Not really (and I've made that lame excuse before). In fact, I'm off to The Elms for a concert — yes, on a Friday morning.
It's Day One of the Newport Music Festival. Among other things, this year marks the "bicentennial of Chopin" — I take that to mean it's his 200th birthday — so the entirety of his work is being played (a nice gift!). Not in one day but over the next few weeks. Anyway, a friend who plays the piano asked if I was interested. I, who used to play the piano (not well), said, "Sure." So this morning, we'll hear Nocturnes, Mazurkas and Polonaises ... and, yes, I'm anticipating a real time-warp as I sit in a Newport mansion a.k.a. "cottage" on a summer morning listening to lovely classical music. Perhaps someone was celebrating Chopin's "centennial" in similar fashion on just such a morning at The Elms in 1910.
But back to fishing: One recent evening, when Mr. Betty and I were headed into the harbor on our modest little fishing boat (from which we rarely fish) after a quick dip (and picnic dinner, if I recall) at Mackerel Cove, we crossed paths with a fishing boat heading out. He (she?) still had one "arm" raised but was in the process of lowering it. Meanwhile, the sun was crossing the bow from left to right — oops, port to starboard — and creating quite the serene scene when suddenly a speedboat entered stage left (stage port??), bringing with it the requisite vrooooooom.
I'd never seen this vessel, but I certainly recognized the moniker as it caught up to us and glided past. All I can say is "Flo" must have a bigger net cast elsewhere, as she serves a lot of seafood at her spot in Middletown. I've been there — to Flo's Clam Shack — once or twice. Very colorful; always busy. Looks like business is booming ...
That's a rather small net (above), yes??
And look (below) ... three outboards!!
