09.06 - Day 146 - Annapolis

Sunday 9th June - Annapolis, Maryland (Day 146)

They say they do it semi-regularly but it doesn’t make Dave frying up bacon and sausage on the BBQ and Lauren (with slow help from Charlotte) baking blackberry muffins for breakfast any less of a treat for us. 

Again, the kids are playing in the lounge while the always smiling Olivia crawls around or surveys the scene from her bouncer. 

Team RJ head out and walk into Annapolis past all the local boats and out-of-town weekend visitors to this pretty waterfront town centre and into the Naval Academy which grabs a large chunk of the waters edge. After passport checks and airport scans we can read about its history, notable alumni and about Bill, the goat mascot for the Academy’s American Football Team. We’re allowed to walk about the campus and the French inspired buildings. 

Sienna is particularly taken by a sample dorm room - piquing both her interest for university but also for bedroom designs back in Sydney (a bed above a table to allow her to do schoolwork and store her book). 

There’s a thorough but compact Museum on the role of the navy throughout America’s (western) lifetime and upstairs a large collection of model boats, up to 450 years old. 

By now 3 of 4 of us are flagging so we seek the security of a good feed at Chick and Ruth’s Delly before ambling back in the sunshine to Dave and Lauren's house. 

The later part of the afternoon is spent relaxing: watching some TV for the kids, a bit of football in the cul de sac with Seb before a last supper of bolognese and crunchy and fluffy homemade focaccia. There’s some final reminiscing and nodding agreement on the idiosyncrasies of children over a few drinks in the lounge before turning in.