The Sad Last Maine Day

Four weeks at Little Island view is a wonderful amount of time, but nevertheless I am not ready to go. It was a great time. Fantastic weather, fun friends and family visits, new friends made, old friends visited, great hikes, beautiful boat rides, fabulous art seen, yummy food eaten and a relaxing time all around.

I hate the last day. I got up early and took the car to be washed. I discovered sap from the pine trees so later I bought some goo gone and removed all the sap. I stopped at the farmer’s market and talked to a pizza maker about doing some food for Carter and Claire’s wedding weekend. I brought home the best eggplant and fennel pizza and Russ raved about it to Carter.

I went to the Rockland Post Office as I was unsure if Owl’s Head had recovered from their trauma yesterday. Warren met me at Rock City for coffee and a big goodbye. We had lots of quality time together this visit. Next summer we need Shannon to come visit while I am here.

Packing to come home is not that big a job. We leave plenty of stuff here and we just don’t bring that many clothes with us. Russ did one last hike this afternoon while I packed up and took photos of our little spot.

A last perfect Maine Day. At least next summer we will be here twice. Once in June for Carter and Claire and again in August. I can hardly wait to come back. Maine is so easy to love.

The Wonderful Trails of the Mid-coast

Russ loves to hike. He study’s the hiking map of the mid coast to discover where he wants his next hike to be. Thankfully he took this morning off to go on a hike with me and Shay and have a lobster roll in our slow farewell to Maine.

Since we didn’t want to waste a lot of time driving, he picked the Rockland bog hike. It was not far from us, but finding the trail head was a little tricky as it was inside a boat yard. Once there we discovered we had the whole trail to ourselves.

The conservancy that manages and protects these trails is really amazing. This trail is something like 14 miles long, but we were doing a quick couple of miles in and out. Since it is through a bog and over a number of streams there could be tricky places, except that the conservancy builds and maintains wood pathways and sometimes metal bridges.

This bridge we crossed was two years old and was at least 2/3 of a mile in from the trail head. The trail is narrow and tree dense and I have no idea how they got this metal bridge in here unless it was helicoptered in.

Shay led the pack the whole hike and then when we stoped at Claws for the last lobster rolls of the season she just slept with her head on the table ignoring her chicken tenders.

Russ did an afternoon hike of our Ash Point preserve. He said he was all alone there today. Summer is well over. Things are quiet, except at the Owls Head Post office.

We stopped this morning to buy stamps and mail some condolence cards I have been meaning to mail for days. We missed the postmaster by 10 minutes as the window is only open until 9:30am. I went back at 3:45 for the afternoon window opening, but along with two other men also wanting stamps, discovered the window was closed.

One man said he couldn’t read the note that the postmaster had written. I translated it for him, that there was an issue with a money order, but it sounded like it was temporary. I waited about 15 minutes, looking through the crack in the window at the empty Office. Then I spotted a young man outside on a cell phone. When he finished his call I asked him if he was the postmaster. “Yes.”

“Great, are you going to open the window? I just need to buy 3 stamps.”

He told me there was a $657 money order mistake and he had to fix that. I told him I could pay cash, that I just needed three stamps. “My supervisor says I can’t do anything right now. The system is closed. Besides that, there has been a big shooting?”

“Where was the shooting?” I inquired worriedly.

“In Utah.”

“So, that and a $657 money order mistake is shutting down a federal service?”

Basically…

I would like the non-profit people who manage and care for the trails to take over the post office.

And perhaps common sense gun control.

Shorter Insane Days

As the days in Maine are dwindling I am starting to get the Sunday scaries about going back to real life. I have had a wonderful month in Maine. I wish Russ had more free time, but as he says, “This is a great place to have to take calls from.”

As he had a full day of work I went out on a day’s adventure with my friend Warren. That means driving to hunt for antiques for him to sell at his shop in Camden. You know I am not a great shopper. I bore easily, but I do like the visits to new places. So we started he hunt very early at Miles, a barn out in the middle of nowhere, chocked full of stuff. Warren found many treasurers. I found none, but I tried.

Then we went through Augusta, the state capital on the way to the sweet town of Hallowell. I had never been there. It was a very cute town on the banks of the Kenebec River. We stopped there at a bakery Warren likes and he bought bread and I bought Russ a tiny blueberry pie. He deserved something for his day of working.

We perused our choices for lunch and picked the Quarry based on the fact that we could sit outside and look at the river and that at 11:45 there were plenty of people there, usually a good sign. Warren treated me to a very good kale salad which was so big I took half home and ate it for dinner.

We visited one more antique shop and I bought a glass jar for my Christmas decor. We also looked at a big church in town that was for sale, either $650,000 or $350,000 the online information was confusing. Warren thought I could make it the center of Mah Jongg training in Maine.

As I had enough shopping we started back for the coast. Warren wanted to show me the Maine Insane Asylum. So we drove up the road he thought it was on. When we got to a turn he said we must have missed it so we doubled back and found it nestled into a bunch of other state agency office.

The building, made of Hallowell Granite, was opened in 1840 and housed patients until 2004. Mainer Dorthea Dix was on original consultant for the Asylum. The same Dorthea Dix that the the North Carolina Mental hospital in Raleigh is named for.

It is a place that looks like horror movies were made there. According to a workman we met, the building is on the national register of historical sites, is full lead paint and asbestos. He said it would cost $25 Million to take the building down so they are currently closing it up and making it weather tight. Who knows what will come of it in the future.

The asylum is on the hill overlooking the Kenenbec river looking directly at the state house on the other side of the river. So the politicians can never forget those they serve. Or maybe it should scare politicians that we can send them there too.

Over 11,000 patients died living there and many were not properly buried. The place changed names over the years as the style of mental health changed, and the treatments changed. I watched a short documentary made by Ken Burns about the AMHI (Augusta mental Health Institute), as it came to be known and one nurse who worked there for 40 years described the era of drugs when patients who had been lost In their own worlds had awakenings.

At the height of enrollments there were over 1,800 patients which was about a third more than the place was able to hold. They lived in dormitory style rooms. You can only imagine.

The Asylum is on 600 acres that included a farm which the patients worked on in gardens and with Animals. It was probably the most therapeutic thing they could have done, but in the 70’s it was outlawed to have unpaid patient labor. They also started more community mental health services so the population went down to 300 of only the most serious patients. In 1988 five patients died from heat related illness due to the lack of climate control in the 1840 building. A new facility was eventually built right next to the old one and they moved in 2004, leaving the old building as a reminder. Pure One flew over the cuckoo’s nest.

It seemed like the perfect ending to going to hunt for antiques to end learning all about a state asylum. Warren was happy I did not suggest leaving him there. I was happy that spending the day antiquing did not send me to the asylum.

We Are Too Small For Big Ships

I was driving up to Camden this morning to meet my friend Sheppy for lunch. After Labor Day I expect things to be quieter. As I turned the corner out of Owl’s head heading into Rockland I saw it. A giant Cruise ship in Rockland Harbor. Giant is not an exaggeration. It was mored out past the breakwater, which means that the passengers had to take tenders quite a ways to get to shore.

As I approached town I saw them… Old people with red lanyards around their necks and plastic Id cards, walking Willy Nilly through the town. One man who must have been in his seventies stepped into traffic, not at a cross walk and proceeded to wave cars past him as he attempted to cross four lanes. Traffic will stop for you, as long as they can see you. No one coming toward this man could see him behind the Maritime energy truck he was standing behind in the middle lane. Oh lord, I thought. Please let this ship be leaving soon.

There were busses driving passengers up to Camden and people were already lined up at Claws for lunch at 10:45 AM. Don’t those people eat enough on the ship?

As I got into Camden the same scene was repeating itself with cruise goers marching two by two down the tiny sidewalks. There were couples who had Farnsworth museum stickers on their shirts at 11:00 AM. How in the world did someone get off a ship onto a tender, walk to the Farnsworth and spend anytime whatsoever looking at the art, get a bus and drive 20 minutes up to Camden all by 11:00? Pick a quaint Maine town and look at it, don’t try and go to all the towns.

Thankfully cruisers don’t have cars so parking was not a problem for me or Sheppy. We had no trouble finding each other and went to try out the new, and highly regarded Buttermilk Kitchen. It was good, even if I had to pull an Easy Rider order. I was getting a scramble mash up, of sun dried tomatoes, spinach, peppers and cheese with eggs. I asked if they could add grilled onions. “You can’t add anything, only subtract things.” It was a mash up so I did not know how adding onions was a problem.

