#119 Nomad Diary. 28 January-3 February 2023. Full Week in Portland, Maine. Winter. Staying with Our Kids for a Month.

 

Our bedroom inside Jeremy and Andrea’s house. They rent this room out on airbnb. I think the tv is the only one in the house. The shelves are super-convenient to put our clothes on!

Darrell making gluten-free wild blueberry pancakes for breakfast at Jeremy and Andrea’s house.

Quinn, age 2 yrs 4 months, enjoying grandpa’s pancakes.

Saturday. 28. We slept in until 7am. Darrell got right up to go make pancakes for Quinn because he has been looking forward to Grandpa’s pancakes. I cooked the sausage patties and set the table. We had a yummy breakfast made with gluten free flour to include Andrea. Of course we have real maple syrup, and today we had some wild blueberries too! After breakfast was cleaned up I played with Quinn for a considerable amount of time. I have my hula hoop with me and I hula hoop while saying the ABC’s with him. He knows all of the letters and sounds in sequence. Today we drew some letters too. I had time to be on my computer in our bedroom with a space heater! Before lunch Andrea, Quinn and I bundled up and walked 2-3 blocks to the grocery to pick up a couple items. Quinn likes to see the lobsters in the tank there. We came back and had lunch. Darrell and I had salads with my homemade dressing, cheese and crackers. A couple hours later we did our DDP stand up routine, and then we went out for a walk. It was warmer than earlier, but still very cold with big piles of plowed snow along the way. The sidewalks are cleared and where the snow is melting is icy along the edges. Andrea cooked a beef and cabbage stir fry for dinner to go with the left-over Asian rice dish. Dinner was enjoyable together. I cleared the dishes. Darrell read. Quinn played. Andrea cleaned something and was getting happy to get Jeremy at the airport as he’s been away for a week. Jeremy arrived home after Quinn was in bed. 

Quinn, Andrea and Jeremy in their living room, oh, and Chomp the dinosaur! Portland, Maine.

Sunday. 29. Darrell and I went to the church of Christ meeting on Brighton Ave. Here is their web address: www.portlandme-churchofchrist.org. We met with the two families who have been here together for at least 25 years. They were very friendly and nice to worship with. Darrell volunteered to preach next Sunday and Pat, the preacher was happy to have him take a turn next Sunday! 

Quinn and his Dad playing catch.

Quinn looking at the lobster tank at the grocery.

Andrea followed by Quinn walking back from the grocery.

Andrea and Quinn outside their house in Portland, Maine.

Monday. 30. Took a walk with Andrea and Quinn to Hanniford’s grocery a couple blocks away. Quinn loves seeing the lobster tank in the grocery! We walked past a University building that has a map museum that I’d like to go to during our stay. Andrea is still cooking dinner and getting ready to volly that chore to Me and Darrell on Wednesday.

Darrell at Freeport, Maine store.

Me getting the boot in Freeport, Maine.

Tuesday. 31. We drove to the LLBean Store in Freeport where there are several stores including an outlet and a retail store. We went to both. Darrell found his new piece of luggage and I’m a bit jealous because it weighs 2+ pounds less than my new luggage! Now we will see how both pieces function in our upcoming travels! Lol! 

A cold winter walk in Portland, Maine park.

Wednesday. 1. We went out for a cappuccino and also to shop at Trader Joe’s for groceries for our cooking Salmon Tacos tonight. Dinner was delicious! Darrell cooked the salmon and the tortillas while I put together a spicy slaw and made guacamole. Quinn enjoyed the dinner eating all of the elements except the slaw. He tries lettuce and raw veggies sometimes but it is still kind of hard for him to chew and he puts his taste aside as if to say, ‘what’s the point?’!

Quinn with a yogurt mustache and asking for more. He usually eats homemade yogurt with granola and raisins for lunch before naptime. Darrell took this picture.

Thursday. 2.

Darrell reading to Quinn while Andrea works on her computer. Portland, Maine.

Today is the day before the predicted “Arctic Blast”. Andrea, Quinn and I went to  BJ’s (like Cosco) and Trader Joe’s and bought up supplies for a few days. Darrell and I went out for a walk and another cappuccino date!

Friday. 3.

We did a harder DDP routine today, Diamond Cutter ‘lite’. We figured being inside all day is a good reason to work out harder.

Today the temperature dropped all day. The overnight low is supposed to bottom out around -20 with colder wind chills. For dinner I cooked chicken soup, made a beet salad and baked golden milk oatmeal. We played a round of Contract Rummy in the evening after dinner.

Nomad Notes. The pace of living seems so much slower here than in Alabama. It’s cold here, very cold! I don’t want to be outside very long at a time. For the first couple of days, I spent considerable amount of time in my bedroom with a space heater! Lol. We don’t have as many friends here like in Alabama to keep us busy, just the daily routines of cooking meals for the 5 of us that Andrea has already been planning often. Darrell and I take time to do our DDP yoga routine either first thing in the morning or in early afternoon. I’ve been taking hot tub baths at night as has been my practice since I was a kid. I get warmed up just before getting into bed with wool socks on my feet. The house is chilly in the hallway when I have to get up in the night. Our room tends to get warm with the door closed. I am already looking forward to getting back to warmer weather.

On Wednesday afternoon I declined a walk with Darrell, and now I’m thinking that I could have/should have gone. If I just think about this stay in Maine as similar to being in Norway last summer, I can probably enjoy this cold more! Lol.

After a week here, my attitude is changing to try to capture and parallel my excitement in Norway last year. I’m ready to tackle this Maine weather with more acceptance and enthusiasm! 

I’m happy and well-fed in a peaceful house full of people I adore! It’s so good to be right here right now!