| When I was making plans to visit Cape Cod, in | | | | with pollen and mildew. Peg took a ride with Al in |
| my mind I always saw my goals as having fun . . . | | | | his Mercedes and she compared it to one of my |
| and eating lobster. In the end we had lots of fun | | | | favorite cars from our past, my old 1955 Rambler |
| and I had lots of lobster. Sorry, but we saw a 17 | | | | . . . it wasn't a compliment. Peg always referred to |
| pound lobster in a preview tank and didn't eat him. | | | | my '55 as "that dirty, ratty, stinky, loud little |
| We were there for the funeral of many of his | | | | Ramber." You can take a bus out to the Cape, |
| relatives, however.For nearly ten years, our friend | | | | but I do suggest that you do need a car to take |
| Al Burrage of West Seattle has been asking us to | | | | full advantage of the Cape's wonders. We rented |
| join him in his cottage in West Dennis at Cape | | | | a car from Alamo at Logan (the Boston Airport) |
| Cod. We were finally able to schedule a trip to | | | | and exceeded a thousand miles on it in just over |
| Massachusetts and not surprisingly, we loved it. Al | | | | a week.As I mentioned, I felt it was my job and |
| rents his cottage, The Mainstay, out during the | | | | goal to eat lobster while in New England. Al took |
| "season" but visits Cape Cod before the season | | | | me to Swan River Seafood Restaurant and Fish |
| and then again after the season to first prepare | | | | Market. Their lobstermen catch fresh lobster daily |
| the cottage for guests, and then to close the | | | | on Cape Cod. You could eat at the restaraunt or |
| cottage for the winter.The cottage is a three | | | | buy from the market, but even at the market |
| bedroom home that features a glassed-in porch | | | | you could order your seafood cooked. For |
| as well and an outside shower for getting rid of | | | | example you could tell them which lobster you |
| sand and salt before entering the house. The | | | | wanted and tell them when you wanted it cooked. |
| home has a crushed shell driveway and walkway. | | | | You could then stop in and pick it up and take it |
| Typical of Cape Cod homes it has a cedar pole | | | | home thereby enjoying your lobster in your own |
| fence across the front and down one side of the | | | | kitchen or dining room. Swan River had a great |
| yard. It's painted a fresh looking aqua with | | | | selection of fresh seafood AND they also offered |
| maroon shutters. One bedroom has twin beds and | | | | cooked lobster meat. While we were there it was |
| two bedrooms have a double bed. The kitchen | | | | priced at $29.95 a pound. This seemed a little |
| has a dishwasher, range, refridgerator, and | | | | pricey to me, but we went to some other |
| microwave. We can attest that it is very | | | | market and they offered cooked lobster for |
| comfortable. The Mainstay was our center of | | | | $5.00 more per pound. I thought about the |
| operation, while we were on Cape Cod. Each day | | | | possibilities for several days and then we returned |
| we would venture forth to places like Boston, | | | | to Swan River on the way to lunch. I pointed out |
| Wood's Hole, Provincetown and then return to | | | | which tail I wanted and Peg did the same. She |
| The Mainstay.While Al lives in West Dennis he has | | | | picked a smaller one . . . a much smaller one. I sat |
| plenty of opportunity to visit with people and | | | | in the car and ate mine. Peg had two bites, |
| scout out good places to go. Once we arrived Al | | | | shared a bite with Al and then took the rest of |
| kept up a steady litany of places we could go and | | | | her lobster home. This was the second best |
| things we could do and should do. Even when we | | | | lobster I had in Massachusetts. It was big, tender, |
| ignored him he still made suggestions. We took | | | | and sweet. The snack costs us about twenty |
| him up on most of them . . . and never found a | | | | dollars, but it was well worth it.The open sign |
| bad one.One of the best places to find reasonable | | | | seemed to always be in the window, but they |
| priced local goods is at the local thriftstore. We | | | | were only open if the owner's green van was in |
| scored big. Al bought a miniature brass cannon for | | | | the parking lot. The owners of Marathon Seafood |
| $2.00, and Peg bought two framed handmade | | | | (Peggy and Teddy Stoilas) are Greek, hence the |
| lace collars. She was thrilled. Al finally prevailed on | | | | name. Like many places on the Cape you order |
| a suggestion and took Peg to Cuffy's of Cape | | | | at the counter and then the food is brought to |
