternoon it was time to let the big kids drive the bigger boats. My older brother Scott handily brought us across to Nantucket and back with a few hours in between to walk about and eat.


Look Mom, no hands. Such a thrill seeker that Tougy. She was so happy to sit on mom's lap at the back of the boat and to feel the spray off the ocean as we pounded from wave to wave.


My sister Cat had flown straight into the Cape the day before having been in Barcelona for the previous month. It was great to have a chance to see her and hear of her adventures before she heads back to Chicago for her Junior year(HS). Great to see you Blaster.


Tougy found these great little wooden toys in a store and we of course could not say no. She was totally in her own world playing with them in the middle of the sidewalk with people passing all around her. It was very endearing.


Before long, her fascination turned to Puddles. As it seemed harmless enough, we just let her go for it. It was a real thrill for her, and she still talks about it - I think.


Feeling besieged by the cameras, Tougy pleaded for a respite saying - "please allow me my privacy, I am on vacation with my family". What a diva she can be.


Alas, it was time to head back to Osterville and so we bid goodbye to Nantucket for another year. Before long Tougy was out like a light with her head resting upon the seat back. How she managed to sleep with the combined effects of wind, spray, pounding, and engine noise I don't know, but happy as a clam she was.

This brings us more or less to the end of this Cape visit, but we drop back immediately to the same location two weeks before, in the middle of July, for the remainder of the photos in this posting.


The Cape house is such a fantastic place to unwind. KJ even found a few moments to begin a new book while Tougy chose to sleep in a bit.

Perhaps it is not at all uncommon, but little Tougleton sleeps like this quite a bit. I find it amusing. When she does so, she often pushes her head right up against us in a way that seems must be uncomfortable for her, though I surmise that it must not be.


Tougy loves having older cousins to play with and looks up to them greatly, following them everywhere and doing her best to imitate them. Here Phoebe and Emma keep her safe on the boat.


This was Tougy's first opportunity drive Rosebud though, as it will shortly be moving up here to Boothbay, I am guessing it will not be her last. Lucky little girl. She will definitely grow up surrounded by water and opportunities to be out on, in and under it. Not bad for a girl who began life in Astana.


Out on the water, we came upon the end of a race for a fleet of catboats and followed this particular boat back towards her home dock for about a half hour. KJ was very jealous of the workout the woman was getting and envious of the sailing. As you can see, it can be a lot of work keeping small boats at power in erratic winds.


As we had followed her for quite a while taking pictures, we felt it only appropriate to introduce ourselves and to offer to send her some photos of herself in all of these acrobatic positions. When she gave us her email address we found her last name was Crosby, which, when sailing catboats in Osterville, Mass. seems fitting - sort of like meeting someone with the surname of Ringling working at a circus.

Well that's all there is. Until next time - Take Care.