Maine is Marvelous

 I did some running around today,  I started by taking a whole lot of cans and bottles to the recyling center in Thomaston not very far away,   The place is called "The Redemption Center"  

From there I went into Camden and went to the yarn store there that I love.   It's called the Cashmere Goat.  There was a yarn there that I really wanted to buy, but it would cost more than $50.00 to knit a baby sweater and I decided not to buy it.   I did buy some knitting needles.

I got into a conversation with a couple who have taken the coastal steamer up to Tromso.  Small world!  The husband is Danish and he replied in Danish when I said good bye to them!

Next stop was the Goodwill store.  I bought a lovely basket for Austin to keep apples in- but I might just keep it!  Also bought a silly traffic light (battery operated) for Austin.

I came home and had some lunch.  Then I started purging - sun room, pantry, kitchen and barn.   I loaded up my car and went to the Warren Transfer Station AKA the dump.   Felt good to clean up all that stuff.

Normally when I blog I try to place pictures with the writing that goes with them.  But I have a hard time doing that- especially on my laptop.   So I am just going to do a photo dump when I am done writing.

Some of the pictures are of the scenic road and lake between Austin's house and the dump!  There's also the big Trump poster on someone's garage.   A silly picture of Molly the cat.  And a picture of me all worn out!

Maine

 I've been in Maine for over a week now.  Partly I feel like I haven't done anything.  I sit and knit and watch TV all day.  

Went for Thai food with Austin

Took Austin to catch a bus that would take him to a destination that ultimately got him to Oregon.

Austin and Mom (me)

I've been to the Rockport Harbor with my friend Sylvia to watch as her great grandson and his girl friend posed for their prom photos.   Then Sylvia and I had lunch at a seafood place that had gluten free options.

I grocery shopped at the local grocery store, Hanafords where they have beautiful produce!

Enjoyed looking at the evening light flowing into Austin's front room at sunset

I've done a lot of knittting and have completed the pieces for the sweater I am making for my grandson (expected in early July)

Marty (Martha)and I met in Tromso, Norway in 1983.  Her son Carlos and my son Darcy were pretty close in age.  There were very few Americans in Tromso, so we made fast friends.  We have exchanged Christmas cards for almost 40 years and have not seen each other in over 30 years.  I knew Marty li lived in Maine, so before making the trip this time we agreed to get together.

Marty showed me around the town of Belfast, Maine where we had lunch alfresco.  The weather was beautiful!   Then Marty took me to a yarn shop owned by a friend of hers.  I was in heaven!  And of course I bought some yarn!

I only remembered that tomorrow is trash day after it was already dark out.   Well, I did not get very far.  Here's a picture of Austin's driveway in the daylight.  Navigating this in the dark while lugging a heavy trash can is not a good idea.  So I did not get it to the curb!

Even though I did not manage to wrangle the trash to the street, I did get to see the beautiful, almost full moon setting behind the trees!

Have I said that I love Maine?   I do love Maine!

Preemie in progress

 My cousin's daughter gave birth to baby Ian John Anderson at only 28 weeks gesteation

These photos start at the botton of the screen where we can see how small and fragile he was at birth

Finally at 49 days old Ian has been able to go home!

On the way home!   49 days after he was born!

Mom and Dad enjoy their sweet baby!

Modeling his new tiny sweater

Finished preemie sweater

further along in the sweater's progress 

start of the assembly of the sweater

Getting ready to make a tiny sweater

Mom Chrissy finaly got to hold Ian

Look how tiny Ian was with his dad's hand on his head

This is what 70 looks like!

                                             Well, here I am- all 70 years of me!

It was actually a nice day (and yesterday).  Yesterday my sister Carol brought me a bunch of geraniums in little pots to transplant..(she gave me lots of other good stuff too)

This morning when I got up this morning there were more plants that Nick had bought for me for my birthday!

 

 Carol and I and some of her friends who I know all went to lunch together at a Mexican restaurant.  Yummy food and great company!  I should have taken a picture of my food!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Courtney set up a Zoom session so we could all celebrate Austin's birthday 2 days ago and my birthday today.  It was so nice to see and talk to all five kids at the same time.

 

Each of the five kids are different from each other, but they are all so awesome in their own unique ways.  It was nice to hear them talking to each other as well as Nick and I.

And here I am, a day over seventy! 

 

 

My Wonderful Son/ Austin Andrew Sherwood Born May 3, 1987

I posted this last year, for Austin's birthday.  I wonder if I can repost it?  I would add all of the same photos as I did last year.   

I am in Maine ay Austin's house, working on my laptop.   Maybe when I get home I can do more when using my desk top.

I just always remember Austin's birth as a huge highlight in our loves!  What a joyous day that was!

 

 

I'm turning 70!

 

I posted this on a Facebook group for women over 50 and got over 400 responses.  I'll try to post some of them sometime.

" apropos of nothing really I guess. But here I go. I am turning 70 on Sunday May 5th and I am pissed off. I don't want to be 70 and be older and wiser. I know that I don't really have a choice, and once that milestone date passes I will be fine. My sister and my husband, the two people who I am closest to are both 76, so they are not very sympathetic or understanding. No platitudes needed- I just needed to get it out!"

 

This is a picture of me showing a sewing machine to my stepmother

I was 16 or 17 at the time

 

 

 

 

 

                                                        Nick and Nancy May 1975

 

Eclipse Day April 8, 2024
 

La Leche League

 

 

This is something I wrote to a Friends of LLL Facebook Group

I think that we all feel the way I do. I am so glad that I found La Leche League. Or did La Leche League find me? Everything important in my life has been impacted by LLL. My mother, who breastfed three babies was proud (she used to tell people that I was the president of la Leche League) My children have benefited from learning about loving guidance and acceptance. My husband really learned about being a wonderful friend and father.

I have been a LLL Leader in other countries and held various positions- DA, ACL, etc. And I know that anywhere I find a La Leche League Leader I have found a friend.

Even as I get older and start seeing my friends get older too and die, I know that my LLL friends understand and share my joys and sorrows.

How lucky am I!!!