“Then I want a side of grilled onions.” Not a problem. The onions came in a tiny condiment cup so I just dumped them on top of my mash up. Adding Onions was not a problem.

Sheppy and I had a great time telling stories. She is leaving Maine this weekend too. We promised to have lunch together next year.

I had to dodge the cruisers on my way back to the car. I had planned on stopping in a store or two, but was turned off by the scores of husbands standing outside the doors waiting for their wives.

At home around 4:00 the giant ship cruised past our house. Good riddance. I hope a another one does not take its place tomorrow.

Clothes I Need and Clothes I Don’t Need in Maine Next Year

This blog is totally a reminder for me about what I should and should not bring to Maine next year. You would think after coming to Maine for decades I would know what to bring, but it never fails that I bring too much of the wrong stuff and not enough of the right stuff. I try and not bring much.

Here is problem number one. When I am packing in North Carolina in August I am hot. I have spent the better part of the last five months wearing cotton dresses so for some reason I think I will continue wearing said dresses. Yes, I wore those dresses on my drive up, when I was in Boston and New Hampshire, but only twice, once I got to Maine and that was my first week. Next year two summer dresses and no more. I did not need the six I brought.

I brought my favorite very old Wauwinet sweatshirt and have worn that more than anything else. At the last minute in packing I threw in pair of blue jeans. I had not worn blue jeans all year. They are my second most worn item.

I brought two pairs of shorts that I have not worn once. Now, to be fair it was hot in Maine this summer and I had heard about from my friends. It just wasn’t hot once I got here. Next year one pair of shorts will be fine and if it’s hot I will wash them a lot.

I forgot to bring any socks whatsoever since I have not worn socks at home for six months. I need socks. I could have bought some, maybe tomorrow. I did not bring any warm workout pants. Consequently today, since it has been very cold and rainy, and I have been hanging at home I put on my groovy comfy pants and a striped warm shirt. I am breaking the number one rule I taught Carter as a two year old dressing herself, no patterns with patterns. Thank god no one stopped by.

I was still cold today. The sweaters I brought to Maine were not warm so I did buy a new sweater. The five white shirts— long, 3/4, short, sleeveless and button down have all been worn. So the all white shirt plan was good.

The summer nightgown was fine, but I should have brought warm slippers. The blue sneakers and white sneakers, keens and sandals were good. Repeat those shoes. I have worn all my shoes. No need for anything fancier. Actually, no need for any fancy shoes ever in life. I am old enough to just wear sneakers everywhere, as long as they are clean.

My blue rain coat has come in handy. It should just live in my car. I think that is all I will ever need in Maine. This year most of the clothes I brought were blue or white and that was good. No one cares what an old lady is wearing. Old ladies are practically invisible unless they are totally outrageous. I will chose invisible, but next year a little warmer.

Total Laziness

One of the joys of coming to Maine for a month is it is OK to have a do-nothing day. If I were home there is no way I could do nothing. When I am away with limited responsibilities I feel little guilt about watching you tubes, playing iPad games, looking at the ocean and snuggling with Shay.

Today we went to breakfast at Grazie in Rockland. It was fair tasting, but crazy expensive. I don’t know that we will go back. The good part is the servings were small so we hardly ate anything. The bad part was each bite cost $4.

Then I had my lazy day. I didn’t even go in the kitchen. I did not do any laundry. I just played. Then we went out to dinner at Salt Wharf in Camden. It was raining so there was no view. Because of the rain the roof deck was closed so we didn’t get to check that out. The food was good and I loved my peach salad with grilled shrimp. But the best thing was my cantalope shrub mocktail.

We were fast diners, but even though we were there just an hour the rain made a huge, I mean very deep puddle at the bottom of the stairs to get to our car. It was too big to get around and probably feet deep. We looked for another way out and found a ramp that lead to a place without the puddle, but a big step down. Thank goodness for my tall husband who helped me down.

I think that it is going to rain all day tomorrow so I am looking at two days in a row of total laziness. I won’t have to cook because we have so many left overs from yesterday. I wonder how many Nate and Kara travel video I will watch tomorrow?

One Good Neighbor

The last two days were big adventures, so today was recovery day. It was great to sleep in, or in my case go back to sleep after a rogue early morning jet flew over our house. I lazed around. Had a zoom call with the great people at The Tides Inn where I am teaching classes in October. Did some more mah Jongg class work and then went to the market to get the last things I needed for the dinner I was making tonight.

We invited our neighbor Evelyn over for dinner. She has always been the nicest person to us. She is good at giving us the dirt, especially since our house was built by her grand parents. Turns out the women next door to us, are not just rude to us, but everyone.

Evelyn is vegetarian so I made and eggplant, zucchini, onion, sun dried tomato bake with cottage cheese, mozzarella and Gruyere. Then I make a butternut squash, fennel, thyme, roasted garlic and feta with rigatoni. Good thing they were yummy as we will be eating them for many meals to come.

Evelyn was very entertaining and stayed a very long time, which we loved. Shay tried to go up to bed before she left, but did not want to miss any of the action. It is great to have a neighbor you like so much. Evelyn sold two of her three houses that are next to us to a couple of lawyers from Washington DC. We hope we like them. She will still be living in one of her houses so at least we will still have her.

Suzanne, Art, Food and the Annoying Beard Guy

I had a big day in Portland with Suzanne. Weeks and weeks ago she got tickets from the Portland Museum of Art for the Winslow Homer Studio Tour. So she planned a big day with Art and a very early dinner at Scales in Portland.

I got up early and made the almost two hour drive down to Portland and met her at the Museum. For those who are unfamiliar with Winslow Homer, he was one of American’s preeminent 19th century artists. Born in 1836 and died in 1910. He painted lots of marine scenes and you would most certainly recognize his works.

Homer lived the last third of his life in Prouts Neck, in Scarborough Maine. I was unfamiliar with Prouts Neck, but once we visited the very tony neighborhood I could see why Homer took up residence in his brother’s carriage house. But I am getting ahead of myself.

The PMA purchased the Homer Home and property a few years ago from the family and painstakingly restored it to show it as it was when Homer lived and worked there. Since it is in this very fancy gated community of other much more grand homes, 80% of which are just summer homes, the museum is greatly restricted as to how many visitors can come and see the studio.

The small group for today’s tour, which could only total the number of people who can fit on the small sprinter bus to take the 25 minute ride from Portland to Prouts Neck gathered in the museum lobby. One man stood out immediately and not just for his long and wispy white beard.

Gardiner, our diamond-stud earringed docent, was knowledgeable and engaging. He first took us to see the museum’s prized Homer, Weatherbeaten and told us we would visit the very sight that inspired this fabulous painting. Mr. Wispy beard began to display his encyclopedic knowledge of Homer. Garndier, was kind, but did not defer to Mr. Wispy as he ushered the 14 of us onto the bus where Suzanne and I sat in the back row as all trouble making students tend to do.

We had a good lesson on Homer in the bus and Suzanne and I generally tuned out the Mr. Wispy commentary since we were in the way back. The studio was beautiful and the property on the rocky Maine cliffs was awe inspiring.

At one point when I was tiring of Mr. Wispy’s unasked for lecture on his personal knowledge of Homer I asked, “Were you a friend of his?” Quickly followed by, “That was not a comment about your age.” It only shut him up for a few minutes, but gave the rest of the tour members the much needed break.

In spite of the unpaid additional docent on the tour, it was an exceptional tour and Suzanne and I had a great time. We spent another three hours exploring the museum’s collection after the tour before we walked the streets looking at stores.

Suzanne had made a 4:30 reservation for our lunch/dinner at Scales right when it opened. Amazingly the whole place filled up immediately at 4:30, which means it was going to be great.

We ordered everything to share and the first thing that came was a sweet potato and lobster bisque. We each dipped our spoons in and took our first taste. TOO SALTY. We apologetically sent it back. The waiter came back and told us the kitchen had tasted it and agreed it was much too salty. Thank goodness we were not deemed difficult diners. The next thing that arrived was Anadama bread with butter and molasses. Apparently my body language upon first bite was dramatic enough that the people at the table across from us ordered, “what she is having.” Everything else we ate was spectacular and I would return to eat there any chance I could get.

It was such a fun day with Suzanne and I was sorry that it was over by 6:30, but she had an hours drive back to New Hampshire and I had almost double back to Shay and Russ in Owl’s head. Just another great day in Maine and a cherished day with my dear life-long friend.

