To life!

Good morning, friends! We're still in Portland, Maine. I'm at a bakery and coffee shop called Crema. Fantastic iced coffee, and oh em gee, the quiche! Later today is grocery shopping, and perhaps some more exploring. But first, let me tell you what you've missed.

Yesterday was a great day- we explored the town and found that we like it very much. I took a screenshot of the map of town for you. See where it says Long Wharf, bottom center? That's where Dimillo's Marina is.

This piece of the Berlin Wall is outside the marina. 

I found a bookstore I like very much.

This is their front window display- so pretty!

I read the description of this book and I love it. This guy, Crash Barry- what an awesome name, was everything from a sheep herder to a blueberry picker to a sternman? Which I guess is a commercial fishing/lobstering term. This was one of maybe 8 of his books. And I want them all.

The next two pictures are of beautiful boats, but that's not the only reason I photographed them. While I was on my way from the boat to lunch yesterday, I stopped the Capt. of these two boats. I asked him if he was from this area, he said he is. I then told him that I was planning on going to B. Good for a cheeseburger, unless he had a better suggestion. He sent me over to J's Oyster right at the edge of the marina parking lot. "They have great everything," he said.

When I got to J's, I was one of the first. I sat at the bar because I hate taking up a seat at a whole table just for me. Just after I sat down, 4 gentlemen sat at the corner of the bar, one seat down from me. These men were all retired from various professions and of an age that warrants a whole lot of interesting stories. The guy closest to me, Russ, moved to the seat immediately next to me "because the a/c was blowing right on him..." Yeah, right. Haha

I enjoyed talking to Russ very much. He told me about the other "old guys," as he called them, Ed, Marshall, and a third guy. Russ told me all about him- into politics, history buff, "probably the smartest guy in the bar," and when I interrupted to ask the guy's name, he replied, "now, don't ask me questions." 

After the bios, he gave me a play by play of their conversations. I commented that they all seemed knowledgeable in different areas, perhaps they're learning form each other? "No," he said, "they're all just listening to themselves."

He also told me about his job as a 15 year old kid as the only crew member on a 65 foot Wheeler. Not sure what a Wheeler looks like, but he said, "nice boat." I appreciated the similarity to me. 

When I told him I'd never had oysters, he insisted I try his. "That's just the lobster stuffing, you can't have my oyster!" He cracked me up.

When I told him I had a blog and that the four of them would likely be in it, he said, "How do I explain that to my wife?!"

"I'm 27, Russ."

I wrote down the blog address and told him to contact me if he was misrepresented in any way. 

Hope you like it, Russ!

After leaving J's, I walked around town a bit more, eventually wandering back to the boat. 

We had a fantastic supper at Dimillo's. It's an old transport ferry at the center of the marina. We got a great picture of the three of us.

And I got some good pictures after supper too.