DAY TWO: Saturday September 9th, Boxford to Newburyport

​I am awake by 7.30am after a good long sleep in the spare room which has two single beds. I can hear the kids downstairs watching the Wiggles so I get up, shower, shave and join the family downstairs for some breakfast. Henry, who is three, has Baby Gym, to which Karen takes him. Julian and I are left in charge of entertaining 11-month-old Caroline for two hours. Karen and Henry return around 11am and we make ready for a trip to the Massachusetts coast at Newburyport. Julian drives us all in the family’s second car, a Jeep Grand Cherokee, up the I95 interstate.
 
We park close to the moorings on the harbour front and walk around the boats to the centre of the busy tourist town stopping at Groggs restaurant for lunch. I have fish and chips and an Ipswich Ale. Julian insists on paying, saying that I’ll be paying for plenty of meals for myself soon enough. We then head to the Cook store to buy some coffee beans, plus two iced coffees for Julian and I. The weather is again warm and balmy, but less humid on the coast. We also stop at the bakery to buy chocolate cakes for desert tonight – though Henry gets a pink sprinkles-laden cup cake.
 
We wander back through the harbour area as Julian wants to see if a boat trip is possible. Karen is sceptical given that we have the kids with us. A cruiser pulls out just as we arrive at the mooring, so we are saved. I never was much of a boat trip fan. Instead, we stroll up to the kids’ playground where Henry runs around for 15 minutes and then flags. The final stop is the Dragon’s Nest toyshop where Henry buys some juggling balls and I stop myself from buying anything – I have a long journey to finance and limited packing space!
 
We head back to the very hot Jeep. The temperature outside is 80 degrees celsius on such a sunny September day, so we drive back to Boxford with the aircon on full blast. The kids fall asleep and the adults detour to Benson’s ice cream store for refreshments – a great Black Raspberry flavour for me. We are home by around 4pm to play with Henry’s juggling balls and drink G&T’s on the deck.
 
Both kids are put to bed early and dinner is tossed on the BBQ by Julian. We eat it in the lounge watching Maria Sharapova win the US Open Women’s final in a black dress modelled on that of Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Bed by 10pm – still slightly jet-lagged. ​Car Mileage at end of day: 2,385.