Another Day In Paradise

One couldn’t have asked for better weather.  It has been comfortably warm during the days with nice cool nights for sleeping.  On top of that we are surrounded with great friends enjoying sightseeing together, eating together, and sitting around the virtual campfire together. 

Yesterday we visited the Portland Head Lighthouse which is Maine’s oldest lighthouse as well as one of the most photographed lighthouses in America.  The lighthouse is located on the site of the old Fort Williams in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.  It began construction under orders from George Washington in 1787 and it was completed and activated in 1791.

From our parking lot we walked past the Battery Blair which held the “big boys”; they where the 12″ Rodman’s mounted on disappearing carriages.

You can approach the lighthouse from many different directions and angles making for great photo ops.

Here are a few photographs of our entourage as we were walking about the park grounds.

 

In yesterday’s post we included photos of the Averys and the Halls, so today here’s the rest of the group.

 

The grounds are just wonderfully landscaped with beautiful views in all directions.

The cry went up, “Feed Me, Feed Me”.  So we made our way back to Freeport for some barbeque and, no, we didn’t eat naked.

This lifestyle is sooooo magnificent.  Isn’t it just wonderful to live in the “land of the free and the home of the brave”?  God Bless America!!!

A Lazy Day

Boy, I’m being lazy this morning.  Dortha captured the essence of yesterday’s activities so well that I’m just going to point you to their blog.  Also, Glen has posted pictures of the past few day’s events as well on their blog.  And, you should check out Mike and Peggy’s blog while you’re at it.

So, here is a short photo journal of yesterday’s outing, place your cursor over the picture to read the inscription.

    

The Maine Event Begins

Yep, you almost heard it first right here (Dortha beat me to the punch).  The Maine Event got underway yesterday.  Mark and Dortha arrived a little after ten.  Then Dortha took control of the Phaeton and superbly backed it into it’s space while Mark orchestrated the process; what a team!!

After they set up housekeeping the four of us sat around and got to know each other a little better.  It’s remarkable with RVers, we just seem to have known each other forever even though we just met.  Mike and Peggy came over about 12:30 and the discussion continued with Glen and Sylvia rolling in a little after 2:00.

We all stood around wishing we had score cards to hold up as Glen backed the coach into it’s home for the next week.  I think he would have scored a 10-10-10 or, maybe, a 10-10-8, he almost ran me over!!

Once Glen and Sylvia got situated we all manned (and womanned) our chairs while continuing to talk, laugh, and enjoy each other’s company until our belly’s began to squawk like seagulls.  Then it was off to Captain Mike’s for a scrumptious seafood dinner. 

Once we satisfied our appetites we made a bee line back to the fairgrounds where we congregated once again.  The topics flowed from travels, to funny stories, to . . . ., well, you get the picture.  We did hold a committee meeting of sorts to sketch out an agenda for the week.  It still remains a little elusive but, just the way we like; we can “make up the rules as we go”.  We do, however, have a general idea of what we’ll be doing with eating being right up there near the top of the list.  Go figure!! 

Does the setting below look familiar to you fulltime RVers?  It happens anywhere that two or more rigs are parked next to each other.

Today we’ll get the lobstah stew brewing with a little sightseeing thrown in for later this afternoon.  I heard a rumor that a Fat Boy Frappe maybe in the offering for lunch.  I can guarantee that this isn’t going to be the week that any of us should be planning on starting a diet.

Chores and More

Miss Judy left to got her hair done and while she was off doing that I took care of a few of our maintenance items – one of the light lens had fallen off the ceiling light which required a step ladder to reach (I had borrowed Mikee’s), the 30 amp fuse holder for the front jacks needed replacing (I replaced it with a 12 volt, 30 amp self setting circuit breaker), and the ends of the slide out awnings needed to be re-taped (again, requiring the use of Mikee’s step ladder).  I still need to get my hair cut, refill a tank of propane, and change the oil in the truck in order to clear all the items off the current “Ta Do List”.

After lunch, Mike, Peggy, Judy, and I went for a walk on the Brunswick Rails to Trails bike trail.  We only walked a portion of the trail which is two and three quarters of a mile long, however, we had a good walk and managed to get ourselves “clammy” thereby requiring an afternoon shower before heading out to meet our friend from the past, Guy.

We arrived at Guy’s log cabin around five o’clock and had a nice little visit before heading out to the Railway Cafe in Richmond.  The Railway Cafe is a nice quiet little restaurant with the same decor from it’s railroad station days.  They have “home styled” cooing with a very complete menu and reasonable prices.  We’ll want to visit there again whenever we’re in town. 

It was great to catch up with Guy as we hadn’t seen him in thirteen years.  He now has a place in Deer Isle as well as one in Missouri and California; amazing, four places for one person and here we are homeless!! 

Today will be the first day of the Maine Event.  Mark and Dortha should arrive sometime around noon and Glen and Sylvia should show up sometime mid afternoon.  “Let The Good Times Roll!!!”  Pictures tomorrow, for sure.

