Snow Boxing with DC Stones

So Saturday had Teacup and I making our lists and checking them twice. One would think we'd boxed together more than a couple times - as when I mailed her my suggested list - it was the same as hers with the exception of one that she added to the list. Ironic? Nah - we just know each other's boxing thoughts that well, its scary.




So we had our list, and knew the path we were going to set off on. Now mind you - as a rule we DO NOT box in the snow. Why? Because its cold as hell outside and who wants to go trudging through 3 feet of snow to get a box when we can get it when the crocuses bloom? But that being said - our list had a few locations that we KNEW we were going to have to do some snow trudging.




So with my alarm set for 4am, I bundled up in warm socks, bean boots (not the best - but then again I don't snow box) had my mittens, hat and coffee all the ready and bundled off to my car. Warmed it up so I could see out the windshield and I even remembered to pack a few items I had forgotten on Friday - mainly my signature stamp! I arrived at Teacups house under a perfect morning sky. Dark! Dang - now we were going nightboxing as well! Good thing I brought my maglight! And I had backup batteries in case we happened to stay entombed in the darkness... I pulled in - and Teacup was heating up her car in her shirt. Okay - so we had lucked out. For Maine - it was a picture perfect morning in the dead of winter. Yup - it was still dark. And there was still three feet of snow everywhere - but there was NO WIND. Amazing. The sky was clear and the stars were twinkling brightly. It was 5:30 and we were sitting in Teacup kitchen hoping that Steve would actually show up while we were pondering yet again how we managed to get volunteered for the early morning boxing tour of Brunswick.




We chatted for a few minutes while I searched my bag for Steve's cell phone number. It took me a few minutes to find it as my bag had managed to turn into the Bermuda Triangle for anything I might actually NEED at 5:30am on a Saturday morning. Finally finding it - I gave him a ring. Well after bumbling through a couple times - since I never leave the state - I forgot the dreaded '1' so it wouldn't go through the first two attempts : ) But once I finally connected with Steve - he was just passing Freeport - about ten minutes out.




We saw him pull into the driveway next door - so Amber started down the road after him - again, minus her coat. Did I mention that it was about 35' and without the wind - for us it felt positively balmy! Meanwhile Steve was calling on Teacup's home phone. It was early... I grabbed it so the phone wouldn't wake up Tea's NBS, cause realistically why would a NBer want to be up at 5:30 on a Sunday morning if they didn't have to be? I told Steve Amber was out there chasing him down. He backed up past her and never even saw her. But we managed to get him parked and then we all piled into Teacup's car.





Now I know you are all wondering - did we make Steve sit in the backseat? Would that have been polite? I think not. And how on earth would he managed to see Brunswick from the backseat? So he was in the co-pilots seat and I was deligated to the backseat - knowing that at our first stop I was going to get pushed out into the snow! Looking at our list - we knew there were a couple of boxes that were sketchy due to the amount of snow and potential ice... the Stowe House box for one - so I brought along a couple of other images that are usually hanging around at events for him to stamp up while waiting for me to come back from 'bounding' through the snow.





So Teacup headed off down the road and she navigated us to our first stop. Guess where - come on, you know. A cemetery of course! He wouldn't be in the Team MudCup mobile if we didn't stop at a cemetery or two. Now unlike the roads - cemeteries are not plowed in the winter - and the wind just LOVES to drift the snow higher and lower around the stones. So Teacup pulled up and announced 'this is as close as I can get you' and out I went in search of the first box. Steve was willing to follow along - but we honestly thought it would be a easy gain since it should have been tucked in a stonewall. I found a relatively low spot to hurdle the snowbank and headed in with my maglight. I trudged over to the wall... and started to dig through the snow. Lower and lower. Wider and wider. I know where I planted it... but where was it returned? I dug in the dark for about 10 minutes and made a safe assumption that it was MIA. First box was a bust. And I had snow up to my knees. I trudged back to the car boxless, and we headed off to box number two.





Steve was happily chatting it up with Teacup and getting inky in the warmth of the car - so it wasn't like it was a total loss. So off we headed for Mere Point Boat launch. Hmm... does the boat launch get plowed out in the winter? Do people actually get in their boats in the middle of the winter? Well it seemed like forever to get to the boat launch. Amazing how much longer it takes to get places when you actually have to drive the speed limit : ) But we found the entrance - which by the way is practically in Freeport - and pulled into the parking area. Yup - the floats had been pulled, but you could still launch a boat if you felt the need to do so! Pulling up to where the box was supposed to be - out I headed in the snow again. The sun was coming up - so I left the maglight in the car. The snow wasn't too bad until I hit the 'low' spot and sunk up to my thigh! I pulled myself up to the path and stomped of the majority of the snow and headed off for the stump.





Who moved the damn stump? I thought it was right where I crossed over. Dang - I walked a little further down the path. Crude - there it was. Over I headed to the stump - which by the way sits on a downhill slope heading to the water. A place I would rather not visit on this relatively balmy January morning! So I started to brush the stump clean of snow. Started to dig around the roots. Pulling out frozen chunks of dirt, but no box. And as a surprise to most of you - we knew this was actually in a box - not a camo bag. I started to call to Teacup - to bring the trowel (a tool I am forever banned from using ever since I cracked open a lock n lock on Mt. A two years ago.) I called three times and was just opening up my phone to call her when she popped out of her car.





I yelled to have her bring over the trowel - and she walked over to where I was - only sinking about three inches in the snow. She obviously picked a better path to the box than I had chosen! I asked if she wanted me to dig with the trowel and was given a raised eyebrow of a look and off she headed for the location. Delicately tapping to see if we heard that telltale sound of plastic against trowel - but nuthin! And we weren't too keen on heading to the southern - slippery side of the stump, which when there isn't any snow is tricky footing, so we opted to call it a captured box and head off to a different location.





Back to the car we headed (using Teacup's path) to report another attempt. And back we headed towards town. Kind of a crappy start to our list - but we were kind of thinking the Mere Point box might have been an attempt. But its still a big bummer to start out that way. We headed off after box numbe three. I was trying to warm up with some coffee - which was now gone - who drank my coffee while I was trudging through the snow??? We pulled over to the side of the road and I pointed to the location. Steve jumped out and pulled on his gloves. He only had to walk about 15 feet to the location - and it gave me a change to defrost some of the snow from my pants. We watched him for a couple minutes when Teacup got out to bring him the trowel. Sure - she was going to let him have the trowel... LOL.

Well, before Steve actually needed the trowel - he managed to pull the camo bag loose from its hiding spot. Back into the car Teacup and Steve climbed. While Steve was trying to dislodge the frozen contents from the bag - I told Teacup to drive off to our next location. Gasp you might think - but the box Steve was working on was mine - and I know for a fact none of my local friends are going to be looking for the box any time soon. We can get it back in play MONTHS before folks come to Brunswick to look for boxes! So off we headed for our next entombed box, one of Teacups and another we could scoop up and stamp up while traveling about. All accomodations due to the limited amount of time Steve had to visit the area.

Teacup climbed after her box after making a required u-turn to get back to the box location. Now - it being her box you'd think she'd know where it was. But even I have to admit - 'entrances' disappear when they are blocked by 2 foot tall piles of snow along the side of the road. So a quick u-turn has us parked roadside while Teacup retrieved our next 'scoop and go' box for Steve. Feeling was beginning to return to my lower body - but my pants were also getting an overall wet feeling to them. Dang - another reason why I didn't snow box! I hate being wet AND cold and without any coffee. Who drank all my coffee when I wasn't looking? Cause my cup was still tragically empty.

We headed off in the direction of Bowdoin College and Joshua Chamberlain's statue. Teacup was giving him the local's history lesson, while I chirped up occasionally from the backseat. We attempted to park near the statue... but when did they turn it into a no parking zone? We live here... they never asked our permission. So around the college we drove until we were back on the Bath Road. We all tumbled out of the car and headed off to the statue. We talked about Pickard Theater, its remodel and its renowned Summer Theater. We talked about the various buildings while we walked around the campus. We took a slight detour so Steve could have his photo taken with the Bowdoin Polar Bear and then we headed back towards the Chamberlain statue. The campus is a beautiful campus any time of year. But in the winter it takes on a slightly different feel. No green vines were covering the Bowdoin Chapel and there was a manmade ice rink in the middle of the usually meticullously maintained lawn. In the bikerack, a lone bike was frozen - chained in place. There were very few folks walking around the campus grounds, which in the summer is a rarity. It was even eerily quiet. But it was still a lovely walk.