A Little Brown Dog Visits Monhegan

My Mom and Dad put me in the car early this morning to make the 30 minute drive to Port Clyde. That is where we were catching the ferry to go to Monhegan Island, ten miles from Port Clyde. We were told to get to the port an hour before our boat because even though we bought tickets online, if you don’t check in early they give your seats away. Of course we got there early, so we walked around and Daddy got a coffee, while I just looked cute.

The ferry was full. We sat inside since I had never been on a ferry before and no one wanted me to be sick. There was a couple sitting across from us who liked me so they struck up a conversation with Mom. She of course went to sit by them and talked to them the whole way over to the island. His name was Peter and her’s was Lisa. Peter had grown up on Monhegan and told Mom lots of cool stuff about growing up there.

Once we docked I pranced right off the ferry like I do it all the time. It was a beautiful day and so we all hiked up the big hill to the lighthouse, the highest point on the island, because Peter told us it was a great place to start our visit. There was a cool museum at the lighthouse and a nice lady said that even Puppies could visit it. Her dog Hazel was there and so I was welcomed. She and Mommy had a long conversation while I got checked out by Hazel.

After looking at all the art and artifacts Mommy and I were sitting on a bench and a nice woman from New Mexico came to see me. She started up a long conversation with Mommy. When Daddy came back to us he said he was keeping track of how many people Mommy had met on this trip.

Once we were at the light house we were already at the halfway point for a trail that took us across the middle of the island. I am a very good hiker, not just good for a 14 year old dog, but way better than Mommy. We got to the most eastern edge of the island that I knew there was nothing between us and England except some fish.

By this point I was getting hungry. It was a good half hour or so to hike back to town and then a little more as we had to find the fish house we were going to be eating at. They had picnic tables outside. Daddy ordered fish tacos for himself and Mommy and then realized he forgot about me. So he went back and the only thing he thought I would want was bacon. So he he ordered me a double order of six slices!

When the bacon came I sat politely with my head on the table waiting for Daddy to break off a bit of bacon and give it to me. That prompted a woman at the next table to start talking to Mommy. Her name was Sydney and she had a house next to the fish house. They talked for at least an hour. Daddy was still keeping track, Sydney was person four.

Eventually Mommy said goodbye to her and we went to a shop and they let me come in. I like Monhegan, dogs are welcomed everywhere. I did meet a cat on the road and it did not like me even though I gave her every opportunity to change her mind. Mommy didn’t let me hang out with her too long. By then it was time to go line up for the ferry. You know what happened there. Mommy and the man sitting next to her had a long conversation. I was OK with it because he liked me.

We got back on the ferry and this time we sat on the top deck outside. I was exhausted. Mommy must have been too because she did not talk to anyone, until we docked and the girl next to her said that I had been the best puppy on the boat. She was right.

It was after six when we got home and I was so tired I skipped dinner and came right up to bed. Being a Monhegan ferry dog takes a lot out of you, but I would like to do it again because I got to spend the whole day with Mommy and more importantly Daddy.

Sista J’s Birthday

It’s my baby sister Janet’s birthday. It’s not a big birthday, and since she is nine years young than me all her birthdays seem small compared to mine. Even though she is in Italy celebrating the best way possible I want to post a photo of one of the days I was most proud of her. She was the co-chair of the human rights campaign gala in Washington DC and it was a big deal. It was also probably the day we’re looked our best at the same time. Happy Birthday Janet. You rock.

For me, not in Italy, I spent the day going thrifting with my friend Warren, since Russ had work calls all day. We went south, visiting Damariscotta, Brunswick, Topsham and finishing in Bath. We stoped at Wild Oats in Brunswick for lunch.

We went to Bath to see our friend Julie who was trapped at work and couldn’t spend the day or even the lunch with us. She did take us to a great consignment shop down the street from her office. Bath is such a cute town, I could have spent all day just there.

I did introduce Warren to the joys of Apple Maps and following the gps suggested routes. He learned lots of new ways to get to the places he has been going to for years. It helped that I was driving and had control.

It was a very nice way to spend Janet’s Birthday if I couldn’t be with her. happy birthday Sista J!

Just the Two of Us

Sad Labor Day as it was our final few minutes with Carter and Claire. We had so much fun having them in Maine. This has been a great tradition to have them come and stay for the holiday weekend, but Labor Day always makes me sad as it means they will be going back to Boston.

It is never great to have to leave Maine on a Holiday, but it is even worse to return to Boston on September 1 as it is the great move in day for all the students. I was happy I didn’t have to make that drive and move anyone anywhere in Boston today.

So we were back to being just the two of us and the little brown dog. It could not have been a more beautiful day. The perfect temperature. To soothe the sadness we went up to the Owl’s head general store to get a sandwich. Turned out everyone else sitting at the picnic tables outside we also from Philly, so Russ had a little talk with his fellow Philadelphians.

I spent a little time cooking the things I got at the farmers market that needed to be prepped. Now we have food for the week. Good thing as I have a very busy week with all day activities three days in a row.

I took as much time as I wanted just looking at the water and nature. Total soul renewing Maine time.

Glorious Last Day of August

What a perfect day on the mid-coast of Maine today. The sky was brilliant blue and the air was dry and just slightly cool. We set off on an adventure to Cushing to see the Olsen House. The Olsen House is the real life sight of over 300 works of art my Andrew Wyeth.

You would know it from the famous painting of Christina’s world, of the young disabled woman lying on the grass crawling toward her house up the hill. The house, built in the 1800’s still stands with the barn across the way. It is owned by the Farnsworth Museum and has been closed to visitors while it under goes a renovation that has been taking quite a while.

Andrew and Betsy Wyeth are buried in the little cemetery down by the shore on the property along with the Olsen family. We were able to walk around the property and see the gravestones. I tried to reenact the Christina’s world painting, but a stand of big pine trees blocks the view of the house. The trees could have been there when Wyeth painted Christina’s world and he just chose to leave them out.

After our cultural tour we drove over to the sweet village of friendship and had lobster rolls for lunch. This is a photo of how good it was.

The dogs were exhausted from our big outing so we went home to take some naps and enjoy of time together. After dinner we played Cards against humanity, which is always very embarrassing for Russ. Despite his protests he almost won, but I bested him by 3 cards.

Norumbega Test Dinner

Tonight was our chance to go eat dinner at the Norumbega Inn where the wedding is going to be held. They only serve dinner three nights a week. When I went up to see the Inn when Carter and Claire were staying there the Owners were not there. But luckily for us they were there tonight. After meeting them I am even more excited for the wedding to be there.

We were seated on the terrace and it was absolutely beautiful. The chef is Peruvian so we had just exquisite seafood. The lobster on a potato cake with avocado, egg and olives was spectacular, but the sesame tuna with avocado might have beat it.

It was a delightful dinner in a perfect setting. Will, one of the owner couple, told the girls he has a November and April Weddings ahead of theirs in the planning process, but he would be in touch soon to discuss menu. I am certain whatever they choose will be perfect. I think spending four nights there is going to be my favorite thing I will do next year.

Dreams Do Come True

Carter and Claire are having a wedding in Camden next year, for which we are very excited. They spent last night at the Inn where the wedding is going to be held and this morning I got to go up and they showed me all around. It is going to be everything they dreamed of and I could not be happier.

We talked all about the details and the planning and I am especially thankful to have the most organized daughter. I love their vision and am so looking forward to next June. Maine is such a special place to us and to Claire and her family that it will be the perfect place for them to celebrate their union.

Tonight we went to one of our favorite restaurants, Aster and Rose. Last year we brought Claire and Carter there to have a belated celebration for Claire’s birthday. They told us tonight it was at Aster and Rose that they decided they should get married in Maine. So here we are. One year later, celebrating Claire’s belated birthday and they are getting married in Maine. Dreams do come true

Norman Makes It to Maine

The little brown dog was not sure what was going on, but was very excited to see her girls Carter and Claire pull in to the driveway today. Then Norman jumped out of the car. “Normie!”

Shay was a good hostess. She showed Norm all around her little house. Norm brought his bed and crate. Shay did not understand the crate, but liked Norm’s toys he brought.

Having Norm visit was a big catalyst for Shay taking a bigger walk than the little brown dog has been taking the last few months. She liked to show him her neighborhood as long as she was in the lead. Norman was a dutiful guest and hung back, sensing his place.

