Traveling with dogs…

We waited twenty one years to travel just the two of us. Our children are (almost) grown-ups, with lives that demand their attention. We planned a family vacation, very near home, so that they could squeeze us into their busy schedules. When they announced that they wanted to go to camp/ Foxwoods/ work we didn’t even bat an eye (who remembers "the great camping revolt" of a few years back?)

Undaunted, we took out a map, made a wish list, and did a Google search to find a place we really wanted to go. And then we remembered the dogs…We worried, we fretted, and we packed but after 5 days on the road and in the camper with Rosie and Waffles I’ve decided that travelling with dogs has its advantages. Not once have I heard “I’m bored” they are as happy as we to spend the afternoon napping. There has been no whining, nagging, or complaining about what is for dinner, who gets to sit in the front seat, or when we are going to the beach. They have had a couple of yippy run-ins but, compared to mediating kids… this was a snap. The “girls,” as we call them, happily accommodate our wants and mostly just enjoy time with us. Nice change.

While planning this trip we wondered about how to go anywhere or do anything with the “girls,” but have really been able to go and do quite a lot. We visited the Belfast farmers market, Fort Knox, the Penobscot Observatory, and toured the harbor at Camden with the dogs in tow. We couldn’t eat out at a nice restaurant but we really couldn’t do that when the kids were young anyway. We met interesting people, ate ice cream, and saw breathtaking sights.

Don’t get me wrong… We missed the kids. Just not the little ones, with sticky fingers and runny noses. We missed our big kids with lives and friends and funny stories (well to be honest, Keith missed the little ones). We enjoyed our “girls” and each other. This vacation brought rest and relaxation we sorely needed, but we missed the life and fuss of our family… it’s a tough transition to make. From a pack of people to just a couple. From navigating multiple needs to tending to two. From the noise and drama of a growing family to the quiet of a couple of dogs. We are making the transition, and the “girls” are ready for their next adventure.

Searsport Shores Oceanside Campground

Perfect Maine Lobster bake!

1. Light the fire

2. Add fresh sea weed

3. Add soaker hose

4. Add boxes of sea weed (to hold the shell fish)

5. Pile on bags of steamers, clams, fresh corn, and lobster

6. Cover in wet canvas

7. Let steam for 45 minutes

8. Serve with a bottle of wine

9. Perfect!

Blueberries fresh from the field

The farm stand girl poured warm berries from the plastic cover of a deli platter into the small green ¼ pint container. Her blond hair fell around her shoulders as her stained fingers pushed the keys on the old cash register. “My grandma had a dog like that,” she motioned toward Rosie enjoying the air conditioning in the truck, “she loved ice cream, used to lick one side of a cone while my granddad licked the other. They had to put her down last spring, she was 19.” I gathered up the berries and a fresh tomato for dinner. “Does the dog want a treat?” I smiled and thanked her, she handed me two biscuits and I ducked back out into the sunlight.
The next morning, Keith poured berries into gooey pancake batter as I suggested it needed more water. He ignored me, as he had learned to do so well in 21 years together, and spooned thick globs of white on to the hot griddle. The smell of pancakes on the grill mixed with other camp cooking to create a symphony of flavors at the picnic table. Bacon from the sight around the corner, hardwood smoke, and salt air filled my senses. The blue berries caught my attention a couple minutes later, as I shoved a big chunk of syrupy sweetness into my mouth. The tartness exploded in my mouth, surprising me. After years of avoiding blueberries of any kind, these wild Maine blueberries retained their flavor and bite. “We can add the rest to oatmeal in the morning,” I mumbled as I relished the next mouthful.