First trip to Meadowbrook. Liam was 6 and Noah was 3. I used to journal all of our trips and now I am so glad that I did.
August 17, 2009, we rolled out of Ascutney around 3PM finally. It was a Monday, but we were finally on vacation! Just as we got onto North St in Claremont, the oil light came on the van. Great! I pulled over and checked the level. Full. Seems to be a low RPM/low oil pressure problem, I decided that this was not going to interrupt our vacation. Too many things were threatening to prevent this.
We made a usual stop at the Mc Donald’s in Warner at the drive thru. They were offering Lego cars which for the first time in a long time were actually a useful and not cheap pathetic toy substitute that is guaranteed to break about 2 miles up the road resulting in lengthy periods of crying. When we crossed into Maine impatience was running high. We suggested that the kids play “Chopped.” This is a homemade game that we created that is closely modeled after the TV show Chopped on the Food Network, in which 4 chefs compete by creating a delicious appetizer, main course and desert, by utilizing all of the mystery ingredients in the basket provided. The game begins with the person whose turn it is. That person says, “Chef! Open your baskets!” Then that person lists 3 or 4 ingredients that will be used in the recipe. Then we tell everyone what we will make with the mystery ingredients and how it will be presented. Sometimes we get silly and use items that cannot possibly work together, such as, “Sardines, Chunky Peanut Butter, and Corn on the Cob”. This pacified them for a while and we tried very hard to keep the flow of travel up so that we could set up in the daylight. This effort was derailed when Liam decided that he HAD to go pee in Brunswick Maine.
We arrived in Phippsburg, ME right at dark. It is our trademark to absolutely NEVER to set up when it is still light out. We got our site at Meadowbrook Campground. It always seems that whenever it is a site in the woods, we always seem a bit disappointed at first. I started to situate the camper, Donna and the boys were on the picnic table out of the way while I did this. I noticed out of the corner of my eye Noah fell off the table in between the bench and table. It seemed like a nasty fall. He split his lip open, poor little guy! Donna took the van with the boys and went down to the office to get some ice for Noah’s lip.
I set up in the dark and found it to be very easy. By the time Donna and the boys returned, Noah was already doing better and the camper was set up and functional. Usually when we first arrive Donna takes the boys to see the playground and other amenities. They set out and I continued working. I decided to get a fire going and start a charcoal grill for some ribs. We had not eaten since Warner Mc Donald’s.
We enjoyed the fire and the ribs and turned in for the night. It was midnight when we finally went to bed. Pretty typical for the Jacksons first night anywhere.
Tuesday August 18, 2009
Morning coffee in the stainless Coleman pot, thank you Tabby. A half a dozen trips to the bathrooms too! I bought the Wi-Fi for a few days only to realize that our bank account was overdrawn! This makes the 2nd year in a row in which we spent the majority of our vacation with a negative balance. Grrrrrrr!
The neighbor woman walked over and introduced herself as Willow and her 7 year old son as Kazden. She said how nice it was to have children next door that were the same age and that unfortunately they were leaving the next day. She and Kaz were extremely nice. They came from Washington, CT. Her Husband Rob and their 2 girls Sagelee and Emily were soon back at the site. The whole family was warm and friendly. It was a joy to have such nice neighbors. Rob and I displayed similar ideas and ambitions which was comforting and amusing. When the wives and kids returned from the pool and the playground Rob and I had talked intensely for over an hour. He was telling me about how they used to have a Sienna Van. The camper was pushing it to the limit. So they went out and bought a full size SUV, which I believe that in this economy they are giving away at the grocery store when you purchase more than $100.00 worth of groceries. Now they pull the camper and all the bikes easily and actually get better gas mileage because the vehicle is not straining. While I was talking with Rob, a couple of people from the campground drove up on a golf cart and asked which one was Mr. Jackson. I told them that I was and they mentioned that for the 8 dollar internet fee that I purchased my debit card was still declining. Nice. They were nice enough about it, but, I thought that with Rob standing only a few feet away they could have really put the icing on the cake by handing me a tube of preparation H, Bottle of Geritol and a package of Depends.
When both families were together my conversation with Rob continued. He mentioned that he and Willow actually sleep on opposite bunks in the pop-up with their kids since it is just a tent that they are sleeping in and someone could undo the bottom and slip a sleeping child away. We were amazed and impressed. We do this too. We proudly admitted this to our friends. These parents really watched their kids, it was refreshing.
We found that we were lacking some things, so when Donna took the boys to the pool, I went to find a Hannaford that I could get a few things and write a check for OVER. I found one down in Brunswick.
