I'm still on vacation. I'm currently with my parents in Kittery, Maine. What a summer we have had! I feel very fortunate and hope that I can share some photos to document our trip.
I am thrilled that we were able to have such a nice visit with my husband. Brett, a.k.a. "The Dude" has hiked over 1,800 miles on the Appalachian Trail (2,180 miles from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Katahdin in Maine). He started from Springer Mountain five months ago. Now he has less than 300 miles to finish, which will take about three weeks. We picked him up and brought him back to my parents' house. He was about three hours away by car. Brett spent six days with the family resting and getting his gear back on track.
It was so good to see him, though I continued to be shocked by how much he has changed physically. I told him that it was reassuring that his voice didn't change, otherwise I may not have been able to recognize him. Eventually, I got used to the new him. It won't be nearly as strange being reunited with him when he finishes.
I wish that I were able to hike to the top of Katahdin to see Brett finish the trail, but I will be home by then. The boys will be starting school soon. We knew that if Brett took a week off to be with the family we would be gone by the time he finishes. But it was worth it to have the time together.
For a few photos of Brett on our visit, check out my blog with updates from Brett's A.T. adventure.
http://bretts-at-journal.blogspot.com/2012/07/sat-72112-fri-72712-kittery-me-family.html
Showing posts with label vacation-Maine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vacation-Maine. Show all posts
Monday, July 30, 2012
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
New England Ice Cream
I debated on whether to include this post in my food blog (since it is about food), but decided to include it in the family blog since it is heavy on photos and talks about our Maine vacation.
I miss real, good ice cream. I grew up in a home that valued good ice cream. When our family lived in Massachusetts my parents regularly took the whole family for a drive on a summer night to a local ice cream stand, or if we were on the road they'd take us to the best looking ice cream shop in town. To be honest, it didn't have to be at night - ice cream is good anytime. Just ask my dad! He knows where the nearest ice cream places are no matter where he goes. Or, ask my mom! She always made sure to have a variety of ice creams in the freezer.
When we moved down South we noticed the ice cream difference. For starters, the grocery stores only had about five basic flavors to choose from. Fortunately, times have changed, and you can get a wide variety of flavors in even the store-brand ice creams. Secondly, there were no ice cream stands around--certainly none which offered offered really good ice cream for a reasonable price. Unfortunately, times have not changed so much that real, old-fashioned ice cream stands are anywhere close to us. Sure, we have the big-named (expensive) ice cream places where you request add-ins and create your own flavor combos. But, they're just not the same.
Going out to eat ice cream while I was in New England was a priority for me. Unfortunately, the days kept slipping by and I kept missing my post-dinner ice cream opportunities. A solution occurred to me: on my last night in Maine I proposed ice cream instead of dinner. It was a plan that was agreed upon unanimously by the family! Remember, ice cream is good anytime. So, we had a big, late lunch and went out for our dinner ice cream at Lago's: big servings, good prices, and best of all: great ice cream!
I miss real, good ice cream. I grew up in a home that valued good ice cream. When our family lived in Massachusetts my parents regularly took the whole family for a drive on a summer night to a local ice cream stand, or if we were on the road they'd take us to the best looking ice cream shop in town. To be honest, it didn't have to be at night - ice cream is good anytime. Just ask my dad! He knows where the nearest ice cream places are no matter where he goes. Or, ask my mom! She always made sure to have a variety of ice creams in the freezer.
When we moved down South we noticed the ice cream difference. For starters, the grocery stores only had about five basic flavors to choose from. Fortunately, times have changed, and you can get a wide variety of flavors in even the store-brand ice creams. Secondly, there were no ice cream stands around--certainly none which offered offered really good ice cream for a reasonable price. Unfortunately, times have not changed so much that real, old-fashioned ice cream stands are anywhere close to us. Sure, we have the big-named (expensive) ice cream places where you request add-ins and create your own flavor combos. But, they're just not the same.
Going out to eat ice cream while I was in New England was a priority for me. Unfortunately, the days kept slipping by and I kept missing my post-dinner ice cream opportunities. A solution occurred to me: on my last night in Maine I proposed ice cream instead of dinner. It was a plan that was agreed upon unanimously by the family! Remember, ice cream is good anytime. So, we had a big, late lunch and went out for our dinner ice cream at Lago's: big servings, good prices, and best of all: great ice cream!
Ryan with his "baby" ice cream cone
(chocolate chip maybe? I can't remember).
Todd with Rocky Road ice cream.
Ryan (who already finished his ice cream) goes in for a bite of Emily's sherbet. Uncle Dave looks like he's having a hard time figuring out how to best manage the ice cream drips.
Afton enjoys ice cream, too! 
Two happy siblings, one sticky face
Todd with Rocky Road ice cream.Ryan (who already finished his ice cream) goes in for a bite of Emily's sherbet. Uncle Dave looks like he's having a hard time figuring out how to best manage the ice cream drips.Afton enjoys ice cream, too! Two happy siblings, one sticky face(Adam's--appears to be chocolate...).
Most of the gang made it. We were even able to have Uncle Larry, and Uncle Tim and Aunt Kathy join us. (L-R: Mom, Dad, Laura, Larry, Adam, Dave, Emily, D.C., Kerry, Tim, Kathy)
(L-R: Kerry, Amy, Afton, Todd, Ben) 
Cousins! (L-R: Adam, D.C., Kate, Emily, Ryan, Ben, Todd)
Did I mention that I miss real, good ice cream--and summer nights like this? Next time I go back I may even upgrade from the "Kiddie" size cup to a "Small"!
(And, in case you were wondering--which you probably weren't--I got one of the special flavors: Black Raspberry Cookies and Cream . . . yum!)
Most of the gang made it. We were even able to have Uncle Larry, and Uncle Tim and Aunt Kathy join us. (L-R: Mom, Dad, Laura, Larry, Adam, Dave, Emily, D.C., Kerry, Tim, Kathy)(L-R: Kerry, Amy, Afton, Todd, Ben) Cousins! (L-R: Adam, D.C., Kate, Emily, Ryan, Ben, Todd) Did I mention that I miss real, good ice cream--and summer nights like this? Next time I go back I may even upgrade from the "Kiddie" size cup to a "Small"!(And, in case you were wondering--which you probably weren't--I got one of the special flavors: Black Raspberry Cookies and Cream . . . yum!)
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