Fourth of July-Independence Day!

It's early morning here on the lake.  In just a few minutes, I'll head out to get on Interstate 93 to take me down to Boston so I can pick up Pav when he arrives around 10 or so this morning.

This holiday has taken on a whole new meaning this year.  It's ironic that it's all about 'independence' and 'freedom' and yet here we are--me and Pav--starting out on a new life together based on a certain amount of interdependence on one another.  For me personally, I can't wait to take on the challenges that await with a new home, a new job and, best of all, someone supportive with whom I can share it all!

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On another note, I had a visitor here at the lake for the past few days.  My friend, Maryam, drove up in the pouring rain to see the place for the first time and to get some downtime from the real world.  For both of us it was a great visit and a gift to spend time together.   Little did I know that she was also going to leave me with a gift of another sort.  

As part of her relaxation, Maryam paints in her spare time.  Her first day here she took a picture of the cottage from the end of the dock.  Over the course of the next 36 hours, she worked meticulously to paint the picture you see below.  [As with any photograph of a work of art, it never truly captures the detail involved.]

Thank you, Maryam, for the time together and for creating this treasure as a lasting memory of your visit!