When I returned, we visited with the Brenner’s some more when I realized that Rob also makes his own fire starters too! It gets stranger all the time. Much to Donna’s dismay and prediction, my one moment trip to Rob’s site next door, turned into about 35 minutes. I had to ask him about the fire starters. He made his with dryer lint and old candle wax. Since dryer lint is the most flammable substance on earth they could burst into flames by merely looking at them too hard. I made mine with wood shavings and paraffin wax. I like the lint idea, this puts to use something that up till now serves no useful purpose.
Then we went to Popham Beach and the kids had a great time. Asa did very well and kept fetching a stick in the water. He was very well behaved except for all the terrible pooping! I grabbed a doggie bag at the beginning of the trail so that in case Asa pooped, I could pick it up. We are in favor of this. It is responsible. What we did not realize was that we actually needed a roll of these things and a gold sifting pan too and a set of elbow length rubber gloves and possibly some incendiary devices for a diversion. He went like three times on the ground and 3 times in the ocean. I was carrying a Maxwell house coffee container that I had no choice to use to collect this festival of poop!
We got back and Noah was out, Liam hung in there in anticipation of seeing his friends. We ate streak tips and scallions, and then Liam and I visited with the neighbors. We sat around the campfire talking about Indian gardening techniques, wine tasting, Beatle records and many other things. It was a good night. In bed shortly after 11:00
Wednesday August 19, 2009
Another very beautiful summer day here in Maine. We knew that this was the day that we had to watch the Brenner’s leave. It would seem empty at our site after that. We decided to not go anywhere until they were gone so that Liam and Noah could enjoy playing with Kazden, Emily and Sagelee as much as possible before they left.
Rob and I exchanged more research on state parks that we had qualified info on. Our families said good-bye and I watched as Liam stood in the middle of their site and took it in that they were gone. The Brenner’s went by on the lower road on their way out of the campground and Liam and Noah stood on their former site and waved as they disappeared from sight. I watched Liam as he walked around their empty site, his sadness was so expressive that I had a lump in my throat just watching him.
We all went to the pool for a few hours and the boys played like crazy. We got out of the pool with Liam screaming and crying half way to the site. We made dinner, grilled chicken and corn on the cob. This was very good. Donna called it the best meal of the vacation so far. She was right. This was some chicken that we boiled in a stock pot the week before. We added homemade bib sauce and apple cider vinegar and brown sugar and salt in the water. Then when we cooked it, I added apple juice and ginger ale to hickory bbq sauce. I took a shower then we headed into Bath. The boys were very impressed with the cranes and the cut away view inside of the ships that were being built or un-built. You never know in this economy. I cannot imagine anything being built at this time in history.
I went to Shaws, since this was nearby to get a couple of things such as the much needed tongs. Up to this point I had made a small pair of tongs out of 2 lost tent stakes and I also carved a set of chopsticks out of pine sticks to work as tongs. Unfortunately I also wanted some cash back for ice cream. But since My Shaws was in Vermont, I was only able to write an exact amount check. So with tears in our eyes we went to the Mc Donald’s drive thru for dollar menu treats. Noah missed out on this because when I got out of the store he was sound asleep.
When we got back, we decided to watch Race to Witch Mountain. It was a nice calm night. Liam and I walked to the Bathrooms around 11 and came back and went to sleep. I lay awake for a little bit of time. When I was young there were 2 Witch Mountain movies that has just as much action as algea growing in slow motion. Today you would actually need prozac IV drip and 3 certified mental health specialists present so as not to harm yourself during watching those movies. But the names were nicer, like “Escape to Witch Mountain” “Return from from Witch Mountain. The most boring movies ever but when your a kid in the 70 s and you love Kim Richards and don’t know that someday she’ll be on ” Real Housewives of Some Town I Don’t Care About”. But now in the new millenium, it is RACE!!!! Like racing into the sun or a firey volcano. “There is BAD stuff out there and we are RACING HEADFIRST into it!!!” “We have a guy named the ROCK and we will use him if we have to!” I wonder if in 30 years the title will be even more edgy like; “Vaporize Witch Mountain with Stolen Former Soviet Nuclear Missiles and Laugh while Eating HAPPY MEALS”.
Thursday August 20, 2009
We awoke to still yet another beautiful sunny day! They just keep on coming. This is really a first. The boys found the 2 boys that they met at the end of day yesterday. I did not mention these boys, because in comparison to the Brenner’s, there was nothing to tell. These 2 boys were camping in a popup down below us and were never around, obviously site seeing etc by day. One was 9 and acted 6 or 7 and the other was 6 and acted 3 or 4. The contrast to Liam and Noah was amazing. One of the greatest irritants was the younger one was making this disgusting noise that one does just before one spits. He would not stop that ridiculous noise! I was happy to see them finally leave.
