Well, it's been a week of unpacking and getting settled. My mom and Bonnie have been here so Billie has been entertained. I don't know what we'll do when Bonnie leaves tomorrow. Billie will be so lonely. My mom and I put in some plants yesterday and my little cottage is starting to look and feel like home again. Mom brought me a picture I sent her when we first bought the cottage. Looks a little different now, no?

before

after

Here is a shot from yesterday morning. A red canoe ghosting by in the fog.

Bought some chicken eggs from a neighbor and picked up some blueberries at Beth's. Yum!

Sunset

And just one more:  Caught Billie sleeping in Mom's suitcase. "Don't go!"

Rain off and on but an easy Saturday drive. Well, until Connecticut. What is up with that State? Always traffic.

We made it to Lexington, MA and my sister's house and Billie met her cousins. She is looking at Izzy here. She had a fabulous time running around with Izzy and Bonnie (more pics to come) while I got to visit with Leslie and Tom and Anna and Will and my mom over a fabulous sushi feast.

 Billie was exhausted afterwards and took another night in a hotel in stride as you can see. Tomorrow we will be home!

And look at the best news of all:

TONIGHT JUL 8	Partly Cloudy	--58°	20%	WNW 2 mph	92%
SUN JUL 9	Sunny	82°56°	10%	W 9 mph	50%
MON JUL 10	Partly Cloudy	82°62°	20%	SW 8 mph	59%
TUE JUL 11	Partly Cloudy	81°63°	20%	SSW 9 mph	70%
WED JUL 12	Mostly Sunny	84°55°	10%	NNW 7 mph	44%
THU JUL 13	AM Clouds/PM Sun	76°55°	20%	N 6 mph	49%

So yeah, it's been awhile. The heat and humidity really got me down and I will NEVER stay in Florida in July, June and possibly even May EVER again! I am writing to you from Harrisburg, PA on my way back to Maine: The Way Life Should Be. And boy is that ever true! So anyhoo,
Here's what's been going on with moi up until now.

Tiling the kitchen and throwing up some groovy deco wallpaper in the Airstream. That there is Tom, installing the countertop. The floor looks so good, right? Below, Billie and the mirror I took off the wall.

The girl loves to look at herself. Everybody tells her how cute she is and it's gone to her head

This is my living room. Had to take new pics for my Airbnb site. And hey
if you know of anybody who wants to rent my sweet cottage for
September/October, let me know.

and the bedroom

Ok, so here is Billie in her life jacket and she is not too happy about it. Unfortunately we only had three sessions in the pool and then I hurt my back so guess she will learn to swim in Maine.

And here she is for her summer cut with Michele McBride, doggie groomer extraordinaire and whom I have known for many years. She is threatening to kill Michele. The puppy growls were fearsome (and funny)

Leaving the Fabulous Florida Keys (94 degrees)

Puppy's first night in a motel (NC 98 degrees)

We're not in Florida anymore - the hills of NC today (89 degrees)

And all settled in tonight in Pennsylvania. (83 degrees - YES!) Tomorrow she'll meet extended family.

I had a happy birthday again this year. But instead of 35 people at a lodge in Maine, it was 13 of my nearest and dearest at a restaurant in Key Largo. I started the day swimming with friends at Connie's beautiful pool, took Billie with me for a pedicure (for me, not her) and then dinner at Encore. I love my friends.

Lu and Tom sprung for not one but TWO chocolate pianos for the table, the signature dessert of Encore. I am not a big fan of white chocolate but the mousse was delish. And just look at how beautiful it is!

 And of course there was the requisite yellowtail snapper with candle and singing. This is the Keys after all.

A few more shots of my Billie and how cute is she??! She has discovered the joys of an open car window.

blowin' in the wind

 And, frisbee is mos def her game. And an excellent way to wear her out. Which is exactly what I am going to do right now before I leave for Our Lady of Perpetual Mimosas.

HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYBODY!

A gift

Such a lovely surprise to see my nephew, Nat, and family for the weekend! I love to spend time with them and since they can't come to Maine this summer, this weekend is all the sweeter. We had some good drenching rain so the pool is cooler and really refreshing and of course, in the AC there are always card games.

Seth hanging out

In other news, Billie got an intro to the groomer and now you can see her eyes. She was a bit of a drama queen about it but Michelle was a great and gentle teacher so I think she is going to adjust easily to it. Weird having a dog that doesn't shed but instead grows all this sweet fluffy hair. And check this out: I'm supposed to "pluck" the hair inside her ears! Say wha ?

Chillin in her big girl carseat

What's wrong with this picture?

My beautiful back yard

I'll tell you what's wrong with this picture: it's beautiful to look at but it's like a bazillion degrees out there and don't get me started on the humidity, so it's impossible to go out and enjoy it. The pool is a steamy 91 degrees in the afternoon! It feels refreshing for about 2 seconds but only because the air is even hotter. Bleh.

So here I am in hot humid Florida while it is cool and rainy and delicious up in Maine. Why you may ask?  Well, because of Billie. That's a long trip for a little puppy and then there is the issue of the springtime ticks up north. It's a lose-lose. Heat and humidity vs blood sucking vampires. There's gotta be a better way but I don't know what it is. 

For now I'm just grateful to have the best of both worlds. But June in Florida? Never again!

New harness 

Billie has outgrown her travel crate so here she is in her new harness which clips in to her new carseat. The seat is elevated so she can see out the window. Here we are driving by the park so she can see it. Because it's too freaking hot to get out and walk in it.  Bad mommy! Bad bad!