“Nostalgia is a file that removes the rough edges from the good old days.”

Anyone who has ever been to York Beach in Maine will instantly recognize the contraption to the right. It is the famous taffy machine. The taffy shop at the center of the beach town has huge windows allowing the passerbyers to watch as taffy is stretched, literally, from one end of the store to the other. It is really cool.

In my idle time, I have been planning our vacation. We are going to New Hampshire and Maine for the week of August 18th. We'll be staying in Dover--our old stomping grounds and Matty's home town. But, we'll be making mini-day trips all over. We're going to Canobie Lake Park, York Beach, Water Country, and Portsmouth. All of this, of course, with a three year old and a then 4 1/2 month old. Should be interesting! However, Matty and I haven't been on an honest to goodness, stay at a hotel-not-a -relative's-house, vacation since our honeymoon. We are both excited. Zoey is saving all of her "tips" (our version of an allowance) for her souveniors.

I'll be excited to see my New England friends. I hope that I get a chance to get together with Mary, Paula, and Sherry--my teaching buddies from NH. I look back at those days and really love these three women; they were all mentors in different ways. Mary groomed me from day one to be a department chair. She also taught me how to be have a tough exterior. Paula reminded me to love the kids. Sherry reminded me early and often NOT to have kids until I was good and ready because they change everything (boy was she right!). They all taught me how to be a teacher, in one way or another. More importantly, I think they taught me how to be me. All of them were very accepting of me when I was 22 years old, eager, overachiever, etc.

Tonight we are going to the Southgate Plaza carnival. If you hadn't noticed, I have an obsession with free things to do. I like to be out and about, but don't really want to spend a bunch of money when we may have to leave due to a melting down baby or a toddler who peed her pants. So, I search for free (or cheap) stuff to do. I also think it is a great lesson to teach Zoey. She knows about festivals and conventions, yard sales and demonstrations. (Though we had to leave the cooking demonstration because she wanted to tell everyone how to do it! Future teacher? Actress? Definitely my child)

Anyway, the sun is shining, the children are napping. I am going to find some iced tea and tonic water (don't ask--I am obsessed with this. It's actually really good!) and a book. More later.
Amber