14 July 2007

Has it really been that long since I've posted! Hard to believe it's been a month!

Went up to Syracuse for my mom's birthday (she'll get mad if I say which one, but it was a biggie! :) Spent some time with the family and took a fabulous boat ride on the lake with everyone. My niece and nephew tagged along in their Waverunner. I'm always amazed how relaxing it is to be back at our lakehouse. Some things have changed over the years (more year-round places, some "modern" technology has creeped into the house --microwaves, TV with a remote), but for the most part--it's the same as its always been. It's very simple and very comforting.

Jordan & Matthew














For a present I took mom up to Maine for a few days. We stayed in Portland the first night. We had dinner at this great place called Becky's--which is right on Commercial Street on the wharf. The great thing about it is it's far away from the touristy part of Commercial Street. (I love finding places that actual locals go to.) We got awesome lobster rolls and cold beer--and, believe it or not, I even ran into my cousin, who's a local!

The next day we took a ferry to Peaks Island, where my dad was born. I'd been there a couple of times, but my mom had never been there. It's an island in Casco Bay--about a 20 minute ride from Portland. We happened to find someone who gives tours and for an hour and a half we sped around the island on a golf cart, seeing the sights and hearing all the neat stories about "island life." We even found the hospital (really, a house) where my dad was born. It was gorgeous day and an amazing experience.

Entering Peaks Island from the ferry





Peaks Island with Casco Bay & Portland, Maine in background



We stayed in Biddeford, Maine--about 15 minutes south of Portland, where my dad grew up until college. My grandparents came from Canada to find work there back in the day, and has a major French-Canadian heritage. In fact, my dad's cousin--with whom I've gotten closer to since my dad died--still lives there and speaks fluent French! In addition to introducing us to a fabulous seafood spot (any place with picnic tables and paper towels for napkins is AWESOME in my book!), Cousin Mike took us to some of the places my dad used to hang out at as a kid. One was called Biddeford Pool--a beautiful inlet right off the ocean, and Fortune's Rocks Beach. I can remember my dad talking about how much he missed the smell of the sea. I took an extra deep breaths of it and thought of him.


Biddeford Pool


We also went to Cape Elizabeth to see the breathtaking Portland Headlight--and even saw the Nubble Lighthouse on Cape Neddick in York. Mom and I found a neat little ice cream stand within the shadow of the lighthouse where we enjoyed some Maine wild blueberry pie.

Portland Headlight



Nubble Lighthouse, Cape Neddick, York, Maine



It was raining, but we also took a drive through Old Orchard Beach. My dad used to hang out there as a kid--and believe it or not, my mom's family used to vacation there when she was a kid! It's a classic beach town--amusement park, ice cream shops, rental houses/cabins. My grandfather later went into a nursing home there after my grandmother died.

We also drove through Kennebunkport and saw Walker's Point (The president was NOT there!) and Ogunquit (which, among other things, is a artsy gay enclave.)