What to do in Portland...MAINE

I am always looking for new things to do here in town - or out of town. I am not sure how this terrific resource escaped me, but here it is: Maine Today!

I have compnay coming for the week and this will be VERY useful!

The staycation

You've heard the term - STAYcation. What is it? Well, those interested in the economy, it is the vacation that needs to be taken but is too expensive to leave somewhere exotic. So you STAY at home and spend your vacation there. While you may snicker at the idea of a vacation at home - here are a few tips that I can give you from a "staycationer" : My husband and I.

ONE - either go out for breakfast every AM or lunch. Provision your home with yummy dinners, but do it from a different store than you are used to.

TWO - limit your "honey do" list to only a day or 2. This week we worked a couple of days, and then took advantage of the great weather and sailed!

THREE - NAP either every day or take time to devour a book.

FOUR - put housework out of your mind - it will be there next week!

FIVE - take advantage of spending time with friends and family.

Taking care your yourself requires time away from work and the stresses that come with it. While we all love going away, taking a staycation is not only economical it is also a way of reconnecting with yourself and home.

STAY HOME!

Things you would never say in public

Today I had one of those days where my mind was on a real kicker of things you WISH you could say, but don't. That old saying of "can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all".

While I was in the restroom I say a woman's little toe sticking out of her sandal, and I thought that while it looks uncomfortable, why would I want to see her bubble gum colored little toe waggle-ing out in the open?

Who parks their grocery cart at the checkout and then leaves to shop for more items and then get incensed that I got in front of her? What were you thinking girl?

Why is your face so, so,...I don't know, weird looking?

Why would you EVER go out in that costume? Oh that's your workout gear?

I know that most of this is silly and shallow, but don't tell me that you haven't had those moments too.

Life cycles and tragedy

There are some events in life that make you stop in your tracks and force you to think about life. I mean REALLY take a look at life.

We all live a fast paced life. Let's face it. We are bombarded with the pressures of self image, career success, family and many more that I can't think of, but will later. Sometimes, this all catches up with us and we want OUT. Sometimes we just need a vacation from the routine. Sometimes we need to set more boundaries and take care of ourselves. Sometimes a trip or tow to the therapist helps. Sometimes, the proverbial "OUT", means just that. OUT...ENDGAME...DEAD...and I don't mean the natural causes kind of out either.

Suicide is brutal. You try to find the sense in it. You try to have some emphathy for the person. Then you have the sense of anger and sadness that the family must feel. Picking up the pieces of a family, trying to put it all back together, except there is one piece missing. The family isn't whole, there are the "what did we miss", "will I be like that?" and the simple and intense feeling of loss and mourning.

The lawyers arrive trying to sort the practical things out...the spiritual leader comes to sort the heart and soul out.

Deep inside I realize that suicide can be quite self centered.

Suicide makes you stop in your tracks and think about life, and about your family and friends.

Rain

We are receiving some much needed rain this morning. Although it is the kind of rain that makes you want to stay in bed all day and read. That cold, raw feeling.

This is the time of year that I spend more attention on the weather. When I go outside I immediately think about the smell of the air ( is it briney smelling or grassing smelling) the temperature of the air on my skin, and the warmth of the sun on my face. Once I process all that information in my brain I transport myself to a moment on the boat that had similar weather characteristics. Most of the time my visualizations are of happy, exhilerating and carefree moments, other times, my visualizations are of less than perfect weather and how well I handled it.

Right now the rain is driving straight down. I remember the time that we stayed in Tenents Harbor, snuggled up and read and played cards while snacking on the previous nights blueberry pie.

The thing I love and hope I never need

EPIRB. People pronounce it as EE-per-b. It stands for Emergency Positioning Indicating Radio Beacon.

It is also the one thing I love on the boat and hope I never have to use. The beacon is used in "dire situations" where your survival involves launching the beacon and leaving the boat. The beacon sends a position and emergency signal to the USCG where a search and rescue team will be alerted and sent. Chances of survival for crew increases with the use of an EPIRB - never guaranteed, but at least increased.

I purchased the beacon for my DH as a birthday present - a friend said to me "guess you plan to keep him."

I guess I will....

The Annual Circumnavigation

Yesterday we took our first sail of the season - we shook out the bugs, and made notes of what else needs to be done and what else needs to be loaded on the boat. My DS was a reluctant crew member, however when he realized that he was doing pretty well with sail trim, he perked up.

We joke about the Circumnavigation - as we sail around one of Casco Bay's Islands - Clapboard Island. It doesn't take very long in a gentle breeze, and sometimes PYC racing fleet, races around the Island during their casual Thursday night races.

Yesterday's little sail around one of Casco Bay's little jewels marked he beginning of a season for me. Summer on the coast of Maine.