We finally meandered back to the Chamberlain statue to try and dislodge the microbox of Teacups. First we needed to find the starting point. Recent snow was covering the marked bench that surrounded the statue, so a dusting was needed to get to the mark needed. The snow had drifted high and low around the the statue. Teacup finally got a heading on its location and started digging down to the base. Steve was taking pictures and I was keeping watch. Needed to keep an eye out for those local campus police and any stray muggles that might be out on this morning. Teacup dug, and dug some more. She got within the last two layers of stones and was stopped by ice. Dang, another trapped box.

Back to the car we headed and off we went to the Stowe House. Now this box is a bugger to get in the warm weather. Its hidden between the front stone steps. So we had little hope that we could get it for Steve, but we were more than willing to give it a try. So we parked in the lot, left Steve merrily stamping up warmed up images and with the trowel in Teacups hand - we headed to the front gate. If the gate was closed - we would have had to walk through the gardens to get to the box, but luck was on our side. It was open and we were able to get into the steps. We dug the 12" of snow away from the steps and the steps was covered in a glistening layer of ice. The granite sparkled through the layer of ice, laughing at us. "Silly ladies, thinking you'll get this box in the dead of winter. We are but a summer spot, and this box only retrievable in the high warmth of July! Go back to your car and end this folly! For its only bruised knuckles and cold fingers you will get from here now!" And dang if that wasn't true! We both tried to bend our hands in and around to grab the pouch. But we had no success. So this one would stay ice in until the spring thaw.

So back to the car we headed. There was one box we were bound and determined to get, even though we KNEW it would take some considerable snow trudging. When greatbigseabres was in Maine last summer she planted the town seal in a cemetery. The cemetery also houses the Chamberlain's final resting place. So we knew we had to get this box for Steve. The image is terrific and so worth the work to get it. So Teacup parked as close as we could get and over the bank of snow we headed. Teacup started out in the direction with me behind and Steve following along. Before long - they both left me in the dust. Yes, my health coach thanks you all for this morning workout - but I hate exercise. Ugh and this cold, hard to breath kind of exercise sucks! So I let the two in MUCH better shape head off across the cemetery. Teacup turned to me at one point and mentioned that we were going to have an additional obstacle... it would seem Bowdoin College had errected a brand new chain link fence between the cemetery and its property. The old one was 6' tall. This shiny new one was at least 8' tall. Well, lets see if the location was still in place or did the stump get removed as well.

Teacup and Steve leaped across the snow while I trudged from stone to stone. They made it to the fence while I was only 1/3 of the way across the cemetery. They assessed the fact that someone would have to go around the fence, I would have volunteered (but prayed they said no) to head around - but before my mouth could open, Steve was RUNNING through the snow towards the end of the fence. I continued along and made it to the cemetery side as he reached the stump. Meanwhile Teacup was heading off in search of Chamberlain's tombstone and a WOM box that she knew about.

So Steve had bound around the fence, I managed to trudge my way to the fence and Teacup was half way across the cemetery in search of Chamberlain. I went to the corner of the fence and realized that I had another VERY long trudge to get to where she was and had a passing thought of leaving Steve to find his way to the end near the road where Teacup was - but immediately toosed that thought aside as a bad one. I may be hopelessly out of shape, but I'm not rude. So I chatted a bit about the Bowdoin Pines and some of the area 'stuff' while Steve was getting inky. I tried yelling for Teacup - but she was out of earshot. But I did manage to hear her yell at me that Steve needed to continue along his side of the fence to get to the end to get to where she was. So after translating that message to him, I headed off past the corner and started criss-crossing the cemetery from stone to stone. I looked back over my shoulder and here was Steve jumping the fence! Granted it wasn't the newer section, but the older, lower portion. But still... ugh. Again - my health coach thanks you for this wonderful workout. So he bounded over to where Teacup was waiting. The snow had mercifully drifted to an almost walkable depth near Teacup. Steve was stamping up while we waited. Had to get those snow-kissed photos of the Chamberlain site before we dug the snow away from the marker so Steve could place tribute pennies on it symbolizing his visit. So photos taken and pennies left, we walked relatively easily towards the road and the 5' high snowbank and climbed out of the cemetery. I'll admit, the walk on the road was a whole lot easier on me than the trudge through the cemetery! But I think Steve was very happy to have the town seal image and the photos to take back to his dad.

One thing we also learned about Steve was that he likes local 'iconic' places to visit. So in Brunswick, that boils down to one place - Fat Boys! A local carhop that still runs in the summer with actual carhops. Lights on for service! The best Mocha Frappes around and a sure destination for all the locals during the six months its open every year! And yup - there's a stamp there! The parking lots is relatively clear of snow in the winter because it hosts the sales of Christmas trees in December and then in the early months of winter - roadside seafood dealers sell fresh shrimp, scallops and other seafood from the backs of trucks. So Teacup pulled into the parking lot and didn't have to hop over too high of a snowbank towards the train tracks to get the box. Steve took more photos of the local icon while I told him about the summer storm that wiped out the original neon sign two summers ago. And when the Brunswick Naval Station had the Blue Angels in for airshows - the road in front of the place literally shut down for two hours during the show - making the carhop that much bigger!

Steve got a little more iconic ink in his logbook and the box went back in its hiding spot. This box actually gets lots of hits from folks passing through, so we couldn't pull it. From here we had a list of about 10 boxes heading into Cook's Corner, but time was getting away from us (that damn snow trudging!) and we want to make sure he saw a couple places in Topsham. So Teacup put the car in drive and we headed over to Topsham. First stop was the swinging bridge. We pulled into one of the spots and headed towards the bridge. The sun was up and there was a mist just hoovering over the surface of the water. With absolutely no wind - it was a perfect morning on the bridge! You could see pieces of ice rippling through the surface of the water as it headed towards the dams. You have to cross the bridge from one side to the other to truely appreciate it. Since it was restored - the 'swing' isn't nearly as frightning, but when you are at the ends - you can feel it shift under your feet. So we walked the bridge, just appreciating the fabulous morning before heading back to the car. We had enough time to squueze in a couple more quick drive-bys.

So first we headed to the local embroider for Team MudCup, Phoenix Embroidery. Nope, never saw that no left turn sign as we turned left. "No officer, we are not from Topsham." LOL. After that we just HAD to get some ice cream!???! Okay - so we just got the tiny box and Steve took a photo of the "LBJ Ate Here" sign on the side of the very closed Dairy Queen building. But the image IS an ice cream cone. A quick peek at our watches had us realizing we had time for one more box before we had to cross the river and head back to Teacup's house. So we pulled into SeaDog Brewery. we walked down to the box and commented on the insanity of ice fishermen. The ice houses were already out on the river. Four wheelers on the ice as well, and there was open water below us! Crazy I tell you! That water is dang cold in the summer let along in January!

We inked up the SeaDog logo and tucked the box back into its safe location for the next finders. Back in the car, we once again crossed the Androscoggin back into Brunswick. A couple minutes later we were in Teacup's driveway. Steve managed to get a full days worth of boxing in a few short hours. We sent him off in his rental with instructions on how to attempt to fetch the BFI box from its location. We think he had a proper spin through the area. Filled him full of local history and lore as well as lots of ink, both cold and car heated boxes. With Steve driving off to Freeport, I too jumped in my car. I needed more coffee and my stomach was growling something fierce! Not only did someone drink all my coffee but somewhere along the line someone ate my breakfast!

Thanks for coming to visit us here in Maine Steve! We had a great time whirling around Brunswick with you. You'll have to come back when the weather is better and you have more time. We have islands we can fling you around and lots and lots of more boxes to find! We're really not all about the drivebys! I hear there's a hell of a good time in August where even more of the local flavor hangs out! Come on up and we'll show you how the locals really play!

DC Stones Weekend visit...

So... DC Stones posted a while back that he was flying into Portland for a business conference and wanted to have a mini meet. WOOHOO! We are all about those winter mini meets. How else would we get any ink? There's so much snow around - you'd be a dang fool to go out in it. And besides - its usually bitter cold with the Arctic wind blowing around and your ink freezing before you can huff it to get it to the page - and the air from your huff freezes on its way out of your mouth... what's the point? If it ain't inside from November to April - this dang fool ain't going there.



