tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933840618000602692024-02-18T18:34:10.302-08:00From AwayAn Outsider's Guide to MaineCainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08301632209156046890noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-893384061800060269.post-27080739689153867972009-07-27T20:01:00.000-07:002009-07-27T20:16:45.324-07:00Good Luck Ed (and sorry to everyone else who's been following our postless blog)Well guys, so as to not sound like a broken record (see post below), I promise to keep this short.<br /><br />So much has happened since we last posted about 4 months ago?!? Meredith's business has been doing incredible - <a href="http://www.andunlimited.com/unlimited-fine-art-photography-at-2-note/">her work was featured in a local perfumery</a>, she recently <a href="http://www.andunlimited.com/sneak-peek-chamard-vineyards-workshop-extravaganza/">spent a day at a workshop in New Haven, CT</a>, and it seems that she can barely find a moment to relax between all of her shoots. I have been trucking along in my web work, sadly geeky, enjoying some new programming I've been doing for a client login system and a content management system (I can't believe I just said that).<br /><br />At the beginning of July, Meredith, Orvis, and I moved into a new house in South Portland, where Orvis is now the proud master of his own, exceptionally large, fenced in backyard (pictures to come). The new place is only 3 doors away from Mere's studio, and sadly for my waistline and wallet, 4 doors down from the new neighborhood ice cream shop and bakery! <br /><br />I want to take the proper time to post about the new place and our work (I promise soon), but before I go, I wanted to wish my fraternity brother Ed Ivey, the best of luck on his New York Bar exam tomorrow morning. Unfortunately for Ed, his trip today from NC to NY has been a complete disaster, and if I'm right, he's probably somewhere between Connecticut and New York right now - when he should be sleeping. Anyways, Ed, good luck tomorrow. Do well so that you can move within 5 hours of yours truly and one day become a big city lawyer like in <span style="font-style: italic;">The Devil's Advocate</span> (bad allusion, I know).<br /><br />Breathe Easy guys, and thanks for the interest... I promise I'll be better about keeping ya'll up to date.Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08301632209156046890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-893384061800060269.post-44076298918829776312009-03-10T15:31:00.000-07:002009-03-15T15:55:05.110-07:00Our Faithful FollowersSo it's almost inexcusable how long it's been since we've done a legitimate blog post. In reality, we had pretty much given-up on the blog, since we thought that our only readers were our parents and siblings, and it turns out that not even they were following Cain From Away. Little did we know that once the posts disappeared completely, our truly loyal followers would come pouring out of the woodwork... and by pouring, we mean thank you Matt, Courtney, Uncle Mark, and Ed (not Meredith's stepfather who we're pretty sure doesn't know this blog exists) for filing the proper complaints to the authors of this blog and getting it rolling again. We'll even try and do a catch-up post after this one to cover The Maine Winter... which we pretty much skipped in its entirety.<br /><br />First, we've got an update on Orvis's pad. He pulled some strings and had his main room redecorated with the help of his grandparents (who were in town to assist with Meredith's studio preparation - more on that in another post). We now have even nicer furniture than I ever thought I'd own in my life with the addition of a comfy green couch and a sa-weet leather chair.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUM7R51VgUz21Wb_znEL9Q6hOMbiRtcytQ_nq0TBdsVr7SgYv0cgFrz3l1rdZTL-TZmA6IZiLbQiWN_4sD9FfiAxtkFdNAe0s0EvAy1b_QZu8PN_Zyv1bP3LtJy-RsV-YH687uFcQXlxc/s1600-h/IMG_0454.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUM7R51VgUz21Wb_znEL9Q6hOMbiRtcytQ_nq0TBdsVr7SgYv0cgFrz3l1rdZTL-TZmA6IZiLbQiWN_4sD9FfiAxtkFdNAe0s0EvAy1b_QZu8PN_Zyv1bP3LtJy-RsV-YH687uFcQXlxc/s400/IMG_0454.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311690684086165570" border="0" /></a><br />What's more, Orvis can now watch his weekly soaps and trash reality shows in beautiful HD glory on his new flatty. Sometimes we wrestle the remote away from him and even get to watch some of our own shows.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy6RwWd0cuGmIElvpMPAwC4SS5stC-uEWAfPmqBlz9_x5DNMJZYml-kMWrhzYE7QziJe4dvw4xmZD1ZeFHS0sNxjzmrUKv9vyowutyZYmYu5uAdgcgv9-mvddlWLwBkclvFi4ri2NzcFY/s1600-h/IMG_0455.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy6RwWd0cuGmIElvpMPAwC4SS5stC-uEWAfPmqBlz9_x5DNMJZYml-kMWrhzYE7QziJe4dvw4xmZD1ZeFHS0sNxjzmrUKv9vyowutyZYmYu5uAdgcgv9-mvddlWLwBkclvFi4ri2NzcFY/s400/IMG_0455.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311690681563031314" border="0" /></a><br />But more often than not, he makes us stick to the old tv...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqt__duniCxESu081rqY6co7bBi63C8xUt-RHcVZKVL-vFllBlhaxLiIZOEqJs945E_9aXdkYPH6ed1ohiemS5CvnhL0f0CTCiCdqLzScYHOkO6BArIPglFuOyRp0K75aHi8gwNhp6dM/s1600-h/IMG_0458.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqt__duniCxESu081rqY6co7bBi63C8xUt-RHcVZKVL-vFllBlhaxLiIZOEqJs945E_9aXdkYPH6ed1ohiemS5CvnhL0f0CTCiCdqLzScYHOkO6BArIPglFuOyRp0K75aHi8gwNhp6dM/s400/IMG_0458.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311690686114834898" border="0" /></a><br />Winter's almost over here and as the snow melts, Meredith and I are looking forward to enjoying some warmer weather and great Maine places. I promise we'll keep our avid followers posted, and even attempt to catch them up, in the next few weeks. Breathe Easy, you four (or maybe even more)!Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08301632209156046890noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-893384061800060269.post-26498751040184034892009-02-02T14:30:00.000-08:002009-02-02T14:32:16.915-08:00OOPS!<div>Okay, clearly we've been neglecting this blog. Here are a few pictures to keep you all entertained while we find the time to catch you all up. So far, we're loving Maine in the winter!</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXm9h4JIjla3yPDckgLQ6B5_4XvSODCnR7zRIHJeAk1SSSAOvVvilQYOd6S5432TlN8ZQrXRExkcdHztVR-pMOhaKET12ehmL8EAmtJKFhm5OnPcKQBJajKBgnMto9WKoRep5AxKD4FFQ/s1600-h/IMG_7480.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXm9h4JIjla3yPDckgLQ6B5_4XvSODCnR7zRIHJeAk1SSSAOvVvilQYOd6S5432TlN8ZQrXRExkcdHztVR-pMOhaKET12ehmL8EAmtJKFhm5OnPcKQBJajKBgnMto9WKoRep5AxKD4FFQ/s400/IMG_7480.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298331192430728402" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqrPgvt4LXhqOyMS2PgvNqbgrnQb-QpI8tKPF6E0C85rzOeITwUBjsdOW6AvI4gAGmt5veazrXWZCk6BTXndE_vPyAJ0zryKc7zT4cLzSZaIM8mL77uf2vH9iCP_FMfk82ZVblyqJwQpU/s1600-h/IMG_7478.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqrPgvt4LXhqOyMS2PgvNqbgrnQb-QpI8tKPF6E0C85rzOeITwUBjsdOW6AvI4gAGmt5veazrXWZCk6BTXndE_vPyAJ0zryKc7zT4cLzSZaIM8mL77uf2vH9iCP_FMfk82ZVblyqJwQpU/s400/IMG_7478.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298331191700435906" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlYkKlms0F0oQxU-cg3qP54HHXOFzaWUj4dTNofKCjolrNACXPJO54NLbFBeHWfHTLLGTqganQYQsPCQ226LozDSfjJitv-MaBtpFM9zZHCmmsoigANgjGIU8K3ufjnEfqyg9pD2sm-ss/s1600-h/IMG_7470.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlYkKlms0F0oQxU-cg3qP54HHXOFzaWUj4dTNofKCjolrNACXPJO54NLbFBeHWfHTLLGTqganQYQsPCQ226LozDSfjJitv-MaBtpFM9zZHCmmsoigANgjGIU8K3ufjnEfqyg9pD2sm-ss/s400/IMG_7470.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298331188045446642" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0X-_8pK1NqR8pQ0o5zS26mpR2rF8vdw7yxHARvgn1bLpLZ2ydqZLxFi-LiQ21NABUozbw2m6SA-H7alm7VnuXQmQQ9OcIn8_vOTaPO2yC5THGAst74x3uanro1-S_d4oPUxMSYVNY4Y/s1600-h/IMG_7466.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0X-_8pK1NqR8pQ0o5zS26mpR2rF8vdw7yxHARvgn1bLpLZ2ydqZLxFi-LiQ21NABUozbw2m6SA-H7alm7VnuXQmQQ9OcIn8_vOTaPO2yC5THGAst74x3uanro1-S_d4oPUxMSYVNY4Y/s400/IMG_7466.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298331188230312466" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCt_f_wAeld5wOW-jZlnAUkJaTptrBQvw_S93zPtuPizH8IH1OqJvDmRHUl0VzSS1FXMbC33k9J14ndDXN7yFvp-O4yj2quNbHR6T2S-nYN06g1MWN40rZr1kpfYfNrAzY_pJpuU845nk/s1600-h/IMG_7460.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCt_f_wAeld5wOW-jZlnAUkJaTptrBQvw_S93zPtuPizH8IH1OqJvDmRHUl0VzSS1FXMbC33k9J14ndDXN7yFvp-O4yj2quNbHR6T2S-nYN06g1MWN40rZr1kpfYfNrAzY_pJpuU845nk/s400/IMG_7460.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298331186738606978" /></a>Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08301632209156046890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-893384061800060269.post-7479961169278899412009-01-16T06:13:00.000-08:002009-01-16T06:24:29.692-08:00Busy Busy BusyHappy 2009! I hope this post finds each one of you well and that your new year is getting off to a fantastic start! Michael and I have sadly neglected our duties to keep you all up to date, but I promise that an update is coming this weekend when we have some time on our hands. <br /><br />In the meantime, please feel free to look at our websites to see how we've been spending our time!<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://buttonupdesign.com/">Button-Up Design</a><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCI9HEZee0HP4WzqBvCLLK4ln2NKR8nbCdC0kj0W16VTrr7ZeE72RGi3C6ebKcfbW6hcKrjfzuTLXsPSK_fn0tzS6rFzaRMrO45vJf_0AEy5aa1mfRdpcIhmnt3pmr8B7XIxvjP2XjbsI/s1600-h/Picture+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 396px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCI9HEZee0HP4WzqBvCLLK4ln2NKR8nbCdC0kj0W16VTrr7ZeE72RGi3C6ebKcfbW6hcKrjfzuTLXsPSK_fn0tzS6rFzaRMrO45vJf_0AEy5aa1mfRdpcIhmnt3pmr8B7XIxvjP2XjbsI/s400/Picture+1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291895433391370306" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.andunlimiteddogs.com/#">& unlimited dogs</a></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg21Jn-Yaks-CoKZ7Kjl2I4f6If26t5bbn2xs9GRYG65a8mCgCF3WwcAlBx7xbPYTXJUGmo89M2HBrjg021XUglbqMtH-YgGBtWU1UldrUJY6wNK3LvShSgiltBWPOUKudtNdqN1Byfyn0/s1600-h/Picture+3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg21Jn-Yaks-CoKZ7Kjl2I4f6If26t5bbn2xs9GRYG65a8mCgCF3WwcAlBx7xbPYTXJUGmo89M2HBrjg021XUglbqMtH-YgGBtWU1UldrUJY6wNK3LvShSgiltBWPOUKudtNdqN1Byfyn0/s400/Picture+3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291895861759874050" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.and-ltd.com/">& unlimited</a></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZp90oaiZWTFqYH8EngA9i-2HmxXkJx2KLpUWiEb00ZeiJZTvkzm2sAPxGbmtjEKpBKHPoFuV0p9mTIH9icya29u5IDY7mWRPkcuyhl9jn1AqQM4TeBgdW21MUskwiJdfFoeUf5YXORc/s1600-h/Picture+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 358px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZp90oaiZWTFqYH8EngA9i-2HmxXkJx2KLpUWiEb00ZeiJZTvkzm2sAPxGbmtjEKpBKHPoFuV0p9mTIH9icya29u5IDY7mWRPkcuyhl9jn1AqQM4TeBgdW21MUskwiJdfFoeUf5YXORc/s400/Picture+2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291895437813913842" /></a><br /><br /><div>More to come soon! </div><div><br /></div><div>Breathe easy!</div>Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08301632209156046890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-893384061800060269.post-68079770480977918442008-12-07T13:41:00.000-08:002008-12-07T16:53:26.350-08:00WindowsThe main purpose of this blog is still to give our family and friends an idea of the new experiences Meredith and I are picking up in Maine, and this one definitely qualifies as one of those.<br /><br />In an attempt to trim a few dollars off of our energy expenses and prevent the house from seeming so drafty as the temperatures begin to drop, I decided to try my hand at adding plastic to the windows of our home.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtqU4-sKsYW-gvICisysfSlUQzejghWPo6tL3ik1jqoUoJd6bynlNYn-SKlc4BCIPtvFCSIAuUVTviT38P2GRbv76lxvn1jY0J4lroltJLylLZebRLj61wvnpGmiOS7286NrL27NS_KTs/s1600-h/IMG_0017.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtqU4-sKsYW-gvICisysfSlUQzejghWPo6tL3ik1jqoUoJd6bynlNYn-SKlc4BCIPtvFCSIAuUVTviT38P2GRbv76lxvn1jY0J4lroltJLylLZebRLj61wvnpGmiOS7286NrL27NS_KTs/s400/IMG_0017.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277166731932761682" border="0" /></a>Equipped with a pair of scissors, a hair dryer, a few window kits (plastic and double-sided tape), and 3 weeks time, I made semi-quick work of this daunting task for anyone from away.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicXB2ceHgIqNSJ8yApSynzZ5veXyYmjPjvcrkxRheG0WO_Ec9EADvg5END-HiQw-J0nadQPP8pvVWNQ1avr7NKvsnFLJEHEvObwsBUzCno-JvajPaULUk4-ZIGUNuO2yqe7q0sfA67Bm0/s1600-h/IMG_0007.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicXB2ceHgIqNSJ8yApSynzZ5veXyYmjPjvcrkxRheG0WO_Ec9EADvg5END-HiQw-J0nadQPP8pvVWNQ1avr7NKvsnFLJEHEvObwsBUzCno-JvajPaULUk4-ZIGUNuO2yqe7q0sfA67Bm0/s400/IMG_0007.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277166719984359618" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghYy6p1lYEWdXBT9g6y_oLb6taX2lGdC76BKgNk2mHqlJXT8au3o_ak8WCAr2HrTNaGtQ1AfK69BGXo1LI7O4dqD_fSISTlZybgJ05c9BqHqfGVCXRjNKOGv0JmeaIo756B8Nkpd7i-zA/s1600-h/IMG_0018.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghYy6p1lYEWdXBT9g6y_oLb6taX2lGdC76BKgNk2mHqlJXT8au3o_ak8WCAr2HrTNaGtQ1AfK69BGXo1LI7O4dqD_fSISTlZybgJ05c9BqHqfGVCXRjNKOGv0JmeaIo756B8Nkpd7i-zA/s400/IMG_0018.