| Cod. The two of them brought back purchases of | | | | you. Since I had just eaten a lobster tail I chose |
| a couple of hundred dollars . . . or so it seemed. | | | | the fried oysters. They were small, but there was |
| Eventually we had to purchased another suitcase | | | | a ton of them. Al chose his usuall scallops and Peg |
| to accommodate souvineer shopping.I managed to | | | | ordered lamb . . . she likes lamb and it's always |
| confine my souvineer shopping to The Music | | | | best to order lamb at a Greek restaurant. If we |
| Meister and the Christmas Tree Shops. Al loves | | | | had been back in Tacoma, Peg would have taken |
| bargains. For the wives of my friends I bought | | | | the bones home to make broth. As it was, the |
| Tee Pee Dreams herbal tea. I bought my golfing | | | | bones were picked pretty clean. Teddy and |
| buddies a Cape Cod golf ball each and a box of | | | | Peggy were friendly and happy to please.I can |
| rattlesnake repellant, which contained some odd | | | | generally find where I am going. If I've got a map |
| little bundles of aromatic herbs and spices. I'm not | | | | I can get there. This philosophy doesn't lend itself |
| sure what they do, but I never saw a snake | | | | to traveling on Cape Cod. Confusion reigns. For |
| nearby. I gave a box to the son of a friend on his | | | | example the town of Dennis is made up of five |
| way to a party in Seattle. He held one of the | | | | villages: North Dennis, South Dennis, East Dennis, |
| bundles up to his nose. I warned him, don't let the | | | | West Dennis, and Dennisport. Towns and villages |
| police search you. I don't know that either the | | | | blend together. We set off on an adventure one |
| herbal teas or the snakebite repellant had anything | | | | day to visit NOAA's National Marine Fisheries |
| to do with local Indian heritage, but the gifts were | | | | Service Northeast Fisheries Science Center at |
| bought in Massachusetts, which should count for | | | | Woods Hole. We wanted to see the NOAA |
| something.Generally, each day started off the | | | | Aquarium. We knew where Woods Hole was. We |
| same. I would rise earlier than Al or Peg. I would | | | | could see Woods Hole on the map, but like NOAA |
| turn on the coffee maker and then sometimes | | | | on the ocean, we had to submerge ourselves in |
| go for a drive or a walk. Returning I would knock | | | | the countryside to find Woods Hole . . . only to |
| on Al's door and he would be up in a jiffy and | | | | find the aquarium closed.We enjoyed our drive in |
| ready to go. I knew we would probably have a | | | | the country. We saw many rock walls, which |
| big lunch and a big dinner, so breakfast I wanted | | | | reminded us of Minute Men and Lexington and |
| to keep light . . . but within reason. My first | | | | Concord. We saw many shops and Inns. The road |
| breakfast in West Dennis was at the Good | | | | through the country side dipped and climbed |
| Friends Cafe, which is only a few yards from the | | | | through lovely cool, green lush growth. The only |
| local post office.I never like to eat at national | | | | frustration was the long search.Once we found |
| chains. I prefer local establishments. You never | | | | Woods Hole, we still had trouble finding the |
| know what you'll find. Al had eaten at the | | | | aquarium. We ended up following an arrow out of |
| restaurant before under its old name, but never | | | | town half a mile into a residential area. We drove |
| at the Good Friends. I saw on the menu | | | | back and found the arrow again. It was on the |
| something called "grilled bread" and I asked the | | | | building where the aquarium was! We peeked in |
| waiter, a young man named Tchigo (I hope that's | | | | the windows, and Peg walked out to the harbor |
| spelled correctly, I'm not sure with the accent and | | | | behind the facility for a few pictures. It just never |
| all) what it was. The bread is homemade by his | | | | occured to us that an aquarium would be closed |
| father, who was a cook at a different restaurant | | | | on Saturday. We should have visited the internet |
| before the purchase of the Good Friends where | | | | site for details. We enjoyed the ride back and |
| he is now cook and owner. It was excellent. A | | | | ended the evening with a movie.I don't know how |
| good hefty slice is cut and then grilled until warm | | | | many times I drove past this sign that greets |
| and aromatic. It's served with a dollop of butter | | | | visitors to West Dennis. The sign promises $12.99 |
| on top. There are three kinds of grilled bread: | | | | lobster at Sundancer's. Everytime I saw it I |