Liam, Noah and I took Asa for a walk and then we went to the playground. I noticed that the seasonal camper right next to the playground had an F250 parked on the site, with Florida Plates on it. There was also a generous slide in camper on the site on the lift stilts. Reading between the lines, these people must have a camper seasonal in Florida too and use the F250 with the slide in for the migration. I kind of envied them because in the back of my mind, winter was silently stalking.
We then headed down to Popham Beach. It took a while to get a parking space, but once we did we were all set. I took the boys into the fort, they were very excited. This simple fort to them had all the excitement as a tour of the Kennedy Space Center to them. I love stuff like that with them. They had the same reaction to seeing the cranes over Bath. Liam conveys his excitement with things with very animated descriptions of what he sees. Noah has this absolutely adorable voice that he shouts in utter excitement. There is something in that little voice that has this irresistible tone that is not unlike one that Donna uses when she tells you about something that someone else said. I don’t know how to describe it, but I suspect she used it to tell Brooke and Amy about how I said I missed them the day they left our house during Brooke’s last visit here. I know this because a few days later, we were at a picnic at my Aunt Diane and Uncle Tom’s house and suddenly both Brooke and Amy walked up to me on the porch, took Noah from my arms and kissed me on the cheek and said they loved me. There is only one force in the universe that has that power. It is that special voice that Donna has when she repeats what someone says and makes it sound even better and more endearing that it was. Yes, I digress, but that is how Liam and Noah regarded the Fort.
We found Donna just barely on the beach. We settled there while the boys played in the sand. Donna walked up on the rocks and Liam followed. So began the great Crab Hunt. Liam and Noah began to catch crabs and put them in Liam’s sand pail.
After much coaxing we got the boys to forget about the crabs for now and walk up the beach. The tide was going out and it got better and better by the moment. Up at the point there was a nice sand bar and people were walking out to the island where there was a house up on a hill. At first we were worried about walking out there because the water was thigh deep going out. But as time passed definite sand bridge showed itself and it was clear that the tide was still very much headed out. The boys had such a great time. They picked up a couple million shells and they also wrapped long strands of seaweed and wearing them all over them.
We went back to the rocks and set the crabs free. One died in the bucket unfortunately. We got back in the van and headed back. Asa was in the camper at Meadowbrook and we realized that this was the longest we had ever left him in the camper. He was fine of course. Shaded area, windows open and fans on.
We headed up some left over’s and made ribs and pork tenderloin. The tenderloin did not cook well enough so I put it on again. It was still not done, so I put it on again. Liam, Noah and I walked around at dusk to find marshmallow sticks. We came back with some. Donna asked me whatever happened to the tenderloin. There it sat, low and slow on the smoker. I took it off and put it in the fridge.
We sat by the fire making smores. The boys loved it. Liam made one for Mommy too. Then we all took a walk down to the bathrooms. When we got back we put Mr. Troop Mom in on the laptop and watched. Noah fell right to sleep. Liam will always stay up late, fighting sleep every moment, like me when I was his age.
At 11 Liam and I walked to the bathrooms again. I love the one on one conversation that come at times like these. To sleep we went till 4 AM when Noah, who never wets the bed, wet the bed.
Friday August 21, 2009
It sort of began at 4 AM, when Noah wet the bed. I could not get back to sleep right away. I had checked the weather on the net to make sure that it was ok to keep the window open. I drifted off here and there with strange dreams of moving into broke down houses, walking on the edge of steep bridges crept in. In all, they seemed to be a magnification of the uncertainty of my precarious employment situation that has shadowed this vacation.
We got up and had coffee. Noah and I walked down to where Donna and Liam said that there was a dock and a pond. We ate breakfast and then headed down to the General Store down on Route 209. I could write pages about this place. I believe that even nuclear destruction would leave this place unchanged, except that there may be a small section dedicated to radiation suits and ultra sunshades.
With a fresh bag of ice for drinks we went down to Popham Beach. Unlike yesterday, there were at least 6 places to park because of the fog. You could not see 10 feet in front of you and the tide was high. All of these factors make the beach not as attractive to the general population. It was still very cool. The boys loved it and as Donna had pointed out, we have never seen Noah run so much as he has on the beach. We were very careful to keep the boys up from the water because at high tide there were many spots where it drops off fast.
