A husband, a husband, why did I think I didn't want a husband?

Today my friend Liz came over to get some support after another breakup. I love her and it's so hard to see her sad and see another boy lose such a wonderful girl. In her wonderful way she called me on her way home to tell me how lucky I am, how much she loves my husband, and what a great cook he is...and I KNOW. I really, really know how lucky I am to have him despite his quick temper and his lack of patience in so many situations.:)

Case in Point: Robert came home from a night with his friends from work a couple of Fridays ago and sat down to tell me how much he loved me, to cuddle me in bed, to make sure that I was happy, that we always talk about everything, that we are never going to be one of those couples who is married, but not in love...and it was so wonderful to see that side of him-to know that he thought about it too-to know that he is willing and wanting to do everything it takes to be with me and for the both of us to be happy! We stayed up until 2am that night because we couldn't stop talking...if we can do that 2 years in it's a good sign, isn't it? Even if we ARE a chubby couple...at least we're happy.:)

Hot and Cold

Literally...We have, after 2 weeks of heat, fallen back into 70 degree days and 45 degree nights of wonderful, humidity free weather...
I love living here because we have had 2 weeks of heat, but it has been bearable enough to NOT have to bring the AC out....can anyone down South imagine NOT using an AC for an entire summer? Especially when living with Robert? BUT we have done it and it has been so great. I come home and open my windows and just let the breeze go through! I was, really, only miserable for 3 days out of the entire summer because it was too hot...and I really only had to go sit on the patio to cool off. This, subsequently, made me realize that we need a storm/screen door on the back of the house so that we can ventilate through the ENTIRE house instead of just the front. My neighborhood is definitely safe enough for us to leave screens open while we are home, thank goodness.
This epiphany coincided quite well with the meeting with the landlords on re-signing our lease. We invited them over to take a look at the house-which they didn't even want to do, but I insisted (much to the chagrin and flurry of Robert because he felt we aren't clean enough, but that's a whole other story)...so they came over and they LOVED the way we have set up the house and are taking care of it-were willing to sign the lease for whatever we wanted! They are ready to sell us the house if we want it! And they were PERFECTLY willing to buy us a very nice Pella storm door for our back door.:) Awesome, right? RIGHT.
Robert installed the new door today with the help of myself and the coaching of our wonderful friend Liz while she sunned herself on our porch.:) It was a great day and only 1 claw has touched the screen so far, which is good. I don't see us ever buying this house in THIS neighborhood, but I am SO looking forward to living here for another year...
I've got my patio, my swing in my backyard, my storm door, my windows I can open, and my wonderful husband and cats to keep me company and keep me warm on these COOL August nights of 45 and 50 degrees.
What MORE could I ask for?

"Emparting Wisdom" - Yeah, I can do that!

