VACATION IN MAINE

PART I


Finally!! We are in Maine!!

Out of the insufferable heat, the miserable traffic, the polluted air. Here, it is cool (and yes sometimes rainy...but that is okay), light traffic (relatively speaking), and the air is CLEAN!!!

We left Phoenix on Wednesday night (May 26th) around midnight and arrived in Portland at approximately noon on Thursday (May 27th). JETBLUE is an impressive little airline...clean and comfortable...and the employees very friendly. Even the 2 hour layover in JFK was pretty cool.
Al and Judy, our good buddies, were kind enough to drop us at Sky Harbor....after a great dinner at Rigatonni's. We had an early celebration of their 43rd anniversary of wedded bliss! Al and Judy headed for Upstate New York on the 28th....Now they are in New Hampshire with the grand kids.

The first three nights we stayed in a motel in Brunswick. Then, on Saturday, we checked out of the motel to stay with Rob and Brandie, and their girls: Cidney 17, MacKenzie 13, and Riley 9, on Saturday and Sunday. On Monday, June 1st, we moved into a cute little bungalow in South Portland. It is two bedroom and one bath, plenty big enough for the two of us....and just a short two blocks to Willard Beach. The only drawback is we are about 40 miles from Rob and Brandie....soooo, when we go out there (which is almost everyday) we quite naturally stay longer than we should. Willard Beach photos.

Last year when we came to Maine, Rob and family, were moving from Cape Elizabeth to Topsham. This year they just moved from Topsham to Harpswell....about 10 miles from Topsham. We could not find a place to rent in the Harpswell/Brunswick area or we would have rented up there. We have an appointment in the Brunswick area in the morning (Thursday) for next year. The only drawback is the owner is looking for someone to rent from 1 June through September 30, 2010. We just don't know yet if we want to stay that long......! (I liked the house, Linda not so much. We are just not ready to commit for next year quite yet)

Rob and Brandie could not have picked a more idyllic setting to live. The house sits on a huge wooded lot on an inlet with their back yard ending right at water's edge. Riley loves going to the shore line when the tide goes out. She finds all manner of seashells, sea glass, and other creatures. There are mussels by the millions (Rob insists they are edible). Of course, Riley likes for me to accompany her to the shoreline, which I do sometimes. Linda even ventured down the steps once, with Riley and me helping her of course, because the steps are so steep.
More pictures of the Mayes household in Harpswell.

One of the reasons we came to Maine this year was to attend the wedding of our eldest granddaughter, Jessica. She and Taber have known each other for I think over 5 years and finally decided to take the plunge. The wedding itself took place out of doors, at a park by the Royal River in Yarmouth, Maine, right up the road from Portland. The sun was out but the weather was cold and windy. Thankfully, the ceremony was short! Jessica, accompanied by her father, Marty, was a beautiful bride, and Taber a handsome groom.

It was good to see family, and old friends. My eldest daughter, Angie, came in from Chicago with her daughters, Amanda and Katie. Tonya, my second oldest daughter, came in from Florida. Of course, Rob and Brandie and their family live here. Ryan, my youngest son who lives in Mesa was unable to attend because of his work schedule. Marty, Jessica's dad, and his family, flew in from Columbus, Ohio.

The reception was held in a restaurant in Yarmouth by the bay. The food was excellent, the view wonderful, and the band was the best I have seen or heard in a long time. All in all, it was a very pleasant, intimate, experience. Here is a great picture of Linda, Cidney, Mackenzie, Riley and Tonya.

Brandie, an accomplished photographer who should really have her own photo shop/business, was the official photographer. (Here she is giving Rob some last minute instructions. Rob furnished the music, playing on his guitar). Brandie, of course, is busily editing the official photos. Unfortunately, the photos you are having to look at came from my lousy camera work!
Here are more wedding pictures.

The weather here so far has been rainy with a few days of sunshine. But that has not stopped us from doing the usual sight-seeing stuff.

The first Sunday here we all jumped in the mini-van to drive up the coast to Darmariscotta to see the annual return of the alewise fish to their spawning ground. (The alewise, like salmon, spawn in fresh water, but live in the sea, only to return to their spawning ground to produce more offspring).

On one sunny day, Linda and I took a trip to the Newry/Bethel area to see one of the "most photographed/painted" bridges in Maine. It is about a two and a hour trip up there from the Portland area. Most of the trip was very scenic, passing several huge lakes, and some rivers. Near the bridge was this old school house. More bridge photos.

Linda, Tonya, Brandie, Riley and I also took a ride up the coast to Booth Bay Harbor. (Another sunny day)! Booth Bay is very scenic and quaint. Before we sold our house in Fountain Hills, a few years ago, (and even before Rob and Brandie moved here) we had made reservations to stay in a Bed and Breakfast in Booth Bay. On the way back from Booth Bay we stopped at one of my favorite spots in Brunswick, the swinging bridge.

Here is a sign that explains the origins of the bridge.

Brandie and Tonya celebrated their birthdays on June 9th. They were born on the same day, however, 10 years apart. So Cidney, MacKenize, Riley and Rob baked a cake for them. A very yummy chocolate cake. They used some rose petals to be silly and goofy. And Cid and Mac performed a song (the swine flu song! Very creative and very funny).

Yesterday, we all took Cidney up the coast to Tanglewood 4H camp where she is going to be a camp counselor for the summer. We are all excited for her and we know she will do a good job. She had to get out of school a week early in order to accept the job. She will stay there until July 3rd; be home for a week and then go back for another 3 weeks.

Tomorrow (Monday), Linda, Riley and I are headed up the coast to do some more sight-seeing.
We hope to go into New Brunswick, Canada, and go to Nova Scotia, to the city of Halifax. I have to check with the car rental agency to see if we can take the car into Canada. We will be gone for a day or two. I plan to post more after that trip.

very nice. Love, riley (thank you, Riley. I am happy you approve. Love, PaPa). :-).