Feelin' hot, hot, hot

The thermometer in the truck showed 92 degrees Fahrenheit as we were driving around yesterday. I thought the ocean was supposed to be a mediating influence. But...there's a silver lining to everything. Sweltering in that heat all day (walking in it or driving in it) allowed me to discover YET ANOTHER facet about growing old. I'm a sweller!!!! Yup, after a day in the heat we arrived home, popped the top off a cold one and kicked off the old shoes only to look down and discover I had somehow wound up with my grandmother's ankles. As if they weren't fat enough already. The only way those bad boys were comin' down was if I hung myself upside down on the clothesline.

The house we've rented is done up very well and the hosts have left lots of literature on things to see and do. In the morning we headed out to Bath which we wandered through briefly and took a couple of photos. Then we headed south on one of the peninsulas to Popham State Park. I've noticed that beaches in the states don't have concession stands although the change rooms are nice. Also, nobody plays boom boxes. Overall impression - big, hot, salty day care centre. Not sorry to move on. Driving north along the coastline though I did see a porpoise jump out of the water. That was a complete surprise as I wasn't aware they were this far north.

Later in the day we headed east again toward Bath (only 12 minutes away) and took Route 126 south. We were looking for a working lobster pier where you could eat supper. The brochure said follow route 126 to the end of the road and they weren't kidding. The road ended in the parking lot of the Five Islands Lobster Co. What a cool place. Two shacks were on the wharf along with many picnic tables. One shack was where you placed your lobster/steamer orders and the other was for everything else (friend clams, lobster roll, crab cakes, fish etc). You could rent lobster crackers for a $2.00 deposit which was returned when you brought them back or you could just find a rock on the beach that could do the job.

 Kevin's gettin' psyched for dinner. You could also order sides. Choices were corn, mussels, red potatoes or coleslaw. I ordered corn and, no offence, New England has a lot to learn about sweet corn. Can't hold a candle to what we get in Ontario. We each had a lobster, one soft shell, one hard shell. 1.5 pound cooked lobster for $11.50. The best deal we've had so far. And we weren't even paying for the smell and the atmosphere!

You tell the cashier what size lobster you want. He goes into this room and sticks his arm in a tank and pulls out your lobsters and dumps them in a plastic bin. He brings the bin to the cash, puts it on the scale, figures out what they weigh, figures out what you owe. You pay. Then he takes the lobsters and stuffs them in a net bag and the pastor comes out to give them last rites before they head to the big salt water bucket in the sky.  Then you get a key fob with the name of one of the lobster boats in the harbour and, when your order is ready, they yell out the ship name. A nice young university student then carries your tray of vittles to whatever lovely picnic table you have chosen. No bib, no beer - they have no alcohol license so you are welcome to bring your own beverages which we did.
A short while later..........

 Today started a little later. Kevin found a Crossfit location just around the corner from our little house so he began his morning there. I slept in (starting to sound familiar?) Before noon we headed out east and north. We first stopped in Thomaston to visit the Maine State Prison gift shop, highly recommended by my brother. It was an interesting place but I think I would have found it a lot more interesting if Ted had been along. I could almost hear the commentary he'd give running in my head as I wandered around the store. From there we travelled to Rockland, which I loved. It is a very funky town with lots of galleries. One of the biggies is an old bank and the vault door panel has been replaced with glass so you can see all the workings in the door. Inside the vault is a mini gallery. Beautiful things..sculpture, paintings, jewellery. I could see myself living on the outskirts of Rockland. There's a lot of money around, that's for sure. Drove through Camden on the way to Belfast. We were short on time and didn't stop but Kevin was snapping pics as I drove. We would like to go back there during the week we're staying with Alice and wander around. The next stop was Belfast. Hit a small pub on the main street for some quick refreshment then drove 1 1/2 hours to get home. Tomorrow our friend Alice comes from South Bristol for dinner and lots of talk. We haven't seen her since I housesat for her in October 2009. Lots to catch up on.