Albin and Mokie joined us for dinner at the marina in Thunderbolt, close to Savannah. It will take Peregrine two more days to get to Saint-Simons Island—which normally takes a little over an hour by car. That is, if we get going this morning after our festive dinner. (An hour later: we did!)
Mokie and Albin looked so handsome. It took me by surprise: I’ve seen so much beauty in nature lately, but oh, they look just every bit as awesome. Mokie had brought a crusty baguette we judged to be as close to the real thing as you can get on this side of the ocean; mousse pâté with cognac and jelly (guess what we’ll have for lunch); triple cream Daphinois (our favorite cheese—we’ll keep it for dinner); and Sancerre wine (no leftover there). So delicious and how sweet! We have not been grocery shopping since Annapolis. We found out that we did not need as much dry food as we had packed. Vegetables we left in the open had a longer life expectancy, but it may be because Peregrine is often not much higher in temp than a fridge—so this may not be true in our next trip. We still have lettuce and tomatoes for our last meal tonight (our last meal!). Mokie asked if we were looking forward to going back to Atlanta. A question I could not answer. I found peace on the boat, and whether it’s something I can bring back home, I don’t know.
We also had shrimp for dinner we had bought at the dock in Georgetown (and peeled) especially for this occasion. Whether it was good, we’ll never know. I shook the red pepper bottle on it while cooking, but it did not have a plastic cover with holes on it. The shrimp was “diabolo” all right. Nothing a little Sancerre did not wash away.
sv PEREGRINE 
May, you really look good and in peace on this picture. It is a pleasure to see you like this. I see that this trip has been great for you and not the ordeal you thought it may be (no nausea if I understood well). I really enjoyed following you and Dickie day after day on you travel, looking every morning if you made some new posting (no joke). I have not been so close to you that way day after day since a long time and I really felt good being in touch and reading you postings. I truly found great the way you are expressing all your feelings and looking at them in front, the way you express yourself so directly about your pain, about Stuart; the way you are accepting and taking life. I think you have understood a lot. I really admire you attitude to life. And you know I do not make compliments so easily… With lots of love to you both.
Who would have known we’d communicate in English one day? Oh no! Now my thoughts are going back to Monsieur Hiaux (l’affreux prof d’anglais–et on l’avait eu en même temps pour ta classe d’anglais avancée, si tu te souviens…). I am deeply touched by what you write. It’s awesome that two little girls, 7 and 8, felt connected from start in a way that would last their whole life. I see us at the bottom of the avenue de la Grande Armée, going to the prom’ waiting for the red light, jumping and shouting, “Tout est possible dans l’infini, et même que l’infini soit fini,” and the incredible excitement it brought us both. I still think it was pretty deep and exciting.