North Haven to Troy

We spent Friday morning wandering around North Haven. After a hearty breakfast at Nebo, we headed back out to Turner Farm, where they'd let us know that we could walk out to the beach from the parking area near the barn where we'd had dinner. This was a great place to see the Goose Rock Lighthouse, #42 on our trip. We also stopped at the farm stand, which wasn't open the night before, and I picked up some maple cranberry granola and a handful of beets. 

We wandered around the island, enjoying the beautiful views, before heading back to the ferry. After claiming our reserved spot (no worries about not making it on this time), we checked in at the office and then wandered on. We scoped out the options at The Landing, but didn't find anything we really needed, and then headed over to Hopkins Wharf Gallery, a little gift shop and art gallery a couple of doors down. I was particularly in love with the paintings of Amy Peters Wood.

I decided to stay in the car with Kef when we got on the ferry, and this time we were loaded on right at the edge of the boat, where I had a clear view straight out my window without even leaving the car. The problem was, it was on the opposite side of the boat from where we would be able to see the lighthouses we were trying to catch on the way back to the mainland. Or so we thought. As we pulled away from the dock, the boat turned and headed out... backwards! So instead of being on the opposite side, we were on the perfect side! Kef arranged this, you know. She slipped Captain Neal a $20 to drive the boat backwards all the way so that we could have the view we needed of:

  • Brown's Head Light Station (a repeat of yesterday's #41) - I got a much better view of this one because of our ferry situation.
  • #43 - Owl's Head Light - right as you got back to Rockland Harbor
  • #44 - Rockland Harbor Southwest Light - Maine's newest lighthouse and the only privately built lighthouse in New England to become an official aid to navigation. It was a little tricky to find this one, but we did it!!
We were on a tight schedule after arriving back on the mainland, so we weren't going to have time to drive to each of these to see them up-close. So it was really fortuitous that we were on the right side of the ferry!

My next notecard said we were headed to an inland lighthouse called Ladies Delight! This one was a really tricky one because of all the private property around Cobbosseecontee Lake. I glimpsed it a couple of times through the trees as we drove by, but was not able to get a photo of it. But I'm still calling it #45 because I saw it!

At that point, Kef gave me a card saying we were headed back to the Capital District... home to Maya! But first we had to get through greater Boston traffic and a thunderstorm. The road was congested and we had a few slowdowns, but we made it through the storm and then started exiting in a place that I knew would not take us home, but instead to Sturbridge. And I knew what that meant! Shannon and Tim and Emma! Turns out that our rush was that we were supposed to meet them for dinner at 7:00 p.m. We were a little late, but not too much. And we had a great visit and dinner with them before heading home.

When we got home, Kef unloaded my stuff while I was focused on saying hello to Maya, who seemed to be having more vestibular issues than she had been. Could have been because of excitement, though. So we had our reuniting moments and then very shortly headed to bed at about 11:40 p.m. What a very long day!

A few minutes later, my phone rang. It was Kef, telling me I had to come to the door because she forgot my souvenir bag and had brought it to me. "Now?!" was my response. Yes! Now! So I went to the door in my nightgown, only to be presented with another card that said I wasn't done. And then out popped Kirstyn and Amy and Camilla! I could. not. believe it. 

The grand finale of my birthday week travels was a visit from my college besties, Theta Chi sisters, life sisters! I never thought I'd see the day when they all came up to visit, much less as a surprise to me! Kef told us we had reservations for brunch the next morning, and supper the next evening, and brunch the next day too. She'd made all the arrangements, and then we had the liberty to fill in the rest. Which, of course, we did! We stayed up until 2 a.m. talking, then spent the next two days eating tons of great food and wandering around: showing them my favorite views, looking at amazing old houses, touring Emma Willard, and so much more! We sure made the most of those two days.

I dropped them at the airport at 4 a.m. on Monday, and thus the Fabulous 50th Birthday celebration came to an end! Exhausted, but eternally grateful and happy!

Leaving Nebo

Captain Neal really did a good job making sure we were on the right side of the ferry! This is Brown's, although a better picture than yesterday for sure!

The besties at Nighthawks for Saturday brunch

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