Late July from Westbrook

I found a big bottle of wine that tastes as good as I can get at Mercadona, but at only five times the price.  Look at my smile.  Have settled in at the Westbrook digs, but we're dismantling it.  I've been photographing stuff that is going up for sale or auction, been giving books to the library, clothes and stuff to Goodwill, and jettisoning perfectly good stuff that I can't be bothered with to ship or try and sell.  I've tried to learn all the ins and outs of selling on eBay, but it all seems like such a pain.

Have yet to go up to New Sweden and see what's become of the land after logging.  The motorcycle is running and seems in as good a shape as previously, so all I need to do is load up and hit the road.  I was hoping that Derek was ready for another road trip, so we could travel together, but he's probably still recovering from the Montana trip.  The land is going up for sale-gotta pay the Spanish piper for the new house.  Any interest out there?  80 acres of old farmland for $60,000.  Get it while it's hot.

Derek with new low-speed helmet from Montana

Have finally gotten back on the bike, doing about 20 miles a day for the last three.  It feels odd being back on the large-framed Trek, but I do appreciate the triple ring and the aero bars.  The weather has been beastly hot until today.  I expect it will be cool when I head out tomorrow at 0715 to go for my annual physical.  I pride myself in being the only patient who arrives on a bicycle.  

Is, Bruce & Sylvia, returning from Fort Gorges

Bruce and Sylvia from Ernie's Cycle Shop invited us to go on the maiden voyage of their new Rangeley boat.  We toured Portland harbor and then stopped at Fort Gorges in the middle of the bay to grab a sandwich and explore the old fort.  It is quite a piece of engineering, history and granite.  It's ironic that by the time the fort was completed, armament design had surpassed the defensive capabilities designed into it.  Another example of good planning.

Off to bed now, without watching the final episodes of Fawlty Towers.  I wanted to see them all before I donate the VCR tapes to Goodwill.  NYPD Blue is next in the queue.  Hasta Pronto...

Rude Awakening

After a very hot 95 km. ride with the Amigos B group, shower, lunch and a siesta, I woke up startled to see an angel hovering over me.

After I recovered my composure and figured out that it wasn't the angel of death, I resolved to never again sit in the sun in the plaza and drink beer with Ian and Trevor.  

Just kidding.  This is actually a photo of a mosquito net that hovered over one of the beds in Las Pinas,  Philippines.  Have to admit, though, that it gave me quite a start the first time I awoke to see it.

Our short visit home is about to end.  We leave Monday, taking the Altaria to Madrid where we'll spend the night near Plaza Sol.  I want to find another great restaurant, then get some rest before the noon flight to Boston.  Things will be hectic as soon as we hit the ground, but I'll fill you in on that later, as things will surely change.

House purchase negotiations and arrangements here are almost complete, and as soon as we return in October (maybe sooner?) we'll be moving to the new digs.   Next post will probably be from the other side of the pond.  Hasta pronto.