There is Nothing Like Seacoast Maine in the Summer
Not so much in the winter-- but the summer is magnificent. We cruised into Portland in time for lunch with Ginny and Gary at a dockside restaurant. Portland has become a foodie capital and it is worth your neck to try to get reservations during high season but they pulled it off.
Featured Guests: Ginny and Gary
Length of Relationship: Approx. 15 years
Background: Michael met Gary through Fred (of last blog) when Gary consulted with Michael's business. We became friends with Gary and his wife Maureen. After Maureen sadly passed away and Gary married Ginny she was happily incorporated into the group.
Anecdote: Gary and Ginny came to visit us in Mexico a couple of times and I have NEVER seen anyone get into the Mexican culture like Ginny. Every parade, fiesta, craft show or local event -- the woman never tired and Gary kept right up. Most importantly, she learned how to make a marvelous Margarita and would experiment with various spices, some of which she found in our yard, which was a little scary but delicious.
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| Michael, Deirdre, Gary & Ginny with Casaco Bay in the background. |
The next day it was time to take to the water. Lacking our own pleasure craft, the four of us opted for a cruise on the Casco Bay Ferry which trundles between the five or six inhabited islands in the Bay off Portland. The day was beautiful and the water brilliant as you'll see in Michael's photos. There is nothing like an afternoon on the water to whet one's appetite. Luckily, Gary and Ginny had shagged reservations at the #1 restaurant in Portland-- Scales. We were seated on their patio overlooking the harbor when Michael's eyes landed on a fishing boat docked next to us. From the mast hung a flag (yes, a real big flag) that read F(American Flag)Biden and (in smaller letters) and F#>?k you for voting for him. "Oh God," said Michael. "It's HERE too." We had encountered a depressing amount of antipathy towards Joe throughout the South but hoped it was a regional psychosis. It's easy to think that all of New England is a liberal haven (or hell hole depending on your viewpoint) but parts of Maine and definitely New Hampshire have their share of MAGA enchanted fanatics. Among them clearly was the fisherman. It was still a nice dinner and always a wonderful time with Ginny and Gary, so we shrugged it off and moved on.
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| One of the "small" yachts we saw in Portland. Note the helicopter on the rear upper deck. |
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| Maine does not lack for lighthouses... |
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| and in this photo you can see two lighthouses. |
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| It is also wonderful to see boats under sail. |
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| Lobstering is an important part of the Maine economy,... |
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| but not all lobstermen understand how climate change is destroying their way of life. |
Can We Eat More? Of Course We Can!
Before we left Portland we managed to get together for yet another fine meal with our buddies Maggie and Bob. They came down from their summer house in Harpswell and ducked into Portland to visit with us while on their way to visit their kids in Massachusetts. They are among the brave souls who have come to Mexico to visit and we're hopeful that they'll find their way back down here again soon.
Length of Relationship: Approximately 12 years
Background: Maggie and I met in a Spanish Class given by the Weston Council on Aging as I prepared to move to Mexico and mangle their language. The class was taught by a very sweet, but pretty dotty, ex Spanish teacher and the class was a wonderful mix of talents ranging from an entomologist to a professional figure skating coach to a retired VP of South American Marketing for Polaroid to well... just a real melange of folks. Maggie and I became friends and when we got together with our husbands Michael and Bob looked at each other and said, "I know you from somewhere." Turns out that Bob was the lawyer for a client who was doing a deal with Michael in the not to distant (then) past. Smallish world. I made more friends in that crazy class than any other class I've ever taken.
Banging Around With The Bro'
Featured Guests: Brother Stephen and Sister-in-Law Lee
Length of Relationship: Stephen since birth, Lee 61 years (about 52 for Michael)
Background: There is no background when the person is your older brother. He just IS. Always was there. Still is there. Hope he's there for a long time more. Same for Lee.
