Finally.....the adventure begins...

August 29 York, ME to Gloucester, MA (Cape Ann Marina)

Another nice day of cruising…read almost all day. when it’s like this i’m giddy!

Nancy had suggested a great read while traveling in this area, ‘The Weight of Water’ by Anita Shreve. The entire story took place in the Portsmouth, NH and the Isle of Shoals, an archipelago 9 miles off the Portsmouth coast that includes Smuttynose, Star, Malaga, and Appledore. It really was bizarre because just as i was reading the last half of the book I was looking out at the islands!

A really great book, i think she won a national award for this one and what a wonderful treat to be right there with the islands as i read it. Thanks Nancy for the recommendation. She also suggested 'The Sun Also Rises' which i devoured like a starved person...savoring each sentence.

Decided to go back to the same marina in Gloucester that we had visiting coming up and boy am i glad we did. After settling in, Harry went up to talk and settle up with the harbor master. Upon his return he’s all excited and says, ‘guess who is playing tonight at the marina?’ Me, ‘give me a hint’. Harry, ‘the best singer ever.’ I’m thinking some Elvis / Frank Sinatra /impersonator in the marina bar…so i give up because who Harry thinks is a good singer and who i think is a good singer are often quite different…..but when he says it’s Michael McDonald i have to say i might have blushed and said, ‘no way, get outta town….no way’….but i was soon convinced when at lunch all the staff was a buzz with Michael McDonald coming to town playing a private party in a tent beside the marina. Word on the dock - he’s scheduled to perform at 8:30. And the cause for celebration is a gift for a wife on their 35th wedding anniversary and her 60th birthday - and the present is Michael McDonald!

After a late lunch i’m sitting on the bow and all the sudden i hear him! it’s him, Michael McDonald singing……of course…it’s the sound check!!! we both go running (forgetting my camera) toward the tent, we slow a bit as we make the turn as not to look to eager and too groupie. I perch myself right on the dock railing as close as i can to the tent and where, if i look between a couple of huge speakers, i can spy my man with his white hair in a dark tee-shirt at the piano. there is now a growing group of groupies….but still just a handful. One guy, especially excited, has gone to his car and pulled an old Doobie Brothers CD and brought it out for MMcDonald to autograph. He’s talked this over extensively with Michael’s road manager so i stay near this guy so i can get up close and personal with Michael when he’s doing his autographing business. Michael sings a little bit of most of his songs…not full throttle but all of them. I got teary at one point when he starts to sing 'This is It'..... sounding just right and SO Michael McDonald. Finally the sound check is complete and the group of musicians walk out - seems like they’re all wearing black…anyway, as promised the road manager brings him over to meet and sign my new friend’s CD and before he leaves i just have to offer my hand and he receives it and says something - i’m not sure what….

So we are on time and ready to roll at 8:30 - but the host husband of this shindig thinks we want to hear him go on and on about his lovely wife, the years they’ve had together and her many talents…..yada, yada, yada. Bring on my man….and then he's on and he stays on and he plays all the songs you might think of him playing….As I’ve already told a few of you, when he played ‘What a Fool Believes’ for an encore - well, let’s just say i’m sure Harry was a bit embarrassed, i jumped up and down and danced around like a fool, i believe. Acting as i did when i was 20! They say one should dance a little everyday but i was getting down….really getting down, by MYSELF! I had a blast, glad i did it and felt so fortunate that we were there to hear him. I truly felt like a familiar old friend was visiting and i was so very glad to see him and hear his amazing voice - one thing for sure that Harry and I do agree on.