Every time I see the word “February” I wonder where it came from, don’t you? I’m sure next to balancing your household budget this is one of the most important concerns in your busy lives! So to save you the ordeal of relieving that concern, let me tell you what I’ve learned about the word. It is derived from the Latin word, Februarius that refers to the Februm or Festival of Purification…or the month of expiation as celebrated by the Sabines. I can see why it never be came a household word in English! But now that you know I feel happy to have relieved you of your distress (?).
These jottings begin in the quaint village of St. Michael’s a resort town on the Eastern Maryland shore. It was made famous as the town where Ron proposed to Mary a few year’s ago.
Incidentally, as I type this report on Thursday 2/20 Mary is about to give birth to twins. Keep tuned!
The town reminded me of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. It has Victorian type houses, an enormous stone church, St Michael’s from which the town gets its name, and things nautical and antique abounding. It is described, in the travel material provided by the net, as “…the oldest town in Talbot County and an important shipbuilding center during the War of 1812, is a casually elegant resort locale, home to many wealthy retirees who live in the secluded houses tucked away on coves and creeks.” In February, like most resort towns, St. Michaels is quiet and many shops, and tourist amenities closed but it is a great place for walks and dining even in
February. We stayed in the Harbor Inn & Marina on the water opposite the town. It was under renovation so we shared the 3rd floor with carpenters, painters, wall paperers (?), and unfortunately for June some early (7AM) morning walking, talking, and hammering. The town has a memorial to commemorate the birthplace of Frederick Douglas who was born a slave there in 1833. He rose to be an ambassador for our country after escaping to the North. He was an orator and an abolitionist. The town abounded with enormous holly trees, not bushes, trees. We figured it must be the soil, climate, etc. June, my botanist, pointed them out and surmised by size and extent they must have come with the original settlers from England.
We came to celebrate our love and marriage in this week of Valentine’s. It had been made possible, in part, by Christmas gift from our children. We had good weather despite several scare reports of forthcoming snow and/or rain, sleet, etc.
On Ash Wednesday we drove to Annapolis, Md. across the Bay Bridge. It sits on the opposite shore, on the mainland of the state of Maryland. We took a walking tour with Walter Cronkite narrating, of the historically preserved town. In the domed state house we saw the room where in 1783 the U.S. Congress met and accepted the resignation of George Washington as Commander in Chief. The first time the principle of the military being subject to the civilian authority was put into practice. A script written by Thomas Jefferson, what the congress, should do when the General entered “stand, remove their hats, replace their hats and sit”, staged the resignation. The General also had his part delineated by the versatile Tom. They had a mannequin of Washington in full uniform standing in the front of the room facing the seats of the Congressmen. In the room opposite the Congressional room was one of Maryland History. We saw the most elaborately etched silver: a punch bowel with some 20 or 30 drawings depicting the history of the State. The cups to the bowl had on each of them a story of the State hero. All of this came from the first USS
Maryland. Some pieces have now been return for display on the USS Maryland Nuclear Sub now on active duty.
We lunched in the Market Square and then debated whether to visit the interior of some of the homes open for such inspection, or tour the Naval Academy. June voted for the Naval Academy tour but I was reluctant to do so but agreed. It was a great choice! “Reluctant Paul” enjoyed it more than the historic tour (brings back a memory of a Whale watch tour some months ago where a similar incident with like result occurred).
What impressed me the most about the Naval Academy was the numbers. It has 4000 students, who all live on the campus in one main dorm with wings extending from it. There are extensive play areas since all midshipmen must participate in some physical activities, so playing fields, pools, courts, abound. Shortly after the visit we read in the Baltimore Sun that the four years cost at the academy is $87, 000. It is paid by endowments similar to Harvard, and other Ivy League Schools. The government pays the wages of the employees, and the midshipmen are paid as seamen. I confirmed what I also believed to be a fact, that the student may choose any course of studies as a major. In fact, one of the teachers in Physics was Nobel Prize winner for his work in space. The tour made us feel that this would be a great place for the twins. Their athletic and scholastic skills would meet an equal challenge here on the Severne. Incidentally, the pay the midshipmen receive is basic subsistence. Parents, like all parents of college students, still might be required to contribute. All students must have a P.C. or purchase one. Loans are easily obtained, and why not, this graduate will have a job for sure for at least four years after graduation, as an Ensign in the U. S. Navy. The failure rate of repayment on student loans here must be near zero!
