So to Wifey's mild consternation, we were fetched by a pre-planned Uber at 555am, to make our early flight. She much prefers later departures, but when you go to a small airport city like Portland, ME, you need to change planes and if you leave late, arrive WAY too late. So "like a soldier," as my late suegro described the self sufficient Ds, she was ready, and we got there for a flight to Reagan D.C., a 40 minute layover, just enough time,and then the plane to Portland.
Kenny met us at Baggage Claim, and we were off to their beautiful lake house in Oxford. The temperature was about the same as Miami, but the humidity was low, and we knew the temperature would drop to the 50s that night. We shared cocktails as the sun set over Thompson Lake, and caught up on our lives -- grandkids for us, young men for them.
The next am it was off to Rockland, which is next to Rockport. We stopped at the famous Red's Lobster Shack, but it was closed Tuesdays! No worries -- Sprague's across the street had fine lobster rolls and steamers. We quickly dispensed the required Maine activity. From there it was to the cool, boutique hotel Joelle found, 250 Main, with lovely views of the harbor. We had a wonderful dinner at a local Italian place, joined by Liz and Claude, fellow old, dear friends. They're both retired US Navy Captains -- one an ortho surgeon and the other an eye doc, and are Maine-Florida snowbirds, too, though they winter near Gville. More great talk, and comparing empty nesterhood -- they have 2 adult girls, but no grandsons -- both of their girls say no kids for them, which is fine.
Wednesday the cool rains came, and we walked to the Farnsworth Museum, and saw enough Wyeth art to keep us satisfied forever -- the most famous, Andrew, and his father, and grandson. It's a terrific museum, with an annex up the street in an old church, and we spent most of the day there bisected by a great sandwich and soup place -- clam chowder is tailer-made for blustery weather.
Wednesday night we had the only clunker meal, a place called Sammy's that got NY Times good press, but other than some serviceable burgers --eh.
Thursday we drove a bit north to Camden, and one of the coolest inns I ever stayed in, The Norumbega. It was a mansion built by a really rich guy in the 1800s, and was owned a long time by Hodding Carter, Jimmy Carter's guy who was always on TV explaining why we couldn't rescue the hostages. It became an Inn in the 80s,and a few years ago was totally renovated. You really feel like Gilded Age rich folks there -- gourmet breakfast,and a tiny bar, and cookies out at all times. We were up on the third floor, so Wifey timed her trips up and down -- but we loved the place.
Friday Kenny booked us a 4 hour sail, which was probably, in retrospect, about 3 hours too long, as it was pretty cold on the water, and the seas were choppy, but Joelle and Wifey endured, and the Captain, Dan, a lifelong mariner, told great tales of the area -- his family goes back to the 1700s there.
Friday night was another cool restaurant, Winona's, named after the husband and wife team owner's cat, and we toasted well our farewells.
Saturday we took a VERY leisurely drive back towards Portland, with a stop for lunch in Brunswick, and a stop at the LL Bean shopping village -- where I got the AA text.
Our 6 pm flight out of Portland was delayed, and we would miss our flight from Charlotte to Miami, so they booked us on one Sunday at 5 am. Ha.
Joelle is great with logistics, and we thought about maybe a 2 hour bus to Logan, or staying another night in Portland, either with them or in a hotel, but I figured with brewing bad weather off the Coast, probably good to just get to Charlotte. AA agreed to put us up in a Radisson, and out the next am at 9 am.
I figured the disrupted travel called for a bump to First, which I paid for, and tried to drink my Tito's worth. I came close. At Charlotte, the courtesy bus fetched us, and Wifey and I were the only, as they say, crackas. I thought of telling everyone we were NOT Ukrainain like that poor pizza girl killed on a Charlotte train last month where the local folks did their version of the Kitty Genovese tragedy and ignored her as a maniac was killing her.
Of course, I stayed silent, and we got to the 2 star Radisson, which let us sleep a solid 5 hours before another 6 am fetch to CLT airport.
Luckily, the rest of the trip went well -- we spent our $24 food vouchers on CLT breakfast -- though our addiction, Chik Fil A, was closed on account of it was Sunday and they close to please the Son, apparently.
I had my OCD homecoming -- did laundry right away, and then fell asleep to the hapless Dolphins, who found some hap and nearly beat the Chargers before collapsing late.
We'll fetch the old Spaniel from D2's -- maybe tomorrow -- and then see the boys Wednesday.
Joelle and Kenny love their Maine house so much. Not in the depths of Winter, but the rest of the time. I enjoy watching folks live where they love, and this am, as the cab (yep -- we go old style from MIA) dropped us off, and I walked onto our tropical acre -- man, I never want to be anywhere else.
Still, it was sure nice enjoying some cool sleeping weather. Hopefully we get some of that by next month here in the Tropics...
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