Just a Perfect Blendship

Friendship, friendship, just a perfect blendship.

Highlights of this post:

1. Portland Weekend
2. NC Friends Visiting
3. I am 23 now!
4. Friendship is a special kind of love

If It's the Beaches 

I took myself on a visit to Crescent Beach State Park after an evening in Portland with friends. I was supposed to go volunteer at 5am, but slept in til 7am (HA. "Slept in.") instead.

Tons of seaweed. You have to wade about 10 feet into the water to get past it! Very icky feeling.

Jackson Pollock seaweed

I continue to find myself mesmerized by the marks of time on rocks in Maine.

So stunning

Years of the ocean's handiwork

So, I mentioned, I hung out with friends the evening before. We had SO MUCH FUN. And also really good grilled food. Here are pictures:

In my list of words to describe Maine, I'll include "Potlucks"

 

TLC --> ME

How BLESSED I am to have the friendship of an incredible group of women known as TLC. Two members of the posse came to visit me. I took them on a jam-packed tour of the land I love. 

Matching sweatshirts we got on our field trip to UMA.

Cape Elizabeth & Portland

The caption of the above photo tells you that we took a field trip. Because my friends' flight got in so late, I made them come with me on my middle school students' field trip to the Holocaust museum. They behaved absolutely appallingly (the students, that is). Some of them have clearly been indoctrinated with hate by adults in their lives, as they were saying blood-boilingly terrible things that trivialized genocide and profaned the various religious faiths of many people. I was so over them at the end of that day, except for one thing: we did an activity where we were all supposed to affirm each other in small groups. I loved speaking good things into their lives; to see their faces light up when I said, "You are so loved," or "I've seen you be an amazing friend," or "you will make the grades you need this year," was priceless.

After the awfulness, I of course took my friends to Fort Williams Park and the Portland Headlight! It persists as one of my favorite places in Maine.

Fat n Sassy

After touring the park, I took my friends down to Two Lights Lobster Shack, because of course you have to eat lobster when in Maine.

Heartbreaking sunset

Popham Beach

The next day, I took the pals to Popham Beach. I am enamored with this place. 

Surprise splash. The land bridge was being covered by the tide!

After a long, long, wonderful, perfect beach day, we went to Bath for dinner, because of course you must go to a charming small town when in Maine.

We ended up finding free live music.

What a joy to lie in the grass under tree-filtered sun.

We grabbed hot sandwiches & beer here

Sunday Funday 

We spent Sunday in Lewiston, because of course you must play tourist in your own town when you are in Maine. First, we went to my church. Then, we went to Baxter Brewing's open house for the most succulent tacos I've ever had, some live music, and of course, beer. In New England, I've found a great love for breweries. 

On the tour

On da roof

After a too long hangout, my friends and I retreated home for a bit before going out to Freeport for dinner and to see the L.L. Bean store, because of course you must see the L.L. Bean store when you are in Maine. We went to Gritty's, another Maine must.

Freeport street

Tumbledown... Waaaaaaay Down

Along with the requests to visit Portland, a beach, and my city was the request to visit a Maine mountain. I took my friends to Weld in western Maine to do a hike I had heard great things about. The day we hiked Tumbledown Mountain was quite the ordeal. 1) It was 98 degrees that day; as Southerners, this didn't phase or effect us too bad except that 2) we ran out of water less than halfway through our hike. I drank water from a stream and have yet to have a violent digestive episode, so hopefully I dodged any bacteria or parasites.   

It all started so well.

The most strenuous route.

A slight break from the very vertical ascent

Inside Fat Man's Misery/The Lemon Peeler

View from the top! Magnificent!

PLEASE FEED US WATER

Eventually we came to a pond we could swim in which made us feel a lot better, but also made us want water to drink all the more desperately.

I was legitimately worried about our health and safety on this hike because it was so hot and we were very dehydrated. As soon as we came to the first store in sight out of the park, we each bought a bottle of gatorade and water. That night, we treated ourselves to frozen pizza, bag salad, and grocery store bakery whoopie pies, all while watching a Redbox and playing the face game.

The Face Game

During our visit, one of the two friends who is introverted told me that she was happy to see all we were seeing, but that she also didn't need to see the entire state of Maine. I do run around this state quite a bit. I felt like I HAD to show them as much as possible! We had a lovely visit and I felt so proud to show my friends my life here. I look forward to seeing them in NC soon!

23 Years and Still No SIDS! 

My Maine friends were kind enough to throw me a birthday party commemorating living for 23 years. We started at my friend Kari's porch, then went to Pedro O'Hara's Mexican-Irish-American Restaurant, and ended the night at The Blue Goose dive bar. It was a great time until it wasn't and even then my friends took care of me. I woke up with a slice of toast next to me and got a Gatorade delivery later that morning.

I am so grateful for friends,

JB