So any who, DC Stones posted the mini meet and a bunch of us signed up immediately. While he was staying downtown - and his original location for the mini meet we convinced him to change - we were excited to get together at Sebago Brewery. Downtown - parking - Friday night - after a snowstorm = not happening. So Friday night we pulled in to Sebago - and low and behold - no parking there either!


Teacup and I rode together bringing along Celtic Farie (needed a DD after all) and Princess mud. They left us at the front door (okay so we parked in the handicapped spot - but we were only there long enough to get the stuff out of the trunk) and the girls headed back to the mall to visit Build-A-Bear. Teacup and I headed to the foyer of the pub and there was Jiffy. She had arrived five minutes ahead of us and found out that the restaurant hand managed to 'lose' our reservation. Now coming from past restaurant experience - not even knowing the group - if someone called and said there would be seventeen people showing up at seven pm - I'd make SURE I had that noted somewhere so that the night crew would know about them. Trying to seat 17 people is hard on a slow weekday - but on a BUSY Friday night - not something you want to mess around with. Well - mess around they ended up having to do.




Jiffy gave them a head's up and then called Mrs. HappyDaze who had called ahead earlier in the day as they don't take reservation but do take call ahead notices... I guess 7 1/2 hours is too long ahead, but I digress. Needless to say, Susan was NOT impressed. She told Jiffy that she was leaving her house and she would have something to say to them when she got there. Let the games begin! So folks started to arrive, and the foyer started to get cozy. We were quickly filling up the space when Susan went in and spoke with the manager who assure her that they were working on getting us a table as close to 7pm as possible. We ended up getting seated at 7:10 - mainly because I think they thought it was best to have the informal 'greeting and exiting committee' not stay any long in the foyer. It was kinda fun though. You gotta make your fun where you can... and we were all pretty silly in the foyer.





So we finally were seated - fighting to navigate our stamping stuff up onto high seats, moving them close enough to reach the table to ink up on and still be able to reach our drinks! When out came the Lips covered Martini glasses! They were awesome! Token special glasses purchased for our resident drunk fairies! We had to convince one of the faries to not dump her drink into the martini glass as she'd probably only make a mess... but they did look smashing on the table! So with drinks in hands - we started to pass around the event stamp while we waited for DC Stones to show up. Since most of us already had everyone's PTs - we mostly did some catching up - and lucky for us, we never lack stuff to talk about. But DC didn't make us wait long. And once he was there we started the process of exchanging - sharing PTs - and offering up a couple retired boxes that represented local history. Ones we had carved for Maine's Nautical Past. The Chamberlains, the Chamberlain House and Admiral Perry. Teacup and I were AMAZED at how many of our local buddies didn't have these stamps. We only place them out during the event because any stamp put on Bowdoin Campus doesn't last very long - and these are stamps carved by deniserows and mstrwndl and we do NOT want them lost.



So the locals managed to get some finds as well that we figured they already had... and we chatted a bit more waiting for our waitress to return. Somehow in the process of ordering drinks and appetizers, she thought we were going to wait for Ashley and Veronica to return from Build-A-Bear before we were going to order. But once she came back to take a second round of drink orders - we managed to put in our dinner orders. Which worked out well since the girls showed up just after our meals were served and Veronica managed to eat my fries while she waited for her dinner! Though she was kinda bummed that they automatically ordered her the children's portions... and she wanted leftovers!



So while the girls ate their mushroom ravioli and chicken fingers the adults were finishing up and having dishes cleared away. Steve disappeared for a bit and when he returned he had this HUGE fabric wrapped something. As soon as he mentioned the Six Secrets, Teacup and I got very excited. (In case you don't know about it, check this out: http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gBoxId=73523)

We had been posting messages back and forth between Mama Wolf and Steve to see if he would bring it to Maine, but Steve told us he didn't have it in his possession. We were obviously bummed - but let it go.



As he unfolded it and started to explain the guidelines for handling it... as a group we all went into solving overdrive. How were we going to all get together again so we could help solve it? Who was going to have a first crack at it? Dates started flying around - people were thinking about how they could reschedule some things to work in solving this fabulous box. In the end we put everyone's trailname into a box and drew out atvracer's name. So it went home with Jiffy and Scott for the first crack at breaking the code.

We attempted to make a first stab at arranging a date to all get together at HappyDaze's house - but there were too many obstacles - and we really wanted to pull together when we wouldn't be rushed in one evening. So home it went with Jiffy and Scott while Steve continued to discuss the plans for the rest of his weekend. Teacup and I were at the farther end of the table from HappyDaze - Ray specifically. And before long - we were ponied up to give an early morning guided tour of Brunswick. Teacup looked at me and gave me that knowing look of surprise. Without her even saying it I knew she was thinking "Did we just get volunteered to take someone boxing??? We DON'T group box." But he was coming to Brunswick - and it was home turf for us. And yes indeed - we do like the early hours in the day to do our boxing. So while we went home scratching our heads on how we managed to get offered up by our 'friends' we started thinking about which boxes we could actually attempt to get him in a few short hours.

And we did agree - that getting a local driver would make it more beneficial to Steve. So on the ride home, with Miss Veronica soundly asleep on my shoulder... with Ashley safely navigating us homeward - Teacup and I started 'plotting' our Sunday morning boxing adventure with DC Stones. For if nothing else - Teacup has a list!

Columbus Weekend Continues....

So we managed to elude the hooks of the many pirates. And somehow managed to miss the Salem witches completely. But there was a quick box we needed to still get while in Lynn. A location dear to our hearts. We made our way over to the Lynn Cemetery to find the Golden Greek box. An early box of Lundy and Vicksters, but of interest because of the location. Of course we thought we figured out how to get into it - and quickly realized we were on the backside of the cemetery. We drove around a little bit and found what we thought was the correct entrance. But we're never that lucky. But we drove around for a bit. A what a cemetery this one is! At one point I jumped out of the car (barely giving Teacup a chance to slow down) so I could get out a look at the monuments and stones. A truly amazing place. So many fallen paid respect to. We wandered for a bit and then thought we ought to get back on track. So off we went in search of the entrance. Finding the entrance - we ventured until we found the box. Taking photos along the way. And in case we wouldn't happen upon another wonderful location... we opted to hide something here for someone special to seek out.

After stamping up the Golden Greek and planting a box we once again pulled out the maps to get our orientation correct. Off we drove to Andover. We were in desperate need of sweet tea so pulled into McD's for a refueling prior to heading off to our next destination. Only two boxes that we were seeking had a time frame wrapped into the clues. One was the MHL box by Choi, and the other was one we ended up not getting - but not for lack of trying, that's for sure. If you remember me referencing that big honking map that Teacup managed to get her hands on. It was through some phone calls and contact made to someone who worked in Moor and Mountain Sporting Goods. So Teacup wanted to go there one to get the box, but almost more importantly - to thank them for the help they gave her in her trip pre-planning. Because they also managed to get the out-of-print trail guide to the Andover parks.

So we drove through Andover - that a pretty impressive bell tower in the middle of town. At least we were beginning to think that after we drove past it for the fourth time! Unfortunately - we were never close enough that I could get a photo of it. But we maneuvered around town. Turned down a few wrong roads more than once. Managed to park at the library and hit it before it closed. Had to figure out the pieces to get the location. A beautiful library for sure! I thought folks would look at me funny if I kept taking photos - but I did manage to get one of the hot air balloon mural downstairs. After logging into that box - don't tell anyone cause we squatted in the teenagers only section to do it - we drove around a bit and found the home of Trillium of the Trustees by woodland wanderers. We are pretty sure this location is amazing in the spring and summer when the flowers are in bloom. During our visit it was a bit more quiet. But there were a couple of people in there having a quiet romantic picnic lunch and we were trying hard not to be the wasp's lunch!

