After two weeks back East visiting Jacqui's family, there's more than a little to talk about. Jacqui has a massive family which meant we had plenty of aunts, uncles, parents and cousin to visit.
"I've been reading the blog so I feel I've already met you." is how many introductions took place with family members I hadn't yet met. It's a bit strange when someone knows everything you've been up to before they give you their name. I guess I have to make sure this low level fame doesn't go to my head.
We kicked off our arrival in Boston with a tour of the Peabody Essex Museum and a drink meetup with a bunch of Jacqui's cousins... and a few aunts who came to crash the party.
Peabody Essex Museum and a night out on the town
However, as soon as the weekend came around we were off on our whirlwind tour of Maine with Debbie and Butch, Jacqui's mom and step-dad. Having never been to Maine I was definitely excited, but the very first day of driving put me through some emotional distress.
While simply enjoying the scenery we caught a glimpse of an old military ambulance. I was instantly in love which set my imagination into a frenzy that was no small task to recover from. I was visualizing the custom interior we'd build, the Mercedes Diesel engine I'd swap into it, the security I'd install, solar, kitchen, and the list goes on. However, that's a project for another time, at least that's what I had to keep telling myself.
The perils of adventure-rig-daydreaming aside, Maine is absolutely beautiful, and to top it all off, Debbie and Butch were really laying down the five-star treatment. The food, the sights, Acadia National Park, the lobster, the gardens, the history, the quaint little towns and endless open water with hundreds of sailboats that were sending me to further adventure daydreaming. Our whirlwind tour was as fast as my describing it, but is definitely something I'll never forget.
I know Debbie and Butch certainly aren't going to forget the Maine trip that became a catalyst for change in their life. On the third day while hanging out in the lobby of a bed and breakfast, we all experienced first-hand the conversational lubricant that is happy hour. To sum things up, while weighing out all important details, Debbie decided it was time she retire and her and Butch start traveling. Let's just say, before we even finished our Maine tour, we stopped in and took a look at some RVs.
Who knows, maybe someday when we return to Mazatlan, Debbie and Butch will already be there.
Whirlwind Maine Tour
The day after returning to the Boston area we added Adrienne and Sam, Jacqui's sister and her boyfriend, to our group and headed out on a whale watch tour. The seas were a bit choppy that day but we were all determined to catch a glimpse of a whale, which lead to our demise. Simply put, we were soaked, but it was absolutely worth it.
Whale watching
As the Fourth of July neared Phillip and Marrianne, Jacqui's brother and his girlfriend, arrived. At last Mama Deb had all her kids and their significant others under the same roof.
Mucho familia and Russel Orchards
