October 29, 2005
Well, 2 or 3 major storm systems converged on New England earlier this week so we've seen more than our fair share of heavy wind & rains lately. One of these storms was the tail end of Wilma, working her way up the coast. It's actually been a very wet October. We haven't experienced any damage due to the rain although many areas were/are flooded. Thankfully the last two days have been dry and we've seen some blue sky.
All this wet weather has made me very thankful for the warm and dry week we had during Mom & Dad's visit Sunday Oct 2nd - Sat. Oct 8th. Our visit with them was so nice and the weather allowed us to get out and do things. They arrived late Sunday night after driving down from the ferry landing in New Brunswick (they took the ferry from Nova Scotia that morning).
Monday we took a beautiful fall drive through the countryside around here. The destination for our drive was Ricker Hill orchards in Turner. But on the way we stopped at our close friend's so they could meet Mom & Dad. Then we stopped at Nezinscot farm for a fresh baked snack. Mom & Dad enjoyed egg sandwiches with everything made or grown on the premises. The eggs, the fresh baked bagels, the tomatoes, the cheese, the basil - all from the farm. It's a really cool place. We finally made it to the orchard and picked some apples for the week. The view was beautiful - rolling hills in fall colors. That night after supper we celebrated birthdays. Mom & Dad brought all our gifts and bought a cake to have a true birthday party. This was a fun surprise and everyone opening presents.
Tuesday morning we had a little scare. Dad hadn't been feeling well (a bacterial or viral throat/chest cold? - Mom would know all the details of this) the whole weekend and he was getting worse. He hadn't been sleeping well and was concerned about his immune system and his kidney. So, it was a day of Dr phone calls to AB and a trip to a local Dr. Thankfully he got some antibiotics and improved during the week. So, Tuesday was a rest day. Mom and the kids and I also walked to Bates to see Damien.
Wednesday we went back to Bates to have lunch with Damien and to show Dad where Damien works. Mom & I went downtown to the library and the used book store (maybe did this Tuesday - can't remember). We watched a couple movies during the week - Friday Night Lights & Hidalgo.
Thursday Damien took the day off and we all went to the Fryeburg Fair . This is a huge agricultural fair that takes days to see everything. We did the best we could in the 4 hours we spent there. The kids rode some rides, we saw animals, ate fried foods, and walked through some the craft exhibitions. The drive there and back were highlights of the trip for me. This time of year is so pleasant to drive in Maine - the winding country roads decked out in fall colors.
Friday morning we went to the farm to get our veggies. It was so nice to take Mom & Dad here since this is a big part of our lives in the summer. We picked some apples for snacking and fed the chickens and showed Mom the flower gardens. While there I was stung by a bee but Mom was quick to come to the rescue with plantain. Now I know what it is and that it really does work. That night we drove to Portland to the Old Port and went out for dinner at our favorite Japanese restaurant. It started raining on the way home and hasn't stopped since - just kidding. Although it seems that way somedays.
Saturday morning we had a nice breakfast all together and then Mom & Dad left mid morning for New Brunswick.
So, that was our visit with Mom & Dad. I may have forgotten something, maybe Mom could add more details. I sent the photos to your e-amils. Damien has been researching digital cameras so we may be back to posting photos soon - I sure hope so.
