In all reality, this has been an interesting vacation so far. Once school ended I was able to go on a nice four day vacation with my wife to Bar Harbor...just the two of us. It is always strange when you go somewhere without the kids. At dinner you feel odd eating in silence, you don't have to pick up as many spills or messes, and you don't have to apologize to the waitress for your son calling her "a butthole." When we walked through the streets of Bar Harbor (I realize when I write it like that it sounds like the "MEAN STREETS" of Bar Harbor...which couldn't be farther from the truth) however, when we walk along the road we can freely walk into any store, or establishment, and not have to worry about a stroller fitting in the aisles, being bugged to "buy something", having to pick up children and put them down on a whim, and we almost never have to apologize to a stranger for asking an extremely inappropriate question...like the time my son saw a man with an eye patch and said, "Hey, are you a pirate?" Or when my kids, both have at one point or another, point out (very loudly I might add) that a person is...shall we say...Gerthy. That's a proud parental moment. Regardless, my lovely wife and I *almost* felt guilty shopping, chatting, walking, eating and resting...almost.
While we were there we had several great experiences and some very interesting sights, sounds and actions that we took part in. First, mini golf. We love it. We are competitive. My wife trash talked me on Facebook prior us leaving; however, I will say that my record while we were down there this time was 3-0-1..that is 3 wins, no losses and 1 tie. However, golf etiquette is something that not many people have, I have come to realize. Just like the one person that is always driving slowly in the right lane, there is always someone who is playing incredibly slowly...a group of...let's say 9 (when it clearly says no more than 5 in a group) of several young teenagers and their parents. It really doesn't help when one of these people is the most uncoordinated individuals I have ever seen. I mean, golfers are typically not accused of being Overly Athletic very often, however; it was difficult to watch...and when me and Julie could finish one hole in 45 seconds, and it took than 5 minutes...we had plenty of time to watch. I could have written my dissertation on, "How watching sad, pathetic golfing can cause sadness, despair, anxiety and depression in those that view from a short distance." Regardless, mini-golf is a lot of fun and I was victorious...often.
Another one of our favorite passtimes when we are in Bar Harbor is to walk the Shore Path, that is 1.1 miles along the immediate, rocky coast of Bar Harbor. It has scenic views of the water, Porquipine Islands on the left, and the 40 + room "Cottages" on your right. You also get to do a great deal of people watching when you walk along the shore path. We were able to see the young couple with 3...count em...3 young girls. I would say they were all under the age of 4. I really think two of them were twins...maybe 10-12 months old. All screaming, the parents looking as calm and collected as two sleep deprived, dehydrated, stressed out individuals could look. You have my sympathies. You do.
During this walk I also saw one of the saddest, yet most appropriate and oddly sweet things I have ever seen. As we slowly, confidently and leisurely walked along the path after our delicious breakfast (Julie eating Banana/Creme Brule Pancakes, and me with a Lobster/Aged Cheddar Omelet...yes, I was off my diet and exercise program for the 4 days...go me...and the 5 pounds I gained in 4 days.), we came across a woman, quite lovely, taking what I would consider to be her morning run. She has the full get-up of exercise shirt, yoga pants, running shoes, sunglasses and ipod attached to her left arm. She had the grace of a runner and the strides of someone confident in their abilities...she had not a care in the world. Behind her....about 20 yards or so, was her husband. On his feet were a pair of New Balance shoes so new I think they still had the brown paper on the inside of them. Instead of yoga pants, he had on a pair of Khaki shorts with a beautiful woven belt and on his torso...you guessed it....a polo shirt...and not even one of the polo's with a breathable material...this baby was 100% cotton. Think of a nice, American Eagle, thick bodied polo shirt...this guy was sporting it. Unfortunately for him, he didn't pick a dark enough color, for his moobie sweat was soaking through his shirt. And unlike his wife's inaudible breaths...the calm and powerful lungs that a runner possesses...he was gasping for air like a child does when they first learn to swim and they try to dive all the way to the bottom of the pool and swim from one end of the in ground pool to the other....you all know the feeling, and more importantly, the sound that that situation creates. He also had no ipod. I don't think he would have heard it over the sound of his own breathing, or his thoughts of how much he hated his life at that particular moment. However, I'm sure he was doing it to try to what he could to share more time with his wife...to find a common ground...something they could both enjoy together. For that, I have respect and admiration. We've all been there buddy. For me, it's shopping...for him...it's running.
Our trip was great. It's always nice to have a few moments away from the kids, to have time for your spouse and you to reconnect, relax, and recharge. That is a tip for all fathers and husbands. I don't have much advice in that department, very often at least, but that is something I feel very confident in sharing and advising.
The rest of my vacation is still to be had. However, I leave tomorrow for a fun filled education conference in the great Washington DC. It's always nice to get down to DC...with it's extreme heat, humidity and busy streets...the history is amazing and beautiful. However, conferences...they are hit or miss. I have high hopes. Anyway, it is nice to be back home for now...time to spend with the kids...playing every sport possible, talking about Angry Birds, watching cartoons, letting them eat junk food, staying up too late and hugging, kissing and cuddling on the couch.
Summer vacation. I like it.
Julie and I at the Mini-Golf course.
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