Anna comes to Maine

Sat, Aug 10

Today is the big day.  Anna arrives!

We got up at 4:30 AM this morning to drive to Boston (a 4 hour drive) to meet Anna.  This is her first "solo" flight on an airliner, so we are in constant contact with Mom and Dad as she leaves Raleigh, and immediately on her arrival in Boston.

Anna gets off the airplane after her first "solo"

And arrives at the gate to be greeted by Mimi and Papa

It'g going to be great to have her with us for the next couple of weeks as we go back into Canada, travel the coast of Maine, and maybe more.  Who knows?

Anna takes on New Hampshire

The drive down to Boston was rather pleasant this morning.  We actually arrived at the airport before Anna left Raleigh.  However, it took about as much time for us to get gate passes so we could meet Anna at the gate as it took Anna to fly from Raleigh to Boston.  It reminds me again of why flying today is not much fun.

And I am again reminded why I do not like big cities.  We had actually planned to pick up Anna and spend the afternoon at some attraction in Boston.  But it only took the drive through Boston to the airport to convince me that there was no way that I was going to spend all afternoon trying to find one museum.  So we headed back toward Maine.

Again, I was reminded why I never want to get near a big city.  It took 2 states for the traffic to finally smooth out.  It was all the way from Boston, through New Hampshire, and 20 miles into Maine before we were able to drive normal highway speeds.  We were going from zero to sixty to zero to twenty to zero to fifty, etc. for the first two hours.  I think there are entirely too many people!  With too many cars!

We're really excited to have Anna with us, and we've already changed our plans for our excursions twice.  It's no telling what we'll end up doing!

Anna falls right in with the routine of watching the sunset from the "camp"

Sun, Aug 11

It sure is a lot of fun having Anna join us.

Anna and Mimi are in to latch hook rugs and cross stitch

Anna is helping Papa on the roof of the motorhome

This morning we took the kayaks out on the lake for a couple hours.  Anna enjoyed getting out of the kayak and climbing the boulders in and around the lake.  We were able to get real close to the loons and watch the mother feeding her baby.

The loons did not seem to mind us coming into their territory

Anna conquers another boulder

Anna worked very hard to get Papa out of his kayak and onto the rocks so she was thrilled when he finally came up with her!

This afternoon we took a hike up to 2nd Pond (yes that's what it is called).  This is the water supply for the area and is a beautiful secluded lake.  Jill's father, Ed, use to run the water system for the area and Jill had been up to the lake many times as a youngster and knew all about the area and what's happened here in the past.  It made for a fun afternoon.

Blue berries and moss we collected on the afternoon hike

At beautiful 2nd Pond

Tonight we had a fun evening with Tony and Jill at the "big camp".  We've really enjoyed being able to stay here on this beautiful lake for the past week.  It is one of the most beautiful settings we've ever stayed in.

They talk different here