Guess who came to town?

It's Kip and Sandy!!! This was, of course, cause for the South Carolina beach crew to get together for lobstah.

We missed not having Jerry and David there but toasted them on their 33rd wedding anniversary. We tried to call them but they must have been out celebrating their blessed event.

Kim and Sandy put in a new flower garden earlier in the day.

Storm Center update.

It took a tracktor, Sid, a truck, chains, and the Philbrick twins to clean up the big old willow. The job required much pondering, debate, planning, and good luck. Jackie and I tried to supervise and not get snapped in half by a tree.





Chain Saw Sid says that this saw works best because it has no muffler. Okay, Sid, whatever you say? He replied, "it makes me feel like I'm drivin a Harley."

Fresh meat.





















By the end of the day, we have a newly trimmed willow as the gateway to Michael Drive.

Auntie Em, Auntie Em!!!

The past few days have been hot and humid causing all those people who bitch endlessly about winter and how they hate the cold, to endlessly bitch about the heat. On Friday night, good old Mother Nature gave us a bitch of a storm. The wind was so strong it broke the umbrella completely off our deck table. It didn't break the glass table top, thank God, just the lazy Susan, (not me), shattered. We were lucky the umbrella didn't land in the pool.

Michael Drive is closed off to all traffic until Matt and Sid figure out what the hell to do with this tree.

Very berry!!!

These berry bushes are considered a pest in Maine because they grow like crazy. I like them because they are red and quite pretty. They also produce hours of entertainment because the berries ferment, the birds eat them, get a little drunk, chirp like crazy for a half hour, and then fly into stuff. It's pretty funny!

These are the same berries in winter. Not really, it's just that my new camera has black and white available at the flick of a switch.

The best restaurant in town.

Okay, so it is the only restaurant in Carmel, at least it is a great one. The seafood is great, as are the daily specials, and desserts. Eat in or take out it is very economical, the service is great, and it is about 3 miles from our house. Somebody pinch me! I wanted to take pics with my new camera of our fried seafood combos and the dessert menu on Sunday, but Matt said it was embarrassing.

Eddington Bend!

We ventured out to see Johnny and Kim on Sunday to celebrate John's birthday. This is their backyard on the banks of the Penobscot River. The river is just beyond on those huge pines. In winter you can see the river flow from the living room.

The front steps to their little love shack.

John, Matt, and Kim enjoy the view from the upper back deck.

The back yard garden.

The one and only cat, at least in her mind, Elaine.

Don't you just love Cheese Puffs!!!

New Toy!

Matt got me a new pink camera for an early birthday present. Like a kid in a candy store, I was taking pictures of everything all day. This is my all time favorite toy which Matt wants to sell and get a new one because it turns hard to the left. I say, "buck up big boy and deal with it." I love this boat.





My new camera has great zoom!!!

These are the flowers Matt brought home last week and the piss pot Mom and Dad got me while in Maine.

New camera has some fun special effects. Annie could care less.

This is just so cute it almost makes you throw up a little bit.

Portrait setting. This was taken in broad daylight. I call it "Matt spaces."

Guess who's having a birthday?

The one and only, Johnny. An enigma and a great guy. He goes to South Carolina every once in awhile,









Plays golf with snow on the ground by the pool,

Spends time with me wearing great hats,

and is one of my bestest friends. You can post your birthday greetings to John on this blog. He reads it but won't admit it.

Barn upgrades!

The barn has been a blaze of activity.











While Dad was in Maine he added this functional, yet stylish, work bench to our barn.













Complete with matching shelf.

Prime Real Estate

Dad heard that my sister was looking for a fixer upper in Maine, so while visiting he came across this humble abode. Jerry, just let me know if you want me to put a down payment on it.

Don't try this at home!

Never dust your kitchen with your MP3 player headphones on. Here is why: last weekend I had swiffer duster in hand, the windows and doors wide open, and was gettin' down on some Jimmy Buffet. Little did I know that my wonderful, Pentecostal neighbors, Sid and Jackie, were standing in the breezeway watchin me have a party for one. Here is the really bad part. The Jimmy song I was bellowing out was , "Why don't we get drunk and screw." You fin heads know the one: "I just bought a waterbed that's filled up for me and you. They say you are a snub queen, honey, I don't think that's true, why don't we get drunk and screw." Again, don't do this at home!

Laying Low.

Big Saturday night in Carmel. Matt is recovering nicely from a minor outpatient surgery. A couple Vicoden and my MP3 player and he was groovin.








He is very proud of the new Harley Road King pin he won the bet on through Ebay auction.







Of course we had to keep up with the Gironda's and get one of these.










I'm very proud of my strawberry jar full of begonias.

Lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer.

I don't see my friend Butch enough.

Lately, Butch and I have not seen each other much. I love being his friend because not only is he a great guy, but he is always game for the things I love. Like bocce!








Swimming!









Taking an airplane ride!












And celebrating being an American!

Sea critters of Carmel

We now have a couple of fish swimming around the pool. Good old Walmart.











Don't you just love Nemo?

I should say these are former sea critters of Carmel. Matt worked in Searsport and brought home these beauties. I am a true Mainer, I love lobstah and baked beans! I love fresh peas and salmon on the Fourth of July. Happy Birthday, America!!!