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277166739617497362" border="0" /></a><br />Surprisingly, it's not as tough as my time table makes it out to be, and in reality, it was nothing more than some excessive procrastination that took so long (surprise, surprise!). It works though, and now I'm typing to you from the cozy comfort of our living room.Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08301632209156046890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-893384061800060269.post-6348006879415692182008-12-07T13:19:00.000-08:002008-12-07T16:52:10.649-08:00KitchenaidA perk of being self-employed in a computer-related field is the excessive time one can devote to online shopping. Finding a deal that would make even the greatest of bargain hunters jealous, I picked-up a gift for Meredith and my Christmas this year: a brand new Professional 600 Series KitchenAid stand mixer. . . for $65!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTE6p6UpayAnbJQktoiVyVmLcNUGFosulAWnoy3LxbDV_Qvy_B4h-I4ITmQ4gd-C8FUDHIVtgcgO2dvYraY6QR40DM1GjpUddBypx_Ft_s5OmVhhZK35e03C_taGllargZ_tDPDVoEjzM/s1600-h/IMG_4234.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTE6p6UpayAnbJQktoiVyVmLcNUGFosulAWnoy3LxbDV_Qvy_B4h-I4ITmQ4gd-C8FUDHIVtgcgO2dvYraY6QR40DM1GjpUddBypx_Ft_s5OmVhhZK35e03C_taGllargZ_tDPDVoEjzM/s400/IMG_4234.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277161966303934834" border="0"></a>This beautiful piece of machinery makes even the toughest baking jobs. . . easy as pie. Speaking in cookie terms, this item from Meredith and my "28 by 28" list can power through the batter of 13 1/2 dozen cookies in a single bowl!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgin2ifCltS8TdUI4TCWqYYveD76ZEfsfAWU9u_UxkYvw7FNz8vxhAQzfb-_F7MuSGaf7yFOdb4x9A7pBjvkIY4CJXSafppnjajyfIyJ0FvP9KM_o3jnxTSowiZH8VfqeOvAPJ3hVaqqEw/s1600-h/IMG_4258.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgin2ifCltS8TdUI4TCWqYYveD76ZEfsfAWU9u_UxkYvw7FNz8vxhAQzfb-_F7MuSGaf7yFOdb4x9A7pBjvkIY4CJXSafppnjajyfIyJ0FvP9KM_o3jnxTSowiZH8VfqeOvAPJ3hVaqqEw/s400/IMG_4258.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277161981216418306" border="0"></a>And it even comes with a bread hook! (too bad I have no idea how to use it)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Lodmaoi7XbF3c8ImkLvlblUYBrfQ2z_Ogcbn78y8FXDCv1rhJJekW7UgwfvNSVZNv7z1AOibN0J1T_fITLU4PjAeMZC_BaR4-Pxeom3CIfxl9SNzxYC54zz_gdQSm93BbEio2E_8IAI/s1600-h/IMG_4244.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Lodmaoi7XbF3c8ImkLvlblUYBrfQ2z_Ogcbn78y8FXDCv1rhJJekW7UgwfvNSVZNv7z1AOibN0J1T_fITLU4PjAeMZC_BaR4-Pxeom3CIfxl9SNzxYC54zz_gdQSm93BbEio2E_8IAI/s400/IMG_4244.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277161980185937154" border="0"></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_IQGQyPKgkOTnkeSEEO1AlDNY_GlGgOjkYexYvsxDe366BiMp13QDm1AGBOeZf50-n7HzKfWNRN2Bqjl1J4CAJG6FhjMqTqRcmaOMvOrVb0F2HVj1W7wo2tncYHZ_-NLFXTjW5iK7AVU/s1600-h/IMG_4242.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_IQGQyPKgkOTnkeSEEO1AlDNY_GlGgOjkYexYvsxDe366BiMp13QDm1AGBOeZf50-n7HzKfWNRN2Bqjl1J4CAJG6FhjMqTqRcmaOMvOrVb0F2HVj1W7wo2tncYHZ_-NLFXTjW5iK7AVU/s400/IMG_4242.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277161978705723554" border="0"></a>Orvis wanted to give it a shot too.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm6nE00r6uN0foik58_r1QknEnaFO8CTPuYXXMknlg5kU48YdPg0gHaegdQIDLqsFWQugmklv_cNLwiNTT_0fNKHtLpMwHDooLbU3_m5pRNY3OQgyxqQ-gA9pz1LWNNaH-NLCanKMzbf8/s1600-h/IMG_4236.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm6nE00r6uN0foik58_r1QknEnaFO8CTPuYXXMknlg5kU48YdPg0gHaegdQIDLqsFWQugmklv_cNLwiNTT_0fNKHtLpMwHDooLbU3_m5pRNY3OQgyxqQ-gA9pz1LWNNaH-NLCanKMzbf8/s400/IMG_4236.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277161973326818210" border="0"></a>To justify its presence in our kitchen, Meredith and I immediately began brainstorming baking ideas. So far, beer bread and brownies have been our first success stories. . .<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEien9pHXNd8faicFSOta6gadEKXctrEDHVy_g9YnFTTBAdNy5pGhwCyuMu4b-47AlXb3qihcY_w77dCeBpzjg4QrM9bTMzdGeS8yji5H0BbmytdsulgxKx5Vqi1NEbBOHTrH8W0dbq_J9c/s1600-h/IMG_4262.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEien9pHXNd8faicFSOta6gadEKXctrEDHVy_g9YnFTTBAdNy5pGhwCyuMu4b-47AlXb3qihcY_w77dCeBpzjg4QrM9bTMzdGeS8yji5H0BbmytdsulgxKx5Vqi1NEbBOHTrH8W0dbq_J9c/s400/IMG_4262.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277162617118347906" border="0"></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7G-WUuj_jKWQ-zwUzb-ga6osHgJxWm_LyzzSVlBi_R4HlWVfvx6hzuwJMNXBZV9JlAjSF9BdGa40ogaqCyb_mzWO5rRAFEJmiREv1xLF0BwkV3245cRKbOPFWIaBd7YK2wCwRBvDJ99A/s1600-h/IMG_4285.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7G-WUuj_jKWQ-zwUzb-ga6osHgJxWm_LyzzSVlBi_R4HlWVfvx6hzuwJMNXBZV9JlAjSF9BdGa40ogaqCyb_mzWO5rRAFEJmiREv1xLF0BwkV3245cRKbOPFWIaBd7YK2wCwRBvDJ99A/s400/IMG_4285.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277162623891144962" border="0"></a>. . .and tonight, we're going to try our hands at some German chocolate cake. If you guys have any ideas of more mixer-based recipes for us to try, please let us know!Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08301632209156046890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-893384061800060269.post-47883510068989302032008-11-16T11:33:00.000-08:002008-11-16T13:16:01.491-08:00Boston BoundThis year for our anniversary Meredith decided to try something that normally she's not too good at- keeping a surprise. She loves to try and attempt this, but it's just her personality to not let a good thing go unsaid. So a month ago when she informed me that she had a surprise for our anniversary, I figured it would be a matter of days before I knew exactly what we'd be doing. To my surprise, however, Meredith kept this one quiet all the way down to the end, and on the Sunday after our anniversary (once Meredith got back from a trip to NC) we found ourselves on our way to Boston to celebrate our third year together. <br /><br />Meredith had been to Boston on a number of occasions, but I had not made the two hour trip south to check the big city out for myself, so Meredith thought that our anniversary would be a great time to do so. Taking advantage of off-season prices, Meredith booked us a reservation at The Taj, an absolutely amazing hotel overlooking Boston Common. And in trying to do as many Bostonian things in the short time we had in the city, Meredith and I immediately hit the town after checking in.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJz-ox0aMfFnvTqU90A5gAuUvB1O3XKSUolLsKctM5XmXu3vJUf99DCzvDLPvy56lhSXNmCm0KEEce78esutgjxqhvFI35FWhuu6ox0ZSXEbKtS9S4Q_oUPwKGPRAx25xRIZzWzbWn1Rw/s1600-h/IMG_9774-copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJz-ox0aMfFnvTqU90A5gAuUvB1O3XKSUolLsKctM5XmXu3vJUf99DCzvDLPvy56lhSXNmCm0KEEce78esutgjxqhvFI35FWhuu6ox0ZSXEbKtS9S4Q_oUPwKGPRAx25xRIZzWzbWn1Rw/s400/IMG_9774-copy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269365359655353986" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3W61EU5S-OE13CsJs1TtG3m3grcP_1sPbGCVjxaUiSNPtKdQrxf_Zttd9HA8NVc_7Lief8jrtx4CrCbLLGC0xUGmo91ftm_q00P7M0oGUo3czrx3D3SHjb71zgyVjf-SyPCN4Kk7sxYU/s1600-h/IMG_9703-copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3W61EU5S-OE13CsJs1TtG3m3grcP_1sPbGCVjxaUiSNPtKdQrxf_Zttd9HA8NVc_7Lief8jrtx4CrCbLLGC0xUGmo91ftm_q00P7M0oGUo3czrx3D3SHjb71zgyVjf-SyPCN4Kk7sxYU/s400/IMG_9703-copy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269365356069238978" /></a><br /><br />At first, our sightseeing expedition took us down brownstone-clad Newbury Street, where we grabbed a quick snack from one of many restaurants and shops before heading across the Boston Public Garden and Boston Common to find the Freedom Trail. The public garden and common were gorgeous spots of green in an otherwise sprawling concrete big city. Being a wildly historic town, there were numerous statues and landmarks lacing the common and garden, giving a magnificently historic feel, to an already beautiful city. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmMJGUJXG9Y6MpEvoygmaSEXOeaRx0-vUXVuE-ymQAZ-wSGcJz1AwTbEFMYjC8RhF4alS_jrCU2GhyqeWaPqCovSfEBxfQ2pVgDHa_0K8Z5YtTk6Vq3V7fwhzBpkegMLOhRsmIxZ_5gV4/s1600-h/IMG_9704-copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmMJGUJXG9Y6MpEvoygmaSEXOeaRx0-vUXVuE-ymQAZ-wSGcJz1AwTbEFMYjC8RhF4alS_jrCU2GhyqeWaPqCovSfEBxfQ2pVgDHa_0K8Z5YtTk6Vq3V7fwhzBpkegMLOhRsmIxZ_5gV4/s400/IMG_9704-copy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269365840138846882" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfrOw-DtiRJq7kXyi80vGQEel2nWH7AnxnJFQaJt_Z9QKUrqFhyRtO6q5GWXBZ6jWzMsc-Pl-FaElPvPalRcQca96Bq0eaI9XAcjXer3lEG3XI6qz3v3_PYHEmrD218qzx71CgXPOE-LA/s1600-h/IMG_9769-copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfrOw-DtiRJq7kXyi80vGQEel2nWH7AnxnJFQaJt_Z9QKUrqFhyRtO6q5GWXBZ6jWzMsc-Pl-FaElPvPalRcQca96Bq0eaI9XAcjXer3lEG3XI6qz3v3_PYHEmrD218qzx71CgXPOE-LA/s400/IMG_9769-copy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269366244437410994" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKijTNjbjpzSX_A4GHnXTEYlI3t4SkyM6etQS5ZmMsbWJeunKzCwLAYVVZs46UsbFHuEQSHTs-U4a-jg4ZhUaK061uAHmM2wH8mdTLSakSE9TsjciLsnXzH2gTkNpGqIr3chmiBr4In9Y/s1600-h/IMG_9759-copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKijTNjbjpzSX_A4GHnXTEYlI3t4SkyM6etQS5ZmMsbWJeunKzCwLAYVVZs46UsbFHuEQSHTs-U4a-jg4ZhUaK061uAHmM2wH8mdTLSakSE9TsjciLsnXzH2gTkNpGqIr3chmiBr4In9Y/s400/IMG_9759-copy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269366244254365378" /></a><br /><br /><br />On the other end of the Common, the Freedom Trail only magnified this historic feeling, as you're given the opportunity to stroll the same streets and see many of the same buildings, as many of the original leaders of our nation. Since we had dinner plans with an old friend from UNC, we set our bearings on Faneuil Hall & Quincy Market, with the intention of returning to see the rest of the trail the next morning. Getting to our destination shortly after sunset, we were lucky enough to see the awesome sights of Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market in a lit-up display over the brick-laid streets. We even popped in to the Orvis store to pay homage to our furry friend back home!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66sCycXgHjRbHFT9EYj8BMEktmsoIOLF4C37ml7aiVDjEncawOrRt5Z9idVcKkKHekaN3wid_ZxFkeocwQoDo_KR7qj_al8q10C70JvbXKuQzXWduQqGJ2fvttLnWlYm-ASKZF9GJTXw/s1600-h/IMG_9715-copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66sCycXgHjRbHFT9EYj8BMEktmsoIOLF4C37ml7aiVDjEncawOrRt5Z9idVcKkKHekaN3wid_ZxFkeocwQoDo_KR7qj_al8q10C70JvbXKuQzXWduQqGJ2fvttLnWlYm-ASKZF9GJTXw/s400/IMG_9715-copy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269365845843329842" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ZRyksBtjQU5PnwNQ4xeymIU33qKfNOJuIQhTvy1aN9buDUnI27q7Bej_E_kyJGRWqCSEC-XVhP-FPzhIgqi1GOXKotTsaonMBowY9uiT0-MQA1Y_BH0h0eqkN5SG4l6KNpeW9Au9EwA/s1600-h/IMG_9714-copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ZRyksBtjQU5PnwNQ4xeymIU33qKfNOJuIQhTvy1aN9buDUnI27q7Bej_E_kyJGRWqCSEC-XVhP-FPzhIgqi1GOXKotTsaonMBowY9uiT0-MQA1Y_BH0h0eqkN5SG4l6KNpeW9Au9EwA/s400/IMG_9714-copy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269365847626236434" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc9wxbrKVTJjaZWywM8QAxi_iZHNtXPUUIWsMOyOQ_CD-FMTzlEbROG9WLNdY578y-EiI_ma8_pHML2TXrsl58okq19E1jrlYeEptDvcMOwNT2PAjVMtZdeMaRSIM89NZf9VTRvvwygQU/s1600-h/IMG_9707-copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc9wxbrKVTJjaZWywM8QAxi_iZHNtXPUUIWsMOyOQ_CD-FMTzlEbROG9WLNdY578y-EiI_ma8_pHML2TXrsl58okq19E1jrlYeEptDvcMOwNT2PAjVMtZdeMaRSIM89NZf9VTRvvwygQU/s400/IMG_9707-copy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269365841801281970" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHFf29NP0SScc1Q_8hZ7KTENccK7UU4vDUVPmoBjqXyLBt4ygSrzZRRCz45iERe09PNldtyUGObHK4BtRL9IXXymjFtVot_-oewJXj2Fj9FSqpBXyEgqBaoXMajo5p9gujHfXOXwSfG48/s1600-h/IMG_9721-copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHFf29NP0SScc1Q_8hZ7KTENccK7UU4vDUVPmoBjqXyLBt4ygSrzZRRCz45iERe09PNldtyUGObHK4BtRL9IXXymjFtVot_-oewJXj2Fj9FSqpBXyEgqBaoXMajo5p9gujHfXOXwSfG48/s400/IMG_9721-copy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269366239924797538" /></a><br /><br />For dinner, we met our old friend, Lauren, and our new friend, Ryan (her boyfriend), at Addis Red Sea for a new dining experience of Ethiopian cuisine. The food was delicious, our company was delightful, and on our way back into the city from Cambridge we even got to see the extraordinary Boston skyline.<br /><br />Possibly the greatest gem of our excursion was our journey to Flour Bakery the following morning. Rumored to have the best sticky buns in New England, Meredith and I decided to test them out for ourselves. So far, they're right! Don't let word get back to Orvis, but there was even an exceptionally cute Bernese Mountain Dog waiting outside for some of Flour's homemade dog treats. Good news: Flour allows you to order its sticky buns online. <br /><br />After breakfast, Meredith and I headed back up Dartmouth street past the public library and Trinity Church to explore Commonwealth Ave. and the rest of the back bay. Commonwealth is a grassy pathway lined with historic brownstones and beautiful trees. Next, our walk took us briefly through Beacon Hill, past the Massachusetts state house (John Hancock's old residence), and then back through the Public Garden on our way to check out from our Hotel.