I was so happy that Bryn would see the moon waxing while she was here. The photographer, Bryn, decided to play with exposures and her Canon Eos Rebel xsi
On Thursday, Bob and I finished cleaning up the cottage for our daughter Bryn's arrival. We made our way into the "big city" Bangor and did some shopping in real stores. I haven't been shopping for months (except for antiques), so this was fun for me--not so much for my patient and indulgent hubby. Bob, though, did not complain. We did stop at Sea Dog for lunch and it was delicious, again, and so was the Creme Brulee and coffee I had for dessert. Then we went to Target, a real Target. Bob wasn't up for shopping at Target, so he took a nap in the van. Those of you who have been to my home know that in redecorating I have gone from red, yellow, and green to white, turquoise, and red. While shopping at Target, I realized that the college dorm decorating colors at Target were RED, TURQUOISE, and WHITE. As many things as I found that I would love for the house, I realized that we had little room for even the few things we've bought at antique places and even half of the driftwood I've collected, so all I had in my bag was new makeup. I'm on a search (and I have over a year to find it) for the perfect foundation so I can use it at my daughter's wedding on October 18, 2013. Then, we went to Dick's and bought some water shoes for Bryn.
Bryn, meanwhile had had a trying day. First, those on her 8:15 AM flight from JFK were told while they were on the runway that they were not taking off because of bad weather and the pilot was not sure when they would be able to take off. However, shortly after texting me, they were fourth on the lineup on the runway to leave. So, she got in about the same time anyway. Bryn flew to Portland and had arranged to rent a car so she could explore the coast. But when she arrived, she had a wicked headache and texted us that she was driving straight through to the nearest place to us so she could drop off the rental car. After getting some tips from the rental car agent about where to eat, she searched for about an hour for a parking place at the place he had recommended. It was supposed to have been on Food Network Channel--Becky's Diner. With the headache, traffic frustration, and hunger, she decided to go somewhere else. She went to Bintliff's American Cafe and she said the food was incredible. Her very helpful waiter also brought her a packet of Extra Strength Tylenol. With food, coffee, and Extra Strength Tylenol, her headache was gone and she decided to explore Coastal Rte 1. However, her cell phone car charger was not working and her battery was nearing dead. We Furlongs can't always get what we want, but we always get what we need. When she stopped at the first gas station to fill up, guess what they had? Yup, a cell phone charger, so she was on her way and one happy lady since this had been her plan all along. (She didn't want us to pick her up in Portland since it is a 3 1/2-hour drive. So she had fun exploring antique places and shops in Bath, Wiscasset, Oyster River Winery and picked up wine, maple sausage, and fresh blueberries and was on her way to Bangor.
We met her at the Budget rent-a-car place at the Bangor International Airport and we were on our way to eat dinner and have some beer. Off we went to the Sea Dog Brewery. We sat outside on the Damariscotta River Balcony and tried a few different beers and a few different dishes. Bryn had a Blackened haddock sandwich, I had a Haddock taco, and Bob had a Buffalo Chicken patty sandwich. Everything was scrumptious and Bryn and I shared a creme brullee! Then, we drove home--it was about a 2-hour drive. Bryn couldn't see much, but thought the cottage was cute.
On Friday, we visited the Catherine Hill Winery and Bartlett Estates Winery. The winetasting was both fun and educational. This time, it wasn't Alfred at the Bartlett Winery, but a woman, who was much friendlier and a bit more liberal with her pours. Bryn found all of the wines to be interesting and was just as surprised as I was the first time, that fruit wines can be dry.
A stop at Tibbett's (a fish shack owned and run by two old Maine ladies whose accents are so thick we could barely understand them) for three lobsters (soft-shelled) would be another interesting experience for Bryn
When we returned, we kayaked to the small island, around it, and then back. Bryn was fast and, of course, wanted to race me. I see my competitive spirit in her and Sean, but these days, I'm not going to compete with someone almost half my age. It's just not worth it. She kayaked so fast and so far that she looked like a whirlygig from afar. But was that enough for my little exercise fiend---NOOOOOO--then she went into the shed, put on a bicycle helmet and was gone for an hour bicycling down the road and back again.
