GPS, Squishy Grass and Caterpillars

I've been trying to 'get out in the city'.  For awhile I would just get into the car and drive around - it ended up not being that much fun.  Plus, I really thought I was going to kill someone because I'd get 'lost' and I'd take out my iphone for mapquest.  Kinda scary.  I decided I had to have a GPS.  For the record - I'm now having the most fun I've ever had driving around ever!  What I've been doing is getting in the car and putting a random intersection into the GPS - then I take whatever turns I want and let the GPS reroute me - I think I got a good GPS because it doesn't ever scold me....it just tells me where to turn next....although, it does scold me a little bit if I miss a turn - so, in a nutshell I drive around the city with no real destination in mind taking wrong turns on purpose......and it's FUN! The only sorta bummer is that the weather hasn't been stellar.  Where are those crisp and clear fall days?!  It's been rainy and cloudy...icky.  I've been wearing my Bean Boots pretty much everywhere (except yesterday so of course that meant I parked in a puddle twice).

I discovered the Eastern Promenade a few days ago.  I got lucky because the sun came out for about 30 minutes!  I squished through the grass and then walked along the water for a bit.  It is definitely a cool place to people watch - and if I had a dog it would be my hang out (someday I'm going to write a post about how much I want a dog).

MAINE!

Fresh off the press!  I've found a place to plop a squat!  Yippee!  It's in the lovely city of Portland, ME.  (It's no Hilo, HI....but Maine is about as close as you can get...weird right?!) My Mother sent me an e-mail today that said, 'I'm going through Nautie Withdrawl Syndrome - and I'm tired of looking at Wethersfield, CT'.

Fair enough however; I only half way apologize for the lack of posts.  The good news is that today is October 1st and my air card is full of gigabytes just waiting to be eaten up!

I had my first glorious 'living on the Mainland' experience this afternoon.

I needed to go grocery shopping - I went to Trader Joe's!  (That alone is glorious.)  I FILLED my shopping cart up - because I had to get the 'necessities' all at once..coffee, laundry detergent...you get the picture.  I was really nervous when I got to the counter.  I was feeling super guilty about buying so many organic items, combined with doing all my shopping at a 'specialty store'.  When the final item was scanned my total was only 115.00!  I couldn't believe it.  I would estimate that is less than half as much as it would cost in Hilo.  Holy Toledos!

However, the really glorious thing happened while I was paying and the bagger was organizing my goods.  The final item was a carton of eggs.  He looked at me and said, 'did you check your eggs?'.  I of course replied no....I mean really, do you guys check your eggs?!  Then he says, 'Jeezum Crowe!  You didn't check your eggs?!  What Kind Of Main-ah Ah You?!'  No lie!  He really said Jeezum Crowe and then called me a Mainer....dropping the 'r' and adding an 'ah' and then he said 'ah' instead of are.  It was GLORIOUS!

(For the record...I've never ever had someone ask me what kind of Hawaiian I am....)

Nottingham, NH

I've spent the last few days at a totally cool house in Nottingham, NH.  The owners were away so I had free reign to look through all their drawers (psych!  -that would be a great words with friends word- I can't thank you guys enough....for letting me stay there and for getting me addicted to words with friends!). The house is a renovated farm house.  There are wide plank pine floors throughout....the rafters are exposed and look like real trees...and the roof has lightning rods.

Here's the best part:  there is a barn in the yard!  A BIG barn!  You may be wondering what they do with the barn since they aren't farmers...to this I say, 'DUH!  They host mad cool parties that include bon fires!'.  (They also have their own wedding reception in the barn....what do you eat in a barn in NH?  DUH!  Lobsters!)

These friends of mine are also insanely resourceful.  They have a large garden where they grow veggies and such.  The 'such' is the cool part - they grew their own hops - and then brewed their own beer with their own hops.  Insane.

I wandered around the yard with my L.L.Bean boots on and pretended that I was a character in Little House on the Prairie....but then I realized it would probably be more appropriate to be a character in Little House in the Big Woods.  Either way works for me.  Can you imagine what we'd be seeing photos of today if pioneers had DSLR cameras?

Wethersfield, CT

I've spent the last two days in Wethersfield, CT.  Talk about old town America!  The homes are the type of homes that make you love history.  The ones where there are names and dates on little plaques next to the door.  (Aunt Judy you'd be in heaven!  The cemetery was amazing!)  The town was really ramping up for fall - all the businesses on Main St. had 'scarecrows' out - they were definitely not your traditional scarecrows.  There were lots of cornstalks and pumpkins decorating entryways....loves it.  As I was walking around the sun began to set - you certainly can't beat hot pink skies behind historic buildings!  As I walked around I just kept thinking 'Man, this town is American'. [gallery columns="4"]

The first thing I did

I drove off the lot and went straight into the sticks of Maine. There is nothing better than the sticks of Maine....oh wait, yes there is....a FAIR in the sticks of Maine! A ferris wheel, bean boots, a dog bowl full of fries, cotton candy, a bull with a ring in his nose and a truck pull! Waaahooo! (sadly there are no truck pull photos - it was too far away for my phone)

Wanna know what I've been up to?

I've been car shopping. For the record I don't think there is anything more unpleasant than shopping for a used car. It's mentally exhausting. I find it amazing how strong you have to be - dealing with a car salesman requires muscle! Are you assertive? Aggressive? Angry? Then you should consider a career in car shopping. People like me could tell you what we are looking for and then YOU can sit at the salesman's desk.