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Bw-0JzVerf21heU5Pmr1BxMoqhfGvDLZ99cKvXtdN01aaNawtsDq5FNxIeSNKhbOSaHwiejJRaMWtZbn9MfB6Fh6Q11W_rqMU-SG-OwQyQJlFy-gIZoE4RWXoeV5mb1PGf2EsPEZuQ0/s1600-h/IMG_9733-copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Bw-0JzVerf21heU5Pmr1BxMoqhfGvDLZ99cKvXtdN01aaNawtsDq5FNxIeSNKhbOSaHwiejJRaMWtZbn9MfB6Fh6Q11W_rqMU-SG-OwQyQJlFy-gIZoE4RWXoeV5mb1PGf2EsPEZuQ0/s400/IMG_9733-copy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269366917860619666" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-CK75MuerVaA-7nL2RIL9cUAfU0EIegyADSEeVDKLVNq_-X7LHQORM2pi5UvEQ3B1M8TLGnkBsonG_6j42uw7pKkeBL84fGiir9MTpg5RhX9bq2QhNiCEu1u0nlHyc2CXbsmeDPFn_fU/s1600-h/IMG_9744-copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-CK75MuerVaA-7nL2RIL9cUAfU0EIegyADSEeVDKLVNq_-X7LHQORM2pi5UvEQ3B1M8TLGnkBsonG_6j42uw7pKkeBL84fGiir9MTpg5RhX9bq2QhNiCEu1u0nlHyc2CXbsmeDPFn_fU/s400/IMG_9744-copy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269366923537760770" /></a><br /><br />After checkout, Meredith and I found parking in the North End, where we picked the Freedom Trail back up and eventually found our way to the Old North Church - where Paul Revere warned the city of the impending British Troop invasion over 230 years ago. Heading through the predominately Italian neighborhoods of the North End, Meredith felt taken back to her time in Florence, as we passed numerous Italian restaurants and stores, and even people speaking Italian in the streets. Luckily, our trip through the Italian neighborhoods coincided with lunchtime, and we were lucky enough to enjoy an excellent Italian lunch, gelato, and even a little bakery trip for the trip home. The almond cookies from the bakery were so delicious, that Meredith and I quickly returned after trying them to triple the original order!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCBNVA8GSO-zPX371GuCvgNCHR9VZYxtGYeZ3Jpr9qNQmHyS7VDOA_U3W7CMhWnXcD-Xtw8qjtbPw-5Y7TDijr3MGpAMAzzG56eD39bNLWh6cecqbF8jjDr0L1v2oavN3UCopVJiEmymA/s1600-h/IMG_9777-copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCBNVA8GSO-zPX371GuCvgNCHR9VZYxtGYeZ3Jpr9qNQmHyS7VDOA_U3W7CMhWnXcD-Xtw8qjtbPw-5Y7TDijr3MGpAMAzzG56eD39bNLWh6cecqbF8jjDr0L1v2oavN3UCopVJiEmymA/s400/IMG_9777-copy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269366926901145042" /></a><br /><br />Unfortunately, I don't believe that even blogspot.com has enough server space to hold all of the sights, stories, tastes, and adventure of our quick expedition, but Meredith and I will certainly cherish those memories for years to come - and hopefully return to Boston soon to see all that we missed our first time. I just want to say thank you to Meredith for keeping her first surprise, and making it an absolutely perfect one!<br /><br />Breathe Easy!Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08301632209156046890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-893384061800060269.post-61836374545900454502008-11-03T17:09:00.000-08:002008-11-03T18:09:00.689-08:00Wyoming Comes to TownRounding out our planned visits, Meredith's father and stepmother from Wyoming came to visit this past week. Having planned to make it in perfect time for peak foliage season (not enough of those trees out in Wyoming to get a good taste for autumn), they will more than likely be the last guests to stay with us for awhile. In the spirit of Portland we made sure to show them every taste, sight and sound of the area as possible. <br /><br />As with every visit from friends and family, the regular staples were there: Flatbread, walking around the Old Port, the Head Light and Freeport. Luckily for them, and sadly for us, there visit signified the last week The Lobster Shack is open for the season, so it looks like we'll have to stick it out at least until next summer. We've also added a newer attraction to our list of stops, thanks to Victoria and Savanna, we've started to take our guests to Spring Point Light in South Portland for a great view of the Portland skyline. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgESf39tQ-siaVQFixfiq7V_YzhpgQHFAySJAwmnJEvirg5X3nq-FPi57S7wN6jUhWsegLnfKqXbv0NK8QCltKJw1T3AYZX1zYMmn9CAQBM7nRW5pFnGdHPcVLYUTIMG7-0BQEOu03r9sw/s1600-h/2985853942_b3b781778f.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgESf39tQ-siaVQFixfiq7V_YzhpgQHFAySJAwmnJEvirg5X3nq-FPi57S7wN6jUhWsegLnfKqXbv0NK8QCltKJw1T3AYZX1zYMmn9CAQBM7nRW5pFnGdHPcVLYUTIMG7-0BQEOu03r9sw/s400/2985853942_b3b781778f.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264617257932890498" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXT1lNvnLsnOr72mNH3GK6XKCJSYhy1KQVHSut9lGcV-3a8aQjUED76v7FtKwHnn5dBmWcHCtgZEXYwtHc5tlnFD6qrWvFKt1nWNRMuFM2ReGFN4MpLbyJokNZK0HQXXuOHzy1tg_SCz4/s1600-h/IMG_8557.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXT1lNvnLsnOr72mNH3GK6XKCJSYhy1KQVHSut9lGcV-3a8aQjUED76v7FtKwHnn5dBmWcHCtgZEXYwtHc5tlnFD6qrWvFKt1nWNRMuFM2ReGFN4MpLbyJokNZK0HQXXuOHzy1tg_SCz4/s400/IMG_8557.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264617709113106066" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglSEgVwC7acIi6Sh1Q58Ef6igMJPWKwjtz6WWuL253mJMyIe13Pz0lUt4hQBvMtrHSV3UOMqMTGuPTI-Gpd50p5DcRwAJv2EGWtl8tuQDwkUbNdfydV1TfJIf0h1zbQcf953iSBFgtdvY/s1600-h/IMG_8554.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglSEgVwC7acIi6Sh1Q58Ef6igMJPWKwjtz6WWuL253mJMyIe13Pz0lUt4hQBvMtrHSV3UOMqMTGuPTI-Gpd50p5DcRwAJv2EGWtl8tuQDwkUbNdfydV1TfJIf0h1zbQcf953iSBFgtdvY/s400/IMG_8554.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264617702484888018" /></a><br /><br />In an attempt to see as much foliage as possible we headed up mid-coast to Camden on Sunday morning. Big Papa Perdue had lunch with Richard Russo at the Camden Deli, and although there was a constant slight shower, we enjoyed seeing the town post-peak season. Unfortunately the view from the top of Mt. Battie in Camden Hill State Park was limited, to say the least. A slight detour on the way back ended up turning out to be a fortunate diversion as the sun peaked through the clouds over the water outside of Damariscotta. The beautiful trees and quintessential New England streets gave quite the backdrop for Mr. Perdue to test out his new camera. We even got to add a new gelateria to our ever-growing list of delectable Maine stops. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRKZulZQGL5nmbJZkzRFC5Kg5XdwW0mylbmTFUre4YMwbWwz-3hCOD6ZGEDg2_VmPs8bncmA7oaNp-TZXq6GNvSObaQ9Ihsp6cmUCkOzOREoWb-wruIGOiN6MrOWpAR5DRKQlY_ljT-w/s1600-h/IMG_8566.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRKZulZQGL5nmbJZkzRFC5Kg5XdwW0mylbmTFUre4YMwbWwz-3hCOD6ZGEDg2_VmPs8bncmA7oaNp-TZXq6GNvSObaQ9Ihsp6cmUCkOzOREoWb-wruIGOiN6MrOWpAR5DRKQlY_ljT-w/s400/IMG_8566.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264617964487827394" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqICasWojgxZ5y934Boc_1_8MG3SpSwq-thmG6byL8m2Q4vJsZitK6WrzMtaCGUzkJ1oK1ELJZ5eQckEg3m9Idp0SWkY2bzIP3Tp1JWNmCkmu7R5b_CSEo8cdv50FTfXeYKxW7hd3CUPI/s1600-h/IMG_8563.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqICasWojgxZ5y934Boc_1_8MG3SpSwq-thmG6byL8m2Q4vJsZitK6WrzMtaCGUzkJ1oK1ELJZ5eQckEg3m9Idp0SWkY2bzIP3Tp1JWNmCkmu7R5b_CSEo8cdv50FTfXeYKxW7hd3CUPI/s400/IMG_8563.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264618390015642818" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRxqTCPdGkK3YzdV61j-fCXEH0MpvvbAVbwDrPrwsXYjPkBQJBWT-0A6Qgve1JTwzTkxJL8KWppn_4WlZZ6dDI7uEsxpDvdaCNLWK4EsKxSPcsFQNJfN7cGoA9sSMyFEsifzxFVj4gyQ0/s1600-h/IMG_8565.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRxqTCPdGkK3YzdV61j-fCXEH0MpvvbAVbwDrPrwsXYjPkBQJBWT-0A6Qgve1JTwzTkxJL8KWppn_4WlZZ6dDI7uEsxpDvdaCNLWK4EsKxSPcsFQNJfN7cGoA9sSMyFEsifzxFVj4gyQ0/s400/IMG_8565.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264618391619836434" /></a><br /><br />On Monday before they had to leave we headed over to Mackworth to try to let Orvis run some energy out. Although his normal swimming spot was stolen by a beach meditator, it gave us the chance to more fully explore the little gem of an island that we have been underusing. The casual stroll around the perimeter of the island provides a number of beautiful views of the Casco Bay and East End areas, and will definitely become more of a standard in our trips to Mackworth. <br /><br />We enjoyed having the Perdues come visit, but now it looks like it will be just the three of us for a few months (nudge, nudge Cindy and Justin), so I guess it will be up to Meredith and I to discover some new seasonal adventures to write back home about. <br /><br />Breathe easy!Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08301632209156046890noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-893384061800060269.post-86096969890857622602008-11-01T17:32:00.000-07:002008-11-12T09:07:51.583-08:00A Few New ThingsI, always being the pillar of health, suggested to Meredith a week ago that we attempt to follow suit with Meredith's client (and our Office-loving friend) Brook, and attempt a week-long raw food diet. That's right, Michael Cain, king of the processed and high-calorie goodness, braved through one week of smoothies, salads, fruits, nuts and veggies. In all honesty, it was a fun experience, albeit a hard one, that Meredith and I will be sure to incorporate much larger parts of in our everyday diets. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi32VIgmuBD9R8obcRON-RvkiH37z1K96-yntqdYOXB0rum5bJaK3zc0Ee1w2aoVMXcSk-5ui_L8d5ZxkvTrM05RXoxSGogafrVh8SJFxbgQHKlYBqaociZg81vuK7V9PzjsWo0GMxWCto/s1600-h/IMG_8572.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi32VIgmuBD9R8obcRON-RvkiH37z1K96-yntqdYOXB0rum5bJaK3zc0Ee1w2aoVMXcSk-5ui_L8d5ZxkvTrM05RXoxSGogafrVh8SJFxbgQHKlYBqaociZg81vuK7V9PzjsWo0GMxWCto/s400/IMG_8572.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264619189429928754" /></a><br /><br />Orvis has some great news for all of his many followers out there. After reading an article in the Maine Switch, he goaded us into an interview at Camp Bow Wow, a daycare and boarding destination for the playful at heart. Truly a gem in the dog care world, the staff at Camp Bow Wow in Portland is extremely knowledgeable and the facilities are top-notch (and on top of that, the playpens even come with their own webcams - a feature that Orvis is in love with, as he tries to expand his acting career). After having stayed there an entire day, and then not moving for two days from total exhaustion, Meredith and I have decided that Orvis will definitely benefit from a once weekly trip to camp. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.and-ltd.com/gallery/images/IMG_8761.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="http://www.and-ltd.com/gallery/images/IMG_8761.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />For our first time experiencing some of the local music venues, Meredith and I were lucky enough to catch an excellent Amos Lee concert last Monday at The Asylum. Although the crowd was surprisingly older than the Cat's Cradle followers we're used to in Chapel Hill, Amos Lee played an incredible set for the majority of three hours, singing in his both soulful and playful style. That show will definitely go down as one of our all-time favorites. <br /><br />And finally, replacing years of pre-cut ceramic jack-o-lanterns at the Cain house, Meredith and I were sure to run down the street to Alewive's and pick out our own pumpkins for decorating. Meredith stuck to a much more peaceful painted style, where I took a cue from a book cover in town and let the ghoulish nature of Halloween guide my first-ever non-assisted pumpkin carving. (Warning: Not for the faint of heart.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHGCBpstaII4bGuFgsqeRDrmQLeQuimvF_hvlgdIDGepp7PDMF5lz8XOZi5t0HINI4aHMA7YY1Kz2vaEpgMnb5j7vfUPiPPwWqK9Y8q12ZLCqvw2CGlqgMGMKyLZyhEFhthRAXMhCZzQ/s1600-h/IMG_8793.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHGCBpstaII4bGuFgsqeRDrmQLeQuimvF_hvlgdIDGepp7PDMF5lz8XOZi5t0HINI4aHMA7YY1Kz2vaEpgMnb5j7vfUPiPPwWqK9Y8q12ZLCqvw2CGlqgMGMKyLZyhEFhthRAXMhCZzQ/s400/IMG_8793.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267818740273554338" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkMVx_aOYB9Kqd_lunJFS6aD3FOBLYzr-57ig00SiVGl7t5TbSW_zsw8yIUsaFrpwnl1VJabA4AIuoSKRfWyFqvtWfroes2g_DXERf-nrLp39FOoSU6KQOPQ8_7hPR8XRsdgXIQBpOq5s/s1600-h/IMG_8711.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkMVx_aOYB9Kqd_lunJFS6aD3FOBLYzr-57ig00SiVGl7t5TbSW_zsw8yIUsaFrpwnl1VJabA4AIuoSKRfWyFqvtWfroes2g_DXERf-nrLp39FOoSU6KQOPQ8_7hPR8XRsdgXIQBpOq5s/s400/IMG_8711.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267818707085757282" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9LO6x9P-MwMu80wHuM3hxoG_C7K1b_VxTvcdsbQVQi55Yc5XbabsYyEbYJnF1IttDLjjPg79IihAwJQBM1Cd1Z5gMUDxbFeLVOOyzBmtW5FS3SHWhNcPmyGfntBAuzK06aKH26PLioTM/s1600-h/IMG_8704.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9LO6x9P-MwMu80wHuM3hxoG_C7K1b_VxTvcdsbQVQi55Yc5XbabsYyEbYJnF1IttDLjjPg79IihAwJQBM1Cd1Z5gMUDxbFeLVOOyzBmtW5FS3SHWhNcPmyGfntBAuzK06aKH26PLioTM/s400/IMG_8704.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267818701247467570" /></a>Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08301632209156046890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-893384061800060269.post-1988692953168425952008-10-13T17:11:00.000-07:002008-10-20T12:15:09.467-07:00Mack goes to MackworthSavanna and Victoria were lucky enough to visit us over one of the prettiest weekends we've experienced in Maine so far... Meredith's sister, Mackenzie, and her mom, were not so lucky. Unfortunately the next weekend as Meredith's mom and Mackenzie arrived, so did Tropical Storm Kyle. Mrs. Peele and Mackenzie did not let the non-stop rain get in the way of their trip at all. While Meredith and I were busy working at the Cape Elizabeth Harvest Festival, the two decided to go for a walk around the city in the rain. