Our first, full day in Newport.  We are staying here for three nights before continuing on to Maine.
We have another AirBnB house with plenty of room for 5 + dog and within walking distance to the main, touristy part of the town.

Morning walk; this graveyard is a block away from where we’re staying.

One of the main purposes of this stop is to tour Salve Regina University (in Newport).  Josie has been accepted here and been offered a very generous scholarship.  Even so, it’s still a bit of a stretch, financially.
In addition to a campus tour, we visited with the Financial Aid office and (in a reasonably-well-off, white family way) begged for more money.  We walked away fairly encouraged and will be looking for more letters and information coming from them in January.  Salve is small (2100 students) liberal arts university that has a good Education program (Josie’s intended major) – a Catholic school that takes in all types.

View from the campus green behind the admin building.

The girls impressed with the admin main hall.

Typical classroom we found that was open.

On to even fancier stuff… The Breakers – summer residence for the Vanderbilts.  Built in the 1890’s.  I think most of you have toured this place, no?

The music room all fixed up for Xmas performances.

Main hall.  We purchased a package that will get us into three mansions.. The Breakers today and two more (Marble House, The Elms) tomorrow.

Driving around Aquidneck island.  Apparently we come from the less well-healed branch of the Jeffery family tree.  These folks would not allow us to crash like a group of Cousin Eddys.

Typical houses in the area.  My co-worker, Alan, who has lived in the area for many years tells me that even if we won the lottery, we still couldn’t afford to buy these places.

Brenda was anxious to see if Winston took to sheep like fish to water.  He did not.  I think we bought a dud in the sheep herder department.

Brenda, however, always has an ability to get the animals to do her bidding.

Doing some Xmas shopping along the waterfront in Newport.

As the day progressed, Brenda has begun to feel worse and worse – likely food poisoning.   The day before, she bought a veggie wrap at a New Jersey Turnpike truck stop.  Who knew that might carry risks??!!

The kids and I went out to a seafood dinner and we turned in early to watch Christmas movies and South Park re-runs.