Got back at 10:30 last night after driving all day. Poor M got carsick a whopping three times. By the end we had it down to a science though—moved her from the way back to the middle, strategically placed grocery bag. Note to self: look into Dramamine for future trips. But the kids were amazing. I did not hear a single “are we there yet?” all day, and only one or two on the trip up.

Nor did I hear a single “we’re bored” all week. Which is amazing because it RAINED EVERY DAY. Except one. Apparently that area had 28 rainy days during the month of June.

The cottage is not large, so by hour 36 of our vacation (which was also hour 36 of rain—no exaggeration) I was making mental plans to come back early and enjoy what was sounding like unseasonably lovely weather here at home.

I felt certain that we would be able to keep the kids entertained, but staying one step ahead of kid boredom and cabin fever all week is not at all relaxing. But they just… found ways to be entertained. Part of it was having lots of adults around, strange environs to explore, Aunt S who made us a new dessert every day and was happy to have little girl help. But they were amazingly self-entertaining.

Part of it was also the lack of expectations on their part. All of us adults know how wonderful Maine can be—boating, hiking, beautiful views, playing on the lake’s beach… which didn’t even exist because of the rain. They experienced little of that, yet I’m sure they found the trip to be a rousing success. There’s a sermon in there.

Other random memories I want to record here [I facebooked much of this but I don’t trust that stuff to stick around forever] :

J slept terribly. I mean, it could have been worse, but it was pretty bad. So I wouldn’t say we’re rested. He woke up anywhere from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. and would spend the rest of the night in our bed. Usually perpendicular to the two of us. The pack and play just doesn’t work for him anymore, methinks.

We climbed a huge hill/boulder on the last day (during a non-raining moment) and found some wild blueberry bushes up there. This charmed the girls, who gave me fistfuls of berries to put in the pretzel container we’d emptied during our snack atop the boulder. I took a wrong step and CRACK! went down. It’s a very uncomfortable sprain. I made it down the hill fine and have actually not had much pain, just stiffness, swelling, and some purple patches. All told, being in the car all day is not a bad way to rest one’s ankle—forced sitting.

We also went to the little children’s museum in the nearby town, which was the size of a house but had lovely cheerful things to play with. We made our traditional pilgrimage to LL Bean. The kids got to see a play at the local children’s theater, and I’m told by the aunts and grandmother that they were rapt. Even J.

While they did this, R and I took a canoe ride. We managed to canoe all the way up the inlet to the stream that feeds into the lake. This was wildly wonderful. R said, “I have always wanted to do this!” but the sheer amount of water finally made this possible.

I facebooked this, but after 15 years of marriage we finally know how to be in a canoe together. If the comments to that status were any indication, this is a common marital affliction. In our case, I have figured out how not to be in charge and just to do what R suggests, not trying to prove I know how to be in a canoe. And R for his part has stopped helpfully critiquing my paddling technique. This dynamic bears a really annoying resemblance to “wives submit to your husbands… husbands love your wives,” which ticks me off.

There is a swing in the front yard of the cottage that both girls adored. C has gotten really good at swinging herself higher and higher. I would catch glimpses of her from the window, soaring through the air, perfectly happy by herself, and would simply feel amazed to have such a fantastic 6 1/2 year old.

The last day we were there, some other children showed up. One of them was a five year old boy, and M informed everyone that they were friends and were going to get married.

Honestly, she said so many things that totally slayed me that I couldn’t possible remember them all. The night before we left she was very weepy (VERY tired) and said she couldn’t wait to get home because our house was “in her heart.” I said something about her “little heart” and she said “My heart is really big because I have a lot of love in it.” True.

She is also frighteningly self-aware for a three year old. She will say things like, “I’m crying because my body is very tired and I want to go to sleep.” Dang! Took me years to get to that point.

She was nervous about going on the boat (a little rowboat with a motor) but by the end she was saying “Faster, faster!” C went on one excursion and got to see a couple of loons on a nest made by the local conservation society. Got close enough to see the eggs and get a little splashed by a concerned parent flapping about. (The society later put up a sign that boats should keep their distance.)

And J? Well J just went with the flow. He had his moments, but put a car, truck or toy boat in his hand and he’s happy.

They all enjoyed wading in the lake, and the lack of beach was actually really nice. The water up against the shore made a sort of makeshift lagoon, with a large rock providing a mental barrier that the kids did not want to cross. So they were always in safe shallow water.

The first time they all went in, it was a cool day so we threw them all in the shower afterwards. Hard to say whether they enjoyed the swim or the shower more. J has taken to emitting a supersonic shriek when he’s happy. And he’s happy a lot right now. Makes your ears bleed.

And the food! The desserts were all incredible. Death by chocolate is a tradition at the cottage (a sort of trifle with kahlua soaked brownies, pudding, cool whip and crushed heath bars). Also had rum cake, “black bottoms,” and just plain white cake with white icing. Dinners included roast chicken, a great cinnamony chicken stew with chick peas on rice, and R and I went out one night to a wine bar/tapas place. And I had lobster roll three times.

This week R said “this wasn’t the vacation I expected.” For me, it wasn’t what I expected either, but it was the vacation I needed. I read three books in the cozy cottage, sometimes with a fire in the fireplace! Did a little writing and could feel my brain slowing down and thoughts deepening.

But I think we will take the kids to a real-life beach sometime before the summer’s over.