Anecdote: There are so many. One year we were late buying a Christmas Tree and they all looked horrible. So Steve decided we should buy two and merge them. We cut the limbs off one, drilled holes in the other and augmented Tree 1 with limbs from Tree 2. Voila! We had a dog named Rufus who liked to lie in the corner behind the tree. One night he was lying there when a neighbor, Russ, who loved his martinis, rang the doorbell. We opened the door for him and he stepped in just as Rufus careened out from under the tree to greet him knocking the tree over. All the faux limbs flew off the tree in all directions and were strewn on the carpet. Russ looked at us and said, "No more martinis. I'm leaving."
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| Lee, Steve, Deirdre & Michael |
Definitely well fed, we hopped in the car for the short trip up to Bethel to spend a few (too few) days with Steve and Lee. On the way we stopped by the only still functioning Shaker Village in America. Well, barely functioning. The last two living Shakers dwell in this particular village although there are other Shaker Villages scattered about. One "brother" is in his 90s and the other in his late 70s. Why only two? Well, the Shakers are/were a utopian community that believed in self-sufficiency. They were very inventive and created many things that have come into common usage like mowing machines. They also felt that even utilitarian items should be attractive -- things like brooms. In their shop they have very nice brooms for $75 (competition Erin, competition) and they sell a marvelous variety of herbs and spices they raise in their meticulously tended garden. But I digress. Why only two brothers left? Well, they have all this energy to create and tend and fabricate because a tenet of the religion is that sex is forbidden. Thus, no little Shakers and, given the dawn of the modern age of liberation, no adult Shakers either.
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| They still raise sheep at the Shaker village. |
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| And they have a cat roaming the premises to control the mice. |
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| Shaker hats and wisk brooms were on display for sale... |
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| as well as larger brooms and sleigh bells. |
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| Note the intricate woven pattern on the Shaker brooms. |
Steve and Lee live on Songo Pond which is a beautiful spot (think On Golden Pond but smaller). They lived for decades in Andover, Massachusetts and used the Pond House as a summer and ski place. Upon retiring, they moved full time to Maine and have collected an impressive array of watercraft, ski equipment and other sporting goods used to support their almost endless athletic pursuits. In addition to lolling about and catching up we decided to go kayaking on the Androscoggin River one day. I agreed since I was quite confident that the Androscoggin had no alligators. Michael had kayaked with them the previous day and saw a Bald Eagle and its baby who shall be featured in a photo.
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| The bald eagle guarding the nest with the chicks head just visible down & to the right. |
Now, without going into grisly details, Lee and Steve have encountered medical issues in the last two years that make Michael's and my medical misadventures look like child's play. So, I was a little concerned about a 10km paddle -- both for them and particularly for me because I am very self-centered. I am pleased to report that all three of us displayed astounding stamina and athleticism and completed the course in one piece. Michael doesn't count because he could do that distance paddling with his feet. Our time with Lee and Steve was way too short but we were committed to be at Michael's family reunion in only 5 more nights so we had to hustle through Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio to reach our destination in Michigan. Only a state a day.....
A Lovely Way Station
The drive from Bethel to Saratoga Springs was the prettiest single road segment of our trip.We knew we weren't going to make it from Bethel to Rochester New York in one day so we decided we might as well stop somewhere high brow and interesting. Thus Saratoga Springs. I guess high brow isn't exactly right. Chautauqua is high brow. Saratoga Springs is FUN. A casino (before they were tacky), a race track and, for your hangovers, mineral baths and spring (somewhat foul) water. We got in to town mid-afternoon and started at Congress Park where we encountered our first fountain of spring water. It was not great. It tasted oily -- if that is possible. You just bring a water bottle and go from fountain to fountain around town -- sort of like a not as much fun wine tasting.
