We can all agree that what I didn’t do was write many blog posts! But that’s okay because what I did do was go out and see things, and do things, I went places and tried new things. I rediscovered things and places and people that I’d lost touch with over the years. I found strength in myself physically, mentally and emotionally. This last trip around the sun has been a hell of a ride and I can honestly say I love where I am right now and who I am. A year ago that was not the case at all.
So let me show what I’ve been up to and where I’ve been.
For Emma’s 16th birthday in July she and I went to Quebec and then drove from there across Maine to Bar Harbor. It was a great way to spend time together. We explored a “foreign” city together, took a road trip, and climbed a “mountain”.
As we drove from Quebec City to the U.S. border our rental GPS was set to take us off the main highway. This was frustrating and slowed our trip. But it also took us to see a part of Canada that we would’ve otherwise missed. As we were driving along a two-lane road that paralleled the highway that I really wanted to be on instead we passed this ice cream stand with this great fiberglass dinosaur playground. I continued down the road about a quarter mile and then just had to turn around and go back. How could I not stop at this place? We were deep in French speaking Canada and I barely managed to communicate my desire to purchase 2 bottled waters and use the restroom. But we got out and stretched our legs and took some fun photos with Monsieur Rex.
This was my third time visiting Maine. If I had my way in a perfect world I’d be at least a part-time resident. It’s one of those places that since the first time there I always felt like I belonged there. I was excited to share at least a little bit of what I love about it with one of my children. We didn’t have much time in Bar Harbor so we had to condense our visit into the most essential; lobster and hiking in Acadia National Park. Before the trip I researched what hike would give us the most bang for our buck. Because we really only had one day to hike and then we had to hit the road back to Portland to catch a plane home the next morning. Hiking the Beehive Trail seemed like the perfect fit. I had never done it before because honestly, I was always afraid to try. But I’ve become all about doing things that I used to think were impossible or just outside my comfort zone. Emma was all about climbing up sheer granite cliff faces with only an iron bar to hold on to.
Photos can not capture the sheer vertical nature of this trail. I was too scared to get my camera out while on the actual cliff face and take photos of the hand holds and drop offs. There were sections where I had to pull myself up onto a rock ledge that was chest high and then scooch around the face of another rock on a 2 foot wide ledge. There was even a place where they had placed an iron “bridge” over a gap that dropped over 80 feet into the forest below. But it was a short trail, less than 2 miles. There were many people hiking it that day and even though I was slow and hyperventilating for much of it, the other hikers were gracious and encouraging. The views from the top were exquisite and the hike back down the other side was lovely. I’m going to do it again someday. I’ll go out earlier in the day when it is cooler and less crowded and I won’t freak out nearly as much! I promise.
In August Steve and I went home to Michigan for a reunion weekend. It was his 30th high school reunion. Small town class reunions are really unique and special. A night of stories, laughter, reconnecting and karaoke on the farm was enjoyed by all. We were staying with my parents and they also had a reunion that weekend. Two couples whom they had been stationed in Kentucky with when my Dad was in the Army were there visiting. They have stayed in touch with these couples for over 50 years and to hear them laugh and tell stories you’d think they were all still 20 year old newlyweds and had never been apart. It all reminds me of that old Girl Scout song, “Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold.”
When Emma and I got home from Maine Steve asked me if I’d like to go to Spain this fall. Of course I did! He had an annual conference that was being held in Lisbon, Portugal and it just so happens that his brother lives in Valencia, Spain and he decided to add a few days on to his Portugal trip to visit him. We couldn’t afford for me to accompany him to Portugal also and we didn’t feel comfortable leaving Emma home alone for that long of a time so it was decided that I would go to Spain ahead of him by a few days and spend time with his brother and sister-in-law. What a perfect way to see a new city. I highly recommend everyone get themselves a multi-lingual family member who loves to share their home and city with American relations! I had a personal tour guide, chauffeur, cook, bartender and the most comfortable bed & breakfast ever. I’m going to have to share some of the details of the food and sites in separate posts to do them justice.
That is the 3 hour tour version of my summer travels. I also did some gardening and a good amount of canning in August. I have a couple more small weekend trips coming up in the next couple of months. (Having a husband that travels all the time has its pay-off with frequent flyer miles.) I have some sewing projects either in process or in the planning stages that I need to show off. Now that the weather has taken a turn toward autumn I’m back to my morning walks with renewed vigor as well.
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