Fifteen Months Later - Olde Cape Cod

 

We had started and then stopped heading to Cape Cod as things began to open up and we were fully vaccinated. Before Memorial Day Weekend and Governor Baker's lifting of the restrictions for COVID, we gave pause to heading to the Cape. Where could we go to the bathroom? How long of a wait would there be to get a table at a restaurant? How safe was it to be out among non-vaccinated people and could we enjoy our time needing to wear a mask.

When we woke up Monday morning, it was an uncharacteristically cool Memorial Day. There was drizzle and fog with the forecast calling for rain/drizzle/fog in Boston and in Falmouth. After meditation, we spontaneously decided it was the perfect day to head to our happy place where we had not been since February of 2020.

I suggested that we do our run in Brookline and then head to the Cape but Ruth Anne suggested we do our run along Falmouth Heights Beach. We trusted that we would have access to a bathroom when we needed it and since capacity restrictions were lifted, we'd be able to find a good place to eat.

I felt the excitement as we pulled out of the driveway to go the farthest distance away from Brookline in 15 months.

I was overcome with emotion seeing road signs we hadn't seen for what seemed like forever.

We knew that the beautiful Cape Cod Canal was below us just beyond the dense fog as we crossed over the Bourne Bridge.

First stop was Falmouth Heights Beach. My breath caught to see it again. Only shadows of letters remained on the sign for the British Beer Company one of our favorite 'pit stop' places while at the beach or on a run where we'd order a sparkling water at the bar and return for English pub style food. It always reminded us of pubs in Bermuda. Fortunately the new staff were kind enough to let us use the facilities when we needed to as we explained how the British Beer Company always let us use their bathroom. I felt a lump in my throat to see how the place was changed from where we would often go during trips to Falmouth especially during the Falmouth Road Race weekend.

We had a slow place for our 5K enjoying the scenery along the way reminiscing about the times we visited Falmouth when the kids were young. 

While our clothes were damp, our spirits were high from breathing in the salty sea air and being in our happy place once more.

The next big question of the day was where to have lunch. We decided on The Flying Bridge but it was a very different Flying Bridge from the last time we were there in the Fall of 2019. The outdoor area where they were serving was encased with plastic all the way around. There were lamps for warmth but it was uncomfortably warm and claustrophobic. We opted to head to Main Street to another one of our favorite restaurants, Anejo Mexican Bistro. The wait staff eagerly dried off the chairs at the outdoor table and greeted us with warm smiles. There was a long line to get in for indoor dining but no wait for an outdoor table where we dined on delicious burritos and tacos.

After lunch, we supported local business at Eight Cousins Bookstore and savored every moment on Main Street along with our favorite Ben and Bill's Ice Cream.

With hearts (and bellies) full we drove home excited for a summer that President Joe Biden said today we all deserve after a very long dark winter.

Spontaneity was not a word in our vocabulary during the pandemic. We had to plan runs, trips to the grocery store, make sure we had masks and could social distance. There were no trips to the beach during the height of summer or trips to the Cape. What a joy to allow the day to unfold unplanned, unplugged and for the most part, maskless and spontaneous!

Be sure to listen to my conversation with Greg Chastain and Ed Siegel on their Voices of Hope podcast, The Cardinal Cafe. from Greg Chastain: The latest episode of The Cardinal Cafe is up! On this episode we meet Mary McManus. Mary is a motivational speaker, author, poet, 2009 Boston Marathon Finisher, polio and trauma survivor. She has a remarkable story of resilence, healing, Hope and possibilities. Once you hear her tell her story you will want to rush out to purchase her newest book of poems “Hope is a Garden” which she wrote during the recent pandemic. So please join us for this incredible story. 

From my heart to yours
In health and wellness
Mary

For more information about my journey from childhood polio and trauma to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and beyond, visit my website.  

Be sure to check out my website's News and Events page for upcoming and past interviews where I share my remarkable and inspirational journey as a survivor of paralytic polio and trauma.

My books to inspire and uplift you are available on Amazon.