We drove on looking for our next location. Ironically it was back down Essex Street. I think we circled this street and missed this street more often than anyone should have. But we had fun driving around - even if we did take the long road to get there. Found Speed Racer and listened as Andover made a touchdown. And yup - the extra point was good too! So after we managed to pick up all of these boxes - and slowly got our bearings about us - there's that bell tower again - we headed down to Goldsmith Woods to find out where Zack lived. We were in the mood to break the quilt code planted by Choi. So off we went, watching the sun as it started to dip a bit lower in the sky. We had no problems getting the first couple of boxes. Unfortunately we meandered along and found the home to one that we are pretty sure was not there. Continuing along further we found the intersection to Zack Way and his older house foundation. We picked up a couple more quilt patterns and opted to head out to Journey's End to get two boxes by snowdog. All along this route I kept thinking that I was hearing a little boy. But every time I'd look around - I couldn't find anyone. I thought maybe someone was canoeing or kayaking around the point we were traversing. So we moved along a bit farther. Keeping clues in hand and one eye on the dipping sun, we found The Rose and Little Wing and made our way back to pick up one box we missed along the way. We wanted to go out the opposite point to Find the lil and big bones by snowdog - but weren't sure if we had enough time. Once out at the end of Journey's End I almost jumped out of my skin when the source of the voice popped up of the water's edge. A father and son were doing a little afternoon fishing and the boy wasn't following the idea that loud voices scare the catch away!

Back we went towards the center of the trail. We picked up the quilt codes that we skipped in our effort to get to the point and back before we ran out of light. A quick decision had us heading out towards another point for those bones. But the sun, now moon was not working in our favor. We found the first box, but couldn't locate the second one. We made our way back to the trail to get us back to the trail head before the moon was high in the sky. The skies were clear and it was getting a bit cooler. We started down one path in hopes that we weren't taking the long way back - but got our bearings and quickly progressed out of the woods to the car.

Now most would think that our adventures were over for the day. But in the Team MudCup vehicle - the evening adventures were just getting started. Teacup booked a hotel room in Metheun with the thoughts that it was 3 miles north of Andover. So we started towards the hotel. Any idea what lies between Andover and Metheun? The sleeper town of Lawrence. Now Teacup does well driving the back roads of the state of Maine. But when she's caught in bumper to bumper traffic between lights in a town that has store fronts behind cages and people lingering and hanging of their front stoops - she's pretty close to meltdown time. The fact that they don't even blink when they jaywalk in front of moving traffic - or when car doors pop open next to the moving traffic didn't do anything to help calm Teacup down any. The fact that we couldn't get on the right road to begin with didn't help her nerves any either. We nervously laughed our way through Lawrence and finally made enough turns to end up on the road we needed to get us to the hotel.

We parked and registered and went to our room. Now a year ago - we were sleeping in one of 8 rooms in the Blueberry Motel. This year we were on the 4th floor of the Motel and trying to figure out why one of the two elevators didn't go to the 2nd floor. But at this one we did have internet access and they even had a restaurant. So after dumping our gear - we headed off to the restaurant for dinner. Once we found it - it was like a slap to our senses. The joint was JUMPIN! They were rocking to the oldies and dancing those O'Douls away! I knew a few of the songs, but not many. For Teacup it was a bit more of a stroll down memory lane. Those senior citizens were having one heck of a good time kicking up their heels, and there was one younger couple - that the lady just thrilled at spinning in circles. Gotta hove that skirt spinning as high as possible!

Now for those that know us - Team MudCup aren't real heavy drinkers - but we thought we'd slip into the mood and have a cocktail. I should have known we were in trouble when the waitress couldn't handle my drink order without having to write it down. Teacups Strawberry Daiquiri was easier to remember. We enjoyed our dinner. Teacup ordering Lobster Pie and I had Marinated Beef Tips. We contemplated dessert - but since it took so long for the waitress to return after clearing our plates, we opted to forgo it and head back to the room.

After showers and a quick check in to Atlas Quest - to make sure all of our friends still didn't know where we were - we had a quick plan of attack session for the following day. For the next day - we were attempting to take on Harold Parker State Park. So we looked at our maps, sorted through clues and stacked them on our clip board in the order we were going to attach them on Monday. And after watching the Next Iron Chef - we called it a night. For we had Dragons to slay on the 'morrow.

So Monday morning I woke up at 4am and needed to use the bathroom. Now this normally wouldn't be blog worthy - but it would seem that in MA - the toilets when flushed need to send the contents to Jupiter. They are loud and if you stand too close - will end up getting caught in the vortex. I was afraid of waking Teacup so avoided the lights - but the flush was alas, still very loud. I'm sure if you were anywhere near the area - you heard it : ) Back in bed, I clutched my marshmallow pillow and tried to get a little more sleep.

Around seven we both woke up and decided to get moving. We packed up our stuff and headed off in search of continental breakfast. We were pleased to find that this one had yogurt, bagels, eggs, bacon and waffles if we felt like cooking. We wouldn't have to sustain ourselves on instant oatmeal and packaged donuts. The coffee was drinkable and we felt rejuvenated for our days adventures. So we checked out and hit up a couple boxes in the area. Started our day off in another library - we quickly decided that the area cornered the market on bricks! There are so many big brick buildings in the area! Its amazing! A masons delight for sure!

Now since we were playing with witches and pirates on Sunday - we thought we ought to pay our penance and visit a church on Monday. So off we went in search of a couple of boxes at St. Basil's Seminary. Sister Mary Penguin was an instant hit with Teacup. But what I wanted to know was - who had to mow that lawn? Dodging the trees on that hill had to be more than slightly treacherous! Another beautiful location we were able to visit during our adventures. Thinking we had paid out sins - we went off in search of Witch's Pass. While we were there Teacups phone rang - scaring the socks off of us for an instant. Not that it was a scary location - but who was trying to find us while we were in MA?

Well - it would seem while I was running around looking for boxes - my step daughter was having a new baby boy. A couple weeks early - grandpa (Ron) was giving me a call to let me know I was a grandmother again. So we meandered out of the woods and headed off to a cemetery to find a DEF box. While here Teacup was very excited to find a horse chestnut tree. Now when I say excited - I mean excited. She was picking them up and stuffing her pockets full of them. Personally I didn't see the thrill. She assured me that there was a story behind them - but I never did hear it. Ahh well. So we found the box and were just looking at the map to find our way to our next boxes when the phone rang again.

We hardly ever get calls when we are out boxing - but two in less than an hour was just plain odd. But it was Jiffy looking for a phone a friend hint as to where my car was hiding since she was boxing in the Brunswick area. Alas, the box she was looking for was stuck somewhere in the postal system making its way back to Maine. The last finders forgot to hide it in the same place better than they found it. So it was being shipped back to me. So once that call was over - we headed south to find a frog out of water and an alien. Along the way we passed a Panera Bread. We had been deciding where to eat lunch prior to slaying dragons - as you need your strength to slay dragons. Decision made. So we found a frog and an alien and then treated ourselves to a lunch before heading off into the Dragon's Lair.

Now we had heard numerous tales about seeking out boxes in Harold Parker State Park. Everyone stressed the importance of bringing water and snacks in order to survive. If anyone knows us - one thing we often forget on most hikes is water. We have Sweet Tea in the car - but our hikes usually sadly lack hydration. So we are driving towards the park in hopes of finding a place to stock up before heading into the park for the afternoon. It was a little after 12 and we were planning on not coming out of the park until at least six pm. So we stopped and bought water, munchies and chocolate. What else could anyone possibly need?

We drove to our first launching point and headed off in search of dragons. The first couple were pretty easy. The weather was perfect, the terrain fairly moderate and no bugs were out as of yet. We passed a few people on foot, but mostly the people we passed were tearing up the paths on mountain bikes. All I could think of was that I hoped they all had lots of ice packs at home for when they were done! By the time we made it to the location of the teenager - we were caught by a whole troop of people. We took the stamp as far away from the hiding spot to stamp up - but there really wasn't any way to hide what we were doing. And as it turned out - we didn't really need to as the whole flock had been boxing with friends before - so they knew about the hobby.

They moved off down the trail and we went off after the last couple of boxes. While stamping up the final box - Teacup decided to go and seek out a different box. The clues eluded to an edgey overlook - and I opted to hug the treeline. I did log into a geocache we stumbled upon while looking for one of the dragons. I waited for a few minutes and then thought I ought to go find out what Teacup was doing. So I had her read me the clue, and I gave it a different spin. After she climbed up out of the hole, she was reaching into some locations looking for the box when her walking stick went sliding back down the hill. While Teacup scrambled back down to fetch her walking stick - I stamped us up and made everything to return to its hiding spot. After a near miss with a snake the day before - I didn't dare tell Teacup that had she stuck her hand in one crevice closer to where I was standing - she would have found a snake. But we had conquered the dragons. One the way out - we needed to seek out an added baby dragon planted by littlmoon.

