We Are Here: The Oyster House: The Warmth of Family and Friends

Every birthday should start off with poppy seed cake in bed! Yummy decadence with the additional bonus of the oven warming up the boat.

Waking up in beautiful Palmer Cove set the stage for a superb day. Many moons ago, I made a vow to windsurf on every birthday, something I was able to do for around six or seven years straight. Over the years, however, this goal has been stymied by such things as work, precarious pregnancies, or lack of wind; last year I spent the whole day at one of Phoenix's gymnastics meets. Wonderful then, that I could sail today, an ample substitute for windsurfing.

We set off as soon as the warmth of the oven had worn off in the cabin in order to catch the northwest winds for as long as we could. Once out of the Yeocomico River, I sailed on a broad reach down the Potomac River and was able to milk the wind and the swell for some exhilarating speed.

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The waning winds, however, left me barely moving after a few hours despite heroic efforts to position the main and jib in maximum wing-to-wing configuration. As we had family and friends waiting for us, I started motoring once it became apparent the wind was really going to abandon me.

The rest of the day more than made up for my disrupted sailing session. We joined Jamey's parents at The Oyster House, the home of Faith and Andy who are close family friends.

As we neared the Great Wicomico River, a powerboat moved with great speed directly towards us. Friend or foe? I wondered if I had sailed over a mad waterman's nets or crab traps or if these were modern-day pirates come to board. It was Grammy and Grampy and friends!

Janet and Faith are best friends and have known each other since preschool age.

Boat journeys are full of discovery and amazing encounters. Today's treasure was experiencing the incredible bonds of friendship that exist between Jamey's family and Faith and Andy's family and being welcomed into this hearth of warmth and love.