Nothing Worse

The kids flew home today without incident. We throughly enjoyed our time with them. The weather has been wonderful. We ate marvelous food, had fun on the lake. Hated to see them leave. But now we have new guests—Ron and Paula Roop—and we are doing exactly what we always do in October here in Maine…

Playoff Baseball. It matters not who is playing. Everything is based on rooting for anything and everything that might conspire to eliminate the Yankees and/or Dodgers from advancing.

Meanwhile, Quantabacook’s mayor happens to be this guy…

He knows nothing of baseball. He only knows that his wings need some drying, and sometimes he needs to keep a sharp eye out for a certain sketchy southern fisherman who sometimes appears on his waters.

Of course, after yesterday’s performance I’m almost certain I heard the mayor snickering at my incompetence. “Is that the best you can do??” I heard him squawk. There’s nothing worse than a trash-talking eagle.

It Rained, it Poured, We Had Fun

After a 12 day no-rain streak, yesterday it poured all day. The lake desperately needed it and I can’t wait to see what the dam looks like today. But, if you think that a washout like yesterday ruined our day, think again. Here’s what we did.

We left camp around 8:30 and drove into town to the fabulous Buttermilk Kitchen for breakfast. After a breakfast that would extinguish our hunger for a full 8 hours, we putzed around shopping at The Smiling Cow and Once a Tree, two stores which we never leave without buying something. They seem to be the two browse-free zones in Camden. 

By the time we got back to camp it was really coming down, so the four of us settled down into an afternoon watching the rain pummel the lake, listening to the sounds of it pounding the metal roof, and engaging in a variety of activities. One of us worked remotely for a couple hours, another busied himself playing card games with his mother. I got in some writing. 

Later in the afternoon Pam began chopping up vegetables and gathering the ingredients for her incredible sausage and lentil soup with Red Lobster biscuits dinner. While she was doing that, I braved the elements to make the five minute drive into Searsmont to pick up four different pint-sized containers of ice cream at Fraternity. For those of you who are interested in that sort of thing, the four flavors were: butter pecan, cappuccino crunch, banana pudding, and mint moose tracks.

After dinner I lit a fire in the fireplace as the rain continued to pour. The kids then suggested we watch a movie. Thus began the most bizarre two and a half hours of my life as I experienced the indescribable Everything, Everywhere, All at Once. They tell me it won a boatload of Oscars. My brain may never recover!

So, there you have it, a rainy day at camp ended up being a relaxing, delicious and stimulating adventure.

Quiet Days

Woke up this morning to 44 degrees. I was able to catch the lake in the act of shedding its misty covering, as the slight northerly breezes ushered them down to the south end of the lake…

We might have to have our first fire in the fireplace tonight. We have entered the quiet phase of our time here. The last several days have been mostly cloudy with enough wind blowing to make spending time in a kayak or on a paddle board a bit choppy. Plus, I’ve been laying low trying to calm the muscles in my back down. It’s better this morning but still not 100%. On the other hand I can’t remember the last time my back was 100%. At least I can now put on my socks by myself. Two days ago I couldn’t!

So, my wife is semi-famous for two contradictory things, being an amazingly organized packer and forgetting the most obviously basic items. One year we arrived in Maine for 6 weeks in the summer and Pam discovered that she had left all of her bathing suits at home. Another year she forgot to bring her contact lenses. It’s a mystery. On the other hand, I am the type of packer that annoys meticulous packers like my wife. I breeze in a day before we are scheduled to leave, throw a bunch of stuff into a couple of bags and I’m done. The entire process takes me an hour or so, while Pam has been churning out spreadsheets for weeks, leaving posted-note reminders to herself all over our house. Consequently, I have endured many an eye-role over the years.

Well, this year it was me who forgot something very obvious and basic—a jacket. The next three weeks up here will have some nice days in the upper 60’s, but the trend is not our friend this time of year. Low to mid 40’s at night will be the rule rather than the exception from now on and we will have some highs in the 50’s before we are done. A few flannel shirts won’t cut it. So, today I will head into Camden and buy a jacket.

The very good news is that Patrick and Sarah will arrive in a couple more days. It has been two years since they have made it to Maine and we couldn’t be more excited to have them to ourselves in this beautiful place. We will do some sight seeing and have a field day sampling the amazing food to be had in Mid-Coast Maine with my two foodie kids. Can’t wait!

Ruckus

The back is a bit better this morning but still a ways away from normal. Fortunately, the weather is cooperating with my need to lay low for a couple of days—it’s gotten cloudy and the wind is up. Another day or so and I’ll be as good as new—or at least as good as a one owner, low-milage used!

Funny story. So yesterday morning I had just sat down after doing my morning chores when my phone beeped at me reminding me that I had a 7:30 appointment at Ruckus Donuts to pick up the “Fall Special Fourpack” that my wife had ordered before we even left Short Pump. A word of explanation seems in order. So, Ruckus is this incredible donut shop in Rockland, Maine, a 35 minute drive from camp. Their donuts are so popular you have to place your order at least 24 hours prior to your pick up date. When Pam saw the Fall Fourpack she didn’t hesitate. And Pam being Pam—of course she made sure to have a reminder sent to my phone. I got the message at precisely 7 am, so I was already running late. Although my back was a mess, up here if you want great donuts you have to play through the pain, so off I went…

Just in case you are wondering, yes, those are real mini-marshmallows and yes, they were toasted. Everything in this box was a delight. Here is the description which accompanied each creation:

The first thing an alert reader will notice is that we were shortchanged one maple shortbread cookie on Mapledrop (bottom right). I decided to not make a big stink about it because I’m not from New York, but I was bummed . On the off chance that someone at Ruckus Donuts is reading this here’s hoping that they will be overcome with regret and feel the need to offer us free donuts as recompense for their over site.

