Saturday, July 31, 2010

Home sweet home

So, I am back in Maine where it is a lovely 75 degrees with no humidity, sitting at the bookstore with a Latte, surrounded by my people. I drove out to the Lake after I landed in Portland last night to be greeted by two absolutely hysterical doggies. Nice to be loved. I wish I could show you the Lake because it was so beautiful this morning and there was a loon right off the dock but have yet to get my camera.

So, here are the images from my flight from Atlanta. I should have known something was up when I saw about 8 strollers (including two doubles) lined up at the door to the plane.



I ended up holding a newborn (thankfully asleep) for most of the flight while the mom wrestled with her toddler.
  

Friday, July 30, 2010

Greetings from Atlanta (which I despise) where I am on a layover on my way back to Maine. Yay! This is what I sat next to on the plane from Miami to here.
  And he was LOUD. I do not miss snoring.

Yikes!!

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Greetings from Florida where it is unbelievably hot and steamy and I miss Maine. Just here for a few days though. I forgot my #@!%^&**  camera!! As my nephew would say, DANG IT!  Anyhoo, I will do my best to illustrate what has been going on:

So, I took Ryder to the airport on Thursday for her flight home to California. I'll miss her!

My friend Stacy flew in the same morning and spent the day in Boston so we met up at the airport and let me tell you, Boston airport's parking setup is crap. Took us almost an hour to find each other and at one point we could even see each other, me in the car leaving the parking garage, Stacy in the second floor window of the terminal. Frustrating!  Anyway, off we went for dinner and overnight in Lexington. We ate at a really good natural foods restaurant and I can't remember the name (but Leslie, it is really really good {although Anna would not touch one item on that menu.}) We spent the night at my sister's house - thank you! and took off for Maine Friday morning.
The dogs were thrilled to see Miss Stacy and we had a jam-packed fun few days Just want to say what an awesome friend Stacy is...

We drove to Portland Monday where Stacy flew out and I stayed over and flew out first thing Tuesday morning.

So, there you have it.
  This is me. I just want to say I feel sorry for all of you who have to live in this heat. I hope I don't come off as gloating when I talk about how lovely Maine is. I don't mean to! (But honestly, this sucks and Maine is wonderful. hahaha)

Saturday, July 24, 2010

So, remember that ginormous piece of driftwood I decided I had to have? The one Bo and Nat sweated over and hauled up from the beach to the house?  Well, the guys are working under the house replacing some rotted wood and had some time to kill while they waited for the tide to go out so I put them to work on this little project. (Ken kept saying, are you sure??)
The chain saw came out and some of the bulk was cut away. They made cutouts where the arch would sit on the posts. Then, up she went!
So, what do you think? How cool is this? I think it is awesome.

I would also like to point out the Gap sundress I got at the GW in Portland for $7.95, new with $40 price tag on it, thank you very much!  I do love a bargain. Woohoo!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Let's play catch (up)!


So, here is a little of what I've been up to in my busy little life. Ok, so Tuesday, I met my BFF Leslie for shopping at our fave Rockland stores:  GW and TJ Maxx (where fashion goes to die.)  And for your info, GW stands for Good Will and we love it!

We had lunch at Rustica and it was fabulous as always.

Then, Wednesday, my friend Linda invited me to the fashion show held at Fisherman's Wharf every year to benefit the Chamber of Commerce. Here we are - ta da!





And here is Linda's daughter, Lauren,  olympic hopeful that she is (and soon to be famous glam supermodel, I'm sure.)
She runs the local Life is Good store. She is absolutely adorable and the sweetest person, just like her mom.








These guys were a hoot in their Grundens and pink cheeks, strutting down the runway. v. funny

Next up, the girl from the Cannery and I'm sorry I can't remember her name but she always helps Anna and me when we do a little back to school shopping each August.
and finally, these two were hysterical. They did the tango all over the restaurant with much drama.
It was a lot of fun - thank you Linda!

So, Thursday. What did I do Thursday . . . oh cleaned my house ALL DAY. I got obsessive and did some much needed throwing away of old cosmetics and stuff and cleaning the nooks and crannies. Still need to wash the windows but that's for another day. Seriously, one can only do so much.
Friday, I worked at the Botanical Gardens doing a mailing and I met some very nice people and then had lunch in the cafe. Always so fresh and good. Went home and worked on my "Mike Fans".
Here is little Oliver Perreault with one. (Sweet baby but picture is kinda creepy, right?)

Saturday early morning, I drove the girls out to the Lake and dropped them off with the dog sitter, then headed for Greenwood, Maine for the 60th birthday party of my friend Mike Perreault (hence the fans).

