From My Mind to....

This Date in History

Tomorrow I'll continue our trip with a stop in Saguenay. But today's date, 18 October, is rather special ... to me, at least.

Seventy-five years ago on this date, my wife, Jeanette was born. Happy birthday, Babe! Unlike me who has moved around a lot growing up (Dad was career Air Force), she lives in a house built for her when she married about 150 yards up the road from the house where she grew up.

Though we only met 13 years ago, we've crammed a lot of fun years in our time together. She's always wanted to travel, and we've managed to do just that--western Caribbean (Cozumel & Cancun), eastern Caribbean (Key West, Bermuda & Bahamas), Hawaii, Alaska (including Denali), France, Germany (twice), a Mediterranean cruise from Venice to Athens, Huatulco (Mexico), a Great Lakes cruise, and the Maritimes cruise we just finished. We've both wanted to visit New Zealand and Australia but feared the long flights to achieve that desire. It's a bitch getting older.

We also took a 2-week RV trip west (including National Parks in South Dakota, Wyoming, Utah and Colorado). Several of our trips included her daughter and son-in-law--they drove the 32-ft RV and we bought the fuel. It was a very equitable arrangement.

I couldn't be blessed with a better partner in my life.

I should mention a happy birthday to her son, Mark, who was also born on this very day. The place at which Jeanette worked always gave their workers a day off for their birthday. However, since she was in the hospital (giving birth), she had to use her sick leave. Bad Ju Ju! She found a better job shortly after.

Also, on this date 250 years ago, the British sailed into Casco Bay and burned the town of Portland to the ground. Then known as Falmouth, part of Massachusetts Bay Colony, the town of some 400 buildings was completely burned to the ground in retaliation for raids of British shipping along the coast. The British did allow the inhabitants to pack up their belongings and flee the city. Warfare back then was oh so civilized, what?

Colonists' raids had been taking place for several years along the coast from New York up the coast of what is now Maine, and the British decided to regain control of the coast by terrorizing the coastal townspeople. Rather than attack Boston where surrounding colonies might respond quickly with force, the British decided the coast from Portland (Falmouth) north would be better pickings.

Although a great success for the British, the attack backfired spectacularly. The colonist's resolve that the British had no consideration for their well-being was strengthened. The coastal towns were fortified against potential attack.

And the rest, they say, is history.

Having just visited Portland, I had not considered the part it played in the Revolutionary War. One story of so many stories. That Portland was re-built into the largest city in Maine is a testament to the colonists who forged our nation.