One of the things that I've been a little put off or just weirded out by is the number of references to dikes in Maine. See, in the midwest, the only reference to dykes is...well, you know. Not nice. But here, there's water everywhere, naturally it is on both sides of the road, therefore making a dike. And every business advertises itself in relation to "the dike".
There is the Machias Valley Farmers Market, then there is the old man with the awesome potbelly and overalls who sells clams, crabs, and lobster out of the back of his pickup....on the dike.
Hmm, maybe someday I can say it without cringing.
Other things I've been up to:
Yesterday I had a wonderful visit with my friend and former co-teacher Sue, who just moved to Bar Harbor/Downeast Maine as well to work with the Healthy Acadia Farm to School project. Very cool. We had a great time, had some lovely black tea to wake me up (it was a pretty cold, dreary day), went for a nice walk, and had a great seafood dinner. And I got to learn firsthand why Bar Harbor is named such....at low tide (which was when we were hanging out) there is a sandbar that connects Bar Harbor the town with Bar Island:
So, we went for a nice walk along the bar, laughed at the people that parked there cars out there (even WE know that is a bad idea when the tide is coming back in people!), saw some neat things (you know, kelp, sea urchins, crab legs, clam and mussel shells everywhere) and had a nice walk.
I once again realized how badly out of shape I am, so it's time for me to really get focused on getting healthy for real while I am out here. I'll have a walk to and from work everywhere that is about 2 miles including a lovely hill, but there needs to be more walking and biking and less car riding. Which is perfect, since I don't get any income until Sept 1st...I'm going to need my feet to help me out!
We went to West Street Seafood Grille and had a lovely mix of boiled mussels (SOOO good), fried clams (not the best), crabcakes (loaded with crab!), and clam chowder(ok). We also each sampled a Bar Harbor beer, I had the Cadillac Mountain Stout. Then it was back on the road to Machias...which is about an 80 mile drive (yikes!).
Other good news is that I finally was able to get my Maine license plates, get my temporary drivers license, register to vote, and all that business yesterday. The bad news is that it was $650 total for all of this stuff. Not only is my car insurance roughly twice what it was in Iowa (and I already have a claim I have to file...), but it cost me almost three times as much to register my car. Well, it all evens out....food is cheaper here, gas is cheaper, everything is close by in town (well town is small, so I guess it is all close by).
Today's adventure will be going to the transfer station (nice words for town dump and recycling center) for the first time. I've never been to a town dump before, but now I'm all legal and have my sticker for my car, so away with you dozens of cardboard boxes taking up space in my house! Away with you one week's worth of garbage!
But you'll only pay the excise tax once, right?
ReplyDeleteDo you take your trash there all the time then, or will you have them start picking it up?
ReplyDeleteS: I pay the excise tax every year....basically they should just call it vehicle registration tax.
ReplyDeleteA: Yes, I take my garbage and recycling there all the time. No garbage trucks here as far as I have seen, except for commercial/rolloff.
So you'll shell out that much money EVERY year to drive a car? Ridic. Start travelling by horse.
ReplyDelete