The O & A & E Files: Maine 2013

We enjoyed an absolutely splendid and spoilarific week at the beach in Maine with Aunt Karen, Mom, Aunt Sue, Deb and Lucas. (Thank you, you know who you are!) With visits from friends Robin, et al. and Alison, et al. during the week too! We only had one solid day of rain, and even that was only really coming down in the afternoon. We did a whole lot of beach time, dug giant holes in the sand, boogie-boarded, jumped waves, a couple of us actually dunked ourselves in the water, flew our kite, swam in the pool 'til we were prunes, went hiking, skipped rocks, ate a whole lot of homemade ice cream and some very yummy meals, kayaked, went crab-fishing, walked the lovely Marginal Way in Ogunquit, climbed rocks, saw the Bush's place in Kennebunkport (OK, fine, we gawked from the road and were not exactly invited in. The guard house and fence were a little discouraging from knocking on the door), ate lobster, and drank a lot of coffee to keep up with the kids. AND MET MY SISTER'S BOYFRIEND. Who was pretty fantastic! What a week!

I have to say, though, the phenomenon of going to the beach in Maine is mildly hilarious. I always thought Mainers must just be very hearty folk. I like swimming in the ocean in Massachusetts on a hot day, but it's no bathwater. It is quite something to see hundreds of people camped out on a gorgeous sandy beach, doing all the normal beach stuff, but looking up and down the shore as far as the eye can see and maybe on a really hot day counting about 6 people in the water!! It was COLD!! I did dunk in up to my neck 3 times and did not need emergency resuscitation, but I wasn't sure there for a minute. The rocky shoreline is really beautiful though. Kennebunkport is kind of insanely pretty with mansions lining the rocks, wow.

Starting a hike at the estuarine research center. Do they research mosquitoes? Because there is an abundant population! A lovely hike to a salt marsh and then a beach covered in surf-smoothed rocks of many types.

Skipping rocks! Always a hit!

Asher's I-just-threw-a-rock stance:

One of the crabs we brought home. We cooked about 10. We caught about 100! In an hour! Lower a mesh bag containing a piece of raw chicken off the dock and pull it right back up covered with 12 crabs. Instead of shooting fish in a barrel I'm going to start saying something is as easy as catching crabs in Maine. That doesn't sound too good. Better stick with fish in a barrel.

Bucket full of crabs. If you buy hand-picked crab meat, as I have sometimes done, do not EVER complain about the price. I am quite sure those workers are severely underpaid. Reuel and I amassed 5T of meat after 2 hours, I think :}