Brunswick, Maine

This past week Richard drove up to the house from Georgetown with his dog Zeus and stayed five days. I kept him rather busy I'm afraid and I hope he isn't suffering too much! When we weren't enjoying time by the firepit we put together my old shed one very hot afternoon, moved plywood and garbage to the recycling, returned some very heavy scaffolding and planks to Benoit's place and took Zeus down to the lake for a swim. We also went out to lunch one day in Piopolis, a half hour drive from our place on Lake Megantic, and strolled down to the marina. After Rich left Marie and I headed south into Maine for an overnighter at the Inn at Brunswick Station, something we had been planning for the past few months. We go down every year for lobster and again this time we weren't disappointed, returning to one of our favourite haunts - the wharf at Five Islands. Brunswick is a small town, about half an hour from Portland and 3 hours or so from here, quiet and small enough to stroll about. The weather was great while we were there and shorts were the order of the day. We celebrated our stay at one of the local watering holes, the Sea Dog Brewery, and walked back to the Inn to a complimentary bottle of wine and Maine's famous whoopie pies! Whoopee!! gws

eating pizza, Piopolis

Piopolis marina

Marie outside Cool as a Moose, a typical tourist shop

Marie & Emma at Five Islands Lobster Co.

Me and Emma, Five Islands Lobster Co.

Soft shelled lobster on the wharf!

complimentary wine and Maine whoopie pies in our room!

Marie on the Franklin Wood Bridge between Brunswick and Topsham, Maine

ten beer sampler!

Sea Dog Brewery, Topsham

crossing the Androscoggin River, dusk

Our Retirement Home Part Twenty-Five (Front Entrance Posts)

Last year Marie and I went down to a local wood mill and had the owner cut us four cedar trees which we hauled back in the trailer and left to dry out during the winter. We had decided to put them in the front entranceway to replace the 2x8s that were holding up the roof. Last month, after  sanding the two I chose, Alex (our local handy man we call whenever there's a job I can't handle) installed them on to the cedar deck. I stained them afterwards and we think they really look great! gws

Cedar posts ready for sanding

Alex cutting the posts to fit

2x8s in place, ready to go

new cedar posts in place

My New Shed

It was finally time to go out and get another shed! Our first one was bursting at the seams and just could not handle all the junk I was cramming into it - bikes, tools, workbench, lawnmower, weed wackers, chainsaws, etc. We had bought it back in 2007 and although a sturdy plastic structure, made in Israel, I wanted a wood shed that would last a few years longer. It had been sitting behind the solar array since we put it up 6 years ago and in a very wet spot, consequently it began sagging and opening up in the corners and allowing the rain in. We settled on another 8x10 that Richard and I had seen at the Home Depot in Brampton. So after taking a picture of it and showing it to Marie we went ahead and picked up the kit in Sherbrooke a few weeks later and started to build it in late April, just in front of the cabin, one of the few flat areas we have. After I injured my foot in May construction went on hold until we came back from Florida. Well it is finally up and finished and I am very happy with the results! Except for the shingles and roof felt everything was included in the kit and well worth the $1099 we paid for it. Marie chose the colours - taupe to match the other sheds and a dark brown trim. Looks pretty good, no? Rich came up for a visit in early June and helped me put up the other shed in a dry spot, in front of the solar panels. Already I am thinking about a third one! gws