As my little sis Lindsey the Younger said, "You're in town? Emparting Wisdom?" Yes, yes I was. I was asked, along with a group of other interesting and successful graduates of Lincoln Academy, to speak to the incoming Freshman class about my experiences at Lincoln, in life, and give advice if I had any. I was pretty frightened by the idea at first, but I was honored to be asked, so I took the day off of work and it was probably the best thing I have done in a very long time.
Not only did I get to see some folks I hadn't seen for a while-teachers, classmates, etc...but I also found myself seeing my life through the eyes of these kids. Young, impressionable, and SO curious these kids were. I was so amazed by their honesty, their willingness to speak up and just ASK. We sad there in a row in front of 140 impressionable young minds who were actually willing to come and talk to us...I felt like it was really a turnaround from the kids I've seen in town, in the world lately! Mr. Walsh, my old English teacher and now DEAN of the Faculty, says that this is the class that is going to make the difference-there is something about these kids that is different and reminds him of the kids who were at Lincoln when WE were there...and I really felt like he was right.
We got questions from all across the board:
"What did you like most about high school?"
"Why did you choose Lincoln Academy?" (Lincoln is a private school, but is an option for kids from the 6 surrounding towns because of the lack of a central high school for some of those towns)
"What do you regret not doing?"
"Did Style play a big part in your high school experience?"
"Are you where you thought you would be when you were in High School?"
I jumped at this last question because it was exactly what I wanted to speak to... yes, I had answers to a lot of other questions too (Join clubs, don't limit yourself, remember everyone else is just as scared/uncomfortable as you are, Maine is awesome, Lincoln Academy IS one of the best schools in the state, etc). But, THIS, this question about direction and expectations, it was MINE. I left Lincoln Academy on the path the fame and art in the world of photography-starting out it New York and ending up in school in Maine, deciding photography wasn't my thing, moved to 4 different states, met my husband, did 5 different jobs...and eventually ended up liking working for a big corporation where I had great health insurance and sold things I would never have thought to sell in a million years...but I am doing something I am good at: Managing people. And, I may not be ANYWHERE near where I thought I would be, but I am HERE, I am happy, and I wouldn't have been able to do it without the variety of influences I had in high school and in life. And that's OK. Saying this to these kids, being completely honest, and telling the story as a whole for the first time...it really made me HAPPY about where I am. It made me like who and where I am. It made me okay with being chubby and being different and it even made me okay with being the least educated out of all the people on the panel I was sitting on. I am nothing like I thought I would be and maybe less than I thought I would want to be, but I'm me and I'm happy! I AM HAPPY!
I had kids coming up to me and asking me questions about my People to People experience and my photography and why I chose not to do it as a career, I had the entire audience laughing and smiling and getting along...and watching 2 of my best friends, sitting next to me, and inspiring these kids too was just an awesome experience.
Becca made me laugh the most-the things she said:
"I regret not taking a shop class. Girls, just do it. You'll NEED it!"
"Look to your left, right, in front, and behind...because any one of these people could be your best friend, lab partner, classmate, and so much more...and every one of those people around you are just as uncomfortable in their skin as you are no matter how put together they look on the outside."
INSPIRING. And that's it. We WERE inspiring. I WANT to be inspiring to younger folks...I'm just not sure how to do it. BUT I'm going to start with my Little Mark.
When all the little kids walked in to the gymnasium I did a double take when I saw my Little Mark walk in with FRESHMAN! This is a boy who was in Summer Camp with me when I was doing my Americorp time at Morris Farm. We bonded because he was just so little and charming and wonderful. I went to see him ride his dirtbike. We had dinner whenever I came home from Mississippi, he even came to our wedding...and then we lost touch and I was so sad, but I figured that he was doing boy things and growing up and away from me. But NO! When we had intermission from the session he came right up to me and gave me a big hug and said he missed me and that he still has the photo of us up on his fridge! So, now we have each other's phone numbers and I AM going to stay in contact and be a good influence in his life-unlike either of his parents. And I'm SO happy to have him back!
So, here I start with my Inspiring...we'll start with Mark, but I WILL find another way. I Just have to figure out what I'm good enough at that I can apply to a high school setting. Right? There's got to be SOMETHING. I remember this part of me and I hope I have the energy to bring this ME out again!
Have I mentioned how great life is?

Bikini/Booze Cruise 2009

SO, I have an awesome life! I went out on a boat on Damariscotta River with Emily, Boo, Jessi, and Rhea for 6 hours on a gorgeous Saturday before Hurricane Bill came through on Sunday. We had crazy Larry for our Captain and wonderful Christian for our Cabana Boy:). I love my life. I really, really do...the only thing that would have made it perfect would have been to have Heather and PJ along for the ride...but that day will come soon, I hope. Just a few photos to share: I'm posting the nude ones here, so be prepared...maybe I'll make a slide show even!
Have I mentioned how great my life is?!

Dad and Lisa visit

Apparently I'm a terrible blogger...I will probably be awesome at it this winter when I have nothing to do and Robert is down South earning money and enjoying the warmer weather...but for now I guess it will be just intermittent.

So, Dad and Lisa came to visit! Our first real guests to use our guestroom and to create a bathroom system that would keep us from walking in on each other due to the 1 bathroom and the lack of a lock on the original old door.:) I think I'm going to make a really professional little sign and laminate it.:)

We had a relaxing visit-dad and Lisa wisely split their time between us, cousins, and aunts and uncles which lead to no one being too overwhelmed and me not feeling bad because I couldn't take time off from work due to the necessity of having to do 2 overnights while dad and Lisa were here! PHEW! There was lots of seafood eaten and lots of visiting and just a lovely time had by all. PS: I Love my dad: look at this photo of him with the lobster!

It was awesome to see the Rockland Family all together...Robert and I have officially met all the new family members except for Kathryn and the kids (Corey's wife). What a relief that is! It still amazes me how easily Robert steps into a group because, we all know it, the Kalloch family is strong willed, opinionated and loves to get attention...I wasn't sure how this would go over, but, apparently 70% of the family is Republican, so Robert got along with them just fine and talked about other stuff with all the Crazy Tree Huggers who are like me.:) I forget how much fun it is to have such a large family sometimes. Why do we always remember the negative things over the positive? Like, why do I always think about how Mom and Amanda don't get along when, really, they will get along just fine in a family setting? I need to be more positive because I just had so much fun with everyone...seeing how they have grown and changed (mostly for the better!) and come into their own in life. It's great to see how everyone has accepted Cassie for her choices in life, to see Nikki finally ready to settle down, to see Michael deservedly happy with a beautiful wife and (almost) 2 children...life is good.
So, it's been a tiring, but lovely week.