When she returned, dinner was ready. I had steamed all three lobsters, made some corn on the cob, and had a tomato and mozarella salad and a tossed salad. The two of us made a huge mess cracking our lobsters, squirting each other with the liquids, and smelling up the cottage, so that poor Bob, who never once complained, ended up eating hot dogs after we finished cleaning up and descenting the kitchen. We stayed up talking, Bryn and I, almost until 1 AM and then went to bed to read perchance to dream.
On Saturday, we woke up a bit late and lazed around drinking coffee and eating thin bagels. After showers, we were on our way to Ellsworth, a bigger town about an hour away. For lunch, it was Finn's. Bryn, like her dad, is a beer aficionado and Finn's is an Irish pub with quite an assortment of unique beers and local brews on tap. Its food is delicious also, so we parked ourselves in the railroad car cum bar room and had Irish nachos (potato chips with rashers, salsa fresca, jalapenos, and sour cream). Bryn had Steak and Mushroom pie which she proclaimed delicious. I had a meatloaf sandwich with meatloaf like I had been craving. Bob had a reuben. Bryn had Geary's Summer Ale, Bob had a Switchback Ale, and I had Harp. Dessert, however, was Finn's Wedding Cake--an almond cake with vanilla butter cream frosting, and a raspberry filling. It was delicious and so was the coffee. After stopping at a few shops, The Grasshopper, a very beautiful gift shop, and J and R Landings, a kitchen, furniture, lighting, unique gift, and antique shop, Bryn decided she was thirsty so we went to The Mex, a bar/Mexican restaurant where Bryn had a margarita, I had a pina colada and Bob had mint iced tea. Homeward bound. I was exhausted for some reason, so I wasn't up for a big dinner or exercise.
Bryn, though, was full of energy and decided to go kayaking, so Bob said he'd keep her company (though I think she would've gone alone). When she returned, she went bike riding and took the hilly route. By the time she returned, she needed another shower and needed to lay down and catch her breath. Instead of a big dinner, Bryn and Bob made up a cheese plate (we Furlongs don't go anywhere without having at least five kinds of cheese with us), along with crackers and pot stickers. Bryn and I tried to watch the Olympics but none of the sports we were interested in were on before we would be going to bed.
Sunday
Today, it rained off and on all day, so after Bob prepared one of his many specialties--biscuits and sausage gravy, we lounged around for a little bit.
Bob decided to see if his beloved frogs were out. This would be a perfect day to see them in the nearby stream. The road was regraded and a backhoe was used to deepen a stream. As Bob said, "They f---ked up the ecosystem!". Instead, Bryn and Bob came across these
A doe and her two fawns up the road apiece.
Bryn, in the rain, all alone, harvesting mussels (filled with neuro-toxins, hahahahaha).
After doing some research on whether or not she needs a license, whether this is a closed red tide area, or if there is any bacterial contamination here, Bryn decided, even though it was still raining, to go harvesting mussels. Bob was sure that we would come down with a neuro-toxin disease (but it's been two hours and Bryn and I are still okay. hahaha). In the rain, Bryn harvested quite a few, almost forty, came in a muddy mess and we began the cleaning process. If a mussel is open, it is dead and full of mud. We only found about 6 dead ones and so we proceeded to clean Bryn's clothes in the bathtub and make the "poison" mussels. While Bob looked up the closest hospital, I chopped an onion, a tomato, and Bryn chopped garlic cloves--after sauteeing that, we poured in a cup and a half of red wine (syrah). added the mussels, put the bread in the oven (to burn and set off the smoke detector, AGAIN!). So while we all wait for the neuro-toxin to take hold of our bodies (Bob didn't partake), Bryn made blueberry muffin tops with the end of the fresh blueberries she bought on the way up the coast. And the smoke detector goes off--AGAIN. Now, we sit here doing various things. Bryn is singing (beautifully) an Indigo Girls song while playing the guitar (wonderfully). Bob is wood carving and I am typing up this blog post. We are never bored and have a cottage full of things to do, so we each go our own way and occupy our time. I love afternoons like this.
Bryn wanted a lobster roll tonight, so I'm not sure whether she'll want to go out and get one, or not. It's 6 PM and we're all still just chillin'--just relaxing.
Tonight, Bob's homemade roasted veggie pizza. Ready for the smoke detector? Life is good.
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