Shay told Norm he was going to like Claws as it is the family favorite. The little brown dog always gets the kids chicken fingers, but usually does not eat it at Claws. Instead she takes it home to eat later. Not with Norman visiting. The little brown dog downed every bite of chicken, probably just so Norm would not get any.

Norman was so polite sitting under Shay at the ready to catch any falling chicken. Shay did let a crumb or two drop for Norm. Then he hung around hoping to get some of Russ’ corn on the cob. He tried hard to eat the husk, until Shay gave him the side eye, “yo, dude. That’s not food.”

Hopefully Shay will be a better hostess in the morning. Now she is ready to pass out after eating all that chicken..

Little Brown Dog Protests

Apparently someone let the little brown dog know that yesterday was International Dog day. She was quite insulted about this. There were no parades, no proclamations, no parties thrown in her honor. In fact, she was mad that Mommy was gone all day and Daddy was on the glass machine talking to many people. None of whom celebrated her or even asked about her.

Another unrecognized holiday has come and gone. Not a card or a gift or anything recognizing the little brown dog as perhaps the greatest little brown dog on earth. This means she will have to wait for national dog day, or North Carolina Dog day or Maine dog day, or brown dog day or labradoodle dog day, or perfect dog day to have her specialness celebrated to the level of her standing.

Until one of those days comes along the little brown dog is going to continue pouting and demanding steak and peanut butter. There could have been a pig picking in her honor, but no, not one of her humans did their job appropriately.

This means that next year on International dog day we will have to do double the recognition of the little brown dog as truly a dog of international greatness. For now, your grace, please forgive the huge oversight by us lowly humans. We promise it will not happen again.

Russ Works/Dana Plays

Russ had a busy work day so I was out all day visiting friends up north. I started my adventure with a yummy tomato sandwich at Chase’s Daily in Belfast. It is the best vegetarian place in Maine. I sat at the community table and talked with the hodge podge of other single diners and one couple who were visiting from afar.

We all agreed that the single woman on the side of the restaurant who was taking up a four top, loudly talking on face time needed some lessons on manners. Chase’s is a busy place and it can get loud, but talking even more loudly on your phone with the speaker on is obnoxious because the woman sitting there had to practically scream so the face time companion could hear her. Of course so could all of us. Sadly their conversation was not interesting enough to warrant eavesdropping. That is not what I was trying to do.

After my sandwich I went to visit my friend Jamie at her beautiful property on the coast. It was the perfect Maine day to sit by the water and talk. I couldn’t stay long because I was off to find my friend Sheppy.

I did not exactly know her address, but I had been there before and it turns out I made my way there with no problem. We had a good visit in her sweet Maine cottage that had been in her husband’s family forever and now her’s. I got to hear all about her kids and Grandkids and her life in Nashville in the off season. I was so happy to see her so well.

I had one last stop at the fish market on the way home and I pulled in with two minutes to closing so I quickly picked out some halibut and brought the treasure home to Russ who was sick of leftovers. Sadly, only the fish was new on the menu and he had to suffer the same leftover vegetables he has eaten the last few days. Tomorrow we will cook the second half of the fish I bought so it will be like leftovers, only freshly cooked. Good thing he is such a great sport when he works all day and I go off and play. He tells me he has two hours off tomorrow. We shall see.

Rainy Day

Poor Maine has been in a terrible drought this summer. The grass at our little Island View house is brown and crunchy. As someone who is always concerned about farmers I worry when a region has gone on multiple years without enough water.

So today it finally is a rainy day. Monday is the perfect day to rain, especially as we have no guests and Russ was on work calls all day.

I went with Warren to see the preview for Bruce Gamage’s auction. Russ reminded me on the way out the door that we have no wall space. There were lots of beautiful chests of drawers and large American antiques that I loved, but have no space or need for. There were a couple of prints I liked, but with Russ’ warning in my ears I held back. So I did not see a need to go back to the auction.

Warren left some bids on a few things and we left and went to lunch. Rainy Mondays make your choice of places small as many restaurants close on Mondays and those that are open can’t use their outdoor seating. We waited a half an hour at Home Kitchen Cafe. We talked to a nice couple from Tallahassee, Florida. I told them I was going to be going there in October and we discussed their lack of flights.

We eventually got seated upstairs and had a nice lunch. It was a good way to spend time on a rainy day. I came home for a zoom call that the person who scheduled it never showed up for. Very frustrating.

The fog is still deep out on the water. It may be another rainy day tomorrow. We could still use the rain as it was not a big accumulation, just a lot of drizzle. I will be off on another adventure driving North to see two friends. I don’t mind the rain.

The Right Stuff

I’m not sure who left this list on the refrigerator of our house in Maine, but whoever is the one who did it, I agree with you and think this needs to stay here always.

I was unable to follow The instructions today, but I will do my best to follow them for the next three weeks. I have only had one lobster salad and one lobster roll since I’ve been here. This makes my lobster pace on the slow side. Nonetheless I have enjoyed each lobster bite.

Time on The Water

The most Maine thing you can do is spend some time out on the water sailing on a schooner. Today was the perfect day to do that. We chose the schooner Surprise, a wooden vessel built in 1904 because it is small and fast.

As Nancy, Karen, Russ and I are all early risers we decided to take the first boat of the morning and drove up to Camden at 9:00. We were plenty early for our 10 AM sailing so we walked around town and saw Warren opening his store before going to wait on the dock. The couple next to us were also going on our boat. They asked each person where they were from and let us know they were from a small town in the middle of Illinois. He was a farmer and reminded me of a character in a progressive insurance ad of the people who turn into their parents at too young an age.

We boarded the boat and got great seats. The captain was entertaining, telling us all kinds of great stories. The only annoyance was the farmer often was talking back to the captain non-stop, while the captain was also talking. In spite of that we had a beautiful out of Camden Harbor and back in. We saw a seal and some porpoises as well as a number of big windjammers going out for a week long cruises.

Once back on land we felt the need for lunch so we ventured into my favorite Mixed Greens. True to form I had a grown up lunch of a salmon tartine, Karen had the sophisticated goat cheese and fig tartine and Nancy had the child-like lunch of Peanut butter, banana and strawberry Tartine. We were all happy.

By the time we had walked around some more we were easy to go home and take a little rest before some rounds of games and leftover for dinner. A perfect Maine day.

Walker’s Reunion in Maine!

A few weeks ago when I knew that Nancy and Karen were coming to Maine I reached out to my other Walker’s friends in Maine and invited them to lunch so we could have a mini reunion. Amazingly most of them could come (Lilea, I still hope to see you.)

At first I thought I would surprise Karen and Nancy, but then I thought the fun of knowing and getting to anticipate it would be better so I told them about it. This also helped me because they were happy to be my sous chefs.

This morning we enjoyed coffee (well, I had tea) before I put them to work chopping the many vegetables we needed for the giant lunch I had planned. Julie Williams Wagoner was coming and she is vegan so I designed the menu around her, with cheese and chicken additions on the side.

We had farro, lentils, caramelized onions and lemon salad, then orzo, cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts, kalmata olives, dill and feta salad, and finally raw zucchini, Fennel, green pea, basil, and mesclun green salad with a salty sheep’s milk cheese and chicken. Karen baked a lemon blueberry cake that was a big hit.

Warren was the first to arrive, but not without incident because our lane was blocked by fire engines and I had to tell him how to get hear by driving down a different lane and driving across my neighbor Evelyn’s grass. She came out to see what had happened and was very gracious. I will be inviting her to dinner next week to thank her for that kindness.

Julie arrived next from Bath, and then Dinah Bortz Moyer who took the ferry over from Vinalhaven and showed up with a boat load of gifts. Jamie Kyle Sapoh came late from Northport, due to some tardy workmen. So we did not get one picture of all of us together since Dinah had to leave just as Jamie was getting here.

Nonetheless It was great fun to all be together representing the classes of 1977-1980, plus Warren who was head of admissions from 1977-1981. It was a perfect day on the porch of our little house, eating lunch in the sunshine and laughing as we did some 50 years before. The friendships we made as girls at Walkers are very strong.

It was sad that we only had a lunch all together, but Nancy, Karen and I had a great time rehashing the events of the day and then went right into a big Yahtzee tournament. We took a dinner break when Russ finished working and we went to Claws with Shay for dinner. It was a practically perfect day in every way.

Friends Come to Maine Day

One of my great joys about coming to Maine is that I get to have my Walker’s Friends Nancy and Karen come and visit for a few days. It has become our annual get together, except last year when Nancy couldn’t make it because she got a big new job so Karen came alone.

