Cliches are cliches for a reason. Time does indeed fly. It certainly does feel like only yesterday that our nephew TJ was the tiny baby of the extended family. He is now a young man preparing to head off to the University of New Hampshire in August! We took a week in New England to celebrate his graduation from High School with family.
CONGRATULATIONS THOMAS JAMES!!!
We started our week in Manchester, CT with the O’Briens. Both fortunate and sad was the fact that a charity golf tournament coincided with graduation. A good friend of Dave’s lost their son in an accident a couple of years ago, and we planned to honor his memory in the second annual event together. Last year, Bapa, Dave, TJ and I hit the links together to make up our fearsome foursome!
This year, TJ did what Seniors do right before graduation and spent time with his friends for Senior Skip Day! We missed him on the links, but we also all lived a bit vicariously through him in remembering our glory days of yester-decade. The three older gentlemen were happy to enjoy our bananas on the course, well protected by the cases Emily gave to Bapa!
Charlie enjoyed an afternoon on the O’Briens back porch, but couldn’t quite match the energy and intensity of Milo and Lola. You can see how her arrival in Scituate showed more relaxed eyes!
We are so fortunate to be able to continue to call Scituate our second home. Mimi and Bapa welcomed us with open arms and we quickly settled in for a relaxing week. Walking down to Seaglass Beach and the harbor remains a truly favorite event. The weather was absolutely gorgeous!
Before leaving Manchester for Scituate, we were able to celebrate Sara’s birthday with a lovely dinner out. On her actual birthday on June 4th, Stacey and I were blessed with a day in Boston that included a visit to the holy city of baseball, Fenway Park! The weather was perfect, if a bit warm. We found our seats behind home plate under complete cover, which are seats you appreciate more and more as you mature! Long gone are the days where nosebleeds in the bleacher seats keep me content. Thank you Mimi & Bapa for taking care of Charlie while we took in a fantastic Sox game! 🇺🇸⚾️
The baseball Gods smiled down on us when Ceddanne Rafaela hit one of the shortest homeruns in baseball history for a Sox walkoff win in the 9th! Sweet! I was particularly pleased, as our parking was due to expire 30 minutes after his hit grazed Pesky’s Pole to set the crowd off into joyful celebration.
We got to do all the fun things we always do in Scituate, to include golf at Widow’s Walk and a walk to the harbor before dinner at TK O’Malley’s. I didn’t play well, but I always enjoy that beautiful course. We all definitely ate well at TK’s though!
Typically, we have paddled around the harbor whenever fortunate to get the chance. This year, Dad suggested putting in at a new spot behind the old mill off of Mordecai Lincoln road on the border of Scituate and Cohasset. I was thrilled at the chance, as our first home in Cohasset was just across what we always called “the marsh” from where we put in. I saw that old home on South Main Street from a totally different perspective in a kayak on the water!
In the winter of 1979, my old friend Richard “Chip” Muncey and I skated on this frozen marsh as far as we felt we safely could near the Border Street bridge we used to jump off of in the summah. Skating on frozen salt water isn’t the smartest thing to do! This time, Dad and I took a less risky paddle all the way up to that same bridge. I loved the views along the way, especially when we could see the Cohasset Yacht Club across her harbor under the bridge. Stacey and I spent a few late nights sitting on the deck there telling lies among friends a short 35 years ago. GLORY DAYS! 😍
We enjoyed a lovely evening in Scituate Harbor that included a fish fry and some music at the gazebo down in the marina. This really is a special town, and we were blessed to share time with Mimi and Bapa in their lovely back yard.
It was time for the main event, a graduation party for TJ back at the O’Brien household in Manchester. We gathered a bit early to help set things up and assist with cooking. Shortly before the party was scheduled to begin, TJ’s lovely girlfriend Karla presented him with a very special gift. Karla had asked family and friends to share their memories and photos of TJ, and she designed a scrapbook with those special memories. There were definitely a few heart strings tugged as TJ read through some of the incredible pages. Few dry eyes could be found on the porch. What a wonderful gift Karla!! ❤️
The party was so enjoyable for us, as we got to celebrate TJ with family and friends that we don’t see enough of. I especially enjoyed watching Abigail and Mackayla beam with pride as their little brother TJ enjoyed this celebration. Us older folk stayed close to the grill and any available seat while the younger generation played volleyball and other games in the front yard. Americana at its finest, celebrating the graduates of 2025 on a lovely day in New England! 🎓
And so we celebrated a great accomplishment for a fine young man. Many generations of your family and friends are proud of you Thomas James! Keep being exactly who you are!!
