On Saturday, July 13th (2019) I had the whole day to myself to do with as I pleased during my half-weekend away. I did some familiar well-loved things that I do every summer and some new things that I'd been wanting to do for years. It was a great mix of things, and it was a great day!
After my delicious breakfast at the inn, I headed out. It was a beautiful, warm summer day. Where do you think I went? The beach? No. I went to the library. 😂 The Brewster Ladies Library to be exact, for their fabulous used book sale, and to use the library itself. I finally got my own card there too, which works for any of the libraries on the Cape. I'd been meaning to do that for years!
This is the prettiest library I think I've ever been to.
I stopped at a shop I like on my drive back up 6A.
I was tempted to get this framed quilled owl print, but I didn't.
Then I ate a lovely al fresco lunch at
The Optimist Cafe, which was just down the street from my B&B.
My views during lunch:
I love their frozen hot chocolate!
After lunch, I FINALLY went to the
Edward Gorey House! I can't believe it took me fourteen years to go here!
This was his actual house where he lived for two decades until his death (hence the name).
It was a fun, whimsical place. I think he was a fun, whimsical kind of man.
The reason I knew who Edward Gorey was was because of his illustrations for Masterpiece Mystery on PBS, which has brought me much entertainment over the years (the shows, not the illustrations 😉, although that theme music with his animated illustrations is classic and really well done).
His typewriter and a photo tribute to Agatha Christie, whose characters Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple are on Masterpiece Mystery.
A picture of him at Grey's Beach Boardwalk, the same boardwalk we go to every summer and that I went to later that day. His house wasn't far from there.
My next stop was right up the street and it was another thing I'd been meaning to do for years. There's a historic sea captain's house called the
Winslow Crocker House that is sometimes opened for tours. I finally took one! And I'm so glad I did! It was like taking a big step back in time. The woman who had owned it had an amazing collection of furniture and artifacts from colonial times.
Lots of wood--on the walls, the floors, and the furniture!
This collection of different locks from over the years (centuries) on the front door was cool. It was like looking back in time through different eras.
I think chair desks like this are so practical and efficient.
I liked this desk. Or secretary, I think it's called.
This cradle is super-historic! I wish I could remember all the details but I do remember the tour guide saying they were very fortunate to have this there, and that sometimes it goes on "tour" to other places or exhibits.
I think she said that historians think it may have come over on the Mayflower, or something like that. That's how old it is, and remarkably well-preserved.
I tried to stay with the historical theme and wanted to tour another historic sea captain's house that was nearby, but nobody answered the door. So this one remains on my list and I'll try to do it next summer. I got some nice pictures of the outside, though.
It was a little creepy to see this when I looked in one of the front windows!
My appetite for history is never satiated so next I went to an antique store that I'd been meaning to go to for years. It didn't disappoint! I bought a set of teacups from Queen Elizabeth's coronation and a pretty porcelain colonial pitcher. These were some other things that I liked but didn't get.
I almost bought this and now I wish I had.
So cute!
I don't know if this was actually an antique, but it's very nice!
Pretty dolls
My wedding colors
I have a paperweight from Barnes & Noble that looks a lot like this.
This definitely wasn't an antique!
After the antique store I went back to my room and read and rested for a bit, and then I went out for a delicious casual seafood dinner at a place I'd always wanted to try. By this point I felt a little lonely, surrounded by families and couples at dinner, but it was fine. After dinner I went to the Gray's Beach Boardwalk, one of my favorite spots on the Cape. It was such a beautiful, peaceful evening.
The moon was out with the sun.
I did a little exploring on the other side of the beach, trying to find a long-rumored swing that I'd heard about, which I didn't find, but the views reminded me a bit of Prince Edward Island, which made me happy.
My final stop was in Barnstable for ice cream. I sat under a "fairy tree" while I ate it.
There was something about this house that was across the street. I was looking at it while I ate my ice cream, and I got this weird feeling about it, like something was in there. It was a little creepy but not in a scary way. It was just an impression that the house was empty of human beings, but it wasn't empty of...something else. A few minutes later my suspicions were (somewhat) confirmed when a ghost walk group stopped there on their walking tour. I knew there was something about that house!
After that I went back to the inn and took a relaxing bath and went to bed. And that was how I spent my day to myself! It had some of my favorite things: books, history, the ocean, seafood, ice cream, and ghosts!