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| In Congress Park in Saratoga Springs there is a restored, historical carrousel created in 1910 by Marcus Illions, a Russian immigrant. |
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| This duck was enjoying the pool by this memorial fountain in the park. |
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| The fountain, statue & pool is a memorial to Spencer Trask, a financier philanthropist, who financed Thomas Edison and saved the New York Times from bankruptcy. |
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| The former Canfield Casino now houses the Historical Society Museum, another museum and an art gallery. The Casino and attached buildings were built in 1870, 1871 and 1902-1903. Gambling was outlawed in 1907 ending its use as a casino. |
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| One really great part about traveling is the opportunity to meet people. We met them at this fountain where we were both tasting the water. |
The next morning, before heading out, we visited Saratoga Springs Spa State Park. This is the mother lode of pre WWII wellness facilities. Not only does the Park contain most of the fountains, it also contains a really expansive set of spas and baths. Also a very cool hotel, golf course, moribund bottling plant and extremely wonderful swimming pool which is more like what you would find at a massive country club or resort. So, this all began when Franklin Delano Roosevelt (AKA FDR) was Governor of New York. At that point, not many people really knew he had polio but he was very convinced of the healing powers of mineral springs and there he was sitting on a bundle of them. Everyone from the indigenous people through early settlers to farmers had been using their curative power for centuries. The entire complex that you will see in the photos was constructed within just a few (like maybe two) years by the WPA (or a similar group --it was a little unclear). Now, I am totally a bleeding heart, let's play by fair rules and regulations girl BUT, perhaps there is a bit too much regulation going on these days. Can you imagine how many impact statements, environmental studies etc. would have to be done before you even started doing something like the Baths and Spas and stuff. It would take decades. FDR just said, "Let's go boys" and there it was a couple of years later. And it hasn't hurt anybody or wrecked anything. Worth a thought.
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| The Roosevelt Baths - one view... |
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| and another view. |
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| An interior shot of the baths visually reveals the date it was constructed. |
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| This detailed all of the Lincoln Water benefits used in the baths down to all of the minerals & chemicals in the water |
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| This epigram succinctly describes what the park has become. |
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| For instance the Gideon Putnam Hotel has rooms in the summer that range from $482 for a room with a double bed up to $659 for a room with a king size bed. |
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| The Victoria Pool in the state park was built in 1935 and was the first heated pool in the US. When the pool was renovated the boilers were so old, they could not be used to heat the pool. Now the pool is unheated. There is also a 27 hole public golf course in the park. |
Relaxing in Rochester
Featured Guests: Katrina, Karl and Stefan (missing Ty sadly)
Length of Relationship: Katrina (since birth 50+ years) Karl (30ish years) Stefan (since birth- 23 or so yrs)
Background: Katrina is our niece (daughter of Lee and Steve). Both she and husband Karl are professors at Rochester Technical Institute and we were lucky that their son Stefan was home for a brief time. Other son Ty is getting a Masters out in Washington State, thus was not around. Will have to see our other niece who belongs to Lee and Steve when/if we do a second sentimental journey to the west since Shannon and her family live in Colorado.
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| Michael, Stefan, Deirdre, Karl & Kate. Their dog, Oden, was camera shy. |
We got into Rochester and went straight to Katrina and Karl's house looking forward to a break from restaurant food and hotel walls. They put together both interesting and tasty drinks and a delicious dinner. Our time was brief but the conversation was brisk and we got caught up on all happenings in short order. Karl is headed off to a sabbatical in Germany in the fall and Katrina has wangled a way at her job to join him for most of the time. The neighborhood they live in, Brighton, has wide streets, sidewalks and an old fashioned kind of vibe which made a walk to stretch our abused legs much more enjoyable. In far too short a time we had to head off in order to meet a couple more friends before zooming into the reunion.
Oh Lordy, Rush Limbaugh Lives On
Our next stop was Johnstown PA - site of the famous Johnstown flood of 1889. To reach Johnstown we had to traverse a large swath of rural Pennsylvania. Far from the reaches of NPR, we happened upon a station outside of Altoona which featured Clay and Buck. This delusional duo took over when Rush Limbaugh went to his just reward (we hope he made it to Hell since a special place was reserved for him) . Whatever we thought of the disinformation and outright lies we had heard crossing the South, Clay and Buck went one better. Adopting that "Just asking" demeanor of Tucker Carlson, and with pronouncedly worse grammar, they went after Democrats, Environmentalists, Pro-Choice proponents and anyone who deviated from straight, missionary position, heterosexual practices with a venom that was almost unfathomable. In a stupor we listened for a half an hour before we snapped out of it and chose silence above insanity.