Goodbye Bud

I just want to make a note here so I remember (I am depending on this blog to keep me in the know later on in life).

Buzz (my mom's boyfriend of many years and father to my childhood best friend Whitney) had to deal with the death of his mother, Bud, a couple of months ago. She was cremated so that her ashes could be spread in the ocean as well as some of them buried in the cemetary in New Harbor with a headstone. Bud was a crazy, opinionated, pushy, wonderfully caring woman whom I found to be a presence in my life at all family gatherings and things in the last 10 years. She was short and round and jolly and a gossip and she loved her grandchildren and children fiercely. She was amazing...my fondest memories of her are from of late when she and Nam would sit on the couch at family gatherings and admire their growing broods and gossip about people they knew while wearing their wonderfully embroidered grandmother sweaters and flowy grandmother pants with their short grandmother haircuts and glasses.
Bud will be missed, but always remembered...which she made sure of by providing for a lunch at the Samoset (to give business to my mom's place of employment) for her grandmotherly friends and providing a Lobster Bake at Reny's Lobster in Round Pond for all her family...and it was all in her will.
So thoughtful and wonderful she was. It was also great to see all the Ropes family again and for Robert to meet the extended family, because, really, they ARE all like family since Whitney, Alec, Luke, and I grew up as friends...and also because, see if you can keep this straight:
BEFORE mom and Buzz got together (although they WERE first since they dated when mom was in high school) my uncle Adam and Buzz's sister Claudia had been dating. So, not only did their kids grow up together, but mom and Buzz's siblings have been dating each other for about 5 years longer than mom and Buzz have been together! Crazy, huh?

The 4th of July in Maine!

Somehow I managed to get the 4th off from Lowe's...don't know HOW I did it, but I took it and I'll take it again next year if I can.:) We made a great weekend of it, even if I DID have to work on Sunday (which was pointless, BTW because it was SO slow). We went out to Schooner on Friday night to meet up with Boo and Lee even though I was totally exhausted (even after a 3 hour nap). It was good, though...Robert got to be social and I saw my old friend Muffy (among other people). It was fun. Spent the night at mom's, left for the Round Pond Parade at 11am with Pj. NOTE: I don't think many people understand the love I have for the Round Pond Parade. Up until I was 22 I went to the Round Pond Parade EVERY year. I haven't been in 5 years! The parade is basically a free-for all for crazy people, political zealots, restaurants and businesses advertising, kids just wanting to dress up, old cars, etc...anyone can enter a float in the parade-all they have to do is show up.:) As my friend Becca said, "I didn't realize how many people just kinda jump in and join the parade as it goes along.":) LOVE IT! This was Robert's first RP Parade and I was totally psyched to show him how awesome it was.

Things have changed a bit tho...no more parking on the side of the road wherever you can find a spot-they actually put up signs so you can't park! We had to drive all the way up to Buzz's little house on Back Shore to park...but that was fine because it was a GORGEOUS day with lots of sun, but no bugs and not too hot. We got a pretty good spot on the King Row lawn and Robert managed to acquire his own personal commentator in a summer person who happened to be standing by and heard Robert's accent.:) That's always how it is with Robert.:) The parade wasn't nearly as good as it used to be in the past, but it was still creative and entertaining with a little political flare, much more patriotism, and some good humor. Many of the same people who have always done it were still in it and Robert is all ready planning on becoming one of the regular RP Parade floaters.:) It was great! Getting OUT of RP after the parade was a disaster, but riding along with the top down blasting Luke's music makes it a lot easier to wait in traffic.:) Especially when Luke grabbed on and rode up the hill with us. HA!

We had some good food at mom's and spent some quality time with PJ, which I really needed: we watched some of our old videos of the plays we were in in Junior High and that highly entertained Robert, let me tell you!

And, finally, the day ended with the fireworks in Damariscotta, which we were able to watch from Emily and Nick's boat which was TOTALLY awesome. I've never watched fireworks from a boat before and, even just parked at Schooner Landing, it was great to watch them from there! And then all we had to do was walk back up the docks to Schooner to hang out with our friends for the rest of the night...it was great fun, greatly entertaining, awesome to see all my old friends I hadn't seen yet...I think we have really made some awesome re-connections with people and Robert feels really comfortable with all my friends. It makes me so happy that he is finally able to meet everyone and connect the names with the faces! It was a a great day and night and the fact that, once we DID leave (just before the bar closed at 1 am) all we had to do is walk to the car behind DB&T because we were lucky enough to get a parking space downtown. Awesome! I'll try to put together a slide show once I get the photos organized.:) Otherwise they're in Kodakgallery for viewing, of course:).