We walked all the way down to the point and the waves were coming in from 2 directions at once. This was interesting but scary with the boys so we moved on further north. We found a spot on the beach for them to play. First they found a disassembled Lobster that they reconstructed like a crashed airliner. I thought it was pretty inventive. They played in the sand for a while longer and then we began to walk back. The sun appeared to be peaking through the thick mist.
We headed back up 209 and went to a small seafood shack to buy the makings for dinner. Mussels and Clams is what we were thinking. They did not take ATM cards so we went up to the General Store to access the ATM. While I was there I wanted to get Liam and Noah some hot dogs. The steamer was not on so I walked further down into the lower additions of the store. It was a strange set up. First you came into the store and walked around the register island. Then you walk down some stairs and you are in the bait and tackle section. Then you walk further and you are in the coffee and pizza on a warmer section. Then you walk further and you are in the deli-Kitchen area. Then further and you are in the wine and whole sale beverage section. And finally you open the glass door that warns you that there are cameras always on and you are in the state liquor store section.
Across from the very dirty deli kitchen, there was a wood screen door with hardware cloth over it and a very large metal stand up fan from the 1950’s blowing air at the kitchen at approximately the same velocity that it takes to get a small commuter plane off the ground. Funny thing is that as I walked in front of the fan and felt the air on the edge of the kitchen, I imagined that it was still not enough.
The girl between a counter of clutter and a pizza over made to order 4 hot dogs for us. It took her forever and watching her with the knife, I began to wonder if she had ever seen a knife before this moment in her life. She was very nice and even toasted the buns in the pizza oven. As hot dogs go, these were exceptional.
As I stood there for what seemed like 40 minutes. About 40 different people came and went. Most of the men in shirts so dirty you would think they entered through the chimney. This did not seem to faze the employees of the store and they were definitely on first name basis with all of them. It was actually easy to see who was local and who was not by the level of cleanness of the people. Obviously, those men, in the middle of their work day, were in the fishing trade. I sort of imagined that those locals would look at the tourists with some sort of notice that I could discern. But I saw nothing. Obviously, these days they know that these passers through are NEEDED to make the businesses work. They were cordial, maybe just one click above one driving around a 2 by 4 piece of lumber that falls out onto the roadway.
When I returned to the van, my wife had remarried thinking that she would never see me again and Liam and Noah had children of their own. Just kidding. It certainly was the longest I had ever waited for 4 hot dogs.
We went to the campground that was by now buzzing with Friday afternoon business. We had new neighbors on our right and new just below us. The Brenner’s site remained empty. Good I thought. No one could live up to that.
Our neighbors on the right were 3 people from Quebec 2 young girls and 1 man and a mid size dog named Paco. They seemed very nice. Down below our neighbors had a couple of young boys that were evidently allowed to climb that HUGE pine tree out back without any supervision. As a bonus they were also permitted to climb on top of their high conversion van and stomp around on top of the fiberglass roof. Great!
We put the boys into the van as a possible storm threatened. We went to Shaws in Bath. Noah and I went to get our seafood and Donna and Liam went to the Good Will. When we returned we put our laundry in the washers and went back k to the site to cook dinner. Thunder rumbled everywhere, but it never rained. Our dinner was exquisite! The mussels were sweet in the garlic onion and wine sauce. Dipping them in butter was just too good for words. The clams were great, but the best was mussels. Corn on the cob to top it off. All good. All awesome.
I cleaned up while Donna went down for a shower with Liam. She was very mad at him when they returned because he had taken off and was scaring some older boys.
We settled in with the Pink Panther 2 movie. Both boys fell asleep quickly thoroughly tired from the day’s activity.
Saturday August 22, 2009
Out of bed and coffee started, no one else was up. I took Asa for a quick walk and so far, the sun is shining and the day is beautiful. It has not rained at all this vacation. This must be a record for us! We decided that we would get the boys up and Donna would take them to the pool so that I could break the camper down. When everything was complete, I walked down to the pool. There was a rec hall with a small restaurant in which Liam and Noah were having personal size pizzas. I stayed with the boys while Donna went to the showers. It sure was hot inside that rec hall!
Just after check out time we left Phippsburg Maine headed for Kittery to the outlet stores and then home. While this was shorter a mid summer vacation than what we wanted or are used to, it was certainly a sweet one. Last year, at Grand Isle State Park in Northern Vermont we were rained on many times and had to move the camper 4 times! I liked not having to move so many times. I love that our boys get to experience so many new places and yet they almost have a routine that they know about what we do and how we do things when we camp.
While Noah and I sat in the van in Kittery while Donna and Liam were in the store I asked Noah what he liked most about his vacation, he told me that he liked the swimming the best.