Lobster 101

We are friends with a wonderful island family who fish for a living. They took us out today and we had a blast. We are total landlubbers. Being on the water is fun enough. But being on a working lobster boat is more fun. And grilling hot dogs on the boat for lunch was hilarious. And watching Samson squirm and squeal at all the icky things that come up with the traps was fun. I had to tell him to man up but I couldn't blame him. He's gonna wear gloves next time. We'll toughen him up eventually. He brought home a "pet" whelk named Gary.

Coming to pick us up from the dock

Captain Cory cookin up them dogs. I'll bet the lobsters die of fright right there in the trap when they see that big hand reaching in for 'em.

Got one!

Ruby's pet

Ruby and Wyatt playing with a crab. Notice Samson is nowhere near.

A lobster mouth. Eewww!

Look at that face! You'd think we were dangling a crab over his head.

whelk (sea snails)

sea urchin

Instead of their regular PE class, the school kids are going off island for swim lessons at the Y in Bar Harbor. We think this is just awesome cool. We take the ferry (where we also eat lunch) to a waiting bus that takes us all to the Y then after lessons we get back on the bus which takes us back to the ferry (where we eat snack) and then get back to the island. A lot of work but worth it. He is already making progress. I can't wait to see where he is at the end of lessons. I think all kids need to know how to swim but especially island kids who spend so much time on the water. You would be shocked how few islanders, especially lobstermen, know how to swim. Seriously.

Loretty

I don't like country music. I mean I really, really don't. At least not today's country music. But I do appreciate the classics. And I even kinda like bluegrass. (Hellooo, I was born in Mayberry). But for some reason I have always liked Loretta Lynn. All the way back to her twangy early music to when she did that weird collaboration with Jack White. I've always wanted to see her in concert but it just never worked out. She doesn't tour like she used to and she's gettin on up there in years. So while I was in Richmond, I found out she was in Durham. It's her 50th anniversary tour. So my sister Amber and I made a super last minute decision to go see her in concert. Amber is also a fan (the only other fan I can claim to know) so off we went to the D-PAC. It was great. And something I can mark off my bucket list (before Loretty kicks the bucket!)

I've flown many times. I've flown internationally. I've flown on one of the longest flights possible (from the East coast of the US to Australia-check a map-I'm right on that). But I'm still a slightly nervous flier. The flight from Boston to Bar Harbor has always been on a small plane, usually a US Airways plane. But now there is a new carrier. And they specialize in small planes. We're talking 8-seaters, here. I was so not prepared. I seriously had to work to calm myself the entire flight and practice my calming yoga breathing (I've not taken a yoga class in 7 years). I tried singing Christian music in my head but Prince kept popping up instead. And when I sang "Baby I'm a Star" it made me think of La Bamba when Buddy Holly says to Ritchie Valens something like "The sky belongs to the stars, and stars don't fall from the sky" and now I'm thinking about falling from the sky and I have to start the yoga breathing again. I'm not even 5'4" and my head was touching the ceiling (we were in the back, where the ceiling sloped). We couldn't even bring purses or backpacks, they had to go in the wing. There was never a second, not a single solitary second, when that flight was smooth. The entire trip was bumpy. And the pilot announced that it was a beautiful, calm day for flying. Holy cow. The only, and I mean only, good thing is its a very scenic flight (if I could have enjoyed it). The flight goes up along the coast and stays rather low so you see how the shore changes to rocky as you head north and can you imagine how gorgeous this will be for my Fall trip. I'm hoping I can fly it again. Seriously, I don't know if I can. And what was Samson doing this whole time? Sleeping! He was asleep before we reached cruising altitude, he was so relaxed. He woke once, looked around, said it was so pretty, then went back to sleep! Thanks, partner.

My baby turns 6 years old!

He's still a mama's boy. Really bad. We're talking Adam Sandler's Waterboy here (not really, but almost). He's still whiny, needy, and clingy sometimes. But these things won't last. I already see him growing out of these traits. He still makes me laugh with the crazy things he says and I truly enjoy his company (sometimes in a way only mothers can). I'm gonna go broke keeping him in shoes, those feet won't stop growing. He loves to read like I do. He is a motor mouth, will not stop talking, and nobody is a stranger. He loves to fly. He likes riding his bike and he kinda likes school. Thanks goodness he likes island living. I have been so blessed these last 6 years. I love you, baby boy.

He's about 6 months old above. Below, playing Pirate Golf on his 6th birthday

Because I'm feeling nostalgic....

Spring Visit Back Home

I learned the last time I lived on the island that I have to visit my family before I start feeling homesick. If I wait too long, then I get a bad case of homesickness. Considering how close I am to my family, it's odd that I live so far away from them. That's just how much I love living on the island, I guess. But I don't care how old you get, you never grow too old to get homesick or shed a few tears over it.

All I want for my birthday is my two front teeth! Samson with Katie

Papa is building a treehouse for the grand-younguns

Samson always misses his cousins when we leave. Can't wait til he gets more cousins!

These are their sour faces.

Giving Papa some sugar

Samson's birthday at Chuckee Cheese

He really didn't want to be hugged

Elijah Man

Another birthday celebration at Nana and Papa's

With Bailey in New Bern, NC, the birthplace of Pepsi. We visited the pharmacy where it was invented, which is now a gift store/museum. Samson probably asked for a Coke about 15 times in that place. I had to tell him to hush.

Fishing before the angry goose ran him off

Yet another birthday celebration with the Chamberlain's

With Grandmother Terry in Statesville

keeping the home fire burning

One of the questions I get asked most often by my family in the south is "are ya keepin' warm up there?" My answer is "Yes, too warm!" I am warmer here during a mild Maine winter than I ever was during the coldest North Carolina winter. Samson has spent all winter walking around the house in his Phineas and Ferb underwear. I'm wearing shorts and flip flops in the house. I crack a window when I'm cooking in the kitchen. I turn on a fan at night.

We use a wood burning stove to heat the house and also have a fuel furnace for times when we are not home to tend to the fire and to keep the house from getting too cold when we go away for the weekend. But since we are usually home, the furnace is not used. And there is really no way to turn down the fire. And everbody knows that once you get a good fire going, you keep it going, you don't let it die down just to crank it back up again when the house gets chilly. So it stays super warm - no, make that hot - in the house most every day, all day. But it feels extra good when coming in from the cold and wet. And it's totally acceptable to walk away from work to go check the fire so you don't come home to a cold house at the end of the workday.

Other than Maine, we have always lived in a mild climate and never had the need for a high heat source. The only downside is when I have a (fake) blonde moment and burn myself. It's happened at least 3 times this winter. And I'm literally scarred from it. Now I put pot holders on my hands when I have to add wood to the stove. (Let's hope I just don't catch them on fire now).