So today is the day my friends came to visit. I always want them to come back so I try and make everything wonderful. I went to the farmer’s market first thing so I could get fresh bread. I saw the bacon man and decided that making a giant BLT seemed like a winner.

After arriving we ate lunch on our deck looking out at the sea and caught up on all the news. We didn’t quite get through all the news. So we took a Shay and went for a big hike in the Ash Point preserve at the end of our street. The nicest thing about that hike is at the half way point you come to a bench overlooking the sea.

So we sat there a while and continued our talking. We actually never stop talking. We have been doing that since we were fourteen together, which is officially 50 years.

Russ finished work and joined us for dinner at In Good Company, the appropriately named restaurant in Rockland. It was the perfect start of our days together. I love having life long friends who I have known through every part of my life and their lives. Somehow we always have more to talk about.

Mis-Packing

We have been coming to Maine at this time of year for a while. You would think I would know what to bring with me. This year is different.

I forgot to bring socks all together since I don’t think I have worn socks in Durham since March. I also only brought summer dresses since when I left home on August 8 it was 95°. I did bring one pair of jeans that I threw in at the last minute, mostly because they fit. And I brought my twenty year old Wauwinet sweat shirt because it is my favorite.

Normally we have summer weather the first two weeks we are hear and fall the second two weeks. Not this year. It has been downright cold. Today I think it was 61°. I wore my jeans and sweatshirt with a long sleeved shirt and I was still cold. I broke down and went to town to buy a couple of sweaters. One was this alpaca white one with the anchor. It is perfect for today, but I might only get two months wear out of it in Durham in January and February. I also purchased a blue topper that I can wear with my summer dresses so I have something when we go out to dinner at our favorite places.

My only issue now are shoes. I brought two pairs of sandals, two pairs of sneakers and one pair of keen hiking shoes. I guess I will either have cold feet or be wearing my sneakers. It is Maine after all. I could wear my hiking shoes with my dresses and no one will look twice, especially if I buy some highly colorful socks to wear with them.

A Little Brown Dog Goes to Belfast

I had a big day yesterday. I walked and ate so much so I was still tired this morning. Daddy did a bunch of work early so I snuggled in bed with Mommy until he was ready to go an adventure with us. Mommy wanted to go to Belfast to buy some vegetables at Chase’s Daily for her lunch party on Friday. We go long ways for good vegetables in Maine.

Daddy had never been to Chase’s and Mommy said we could eat lunch outside so I knew I was going to get to go. Chase’s farm is in Freedom, Maine and they grow all kinds of extraordinary vegetables. Mommy wanted some of their mesclun mix that she had with Aunt Suzanne at Leeward in Portland.

There were many, many people shopping for vegetables at the same time as Mommy so Daddy and I just sat at a table outside. Mommy bought baby artichokes, carrots, onions, fennel along with the greens. Then she ordered us lunch.

It didn’t take long to come, and the waitress could not believe I was sleeping with my head on the table and the food right in front of me. Apparently most dogs are interested in food, but I am not most dogs.

Mommy thought the tomato sandwich was the best thing. Of course Daddy liked everything. We did not hang out in Belfast long as Daddy had to get back and work, but it was a beautiful day for a drive and I liked looking out the window from my little car seat.

Mommy made the baby artichokes with Burrata for dinner. Nobody gave me any of them. I don’t know about artichokes, but I do know about burrata.

Maybe tomorrow I will want to take a long walk again. Tonight I just want to snuggle. And I would have wanted to eat burrata.

A Little Brown Dog Takes Two Big Walks

At home I stopped leaving the house to take walks. My Dr. suggested to my Mommy and Daddy that they drive me away from home and I will walk home. They thought it was a trick, but I liked it. Some days I walk a mile, maybe two, but that’s all this old lady can really do.

Today Daddy had work so a mommy asked me if I wanted to go on a walk with her. Yes, I jumped in response. We walked down our little lane and up our hill to the main road. Usually with Daddy this is where I turn him around even thought he wants to go like five miles. Today I pranced on out the main road past the old cemetery and the mussel ridge historical society to the vegetable cart down the road. Then I turned us around. In total I walked about a mile and a half.

This evening after Daddy finished working Mommy and Daddy asked me if I wanted to walk the breakwater. I ran right to the car. We drove to Rockland to the breakwater as the sun was getting low in the sky. Mommy had her sweatshirt around her neck. I, of course had to always lead the pack. If I stopped to smell the situation and Mommy passed me I made sure to go extra fast and get right back in the lead.

It is not hard for me and Daddy to lead as we are faster than Mommy anyway. It turns out that I am now the color of the rocks, but people still see me. Once in a while I had to stop so they could adore me. I got many pets and snuggles One little boy even gave me a kiss.

It took us less than an hour to walk the almost two miles from the car, down the rocks to the light house and back. The tide was getting highland the water was coming close to the rocks. I didn’t mind. I had Daddy if I needed him.

So I walked three and half miles today not counting all the pacing I do in the house looking to find where Daddy is working and going back to report to Mommy that he is still talking on the phone or doing a video with people in little boxes.

Now I am going to pass out and get a big sleep. I hear I get to go to Belfast tomorrow. More walking.

Day Two and Oh So Full

How quickly I settle in to the rhythm of Maine life. Although it is only my second full day back in our beloved Owl’s Head, it feels like we have never been away. I did not get up with the sun, but still very early because I was going off to Lincolnville to attend church with Warren at his sweet UCC congregation.

I have visited before and today did not disappoint. The Psalm for today was Psalm 82, written a thousand years before Jesus, according to the preacher.

1God has taken his place in the divine council;

in the midst of the gods he holds judgement:

2‘How long will you judge unjustly

and show partiality to the wicked? Selah

3Give justice to the weak and the orphan;

maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute.

4Rescue the weak and the needy;

deliver them from the hand of the wicked.’

5They have neither knowledge nor understanding,

they walk around in darkness;

all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

6I say, ‘You are gods,

children of the Most High, all of you;

7nevertheless, you shall die like mortals,

and fall like any prince.’

8Rise up, O God, judge the earth;

for all the nations belong to you!

It gave me hope that in times before there were wicked rulers who did not follow God, but in the end God won.

After church I visited their flea market of leftovers from their sale the day before. I purchased a beautiful hand stitched quilt that is over 150 years old. It is registered with the Heritage society of Maine so I have access to it’s provenance. It will look beautiful on Carter’s bed in Durham.

After Church I stopped off at Ocean State to pick up some things we needed for the house. Ocean State is always an adventure. The one thing I did not find was a good apron, so that search will continue. I did find a juicer so Russ can juice my limes.

As it was a beautiful day Russ, Shay and I drove down to Waldoboro and hiked around a park with a quarry. Shay is quite the hiker, always able to find the trail. The quarry is a great place to swim and if it gets hot I might want to swim there as the water is warmer than that of the ocean outside of our house.

Our reason for hiking in Waldoboro was to be closer to the Odd Alewives for supper. They used to be a brewery, but now are a just a place to eat pizza and on Sundays oysters. They have a lovely garden where well behaved dogs are welcomed.

We got a dozen oysters and two pizzas, one a white pie with zucchini and pesto and one a red pie with cheese and onions. The oysters were to die for with a good spicy cocktail sauce and fresh lemons. The pizza was delicious and we have a whole pie leftover for future meals.

Our timing was perfect because some much needed rain started as soon as we got in the car. A wonderful Maine day.

The Joys of Maine

For our first morning at our little Owl’s head house you would think I would sleep in. I’ve been on the road, staying with friends and family so I always get up and make myself useful at other people’s houses. Now at my own house with just Russ and Shay to care for I could sleep all morning if I wanted.

Russ is a terrible sleeper, but a considerate husband. So when he wakes up in the middle of the night he moves beds so he can watch his iPad and not disturb me. I need total silence and darkness and one bit of light from his iPad and I will wake up. So last night he moved at some point. All the more bed for me and Shay. Another reason I should have slept late.

I had the blinds down, making the room dark. The ceiling fan was silently running making the room the perfect sleeping temperature. I had my best pillow from home. All was perfect.

Then tell me why I woke up at four in the morning? Not only did I wake up, but I opened the blinds to see the sunrise and that was it! I was wide awake.

Russ woke up at five, his normal time, so we just started our day. This meant we were at Beth’s farm stand at eight in the morning buying veggies for the week. And finished the rest of our grocery shopping at Shaw’s and we’re home by ten.