| apple, cinnamon raisin, and cranberry. I ordered | | | | thought to myself, we should eat there. They |
| both the apple, and the cranberry. The bread was | | | | have a deck that looks out to the water. They |
| good without the butter. It was delightful with the | | | | have music several nights a week. They have a |
| butter. It was good dunked in coffee. It was good | | | | river cruise most afternoons. Oh, well. Sometimes |
| just plain grilled. I shared the apple grilled bread | | | | you have to make sacrifices . . . and leave |
| with Al, but never offered the cranberry to him. I | | | | adventures for the next visit.Al was determined |
| REALLY liked the cranberry. Sometimes they use | | | | that we would eat in one night. Like Peg and I, he |
| the bread in their French toast. I'll have to try that | | | | loves to cook. Al was in charge of a simple meal. |
| another time.I ate at the Good Friends my last | | | | I bought salad makings, and some fresh |
| day in West Dennis by myself. Again, I just | | | | greenbeans. We had prawns, scallops (cooked to |
| wanted a little something. I ordered the corn beef | | | | absolute perfection), seafood pate, clam stuffing, |
| hash expecting something from a can. What I got | | | | rice and white wine. We stuffed ourselves silly. |
| was homemade corned beef and onions. I don't | | | | We ended up with scallops and prawns leftover. |
| think there was even a potato anywhere in sight | | | | There was food everywhere. Al looked around |
| with it. While I was wolfing it down, I almost | | | | and said, "It looks like the food fairy visited my |
| ordered some hashbrowns to mix in. When I | | | | home and puked." We sipped a little more wine. |
| walked in and sat down, Tchigo asked if I was | | | | Two days later Al got up at five in the morning |
| waiting for my friend. It had been a week since I | | | | and made himself a rice and scallop snack . . . then |
| had been there and he remembered me and Al. | | | | went back to bed. He didn't join me that morning |
| Now, that is why I like small, mom and pop, | | | | for breakfast out.I really loved the mornings on |
| family run cafes if I can find them. Another meal | | | | Cape Cod. The bogs and estuaries change with |
| or two and I would have been behind the counter | | | | the tides and the fog. I would visit the same |
| helping my good friends Tchigo and his papa out | | | | places day after day and was never disappointed. |
| at their Good Friends Cafe. Very nice.As we left | | | | I was also rarely disappointed in our choices for |
| the restaurant a couple drove up and asked us | | | | meals. Al and I dropped Peg off at a laundromat |
| directions to Dennisport. Al complied. I think this is | | | | one morning and then returned as she was |
| funny because as we drove all over the cape we | | | | finishing folding her clothes. There are two shops |
| often had to consult maps and get our bearings. | | | | nearby we decided to visit and tucked in by them |
| Driving is a constant state of confusion on the | | | | was a little cafe. The waitress was funny and |
| Cape. When I left the restaurant a week later by | | | | friendly. The food was excellent. I had a tuna |
| myself I saw a man with his car parked and the | | | | Ceasar salad. I asked if it was from a tuna fillet or |
| hood up. The license plate showed that he had | | | | just out of a can. "Tuna salad made from a can," |
| been an American POW (I'm guessing in World | | | | was my answer. It was excellent. I might make it |
| War II). I drove up beside him and asked if he | | | | on my own one day. Al had a Reuben sandwich |
| needed assistance. He said he didn't need any help. | | | | on a "bulky" roll. He had to ask about the bulky. It |
| He had the engine belts replaced and his wife | | | | was chewey and yet soft. The corned beef and |
| complained that they were squeeking. The Vet, | | | | cheese spilled out. He managed to eat it all.It's |
| with two hearing aids, couldn't hear them, so he | | | | always tough to live up to high expectations. Al |
| had to open the hood and stick his head down | | | | highly recommended Captain Parker's Pub for |
| near the engine. We had a nice chat. If it hadn't | | | | dinner. He raved about it. We saved it for our final |
| been my last day, I would have begged him to | | | | meal in Cape Cod. The food was good, but the |
| tell me stories of his military career.One of Al's | | | | restuarant was loud, we were seated by the |
| favorite places to stop is the Music Meister. | | | | door, and the waitress was abrupt. She also |
| Owner Lew Taylor has access to DVDs galore. | | | | forgot to serve us bread with our meal. On the |
