If you wondered why there were no posts to the blog for the past couple of days, it's because we took our annual get-away trip to the coast.  We love going to Maine, but only like to stay for a couple of nights and then we are anxious to get back home. 

Jamie and Marie looked in on Woody while we were gone, and Jamie said he thought Woody missed us.  We think so, too, because when we arrived yesterday afternoon, he was very vocal for a short time and seemed to be torn between hanging out with us for some petting and getting outside.  After being cooped up inside for almost three days, he was very relieved to have doors opening on demand again and kept us busy letting him out and answering his knock to come back in.  When I settled into my chair to read the papers after dinner last night, he immediately got up in my lap, but again was torn between cuddling and getting outside in the darkness.  I think he was testing his "staff" to be sure we were not going to abandon him again. 

We decided to go through the mountains on our way east this time.  Sometimes we take different routes, depending on the weather or how long it's been since we've taken a certain route.  It had been a while since we'd been that way, and although it was cloudy when we left home, the weather forecast seemed ok.  We have been through Crawford Notch in a snow storm - strictly white-knuckle driving easing down those steep snow-covered curves - but no such hazardous conditions this time.  I've put together a short slide show of that portion of our trip.

It was quite nice when we got to York on Tuesday afternoon, but on Wednesday morning there was

a dense fog.  We went out to the Nubble Light (because that's an obligatory stop) and could barely make out the red light in the tower.  It was unusual that there were almost no other visitors there - even the gulls were quiet.  We spotted a cormorant surrounded by various other birds huddled together on

the rocks to the left of the lighthouse, waiting for the fog to lift.  Later in the morning it turned out to be a pretty nice day.  Not much bright sunshine, but very mild and perfect for exploring the deserted beach.

We had stopped on our way to visit my cousin, Janice Morrill who is at an assisted living facility in Dover, New Hampshire.  Janice was happy to see someone from home, and we had a nice chat with her.  Her memory is failing, and it's very difficult for her to recall names or sometimes to express a thought, but we were pleased that she knew us and we were able to recall things like dances at Cole's Pond, the farm in Walden where she grew up, and some of our relatives - most of them gone now, but always nice to remember. 

On the way home we had lunch at the Lakehouse Grille in Meridith with Fred's brother, Tom and Ella.  We had a very nice lunch and it is always fun to catch up on family stuff with them.  Tom was anxious to get out on the golf course, so we didn't linger too long.  We were anxious to get home, too. We headed north and didn't stop until we got home. 

As is often the case when we go to Maine in the fall, there were

canpaign posters everywhere.  It's like there's some kind of competition to see who can get the most signs stuck in the ground at any given point.  Mostly they were so close together it was nearly impossible to read any except the ones in front.  Printing companies are the real winners in this contest, I think.  The signs didn't dampen our spirits, though, and in just a few more days all the campaign ads will be gone from TV and radio, too.  And won't that be a relief!  We should all get out and vote, however.  There are important issues to decide and offices to fill; we all need to be a part of the process. 

Snow is expected this weekend "in the higher elevations."  That could mean us, of course, but it's time.  

Happy Halloween, everyone!