Hopelessly Powerless!!!!

Living in the 21st century, I have rarely given thought to being without power for more than a day. I was thoroughly dismayed when we lost power in December for about 36 hours. Never in my wildest dreams did I think we would be without power for 90 hours. I know that I am not a pioneer, nor would I profess to being rough and tough(I am proudly a girl!), but I thought I would deal with this better. Our family actually did okay for the first two days, but then as two turned into three the grouches and grumpies began to emerge. We did everything we could to avoid going home. It was sad to hear my own children say, "Mom, it's kind of sad when you don't want to go home," but I understood what they were saying.

I know it doesn't seem like much, but when the power goes out at our house, there is no water or heat. We live in the country, and we are on well water. Our only consolation was a wood burning stove. However, we were gone during the day, and the house never warmed above 50. Anyone who knows me, knows I am a pansy when it comes to the cold. Needless to say, on the second night we went in search of a generator, but there were none to be had in the state of Maine! I am not joking. We were able to borrow a generator from a co-worker of Jakes, but it would only work a few electrical things. Never enough power for the water pump or heater. I hope these pictures give you some idea about this storm.

I have to say that it was truly a beautiful sight to see everything literally covered in white. The denseness of the trees caused all the problems because so many could not bear the weight of the snow and snapped. If you look closely at the bottom picture, at the base of the pine trees is what appears to be a tree branch, but it is actually a tree about 8 inches in diameter that has broken. Thousands of trees caused all the problems for the power company. I do have sympathy, but my patience is not to great.

Maybe we will move to Arizona!

Olympic Memories

Visiting Atlanta brought back fond memories of the Olympic Games hosted by Salt Lake City in 2002. The lasting legacy of hosting the games is still enjoyed by visitors to Atlanta as well as Salt Lake City. I am amazed at the number of people who associate Salt Lake City with the Olympic games when you tell someone where you lived. It was so much fun to be a part of the Olympics. The transformation of Salt Lake City for those two weeks was fascinating to watch and the legacy left behind will be enjoyed for generations to come.

Although we were only able to see Centennial Olympic Park, I could appreciate the beauty of this park and the ability of the world to unite for a few short weeks when the Olympics happen. We were fortunate to witness this great event this summer in Beijing. My only wish is that somehow, someway the leaders of the world could find a more peaceful way to solve their differences than war. Unfortunately, in life whether in school, work, or play "Bullies" will only listen to one form of communication. It's too bad it can't be a pillow fight!!!!!

"Water, play, wet" were Kaleb's first thoughts I am sure, but my first thought upon seeing this fountain was "Gateway." Even though it is February, it was a warm 64 degrees this day, so getting a little wet was fun. Kaleb promised me he wouldn't get wet. Of course, the first shot from the fountain went up his backside soaking him.

You can look 360 degrees in any direction and the city stands proudly around this grand park. The fountains are the shape of 5 intertwined olympic rings.

This canopy inside the park has the flags of all those nations represented during the Olympics.

Not only did the park have a cool fountain to run through, but it also hosted several playgrounds. Yes, we did try them all out, and Kaleb liked this one the most. He could do the most running up and down the hills.

Raising the Flag - A milestone.

As a part of the "human family," I am always fascinated by and enjoy participating in the diverse ways we go about celebrating milestones in our societies. Experiencing small successes during a long journey makes that journey less stressful and more enjoyable. We, humans(?), need continual "pats on the back" for our hard work. Who doesn't like a treat for a job done well?

Jake has been involved with a large project in the Netherlands. He knew that it was mandatory for him to be in Amsterdam on February 4, but he was unsure why it was so important. Had he been aware of Dutch customs he would have had no confusion.

Celebrating a building's construction reaching its highest point is a Dutch tradition similar to the American groundbreaking cermony. He was, as I am sure the Dutch are with us and our traditions, amused at the pomp and circumstance involved on this day. The day began in a tent with hor d'oeuvres, champagne, and a few speeches from the mayor and other dignitaries(?). Jake was grateful all he had to do was eat. I am not sure what he would have said in Dutch. He sat there smiling and nodding. We have laughed because for all he knew they could have been talking about him, and there he sat nodding and laughing when everyone else did. When the speeches were finished, he and a few others stepped up to the platform and raised the flag commemorating this important milestone in the project.

