My family is visiting. My beloved nephew, Will, and his mom and dad arrived on Monday and this is what my little cottage looked like on Monday night. Sweet to see it all lit up like that.

Also on Monday, the kitchen sink started to back up and then yesterday morning, the bathtub. You know something like this only happens when you have a houseful of guests, right? Anyhoo, props to Downeast Energy Systems who sent this guy out and he fixed us right up. Not only did he un-clog everything, he replaced the ancient works under my kitchen sink. So, now it looks like new inside and out. And best of all, no butt crack!  Yay!

 In the meantime, we were having a Lake day. I thought fall was here to stay but we are back into the soup. warm and humid days and the swimming is perfect.

Will fly fishing

Leslie being supervised in her kayak

In the meantime . . . I have lost control of Sophie's shedding so called The Animal House for some help. In she went for a bath and some serious grooming and here she is with Phoebe, losing about a third of her body weight. She was not amused. 

For the love of Dog, somebody help me!!!

And, here is the happy family and who wouldn't be? Super fantastic lobster feast with blueberry pie for dessert! Leslie and Tom are off to Acadia for a couple of days and I will fill you in later on Will's activities.

I found love!

right in my back yard:

Well, my dog Lucy has lost her ever lovin' mind. It doesn't help that on top of being deaf as a post she is now senile. She has taken to going in the Lake for a swim at all hours - and not necessarily when it is hot (or even daylight) outside as previously. She sees imaginary prey that must be chased down when all Sophie and I want to do is go in to bed. Last night, the neighbors came out because I was whistling and screaming for her - yes she can sometimes (selectively?) hear loud high pitched sounds. oy vey  We could hear her crashing around in the woods and it's a wonder she hadn't been impaled on a tree branch by the time she finally emerged.

And while I'm complaining, sort of, I have been watching the last season of Downton Abbey and last night they killed off Lady Sybil!!! I couldn't freaking believe it and I cried like a baby. Nooooooooooooooo! Had to use Preparation H under my eyes to get the swelling down this morning. I mean I knew somebody was going to die but I thought for sure it would be Mr. Bates. Oh no. Him too?  Noooooooooooo  Anyway, don't tell me because I won't be able to finish it until my next visitors have gone home.

Well, just to catch you up, Gloria and I had my boss over for sunset. I found out later she said my dogs were "intrusive" so I guess she won't be invited back. My girls are my family. She is not.

 Here is my intrusive little Sophie enjoying the sunset.

And, the next day which was Tuesday, Gloria took Gretel and me on a Puffin Cruise. We went out to Eastern Egg Rock with a very informative guy from the Audubon Society and when we got there we saw a bald eagle. And then another. And another and another and another. 13 bald eagles all together! And because those bad boys were on the island, no puffins. Oh well, it was so wonderful to be in my old neck of the woods again and to be out on the water for the first time this summer, I really can't complain. Thank you, Gloria, for a fabulous trip.

Eastern Egg Rock

I should have gotten some good pix of the eagles but I was so busy looking thru the binoculars . . .  oops.

Coming in to Boothbay Harbor

Wednesday, we left at the crack of dawn - literally, we saw the sun rise - so Gloria could catch an early flight out of Portland. It was wonderful to have her company and the girls and I will miss her.

So, I would just like to make mention of the sweetness of taking my sheets off the clothesline as the sun is setting over the Lake and making up the bed while anticipating the smell and feel as I slip between them later. A full moon tonight. Heavenly.

My Uncle Sandy died over the weekend. He wasn't really my uncle, he was my first cousin once removed - my dad's first cousin. I was terrified of him as a kid. When I grew up and we met again, he told me I was too old to call him uncle and to call him cousin. We used to say we were "kissin' cousins" and called each other Cuz. He was a mean bastard with an acerbic tongue. I loved that about him. He had a way of making you feel special if you could make him laugh and I could. I loved him and I will miss him very much. He would say, oh don't be such a sap, but I don't care. I want everyone to know I loved him. Here's to you, Cuz.

So, as you have probably gleaned by now, I have a famous artist staying with me. And while Gloria did this quick finger drawing of the girls, which I love, who knew she had a future as a painter . . .  

Sophie and Lu

of APPLIANCES!? Look how beautiful my sink is looking. I've had the sandpaper and primer and paint and brushes for months but couldn't seem to get started, either because of weather or well let's face it, laziness. So while I was at work, Miss Gloria got busy and voila! 

primer phase 

in progress 

woohoo!!!

I told her she looked like she had defensive wounds on her hands and arms (OK, yes I do read too many bloody serial killer mysteries.)

So yesterday we took a day off and went to Beth's Farm Market for corn and veggies and let me tell you, fall is really in the air. Bins of squash and pumpkins and chrysanthemums were the stars of the show. 

onions drying in the greenhouse

And that inspired us to go to Moose Crossing for mums. And boy did they have mums. For practically as far as the eye could see.

my wagon with mums and pansies

just one more beauty on a day with many

I just have to share this picture of sunset the other night. Love the ever changing vista of the Lake and grateful for it every single day. Yesterday, it was gray and foggy. This morning, bright and sunny with whitecaps and a taste (and smell) of autumn in the air. Nearby, somebody's having a morning fire in the fireplace to warm their cottage.

