Pie Wife

I've always told my family that they haven't REALLY had the full experience of watching The Princess Bride until they've seen it with me and my best friend from high school, Beth. During our years of teenage angst, this movie was a staple, I mean it. Anybody want a peanut? If you desired to be driven insane with the dialogue of every scene quoted to you in stereo right along with the actors, we were your pair. THIS was the experience I wanted to give my family and so I took the opportunity of Jubal's leave to make it happen.

I have a few meals that I can make that rank higher than edible on the taste scale. This was a special occasion, so I provided one, Ziti and meatballs. After supper we all settled in the living room for the main feature. Beth had brought her dog, Sookie, and Tell made sure to squeeze in beside me and the good-natured canine. I know he misses having a dog around since Aunt Suci's Romi died.
It was such a fun night and my prediction that we would drive my family up the Cliffs of Insanity with our quoting was spot on.

Only slightly better than watching Inigo find the six-fingered man was the enjoyment of eating Beth's Key Lime Pie during our intermission. Her cooking skills have come a long way from the days when we set fire to her mother's oven. It was so perky. I love that.



After tasting the delicious dessert, Jim asked Beth if she would be his pie wife. As most of you know, in Jim's world this is a completely natural question. Beth is a good sport who did not completely decline the offer, so I see more movie nights with Beth and more pies in Jim's future. If only he could find a cleaning wife as well.


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Bookending the Week With Airports

Last weekend our exciting event was at the Brunswick Executive Airport, which everyone around here still calls "the base". We attended the Great State of Maine Airshow, checking out many types of aircraft before the actual performances, including a huge military cargo plane capable of carrying tanks and helicopters that opened from either end.








The Coast Guard out of Cape Cod had one of its helicopters available for people to get up close and personal with.











We ran into several people that we knew, including a favorite of mine, Nancy Seeley, who was only two people ahead of me in the pizza line. What are the chances of that?

Jim spotted the Marine booth where they were giving away items in exchange for pull-ups. To the surprise of many (but not me) the "old man" did 15 and earned a small backpack.




About noon we settled down with our food to enjoy the show.





A variety of performers ran the spectrum from the very modern F-22 to some WWII era planes, at one point flying together.




There were also some aerial acrobatic acts ranging from "sky dancing" with Ave Maria playing to landing on a moving vehicle.








The finale was the performance of the United States Navy's Blue Angels.










It was a good weekend.
This weekend at Logan Airport in Boston was better though. Jubal arrived from Hawaii for a week of predeployment leave. I'll take that over an airshow any day.









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Cops and Donuts

The old cliche of a cop and a donut going hand in hand, we chuckle when we hear it but I had no idea how true it would be today.

Atira, Tell and I had far too short a visit with the Brunks and Pendletons at Tell's favorite swimming haunt, Sebago Lake State Park.



On the way home, I bought one treat each for Tell and Atira at the Raymond Dunkin' Donuts. Unfortunately that was not the day's donut quota. I got MY donut a few hours later traveling up to Waldoboro to get Nolan from school. It wasn't a Boston Cream but I'll take it. Mine was much bigger and harder to chew but it got me home when my regular tire went flat on Route 1.
Thanks to Deputy Chad Gilbert of the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office and Quick Turn Auto Repair for getting me back on the road in no time. All that was missing was some coffee.



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The September Surf

In-laws from overseas, parents AND grandparents moving house, VBS and camp and not an insignificant amount of rainy days crowded out my usual summer frivolity of weekly beach days with the Buxton Crowd.

Today, unofficially the last of the season, I finally managed to feel the salty breeze on my face, dig into the smooth sand with my toes and fling useless verbal warnings and foreign objects at the local gull population.





















Although just a small crew of Annah and Heather at Crescent, still we managed to attract the local WCSH reporters who were covering the shortage of lifeguards on beaches this time of year. We politely declined our television debut but somehow, Atira, Tell and I managed to get our ten blurry backside seconds of fame as we wandered across the beach.




Thank you, Newscenter, for not using a zoom lens. We'll save those for our faces.




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Holliday Party

Carla's annual trek back up to Maine always brings the old CYIA and CGN friends out of the woodwork to reunite. I love old friendships. This year: Ollie, Carla, Ramsey, Greg and myself with lots of added family. I would include Annah in our alumni but I'm pretty sure that she was only a Kickapoo during our teen years.






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Mother's Day 2015

I wore a bead necklace yesterday that Nolan strung for me and it reminded me that I had not done my Mother's Day post. He made the necklace while my friend Naomi was at our house helping her granddaughter Kingsley make a one for her mom for Mother's Day. I would not suggest he make a living as a jewelry designer but when your 16-year old takes ten minutes and strings some beads for you, that says "love" to a mom.





The day before Mother's Day, Jubal had called Jim from Hawaii and asked him to get flowers for me from him. I knew because Jubal texted ME to remind JIM not to forget them. I think Jubal has made it his mission to remind Jim of all the"special" calendar days while he's away from home. Along with the flowers, I received a sweet text from my firstborn which woke me up at 5am. ".....you have a 95% approval rating in the mother's book..." was part of his sentiment. I'll take that percentage.





My gifts were rounded out by floral artwork from Atira......





And from Tell......





It's good to be a mom.

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Trail Half

The hikers accomplished 6 miles south to High Point Shelter while Greg and I moved vehicles to their southern parking spots for the week and then hiked about a mile and a half north to High Point Shelter. This was my first time involved in the vehicle juggling at the beginning of the hike for the very good reason that it normally means a fast and far hike to catch up with the rest of the pack. The shortness of this trek allowed me to participate even if I was the slowest partner Greg has ever had. Approaching a fallen tree across the trail made me miss my fellow Turtle hiker, Liz. She would have understood my dilemma as I straddled a tree the same height as my leg in an attempt to navigate the trail.

A vista platform afforded a sweeping view of the area surrounding High Point Monument and was a beginning to the downhill that ended at High Point Shelter.








It was a tougher and more emotional day for some than for others but all teens accomplished the goal. According to Peg, Atira with her top heavy pack, only fell over three times and only one of those was near a cliff. I call it a satisfactory day.

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