Reunion

Pictured here is the Old North Church where the lights were hung to inform the Sons of Liberty if the British would go to Lexington by foot or by crossing the river. This is where the famous, "One if by land, two if by sea" quote originated. Of course, that evening, 2 lights were hung to indicate the British would invade by sea.
The other photo is a picture of the Mariner's House Inn. We took this picture early one morning while the snow began to fall. Two doors down is a greyish house, small in size compared to the surrounding buildings. This would be the home of Paul Revere! The beautiful cobblestone street is known as North Square.


Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers, that the mind can never break off from the journey.
Pat Conroy, The Prince of Tides

Soon we are to be reunited! Jason has spent a harrowing 4 months aboard his ship and is ready for some time off! He visited several African countries including Mozambique, Cameroon, and Togo. He spent a month in Cetubal, Portugal overseeing the ship's maintenance period in the shipyard. His last stop was Algeciras, Spain to refuel and he is on his way to Houston.

The kids and I had a busy winter with schoolwork and some travel. The highlight of our winter break was going to Boston for Revolutionary War history. Prior to our trip, on Jason's advice, we read "Johnny Tremain", a historical novel taking place in Boston during the beginning of the Revolution. The kids really enjoyed seeing all the places and learning more about the characters discussed in the book.
We stayed in the North End at a neat inn run by the Seaman's Society of Boston. We were two doors down from Paul Revere's house on North Square, a quaint cobblestone street lined with Italian restaurants. The scent of garlic and sauce would waft through the streets and we couldn't wait for the next meal!
We visited the USS Constitution, the oldest commissioned ship in the US Navy. This vessel was used in the War of 1812 so you know it is old! Other highlights included walking the Freedom Trail (a brick lined path through the city that directs you to major historical places), Science Museum, Aquarium, Children's Museum, and ice skating at Frog Pond in Boston Common.