Going to Maine to look at a boat

Jim said that we were going to find a boat for us so this is our story of searching for a boat.

We decided to go to the islands off of Maine. This is on a ferry boat that is also the mail boat for the islands. There are several islands up there some are private, some are state parks, and some you can live on. We both love the islands and think that maybe someday we will purchase a home on one of them. But for right now we will just enjoy going up for a day trip.

We caught the ferry in Portland, and it was a two hour ride. It stopped at several different islands, the one that we were going to is called Cliff Island. It has a lot of cliffs verses sandy beaches. The water is more gray than in NC but it is still beautiful. The sun was shining and we both got a sunburn. The wind was blowing just a little to keep it cool.
You might ask is this the boat??? No, this is not the boat that we are looking for. However, it is a very nice boat! There are of course a lot of lobster boats in Maine. Up here they pronounce lobster as lobsta. They don't believe in moving there mouths to talk. I have decided that it is a very efficient way to talk but hard to understand sometimes. As you look over the water you will see a lot of floats telling you where you left your lobster traps so that you can come and find them again, later in the day.



Is this the boat? Well, no this isn't the boat either. However, this was a really nice island that had a lot of great homes on it, but not the right boat. It was great to see what the homes look like on the islands of Maine. There were some very small ones and on one island that is a private island had a house on it the looked like it should have been in Atlanta instead of on an island off the coast of Maine.






We finally made it to Cliff Island it was a great island with lots to see and a good selections of boats. But none of these were them. This is a place where the lobsta boats dock and people of the island come to buy the lobstas right off the boats. It is also where they can repair their cages, boats, or anything else. Jim has purchased many a lobsta here. We started to walk around the island looking at all of the nice homes, planning, wishing and deciding that maybe someday.




Finally after walking for a while we came around a corner and there it was! Jim was so excited that he ran right up to it and got in. Isn't it just lovely. I think we could use it to get back to the main land. :)

About this time the camera died and I could not take anymore pictures of the island. We did however have a great day. Laying on a grassy knoll just above the cliffs and ending up napping, writing in our journal and just enjoying each other. I can hardly wait to go back when it is a little warmer. It is so wonderful to have all of these adventures in a new area. To be able to experience some of the places that Jim has gone for so long and has great memories of.

Abby herding the chicken

Abby meet the chicken's yesterday she wasn't really sure what to think of them and they didn't know what to think of her. She got to close to one and it turn on her and fluffed it's feathers and pecked toward her. After that she kept her distance. But still would follow them around the yard. Once in a while she would come into the house but soon was right back out to find them and see if they are okay. Everyone loved the sunny warm day of spring. But this morning we had a trace of snow on the ground again. Just when I think spring is coming it snows again. Jim keeps saying in two weeks it will be warm and green. I will wait another two weeks to feel the warmth of spring and see the green.

Fun in the Northeast

We heat our home with a wood stove and since it still gets in the twenty's at night we have the wood stove going all of the time. When the winter started the wood shed was full as you can tell it is getting less each day. We might even run out but then Jim will disappear out into our woods and chop more wood.From throwing snowballs in the house to carrying in the wood I love New England. Yes, those are my slippers and yes, it is later in the day and I am still in my Jammies. . . Being retired is great!!!!!

Bubbles Bubbles everywhere

After moving all the stuff around the house Jim was so tired and hurt that he decided to take a bath. He added bubbles to the jetted tub and as you can tell it was a little much. So now we found Jim.









To many bubbles? No just enough to lose yourself.














Where did Jim go now??? I am sure he will pop up soon. It is sure fun being married to a wonderful man like Jim even if he gets lost sometime.

Where's Jim

Now that we are married and I am here in our home with all of this stuff. Maybe that is why Jim had a Heart issue. The boxes where piled this high in each room of the house. What a mess!!

Even the kitchen was a mess. We had two and three of everything that I brought. We took two full boxes down to the cellar to see if Laura wanted them. While living in this mess Jim went to the hospital with A-Flutter. He was there for five days and had to have a procedure to correct the condition. Now he is all better and the house is put together. Thanks to Julie's family coming to visit. I work for 12 hours straight to get it taken care of. The eves are full of Christmas and all the closets are full of clothes. Every nook and cranny is full of something. Every room is put together except for my den and that still has boxes in it. But someday it will be done also. For now I just shut the door and don't go in there except when I have to.
Now that the work is all done. It looks great. We still have some pictures to hang. On one side of the fireplace are pictures of his children and on the other side will be pictures of my children. It will look really nice. We are enjoying spring here, even though we had snow yesterday and are expecting some tomorrow. But it is warming up and I love the beauty all around me.

Mr. and Mrs. James Gordon Dusty

Yes, We did get married. On February 8, 2008 at 5:45 PM at the church in Shallotte, NC. It was a beautiful ceremony and the Bishop did a great job. I am sorry that we couldn't have everyone be a part of it but hopefully you will enjoy seeing the pictures.This is one of our engagement pictures that we had taken up in Washington when we were there for Christmas. I really love how we look in this picture.

Getting ready...





Michelle, started my hair and Melissa finished it when she arrived.

We were to be married at 5:30 and this was at 5:25 so we the girls were running a little late but I guess that was okay to make Jim wait for me just a little longer.














Jim is proving that at the Church he really did have the ring and was ready to go at one time. Waiting for me. So if the ring was lost we knew that it had to be close by.



Finally all ready to go and Jim is waiting up front for me.





















The actual ceremony. . .
Brian and I ready to walk down the isle. . .Great wisdom given to us by Bishop Gore. . .
The first kiss as Mr. & Mrs. Dusty. . .


The Cake table All we had was cake, punch , mints, nuts... The cake isn't exactly what I wanted it looks like a porcupine. But it was so good.
















Cutting of the Cake. . . He was very nice and so was I we didn't smash it at all. . .

It was a great day. . . We are planning a open house here in MA the third week of March. I know that most of you can't come. But I will have more pictures from that. We will be posting them also.

Cruise with the Girls

I know that y'all have been waiting for pictures of the cruise and the wedding so I am now blogging them.

This is us in line to get on the ship. If you go to Tara's, Lisa's blog you will see more pictures of us on the cruise. So I will just put on a few that they do not have. The line was long and Jo was so dizzy due to an ear infection that she could hardly stand. We all are so happy to be this close to getting on the ship. We had so much fun I think that we should do a trip so that every girl in the family can go. Maybe to New York City or Vegas.
This is one of the restaurants on the ship. We had alot of fun trying out all of the places to get food. It was an Italian place. Not our favorite although.

We loved to dance each night we went to a night club and danced the night away. This night was 50's and 60's . Each of us had our moves on the floor.


At some ports of call you dock and others you have to take a ferry boat. This is us ready for a fun day at the beach on the ferry to Grand Cayman. The day was beautiful and hot. We are all looking great. A little red from the day before in Mexico.

Check out the line up on Tara's blog.






The last evening on the ship the sunset was so nice that we have a picture taken on the back of the boat. I really had a great time with all who went and look forward to having another "Girl's Trip" when more of the girls can come.