notes...

here are some random notes:

-i met shelly on the plane from atlanta to portland. she was originally from portland, though now she lived in florida and was a retired art teacher. she was one of several academics that i met on this trip. her partner was her high school sweetheart... she had been told that he had died just years after school and then shortly after she was divorced many years later, she signed on to a site for classmates and heard from him within days. they've been reunited for several years. i found that incredibly romantic and they were obviously very happy.

shelly gave me a tip on a restaurant that i didn't find, but our conversation was delightful! they were inspiring and i can't tell you how happy i was to have had the pleasure to spend a little time with them. i hope the wedding was lovely and their following vacation was relaxing and fun!

sometimes, i meet someone that i hope to emulate in my life... she was one of them. gracious, lovely, as interested as she was interesting...

-my first meal in maine was at the lobster place on the wharf... sitting behind me was a couple on their first date. i felt really bad for the guy because the girl he was with told him repeatedly how disgusted she was by lobster... as he sat there eating one. i hope she was only nervous; you've no idea how badly i wanted to whisk her off to the ladies room and calm her down. he barely said two words, but there wasn't a soul on the deck who wasn't painfully aware of her feelings.

-i went to a health food store in bangor... there was a handsome moppy haired gentleman who followed me around and tried to offer me help. his accent was so thick, i just sort of watched him talk to me. he was sort of elegant and i'm a sucker for an accent; i declined his offer for lunch, but i almost went back when i went back to bangor. however, some moments just can't be recreated.

-i heard a lot of beatles, nickelback, avril lavigne, van halen, jackson browne and tom petty on this trip. once, while i was driving to peggy's cove, that old aldo nova hit fantasy came on the radio. i've not heard that in years, but it was one of those pivotal coming of age songs for me. i was so excited that i pulled off the road, totally cranked it and sang my heart out to seagulls and a spectacular sunset. music played a big part for me on this trip... i think i heard petty's refugee about 30 times... love me some petty!

-i love river birch trees and the northeast is blanketed with them. maples, birch and skinny fast growing evergreens... my sort of vegetation!

-when i crossed the border, i was so nervous that i told the border officer that i had these awesome peanut butter covered pretzels and offered him some. i think he cracked a smile, but realizing my dorkiness i just apologized several times.

-when i crossed into canada, they announced on the rock station that there would be trash pick up on thanksgiving. from that moment on, i felt like i was visiting one giant family. what incredible people, the canadians. most americans that i know do not show them the respect that they deserve. that was one of the biggest things i learned on this trip.

-moncton has an AWESOME evergreen landscape!

-i walked all over downtown halifax on thanksgiving. it was a lovely day and i enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and having downtown to myself. i had awesome yellow chicken curry for dinner at a terrific little vietnamese restaurant. the light was magical.

and let me tell you something... even the people panhandling were different. if i didn't have money, they were still chatty and not in a bad way. congenial folks. i kept running into one guy and he started quizzing me on streets. one guy had a stray russian blue kitty. we sat and chatted for a long time. i think it was one of the best thanksgivings i've ever had.

more later... i've got to tell you about Lisa.