Of course as we were getting ready to stamp into this box - I again heard voices. I think it was one of those days where voices just carried across the air really well. We ended up not seeing anyone, but we kept hearing voices. We had clues for two more boxes in the area - but two quick attempts to find the starting points had us scratching our heads and we wanted to head off to Sudden Pond to try our hands at some photo clues.

Back at the car we travelled to the opposite side of the park and started to head off a path when a wonderful man who must live locally stopped and talked with us for a moment. He gave us a much better map of the area before heading off down the road. We were going to try a four box series - but realized it was a 3 mile hike and we knew we didn't have enough time to do it and the photo clues. The photo clues were high on Teacup's list. So we turned around and headed off to Sudden Pond. Balancing a map, photo clues and three other sets of clues we headed into the location. We found the location of two boxes - but didn't stamp them up. We wanted to keep as much of the light as we could to try and find the photo locations.

We headed over to the bridge and the picnic area, the start of three of the series. We found the first in the Born Again series by woodland wanderers. We were balancing clues and heading off. I quickly knew that one series was heading in an opposite direction from the others - so I tucked that one away and tried to concentrate on the other one I had. Somehow I managed to get off pace with the clues just as Teacup found the location for the first photo clue. We were getting jazzed to find more of the two series. So Teacup was walking and looking at her map and her photos. All of a sudden she decided to stop and look into a fallen tree. And suddenly we started to understand the map a little better.

So now we were working our way around the pond looking for even more locations. Teacup realized we had lost too much daylight to get a good handle on the rest of the photo clues - so we opted to go off in search of more of the Dancin' Bears series (and no - I didn't know the name of the series until we were home.) We managed to find four of the boxes but I really wanted the rest of the Born to fly boxes. Teacup wanted to try and find one more of the dancin' bears and we still had to stamp up the two boxes we found on the way into the pond. The light was quickly disappearing again. Dang - in MA when you guys decide to shut the lights off - you do it fast! Well I made my way back to the location of the second box - hitting myself in the head as we had already been in the location when we first walked around the pond. I inked up the image and waited for Teacup to arrive with the logbooks. We stamped them up in the dark and opted to pass on the third box - which required us to backtrack to find a single picnic table that was no longer in place.

So we stumbled along the path back to the road. We managed to get the first box and made our way to the second box. Teacup's flashlight was quickly running low on candle power. We wanted the last of the series - but without a stronger flashlight and just a sliver of moonlight - we had no hope of finding the last box in that series either. So defeated - we went back to the car. Our adventures were almost over. We were now heading home.

We drove back through Andover one last time. Not once today did we see the bell tower we had passed at least 4 times the day before - so I never got my photo of it. We picked up 495 and needing a quick side trip to get a Sweet Tea boost for the ride home. We did learn that in MA - their Sweet Tea has a destinct taste that we do not really like. But luckily for us, we shortly saw the signs for NH and then we were crossing the bridge back into Maine. It was a quiet ride home. We had sore feet - and our shoes ended up being removed before too long. Teacups knee was beginning to throb, because evidently while she was in the Dragon's Lair - one of them kicked her in the butt and she got stuck between two rocks for a bit. We probably should have stopped sooner than we did - but how could we possible quit while there was still daylight?

Home earlier than we thought we'd be - we were tired and sore - but had close to 60 new images in our logbooks. We crossed over the border and we safely returned. We saw some beautiful locations, avoided getting pillaged by pirates, slaughtered some dragons and realized trying to juggle multiple clue sheets in an area you are un familiar with is probably not a good idea. I decided Harold Parker wasn't nearly bad as folks explained if you divide and conque the park in a somewhat orderly fashion. And even if we do carry water with us - we end up not drinking it - but we end up using it to clean stamps!

So here's to another great trip over a long weekend. And for those of you expecting to see those find notices from Teacup - you'll have to accept my comments as partially hers as well. Cause if you ask her - she was never over the border at all. And if you look in her logbook - you'll never see the images : ) Thanks guys - we had a great time in MA and we'll be back again. Sneaking in when you least expect to see us. But for now - we have to finish conquering those Maine boxes... for tomorrow we are off to Freeport and then....

Columbus Weekend Adventures

Team MudCup's final big boxing weekend of the year had finally arrived. Shrouded in mystery and misdirection as we didn't want to let the cat out of the bag. We were heading over the border. And further than just feet over the border - we were taking the big step and heading across two borders into MA. Teacup had been planning the trip for weeks. Clue sheets perused and proof read prior to printing. Countless e-mails back and forth over which boxes we wanted to tackle the most. We were heading into the belly of the beast and wanted to make the most of it.



Like always - we had a few criteria before printing things off. We wanted to get images from as many different carvers to us as possible. We wanted some interesting looking series - planter's choices usually out weigh blue diamonds for us - but if they are both they hold the most weight. We needed to hit at least a couple of cemeteries and if we could hit a couple series when we stopped at once - that was always another plus. By the time Teacup had finished printing - she had filled a 1" binder full of clues and maps. She went and took the BIG step and purchased a MA gazetteer. This meant true commitment to the adventure. Cause frankly - once you drop $20 on a map - you really do need to use it! She even did a few cold calls to get even more information. She managed to get this HONKING huge map that we thought we were going to have to trade the car in for a bigger one just to use it. Andover was almost life sized! And then she managed to get an elusive out-of-print trail guide from a local sporting shop. We even had trip guides from AAA. We were armed with all sorts of paperwork - ready to take on the northeast area of MA in two short days.



But we had a slight quandary - Andover has hundreds of boxes to pick from - and so many diamonds they make every girls eyes spin from excitement. Somehow Teacup managed to filter through all of the clues and pick a few she thought we'd both enjoy. And to make sure we would be kept busy, she printed a few more of just in case we had a little extra time on our hands! What a lark. A few days prior to launch - I get this e-mail. Are there any boxes you want to go after in Andover? Are you kidding? I looked up Andover about a month ago and quickly left. One person plotting a trip is good - two hands in the pot make for a very murky and messy trip. So I closed that search down and headed back home to Maine, by way of NH. But that's another trip entirely! So I e-mailed Teacup back and told her she was on her own. Whatever she picked - was a good list for me. She always picks a great variety and tries to pick assorted levels of hikes/drive-bys and brain bashers to get us into enough trouble that we end up doubled over holding our stomachs laughing. I had no fears of her choices.

To make sure I would be completely satisfied with her choices - I was sent the itinerary three days before we were to leave. I quickly looked at the list - a mere 68 listing to take a gander at. Hmmm... 68 to choose from. I wonder if that will be enough? 68??!! Man, we'll have to start in the wee small hours of the morning and pray for a full moon to guide us through the night! Its besides the point that you are generally chased out of state parks by bullwhips at dusk... there's always cemeteries to crawl around, right? So I printed off the list and tucked it into my bag. Come to find out - those clues, plus directions filled and 1" binder to the point of explosion... yup - we were packed to rumble in the jungle. Or forest in our case.

Last year our Columbus weekend was a three day event. We scaled back by one day as Teacup had to work the Saturday of the weekend. So while she was toiling away the hours - I started my day with a quick morning meeting at work (gotta love a working vacation.) The fact that it started at 4:30am was nothing to crow about... yawning the whole way - by the time the meeting was over - my coffee was gone and I was just beginning to wake up! Headed home to make a quiche - or two. Packed up stuff and headed south to a stamping party for the OMG planning committee. I arrived earlier than I had intended, but gollygee was hospitable and let me in even though she was going to bed when I was waking up for my meting... Six hours later and with very inky hands, I headed back north.

Now my darling husband has but a few wishes in life. One one of them is... if I'm traveling the turnpike and happen to go by Popeyes - can I please bring him home biscuits and gravy. Only now he has upgraded to wanting shrimp - damn commercials! I attempted to procure these elusive creatures for my husband a couple weekends ago with Teacup only to find out that they shut their fryers off at 7:30pm and we were too late. So leaving gollygees house at 6pm... I should have had plenty of time to get them this time. I pulled into the parking lot and walked into the rest area. The freaks of the nation had all been dumped by alien spaceship in front of Popeyes! They had to have known I was coming - and sold EVERYTHING before I got there. By the time I had killed 15 minutes in line and was close enough to the front to hear that they were out of shrimp and rolls and that the biscuits would be another 10 minutes - I threw my hands up in the air and walked out. This was beginning to turn into Mission Impossible!

