Solitude and a Foggy Day in Maine

It's just 48 hours since I arrived atmy summer rental in Maine.I've been doing this for over a decade, but this time is different. I came alone. Yes one glorious week to be responsible to just myself.

I have visions of reading late into the night, eating a bit here and there that creates little mess, long leisurely walks beach combing, Antique hunting for the fixtures I should have bought, and completing my rock/fairy garden.

Down poors the rain, in rolls the fog...this is June in Maine. Poor weather and all this has been marvelous. I've managed to break bread with a dear friend, finish an entire summer read "Summer Rental," if you must know, and spent the day beach combing at Reid State Beach.

As for wildlife, it abounds: big fat Robin, agile squirrels, a couple of does, a mamma wild turkey & two babies, nesting Piping Plovers, a jellyfish, and the best of the day: a seal pup basking on the rocks & seaweed.

Sometimes having nothing to do gives you the opportunity to do everything you want. I capped off the evening making a summer cocktail appropriate for Maine: Blueberry Cosmopolitan: 1 part blueberry vodka, 3 part cosmo mix, ice. Shake, drain, adjust to tast, serve with 3 fresh blueberries,

Do you have a favorite solitary getaway? Or a signature cocktail?

Cancel my Flight: I want to be in Georgetown ME on July 11, 2009

Doggone it! The Georgetown Maine annual auction at the Five Islands Station is on July 11 this year...and of course that's when I'm due to fly home from almost 3 weeks at our great waterfront cottage just a few minutes down North End Road. This auction was my first experience with a live auction and I look forward to it every year. Mainers have lots of interesting stuff in their barns and it ends up at this auction... My list of buys include:
-a gas grill with a rodent nest that ended up at the transfer station
- a rabbit hutch we drove home 3000 miles - our bunny loved it but we looked like the Beverly Hillbillies for sure
- a collection of Harry Potter books on tape that have given my daughter hours of enjoyment
- some antique linens that probably saw many ladies play bridge, and now grace my bunco tables
- a wicker settee that looked cute but flaked paint and lasted a few seasons
- a custom name paint job for our boat that my husband never had done (I wonder if it expires?)
- a Hopper print that graces our cottage wall whose frame is worth more than I paid, but is matted in a slightly odd way
- a limited edition lighthouse serving tray from Georgetown Pottery

I'm small time at this auction...I'll never forget the year that the Moorings B&B was furnishing their place - they spent thousands...or all of the original artwork...and the dinghies, canoes, and even a sailboat now and then.

All proceeds benefit the Geoergetown Maine VOLUNTEER fire department who have saved many at Reid State Park. You can always count on some great live lobster packages, or just visit one of our in the rough lobster joints after the auction. Maine governors and officials have been known to auctioneer as well!

Where: Just left off 127 on Five Islands Road.
When: July 11 9 am.

Get there early to preview the merchandise or get the best of the White Elephant and bake sale. Buy a few chances for the Georgetown Working League's one of a kind quilt. To donate items (not stoves, fridges, washers, a/c, used mattresses) call David Knauber at 207-371-2020. Deadline is just a few days before the auction - so clean out the barn now!

Vacation Mamma Suffers No Vacation Stress

Wow - I've been neglecting this blog something awful. I wish it were because I've been off traveling. Instead, I've been building my new vacation rental property management business. I took and passed my CA RE Broker's license and have been building a boutique property management firm specializing in beach rentals. It's a huge labor, love, and learning curve. Needless to say there hasn't been a lot of time or money for travel the last 6-9 months.

Hmmm...you know it's bad when your teenager says - "gee we haven't been anywhere good since last summer." Well of course I disagree (she's 15 we don't agree on much these days). There's dad's birthday RV rental and staying at Casper Wilderness Park outside San Juan Capistrano. There's that trip to Las Vegas (the Venetian, MGM Grand, Ka and Dane Cook) in December. There's my birthday trip to LA (architectural tour, Westin Bonaventura, and Wicked at the gorgeous Pantages Theater) in January. "Those don't count" she recants. In fact she says "we should have skipped those and saved for something big." Of course I'm thinking "we did save for something big: new furniture and blinds for the family room." Of course it's hard to feel good about that when we are sitting in the same family room with the sun keeping the TV faded on the same worn love seat while we still wait for said furniture. Funny how spoiled my family has become when we don't count $1000 weekends as vacations any more!

Well instead of getting depressed...I'll instead focus on my blessings near to home and those mini trips in addition to those above that I have been able to enjoy:
- a day trip to the Antelope Valley Poppy Preserve near Lancaster, CA (2.5 hours from south Orange County CA)
- a day trip to Temecula for a Cancer for College Golf Tournament with Will Ferrell (I lost that photo when my iPhone broke)
- an overnight trip wine tasting in Temecula, CA with my book club just an hour away (we are reading our 100th book this fall! - and trying to get on Oprah)
- an overnight business trip to Las Vegas two weeks ago for a Vacation Rental Manager's seminar/conference with my good friend and business partner (where we checked out the condotel MGM Signature Towers (fantastic), the new club LAX, and surprisingly good appetizers and wine at the Golden Nugget during our conference)
-countless trips to the beach at T-Street in San Clemente,CA to drop my teenager
-at least two sunsets at Pine's Park in Dana Point, CA with my pre teen
-innumerable trips to North Coast Village in Oceanside, CA to look at and set up new vacation rentals for my clients at the beach
-many afternoons in my back yard pool hear in Southern CA when most others still have the heat running (at least I just have to heat my pool and spa)

Whew - stress gone! I'm not feeling stressed at all now...hmm time to get planning our trip to Maine this summer and to check out colleges in NYC and Boston!

Summertime

Ah - summer - my favorite time of year because the kids are out of school and we can travel a little. Where have we been this summer?

Estes Park, CO & Rocky Mountain National Park for a wedding and family gathering
Boston, MA - staid in the North End and behaved like tourists
Georgetown, Maine - worked on our cottage, visited with friends and family, boated on the Sheepscot River
Tewksbury, MA - visited family
San Clemente, CA - vacationing at home - including the beach, pool, and San Diego

Summer wish list: local vacationing: Wild Rivers Waterpark, the beach, Oceanside condo, Lake Arrowhead (vacation rental exchange), LA fashion district for back to school shopping, the pool, Old Town San Diego, the Dead Sea Scrolls in San Diego, Tijuana, maybe a cruise to Mexico?

I'm still getting it together from nearly 3 weeks on the road, but hope to post on these locations before long. Need to get my photos ready!

Here's wishing your summer vacation is the best!