It was a perfect Maine lazy Saturday. I did eventually cook some things because Warren came for dinner tonight. Thankfully we invited him early and had a nice visit, but since he was also up early to run a sale at his church we were happy to eat and say goodnight.

So in perfect Maine fashion I am in bed at 8:00 and the sun has set. I saw the full spectrum from darkness to light to darkness. I will sleep well tonight.

Last Day/First Night

This was my last day with my Worden/Farley gang. Steve asked me why I was putting my stuff in the car this morning. He mistakenly thought I was staying with them until Saturday. Sadly I could only stay until 1:00. I was waiting for Suzanne’s sister Gussy, my birthday twin and dear sister too, and her husband Patrick to come by to see me. They have been traveling in Maine and I needed all the scoop on how they liked my recommendations.

Needless to say they had a ball and loved Claws so much they went twice. They also loved Aster and Rose and told the best server Mary they were our friends. Needless to say they had excellent food and service there.

As our time was coming to the end Gussy’s Apple Watch suddenly spoke up and said, “It looks like you have taken A hard fall. Do you want us to call for help?” Despite just sitting in a comfy chair this whole time, Gussy said, “the watch recognizes the hard fall as her being sad we were parting.”

I was so sad to be leaving Suzanne, Oliver and Steve and now Gussy and Patrick too. I had to get to our house in Maine. Russ was flying in on tiny Cape Air from Boston and I needed to unpack the groceries so I could pick him up.

My timing could not have been better. I arrived at our house, took in the groceries and his tiny plane flew over the house. He arrived 45 minutes early. The beauty of cape air. When the five passengers all were on the plane, they went ahead and left early.

Shay and I greeted him outside the one room airport and off to Claws we went for our annual, “We are back in Maine Dinner.”

The perfect start to my favorite month of the year.

We Actually Ventured Out

We did slightly more than just play Mah Jongg all day. Suzanne and I started out the day playing, but took a nice break for a walk with the dogs. It was a beautiful morning and the walk was just what the dogs wanted. Then it was right back to playing. Which we did for most of the day.

We had a dinner reservation in a Portland so we drove up a bit early so I could do some Trader Joe’s shopping for dry goods for Maine. Then we drove down to the waterfront to kill a little time before our reservation. Suzanne made a turn that I agreed with to try and get back to the restaurant only to discover it was an on ramp to a bridge that took us to South Portland.

After crossing the water we were able to turn back around and cross back. Later we drove pass this same spot and looked. There was absolutely NO SIGNAGE indicating it was an on ramp to a big bridge.

After our tour we got to the restaurant, Leeward. Suzanne had eaten there last year and discovered that it takes a month to get a coveted reservation. So she got one for tonight. I understand why it is so hard to get into to.

The place was unassuming looking. The staff was friendly and plentiful. The tables were far apart from each other. The menu was intriguing making decisions difficult. Suzanne and I ordered everything to share. Stuffed squash blossoms, a “simple” green salad, that was anything but, bucatini with zucchini and mushrooms and a roast chicken. Spectacular would be an understatement. As good as everything was we decided the salad was our favorite. When is the world is a simple green salad the favorite? When it’s that good.

We drove home just as the sun was setting. We still had time to play a few hands of Mahj. Sadly, it’s my last night with the Worden /Farley’s, but I will drag it out as long as possible tomorrow. It’s the best way to start my vacation.

It’s No Wonder We are Friends

Today was about the most perfect day. Suzanne and I played Siamese Mah Jongg most of the day. When we weren’t we were taking the dogs out or cooking dinner. Suzanne has become a very good player since she first learned in earnest in January at High Hampton. I am so proud of her strategy and her ability to see different options.

Half way through the day the game mat I ordered for her arrived so we had a softer surface to play on. Suzanne also made everything very comfy for Shay and brought Esme’s bed out to the living room so she could snuggle while we played.

After dinner we had to switch to Catan so that Oliver could play with us. It was Oliver and his brother Jack who introduced me to Catan, my other favorite game. I do play it everyday on my iPad, which gave me an unfair advantage tonight.

We had a great game and will continue tomorrow and probably Friday too. There is nothing better than having great friends who are also great game lovers. I imagine this is what it will be like when I go to a retirement community. It would be best if Suzanne and I went together since Russ does not love games.

All the Farley Kids and Carter and Claire can come visit us and we can play big tournaments. It sounds like heaven on earth. A lot like it is staying here with Suzanne.

Convergence for Mah Jongg

Suzanne, Janet and I became the best of friends in college. Now Janet lives in Arizona and Suzanne Lives in New Hampshire and I live in North Carolina so getting together is deliberate and takes planning. So when the stars aligned today that I was driving north from Boston and Janet was in Manchester by the sea and Suzanne was in New Hampshire we were all able to come together in the same place to play Mah Jongg.

I have played the longest, but Janet has been at it a while and now we have Suzanne hooked. All I have to say is if we had played Mah Jongg in college we might not have graduated, or at least I would not have. Then again I might have stayed out of other trouble which shall not be named.

But if I had played mah Jongg in college I might have started teaching it earlier and could have started this whole mah Jongg craze a lot earlier.

I am just happy that Janet, Suzanne and I have found ways to be together and play because we all know that when you are playing mah Jongg you are happy and all the other crap in the world does not exist.

Happy friends playing together!

Last Night at Carter and Claire’s

Tonight Carter and Claire invited our friend Kelsey over for dinner. Kelsey is my friend Ruth E.’s daughter-in-law who I met teaching her Mah Jongg a few years ago and adored right from the start.

Kelsey invited me to come teach her group in Fort Worth Advanced mah Jongg and they were such a great group of ladies. When Kelsey’s husband got transferred to Boston, Ruth E. asked me if Carter would meet Kelsey.

They did meet and hit it off and have been friends ever since. So it seemed like the perfect thing to have Kelsey come for dinner while I was here. Sadly her husband was in North Carolina, but for their first dinner guest it seemed like a good idea to only have four of us.

It was so fun to spend time with young people even if I have never watched Love Island and probably won’t. But it has been great to spend so much time with Carter and Claire together and the bonus tonight was Kelsey.

I’m off to New Hampshire tomorrow. Slowly inching my way closer to Maine.

Shopping Fun

Had the most fun day with my girls Carter and Claire. They have done such a wonderful job outfitting their house. You would have thought they had lived here for years, not days. They still had a few tiny needs so we went on big shopping expedition. We took the dogs who were welcomed in every store as royalty. Store workers in each place game them treats, and water and acted as if they each carried platinum cards.

We were on the hunt for chairs for the living room and out door tables for the porch. We found chairs, but not tables. The big get was at the Le Creuset outlet. Carter’s godmother had given them a very generous gift card a couple of months ago. So today was the perfect day for them to spend it as it was tax free weekend and the outlet was having a big sale.

We had three sales people helping and they offered me a job as I was advising the girls to always buy the bigger pot or pan since you can cook a small amount in a bigger pan, but not a bigger amount in the smaller pan.

The manager told them that it was not a game show, and they did not have to spend the whole gift card at once, but amazingly they spent almost exactly what they were given, only shelling out $2.23 of their own money.

They took everything out of the boxes at home and Carter styled it so show Suzanne. I thought they should show le Crueset. They will have these pieces their whole lives. Good thing since they won’t be getting my 40 year old pieces for at least 20 more years.

We Made It

Shay and I had a fast short trip this morning to get to Carter and Claire’s new house. It was so exciting to finally get to see them. I adore their house and their wonderful neighborhood. Carter and Claire have met almost everyone on their street and they have been so welcoming to them.

After my extensive tour of every inch of their house we took the dogs on a short walk to go see Carter’s community garden plot round the corner. I am quite jealous of her tomatoes.

We hung at home and then went to the south end for dinner at a new hot spot Capri. Thank goodness everyone wanted to share because that way I was able to taste lots of different things. It was a big hit and we are going to have to take Russ there.

Shay and Norman held down the house while we were gone and nothing was out of place when we got home. Tomorrow we will go shopping. I love being with my girls.

Little Brown Dog Goes on the Road

I was worried all day yesterday. My Mom and Dad both kept taking things to the car. Laundry baskets, tote bags full of shoes, books, pillows, but the thing that worried me the most was a bag of my toys. Where were they taking my blue baby?

So this morning when Mom’s alarm went off at 5:15 I got right up so I could make sure no one was sneaking out of the house without me. Turns out I was going in the car all along, but it was not until we got on the highway that I realized Daddy was not with us.