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQtRwR5RWX07oEa4H7wpC3vtKjlB8Zgbk0HbGC9MNRqsETzmJ1pYPXjSgpPv1stUI-TWonG1MIA-OcgFh0RoTftFdxd7YjLOyZsRFh8KD4CIKYkUqYTzuiDRUyOEfXxls5rr0iSSDZnM/s1600-h/n642270566_4459773_5408.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQtRwR5RWX07oEa4H7wpC3vtKjlB8Zgbk0HbGC9MNRqsETzmJ1pYPXjSgpPv1stUI-TWonG1MIA-OcgFh0RoTftFdxd7YjLOyZsRFh8KD4CIKYkUqYTzuiDRUyOEfXxls5rr0iSSDZnM/s400/n642270566_4459773_5408.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259316459772151410" /></a><br /><br />They were lucky enough to stay at the Regency, one of Portland's coolest hotels, right in the heart of the Old Port. Despite every one of their attempts to stand out as North Carolinians "from away," Meredith and I, in all of our local lifestyle, were able to keep them incognito. Of course we journeyed to some of our favorite restaurants: The Good Table, Flatbread and the Lobster Shack, but this weekend we were able to try out a new delicious favorite- Vignola. Located on the cobblestone Dana Street, in the Old Port, Vignola is a scrumptious Italian restaurant with a great atmosphere and awesome service. With Mama Warbucks paying, we were treated to a cheese plate, a delicious meal and a new favorite beer: Delirium Tremens. We cannot wait to go back!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkviqvXqFEBbrCze_-YFZKXdIREYEA1jRDEeRaSPuUwsD_yNhxSwmL7fXaGwaS1ziJLQZERN-VQApEtXtE1tCptcivTr5pbVtVyIC3sViyk7muGQjdP8HPPglbNo1jAKxhCOJnApOcsjY/s1600-h/n642270566_4459777_6719.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkviqvXqFEBbrCze_-YFZKXdIREYEA1jRDEeRaSPuUwsD_yNhxSwmL7fXaGwaS1ziJLQZERN-VQApEtXtE1tCptcivTr5pbVtVyIC3sViyk7muGQjdP8HPPglbNo1jAKxhCOJnApOcsjY/s400/n642270566_4459777_6719.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259316461012148066" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmtzewHqoYUHxjuPOVRA5Fw2nqkEmFSYPP1dYfBBpEMVi6YYOvYCAX0wvMg3-YmsaHrvu0lPAUqN6bzN4QZTy2M3HCmCaIT3ERp5ic06Jzp-6PYKVzBXIVa0JBUyF-xJ12d56biUVyozU/s1600-h/n642270566_4459787_177.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmtzewHqoYUHxjuPOVRA5Fw2nqkEmFSYPP1dYfBBpEMVi6YYOvYCAX0wvMg3-YmsaHrvu0lPAUqN6bzN4QZTy2M3HCmCaIT3ERp5ic06Jzp-6PYKVzBXIVa0JBUyF-xJ12d56biUVyozU/s400/n642270566_4459787_177.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259316467864344386" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOSH7V89Wr22Q_vodqhzmWkEWSSnKkQcLgYIOE_tTp7DL223MdiGAB-SP__tu6tI_zGCSivy3VH3Ikrcfc-e50R_8yv9q0cTmBSg43T0QMXucArJFsPh7JGHIbGtufSqTKiC-m10M59Uk/s1600-h/n642270566_4459800_337.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOSH7V89Wr22Q_vodqhzmWkEWSSnKkQcLgYIOE_tTp7DL223MdiGAB-SP__tu6tI_zGCSivy3VH3Ikrcfc-e50R_8yv9q0cTmBSg43T0QMXucArJFsPh7JGHIbGtufSqTKiC-m10M59Uk/s400/n642270566_4459800_337.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259316468287597682" /></a><br /><br />On Monday morning, the day of their departure, the sun finally peeked out of the clouds. Before they had to head to the airport, we hurried over to Mackworth Island to play fetch with Orvis, and then returned to Cape to show them some of the beautiful trails, right in our neighborhood. Both Mackenzie and Mrs. Peele were finally able to see the natural beauty of Maine sans Kyle.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1btH1JEuGSzprdeFy7jaW6hN38DzFOVHhedthG2Kbf3Zm0KG94tAKMjK77npaALcjgaTvw-VLLb_R0h_PWIcGQdlc2LxjZilQYb0xNr8HDdJgLCKILpsnLR_XTzKx5ngMqyOI81_fbk4/s1600-h/IMG_6184.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1btH1JEuGSzprdeFy7jaW6hN38DzFOVHhedthG2Kbf3Zm0KG94tAKMjK77npaALcjgaTvw-VLLb_R0h_PWIcGQdlc2LxjZilQYb0xNr8HDdJgLCKILpsnLR_XTzKx5ngMqyOI81_fbk4/s400/IMG_6184.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258965422338083234" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW9zS9WpXndEFQzNfw0Ljrq7Mz1pkw-ghND8v0MvUfNbiDhNz_dQpCTJsIeAxtYdE4a6324f9b5kuJ0A70RX1NWOiCGFSWFnYVpy3MsCXz0egQJDMRMFwYHpbwRFj0egqZj9OpekFgf0M/s1600-h/IMG_6182.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW9zS9WpXndEFQzNfw0Ljrq7Mz1pkw-ghND8v0MvUfNbiDhNz_dQpCTJsIeAxtYdE4a6324f9b5kuJ0A70RX1NWOiCGFSWFnYVpy3MsCXz0egQJDMRMFwYHpbwRFj0egqZj9OpekFgf0M/s400/IMG_6182.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258965423903923586" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrCsJNHAgzca7Xq2nwIdC924g-J6BdxTGnbKQO1w0c2h8El9NZ7ui0Ga11rUOs0rUwzvTf5aaqMwLhYw7W3hhh88SrvKQEk1HvBCuXseX_XvgPR4ofEIvqLgZezXUWsWA-0Tbm5r-DZ5g/s1600-h/IMG_6185.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrCsJNHAgzca7Xq2nwIdC924g-J6BdxTGnbKQO1w0c2h8El9NZ7ui0Ga11rUOs0rUwzvTf5aaqMwLhYw7W3hhh88SrvKQEk1HvBCuXseX_XvgPR4ofEIvqLgZezXUWsWA-0Tbm5r-DZ5g/s400/IMG_6185.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258965426803541474" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqCiQb5b_qSeuDo70jwWbQgPsMq1GeOMDjKr14gvV0JyZNHVJXiuJUTmoAeJdBhIEURj4_R3DETq2YmNlUgWcTYhQJNajj_UGDw4-f6s5Sd9pXo0pSUvq3PtNk0Ebu2ePzk3YOf2ZZ2mk/s1600-h/IMG_6188.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqCiQb5b_qSeuDo70jwWbQgPsMq1GeOMDjKr14gvV0JyZNHVJXiuJUTmoAeJdBhIEURj4_R3DETq2YmNlUgWcTYhQJNajj_UGDw4-f6s5Sd9pXo0pSUvq3PtNk0Ebu2ePzk3YOf2ZZ2mk/s400/IMG_6188.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258965432609917234" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCCDAJqyMm0zzLLCvLP0eCmGOkZ8R5xPCZdt3hz3WbHskbAYg5aC5aIifI_WYAp65AChrryF0o6nY59t7qK1TrK1Hwr098QkEgEZd4-Xq8lkAwGxrmMi5SFiM2hzOtF3YjmrdrMsJJ9eM/s1600-h/IMG_6212.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCCDAJqyMm0zzLLCvLP0eCmGOkZ8R5xPCZdt3hz3WbHskbAYg5aC5aIifI_WYAp65AChrryF0o6nY59t7qK1TrK1Hwr098QkEgEZd4-Xq8lkAwGxrmMi5SFiM2hzOtF3YjmrdrMsJJ9eM/s400/IMG_6212.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258965430058202370" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGO9r8W5ewsU2Ckc7miPkiWr-WGPnTVBZFxOVfkBfN8D6190rR2B2AD5fOPX4CIV4_CfIG0kVI291ZDtch8ZF7QNkCpzsShA495V9TyEFNqJI5nIJrUHZVCp4Vmf_IQu_odTD8PC16ixM/s1600-h/IMG_6215.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGO9r8W5ewsU2Ckc7miPkiWr-WGPnTVBZFxOVfkBfN8D6190rR2B2AD5fOPX4CIV4_CfIG0kVI291ZDtch8ZF7QNkCpzsShA495V9TyEFNqJI5nIJrUHZVCp4Vmf_IQu_odTD8PC16ixM/s400/IMG_6215.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258965678152259986" /></a><br /><br />It was Mackenzie's first visit to Maine, and between the beautiful Old Port and the delicious food, we think she had a really great trip. In fact, we know she had a wonderful visit, as she has not stopped telling us both about how much she is in love with Portland! And of course, Mrs. Peele, who is one of the biggest Maineophiles ever, had a wonderful time too! We have a break from visitors until Mere's father and step-mother come in a couple of weeks!<br /><br />Stay tuned and breathe easy!Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08301632209156046890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-893384061800060269.post-47405409627513184252008-10-13T16:53:00.000-07:002008-10-19T13:06:41.832-07:00Cousins come a callin'As always, I am about three weeks behind where I need to be on this blog. Things have been kind of busy with work and I've been neglecting my job to inform you all of what has been happening. A few weeks ago my cousins, Victoria and Savanna, were lured up here by some of our previous food posts and the promise of a beautiful early fall in Maine. Almost immediately after they touched ground, we got their visit started off correctly, with a midnight visit to L.L. Bean. Needless to say, there aren't many locals hanging around Freeport at midnight, but it was quite the experience, seeing those normally bustling stores all but empty. Savanna and Victoria immediately got in the Maine spirit by picking up a few Bean jackets and pullovers that would come in handy as the fall weather got a little cooler. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6cTrqV_-nnnQnmaHhQaBPnvWE-2lPkTEpUHqc8PP10kSTwqdp66Q0lrNsWHp0LUBl4f_u1YxgFxGrKL678v3-dbqcbY5cYScmEh_BPb_-UkCfsLsr_3RM9WZ14Os8Y_Vum3R7REvX5UQ/s1600-h/IMG_5809.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6cTrqV_-nnnQnmaHhQaBPnvWE-2lPkTEpUHqc8PP10kSTwqdp66Q0lrNsWHp0LUBl4f_u1YxgFxGrKL678v3-dbqcbY5cYScmEh_BPb_-UkCfsLsr_3RM9WZ14Os8Y_Vum3R7REvX5UQ/s400/IMG_5809.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258956056688126802" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCctNcSNADjeJwmzGHA4wKjOzRPiqB5330Gbq23K5LY2lneXaUGqECIdvZlp9nbssD9zRi3nyqKyCli2eBR25-fs_1FpPpKGhO69aI0iZ1s3eY-DTdGZwll22-bo2Sh2uL7j9h2ezFFSs/s1600-h/IMG_5812.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCctNcSNADjeJwmzGHA4wKjOzRPiqB5330Gbq23K5LY2lneXaUGqECIdvZlp9nbssD9zRi3nyqKyCli2eBR25-fs_1FpPpKGhO69aI0iZ1s3eY-DTdGZwll22-bo2Sh2uL7j9h2ezFFSs/s400/IMG_5812.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258956061165832258" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGkGB6DtwBQLFXoepgFbsPfsxndtkhuFp6lRPnxaJciScTIC1seov9MvE6UHAQNXUpIxrSMdxDcDWQwo-HeQ518MNRLSAGvG7KOJ1N0RyXWyqjsDOHGOabV_btaDk5eEwpWNLS5TRpjTM/s1600-h/IMG_5817.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGkGB6DtwBQLFXoepgFbsPfsxndtkhuFp6lRPnxaJciScTIC1seov9MvE6UHAQNXUpIxrSMdxDcDWQwo-HeQ518MNRLSAGvG7KOJ1N0RyXWyqjsDOHGOabV_btaDk5eEwpWNLS5TRpjTM/s400/IMG_5817.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258956063197750418" /></a><br /><br />The next day we tried to change things up by doing something new and headed to an apple orchard in New Gloucester. We had a great time picking the apples that would become the main ingredient for our dessert that evening that accompanied our lobster dinner: apple crisp!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLM6Z4DKQfG0C393pD99kJXfrr0lsDirIytOSdUmK5SjAfy5m6RJJcw5eRCqWSm19KI-RgJyoCtEjhbC5JbaZ-KxW_NlhZ3as9hm2nKXgtx1ela0d1WGiMntIdr7M1-LgueRP63OBpDqY/s1600-h/IMG_5867.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLM6Z4DKQfG0C393pD99kJXfrr0lsDirIytOSdUmK5SjAfy5m6RJJcw5eRCqWSm19KI-RgJyoCtEjhbC5JbaZ-KxW_NlhZ3as9hm2nKXgtx1ela0d1WGiMntIdr7M1-LgueRP63OBpDqY/s400/IMG_5867.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258956524850892962" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTovTRL9GtjaaIpWs1Dmq0JEpCns21bMhCECl0pnRbKBZvtVf_1Gs1ZzMD1A2YK8l8Y57BM7tvKB_EAlm9Y1q69oJBH9bca5Od3TM91T7guPruMQouoKVkmRmFEMg2eW9YlLJp3V8W5dc/s1600-h/IMG_5900.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTovTRL9GtjaaIpWs1Dmq0JEpCns21bMhCECl0pnRbKBZvtVf_1Gs1ZzMD1A2YK8l8Y57BM7tvKB_EAlm9Y1q69oJBH9bca5Od3TM91T7guPruMQouoKVkmRmFEMg2eW9YlLJp3V8W5dc/s400/IMG_5900.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258956532424035330" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAeEDKdby8fs__P00wJJZtkan7Thz_Hb2NZU3OX-sEUmMQgUdRzJVbOrF9NvzCYjPoPAzBZqMdfdaelZc_hvB1mT6YIi8rVOx3i2IXhdKwPr2Qe-uHYOce8nD5DdJ-S-SpYGdAwPpQVRo/s1600-h/IMG_5936.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAeEDKdby8fs__P00wJJZtkan7Thz_Hb2NZU3OX-sEUmMQgUdRzJVbOrF9NvzCYjPoPAzBZqMdfdaelZc_hvB1mT6YIi8rVOx3i2IXhdKwPr2Qe-uHYOce8nD5DdJ-S-SpYGdAwPpQVRo/s400/IMG_5936.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258956536191744770" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhquUo0iC49_E3cslPLprd6q7KPEy8k-UWn9DmgwZ4UuxdKvtWx65pUEanTK-WJDRv8x8tZWcRYchnulbF9yExNKV4-Ki-k9Dc-FEb30jv-a19KHHX08XXRX-prNn2LXqAStLeUwiouk-s/s1600-h/IMG_5952.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhquUo0iC49_E3cslPLprd6q7KPEy8k-UWn9DmgwZ4UuxdKvtWx65pUEanTK-WJDRv8x8tZWcRYchnulbF9yExNKV4-Ki-k9Dc-FEb30jv-a19KHHX08XXRX-prNn2LXqAStLeUwiouk-s/s400/IMG_5952.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258956536481836546" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgITPP0IxcrvJHj6L68kDIw-TZv-oWU6CT49sK6b6zRGxbTdfFM1YNObjdR7Hs9092Qj0PS4L8QayrPWujk32LMlo79KLbyrtmYphiwBq__qg-bOgcxD2vxLsbrQUI-tdnRJgtCF-lATnQ/s1600-h/IMG_5977.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgITPP0IxcrvJHj6L68kDIw-TZv-oWU6CT49sK6b6zRGxbTdfFM1YNObjdR7Hs9092Qj0PS4L8QayrPWujk32LMlo79KLbyrtmYphiwBq__qg-bOgcxD2vxLsbrQUI-tdnRJgtCF-lATnQ/s400/IMG_5977.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258956544426632194" /></a><br /><br />We showed the girls as much of Portland on Sunday, as possible, with a fun side trip to Mackworth Island with Orvis. After a delicious seaside lunch at the Lobster Shack, we ran down to see the lighthouse at Cape Neddick in York, and made it back in time for a delicious dinner at our all-time favorite pizza place, Flatbread. My cousins, being the shopaholics they are, far from turned down the opportunity to return to Freeport for some more shopping on Monday morning. After a morning of shopping, we got them to the airport to catch their flight back to Charlotte. We were so glad to get to share this time with Savanna and Victoria, and hope they'll return next season for a little breathe-easy lifestyle in Maine. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieNd8j4GJlbvYcU8pr0Ets7Nef74Os-9pluKgCs2mekwfftip9_uY0S0_QXSp_R2oPqNec4ytGL4YU-YzYnrk5QRnnvdsTrOVgUFeHgVYqIWR5AOmZL1aTj2rK0lKWkMYZjHvHQw6BHds/s1600-h/IMG_6022.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieNd8j4GJlbvYcU8pr0Ets7Nef74Os-9pluKgCs2mekwfftip9_uY0S0_QXSp_R2oPqNec4ytGL4YU-YzYnrk5QRnnvdsTrOVgUFeHgVYqIWR5AOmZL1aTj2rK0lKWkMYZjHvHQw6BHds/s400/IMG_6022.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258958585428213122" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQr1_KJUM79dGJWz5GYfIp-0MRYewaovBeawjwBE3DzdPrvyFj0oBOZd-HZNCWmDD_VWj-lsZvpDWawSmG7IkYEdvM2XL1G82DcVyAdSQ7wrqfu4yU-bRDMeAf_IuyNBMMzmV803TMwWQ/s1600-h/IMG_6028.