After two days of solid driving, we've arrived at the Heavenly Day's cottage on Sommes Sound on Mt. Desert Island, Maine. It took 19 hours of driving. On our next vacation, we will surely break that kind of distance up over more days. However, we did survive, and still like each other. Next time, though, I'm driving this:

We stayed last night in Syracuse NY at a Hampton Inn, where the lesson of the day was that every experience can be made better or horribly worse by an employee who does or does not enjoy their job. In this case, fortunately, Evelyn the desk clerk welcomed us when we arrived at 8pm, had hot cookies ready moments later, and gracefully dealt with all of the tired travelers checking in late. I wanted to bring her home with me.

The road to Maine (at least for us) was paved with toll roads. We went through at least five toll plazas - but who can remember? About $18 for the day. The roads were smooth for the most part, and the time went fast with Stephen King narrating The Wind Through the Keyhole. But you know how Stephen King is . . . .I now kind of regret the choice of book since we are now in the woods of Maine, and they bear a frightening resemblance to the setting of the story. 

Our lovely Garmin led us off the beaten path (much to Mark's delight) and we threaded our way through a series of small towns on bays that all looked like wonderful places to spend a weekend. But instead I just snapped a few pics as we drove by. In any of these pictures, if you can't see the water, it is there, just the angle may not show it. 

As we got closer to our cottage, I decided that the state of Maine is not really on solid ground. It is comprised of more water than land, and at every turn there is yet more water. And all of the lakes and tributaries are FULL. LOTS of water. I'm glad the Stephen King story had nothing to do with water. It would only play into my tidal wave nightmares, which I'm going to stop thinking about right now.

After stopping to get some groceries, the road went from four lanes to two, then to one, then to a gravel road, then to a narrow gravel path (at which point Mark grinned and said something about four wheel drive). It was getting late when we arrived and the Heavenly Days Cottage was everything advertised. It is over 100 years old and furnished with antiques and quaintness galore. The view is wonderful (what we could see in the deepening dusk). The owners left us a box of salt water taffy and a welcome note. We are sitting here in the living room, curled on sofas and chairs, surrounded by charming touches - three antique radios, an older but functional tv, and a cabinet full of videos (you know, those movies you can truly rewind?)! There is one bathroom, which is downstairs. All of the bedrooms are upstairs . . . and the stairs are scary. A little narrow and a little steep - and not the steps are never the height my brain or my feet expect. If I die on this vacation it will be in the middle of the night on the way to the bathroom. Geesh. The kitchen is a hoot! It has a Hoosier Cabinet, a tin bread box, a slate sink, and an old icebox as well as a real fridge and dishwasher. My sister Debbie would LOVE this house. 

Here is the view from the porch of the house - many more to come tomorrow when it is light again! Well that is, there will be more pictures tomorrow if I don't fall down the stairs tonight! Now, off to the hot tub on the porch, drinks, crackers and cheese!

I love that this old icebox, with no ice, actually has a note in it warning you that it is NOT the working refrigerator :)  Did someone complain to the management once about their spoiled milk?