Mommy was listening to a book on tape so I just snuggled down in my big car seat and listened too. Mommy told me we were going to drive like 10 hours to get very close to Carter’s so that tomorrow we could get up and go see her right away.

I was such a good girl. No crying or shivering on the whole drive. We stopped north of Baltimore and I went potty and Mommy bought me some chicken. I didn’t eat it until we stopped at our hotel for the night.

Since I was so cute at check in Mommy was given a goody bag as VIP of the day. Sometimes it pays to bring a cute little brown dog with you.

The Rise of Traveling Laundry Baskets

Years ago when I first started taking road trips north I started packing in Laundry Baskets. I found it so much easier when making stops at various places along the way got just have one toiletry bag and then I would pull out the clothes I needed for that day or two at each stop. So much easier than carrying in a whole suitcase for one night.

Russ embraced the laundry basket travel mode. It makes carrying clothes so much easier and they fit perfectly in the way back of the car.

I mentioned this mode of “stuff management” this week when I was visiting my friend Annette and she said she too packed in laundry baskets. As did Charlotte who was over for dinner.

So it appears that the chic way to pack for car travel is in laundry baskets. I am sure than any hour now Louis Vuitton will come out will its own signature laundry basket at only $4,400. It should be cheaper than a suitcase as no wheels, zippers or compartments are needed, but it will be just as much as a suit case since it will be the new hip thing. You really need at least a set of two and they do nest nicely.

Mark my words,you read it here first. Designer laundry baskets for travel. I guess you can use them for laundry at home too when you aren’t on the road.

Twinning at Mah Jongg Class

We are a long way from Junior High school. I promise that my students and I are not calling each other to ask what we are wearing to class,but…

One of my best beach buddies Maria, who has the best wardrobe, showed up today in class in a dress that coordinated perfectly with mine. Of course I loved hers more. I feel like she has spent enough time with me that now we are thinking alike. At least we did when we got dressed today.

Of course I didn’t have any other choice because that was the dress I brought with me. So i guess the twinning is all up to Maria who had a giant closet worth of fabulous dresses to chose from and through some mind meld picked the one that worked perfectly with mine without knowing what I was going to wear.

I know she does not care to match me, except in mah Jongg. So Maria, I hope that the mind meld will carry over into your game.

Never Too Young

You are never too young to fall in love with Mah Jongg. Just like you are also never too old. Today I had my youngest student ever in my class, Collins. Only six months old, but clearly enthralled with the tiles.

Collins was a most attentive student. Only voicing an opinion on the very worst hands and celebrating appropriately on the wins. She paid rapt attention to each movement of the tile and clearly liked Dragons more than winds.

It helped that Collins snuggled with me while her mother beat me. Collins was very proud of her mother for taking me down. I was great with that because I got to snuggle with Collins.

My prediction is she will be a very good Mah jongg player.

Perfect Beaufort

My final class for the summer semester starts tomorrow at Coral Bay. Since it is a short two day Strategy class I came down early to stay with my Friend A. in Beaufort. Of all the places on the coast of North Carolina Beaufort is my favorite. Sorry AB.

My Hostess A. Does not appear on the Internet, but does show up big time as a friend. Tonight she invited two other friends, Charlotte and Elizabeth Townsend to come have dinner with us. Elizabeth and her husband Doug used to live down the street from me in Durham so it is always great to catch up. Doug wasn’t invited for dinner but he came by to see me just the same, which was a treat for me. Christine brought a bag of books so I have plenty to read in Maine.

Annette designed a fabulous menu and I got to teach her how to chop different vegetables. We had a most YUMMY salad I want to memorialize here because I want to make it in Maine.

It was thinly slicked raw zucchini, thinly sliced fennel, arugula, peas, mint, feta and champagne vinaigrette. It was fabulous, but would also be good with Ricotta salta or pecorino. A. had made some perfect shrimp with cocktail sauce and we had a crab cake as well. What a dinner. Between the food and the company everything was perfect. Just like Beaufort.

Chew or Swallow?

I met up with my friend Jan for brunch today. We have had a summer of not seeing each other much with her in the mountains and me at the beach teaching. With trips in opposite directions on the horizon we realized that today was our one overlap day.

Russ had so much work all weekend so Jan and I took the rare opportunity to leave our husbands at home and go out. She suggested a place in Governor’s Village called Flair. Since it is a bit away from me I had never been. I looked at the menu and thought it seemed just fine, but Jan told me she had the best goat cheese salad there she had ever had so I was in.

The place is so cute. It has the most glorious plants that turn a strip mall location into an oasis. The weather was perfect so we ate outside.

As we discussed our trips, our need to get our prescriptions refilled early and the nightmare that causes along we touched on the various ways we sort our pills. Jan is a trained pharmacist and so she always is imparting valuable wisdom to me. I mentioned that I have no trouble swallowing big pills that are oblong, but I hate big pills that are round.

Jan told me that round usually means they are chewable. WHAT? How could this important bit of information get by me until today. I looked at my selenium bottle and it does not say chewable, but it does have an outline of the size of the pill on the bottle. Is this a warning? Like, “Hey if you have trouble swallowing round pills this is going to be your nightmare.” The quarter is just for size comparison.

I don’t exactly love chewing pills, but if I am supposed to do it I will comply. Now I do not know the answer with this one. It is big enough for it to make sense that it should be chewed because swallowing it is hard, but it does not say chewable on it.

I am certain that I could find the answer, but for now I want to know, “Am I the only one who did not know that round meant chewable and all the other shapes meant swallowable?”

What Have I been doing For the Last Nine Months? No It’s Not My Hair

This blog started as my accountability when I did a weight loss challenge for myself to lose weight and raise money for the Food Bank of Central and eastern North Carolina. As I said then, I am not good at losing weight for myself, but if it will help others that will help me.

I was very successful. I lost a lot of weight and raised a lot of money. But as a person with life long weight issues I eventually gained most, but not all of it back. That was all before I hit menopause.

Once I crossed over I tried to lose the weight again, with very little success. I knew how to do it with my pre-Menopausal body, but post…well that was another story. I also discovered I had an auto immune disease so let’s add that to my issues.

Last November my Doctor told me I qualified for Ozempic. So I started on it and it has been life changing. I am the person it was made for. Apparently if you produce GLP-1 naturally you don’t think about food all he time. This explains why my skinny friends would say things like, “I forgot to eat lunch.” This was very foreign to me.

I am very lucky. I have no side affects from taking this shot. It not only helps me feel full on smaller amounts of food, it quiets the food noise in my brain to a whisper or less. I really no longer think about food and have no cravings.

So far I have lost 82 pounds. Skinny friends say, “you must feel so much better.” I felt fine before, and I still feel fine. I have not reported this on this blog until now, although I have not been hiding it. I am tired of having people tell me my hair looks so much better with my new hairdo. That’s when I tell them that absolutely nothing has changed about my hair, it’s my weight. Losing weight this way is nothing to be commended for, like the hard work I did last time. The drug is miraculous and I am thankful for it.

The one thing I have tried to do is eat enough protein. When you don’t eat much, you need to pick what you do eat carefully. Basically I eat protein, fruits and vegetables and nuts. Getting enough protein is the most important so I don’t lose muscle.

My friend Kristi gave me a Fairlife Protein drink at her house at the beach. It had 30 grams of protein. It was great. She told me they also made one that was 42 grams of protein. I had been unable to find them, but my friend Sara did on Amazon so we split a case.

Tonight I made a blueberry milkshake with half a bottle of Fairlife, a handful of fresh blueberries and some crushed ice that I ran thought the blender. YUMMY and the cup I made was 21 grams of protein. I am going to try and make one with a peach for breakfast soon.

I still have more weight to lose, but I am very happy with my progress and plan on sticking to this for he foreseeable future. So if you see me, don’t mention my hair. It’s still as tragic as ever.

Happy International Mah Jongg Day

Who knew this day existed, but it is not surprising. I might call this the year of Mah Jongg. I have been lucky enough to ride this wave for a long time.

There are more and more people playing and more and more people teaching them how to play. It is just spreading joy in the world.

Lord knows we need a good distraction from the self made nightmares certain deranged elected officials, both here and abroad are committing. Firing federal workers who put out economic data from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics because you don’t like the truth is just small and makes said official look even more petty than he already is.

The facts are the facts. Ask any number of recent college graduates what percentage of their classmates have jobs. It’s horrible and tariffs are ruining the world economy.

