Our First Weekend in Bethel as Homeowners

Okay we still don’t have heat in the house we recently bought but we were able to find a small place to rent for awhile in the neighboring town of Gilead. It’s clean, has a nice kitchen and bath and it has heat. Last night Lauren and I decided to try out the Mountain Explorer which is the local free bus that runs constantly between the downtown area of Bethel up to the Sunday River Ski Resort making several stops between at key hotels and restaurants. We got on at the Bethel Inn which is right across the street from the house we just bought and got off at the South Ridge stop at Sunday River. Once there we entered the main building and were greeted by throngs of skiers and snowboarders clomping down the hallways in their ski boots. It was just after sunset Friday afternoon and the place was hopping. We spent some time at the Foggy Goggle and had a drink while we watched the skiers coming down the mountain and ride back up on the Chondola. Everyone was clearly having a good time inside and out. We then hopped back on the Explorer back into town and got off at Suds Pub for some dinner and drink. While we were waiting for our food a couple from our old neighborhood in Gloucester, MA came walking in the door at Suds. Matt and Sari Rochford knew we had bought a house in Bethel because the grapevine is alive and strong in Gloucester. Matt’s dad Billy was one of my groomsmen when Lauren and I got married almost 29 years ago and Matt’s mom Arlene and my mother-in-law Joan “talk”. It was so nice to see them and it made us feel at home. In addition we met two other couples who live in York, Maine but own homes in Bethel. Lauren seemed to hit it off with the women and I was so glad to see her talk, laugh and smile. We really don’t know many people here and Lauren definitely needs some other people besides me to talk to.

Today we went to Western Maine Building Supply to buy a snow rake for the roof and some 2 x 6’s. It’s supposed to rain Monday and that will make the snow on the roof heavy so I needed to at least get some of it off the low pitched porch roof. Lauren looks pretty professional using that snow rake, doesn’t she? The 2 x 6’s I used to help prop up the barn roof. The barn is in very sad shape because not only has it been neglected but over the years different people or maybe just one cut out some key support members and it has been falling apart. I’m not sure I can save it because the closer I look the more OMG things I see. After this we decided to check out some of the festivities at the Bethel WinterFest which starts today and runs until the 31st of January. First we went to the Gazebo on the Common to view a few ice sculptures. They were very nice but not kid-proof because as we were leaving we heard a crash only to look back and see the one with bears had been knocked over by a two year old. Then we drove down to Festival Plaza by the Casablanca Movie Theater and tried out some snow shoes which I really enjoyed. After this we tried out the snow-maze which is only 4 feet high so really tough for kids but not so easy for 5 to 6 foot adults either. It was bright blue and sunny skies today and no wind so it felt great. So far, so good.

Desire Moves – Part 2

Last night marked the end of one long journey and the beginning of a new one. Yesterday we rolled into Bethel, Maine after leaving San Diego seven days and 3,442 miles ago. Luckily I was able to line up a couple of locals (Tim and Walt) to help me unload the truck of all our personal belongings. They were great and in a little more than 2 hours we had the whole truck empty.

Now the next phase of fun begins. The first thing I noticed in the house was our brand new 200 amp electrical service was installed replacing the old rusted out 100 amp service. We have lots of available spaces now to add circuits for when we begin to add new lights and outlets in the house, shed and barn.

We have one minor; no make that two minor items preventing us from moving in the house right now. That would be heat and water. I spoke to the heating guy today and he said he may be able to start later this week. In the meantime Lauren and I need to find a place to stay. Right now we’re staying at the Bethel Village Inn aka Ruthie’s which is a very nice, convenient and affordable motel on Main Street in the center of town. The picture above is from our motel room looking toward Gould Academy taken this morning. (Note our now empty Penske Truck). We know that the heat and other stuff we need to do at the house may take a while and that Mr. Murphy (of Murphy’s Law) always shows up at a construction project making it longer than expected. Because of this we are looking at renting an apartment with a kitchen while we get some of this work done. We have a lead on a place and have an appointment to see it tomorrow morning. It’s all good. It’s all Desire.

Cry for Help!

