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More Nana and Hannah’s Travel Adventures

Laura, Hannah and I drove to the Old Port section of Portland; I’d forgotten how fabulous it is to be there and smell the salt water mingled with all the delicious scents from the cafes and restaurants! We walked the cobblestone streets and poked in several stores. I bought myself a casual dress and a lovely white ruffled skirt and bought Hannah several sets of Playmobil toys.  We had a wonderful lunch at an Irish Pub called Ri-Ra; we sat upstairs at a window seat that overlooks Casco Bay and watched water taxis and ferries coming and going.

After lunch we walked out on the wharf and checked out some schooners and the view of the city before heading back to Laura’s to drop her off and grab our gear for the next leg of our journey.

The drive from Westbrook to Bridgton is lovely, especially with all the apple trees and lilac bushes in full bloom. Hannah was quite taken with Naples and thought it pretty cool that there were different lakes on each side of the street; Sebago on the left and Long on the right.

We arrived at my brother’s house and Hannah went off to play with her new toys while my brother, sister-in-law and I caught up.  I hadn’t spent much time with them of late and they had recently been on two trips-Mexico and Las Vegas. My niece, Meghan, came in awhile later; I was quite surprised to see her as she lives in Farmington (an hour or more away) and attends college there.  She comes home on the weekends to work.  It was wonderful to see her and since she is studying to be a teacher, Meghan and Hannah had a great time visiting.

After dinner we all played the DVD version of “Singing Bee”.  I had never heard of the show, but I’m always willing to get involved with a game, expecially one that involves music. Well, I sucked. We really didn’t keep score; our idea was to just have fun, which we did.

The following morning, Hannah and I met my brother at the Police Station (he’s a cop), where he proceeded to give us a tour.  He did a great job explaining everything to Hannah in terms she could understand, but he didn’t talk down to her, which was wonderful. She wanted nothing to do with the jail cells! Bernie fingerprinted her for an identification card before showing her his police car. She sat inside and turned on all the lights and the siren, saw his shotgun, radar, camera and all the good stuff cops have.  She was quite thrilled with the whole thing.

The drive home seemed longer than the usual two hours, as it often seems to do.  We had a fantastic time, but I was really glad to get home and enjoy some quiet time with Hannah and to see my beloved Jim.

Until next time…

The travals of Hannah and Nana

My granddaughter and I are on a short trip to visit family; I’m “working” and she’s on a great adventure. Oh, to see the world through the eyes of a child again. The two hour car ride was as exciting for her as a trip down river rapids.  She is an aspiring writer and worked on the first chapter of her book in the car; I jotted a few notes and kept track of mileage and toll receipts.

Once we arrived at my daughter’s home, I just had to get out the camera and take some shots of the the blooming lilacs and apple blossoms in her yard, whose scent was heavy in the air. The neighbor drove in her yard, which was extremely impressive, and invited me to take some shots of her yard. She had stunning displays and rare flowers and it was an honor to take it all in. Her husband came out and showed me around. Unfortunately I forgot to bring the gadget that I need to transfer pictures to my computer, so I’ll have to post them later.

We went to dinner at a great pub, the Frog & Turtle on Bridge Street in Westbrook, Maine, and it was a real treat. The food was a treat, we were treated well by the staff, and my son-in-law insisted on paying.  A triple treat!  Seriously, the food was fantastic; the meatloaf with gravy (reduction of mushrooms, sherry and red wine) was a great choice for me. My son-in-law had the Filet, which was perfectly prepared and served. Hannah had Pork Chops with garlic-smashed potatoes, of which she is a connoisseur. Two huge pork chops in a delectible sauce came with the potatoes; she gave both a huge thumbs-up.

To complete our evening, we went to see the new Indiana Jones flick. I haven’t been to a movie theater since “The Passion of Jesus Christ.”  Theater seats have changed a lot; I don’t have that degree on comfort in my home!  I consider myself a sharp kind of girl, but I had a little trouble following the movie in spots; that also may have been my fault, since I had to take a bathroom break and get some popcorn.  The whole experience was really fun for all of us.

Today we are off to Portland to check out the Old Port and maybe scoot down to Old Orchard Beach before heading to my brother’s house in Bridgton for an overnight stay.

Another beautiful Spring day in Maine!