Spring in my step

Well, 10 days ago we had a snow day and then this week we had temperatures in the 60s (F) which I am told is miraculous for this time of year. The Maine winter I was dreading/excited to experience never really did hit bar a few very cold days and a couple of snow storms. I haven't been ice skating, snow shoeing or cross country skiing so I feel a little cheated, yet as the days are drawing longer, the snow is melting, the sun is shining and I can run outdoors again, I find myself not being that sorry!

Yesterday, after the gym, with the promise of a chilly yet sunny day, I set off for Popham beach a little further up the coast and out on a peninsula. What a place to have breakfast...

  

The tide was in, so my pink wellies came in handy as I plodged around the shore line and felt like Liv the explorer. There was barely a soul about and the white sand, littered with washed up driftwood and half submerged whole trees, was like landing on a desert island. Only my footprints stretched behind me. It was very beautiful and as the tide went out, more sand banks and buried trees emerged from the sea.

  

Afterwards, I went further round the peninsula to Fort Popham, built in the civil war era to guard Bath's ship building interests further up the Kennebec river. It was an ugly brute, but interesting to explore.

  

 I was also lucky enough to be invited by Janie, my neighbour, to see her play 'Dirty rotten scoundrels' in South Portland last night. We went out for a delicious Thai meal beforehand with her husband Bill (our snow blower who isn't complaining about the lack of winter either) and some friends, and then on to see the show. The story is about two con men who meet on a train. The older of the two out-cons the younger and then agrees to take him on to show him how it is really done. They then set up a bet - whoever manages to con Miss Dairy Queen out of $50,000 wins and gets to be top-dog. The younger then feigns not being able to use or feel his legs, and sets up a sob story about needing money to pay for a special doctor. Cue the older getting wind of this, introducing himself as said doctor and then doing various pain inducing tests on the younger's legs...you can't feel that can you? To give the rest of the story in a nut shell, she out cons both of them and takes their $50,000. It was very funny and very well done, especially the musical numbers.

Another happy weekend in Maine :)