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQr1_KJUM79dGJWz5GYfIp-0MRYewaovBeawjwBE3DzdPrvyFj0oBOZd-HZNCWmDD_VWj-lsZvpDWawSmG7IkYEdvM2XL1G82DcVyAdSQ7wrqfu4yU-bRDMeAf_IuyNBMMzmV803TMwWQ/s400/IMG_6028.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258958867147355378" /></a>Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08301632209156046890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-893384061800060269.post-70456099267205036072008-10-09T06:23:00.000-07:002008-10-09T06:52:53.844-07:00Web Editor: Michael D. CainHi everyone! I just thought I'd brag a little about Michael and his work at the magazine, Smart Home Owner. His name is on their masthead in the November/December issue as their Web Editor- way exciting! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1FrximY_EXISBnxY2bb5-9obIgBgXxXvh86Q_h7eZ0Jyqf1vS-BRCHQWMpIrtLjrnI91I2AZyRDKj9ZYUlpiEhCPHQxG6hj2anVzy6Ju6SwdKW5P598MsfajPS6wx5YvBxcl-74OUtg/s1600-h/IMG.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1FrximY_EXISBnxY2bb5-9obIgBgXxXvh86Q_h7eZ0Jyqf1vS-BRCHQWMpIrtLjrnI91I2AZyRDKj9ZYUlpiEhCPHQxG6hj2anVzy6Ju6SwdKW5P598MsfajPS6wx5YvBxcl-74OUtg/s400/IMG.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255146594143568642" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7AOIox_ns6j6wNlUI0po6zn6on4_NupG9lP-QzBVzsXao_lZ7nvMQSxipWYipS4DpaIxXFvnQc1dAkR2Mq9gNmCwAtpRsBLtfW4FR8ugKe75QOi2w7-VqwPXcN5nVOtImPA6FmpfXl_E/s1600-h/IMG0001.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7AOIox_ns6j6wNlUI0po6zn6on4_NupG9lP-QzBVzsXao_lZ7nvMQSxipWYipS4DpaIxXFvnQc1dAkR2Mq9gNmCwAtpRsBLtfW4FR8ugKe75QOi2w7-VqwPXcN5nVOtImPA6FmpfXl_E/s400/IMG0001.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255148344111808242" /></a><br /><br />Not only has he done such a great job on Smart Home Owner's website and blog, now he gets to work on some articles for the online magazine and their newsletter. Well done, Cain!<div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08301632209156046890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-893384061800060269.post-17854701197865027192008-09-13T11:58:00.000-07:002008-09-13T12:08:25.266-07:00One Smart DogIt was an absolutely gorgeous day here in Cape before the fog rolled in. After a morning spent on Macworth Island for the <a href="http://brookthere.com/">Brook There</a> Spring 2009 line photo shoot, Orvis and I decided to head to Robinson Wood's for a nice afternoon stroll. We got to our "secret" fetch spot and discovered Orvis's favorite stick missing... looks like our secret spot isn't so secret afterall. After a few round of fetch Orvis got distracted when he discovered an eight foot long branch stuck in the water and decided it was his mission to rescue it. He spent the rest of our time at our not-so-secret spot attempting to destroy the branch, because amazingly enough, he did manage to bring it ashore. <br /><br />After our walk we decided to catch up on some magazines outside. Orvis's monthly must-reads?? Vanity Fair and Inc.!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf3igRAuVbf1xqbg4mzfzet7hlrdf5iu11rSUC6T7bTVRfeOAX7gC9_QfjS5JdMkRAnnkGVQ_ZNOGhCykbnkfCvSlAaQRGB-I97MlQFhknI30sT3iYyOPVOmVLvcq9euX4RYovS4vEgD8/s1600-h/IMG_5614.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf3igRAuVbf1xqbg4mzfzet7hlrdf5iu11rSUC6T7bTVRfeOAX7gC9_QfjS5JdMkRAnnkGVQ_ZNOGhCykbnkfCvSlAaQRGB-I97MlQFhknI30sT3iYyOPVOmVLvcq9euX4RYovS4vEgD8/s400/IMG_5614.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245584350726476098" /></a><br /><br />Well, we just found out Cain is coming home about two hours earlier than expected! Enjoy the rest of the weekend!<br /><br />As always, breathe easy!Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08301632209156046890noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-893384061800060269.post-75675297467746000312008-09-10T11:27:00.000-07:002008-09-13T03:24:05.278-07:00Lonely Times in CapeHi everyone! Michael is away on business in North Carolina (doesn't that sound so professional??) for the week, so Orvis & I are holding down the fort here in Cape Elizabeth. We're surviving alright, but we definitely miss him. <br /><br />How depressed does Orvis look without his buddy around?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAv4qhLKhLv0kw8GWD0hi5LTIL2hy2SbIq9kygU7zLGOy96-0p1YM_h9unQsLZbnICQrdW-yNFe1eB45Et6_fl67Y1lXF49XQpHRvpnKiLXrQ7z0DPKPhjM1xcAaas_c3tgagQEzGjHjw/s1600-h/IMG_4237.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAv4qhLKhLv0kw8GWD0hi5LTIL2hy2SbIq9kygU7zLGOy96-0p1YM_h9unQsLZbnICQrdW-yNFe1eB45Et6_fl67Y1lXF49XQpHRvpnKiLXrQ7z0DPKPhjM1xcAaas_c3tgagQEzGjHjw/s400/IMG_4237.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244462265580606082" /></a><br /><br />No, he's not that depressed! Of course he misses Cain, but we're also having lots of fun going on walks/runs/swims in the woods near our house. <br /><br />We are looking forward to Cain's return on Saturday evening!<br /><br />Breathe easy!Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08301632209156046890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-893384061800060269.post-8227303360622963882008-09-01T18:06:00.000-07:002008-09-02T18:32:43.625-07:00Labor Day Franks on the GrillEnticed by the delectable aroma of numerous cookouts as we drove through the streets of Portland and Cape Elizabeth this weekend, Meredith and I decided to have our own Labor Day cookout.<br /><br />As shameful as this might sound to all my friends back home, Meredith and my labor day cookout this evening was made whole by some delicious, all-natural turkey franks. Yes ... delicious, all-natural TURKEY franks. Luckily, we were blessed with some beautiful evening weather to sit outside and enjoy this Labor Day tradition. Of course, we capped it off with some lemonade and <a href="http://www.giffordsicecream.com/">Gifford's Ice Cream</a> (Meredith's new dairy obsession!).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQKf75e3ijeLfi1i0Jql__5eA_V14vgJ8kR_1k3e4PxrDqp__5-g2LWKbkgbNiQjOyyeYtQiSuu16nZH0vhlO1_MJ_pFLRQAquQ0s_VsqgOJc3rVQD7i-g7q-6vAsaRsVN1ZFkUc9qgY/s1600-h/IMG_4174.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQKf75e3ijeLfi1i0Jql__5eA_V14vgJ8kR_1k3e4PxrDqp__5-g2LWKbkgbNiQjOyyeYtQiSuu16nZH0vhlO1_MJ_pFLRQAquQ0s_VsqgOJc3rVQD7i-g7q-6vAsaRsVN1ZFkUc9qgY/s400/IMG_4174.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241231748871332114" /></a><br />Now it's time for us to breathe easy since we've finally caught you all up to speed over the last few weeks. Hopefully our next post won't be that far away.Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08301632209156046890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-893384061800060269.post-83323962066744321132008-09-01T17:58:00.000-07:002008-09-02T18:34:04.153-07:00Finally, another road-trip!Meredith and I ended our short road-trip drought today with a trip up to <a href="http://www.state.me.us/cgi-bin/doc/parks/find_one_name.pl?park_id=1">Grafton Notch State Park</a>. A curiously laid-out state park, Grafton Notch had a variety of sights to offer, from waterfalls to caves, to a nice chunk of the AT complete with beautiful vistas. Unfortunately for us, we never saw these vistas, as Orvis decided to quickly develop a fear of boulder hopping. Forgetting to tell us of this fear, he allowed us to walk a mile and a half STRAIGHT UP a mountain, on one of the steepest trails I've ever been on, only to chicken out when the going got tough a few hundred feet from the top. If it weren't for Meredith's Mexican Wrap lunch and Orvis's eternal hunger, we might still be sitting in between three boulders a few thousand feet above sea level. Long story short, the view of the vista from the ground was still quite impressive, and the waterfalls from other sections of the park, coupled with a majestic covered bridge in the nearby town, almost made up for the three hour drive for a three mile hike. Meredith and I are planning to go back some weekday morning to try and experience the waterfalls and trails with a few less screaming crumb crunchers in the background, though.<div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3dg4VWYsSj2rSHSjFTrp-FsOM1ibxFYrZ-q365BMCL5XrSuqLj-jkS2dmP3bFe8JgmumjBTYziUAMIkW-vNZUi22tzUBzXFhGiovEbIQeFCHdJlD7fQPjPRi9cyMG08hOOchhuax3cRA/s1600-h/IMG_4135.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3dg4VWYsSj2rSHSjFTrp-FsOM1ibxFYrZ-q365BMCL5XrSuqLj-jkS2dmP3bFe8JgmumjBTYziUAMIkW-vNZUi22tzUBzXFhGiovEbIQeFCHdJlD7fQPjPRi9cyMG08hOOchhuax3cRA/s400/IMG_4135.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241243316632276050" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWHLDkXuNgFMgFu_sPISB-PpGSSl0Pn_m2vx8Wu9TcaPM03GMR6_lP2H2xWS9Eo6xovPENHvs6xQmmPS9q-jmY483R7IeCe_88qGu0dV9h283DMSz4m0_17j0X3mlcKy6zmDYrock_3Pk/s1600-h/IMG_4138.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWHLDkXuNgFMgFu_sPISB-PpGSSl0Pn_m2vx8Wu9TcaPM03GMR6_lP2H2xWS9Eo6xovPENHvs6xQmmPS9q-jmY483R7IeCe_88qGu0dV9h283DMSz4m0_17j0X3mlcKy6zmDYrock_3Pk/s400/IMG_4138.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241243319100555602" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYy_3ZySrvJzGWJLBVzwh0pZOTN3swwy3Nrx7FoubilogJgnMqa2o86rN6uAwE98tOyK1KRyuNGYho6cn5biuRvkXz6QFETYN1XEsUlR_bjFpmlPXfxpNsnI8N_NVmum7QV-GltD977k/s1600-h/IMG_4140.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYy_3ZySrvJzGWJLBVzwh0pZOTN3swwy3Nrx7FoubilogJgnMqa2o86rN6uAwE98tOyK1KRyuNGYho6cn5biuRvkXz6QFETYN1XEsUlR_bjFpmlPXfxpNsnI8N_NVmum7QV-GltD977k/s400/IMG_4140.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241243317877606114" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTRgs1Oxo4jg2EDFvz-gABfVAmgrO7y0EWqKbjmmD7x5L05S3Ddw9P26zgne3tXPIblO8xWyI1kjBX7vR9fUOBYFBUCaaGcowwC4-7WAtDJJydVVNskHu1SO4ReMtHjIKgMKirleRhzm0/s1600-h/IMG_4141.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTRgs1Oxo4jg2EDFvz-gABfVAmgrO7y0EWqKbjmmD7x5L05S3Ddw9P26zgne3tXPIblO8xWyI1kjBX7vR9fUOBYFBUCaaGcowwC4-7WAtDJJydVVNskHu1SO4ReMtHjIKgMKirleRhzm0/s400/IMG_4141.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241243328018935170" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkriUFEUw04b88NfDmWBNfMVG1805pcqaqbNpwaooocHM3uQvrlrhHjoDBujEvYyzudHnvgLVsf9akaNURK1Jkx5fHr9PcNtkJ8qVhhHNFhEMGiKDxYwHkQrOg9i1MsTBn_CL4W4BQC7o/s1600-h/IMG_4143.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkriUFEUw04b88NfDmWBNfMVG1805pcqaqbNpwaooocHM3uQvrlrhHjoDBujEvYyzudHnvgLVsf9akaNURK1Jkx5fHr9PcNtkJ8qVhhHNFhEMGiKDxYwHkQrOg9i1MsTBn_CL4W4BQC7o/s400/IMG_4143.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241243331158498818" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtkFbDdPSjABfZJHrzOnu72W-NzSB7OBiB80yxNQDji1gepveInasSjjPPn-5gtJL5j3lgHSK5EvfPvWKTghf5vIthuD6w1-KjcXBkruymt-tfq3NnXaNjf23BH_jA3Wg2EXBUuDQDl0/s1600-h/IMG_4165.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtkFbDdPSjABfZJHrzOnu72W-NzSB7OBiB80yxNQDji1gepveInasSjjPPn-5gtJL5j3lgHSK5EvfPvWKTghf5vIthuD6w1-KjcXBkruymt-tfq3NnXaNjf23BH_jA3Wg2EXBUuDQDl0/s400/IMG_4165.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241245049397586690" /></a><br />Hopefully you guys will breathe much easier than Orvis was this afternoon, stuck on the side of a mountain.<br /></div>Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08301632209156046890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-893384061800060269.post-63676977960943647932008-09-01T17:45:00.000-07:002008-09-01T19:38:46.197-07:00Joanie Stalker Alert!Off of a tip from Emilie's new graphic designer, Christina Wnek, I was fortunate enough to take my second and third summer Freeport trips to catch this year's Patagonia Outlet Labor Day Sale. Taking pretty much an entire day off from work (yes, life as a web designer is pretty rough...), I made it to Freeport around 9:30 am, and grabbed a place in the already growing line for the Patagonia store that did not open until 1o am. Although it was a madhouse, I made out with some sweet deals that will hopefully provide me with abundant warmth for the upcoming winter.<br /><br />Since shopping for women isn't really my thing, Meredith and I returned after she got off of work that evening to see if we could find her some cool gear too. Unfortunately, there was little to be had by 6pm, but this apparent loss was quickly made-up for by another Joanie Benoit sighting. While picking out another pair of pants for myself, I heard a "pssst... Michael!" Terrified, that I had been fingered in a shoplifting scam, I spun around to find Meredith wide-eyed on the stairs, mouthing to me, "stop looking, Frank." Obviously confused, I got closer to Meredith and found that she wasn't going crazy, but rather that "Joanie was upstairs!" in a hushed whisper. After one or two silent sideways glance passes of the running star and Meredith's hero, I went to check out while Meredith went next door to check out the Horny Toad sale. While swiping my card, who happened to walk up? None other than Joan herself! Naturally seizing the opportunity, I, in my socially awkward ways, out of the blue asked her if she was "the Joanie runner from Cape Elizabeth." Luckily for me, she was a very friendly person, and was able to look past my awkwardness with a graceful kindhearted tone, and a "welcome to Maine!" After leaving, Joanie passed us on the street and took the time to stop and say hey to both of us, completely making Meredith's day and putting me one up in the "Incredibly Awesome" boyfriend category. Thank you, Joan.<br /><br />Breathe easy, (Meredith's still having trouble catching her breathe after that day).Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08301632209156046890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-893384061800060269.post-11766037205909406462008-09-01T17:33:00.000-07:002008-09-01T19:37:43.006-07:00More backyard treasuresSince Meredith and I have been very busy with our jobs and future plans, we haven't had as much of an opportunity to go on long road trips as we would like, but luckily for us, there are so many places right next door for us to enjoy.<br /><br />On the backside of Portland lies a bay that the town has surrounded in a park/trail system. Meredith, Orvis, and I were lucky enough to try the Back Cove Trail one Saturday afternoon. The trail is 3.5 miles of beautiful Portland skyline scenery, over the calm water of the Back Bay. We had a great time taking in the sights and are hoping to return one evening for some beautiful night skyline pictures.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif6FLt6XCRQOFoS73_O6Twa-A_POZv8t8QG84l77AcEVws9Z774OmGphyphenhyphenDrYImVpvbcFKeJHc4ztATbD42C9ZY-8a1qJu7I39hQHPxl9c2zz9OMys9wrqwJnDAdwjJ3DIyKukQriKx1hQ/s1600-h/IMG_3970.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif6FLt6XCRQOFoS73_O6Twa-A_POZv8t8QG84l77AcEVws9Z774OmGphyphenhyphenDrYImVpvbcFKeJHc4ztATbD42C9ZY-8a1qJu7I39hQHPxl9c2zz9OMys9wrqwJnDAdwjJ3DIyKukQriKx1hQ/s400/IMG_3970.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241245874961490946" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAE4TTZsuaxSsWw8eV1OqfCsvOISuyhRl5yPzqtFlSCjRMnW-9mBYfu9i7uBr5_-Fz4DYtigo4FiNckdNO7RbQgwsZnhGeUyiZXgJOwEjMakbsJfa64JWcG0MAPeEUbez0t8azrkcHVN8/s1600-h/IMG_3975.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAE4TTZsuaxSsWw8eV1OqfCsvOISuyhRl5yPzqtFlSCjRMnW-9mBYfu9i7uBr5_-Fz4DYtigo4FiNckdNO7RbQgwsZnhGeUyiZXgJOwEjMakbsJfa64JWcG0MAPeEUbez0t8azrkcHVN8/s400/IMG_3975.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241245876945446658" /></a><br /><br />The following morning, Meredith, Orvis and I had the opportunity to head up to Bradbury Mountain State Park. We spent a good chunk of the morning exploring the trails and searching for the best vistas in this lesser known park, not too far from Portland. As soon as we can get Meredith's mountain bike fitted with better tires, this will soon become our Mountain Bike Stomping Grounds. On a side note, Orvis saw his first horses up close that day - spooked them a little - but was happy to find another giant furry creature to share the day with.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRbTRi7-sPg_MyIHcsXEVMcc9MTcQfvm-tmy3pUsAQyqr_MRW5giy-xJzrPKeVidaK8R3ADi_IPhGlxLRxlMM01kxjFqibZ-diIKBebBcYHcJKWj10ZLlMcqzLbIFqnzfR-LWhUyhsN18/s1600-h/IMG_3980.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRbTRi7-sPg_MyIHcsXEVMcc9MTcQfvm-tmy3pUsAQyqr_MRW5giy-xJzrPKeVidaK8R3ADi_IPhGlxLRxlMM01kxjFqibZ-diIKBebBcYHcJKWj10ZLlMcqzLbIFqnzfR-LWhUyhsN18/s400/IMG_3980.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241245883485944914" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGcFswNDerxmWrDaaJNtfntWuHyzATgXQG0c25uXSumzsrF8SwgH2A4wfamjY6sf1t10x9jKRm23cHS_9Pe5wwAG83V6K0bV_fyOq0yzA4HrCwENSsRwUxC59I0zDd8XNEyGdtHsjh3ak/s1600-h/IMG_3988.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGcFswNDerxmWrDaaJNtfntWuHyzATgXQG0c25uXSumzsrF8SwgH2A4wfamjY6sf1t10x9jKRm23cHS_9Pe5wwAG83V6K0bV_fyOq0yzA4HrCwENSsRwUxC59I0zDd8XNEyGdtHsjh3ak/s400/IMG_3988.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241245883493626706" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjydSrPqxuEQaVkgdIhNAnUXtKkFjFiKG8Rf9uDf-oIXQPY5naYO5CHJNbs-koPCpinlR6KIivEauLB_-iTOdmNvG5Tmux8B5jHqUuHJ_3OMR2StcwXyKUPw9xRjB5Eb2oRaOSzWnyjpQs/s1600-h/IMG_3999.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjydSrPqxuEQaVkgdIhNAnUXtKkFjFiKG8Rf9uDf-oIXQPY5naYO5CHJNbs-koPCpinlR6KIivEauLB_-iTOdmNvG5Tmux8B5jHqUuHJ_3OMR2StcwXyKUPw9xRjB5Eb2oRaOSzWnyjpQs/s400/IMG_3999.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241245887597699282" /></a><br /><br />It's so cool to have places like these right next door to provide just the right distraction from our ever-increasing workload, and to help us breathe easy.Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08301632209156046890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-893384061800060269.post-2430877168815967422008-08-12T11:26:00.000-07:002008-09-01T19:37:19.844-07:00Friends and FamilyWow, it's amazingly simple to start a blog that you plan to keep up with on a weekly basis... and then not touch it for almost 3 weeks! So much has happened since the Peeles visited, and for the sake of not creating a pseudo-novella for you guys to read, we'll try to split up the past few weeks into a few different posts.<br /><br />Shortly after the Peeles visited at the beginning of August, Meredith and I were lucky enough to get to see a friendly face from back in Chapel Hill. Dan, the guy responsible for Meredith and I meeting, was visiting his family in York, Maine, just a few miles south of us. Not only was he nice enough to take the time to come visit me with his sister, one afternoon in Portland, he also opened up his family's home in York and invited Meredith and I down one evening for a birthday/family reunion cookout. It's great to see old friends, and it's made even better when they are as fun and accommodating as the Ryan family. His family's place in York was gorgeous, his family was a delight, and York is definitely a place that Meredith and I will have to take a road trip to, one day soon.<br /><br />Almost immediately after we left the Ryans, we were joined by my own parents, who came up to spend their first weekend in Maine with us. Although the trip here was riddled with storms and delays, I believe they had a great time in Maine, and I know that Meredith and I loved the company. In a matter of four days, we attempted to do as many touristy things as possible. On the first day, we made the trip to Freeport, to experience the town of LL Bean. Meredith and I had been here together once before, but only in the off-season, when the streets are only mildly crowded. Freeport during the summer is a sight to see, the town is literally centered around Bean, and seemingly every downtown building has been converted to some sort of outlet shop. I'm glad my parents got to see and experience all that is Maine's shopping city.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCDm8Fxt31k49UvsvF95CdYobJ48IF2O_E04fb22jYS2M-xwjQd7OwR1qmNqb01C_xf7-iu5hSBGYACbI5C36ET2IizyfPRhUsoi2sqnAgDRQhUiAJ-_jgug7L_xgHgnwneF3S4zbD8Bw/s1600-h/IMG_3948.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCDm8Fxt31k49UvsvF95CdYobJ48IF2O_E04fb22jYS2M-xwjQd7OwR1qmNqb01C_xf7-iu5hSBGYACbI5C36ET2IizyfPRhUsoi2sqnAgDRQhUiAJ-_jgug7L_xgHgnwneF3S4zbD8Bw/s400/IMG_3948.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241247305118320658" /></a><br /><br />That night, we partook in what is quickly becoming a visitor tradition and went to Alewive's Brook Farm for a homemade lobster dinner. It was my mom's first lobster and it's always a delight to share these new experiences with those we love. The next day, we made the trip up to Rockland to see the Maine Home and Boat Show. The furniture and wooden boats were incredible! It still baffles me to see the handy work of these craftsmen doing the things that they love. It makes me miss the wooden skiff that my dad and I were building back home. Hopefully it won't be the last boat show I'm able to attend.<br /><br />After relaxing and watching the opening ceremony of the Olympics that night, Meredith and I had the opportunity to spend the next day showing my parents downtown Portland and the surrounding areas. We got some pictures at the Head Light and walked all around the Old Port, taking in the sights. We capped off a fun day with an excellent dinner at my favorite local restaurant, The Good Table, where we had the opportunity to share some laughs and stories over some delicious dinners and blueberry desserts.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtqywQXBdjctmgCq3a2JRx2LUmdynoq3-IMi9XJSjuOff8D1vSxx7HsI-ecwRUCvxUHblM1H4DAJvGanJXewZFb1lX9hE7WrBAMekib0vk4_Hlh8zMVJyOAHfd4ZXRR8vnCw7uPI-anBg/s1600-h/IMG_0020.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtqywQXBdjctmgCq3a2JRx2LUmdynoq3-IMi9XJSjuOff8D1vSxx7HsI-ecwRUCvxUHblM1H4DAJvGanJXewZFb1lX9hE7WrBAMekib0vk4_Hlh8zMVJyOAHfd4ZXRR8vnCw7uPI-anBg/s400/IMG_0020.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241247311013668514" /></a><br /><br />We're so thankful to have had those weeks with friends and family, and we're looking forward to our next guests (Savanna and Victoria!) in September.<br /><br />Breathe easy!Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08301632209156046890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-893384061800060269.post-70712351107681782522008-08-12T11:00:00.000-07:002008-08-15T16:36:03.014-07:00Mexi-"Can't Ever Eat There Again"...This week's food post is a tragic one. Although surrounded by glorious lobster dinners and great uptown sandwiches, one dinner from last week sticks out specifically in my mind. Greatly missing the comfort foods found at Chapel Hill's El Rodeo, Southern Pines' El Vaquero, and High Point's La Hacienda, Meredith and I ventured over to the Mexico <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Lindo</span> in South Portland to partake in some deliciously unhealthy Mexican cuisine. To keep it as brief and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">unscathing</span> as possible, if this is where Maine goes for its Mexican, then Maine "no <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">sabe</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">buen</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">comido</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">mexicano</span>" (sorry for the rough Spanish - but hopefully you get the point). Ketchup with diced onions is by no means salsa, menus should always have a "Speedy Gonzales" or the ability to create your own dish, and I cannot even begin to describe the void left by not having a rapidly-refilled cup of sweet tea to accompany my meal. Although I have not given-up on finding some decent Mexican food in the state, it seems that Meredith and I will be switching to sushi for a healthier alternative to our comfort food. So if there are any Mainers out there reading this, feel free to make suggestions, but until then, no more <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">chalupas</span>, enchiladas, burritos, or tacos for these two kids from away. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Respiran</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">facil</span> nos amigos.Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08301632209156046890noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-893384061800060269.post-9392487434182883202008-08-07T08:18:00.000-07:002008-08-15T16:38:19.285-07:00Lobster Pot FetchAs Meredith mentioned in our last post, last Saturday Cape Elizabeth played host to the annual Beach to Beacon 10k race from Crescent Beach to the Portland Head Light, and for a small town, they sure know how to put on a big race. There were 5,000 contestants, including a number of professional runners (averaging less than a 5-minute mile over a 6.2 mile course) and even cooler, a few handicapped racers who completed the entire distance in wheelchairs. In a sport that already captivates me with participants' commitment, these racers bring chills to your spine as you watch them power through every inch of the course. I'm sure that Meredith joins me in saying congratulations to all of the participants, professional and amateur, able and handicapped.<br /><br /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqNNGmiChUouxBX0O8aBTPJllGlZ68JID6-3bwf2dVFYbV1tAUgQCiryQCQqVVJZlCGD_6KL4_fznUA7xRBJYcdmlJe62H2uhV5JdQZqgirqaReSFfdPzrUtqOc8DNfqkMoiTZlQOtm0o/s1600-h/trip+to+maine+023.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqNNGmiChUouxBX0O8aBTPJllGlZ68JID6-3bwf2dVFYbV1tAUgQCiryQCQqVVJZlCGD_6KL4_fznUA7xRBJYcdmlJe62H2uhV5JdQZqgirqaReSFfdPzrUtqOc8DNfqkMoiTZlQOtm0o/s400/trip+to+maine+023.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233714282047351218" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2a-zcNtmZkS-x2Jnm0KfZ3HeduHWpsvvWGkdzGM-HQdRbYlHfJlOe4efmh_KcfIZoU0c8xACrjwoYngmUBBXBX4seR9GcNDveLVizQJVlvyeYpJXhtFSOPNdZnwpAdHGBgW731jkog-o/s1600-h/trip+to+maine+040.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2a-zcNtmZkS-x2Jnm0KfZ3HeduHWpsvvWGkdzGM-HQdRbYlHfJlOe4efmh_KcfIZoU0c8xACrjwoYngmUBBXBX4seR9GcNDveLVizQJVlvyeYpJXhtFSOPNdZnwpAdHGBgW731jkog-o/s400/trip+to+maine+040.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233714277854858498" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /></div><br /><div>Of the thousands of visitors to the area during the weekend of the Beach to Beacon, Meredith and I were lucky to have three of our own. Meredith's mother, step father, and their chunky golden retriever, Mason, dropped by on their way up to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Boothbay</span> Harbor to have some good times and great food. A few lobster and some fun walks on the CELT trails later, they were on their way to the Spruce Point Inn in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Boothbay</span>, and what kind of family would we be if we didn't take full advantage of their resort vacation?</div><br /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn7ReLMzzk9uVp8hhNsuxx9HFWyD8gxioZiqc3kEfhYhnwpDSLduyIgRWfDUVBT6G2uEE5GGqem60NntiRNcPwgntigX-Hd1gQlvxd926YZDy9X23bfVwltKqCy6PJiZhoAWigQ7zM-Yo/s1600-h/IMG_1568.