Just Hanging Around

It was 58* outside this morning.  Woohooo, we haven’t seen 58* in over four months.  It’s great sleeping weather; we leave the windows open and just pull the cuddle blanket right up around our noses while we snuggle together.  What fun, brings back memories of when we lived here back in the 90’s.  Maine is one of our favorite spots and we’d move here in a heartbeat if only they’d do something about the snow and the taxes.

Yesterday started out with breakfast at the Copper Kettle restaurant with Mike and Peggy; yum, yum, every bit as good as Cracker Barrel at half the price.  Then we did some house cleaning (getting ready for company), took a little nap (still a little numb from that marathon travel day), and went over to Mike and Peggy’s for dinner (ummm, ummm goood).

Mike slow cooked some ribs on his new grill while Peggy doctored up some of Duke’s baked beans, made a salad, and baked some of the best corn bread that we’ve ever eaten.  As always, we had a great time just sitting around and chit chatting.  By the way, that was supposed to be our travel day meal but we faked them out by arriving a day early.

Today we’ve got some maintenance items on the RV to take care of, hair cuts for both of us, and a visit with an old friend from the past.   Then Wednesday Glen and Sylvia Avery and Mark and Dortha Hall will arrive for the Maine Event.  We certainly will be missing Randy, Terry, Gene, Judi, Mike, Gerri, Norm, and Linda at our little gathering up here in the Northeast but, we’re still fixinto have a great time.  And the weather is cooperating by being “just what the doctor ordered”.

Pictures will be coming, I promise.  We’ll be getting active again real soon so please hang in there.  In the meantime we’ll catch our breath and get ready for some more fast paced activities.  So, for now it’s Carpe Diem.

Breaking All The Rules

“Oh what a beautiful morning,  Oh what a beautiful day,
The temperatures are in the 60’s,  The humidity has gone away!”

The sun was chirping loudly and the birds were brightly shining at six o’clock this morning and, yes my friends, we have out run the heat.  It feels soooooo good.  We did something last night that we haven’t done since, I don’t know when; we slept with the bedroom windows opened. 

We’re breaking all the rules in the book.  And being that we’re breaking all the rules in the book we decided to throw the dang book out.  Yesterday we did the unpardonable.  We loaded our carcasses into the truck and drove 520 miles from Hershey, Pennsylvania to Topsham, Maine.  It took us about nine and a half hours.  There goes the old 2-2-2 rule out the window.

When we arrived we were pretty much numbed from the experience.  “How on earth did you decide to pull a stunt like that?”, you may ask.  Well, it was two o’clock as we were nearing our exit for the Passport America Campground in Connecticut where we had planned to spend the night.  Miss Judy made the comment, “I sure wished we didn’t have to get into this truck again tomorrow!”  To which I replied, “It’s only another four hours, we’d be there by six.  Ya wanna keep goin’?”  She wasn’t sure so we pulled into a rest area, had a sandwich, walked about to stretch our legs, and contemplated the issue at hand. 

We both decided that we weren’t tired and could continue for awhile but, “four more hours?”  “Oh well, let’s give it a shot; we can always find somewhere to stop if we have to.”  So off we went.  It really turned out to be a good decision after all because there were several construction areas along the way that were unattended being that it was Sunday; on Monday they will be “full bore” again which would mean several delays.  Also, the traffic was fairly light and that made the trip a whole lot less stressful as New Englanders tend to be very aggressive drivers (they drive as if they are late getting to their own grave site).

Anywhoo, we are now in “Maine, The Way Life Should Be!” with day time temperatures in the 70’s and low 80’s and 60’s during the night with low humidity – Ahhh, very comfortable.  This is the first time since the first of June that we haven’t seen a day with temperatures in the 90’s.  Relief at last.  Now we are awaiting the arrival of the Averys and the Halls on Wednesday.  Then, let the Maine Event begin. 

After getting things set up, Judy and I went out for pizza with Mikee and Peggy.  We were hungry and wanted something to eat but we sure as heck didn’t want to prepare it.  The pizza was okay but, the company was top notch; at least for us – I’m not sure if we were good company, or not, ‘cause we were pretty much spaced out after our marathon driving event.

What’s on the agenda for today?  I don’t know, I guess anything goes as long as it doesn’t involve a truck, a highway, or hot weather.

Well, thar ya have it for today!!

How Sweet ‘Tis

Miss Judy and I took a morning trip to, where else when you are nearby

Where the streets are lined with kisses

And a “Factory Tour” is awaiting

The lobby was crowded even at 9:30 in the morning

We rode on trams while we listened to the “Tail”

Which was a very “Mooooving” tale, indeed

The cocoa beans go in here

They go round and round

And they come out here

Next, milk is added

And from there, it gets turned into this

And finally, This

And This,

Here’s the production run by 10:30 in the morning

We even had our pictures taken at the end of the tour

Then it was onto the gift shop where we bought this five pounder

But it was so hot outside that it melted before we could get it all eaten

Oh well, it was finger licking good - I guess, “all’s well that ends well”!!

And thus ends the “Tail” of our trip to Hershey World.  So, in the meantime, Happy “Tails” To You!