Featured Guests: Andy and Judy
Length of Relationship: Andy (47 years). Judy (18 ish years)
Background: Andy and I worked on Capitol Hill together. He was the Minority Counsel to the Minority Leader Hugh Scott and I worked as a Special Assistant (I like vague titles). One of my jobs was to filter through the retiring Minority Leader's papers to cull things that were unimportant and to organize the rest for donation to Scott's archives at the University of Virginia. I happened upon "interesting" documents that were incriminating concerning the Gulf Oil illegal contribution scandal and was called by the Watergate Special Prosecutor to testify. Beyond our existing friendship, Andy stepped up and coached me on the intricacies of being truthful yet not forthcoming. It has served me well.
Anecdote: We had a co-ed softball team that played other Congressmen's Offices and some Administrative teams. We played the Secret Service one night. I was on first and the next batter hit to the Shortstop. I took off from first and as I went into second the Secret Service guy stepped off the base, grabbed me by the neck and threw my head into his belt buckle. Andy and the rest of the crew were off the bench in a flash and a wild fist fight broke out. For office hacks we held our own. The beer may have helped. The next morning I had a bruise with the clearly recognizable emblem of the Secret Service on my forehead.
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| Deirdre, Andy, Judy and sweet dog Rosie in their beautiful backyard. |
Having survived our exposure to Clay and Buck, we arrived at Andy and Judy's place to discover Andy recovering from a freak (well, probably not for Andy) accident. While trying to assess the weight of a 250 lb. (it turns out) radiator, it fell on Andy causing some serious injury to his leg. We never even bothered to ask why he, at past 80, was testing the weight of a radiator. However, Judy made a great lunch and we talked non-stop for hours. Andy's family has been very influential in Republican politics in Pennsylvania for decades but even Andy has jumped ship. Always a moderate, the Trump thing was too much. We have a photo of him on his front lawn with a sign: "Patriotism above party". That kind of statement takes courage in a Trump bastion like Johnstown.
Like Seeing Someone Yesterday
Featured Guests: Betsy and Michael
Length of Relationship: Betsy (55 years). Michael (40+ yrs)
Background: Betsy went to Georgetown with Michael and me. She and I were both in the Foreign Service School and in our senior year Betsy, Michael and I shared a house with 2, and then 3, other people.
Anecdote: Michael and I were living together but. in an effort to keep our parents in the dark, the story was that he was living in the basement. Ever eager to reduce our individual rent payments, when our roommate Patty suggested renting to a guy who worked with her at Georgetown Hospital's E.R. we said sure and rented hime the basement. He was a VERY strange guy but they were strange times. Betsy and I went grocery shopping one day and put bags on Peter's bed in the basement as an interim step to getting it upstairs. There were lots of bags. As we continued carrying them up I looked into one casually. It was not groceries. It was weed. A LOT of weed. Now we knew how Peter paid the rent. Peter became an ex-roommate.
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| Deirdre & Betsy |
It's wonderful when you can go for years without seeing someone and then, when you do, it is like you saw them yesterday. That is the way that it always is with Betsy. After navigating seamlessly across 7,000+ miles, we found ourselves totally incapable of locating the Country Club where we were meeting Betsy and Michael for dinner. Around the block we went and then in ever increasingly wide circles. Betsy had to talk us in and then splay herself in a parking space to save it for our trusty Subaru. Just a great, typical old friends dinner of trading updates on children, our aging minds and bodies and the political street fight going on around us. After, once again, too short a time together we needed to head off on the second to the last leg of the journey before reaching Michael's family reunion.
There is Nothing to Say
The last stop. There is nothing to say about Utica, Michigan. Well, maybe you could say that it is not Utica, New York about which there is also nothing to say. We were only in Utica as a staging point to launch our final trek to the family reunion in Harbor Springs, Michigan. And to visit a Costco to fulfill our task for the dinner for 70+ that our branch of the family would be responsible for. Our job was wine and beer ---LOTS of wine and beer that we crammed into the car after tying our huge suitcase (known affectionately as The Beast) onto the roof. Now we were going full Clampett. Next: The Reunion.....
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