Day 6: The Good and the Bad

So here’s how our day went today…

1. Drove into Camden for an exquisite brunch at the Buttermilk Kitchen where we were mtreated to the absolute best seats in the house—the half booth for two with a view of the harbor…

2. Got back to camp in time for me to head out for some fishing in the kayak at 11:30. I had done my exercises around 7:00 this morning which included a relaxed 2.3 mile run/walk which left my sore back much worse for the wear. When attempting to exit the kayak at the dam, the pain was made much worse making the 1 mile paddle back to camp rather excruciating. It should be noted that despite the extreme discomfort of the kayak/fishing adventure, I did manage to catch three respectable fish in my shortened expedition. Once back at home I took a couple muscle relaxers and applied both heat and ice, neither of which did anything to ease the pain. An uncomfortable afternoon insured while Pam was in Belfast for grocery shopping trip number two.

3. But by 6:00 it was time for dinner. This was our dinner table and view…

4. By the time we finished dinner the sun had just slipped underneath the tree line across the way. This means that it was time for Pam to depart for her nightly sunset search paddle…

5. In no time at all she found one…

6. Meanwhile, my muscle relaxers were wearing off and Pam has promised when she gets out of the shower she will apply this remedy she found at Hannaford’s in Belfast…

7. The good news is that we have now been in Maine for 6 straight days without a single emergency room visit. My chronically ailing back will not require an ER visit, it just hurts 24/7 and is something I am learning to live with. For me this means a two day hiatus from kayak activity and hoping for the best.

Y’all…this weather!

We are starting to almost feel guilty about the weather we have had since we arrived 5 days ago. Each morning we wake up to a chilly low 50’s experience. We make sure to wear long sleeve shirts and long pants pajamas. At 6:00 am the lake is as smooth as glass. I brew some coffee and empty the tiny dish washer. Then I take my coffee out on the deck and the complete stillness of morning. The sun rises from behind me and I wait for it to light up the windows of the camps across the lake, which it does around 6:45.

By the time I’m ready to take the kayak out for some fishing around 9:30 or 10:00 its in the mid 60’s and the lake is sparkling with sunshine and a few ripples have started to appear. When I head back to camp a bit after 11:30 it’s a delightful 75 and a light breeze has started to blow. We eat our lunch at the table on the deck, then Pam goes down to read her book in one of those Adirondack chairs. I do some writing and then take a nap. 

The late afternoon temperatures reach the upper 70’s and yesterday touched 81. The only clouds that make an appearance are the oddly shaped whispy ones that look like the brush strokes of a skilled artist. There has been no rain of any kind, not even the suggestion of the possibility of rain in these five days. That can’t hold up and the lake is a bit low and could use some rain.

Then something wonderful happens. The evening sneaks up on you here in Maine this time of year. When we were here this summer it stayed light until nearly 9:00. But in the Fall, the sun lowers itself close to the tree line across the lake around 6:15. Last night I sat down on the dock about that time to take in the sunset. Forty minutes later it was over amidst splashes of pink, lavender and purple. In one short hour the temperature had dropped 10 degrees and once again it was time for long pants.

And that is what every single day has been like since we arrived last Friday. It’s an embarrassment of riches but not the monetary kind that so often leads to despair and disappointment. These riches are eternal and transcendent, the kind of experience that stays with you forever.

First Report From Maine

The two day journey went off without incident. There were no major backups (except for the accursed Connecticut Bury’s—a blogpost for another day), no accidents and no speeding tickets. Although, each time Pam and I got out of the car for a break we looked like two octogenarians on leave from the nursing home. It was like trying to unfold a card table with rusty legs. Of course, driving over ten hours in one day with only two stops might be a travel strategy I need to revisit at this stage of life. But, the bottom line is, it was a pleasant trip.

Yesterday, I astonished my wife by eagerly agreeing to her suggestion of a side trip into Kennebunkport for lunch and some sightseeing. This, despite the fact that Kennebunkport was not on the way and in fact added over an hour to the trip. I tried to explain to her that this was me rehearsing for my soon to be roll of being retired, a chance for me to reinvent myself by trying new things, and nothing for me could be any newer than being diverted from my goal of conquering the trip!! I’ve never bought in to the its the journey, not the destination malarkey, but although I am certainly an old dog, I can learn new tricks.

This unassuming place is none other than one of the most celebrated eateries in all of Maine, Mabel’s Lobster Claw, one of Barbara Bush’s favorite hangouts back in the day. The reviews were off the charts so we gave it a shot. I got the clam chowder and Pam got a lobster roll. This citation was deservered…

It is my intention to order clam chowder at every place we go on this trip and rate them to see who has the best. It’s going to be hard to beat Mabel’s.

Just down the street from Mabel’s was this adorable little beach. The sky was clear, a soft breeze blowing and 78 degrees. Very much worth the hour diversion.

But then finally we arrived at this place…

It’s difficult for me to explain the feeling that comes over us when we arrive at this place. Despite many visits it never changes. There is magic here, a mystical vibe that’s impossible to define. We spent most of the afternoon unpacking and organizing the place to suit us. Then we ordered pizza from Fraternity and a half gallon of Cappuccino Crunch ice cream—the diet of two people who aren’t counting calories and proud of it. 

This morning I walked into the living room at 5:45. The sun was just starting to light up the lake. There were a few puffs of mist rolling across the surface of the water. It was 54 degrees. As I stood on the deck taking it all in I was overcome with a profound sense of gratitude, that I get to do this. What on earth have I ever done to deserve it? 

Nothing, that’s what…proof positive that God is merciful.