Wednesday, March 19, 2008

I Went To Maine On Vacation And This Is All I Got...

I bet you have been wondering where I've been! I'm sorry for such a long delay but not only did I bring home some goodies from the US but I also brought back with me an awful, annoying cold :o( It never seems to fail...I go and have some much needed fun and then I pay the consequences afterwards. I wish I had a specific target I could fling all this snot at!

DH and I had a great drive down to Freeport. We came across lots of deer, bald eagles, a hawk and even a coyote! We literally went from three feet of snow to only a few inches in less than five hours. When we got to the hotel and opened the car doors, we could have sworn we drove into spring :o) What a change.

We didn't waste any time and hit the shops! A lot had changed since we were there a few years ago. I was able to find a couple of tank tops and an awesome pair of GAP jeans that actually fit and they are so comfortable :o) I bought some body soap at Bath & Body Works and a few jewellery findings at The Beadin' Path. DH and I cleaned up at The Jockey Store where we totally revamped our underwear drawers. LOL! That evening we went to one of our favourite restaurants, The Azure Cafe, and had their signature calamari dish. Oh SO heavenly and just as we remembered. It was WELL worth the five hour drive ;o)

On Saturday morning we hit the road and went down to Portland for The Boatbuilder's Show. It was held at The Portland Company in the downtown area. There were some amazing boats that ranged from nice to stunning craftsmanship. As I gazed at some of these beauties, I could feel myself cringe at the thought of them even touching salt water. Some were truly a piece of art.

The boat that really got my attention was the one in the worst repair there. Her name was Tar Baby but she was magnificent! She was a 50' Alden Schooner and built by C.A. Morse & Son back in 1929 in Thomaston, Maine. She is completely made of wood but her true beauty lies in her interior. I couldn't believe my eyes went DH and I went down. It was like we were taken back in time. The oil lamps were still in place along with a little coal stove surrounded by the original tile. Unfortunately she is in need of great restoration. What an amazing beauty she would be on the ocean once more!

Before heading back to Freeport, we hit a few stores and I picked up some linen at A.C. Moore. Since we arrived back within time, I got DH to take me over to Pheasant Run Needlecrafts. The few times I have been to Freeport she has always been closed and this was quite the coordinated dance to be able to slip in there for even 15 minutes. Apparently she only does this as a side business. I picked up a bit of stash that I wanted and needed but I have to say that I was not impressed with her. Her knowledge seems to be very basic considering what she sells. I know I won't be going out of my way to visit there again. It's a shame really.

DH and I had dinner reservations at The Azure Cafe for the second night and guess what we had? LOL! That's right, calamari :o) Our second meal there in two days and it was still as good as the first. To walk off the banana chocolate cheesecake, we ventured into LL Bean. They're open 24 hours so there was no rush. We picked up a little life jacket for Brie but after getting it home, we're going to have to make a few adjustments. I guess they weren't designed for Doxies ;o)

On Sunday we packed up the car but didn't rush out of Freeport. We took another tour of LL Bean and DH bought me a pink metallic Leatherman with scissors as the main feature. That way they will remain in my purse for those stitching emergencies ;o) As we headed north, we dropped into Jo-Ann Fabrics where I was able to pick up a bulb for my Ott-Lite and it was already 40% off! Woohoo!

I'd say the best deals of the trip happened on the way down when we stopped in at Waterville. They have a Marden's so it was a good spot to get out and stretch our legs. For those of you not familiar with this store, their slogan is "I should have bought it, when I saw it, at Marden's." And they literally mean it! So when I found a pair of 11" Q-Snap elbows for $3.39, an 11" Q-Snap extension kit for $2.34 and Mill Hill 'treasures' for $0.35 each, I knew I had hit the jackpot :o)

All in all it was a great weekend :o) It was a bit more of a distance for one weekend but it was worth it. It was so nice to have DH to myself, although the kids did pop into my mind a few times over the weekend ;o) Now we're going to have to plan our next adventure. Hopefully Bar Harbour is in there somewhere...

17 comments:

Alberta said...

That sounds like a successful weekend away on all counts! Any chance of sneaking a peak at this pink metallic Leatherman? I have a plain knock off version which I love...I'm sure I'll be drooling over your gift from DH!

Jennifer said...

It sounds like you had a marvelous time - I'm still quite jealous. I'm sorry to hear that you're sick though, and hope you're feeling better soon.

DH and I ate at the Azure Cafe when we were in Freeport a few years ago. You're right - the food is DIVINE. And I just love the LL Bean store. Next time we go, I'm going to have to make DH hit the outlets as well.

Karen said...

sounds like you did very well , we need to see Brie in her new outfit ;o) (yes I need a Brie fix)
Glad you had a nice time with DH

Anonymous said...

Mardens and Renys are the reasons it's fun to shop in Maine! Sounds like a fun trip.

Rachel S-H said...

That sounds like an awesome weekend! That boat is gorgeous.

Ranae said...

Sounds like you had a nice time. Maine is one of the places I have never been and would love to go there someday. Hope that cold clears up soon.

Anonymous said...

Oh, my gosh! I love Freeport - and have been to the same stores as you! That bead store's a lot of fun!
And you were in Waterville??? We have a good family friend who lives there - sounds like I need to send her to Marden's for me! ;o)
I'm glad you two had a good weekend. Send that cold back to Maine!

Sharon said...

What a wonderful trip! That banana chocolate cheesecake really popped out at me-LOL Sounded so yummy!

Laura said...

Sounds like you had a fantastic trip to Maine and quite the shopping expedition. Perhaps it was worth the cold, but I hope you are back to health and mucus-free soon. Oh, and enjoy your new underwear :-).

Cindy said...

Sounds like you had a wonderful trip...and picked up quite a few goodies along the way :)

Paisley said...

Sorry about the cold, but it sounds like you had a great trip! I bet the kids are happy to have you back home!

Marita said...

Sorry you got sick on your holiday. Does sound like a lovely time though.

Stitchabilities said...

Hope you are feeling better,(Hugs)
Any pics?

Faith Ann said...

Well, you were supposed to "get" stuff but a cold wasn't on that list!

It sounds like you had a lovely weekend though. Great deals at Mardens!!

Jocelyn said...

Sounds like a great trip! I'm really glad you had fun. I'm sorry to hear about your cold, though. Here's hoping it goes away soon!

Lori said...

Sounds heavenly. Sorry about your cold.

Kim said...

I discovered your blog from a link on another blog and was very suprised when I saw your post about Maine.

I have lived in Maine all my life and enjoyed reading about your trip. I agree 100% about Pheasant Run in Freeport. When you visit Maine again try to get to Stitcher's Corner in Wiscasset. It may be a bit out of your way but really worth the trip :)

Hope you feel better soon!