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn7ReLMzzk9uVp8hhNsuxx9HFWyD8gxioZiqc3kEfhYhnwpDSLduyIgRWfDUVBT6G2uEE5GGqem60NntiRNcPwgntigX-Hd1gQlvxd926YZDy9X23bfVwltKqCy6PJiZhoAWigQ7zM-Yo/s400/IMG_1568.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233714286057359746" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1EjjEEZNVYH1_e4MnzTnRAgze81Ged56lKsElDTRIm8WP-npJTm1jiQKecDRGirfJJGMKymq89cWnAKbis1coo4UHZ3Y5MgXRW_iJgX4AcapuHSQfGmkRbgkysWDiPimxEK3r_3hp0rM/s1600-h/IMG_1580.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1EjjEEZNVYH1_e4MnzTnRAgze81Ged56lKsElDTRIm8WP-npJTm1jiQKecDRGirfJJGMKymq89cWnAKbis1coo4UHZ3Y5MgXRW_iJgX4AcapuHSQfGmkRbgkysWDiPimxEK3r_3hp0rM/s400/IMG_1580.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233714283137803762" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWQkUNSqRi3766Sw_zAqSfbPZMKV-TmRurLug1S3yymoBVJuAdjMa0zzh_0mxGcPIBtdKRSfKjR312inY6U8DmIHFm7ZMJIXYZM3c3B5Dp2BxFrfu8OCHVV91WxUFbIwZTp_wv2ftvmA/s1600-h/IMG_1584.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWQkUNSqRi3766Sw_zAqSfbPZMKV-TmRurLug1S3yymoBVJuAdjMa0zzh_0mxGcPIBtdKRSfKjR312inY6U8DmIHFm7ZMJIXYZM3c3B5Dp2BxFrfu8OCHVV91WxUFbIwZTp_wv2ftvmA/s400/IMG_1584.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233714282673032722" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /></div><br /><div>On Sunday, Meredith and I popped up to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Boothbay</span> to enjoy a change of scenery, some beautiful hiking trails, and an unexpected dip in the ocean. The Spruce Point Inn is placed perfectly on a point that juts into the ocean, and years of little underbrush growth and a thick fertile base of decomposed needles from the evergreens give the trails around the Inn a beautiful, open, soft hiking experience that can hardly be described. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Orvis</span> and his buddy Mason had a great walk in the woods, followed by an interesting swim off of the rocky coast. While playing fetch in the water, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Orvis</span> missed the stick we had thrown, and instead, zoned in on a lobster pot buoy. After dragging the buoy about twenty feet, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Orvis</span> had reached the full extent of the rope, and was finding that the lobster pot was proving a little too much for him. Somewhat unfortunately, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Orvis</span>' mother and father were both hunting retrievers, and that same natural instinct to retrieve is in his blood too. After five minutes of swimming in place <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Orvis</span> was starting to lose his breath and strength, and we realized that something had to be done. Input Michael's first swim in Maine. Attempting to be the hero, I skinned-up in all my bronzed body-builder glory, and swan-dove into the frigid depths, swimming in Michael Phelps-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">esque</span> style to rescue my good friend. In all actuality, I took off my shirt, used my muffin-top to stay afloat, screamed like a 3 year-old fighting waves at the beach, and at the sight of me <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">doggie</span> paddling out to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Orvis</span>, he promptly let go of the buoy to come play with dad in the water. Still, I can now claim to have swam in the Maine ocean, and completely shamed by my courage, Meredith's step father joined me for a quick-dip, before we both realized that we were born and raised North Carolinian, and thus, should keep to the pleasantly warm waters of the coast of North Carolina for our sans-wetsuit recreational swims.</div><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigy7K8yMD2NWkfOTWtyVVMSD3W8P3Hbe_Rzw8g-YJzij-3MBGI4Z0pZeH_QXJZzPZ9Z2L-8Pk3mumKT50oJ5b8c6aGfbDcxjZil_QnnnIEBmPAsYP-Ma06a9hpz0Fx0GHjLcLTgBUGfEM/s1600-h/IMG_1588.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigy7K8yMD2NWkfOTWtyVVMSD3W8P3Hbe_Rzw8g-YJzij-3MBGI4Z0pZeH_QXJZzPZ9Z2L-8Pk3mumKT50oJ5b8c6aGfbDcxjZil_QnnnIEBmPAsYP-Ma06a9hpz0Fx0GHjLcLTgBUGfEM/s400/IMG_1588.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233716581081969346" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI69D5Q5OvBZ0k7u-ZKyUKRQeHLw6S3ir7VQN7dIWNCz5LFgMazK2eKoJIveIAm0g8RoTbpcDYITTMGHGvWEX1ssM__UIIMb1Hjb9sCwswdyjDIAqPQFTXvYYxMC-J-LxxMvokNZIPJ58/s1600-h/IMG_1595.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI69D5Q5OvBZ0k7u-ZKyUKRQeHLw6S3ir7VQN7dIWNCz5LFgMazK2eKoJIveIAm0g8RoTbpcDYITTMGHGvWEX1ssM__UIIMb1Hjb9sCwswdyjDIAqPQFTXvYYxMC-J-LxxMvokNZIPJ58/s400/IMG_1595.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233716582988409266" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZMsV8IV7f2ck_0y0rxtzYaEBVOVJxKQ9_WWaK4qX-Mg_1TDlbm06G23rlKWK-lUjyD7QVCvJNQHWOtxq5-Ac8dlgCVNqO8YPvRVMydPZJC_-EUZ6VlOMxX7hlYpUSjJVv9KZ4yiCpBEk/s1600-h/IMG_1600.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZMsV8IV7f2ck_0y0rxtzYaEBVOVJxKQ9_WWaK4qX-Mg_1TDlbm06G23rlKWK-lUjyD7QVCvJNQHWOtxq5-Ac8dlgCVNqO8YPvRVMydPZJC_-EUZ6VlOMxX7hlYpUSjJVv9KZ4yiCpBEk/s400/IMG_1600.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233716583435035154" /></a><br /></div><div>Still, the sights and experiences of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Boothbay</span> and the Spruce Point Inn were perfect in their own way, Meredith's parents were, like always, overly accommodating, and Meredith and I were able to place another tally mark in the "Wicked Fun" category of our <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Maineiac</span> to-do list. Breathe easy guys.</div>Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08301632209156046890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-893384061800060269.post-12711879329770051752008-07-30T18:18:00.000-07:002008-07-30T19:34:20.371-07:00I MET JOANIE!This evening while Michael was hard at work on his website (more on that to come soon!), I had the chance to attend the Beach to Beacon Volunteer Celebration. For those of you who don't know, the <a href="http://www.beach2beacon.org/">Beach to Beacon</a> race is an extremely well-known, prestigious 10K race that's held right here in Cape Elizabeth, from Crescent Beach State Park to the Portland Head Light. This year, it sold out in the first twenty-four hours registration was open! After signing our lease in June, and finding out that the course runs right by our house, I knew I just had to be a part of this race! Also, the day we signed the lease, I made it a goal of mine to meet the founder of the race, <a href="http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/microsite/article/0,8029,s6-239-419-0-12591-0,00.html">Joan Benoit Samuelson</a>, one of my running heroes!<div><br /></div><div>My fear of going to an outdoor picnic, where I would not know a single soul, quickly vanished when I drove down the driveway to Breakwater Farm. This evening's hosts, the Hagen family, graciously welcomed us to their absolutely breathtaking property. Tonight we were blessed to feel and smell a cool, Cape Elizabeth salty breeze, while we looked out upon both rocky and sandy beaches. To the south was Richmond Island, an island high on our list of places to explore once we find access to a boat. Being "from away," I feel lucky to have been invited to such a beautiful piece of land and experience so many of my favorite bits of Maine, all in one area!</div><div><br /></div><div>After mixing and mingling with the other race volunteers, I was so excited when I saw Joanie come under the tent. I was immediately struck by her warm, inviting attitude toward all of the volunteers, but I had no idea where I was going find the nerve to somehow speak to her. My apprehension got the best of me and I started making excuses in my head, like "oh, she's extremely busy," or "no way, I have an ice cream sandwich in my hand, I need to look like the pillar of health!" I had made peace with the fact I was not going to meet Joanie... at least not tonight. </div><div><br /></div><div>After a presentation honoring all of the volunteers for the race's eleven year history, it was raffle time! I'm usually not big into raffles, but this one was different. After all, they were giving away posters signed by Joanie, a book, and some apparel from both the Boston Marathon and the Women's Olympic trials. I was literally giddy with anticipation as they called each one of the winning numbers... so giddy that I did not even believe that my number was actually called! Jim, one of my fellow volunteers, brought me back to reality and told me to go get my prize, a <a href="http://beachtobeacon.com/poster">commemorative poster celebrating Beach to Beacon's 10th anniversary</a>, signed by JOANIE! YAY!</div><div><br /></div><div>When all the raffle prizes were handed out and it was time to go home, I noticed something quite peculiar, Joanie was alone! All of the volunteers that were still around were talking to other race coordinators. This was my chance! I totally went for it! I thanked her for the poster and the wonderful evening, told her I just moved to Cape Elizabeth this month, and how I was working the water stop at mile three. I was then informed, (by Joan Benoit Samuelson, herself!!!) that mile three is where the race "really begins to come together." Someone pulled her aside and we said our goodbyes, and I practically skipped all the way to my car, completely BEAMING with joy! Needless to say, I'm psyched about the race on Saturday! I'm also excited to get another taste of Beach to Beacon fun tomorrow, when I work the <a href="http://www.capelandtrust.org/">CELT</a> table at race registration in the evening. Who knows, she might even be there tomorrow...(!) Keep your fingers crossed! </div><div><br /></div><div>Breathe easy everyone! It's something I haven't quite been able to do since I met one of my heroes.</div>Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08301632209156046890noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-893384061800060269.post-8183931796616622482008-07-28T17:41:00.000-07:002008-07-29T09:15:18.428-07:00Where the Hills Meet the SeaSaturday, I had the rare chance to experience one of those times where you can't help but get lost in what you see around you. From the rocks at Ocean Lookout in Camden Hills State Park, on the first sunny day in a week, it seemed like the whole world was right in front of me. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH1lmZzUJruNusSm_Kg5ySCHU6WcnApWHGCV2_7Fz7O1PdoY07HWrwTkiqVX8HOyK4q1syYlZ4EbUFZ9lvaim7xjhRiyxTkKjhYJuyIwGsWNs62dc7KBsR9G-OVzxtm8Ml2KA4dTazXdQ/s1600-h/IMG_1092.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH1lmZzUJruNusSm_Kg5ySCHU6WcnApWHGCV2_7Fz7O1PdoY07HWrwTkiqVX8HOyK4q1syYlZ4EbUFZ9lvaim7xjhRiyxTkKjhYJuyIwGsWNs62dc7KBsR9G-OVzxtm8Ml2KA4dTazXdQ/s400/IMG_1092.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228243887614662226" /></a><br /><br />Meredith popped out of bed rearing to go at 7am on Saturday morning, and I'll have to admit, I was not exactly mimicking her excitement. While I rolled around somewhere between Candyland and a beautiful tropical beach, Meredith went in search of a yoga class that did not exist. Luckily, the Dunkin Donuts (I know, I know, but there are no Krispy Kreme's up here and if you just give them a chance, they are not that bad!) was on her way back to our place, and after one bite of a Boston creme pie, I was ready to fall out of bed and follow her to her favorite town in the entire state.<br /><br />Two hours north of Portland lies one of the most incredible towns there can possibly be in the entire nation, or even world for that matter. Literally, "Where the Hills Meet the Sea", the quaint streets of Camden magically wrap themselves around a small cove at the foot of mountains. Seemingly untouched since its founding in 1771, this small hamlet has that perfect quintessential New England coastal village feel. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0gD03hBz5htUAx3LQPQN0tbfgH5szGvwB1JmZW4INFPdBmxMMTBbmywcfkNTpBIt8cFu8s7hb1Mec1TpAMyKy7avwikPxjSEb_GxvgkTxl5YcQF-EZ7YPrVhposADDa1DYnL252JGhk8/s1600-h/IMG_1056.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0gD03hBz5htUAx3LQPQN0tbfgH5szGvwB1JmZW4INFPdBmxMMTBbmywcfkNTpBIt8cFu8s7hb1Mec1TpAMyKy7avwikPxjSEb_GxvgkTxl5YcQF-EZ7YPrVhposADDa1DYnL252JGhk8/s400/IMG_1056.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228244529679286882" /></a><br /><br />To better enjoy the town, Meredith and I decided to tire Orvis out first, by taking him to Camden Hills State Park. After two hours of hiking a windingly-steep trail to the top of Mount Megunticook, Meredith, Orvis, and I were sidetracked from our destination and captured by the incredible views from Ocean Lookout. While we could have spent hours lying on giant rocks in the sun, overlooking both the town and the sea (shrouded by a heavy fog), our stomachs finally got the best of us and we high-tailed it back down the mountain to find some food in town.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtfKPEFdo26-eg3kr4ItsyfKXax2r_Z7A2Q6BizrV_dXAf8Pv5VLgWSUL40Ejaoww6BakLGgRxEUq-uilnB_h1nEf-ehFdSQVudAhm9pM63xRRn1RpskmdZuJmkfJ5UW1evf244iTenM8/s1600-h/IMG_0988.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtfKPEFdo26-eg3kr4ItsyfKXax2r_Z7A2Q6BizrV_dXAf8Pv5VLgWSUL40Ejaoww6BakLGgRxEUq-uilnB_h1nEf-ehFdSQVudAhm9pM63xRRn1RpskmdZuJmkfJ5UW1evf244iTenM8/s400/IMG_0988.