Children are starving in Gaza and I am having a hard time reconciling the treatment of them by people who said never again. If we had more women in charge these things would be different.

In the meantime,grab some tiles and distract yourself for a bit, but not too long. We need all the smart women to change the world back to a place of sanity and peace and get rid of childish officials.

Mah Jongg Clothing I Didn’t Know Existed

Today was the last day in a three class series. I had a fabulous group of beginners who are now mah Jongg graduates. My beyond beginner group was so much fun. Four ladies who were new students to me were in the class. The first day Terri showed up in a pickleball and mah Jongg together shirt. Yesterday she had a joker tile shirt. And today’s shirts took the cake.

“Draw, Discard, Swear, Repeat.”

We all agreed the Swear should have been in the second position, or we would add an additional swear after Draw.

Clearly I have never explored the Mah Jongg Clothing line. Terri said she is addicted to both Pickleball and Mah Jongg and that is all she does. Her clothing clearly reflects that.

I love me some dedicated Mah Jongg Students.

Getting Old Sucks

Life is not fair to old ladies. At some point you might start leaking. That is what has happened to the little brown old ladies that lives at our house. Sometimes she can’t be bothered to wake up in the night and tell us she might need to go outside.

Her doctor gave her some pills to help this, but they just don’t always work. So now this little brown old lady has to wear a diaper to go to bed. What a good sport she is. She does not complain about it. She is happy to just get to go to sleep and not be bothered.

This diaper situation has made her people so much happier. There is no disappointment in the morning. Everyone is happy. Diapers aren’t that bad, especially since they just get thrown in the washer.

Getting old sucks, but staying dry makes it better.

Happy Birthday Smartie

Seventeen years ago today Russ bought his little Smart Convertible. A few years before we were at the Paris Car show and we were able to test drive one because they wanted Americans to buy them. Russ loved it. Amazingly his 6’5” frame fit perfectly in the tiny car and my oh so large body did too, thanks to the seats being slightly offset from each other.

Russ waited patiently for the Smart to eventually come to America and bought the first one in the state of North Carolina. The Mercedes dealer in Cary sold the Smarts. Why I will never know, but we still take it there to be serviced.

Carter loved the Smart and was very excited to see it the day we went to pick it up. Russ drives it still and I am sure keep it as long as it runs. So Happy Birthday to our little Smart car. We certainly have gotten our money’s worth out of it.

A Facebook Rabbit Hole

As a Mah Jongg teacher I get so many Mah Jongg Facebook and instagram posts. I try and ignore most of them unless they are from one of my students. But after teaching over 27,000 people over three decades I just don’t remember all their names. Sometimes I read something because I think it is from someone I taught. Then I get sucked in and discover I never taught this person. I can always tell because I teach differently from the majority of other people who “teach” Mah Jongg.

Here was today’s rabbit hole I never should have gotten into. Someone asked “Why do you do the 2nd Charleston? We don’t. It seems Unnecessary. What am I missing?”

I responded that I know exactly why she is asking this, and offered my beyond beginner class. I did not explain why I know and how I would help because that is what my whole business is.

She was not interested, not that I was really thinking she would be, based on her comments. But I always like to learn what issues people are having with Mah Jongg because knowing that helps me develop new curriculum and ways of teaching.

What I didn’t tell this person is I can tell she was taught incorrectly right from the start. And based on all the other responders to her post, so were they.

If you want to learn mah jongg make sure it is from someone who is interested in strategy and can talk with you about the game in a deeper way than just the rules. Mah Jongg is a game of many rules and half as many exceptions, so those are important, but someone needs to be able to explain why you need to do things a certain way.

This Face Book poster who stops the Charleston probably decides what hand she is going to play based on the tiles she is dealt. That is a very novice way to play. Most people never get past the novice stage and they don’t even know it.

If you want to know more, or feel like you are a novice and would like to be more than a novice, come to my Beyond Beginner Class. Www.learnmahjongg.com

So many people stop the Charleston and they are missing out on improving their hand. Don’t stop the Charleston!

Not Fitting Behavior for an Old Lady

Last night we went to the baseball game leaving Shay home alone. She is a 14 year old dog who has spent plenty of time at home alone. For the most part she is very well behaved. We went with our friends whose animals are not always as well behaved and there is always talk about having to get home to see if the house is still standing.

Well, last night their animals were angels, but we came home to a brown little puppy covered in fluff. At first I thought Shay had just destroyed one of her fur babies and the fluff that was all over her was fake fur. But then I noticed foam all over the hallway and up the stairs into the next hallway and then into the guest room.

Russ had taken the sheets off the guest room bed and put them in the wash leaving the foam mattress pad exposed. Shay had gone in and destroyed the foam mattress pad. We are not exactly sure why, but she was quite proud of herself until we told her otherwise.

It just is not becoming for an old ladies like Shay to throw such a temper tantrum.

Durham and the Bulls for the Win

Lynn and Logan wanted to go to the Bulls so off we went tonight. It’s terrible we don’t go more as season ticket holders since the start. It was hot, but we were in the shade.

The national anthem was sung by a children’s choir from a local church. There must have been at least 40 of them. Boys in matching striped shirts with jeans (heavens to betsy jeans in 95° weather) and the girls in blue and white matching dresses with white bows in their hair.

They were a multicultural crowd of children of every color of the rainbow and they strongly sang the national anthem proudly. My first thought was I pray ICE was not in the house. My second was, this is exactly what American should stand for. The proudest Americans are the newest Americans. People work so hard to become American, or they used too, because they saw this as a land of opportunity. Not a place that snatches up people off the street based on their skin color and drags them to a dangerous concentration camp.

I hope that Durham continues to be a place where young children can feel safe, no matter how long their people have been here.

The kids stayed and watched the game which was very exciting. The Bulls won with three single home runs, locking out the jumbo shrimp of Jacksonville. Durham wins not just in Baseball, but in compassion.

Good Barter

Eight classes this week. Six at the beach, one in Raleigh, last one tonight in Durham. I am wiped. But the Durham’s class had a bunch of people I really like in it and some I just met. I’m sure I will like them too.

One of the young members of the class really wanted to learn mah Jongg. She is a baker and so she asked me if I would be willing to receive baked goods as a barter for the class. How could I turn down a young person offering baked goods?

I left it up to her what she might bring me. Well, it was a very nice large tray, (which she also gave me) of focaccia, bread, cookies and mixed berry crostatas. Russ is very excited for breakfast. The cookies have already gone in the freezer. If you come to visit me you might get one. She also brought cookies to the class.

I get one day of rest tomorrow, thank goodness and then Sunday I start up with eight classes next week. More than I like in a week, especially two weeks in a row, but since I am leaving for Maine and will be off for over five weeks I let people talk me into extra classes.

Student Endorsement Joy

I am a student of all the different ways people learn. I am always trying to improve my teaching by coming up with the most efficient ways to teach. I am not a student of the way other people teach, but I learn from my students how they have been taught so I have gained a lot of insight in the ways other’s do it.

I had a wonderful group of women in my beyond beginner class this week at Coral Bay. About half of them had learned Mah Jongg from the start from me and the other half had learned from other people, but wanted to further their education.

I asked those students new to me to try and set their tiles up in a different way from the way they were taught. I explained my reasoning. I got a little push back as they said their “Teacher” had told them to do it this way. I asked them to try it my way just for these three days.

Today one of those new to me students came into class early to tell me a story. She said she went home the first day after class, not convinced I was right and wanting to get evidence that they way she was taught was the best way. She researched all the other mah Jongg teachers she could find and all of them except for one taught the way she first learned. Ah ha! She was right, but she didn’t tell me that the second day.

She came to class. We practiced what I taught and we won every game. So she went home from the class and decided to practice online. She told me she never plays against the computer because she says you can never beat the computer, but she saw us beat the computer every time that day. So she gave it to me try. She won 8 out of ten games, something that she had never even come close to before when she set up the tiles the way she was taught.

It only took two days with me and she was a convert to my method. Now she could see many new and better possibilities.

It made my heart so happy that she was so skeptical, but was willing to try a new way and found success so quickly.

I told her, most people who teach mah Jongg don’t study how people think, they way I do. Just teaching people the rules does not make learning this game fun. You have to help people learn to see possibilities and weigh the options in ways that work for their brains.

I am constantly changing the way I teach and coming up with improvements. You might think you know how to play mah jongg, but I teach you how to win mah jongg.