Back in my car - and once again heading north - I sped along towards Freeport so I could meet up with Ashley, Veronica and Patty. Now after my morning meeting I swung into the Hunt Fish to pick up camo duct tape. While there I enjoyed a wonderful power outage. So now, 13 hours later - what could I possibly look forward to? Well thankfully - things went smoother than my two previous shopping experiences of the day and we got what we came for and headed home so I could pack for my trip with Teacup. I quickly gathered all my stuff and piled it in the living room - because Ashley took my car to a party at a friends house. She promised she'd be home before I needed to leave at 4:30am. (Home by 4:30am???? Oh to be a college student again, not!)

Well just as promised, she walked into the house as I came out of the bathroom. Scared the daylights out of me - but she was home in time. She was going to drive me to Teacups house and then use my car over the weekend. At 4:30 - she opted out of that plan and went to bed instead. So I loaded my car with clothes, laptop, boxing supplies and my mittens. Since I had managed to miss the weather reports - I wanted to be prepared. I left my house at 4:40am and pulled into Teacup's driveway at 4:50 ready to transfer to her car. Darn - I forgot all my NH stuff. So much for picking up a couple drive-bys along the way!

I rapped lightly on her door - because I'm pretty sure everyone else in her house didn't really want to get up at the crack of dawn. Nothing. I rapped a little harder. Still nothing. Hmmm. In a brief phone call the night before I did mention that I'd arrive between 5 and 6. Teacup must have figured I'd never crawl out of bed in order to be at her house by 5. Okay - so I decided to go get a cup of coffee. Too early for Dunkin Donuts - I had to suffer with Tim Hortons. And boy are they a jovial bunch early in the morning! Coffee and donut in hand - back to Teacup's house where now she was moving about. Seems she was in the shower while I was a knocking on her window. So after fixing my coffee to something a little more palatable - we loaded up the car and headed south.

I was immediately handed the binder, atlas, tripticket, and gazetteer. Time to navigate! Luckily for us - we did know the way to the border. It was after we crossed over that things started to get sticky. We paid our exit toll in Maine and prayed they let us back in after our weekend of disloyalty to our beloved Maine. Just bout the time we paid the toll in New Hampshire, Teacup started to get a little quiet. By the time we hit the MA border - she stopped breathing. We followed the navigational markers towards our first stop in Rowley. Just stepping into a cemetery helped Teacup to start breathing once again. We inked up our first image - and Teacup was fully restored! Ready to tackle the unknown and almost ready to tackle MA. But first we needed food.

Another lesson learned from last year - food is a requirement when boxing or your brain starts to shut down. Navigational thoughts turn to jelly without food and water. Who knew? So we pulled into this charming little diner and had breakfast. It was one of the smallest diners I've ever been in. And frankly - I'm surprised its managed to maintain its name. Named after a Native American tribe and all. In Maine - everything referencing Indian tribes had to be changed a while ago - so this was a very cool surprise. Hopped up on hash and french toast - we headed off in the direction of our next location. The only clue I suggested to add was one in Salem. So we thought we would swing into Salem and beat feet out before anyone caught us there.

Now I have pretty good navigational skills. And I'm usually pretty good at multi-tasking. But we were chatting and looking at the architecture and some of the unique locations and before we knew it we were almost in Boston! By the time we saw the exit sign for the Tobin bridge - Teacup was ready to turn the car around and head north - back to Maine. There was no way she was driving in Boston. So we navigated around a bit. Literally fell into the center of Lynn and opted to skip Salem since we were already at the third location on our itinerary.

So we pulled into the location of Lynn, Lynn the City of... series by Lundy and Vickster. Pulling into the park, it was relatively quiet. But I was in need of a bathroom before attempting the series. Noticing the port-o-potties I headed off only to find that they were locked! Dang. After finding the park range - he unlocked them and gave me some interesting information. It seems we were there the same day that 1600 people were expected in the park for the Pirate's Day event! 1600 people? How the heck are you supposed to be stealthy around 1600 pirates??? Damn. But we were there 2 hours before they were supposed to arrive - so off we went. The only advice we were given was to stay clear of Dungeon Rock. Not a problem I thought - we weren't going after that box. Or so I thought!

We found our first few boxes without issue. The local cross country team was also out on the trails. In the beginning I thought this was a cool place to run cross country. Then we started to climb - and I thought all of them running were absolutely nuts! The acorns alone would have me tissle end up in a heart beat! But we navigated around for about an hour or so without to much of a problem - well other than when we did get to Dungeon Rock. We found the location of the box we were looking for - sort of. It was shifted off to the side a bit and more in the open than it was supposed to be. As soon as we started to uncover it - I knew we had the wrong box. Opening it up - I realized we had the Dungeon box that we didn't have the clues for. Dang! It seems somehow someone had managed to switch the locations.

A quick phone call home to get the clues read to us for the other box - we started to try and do a rescue. Out of nowhere a truck arrived with one pirate who started to unload all sorts of paraphernalia. Dang... the pirates were early! So we had to abandon our rescue mission and move along. We really wanted to get out of the park before it was filled with people. We continued along reaching a couple of the other boxes without too much of a problem. Almost run over by a couple of joggers. Mind you we did step off the trail to let them pass - how were we supposed to know we stepped directly into the path that they were taking? As we stamped up another image just off the trail - two truckload of pirates drove past us. Seemed sort of odd - as we thought they arrived by ship not in the back of a pickup, but what the heck?

But again I digress. So we headed off for the clue to Shoe City. And low and behold there was a pink pirate flag in the path. Stepping into the woods as quietly as we could so as not to arise the suspicions of the pirates guarding the trail ahead - we stamped up quickly behind a tree. By the time we made it back to the trail - they had moved their flag to higher ground and had laid claim to the hillside on the far side of the trail. We just continued along. The next to last box we quickly found and stamped up. It now seemed like we were hearing voices at every turn. Pirates were starting to take over. We quickly moved along to the final box. The roar of the pirates was much louder now. Oh wait! That's a DJ not a bunch of pirates! So we stepped into the rose garden with music thumping loudly below us! Truly an odd hiking/boxing experience!

We lingered just a bit to enjoy the last location which we presume is spectacular in the summer during the peak of flower season. But even in the morning of a warm fall day - it was a lovely place to enjoy a wonderful find. Box stamped up with a hiker included - we set off back to the car. Not a moment to soon as the parking lot was filling to capacity. Parking on the lawn and along the roads leading up to the park entrance. We avoided having to walk the plank and escaped the holds of the pirates! Without a moment to loose - we aimed the car towards Andover! For we still had many more boxes on the list and some of them had to be completed before daylight left us.