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228245577625350594" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZdhLXSo25yvouz_GRVTKy6PzAOn8X9kfGObhcURZYAFwFD5lvIF6hv_-pmtd5xdD8IMECzOSV3gvfyoFtOkbZLaE6hIatzYqwi83KWQFhD6EOJBov22-duDvzFGPpYRqpfM9K7BIWZbo/s1600-h/IMG_0971.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZdhLXSo25yvouz_GRVTKy6PzAOn8X9kfGObhcURZYAFwFD5lvIF6hv_-pmtd5xdD8IMECzOSV3gvfyoFtOkbZLaE6hIatzYqwi83KWQFhD6EOJBov22-duDvzFGPpYRqpfM9K7BIWZbo/s400/IMG_0971.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228245588948497762" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilczGu0GkvR4zKQXPFmltIIAxf8PareVRS-n2hSwpwixKT41CAhytZootd_Q4qF6JGj5G_gv5UNCwdqyaXHcgby17CetxkZPZLCsJZQdmfOrYThP0RqUnlIVzVvrS-zYAZ8NRFOfbIRAE/s1600-h/IMG_1049.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilczGu0GkvR4zKQXPFmltIIAxf8PareVRS-n2hSwpwixKT41CAhytZootd_Q4qF6JGj5G_gv5UNCwdqyaXHcgby17CetxkZPZLCsJZQdmfOrYThP0RqUnlIVzVvrS-zYAZ8NRFOfbIRAE/s400/IMG_1049.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228245597496758450" /></a><br /><br />Unknowingly to me, Meredith had already settled on a place to eat. Richard Russo, one of Meredith's favorite writers, chooses the Camden Deli to brainstorm his next piece of small-town fiction. Luckily, Mr. Russo has great taste in sandwiches and Meredith and I were able to enjoy a delicious BLT while overlooking the wooden boats dotting Penobscot Bay. It's hard to describe a town as cute as Camden, Maine, where even the public library is hidden largely underground to preserve the colonial look of the old library building on top. The shops crowd Main Street, sloping with the curve of the road, and the backs of every restaurant have incredible views of the bay. Even the Megunticook River flows straight through town and empties into the bay over a beautiful waterfall, surrounded by a perennial garden, for all to enjoy. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTN1An2nvbCW753fRCXrHwyO8UgQOZdbdm4YxO1N4wk9ZA684_mgRLuPTUErb8a3dJ1ZyYA1t70kI8qhdzTowYFQo1IHncCdUQHlDUsaemvXR_U9lJfeO4ir80Ir8l6VPxFFEPOzFfXQ/s1600-h/IMG_1059.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTN1An2nvbCW753fRCXrHwyO8UgQOZdbdm4YxO1N4wk9ZA684_mgRLuPTUErb8a3dJ1ZyYA1t70kI8qhdzTowYFQo1IHncCdUQHlDUsaemvXR_U9lJfeO4ir80Ir8l6VPxFFEPOzFfXQ/s400/IMG_1059.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228246374845301122" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJTs9B2_30G_kVSoClLQ_sIVg_zZO-iL5MszVxNY50KKgA0_1n-4jnC6YV0cSc2ZO_gey4PIvu_rML4_339GaQrIsttMt5X3emti3qNeG_2zpdmlzNjqtoYS3APfFySXQc1yStnhw92c8/s1600-h/IMG_1060.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJTs9B2_30G_kVSoClLQ_sIVg_zZO-iL5MszVxNY50KKgA0_1n-4jnC6YV0cSc2ZO_gey4PIvu_rML4_339GaQrIsttMt5X3emti3qNeG_2zpdmlzNjqtoYS3APfFySXQc1yStnhw92c8/s400/IMG_1060.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228246382194599842" /></a><br /><br />I could spend hours talking about this town, but I will leave it at that. Already, Meredith and I are counting the days until we return to Camden, which has now become my favorite town too. If I could take any of you to only one place in this entire state, it would be Camden. It's the truly perfect place to breathe easy.Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08301632209156046890noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-893384061800060269.post-1023343728985832342008-07-22T18:21:00.000-07:002008-07-28T19:03:30.224-07:00Fried or Steamed: Deliciously Fun Time at the Yarmouth Clam FestivalLast Saturday, squeezed between thunder clouds, Meredith and I made a trip just a few miles north of Portland to the infamous <a href="http://www.clamfestival.com/home.php">Yarmouth Clam Festival</a>. A beautiful town without the festivities, once a year Yarmouth comes alive as people from all over make the hiatus to celebrate all things clam related. All kidding aside, we had a wonderful time eating delicious seafood and blueberry crisp, supplied by local fundraising organizations. Unfortunately, Meredith and I did the festival in reverse order, partaking graciously in the feast, before the fun. After eating our fill, Meredith took a trip down memory lane to the days of Cheyenne Frontier Days (a festival in Wyoming), and ushered me onto the creaky, yet fun carnival rides of Smokey's Greater Shows. After an exciting trip on Thunder Road and a dizzying trip on the Tilt-a-Whirl, we spent the rest of the night struggling to hold down our scrumptious dinners. Still, the Yarmouth Clam Festival is definitely an event worth attending, just make the conscious effort to ride the rides before crunching the clams. <div></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKckyuExJGUeh8Ic16lH1FMORpIFsUrSExRqGh7nn1P1zIiXXUbfItzrybFxahtoO9d3K7QBtdLWs2yLzKlPnOSZwIO7t4ve_TdWNc7j-ohuJWLjG1WfCptZMbWgOCt3mXtCJcPbb-TU/s1600-h/IMG_0869.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKckyuExJGUeh8Ic16lH1FMORpIFsUrSExRqGh7nn1P1zIiXXUbfItzrybFxahtoO9d3K7QBtdLWs2yLzKlPnOSZwIO7t4ve_TdWNc7j-ohuJWLjG1WfCptZMbWgOCt3mXtCJcPbb-TU/s400/IMG_0869.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226040875983002722" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW99C9HceYETrTO-FIlIWXrxXmNaP7bJL-FucIaejVzw9vYOg0oaBJM8-JCfDpp-RST4X-_TfTPSBRLHpoqPPTIC4fm15QquT9zY5QXWFlcOkeiniadQYp-5cHy3PxE6FGyNWTkTWGDp0/s1600-h/IMG_0875.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW99C9HceYETrTO-FIlIWXrxXmNaP7bJL-FucIaejVzw9vYOg0oaBJM8-JCfDpp-RST4X-_TfTPSBRLHpoqPPTIC4fm15QquT9zY5QXWFlcOkeiniadQYp-5cHy3PxE6FGyNWTkTWGDp0/s400/IMG_0875.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226040878612660418" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4mf4GSentBsJsL5qSlaYFYNjf3pGLkQOJ1IIS2WLRmIVcKSvg2CtO8MiCYmnhVrOcWS8HO2iheszj_hAIBWh10HhYKE-lnf2JXGeNHVtAk6C1NZI1tXFuyLHotCWUClEn-sal1nng8XI/s1600-h/IMG_0883.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4mf4GSentBsJsL5qSlaYFYNjf3pGLkQOJ1IIS2WLRmIVcKSvg2CtO8MiCYmnhVrOcWS8HO2iheszj_hAIBWh10HhYKE-lnf2JXGeNHVtAk6C1NZI1tXFuyLHotCWUClEn-sal1nng8XI/s400/IMG_0883.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226042572355798834" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4122q3mg8OslnTNrtebGaeEsnz3ZjFRJoC8wL-CaPjQdL4Zn7R-3vkwyntYd8qh8muOeX6OFUe07e4Ck93pWTFG_mxG3FusoIs7cpfzX4pf8ctAJujkM0VfS9IO6-kAxxqKIjE5TEtE4/s1600-h/IMG_0884.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4122q3mg8OslnTNrtebGaeEsnz3ZjFRJoC8wL-CaPjQdL4Zn7R-3vkwyntYd8qh8muOeX6OFUe07e4Ck93pWTFG_mxG3FusoIs7cpfzX4pf8ctAJujkM0VfS9IO6-kAxxqKIjE5TEtE4/s400/IMG_0884.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226042578698209202" /></a><br /><div>Breathe easy, because sometimes you're a little wheezy (and this is a little cheezy!). </div>Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08301632209156046890noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-893384061800060269.post-14267872333949891202008-07-22T18:10:00.000-07:002008-07-24T15:48:02.118-07:00Beer, Baseball, Boston Accents, & Beaches<span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Before we forget, we wanted to make a little addendum to our previous post on the fine Portland cuisine. On the beverage side of the table, Michael has been hard at work sampling as many of the numerous microbrews that seemingly every town in Maine has to offer. With no less than twenty varieties of blueberry wheats, and hundreds of pale ales, Michael has his work cut out for him. </span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span style=" "></span><br /></span><div><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">What goes well with a good glass of beer? Minor league baseball on a summer evening! Luckily, we found a town with a minor league team as interesting as the famous Durham Bulls. The </span><a href="http://www.seadogs.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Portland Sea Dogs</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> are a AA feeder team to the Sox, with an impressive history of wins. At our first trip to Hadlock Field, complete with its own “Bean” boot in the outfield stands, Michael bought a Sea Dogs hat to blend in with the locals, and we treated ourselves to Cracker Jacks and Sea Dog Biscuits (a delicious ice cream cookie sandwich).</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">It was an exciting game with the Sea Dogs winning out of a three-run homerun. There will definitely be plenty more trips to Hadlock Field in our near future. </span><!--StartFragment--><!--EndFragment--></span><!--EndFragment--></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0uYChmzwnrO4H564lImNTc2QpaMmJmrejAQeBBmfMfj1zKTH9TowRrvWqaLj2CUD03DLqQkmSVCSeL2prUW4gmVuL1l1_BdY3MjWGxp3RTix0VnFIDLYVc8mtgTSIWjKNuB8gqS2t7NA/s1600-h/IMG_3210.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0uYChmzwnrO4H564lImNTc2QpaMmJmrejAQeBBmfMfj1zKTH9TowRrvWqaLj2CUD03DLqQkmSVCSeL2prUW4gmVuL1l1_BdY3MjWGxp3RTix0VnFIDLYVc8mtgTSIWjKNuB8gqS2t7NA/s400/IMG_3210.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226035907816376610" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5ZqGhd6GoVJrBflGiCvAhUWc0vtUL-LYxDCIDxcVTltBWCYrCzDOjYkhIJRlVa2rcHIb6IRWoWBIdv8cm4fw37a3Urd_si_LEekSgLxrj4fjft-x9X-l_z4Nnt5bON9mS5fkfTNaTH8/s1600-h/IMG_3214.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5ZqGhd6GoVJrBflGiCvAhUWc0vtUL-LYxDCIDxcVTltBWCYrCzDOjYkhIJRlVa2rcHIb6IRWoWBIdv8cm4fw37a3Urd_si_LEekSgLxrj4fjft-x9X-l_z4Nnt5bON9mS5fkfTNaTH8/s400/IMG_3214.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226035919502344258" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWzxtXY-gnL0iRhMu1yIRdRGB-lQkxAVjkdvUKG0zythlxLFYYv1P91g4ZtsgF2dNfdhH8ZD1st4QO3qRjBhTFSnR9Wiw-dx9mCO2zgUmtOfeGQiYZNE5zYb_DyAfTouKF4G87MV8-Yvg/s1600-h/IMG_3213.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWzxtXY-gnL0iRhMu1yIRdRGB-lQkxAVjkdvUKG0zythlxLFYYv1P91g4ZtsgF2dNfdhH8ZD1st4QO3qRjBhTFSnR9Wiw-dx9mCO2zgUmtOfeGQiYZNE5zYb_DyAfTouKF4G87MV8-Yvg/s400/IMG_3213.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226037368997579698" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqfGVyj7D4rg5dBgnEwCsb_kYoxzSMjxwwb57_olrmR_D-1T-W9YbAcL5eaFTw8o1b93wUboxWOqRLKfj3vxObZuRuDT40QyIOOOH7HtTkUjr1w0FOoJirvACVN6R5GfT78FOPU5C5tEI/s1600-h/IMG_3217.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqfGVyj7D4rg5dBgnEwCsb_kYoxzSMjxwwb57_olrmR_D-1T-W9YbAcL5eaFTw8o1b93wUboxWOqRLKfj3vxObZuRuDT40QyIOOOH7HtTkUjr1w0FOoJirvACVN6R5GfT78FOPU5C5tEI/s400/IMG_3217.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226037381077169058" /></a><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">On July 4</span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">th</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Michael, Orvis, and I made the trek over the bridge to the Big City to watch the fireworks from the Eastern Promenade. After meeting with Emilie and J for the </span><a href="http://firstfridayartwalk.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">First Friday Art Walk</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, we hiked up the hill and staked out what we thought would be a great place to see the show. Unfortunately this show proved to be more of the people around us than the colorful explosions in the sky. Don’t get us wrong, the fireworks were gorgeous, but the interesting teenagers tossing M-80s and cussing in thick Boston accents, turned out to be quite entertaining … and a little scary.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">For fear of our own lives and Orvis’ eardrums, we cut our trip short and caught the grand finale out of the rear window of the car on I-295 South.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Luckily most of the people we have had the pleasure of meeting share few similarities with the interesting crew from the Fourth of July. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">To round out the post on a positive note, Michael, Orvis, and I had the grand opportunity to visit Peaks Island in the Casco Bay.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Orvis’ first ferry ride went off with little hitch besides his reluctance to exit the boat at the end of the trip. We had a great time on the beautiful beaches of the island, complete with a picnic by the sea.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">We cannot wait to take another trip back there sans puppy to have the opportunity to ride our bikes all over the island.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-5Nkc6Oj6aozfOwHk5rYG9FlQPu0wqCkLVb2JD79pdHX28tZq7P_BZyjz1l95arOQ7C1fK9SzDMFrP6LQWOe0rM3_VrWbobzxebJM9CT5uEo-J7Rnd4bcYZG496heNF5-KResrlhd3Aw/s1600-h/IMG_3249.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-5Nkc6Oj6aozfOwHk5rYG9FlQPu0wqCkLVb2JD79pdHX28tZq7P_BZyjz1l95arOQ7C1fK9SzDMFrP6LQWOe0rM3_VrWbobzxebJM9CT5uEo-J7Rnd4bcYZG496heNF5-KResrlhd3Aw/s400/IMG_3249.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226039350851525874" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeErE7Ajf7tp_eG6_LpwYjxYRDyQ7MYdPY_Ns5jDG2UjQhpyx-6I7-tkJ_lRdCIcL8H6ckMBu3P64XR9e5KJWBEasbB4jLatNd_LlAASsKaA4L3zpswyFhJyyELkEr9BhQ21tWcxmj5Ig/s1600-h/IMG_3261.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeErE7Ajf7tp_eG6_LpwYjxYRDyQ7MYdPY_Ns5jDG2UjQhpyx-6I7-tkJ_lRdCIcL8H6ckMBu3P64XR9e5KJWBEasbB4jLatNd_LlAASsKaA4L3zpswyFhJyyELkEr9BhQ21tWcxmj5Ig/s400/IMG_3261.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226039352635992258" /></a><br /></span></div><div> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Breathe easy.</span></p></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Cambria;"><br /></span></div></div>Cainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08301632209156046890noreply@blogger.com1