Nantucket Journal

August 3, 2007

Friday, August 3

Our anniversary, 39 years, wonderful to celebrate it here after being high school sweethearts. I mentioned to my wife that this has been a particularly good time here, and she pointed out that EVERY time is a particularly good time here. Nantucket is God’s country.

We changed rooms today, to one of the bungalows. (It’s easy to find rooms to extend a stay here, but the ferry is nearly impossible, sold out for months. I had made and paid for two separate ferry reservations.) Two rooms, huge fireplace, gardens all around. Quite nice.

The beach had a total of about a dozen people, another great day. Bobbing in the waves, I felt as if I had wandered into nirvana.

This evening, a martini at the bar here, then into town. We visited Cold Noses, a dog treat store, where we’ve gone every year. Bought Koufax and Buddy special treats and toys. Then bought a new beach book, The Black Swan, which I’ll start tomorrow.

Dinner at Oran Mor (a Gaelic victory song). Only three parking spaces and for the second year in a row, I snagged one. A drink at the bar, where a Nantucket regular shared part of his appetizer and I bought him a drink, then dinner with tomato and mozzarella, flounder with lobster, accompanied by an incredible 1984 decanted Gaja.

A drive back under the stars (the Ferraris had the speedometer canted so that only the driver could see it, but the Bentley speedometer can be seen by the vigilant Maria, a design flaw) and a final trip to the Wauwinet bar, saying goodbye to the Friday bartender until next year. He supplied a $175 glass of Hennessey—you sign a book which entitles you to visit the distillery in France, and there were a dozen names before mine—to go with my Graycliff Crystal cigar (which was disappointing). I smoked and drank with Maria on the porch of the bungalow, with cookies from the restaurant and chocolates from the inn.

Tomorrow is our last day, but we’ve extended it to the 9:15 p.m. ferry. I’m glad I read Sartre. He was on to something….