By Paul Mazonson
We arrived ready for another Marblehead summer in late May. That first morning of returning, walking our older dog to Crocker Park we noticed the beauty of the houses under the gaze of Abbot Hall, some with flowers in bloom, some under construction. Life happening here in Marblehead.
As we approach the bandstand at Crocker Park, the harbor opens ahead, a particular kind of greeting after nine months away. I can smell the salt, feel the damp and I love it, it’s Marblehead.
I grew up in town. My parents settled here in 1953 when I was 2 years old. Except for college and a few years living in Georgetown, Marblehead has been home for me and for my wife, Kathie, until we moved west to Colorado to be close to grandkids.
Now we return each summer for three months and have the joy of rediscovering, reconnecting with our town, appreciating Marblehead’s beauty and wonder.
It’s different for each of us.
For Kathie, it’s a first meet-up at ‘or Java Sun.
For me, it’s pulling into the boatyard on Beacon Street to check on Grace, our CWHood 32 and moving my rowing shell to the allotted space on the storage racks of Rock n Row.
My summer revolves around being on the ocean, playing on our playground as I call it. Many days, rowing at 6:30 a.m., to Beverly Light or to Church or the Gooseberries. There’s a whole morning ritual to rowing, checking weather and wind at 5 a.m., riding my bike to the boatyard, greeting sleepyheads at 6:15.
I love my ride to the boatyard, the movement is good for my aging body and there’s nothing quite like pedaling through Old Town, past Farine for the aroma of fresh bread.
Rowing and Rock N Row are an inspiration for me. I love the people, I love the place and I love, love, love the experience of being on the ocean in my rowing shell early in the morning. There’s nothing quite like it.
And then, after rowing, I pedal home and take Blu for a morning walk, often to Crocker Park, other days to Mookie’s to hang on the bench while he takes up a good part of the sidewalk waiting to be greeted by people passing by who just want to say hi to a big white dog. He’s waiting for a treat, maybe some of Kathie’s yogurt cup or my breakfast sandwich, all while we watch the world go by on a bench outside Mookie’s.
Some days we see old friends. Other days we chat with strangers. I love to ask my favorite Marblehead trivia question, “Why are Marines called Marines?” I can then tell the story of John Glover ferrying soldiers, horses and cannons across the Delaware river.
There is a particular beauty to living in a town so rich in history when her history surrounds us and reminds us where we have come from.
When our grandkids visit, a whole different experience of Marblehead emerges. They are Colorado children who have come to love summer in Marblehead.
They love the beach at Glover Landing. They love sailing Grace and driving the Zodiac to the public landing for ice cream or Brown’s Island to swim and explore.
Our kids keep coming back. Partly to visit us but I believe mostly they, too, love being in Marblehead in the summertime.
Even Bryan, our son-in-law, has fallen in love, wandering through town on a morning run or sitting at The Driftwood counter.
We love Shubie’s and have since Carol started selling prepared foods in George’s liquor store. I love Mino’s. I love House of Pizza and Le Ros for Thai food, The Landing and Maddie’s and Cafe Italia. And of course Little Harbor Seafoods with the best lobster roll in town, especially when we arrive by water.
We have great friends here and a whole lot of history. Old friends and new friends and we love to see all of them after a long winter.
There are stories to tell.
Just yesterday at Bliss Salon I was talking to Rich about how we know Anne Hoffmann who also lives at Glover Landing. Anne’s sister, MJ, was married to an old friend, Michael, who I met one morning in Falmouth in 1969 when I found him sleeping on the hood of his car outside my girlfriend’s house.
We became fast friends and here we are linked again through our neighbor, Anne. I guess it’s just the way history weaves through our lives here in Marblehead, whether family history, personal history or the history of the revolution that began our country.
I am thankful for so much of our lives here.
I am thankful for all of Rock n Row with special thanks to Jean and Tzivya and Judy, Thomas, Seth and the summer crew. You make this life very special.
I am thankful for our magnificent ocean playground.
I love wandering in wonder though the streets of old town.
I love our merchants: FL Woods, Marblehead Marine Store, French & Italian and Fair Wind Outboards.
I love hanging in the Marblehead Trading Co. boatyard, chatting with Ace, Alex, Bryan or Ralph Anderson, Chris Hood and Bing.
We love our town. Thank you for being who you are.
Next week, we head to our other home in Boulder, Colorado, where I start my training again for next year’s summer in Marblehead.
Paul Mazonson is co-founder of Marblehead’s rowing club, Row N Row