A wide angle view of the building and its surroundings. Nebraska or Iowa? No, Hoofddorp!

The flag will soon wave on the top of the outcropping at the top of the building.

The four hard hats walking toward the orange machine are the ones who will raise the flag. Yes, Jake is the tallest one.

Since it was raining and extremely muddy, the flag-raiser stand on a wooden platform to raise the flag.

The flag is raised! The work continues! Jake gets to go back and forth!

When I married Jake 27 years ago, I had no idea I was marrying a dignitary. hehehehehe! Well, he has always been number one in my eyes. Now, if only I get to with him on one of his trips.

A Good Meal with a Great View!

According to one of our news channels, Portland, Maine(not Oregon) has more restaurants per capita than any other city in the United States except San Francisco. While it may be a difficult thing to prove, Mainers are definitely proud of their cuisine. We have a few favorites of our own. While good food is always important to a meal, there is something to be said for ambiance as well. One of our favorite restaurants is on Bailey's Island(The islands are connected by bridges. Wait till you see this bridge. My Fav!!!!). Cooks' Lobster House Restaurant, one of our favorite, is located on a peninsula about 15 miles south of Brunswick. We love the view. You can check out more pictures on their website and order lobster if you want at http://cookslobster.com/. I would rather you came visit me, and I will cook the lobster for you!!!!!


Lobstermen bring their catch to this warehouse and the lobsters and other fish are moved from there. Keep your eye on the bridge in the background.

Depending on the time of year the lobster traps will vary in number. There are those hearty men who lobster year round, but most lobster from about April until September. It is hard work. The pay was decent, but the lobster industry has been hit hard.

Jake enters the lobster house. There is a large deck to the right that is great to sit on during the summer. It is a bit chilly now, however.

Tha table lamp is well, you look at it. The shade is a map of the Gulf of Maine. I wish I could point out to you where we are. The base of the lamp are wooden pulleys used long ago that have been shellacked and glued together.

The walls are lined with old paintings of ships, small boats and just about anything to do with fishing. Their are replicas of old boats, old wooden lobster traps and buoys along with clapboard siding. A bit cheesy, but fun nevertheless.

Sitting in my booth, you can see the view of the harbor. It is grand. Houses line the shore with the blue water below constantly moving in and out. The tides are INCREDIBLE here! There is no way to describe it until you come to visit. They fluctuate 10 to 12 feet every 12 hours.

The Cribstone Bridge is my absolute favorite. It is the only one of its kind in the world. Look arefully at the bridge's construction. It is made out of huge slabs of granite placed like Lincoln Logs. I did look on wikipedia and the information is fairly accurate. After every major storm, men crawl in and out of each one of those spaces in the rocks to make sure that everything is in the right place.

The water surrounds the restaurant as you can see as we get ready to leave. Sorry for the dirty car, but the salt and dirt take a toll around here.

I would love to take you to this awesome place. We have a few others I will post soon!

Upgrade

After much thought, I decided that I needed to change the title of my blog. When I started this blog, I thought I had the perfect title. However, technology is continually evolving and so must I. As I become more familiar with this world of technology, I am constantly in awe of what is available to us.

I must admit that I am truly an infant in this world of technology. Looking at a variety of blogs, I realized that it was necessary to make a step to become a bit more grownup and sophisticated, so with a heavy heart I hope to move from my blogging infancy into a toddler. I have my sights set higher, but realistically I know I have a lot to learn.(I don't even have a playlist for mine.)

I also felt the need to change the title to something I felt more appropriate for my situation. Life is definitely hectic and full of challenges, but when I really stop to think, I realize that I am fortuanate to lead a fairly "simple" life. As you are running here or there, I hope you stop to ponder on the simplicity of life, and that we are merely getting from one place to another. Welcome to my "Maine"ly simple life.