I’m back from two fabulous weeks off. We spent the first week in Maine, at my most favorite house by the coast, and the second week was spent at home, at my most favorite house that I own. (spoiler alert, it’s the only house that I own.) It was the perfect combination of away time and at home time, full of lots of my favorite things: reading and relaxing, delicious food and cocktails and wine, beautiful scenery and my favorite person.
I have photos . . .
This porch is my favorite place to be, all week long. Coffee in the morning, cocktails and snacks in the early evening.
Gigantic donuts! This one was called The Homer. The frosting was very very sweet but oh boy was it yummy.
Back on the porch, this is the view to the right. We usually see a rainbow here at least once but not this year. I missed the rainbow but I didn’t miss the rain.
We cooked hot boiled lobsters twice, once for Dale’s birthday and once because Maine. We made lobster rolls from the leftovers for lunch one day and we also had lobster rolls at our favorite roadside restaurant twice. I think, between all of that, we managed to have lobster every day but Friday.
Dale found his look-a-like in the form of a rock covered with seaweed. I told you he always makes me laugh.
We ate out more this year than we have the last couple of years and it was such a treat. We had oysters and beer at a local pub, ceviche and crispy chicken wontons and cocktails at a rooftop bar, a really great and pretty authentic Mexican dinner at a restaurant right up the street, and this delicious fried seafood platter at a waterfront restaurant. It was all fantastic.
The morning sky from the porch. I would wake up just about every morning between 4:30 and 5 and I would get out of bed and look out at this gorgeous pink and orange sky. And then I’d get back in bed and sleep until 8, which is pretty late for me.
My week at home was far less . . . photogenic but still pretty wonderful. The kids came over for a cook out on the 4th of July, we had our first Pergola Thursday gathering with friends from our community, I made pizza in the Ooni and Jackie helped, I did a lot (a lot a lot) of rage weeding, we went out to breakfast, and I read a total of 7 books in two weeks.
One final thing you might be interested in: Fred and George. This was the first time we have left the for more than 2 nights and, while they were well cared for, they were still pretty pissed at us when we came home. Fred, who is the snuggliest of the two, wouldn’t let me pick him up when we came home, he actually ran away from me. And George, who is more reticent in general, gave me the cold shoulder for a few hours. I knew all was well, though, when I woke up in the night on our first night home and found them both asleep on the bed between our pillows.
They have settled right back into their regular routine, as you can see.
And that’s a wrap and now it’s re-entry time but memories of this perfectly wonderful and absolutely restorative vacation will help me power through.
Oh my! What a lovely time you and Dale had. I just love Maine so much and your pictures make me long to go back. What a gorgeous place – so serene and peaceful. Your food looks fabulous too and I am really, really hungry now! Welcome back Carole!
I’m so glad you had such a lovely vacation/break, Carole! I hope this week goes well . . . as you re-enter “real life.” (Dale cracks me up . . . ) XO
Sounds fabulous and fun.
With a view like that from the porch and almost daily lobster, I’m not sure how you could stand to leave Maine! Your two weeks sound like a lovely combination of home and away, and I hope re-entry is gentle.
Welcome back! What a lovely break! (That food all looks so amazing!)
You’ve made me even more determined to get us back to Maine. I’d guess your vacation tank is pretty full just now. Let’s hope this week does nothing to change that.
Lobster every day and that porch view! It would be very difficult to leave that paradise. I’m glad you were able to disengage and enjoy your vacation so much, Carole. I know it was therapeutic. I have done a bit of rage weeding myself, as well as rage reading, rage laundry, rage cleaning, etc. Welcome back, you were missed.
What a lovely travelogue! And a slow re-entry to real life. Have a great week!
Looks like a great place to rest and regroup. Welcome back
Welcome back to us. We’ve missed you. I’m glad you had such a great couple of weeks!
Sounds like a great vacation! The views are gorgeous from your rental.
Sounds like a wonderful holiday!
Beautiful pictures; it looks like a picture-perfect vacation. I feel the same way about my favorite view: a lanai looking west in Hawaii. Sunsets are perfect, and I wake up early and watch the sun rise and the moon set. And I could eat kalua pork every day…
I’ll be in Maine in September at a fiber retreat. Can’t wait!
ah, what a lovely two weeks – thanks for all the photos (especially love that sunrise and those lobster claws!) hope re-entry hasn’t been too bad so far – maybe getting used to being home last week helped a little? … I love that Fred & George had short memories for your week away!