One day, in St. Michaels, we had lunch at the Carpenter Street Tavern (it’s on Talbot St. at Carpenter if you’re looking for it). While June and I waited for our food June noticed one of the several paintings covering the walls. This one had a sign beneath it reading “Prints available”. It was a large painting, some 3 to 4 feet in length, and 1 to 1 1/2 feet across. It depicted what appeared to be the sea, or water, falling over an edge from near the top of the painting clear to the bottom. On the water, at the top, about to topple over the edge was a sailing ship similar in style to the Pinto, Nina, or Santa Marie. A few feet behind that ship came another of like make approaching the abyss. The left side of the painting had nothing…not even clouds in the sky. In the forefront of that ship was a lifeboat full of rowers struggling against the surge of water pulling them toward the abyss. The painting was well done in clarity and color but the item that caught our eye was the caption. It simply read: “I told you so!” These are words I have often heard over the years but hope to hear less of in the future We discussed purchasing a print but declined since its size presented a problem. Our new home will have even less wall space than we presently have…so we passed on the purchase but kept the smile and the memory!
(It is, as I type Sunday Morning, February 23,1997,and we have two new boys in the world. Mary gave birth after long hours of labor to Leo Alexander hereafter known as “Alex”, @ 1 AM and Aidan Patrick @ 6 AM. Mother is doing well. Babies are in intensive care for the moment but with assurance of nothing to worry about. They totaled 14 plus pounds!! Deo Gratias!)
Thursday we drove across the Eastern Shore peninsula to the town of “Ocean City” a place where June had camped years ago. It is not at all similar to Ocean City, N.J. It is more like Myrtle Beach with its shops, hotel, condos, and apartments right down to the beach. Its beach is like Jersey’s white sand without dunes. There was one dune and it was celebrated with a fence and signs rejoicing in its existence. June had remembered a boardwalk and it was still there. It was more a concrete-walk although there was one section where there were boards. It was very long probably as long as Atlantic City’s. It sits right on the sand. The beach and walk are on the same level, not like our Jersey walks that are raised above the beach. After the walk in the cold wind, we drove up the main (almost the only north-south road) street. We went up to a 136th street and then found we were entering the state of Delaware. The ride was through built up areas similar to Myrtle Beach with high rises, hotels, shops, malls, etc. etc. As we drove we could see water to our right and left in a number of places…as in Whale Beach north of Sea Isle City.
Friday, St. Valentine’s Day, we had to exit the Harbor Inn, so we drove over the Bay Bridge again up to the city of Baltimore. We stayed in the Inner Harbor and celebrated the day of love at the Chart House restaurant. The Chart House is one of our favorites here in Philly but the Baltimore version was a disappointment in one way…no mammoth salad bar…but it was a fine meal. The day was spent in reading and a short walk. I was able to finish one of my Christmas gifts Neil Simon’s memoir, “Rewrites”. As with his plays his humor permeates the book. He wrote 29 plays in 34 years and had as many as three on Broadway at one time. The book covers his life up to 1973 (he was in his 40’s) when his wife died of cancer. His love for her fills the book. He made something clearer to me that I already knew or felt. He had to rewrite on many time when the written word was spoken on the stage. He compared it to the reader giving a voice and character to the person in a novel. We give that character in our mind a personality. So when it is portrayed by a movie or a play if it doesn’t match our concept of that personality you are apt to say: “The book was better!”
We close with a sad note. We’ve just learnt that Dan Walsh’s brother-in-law, Stanley Karminski, just died – the circle of life in just a few days once again. We will try to add a short note to each of you.
As promised I am enclosing a copy of Andrew’s short story entitled “Late October in an Empty Town”!