Gloria and I went to Rockland for some errands and lunch at Archer's on the Pier. Had the mussels and have to say they were not nearly as good as at my home pub, King Eiders. Props! Although they were very yummy. This was the view of Rockland Harbor from our table.

And, Miss Genevieve is losing her first tooth. Playing at sewing a toothfairy pillow this morning before work. Will keep you posted. 

Well, we had a busy Saturday at the Blueberry Festival in little Damariscotta, Maine. Gloria and I set up shop at Round Top and then went downtown to S. Fernald's for breakfast.

Couldn't believe my luck when Michelle and friend of Good for the Sole Reflexology set up right next to us. Wow! I was their second customer. Cost me the price of a small Genevieve Bag.

I spotted this cute little skeleton outside my booth and he was happy to have his picture taken.

 And, BIG NEWS! LaToya turned over 5,000 miles yesterday morning. Time for our first service.

This picture is of Sophie and Lu waiting patiently while Gloria and I had breakfast yesterday at Damariscotta Lake Farm B&B. Such good girls. It was only the second time I let them ride in LaToya and have to say I hated to see those slobbery windows and flying dog hair when we got home. 

And, after work yesterday, I picked up two ginormous hardshell lobsters for Gloria to murder and what a feast we had!!

 Gloria enjoyed her claws so much, she snapped off the cracker!! Here is the detritus.

 Life is good y'all

NOT ANYMORE!

FYI, I slept nine-and-a-half hours last night! And so did the girls. Feels like a miracle. If it wasn't raining out, I'd run through the streets yelling woohoo, yay for me!

revitalized stonework (with the beauteous Miss LaToya in the background)

James Anderson came and pointed up my stone wall and did a fabulous job as you can see. Shout out! Can't find the link for his website but if you would like to use his services, give me a buzz and I'll give you his digits.  The guy is amazingly strong. I told him he'll probably be a bent over cripple by the time he's 40.

And, I put together a few more placemats before work this morning. So cheerful looking on a dark rainy day with thunder and lightening over the Lake.

Because I've been stuck at Lucy's bedside, I've had lots of sewing time which has been a nice side effect. I had an idea for a new bag and finished the prototype yesterday. I love the shape of it. 

I've been saving the button for ages (actually, a pin) - a gift from my Mom. I may change it to something else but for now, it's fun.

And look at the Lake this morning. It is absolutely gushing (gushing?) rain.  I hate to leave my cozy cottage but it's a work day and lucky for me and the girls, Nurse Gloria will be here to keep an eye on Lucy.

Which reminds me . . .

So, I'm not going to complain about lack of sleep any more but will just tell you that now I am sleeping with an 85-pound dog to keep her from messing with her foot, which she managed to slice open the other day. Insomniac? More like comatose. Here's the patient with her foot bandaged. She is supposed to let it in the air which means eyes on all day but I've been bandaging it at night in case, God forbid, I nod off for 10 seconds.

 And, while I'm at it, look at this little old girl sleeping in a shaft of sunlight.

I've been doing a lot of sewing and yesterday, while the patient was sleeping, I cut some of my gorgeous hydrangeas and am going to try to dry them by sitting them in a little bit of water and well, waiting. (Saw it on Pinterest)

 Whipped up this medium sized Genevieve Bag. Love the zebra with the orange, yes?

ADDENDUM:

Gloria is back! Here she is giving Lucy's paw a little Reiki this morning. 

Well, I'm like the living dead here but instead of being a flesh eating zombie, I'm just yawning in my co-workers faces. The lack of sleep is getting to me but I took Melatonin last night and I don't know if it's because it actually worked this time or because I was so exhausted, but I completely missed the hours of 1:00am and 3:00am, in other words I didn't see them go by on the clock. Whoppee! The other good news is that I have stopped obsessing about my stupid ex-husband, which is what I usually do when I am sleepless. Actually, that is excellent news. Maybe I'm done with all that crap. I've been coming home from work and struggling to stay awake, barely avoiding dropping my face into my salad plate or dozing off in the shower until at least 9:00pm when I can drag myself to my bed for another sleepless night. Ok, that is all about that. I'm boring myself (and getting sleepy). ha!

sleepless in . . . Maine

Another sleepless night - can't get in to see the doctor until Tuesday by which time I'll be a raving lunatic. Spent the night trying to think positive thoughts, from little acorns, mighty oaks, everyone knows an ant can't . . . high hopes, etc. etc. But then the screech owl started well screeching, sounding like a wounded hyena, and visions of him swooping up demented chipmunks and therefore drinking the kool aid came and then it wasn't much of a stretch to think about walking out to my car and getting snatched bald by the now mentally defective owl. anyhoo Suffice to say it was a long night. sigh  I am endeavoring to believe that by Tuesday, I will no longer be in need of a sleep aid but instead be sleeping like a dog all night long. Either that or in a rubber room at Riverview Psychiatric Hospital.

So, where was I?  Oh yes, I wanted to wish my Mother and Daddy a very HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! They have been married for about a million years today and still going strong. Congratulations you two!