Help! My name is Dusty Noel and I’m stuck in a big yellow truck that says “Penske” on the side. I’ve been in this truck for three solid days. My owner Peter puts me in the truck in the morning and then just drives all day long. I don’t know where the heck he is going? At night we stay in motels, which is okay though I prefer the Hampton Inn over Motel 6. The bed is more comfortable and the décor is nicer. Anyway, last night we stayed at a Motel in Van Horn, Texas and tonight we’re staying at another motel in Texas AND we drove all day? What he’s doing, driving around in circles? I try to talk sense to him first thing in the morning while he’s drinking his coffee and driving and all he says is “Oh it’s okay Dusty” in that voice like he’s talking to some little kid. He’s just not listening to me. You know, I’ve heard his wife Lauren say that to him and now I know it’s true.

It’s getting cold around here. I just want to go back to my warm canyon in San Diego. Where is this nutcase taking me? Amber, I know you read this blog sometime. Please come rescue me. I’m at the La Quinta Inn in Rockwell, Texas, Room 310.

TRAVELS WITH DUSTY-Day 1-San Diego to Tucson, AZ

Sunday January 10, 2010 was the first day our road trip from San Diego, California to Bethel, Maine for Dusty (my 10 year old cat) and me. After packing the last of our belongings in the 26 foot Penske Truck from our apartment yesterday we spent our last night at the Villas of Renaissance in UTC in a furnished corporate rental. The Villas is a very nice apartment complex where we lived for more than three years when we first came out to San Diego. Lauren and I soaked our aching muscles in the big Hot Tub while Eva came over to visit and say good bye. It was an appropriate San Diego send off; a Hot Tub and a bottle of Long Board Red Wine. Before leaving I gave Eva my San Diego tool box with a good assortment of Craftsman screwdrivers, a couple of pliers, hammer, tape measure and a cordless Black and Decker Portable Drill.
Lauren said good-bye to me and Dusty Sunday morning after breakfast and we were off. The big question was how Dusty would do because she usually pees, poops, and sometimes throws up within the first 3 miles of any car trip she has ever taken. Well I’m pleased to report she made it about 8 miles before she peed and pooped. So I pulled over and changed the liner in her pet carrier and rolled down the truck window. She meowed pretty constantly for about one hour and then once she realized she wasn’t going to the veterinarian (her worst nightmare) she actually stopped and started to relax.

It was just about noon when I saw the IN-N-OUT sign from Interstate 8. I was hungry and I thought who knows when the next time I’ll be able to eat an IN-N-OUT Burger will be? After eating my cheeseburger, fries, and chocolate shake in the cab of the truck I tried to see if Dusty was thirsty. Instead of drinking she just wanted to get out of her cage. So I let her check out the cab and she immediately went under the seat beneath me and stayed there for the rest of trip which was about 5 more hours. During the trip we had to stop at two US Border Patrol checkpoints where the questions were basically the same: Are you a US Citizen? Yes. What do you have in the truck? My personal belongings. Are you moving? Yes, to Maine. Thank you. Have a good day Sir. The second agent asked me one more question though that had me thinking. Are you a Border Patrol Agent? No I said and started driving away. Now why would he ask me that I asked myself and about 30 minutes later it dawned on me? Maine. Maine has an international border. Ironically I sold my car earlier this week to the wife of a Border Patrol Agent. When I told her we were moving to Maine she said “we almost moved there because of my husband’s job.”
Dusty and I drove into Tucson about 7:00 pm that night and checked into the Motel 6 because I had already looked it up and knew they were “pet-friendly”. I had some Chicken Pad Thai at the Miss Saigon Bar & Grill next door and then hit the hay. America is an interesting place.

A Picture is worth a Thousand Snowflakes

As I enter what will be my last week living in San Diego I look at the picture to the left and wonder what other people think of our decision to move to Bethel – now? So help me out. Do you think that we’re?
a) Crazy
b) Snow lovers
c) Sun sensitive
d) Adventurers
e) Other
Your answers will be collected and given to our therapist who will then recommend the appropriate treatment. I wish all you crazy adventurer’s out there a Happy New Year!