The impact of a four legged friend

Thay say "you're gonna miss me when I'm gone," and in out house this evening this is proving painfully truthful. We've been blessed by having a wonderful feline as a member of our family for more than nine years. And today as a family we are mourning his passing. Hummer was just that, a hummer of a cat. A cat that arrived as part of a pair for my husband one Christmas nine years ago, and today we had to bury this very important member of our family and his death has torn our hearts apart.
Many in my family tell me on a regular basis that I'm not an animal lover, but in truth - I am. I just also realize that I do not lead the kind of life that warrants owning an animal, cats being the exception. For cats are truely part human in nature and totally independant and really do not need us at all. We need them much more than they really need us. So I brought home Hummer and Cleo as Christmas presents for my husband who always has had cats in his house. Growing up with cats and dogs, I thought these two cats would be a natural addition.
Right from the start, Cleo proved to be more superior than her human minions. She would situate herself high and aloft from anyone in the family. Only coming in contact with anyone if absolutely necessary. But Hummer, now he was different. He wanted to be close, closer if at all possible. He was happiest she he was nose to nose with one of us.
Almost seven years ago, Hummer decided right off that he was going to be a constant companion to our newest member of the family. From the moment I was preganant, Hummer started sleeping on my stomach. As I would move, he would move with me. The farther along in the pregnancy - the closer he would be to me. He was a constant 'watch cat' for what was being added to our family. When Christopher arrived, Hummer would sleep on the floor next to the bassinet. If not there, he would sleep on my shoulder keeping a watchful eye on his newest human pet. If Christopher whimpered and I didn't immediately respond, Hummer was immediately under my feet getting my attention.
When Christopher moved into his crib, Hummer went with him. Sleeping next to his littlest charge, keeping him safe. When we would have Christopher nap on the couch, Hummer would keep him safely in place, washing his hair while nearby. Many photos are in our albums of Christopher and Hummer, constant companions right from the start.
As Christopher grew older - Christopher started doing things to that poor cat that little boys would do. Carrying the cat from one end of the house to the other - barely holding him by two legs, the back to dragging behind him. We'd find Hummer patiently waiting out his turn of hide-n-seek inside a closet (which Hummer knew how to get out of if we didn't catch on fast enough.) Then there were numerous baths, carrying the cat in baby blankets and driving the cat crazy with a laser light. All Hummer would allow CHristopher to do to him without even the slightest of meows.
As Hummer got older - he'd start to throw his weight around the neighborhood. He's taken on a fisher and won. Brought through the cat door as presents mice, moles, bats, birds, squirrels, chipmunks, frogs, and snakes. He's taken on more than one neighborhood rival and kept them away from our backdoor. And most recently - a raccoon kept him howling while perched high atop the spare refridgerator. But one this he couldn't beat - a passing car. We live on a busy road where most drive way to fast. Hummer is not the first cat we've buried because of a vehicle and I'm sure he will not be the last, but he certainly feels like the most impactful.
For the last 4 hours I have held my two youngest children in my arms as I've tried to explain to them why Hummer would not be coming back. Veronica understands a little better, but for Christopher - Hummer has been a constant in his life. Here from the beginning, Christopher is convinced that once Daddy covers him with dirt, Hummer will wake up and eat again. Even seeing him dead - which I could not handle, my two little ones were convinced to a point that Hummer wasn't dead. His eyes were blinking and he's still alive.
Ron was left with the horrible task of burying the cat. With two children looking on, and making Daddy move the location so that noone could run over Hummer anymore, when the rain started to fall, Ron was placing the final shovel of dirt on the tiny grave. Two small children were heart broken. Ron, usually a rock solid member of the family had to walk away since he was crying so hard. Death is never easy. I know - I've been dealing with it since I was seven. I lost my mother when I was seven. My grandfather when I was nine. My maternal grandmother had a stroke in my arms when I was 16 and died three weeks later. I've been to more funerals than most. Recently to a young niece whose life was cut short tragically too young and a friend who died from a brain tumor. Every death is hard, and every one is missed. But when they are missed by those so young its hard to try and explain the whys.
Christopher is trying so hard to figure out if Hummer is now an angel. And if Christopher himself dies - will he become an angel. And if he's an angel, can he then come back? Such cosmic questions coming from such a tiny little boy who at 5 1/2 is experiencing his first true loss. I'm hoping it will be a long time until he has to go through such a loss again. But for now, we are sad. We will be sad for a while and then we will resume the happiness that Hummer helped to share with our family. A solid memory in our photo album, rest assured Hummer - while you will no longer be sleeping next to us in bed, you will always be with us in our hearts and our memories.

Lond Weekends...

So after a long but short work week I was looking forward to a much needed long weekend. I had made all sorts of plans, had all sorts of things to knock off my 'To Do" list. So as I sit here today doing laundry on my birthday, I'm now wondering if anything at all got accomplished? Let's see...

Thursday afternoon I sat with Ashley and frantically made pouches to plant a small lighthouse series of 25. Now mind you, I knew I was planting these - so why did I wait so long you might ask? Well procrastination IS my middle name ; ) Besides, waiting for Ashley to help me did make the task more fun! So we stamped up each image and labeled them, taping the image to keep it from smudging too much. Made camo bags, and tucked them into the pouches and numbered them as we went along. Not too much of a task, but definitely lots easier when you have an extra set of hands. Of course its even easier when sipping on tasty cocktails. We were looking through a magazine I picked up at the store earlier and started talking about cocktails. Ashley found one on the internet called a Salem Witch. Realizing we had the ingredients, I thought I'd whip one up to try. Need to test these things if I might want to serve them later at another event. Smooth and slightly tart. And it went so well with the grilled chicken Caesar salad we were having for dinner. A great way to start my long weekend!

Printed off the trail map, put all of the camo bags into my boat and tote and quickly realized that would be a bit cumbersome to drag along a trail so I set off to find my fanny pack. This same fanny pack has eluded me for the past month or so. I've needed it when I've gone out planting and boxing with Teacup a couple of different times. I knew I washed it. I knew that at one point it was hanging on the back of the coat rack. I remembered moving it. But still, it eluded me. Hmmm... so much for using it to plant these 25 boxes.

So I got all of my necessary equipment ready; boxes, notebook, pen and headed off to bed. (note my list is relatively missing some much needed things - this too is normal for me.) Friday I got up and put Christopher on the bus and discussed grand plans for the weekend with my Dad. Seems we were going to split some wood, move some stuff around and set up some square foot planters along the edge of my parents house so we could plant things like tomatoes, cukes, and peppers. This grandiose idea came to pass because my husband thought we should plant tomatoes in a five gallon bucket. Now mind you - I have the BLACKEST thumb around. I kill spider plants. So why on earth would he think I could keep tomatoes alive is beyond me. But Dad thought in lieu of the five gallon buckets we could upgrade to the square foot planters that someone gave him at the beginning of LAST summer. We are nothing without our grand ideas!

So plans set for Sunday and Monday, knowing Castine was planned for Saturday and sometime on Sunday we were having a small BBQ birthday for Ron's 50th, Ashley and I set off for a planting trip. First we had to go to her bank to get some money, then to my bank to cash a check, then to another bank to make a payment at which point my teenager announced that she was hungry. Mind you - as soon as she sits in my car she gets hungry. So off to McD's for sweet tea, a bottle of water and some nuggets. Just a little something until we could have lunch. Lunch before lunch???

Off to our location, we pulled in and grabbed our gear. We no sooner stepped foot on the trail than a jeep started to back up to the trailhead, ugh. But with a quick scan of its bumper we realized it was just the local mail delivery. Yeah! So off we started, trying to calculate how quickly to plant the boxes so they would fit on the trail. The trail itself was a little less than a mile, but its offshoot added about a half a mile. So we basically had 1.5 miles to plant 25 boxes. We planted our first couple and a family of 4 deer shot through the woods. A lovely sighting on this quiet trail. Especially since it was almost noon at this point. (Where had the morning gone???)

Trying to stay on task, I did mention to Ashley that she should be happy that I made her put on my sneakers. She thought she was going to plant these boxes in flip flops. Like her feet and ankles haven't had enough trauma this past year! Again, silly teenager! So we ambled along the trail with Ashley ducking in and out of the treeline. She had the task of planting while I scribed the clues. We continued down the middle path towards the water. When we reached the path I pointed out the bridge across the water. Listening as well as she does - she said "That's a little far off the path for the next box don't you think?" I just looked at her. Yeah right Ashley. Unless every boxer can walk on water it might just be a bit too far off the trail : ) So around the point we went and the path started to get a little narrow and sloped towards the water.

At one point I had mentioned to Ashley that we needed to try and plant some boxes on the right as I seemed to have an affinity for planting on the left. With water on our right, we were kind of stuck with left handed plants for this portion of the trail - but with some quick logistical semantics we did manage to get a right hand plant in. Getting closer to the end of the trail we quickly planted the last couple of boxes and made our way back to the car. Now this trail is usually riddled with flying bloodsuckers. But we went in without the aid of bug spray and didn't have to fight off even one! The coastal breeze was perfect, the temperature just cool enough so forgetting bottled water wasn't even an issue. I wouldn't suggest doing both of those things for those seeking this series - we just plain lucked out!

So back at the car - and back to my still icy cold sweet tea (after 2 hours on the trail) we headed back to town to find lunch. Of course on our way off the island we did have to make a quick u-turn to check out a wheeled tiger in some one's driveway. Ashley thought it would be more effective if it was motorized. But then everything usually is. Back in town we stopped at Jen's Place just before they were closing up for the day for a bit of lunch. Just enough to curb the hunger pains. With just enough time to hit Hannafords to order a birthday cake for my husband's 50th 'surprise' BBQ on Sunday.

Now one would think picking out a 50th birthday cake would be simple enough, yeah right! We had exactly 2 choices. One said "Older than Dirt," a title that was bestowed on my Dad more than a couple of years ago by Ashley. So that one was DEFINATELY not an option. The other one was a grim reeper cake. And that too seemed a bit too extreme for 50. So we opted to forgo the 'toys' on the cake and just ask for a chocolate cake with masculine colors that said happy 50th Ron in red. But the lady taking the order threw me a curve ball... did I want traditional or best creme frosting? What? Are you kidding? Damn. Half my family like one type - the other half like the other. Now the odds were not in my favor - I just knew I'd get the wrong one, so I ordered best creme and hoped for the best.

