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Previously, I reported our family reunion in2008 http://blog.sciencenet.cn/blog-1565-207464.html  and 2013 http://blog.sciencenet.cn/blog-1565-754031.html.This  time for one week (8/8-16/2105) we chose a more glamorous location of the Island of Martha’s Vineyard.Massachusetts, the annual vacation spot of President Obama and family as wellas various celebrities. Fifty six years ago (1959) before it became famous, it was just a fishing island off the coast of Massachusetts, my wife and I (a poor graduate student) spent our honeymoon  for three days on this island and we have not revisited it since  1963. This time is was my wife’s 80^thbirthday as well as that of our youngest daughter of Ebola fighting fame http://blog.sciencenet.cn/blog-1565-874894.html.

Our family rented a large house with a separate guest house on  the remote tip of a long narrow peninsula (see pictures 1 and 2 below) surrounded on three side by ocean, reached only by a dirt road, aptly named as the Outermost House.

Maps of Martha's Vineyard and of Chappaquidick and Cape Poge Bay which is an island within an island in the middle of the right side of the Martha's Vineyard map. Our rented house is on the tip of the narrow peninsula in the middle of the Cape Poge Bay..

Our extended family  of 11 ( two college age grandsons hadsummer jobs and cannot come) spent a week together. For sentimental reasons, Sophia and I visited our honeymoon cottage where we stayed for three days inOctober 1959. Amazingly, the place is not only still there but prospered and enlarged.The new owner (of some 28 years) was happy to  receive us but could not find anyone around 56 years ago  (See pictures 3) when the inn has not grown to its current status.

We had dinner one night in a local restaurant and was told to be dressed up since a TV crew and the President  might be there. Anyhow this did not materialize nor did we see the  movie star, Meg Ryan who lives six housesdown from our rented place. Former President Clinton and Current president Obama played golf together on the island just yesterday.

At our age, we are told that the money you spend  are yours but the money in your bank account are your children’s. Thus why not splurge and they will actually thank you.  Otherwise you won’t hear their thanks when they inherit the money. Thus, the vacation home we rented  actually belong to the super rich – totally private, surrounded on three side by water with large private beach ,completely furnished to the last detail with boats, kayaks, and everything elseone can think of. It is like living in a private cruise ship for a  week. Our family of eleven enjoyed the experience immensely  (see more pictures below)

Family protrait and dining

View from deck of rented house looking back from the tip ofthe peninsula in the middle of Cap Poge bay

Ferry to Chappaquidick and Cape Poge Bay.