1. Ahhhh. We're back home. Owen described it perfectly: "it feels as though we were gone from home forever, but it doesn't feel like we were in Maine very long at all."
2. Speaking of Owen….last night as we headed up to bed he grabbed his blanket and pillow from the suitcase that was on the living room floor, sighed deeply, and said, "you know Mom, I'm really enjoying my childhood." I told him I was very glad.
3. Leo was so happy to be home (and back to Minecraft) that he asked if he could stay up as late as he wanted. I said sure—particularly as we were all pretty darn tired….I figured he wouldn't be up TOO late. I got up a little after 8 this morning and was informed that Leo had stayed up ALL night. He was lounging in the media room. I went in and stared at him and said, "Leo Nelson Blackwelder….ALL night?" He grinned at me and said, "yeah, it was simple, I just focused on the game." I looked at Ernie and whispered, "what are we in for?" He shook his head.
4. Maine was, of course, absolutely beautiful and good for our souls. The house we stayed at in Higgins Beach was absolutely wonderful….just a bit over a block to the beach, just a few doors down from Higgins Beach Inn where my mother stayed with her parents for a week in the mid 1930's. The surf at Higgins Beach is crazy compared to the other area beaches we've stayed at.
5. A fact to remember: if you are mumbledy years old and regrettedly out of shape….if you jump in the waves for hours your calf muscles will freaking kill you for days. You will also get sunburned. It will be well worth it.
6. I know the low lobster prices aren't good for the lobstermen but damn it was nice eating lobster twice in one week. I'll write another post about the meals we had!
7. I love being with my sister. The boys rolled their eyes at the way we constantly said, "oh do you remember……?"
8. My husband continues to be the rock of our whole family.
9. Grocery stores smell different in Maine. My sister thinks I'm crazy but then again she's from Boston. Maybe they smell different there too. Is it the salt air? I don't know but whenever I walk into a grocery store in Maine it smells like…well, like Maine. I don't understand it.
10. Much more to follow…..
Welcome back and I totally understand the smell issue. I think that’s one of the things I love about traveling, LOTS of stuff smells different!
You are absolutely right about the grocery store smells. In general, the stores are smaller out east. Many of them in resort/vacation towns even still have wooden floors. I think the wood absorbs odors from a not-too-distant past when produce was more abundant and fresh, the fish was certainly just-caught, the baked goods were just out of the oven, and the meats were locally-butchered. The smell is sharper and more deeply satisfying to me.
At least that’s what I observed the last time I visited my sister in Hampton Bays, Long Island.
“you know Mom, I’m really enjoying my childhood.” Precious words!
God, I got so many retorts regarding Vans comment, “I think that’s one of the things I love about traveling, LOTS of stuff smells different!”….heh
Sounds and looks like a GREAT TIME!!!