I got onto 95 and then stopped dead for 45 minutes. Here is why:This is a truck and camper on his side, facing the wrong way on the highway. I don't know if he flipped over the guardrail from the northbound side or spun out when he tipped over on this side or whatever. It didn't look like anyone was hurt and I didn't see anything on the news. So that's ok then.
     Anyhoo, it was wicked hot but there were tents and a breeze and a wading pool which I admit, I stood in for periods of time when the baby wasn't in it. Everybody brought food and drinks and look at this awesome cake with a golf course and golf cart that Rita got. It was great and believe it or not, Hannaford made it! Here is the birthday boy himself blowing out his candle. Singular.
Ok, so Rita obviously forgot to get candles and managed to find this votive somewhere. tsk tsk
It was wonderful to see so many old friends, some I hadn't seen in like 15+ years!! Sorry I didn't take more pictures (or let's face it, more pictures that came out.) A good time was had by all.
Moving right along, I stayed over night in Bethel (props to the Sudbury Inn - it was wonderful and the dinner was to die for - seriously gourmet and good), went back to the Perreault's for breakfast, and then headed for Little Wohelo, my niece Ryder's summer camp.
     I scooped her up and brought her back to the Salt Shed and we've been enjoying some time together ever since.  How cute is Ryder??  She has been going thru electronics withdrawal at camp so there has been much emailing, telephoning, i-pod-ing, tv-ing, you get the picture.


This is the cool pic she made with photo booth. Don't you love the effect of the books to the right?
     And today??? Yes, we're finally up to today. We had a girly day.  Pedi's and shopping.
Oh yeah! The pink polish is called "Ladies and Magentamen"
So, that's what I've been up to in my busy little life.  The End.
* * * * *
Oh! But not quite . . . Remember that Asian looking quilt I made for my mom a few months back? Well, I submitted a picture and description to this magazine and they printed it and I won a prize: 3 yards of Kona fabric. Woohoo! Score!!
Guess I'm practically famous now

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Today marks exactly one year since I became Lizzie alone.

There were quite a few milestones during the year. My very first Thanksgiving alone. First Christmas alone. First Easter alone. You get the picture.

I’ve had a peek at my Self for the first time in many years though. And what I see is an independent, capable and creative woman. I do not live in fear anymore. Fear has nothing to do with me.  I am learning to love myself. I am proud of myself.

My biggest challenge is living in the present, not allowing my thoughts to go constantly and exclusively to the past or what if. I’ve had glimpses of the joy that is now and I want more of it. That is the task I set for myself each day.

I live in a state of gratitude now.  For the unwavering love and support of my family and friends. For the beauty that surrounds me every single day.

I have discovered this year that alone does not mean lonely. Lizzie alone is just fine, thank you very much.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Yesterday started out hot and sunny and after a morning of laundry, I took myself to lunch in town. In the afternoon, the fog rolled in so I got to work in my sadly neglected garden. Once I started pulling the weeds, I found my first tomatoes! Golden cherry tomatoes that did not last five seconds after I took the pictures. Yum.
I'm waiting for my blueberries to turn blue now - look at how many I have this year on just one bush!!
All caught up on my weeding, just have to tie the tomatoes up. The big yellow flowers are  my pumpkins.
Ta da!  Here is the perfect ending to the day. Beautiful.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Dog Days of Summer and The End

 Check out Sophie, mid-snooze . . .
* * * 
Well, we crammed in as much as we could in the last few days. The kids went to the beach at Ocean Point one day while Josh and I went up to the Lake to swim. You know it was really hot here because everybody went in the ocean.


Here is little Willa hard at work

* * * 
On Thursday, we attended the grand opening of the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden's Children's Garden. It was fabulous and we were lucky to have fog rolling in and out so it didn't get too hot. If you are ever in the area, go and see it. Really wonderful.
  
These are Genevieve's little tootsies, painted with ladybugs by her daddy

and sweet little Marin
 
That is Miss Lucia peeking out of the Gnome Depot.


Here we are in the Fairy Village, hard at work building houses for Tinkerbell

Seth and Micah cooled off at the end of a long day.

* * * 

Friday was Annie's birthday - yay Annie! Happy Birthday! To celebrate, we got the incomparable Slava and Ira to babysit (Thank you Liz and Dom - they are great - props to the East Boothbay General Store!)
Pictureand off we went to the Carousel Music Theatre.  The actors double as bartenders and waiters so while you're eating they sing to you and after dinner, desert is served and they're off to change into costumes and put on their show.
This guy was hilarious. 

So they had a Rogers and Hammerstein Review and then did a show with songs from the 50's. Very cute and earnest. We had a surprisingly good dinner and a fun time. I swear every single actress and actor picked Nat to goof on. Must be something in his eyes . . . 

 
Here is the adorable Brynne . . . 
  
the perpetually smiling Josh in his new glasses (he is sooo 16 years old) . . .
  
and this couple? What can I say - Yikes!!
 
Here we all are with the cast - that's the birthday girl on the far right. The owner of the theatre sang a special song just for her.
 
* * * 
and Saturday? poof they were gone


leaving one sad Zia to say good-bye AND thank you AND I love you all so much!