| He only has some in stock, but can order almost | | | | plus side, however the food was good. I followed |
| whatever you need. Knowing how much I love | | | | Al's advice and ordered the seafood pasta. The |
| classic TV and movies, Al wanted me to meet | | | | seafood included lobster, prawns and mussels in a |
| Lew. I was reluctant. Al told me what a great guy | | | | heavy cream sauce. I wouldn't have thought the |
| he was. He told me how Lew used to be on the | | | | mussels would work with the cream sauce, but |
| rodeo circuit. I didn't care. I had other things to | | | | they were excellent. I had to walk over to the |
| think about. I pulled into the driveway of the local | | | | service counter and retrieve a table dispenser of |
| library instead of the Music Meister because I saw | | | | cheese. This irritated me. Al's scallops were great. |
| that they had WiFi. Unfortunately, they were | | | | He knows what he likes. Peg ordered mussels, |
| closed. I was disappointed. Al said, let's go visit | | | | which surprised me. Like mine they were |
| Lew. He's the board president for the library . . . | | | | wonderful with a nice broth. I had to catch the |
| small towns . . . don't you just love 'em? We pulled | | | | waitress, though and ask for bread, so Peg could |
| in to the parking lot of The Music Meister. It was | | | | enjoy sopping up the broth with the bread. This is |
| after closing hours. Lew and his wife Kathy, an | | | | one of the joys of ordering mussels or steamed |
| expert seamstress, were still there.Lew | | | | clams. Broth and bread are major requirements. |
| confessed that I could connect in the library | | | | The three of us shared an apple crisp with vanilla |
| parking lot with my laptop, but I didn't bring my | | | | ice cream.After finishing our meals at Captain |
| laptop to Cape Cod. I was hoping for a WiFi Cafe. | | | | Parker's Pub, we walked behind to the parking lot |
| Lew said, "I don't think you'll find one on the Cape. | | | | to the ZooAquarium. Peg sat on Flipper to rest in |
| We're kind of low-tech out here." Peg and I | | | | the cool evening breeze. Our eight days on Cape |
| consoled ourselves by looking over some Celtic | | | | Cod had worn us out. Even though we had cut |
| CDs that Lew had for sale. Peg bought three and | | | | our activities to almost nothing for the last day, |
| headed towards the car to listen to Maura | | | | we were all still tired. I think we were all a little |
| O'Connell (one of our favorites), while I talked to | | | | sad that it was almost over as well.We returned |
| Lew about Celtic singers and groups. I went | | | | to The Mainstay and packed our bags. I dropped |
| outside and Al and Peg were looking at a tree | | | | off to sleep about eleven. My alarm was set for |
| with long pods on it. None of us knew what it | | | | 3:30 AM. We left West Dennis about 4:15 AM and |
| was.Al went back in to talk to Lew. He didn't | | | | left the Cape in the driving rain. We left Cape |
| know what the tree was either. Later Kathy | | | | Cod, but our memories will take us back anytime.I |
| called with the name, Catalpa. We stopped in to | | | | think Al was a little lonely when he woke up to an |
| see Lew several more times. Once before he | | | | empty house (I think there was still a full |
| opened, once after he closed and twice when he | | | | refridgerator, however) that Thursday morning. |
| was actually open. He was always friendly and | | | | We hadn't even picked up our baggage at |
| always helpful. I was looking for a song I had | | | | Sea-Tac when we had a call from Al on Peg's cell |
| heard in the background in the feature film, Saint | | | | phone. The flight on Alaska went well. Excellent |
| Ralph. It was a Canadian film and I thought the | | | | service from friendly people . . . just like most of |
| singer was probably Celtic. Lew searched and | | | | our stay in West Dennis on Cape Cod.Don Doman |
| gave me the news: Jack Ingram from Texas. The | | | | is a published author, video producer, and |
| song was Goodnight Moon.Al keeps a car at West | | | | corporate trainer. He owns the business training |
| Dennis. He loves (and tolerates) the car and when | | | | site Ideas and Training ( which he says is the |
| he leaves for the season he parks it between | | | | home of the no-hassle "free preview" for |
| trees so anyone wanting to steal it would have a | | | | business training videos. Don and his wife Peg also |
| tough time towing it away. I think Al's car is safe. | | | | travel in the Pacific Northwest writing of their fun |
| The car has a few rust problems and is covered | | | | and adventures. |