We raced back to the elementary school to pick up the wee people before heading home just long enough to drop Veronica and Ashley off. Veronica was going to a fundraiser with her grandmother (also known as a yard sale - of which give me the whillies) and Ashley had to go to work. Christopher and I had a date with Teacup to pull a series. So we shuffled bodies around - loading the right children back into the correct vehicles and headed back to Brunswick.

Quickly collecting Teacup, we headed back across town towards the needed trail - which is normally a simple task. But we decided to go to a Bowdoin College trail on the same weekend that Bowdoin College was graduating. UGH! The traffic was hideous. Parents in SUVs, and upscale cars with out-of-state plates were plugging along the roads making the locals crazy. So a quick divert down a back road and a cut across a lesser traveled road we managed to park the car. Spraying ourselves down with bug spray - since the breeze had died down a bit, and we were no longer benefiting from the coastal breeze - we headed off to find what was left of this series. Christopher chased a squirrel and said hi to anyone interested in listening to him.

Sometimes a rowdy noisy 5 year old makes it hard to be elusive. But we were pulling the boxes - so its not like anyone was going to find anything after we left. We followed our clues to location after location. Picking up boxes and what was left of boxes along the way. We knew a couple were missing. A couple more were tragically claimed by downed pines that even though Teacup tried - she could not lift and move it to get the boxes beneath! So boxes collected, off the trail we went. A quick hop down a side road Christopher picked up a box and then another quick diversion and we had Teacup getting inky. We then took a ride over a bit farther to knock a couple more off our list that had been overly elusive to us. And wouldn't you know it - it was a raccoon. Little did I know that finding these boxes would be a foretelling of my evening to come.

So once I was finally home again - and quickly getting too pooped to pop, I started carving a last minute plant while printing off clue sheets. Just ask around - I'm famous for those slightly under-the-wire carves : ) I was carving away when I heard this 'bang, bang' over the drone of the TV. A quick peek into the laundry room and our evening diner was back for his nightly chomp through the bag of catfood. I had already duct taped one corner, this pesky fellow was now working on the other corner! I shut the light off so as not to interrupt his evening's meal and calmly walked to the living room to tell my darling husband of our visitor. The next hour or so can best be summed up as raccoon's ability to defeat a big strapping man with a fireplace poker!

So here comes Ron brandishing the fireplace poker. Scaring the raccoon out of the laundry room didn't work the first time - at least to get him to stay away. Why would the critter stay away tonight? We the banging continued - because tonight seems he'd gained a couple pounds and couldn't get thru the door as easily. Bang, bang. He was caught in the screen door and kept going back and forth to try and make it through both doors. A final slam and we knew our friend was inside having dinner on us! I watched as Ron grabbed the poker and the raccoon backed his way out of the laundry room with Ron poking at him. Big man winning round one. And my big brave husband announced to me that the raccoon was gone for the night.

So about 15 minutes later I tell Ron that the raccoon is back. I tell my husband to get dad and a gun. I'd had enough. So off he goes to get dad with a gun. Another 15 minutes later, the raccoon is still enjoying dinner in our house... so off I go in search of the two men. There they were, holding and loading the gun. Good thing we weren't being robbed at gun point - because these men were not built for speed! Ron decided he was going to use the gun - which had me very leery. So he struts through the house with the gun and heads into the laundry room. I wait to hear the gun fire and nuthing. The back doors slams open and shut. And Ron walks back to my parents with the unfired gun. "What happened?" I asked. "Well I hit him with the gun." "Hit him with it? You didn't shoot it?" "No I didn't want to shoot the freezer."

Okay - so that made sense, I guess. So he was out again. Round two over. Raccoon chasing, NOT over for the night. Bang, bang. Guess who's back? Yup - so once again I get my husband and my Dad involved. This time Dad positions himself on their back porch and Ron chases him out of the laundry room with an ax! Two shots later - the coon was gone for good. The question was - did Dad hit it? No blood... but the coon has not been back since. So we're pretty happy about that.

I finished carving my stamp. Pulled together a plant and gathered my stuff for Tour the Fort and made it to bed at a reasonable time - all things considering. Can't wait for the next morning. A full day of boxing and the weather is supposed to be perfect!

May 2010 5 year Bucket List Plan

So - maybe I should set some goals - get profound - develop a 5 year bucket list. It can quietly sit on my Blog and I can see if I can knock any of them off over the next 5 years of so. I might add things that are totally not reachable and I might even change them along the way - who knows? They are my dreams and goals. So I should be able to decide if I want to do them anymore or extend them or change them or morph them into something ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL! So here goes... let's see what I can come up with.

1. Clean out my closet - not just find it - but actually clean it OUT. Get rid of stuff I'll never ever wear again - toss those games I bought for kids who don't play them - and get that darn old computer out of there for good! (This one MIGHT be possible with enough Sweet Tea!)
2. Find a workable space for my crafts that isn't the dining room table. (This one will probably require longer since my youngest is only 5, kicking him to the curb at 10 is probably ill advised.)
3. Go 3 months with a zero balance on both credit cards. The one has been at zero for almost a year - it helped that I cut it into pieces, the other rises and lowers as my stock of carving materials goes up and down.
4. In letterboxing - hit 500 plants (232 more than today), 2500 finds (1165 more than today)and exchange with 400 (214 more than today) boxers. That means Teacup and I will HAVE to leave the state of Maine, OR we have to invite all of our postal/LTC/carving friends to Maine for one big 'ole exchange party. While I think the later is easier - Tea cracks around too many people - so look out world, we might just crack the border!
5. Attend the next Live and Breathe Event - yup, I said it. I have $3.27 saved up already. At this rate I should be ready to travel 3 years AFTER the event! Hold a program for me Camp Fire Lady - I'll make it there eventually!
6. Have one magical weekend when the laundry is all done, the dishes are all clean, the floors are all vacuumed and noone needs to visit the ER. Okay - so this one may NEVER happen. But it does a body and soul good to dream a little (BIG) dream.
7. Travel Route 66 before it completely disappears. I've been along some of the stops - but a college student never appreciates things until 20 years later. Wish I had taken just a couple more days on that 5 day trek 20 years ago!
8. Plan at least 2 weekend boxing getaways with Teacup every year for the next 5 years. If we aren't hosting an event - it looks like we'll have to go to yours. Watch out - when Team MudCup travels - noone is safe.
9. Have a 1 day window when we can say - yup, we've got them all in Maine - time to move along, before they plant more for us to find : ) Okay - so this is all part of that list thing. Its more of a Teacup bucket list idea. But since she doesn't box over the border - my list actually is all of the boxes in New Hampshire. And do you know how many MOUNTAINS are in New Hampshire? Mountains and mountains of GRANITE! (Must remember to add to Christmas wish list - one stairmaster.)
10. Actually use the stairmaster if I get it for Christmas. Okay - who am I kidding? A stairmaster on my Christmas Wish List??? Not freakin' likely! Its more like: carving material, blank index cards, camo duct tape, ziploc freezer bags, lock and locks, cardstock, bug spray, a new backpack... you know. All of the IMPORTANT stuff!
11. Take on the Zombies and win!
12. Find the lost land of Oz and make it home again - because there's no place like home, there's no place like home.
13. Go and play with the Inhabitants of the Enchanted Woods in Oregon.
14. Graduate to REAL markers...
15. Actually go on that letterboxing trip to France. You thought Teacup had problems with a state border - how am I going to convince her to jump the pond? I'd suggest taking a boat - but that would be worse!
16. Plant a tombstone for All of my friends. Honest - its an HONOR! We only memorialize the ones we love. The rest we leave on the carving table sitting under a never ending pile of postals : )
17. Convince my husband that cared images ARE an investment in our future. They continue to payback dividends the longer they are out in the wild. He just calculate dividends wrong.
18. Log the drawer of LTCs I have yet to log. I love them all - they just intimidate me to no end. Every time I look at them I feel inferior. There are so many carvers and LTC creators out there that make me look like a 3 year old with construction paper and a glue stick!
19. Plant a blue diamond series that is actually all my own stamps! I have those lovely jewels in my logbook - but not because they are my stamps... mostly its because wicked talented folks have let me plant their diamonds here in Maine. I live vicariously through others jewelry boxes... actually - I'd rather have a green emerald!
20. Publish a book. If I only knew how to write....................