#151 Nomad Diary. 9-15 September 2023. A Full Week in Portland, Maine. Living with Andrea and Quinn, Age 3. Marsha Says We Inspired Her to Downsize!
 |
| Walking with Jeremy (our #3 son) Through Old Portland Cemetary. |
 |
| Armenian Flatbread Made with Walnuts, Sesame seed, and Mild Peppers. Tzatziki. Saturday. 9. It was hot today in Portland, Maine at about 85 degrees. Tomorrow it’s supposed to be closer to 70. Jeremy and Andrea had friends over to say good-bye. After that Jeremy walked with Darrell and I for more than 2 miles to a restaurant. On our way back to the house we walked through an old cemetery. We got back to the house around 3 and sat cooling off as best we could. Tomorrow Jeremy leaves for his new job training in DC. |
 |
| A Store Window Along Portland Waterfront |
 |
| Darrell Next to Street Art Along Waterfront Walk Near Water Treatment Facility |
 |
| Portland City Park on a Hazy Day |
 |
| A Familiar House Style in Downtown Portland. The Vines Make This House Unique. |
 |
| Seen From Our Long Walk Turning From the Waterfront Back Toward Town. Near the Highway. Sunday. 10. Darrell and I did our morning routine: DDP yoga routine on the back deck and ate We stopped along our way for coffee and a delicious pastry. The church meets in a community center. We met with them in February. When we arrived it was fun to remeet each other and catch up. One couple had a month long trip to the Philippines! Gemma is from there and hadn’t been in several years. Another retired couple has downsized from their 5 bedroom house and it’s going on the market this week. Marsha told me several times that it was our visit in February when she heard about us being nomads that got her thinking about downsizing. She said that we inspired her to do this task she knew needed done. She got busy in March just after our visit, and with her husband, her mom, and her daughter they go the house cleaned out and painted for the market. They moved into her daughter’s house and are planning to build a small house on her daughter’s property. They also want to travel. First to Iceland to enjoy the beauty she’s heard about there from her husband Tom. I’m so thrilled with their plan, with their progress and happy that I get to hear about it too! We went out to lunch with Tom, Marsha, her mom Maxine and daughter Canda. Canda drove us since we didn’t have a car. Once we got back we rested a little while then drove up to the LLBean store in Freeport and bought a new suitcase for myself. The last new suitcase I bought in January is being gifted to Andrea and Jeremy. I love it, but I’m switching out for this lighter weight and narrower style. Hopefully I will not be disappointed! Lol. Darrell found a nice tee shirt and we had ice cream at Ben and Jerry’s. Monday. 11. Today’s activities: go to Quinn’s pre-school with Andrea so that I can know where it is and what it looks like. I will get him in the afternoon and several other times this week. Do laundry. Cook dinner requested and shopped for by Andrea: pot roast, mashed potatoes, collards. Darrell agrees to cook dinner while I do the Quinn pick up. Andrea will be home late from work today and most of this week too. Tuesday. 12. Darrell and I went for a very long walk today to downtown, along the waterfront and back around by Trader Joe’s through the park back to the house. About 5 ½ miles. We stopped along the way at HiFi Donuts and also did a quick shop at Trader Joe’s. Afternoon Bible class online with our English friends. Our last class until we reach New Zealand in November. Darrell cooked dinner again tonight. He made gluten free (for Andrea) potato soup. I went to pick up Quinn from school and baked some almond blondies. I read today. Finished a book and started another. |
 |
| Us on a Sunny Day in Downtown Portland |
 |
| Fabulous Italian Combo Sub on Washington Street in Portland |
 |
| Jeremy and Andrea's House and Car. Rented as of October. Wednesday. 13. Today we took Quinn for his vaccines and then to school. He knew what to expect and was easy about it. He was so ready to get to school and be with his friends and his favorite teacher Cindy. I’ll pick him up again at the end of his day. It’s been raining since last night, heavy at times, but still very comfortable and ok to walk in with a raincoat or umbrella. In the afternoon we hope to walk downtown again. We spent about 3 hours in the day looking at tours for our cruise stops in October. We booked rental scooters through Viator for Moorea. We also looked at tour options for another stop in Tahiti. Video call with Trisha, cruise and nomad friend from Brisbane. We are planning to see them in Australia in March 2024. She gave me some places to look at for touring in Australia in March. (nomad notes below) Thursday. 14. Today I took Quinn to his school. He woke up happy and it was very enjoyable to be a part of his day so easily. The sun is shining. It’s about 70 degrees and we plan to walk downtown to get Darrell’s prescription order, have a snack or lunch, and make pizza for dinner. Andrea gets home late today from her work. There is construction work happening on the next block from the house and it is noisy banging all day long. It’s a relief to be away from the noise and it’s quiet at night too. Darrell has looked at our flight options for the end of next April for San Francisco to Huntsville, Alabama (back to our truck and kids there). Today he is purchasing those tickets. After talking to Trisha about Australia, we are looking into our travel options and beginning to decide for stays and tickets in March while there. Booked Cairns airbnb and Australia tickets and Sydney stay all March 23-April 2. |
 |
| Call with Owen and Eric |
 |
| Darrell Playing with Quinn |
Friday. 15. Shopped and decided on our first stay, 7 nights in Auckland beginning October 30th. Park time with Quinn. Laundry. Daily things too: breakfast, lunch, duolingo, rest. Been anticipating the big weather event this week: a huge hurricane. Cruise Ships have not come here since Tuesday, but turned back to NYC. We expect rain to begin sometime. It gets pushed out and reduced as the week goes on to maybe Saturday morning. Time for hot tea. 😀
Nomad Notes. We have 3 housesits set up for our 4 months in New Zealand. I’m really looking forward to them too! I’m also looking forward to our times with no housesits and wondering what we come up with for these days too.
There are two experiences with budget and movement perceptions that I am thinking of for this travel for housesits vs. other rental properties. For a housesit, there is no money exchanged. We stay in a bigger house than we usually rent. We have a pet. It feels like we sit still on more days in a housesit rather than going like a tourist during a rental stay. Darrell tells me I’m not going slow enough and sitting still because I am wanting to walk and tour often. This tempo of a tour day and a home day is often a difficult balance when we are living on the move. It’s not always a consistent movement between us.
Trigger moments for me: lol! Yes, this happens and is hard to feel through, but I do. It’s a loop. Live through it. Let it go.
Grounding activities for me: doing laundry. Again, lol, as I’m doing laundry, I am missing a shirt. I can’t find it, why? I look through all of my few places and then realize that I’m wearing it!
Forward planning takes time and research to get the details figured out. Now that I have a scooter reservation for Moorea, I still have to figure out where to pick it up, how to get there on time, how to return it on time, how to drive it with the local rules of the road, have my phone working while there for my reservation, maps and emergency, also get local cash and have some tipping money for food and tour guides. Oh yeah, be prepared when leaving the ship with bug spray, filter water bottle, ship ID, photo ID, and sunscreen! Traveling Nomad style is targeted minimalism!
Comments
Post a Comment