Maiden's Cliff

This past holiday weekend was a busy one. There was canoeing, hiking, bike riding, parading, sanding, waterproofing, priming, and plenty of eating of ice cream. I took Michael to the softball field for a little bike riding without training wheels, and he is improving by leaps and bounds. He can straight indefinitely (as long as he remembers to keep pedaling), and he even did a complete circle once without stopping, returning to where I stopped pushing. I have no doubt that the neighbors were sick of hearing me shouting ‘Turn! Lean! Turn!’

On Sunday, the two of us went for a canoe ride on Lake Megunticook, which was deserted and peaceful. We got within about 20 feet of a loon and a….baby loon (I have no idea what they’re called). Michael is so comfortable in the canoe now that at one point, he took a break from ‘helping’ with the paddling and took a ‘little rest’ in the canoe. Maggie is next. Sometime in the next few weeks, we’ll find out whether she sinks or swims.

Monday morning, the whole crew (Maggie included) took a hike up to Maiden’s Cliff, a hill a few minutes west of Mount Battie. It’s supposedly named after Elenora French, a young girl who fell off the cliff to her death in 1864 while chasing her wind-blown hat. There’s been a cross and stone monument erected there in her memory. Michael did well, climbing up and down without much help. And he didn’t fall off the cliff, so I’d label the outing a success. Enzo spent the hike in the backpack, and when he wasn’t tugging on my hat from behind, he was head-butting me as he slouched off to sleep. The hike is shorter than climbing Mount Battie, making it easier for Michael, and, most importantly, it’s free.

After the parade (see the above post), I was able to FINALLY finish sanding and waterproofing the walkway. I had powerwashed it several weeks ago, and had been chipping away at finishing it since then. So it’s finally done. I was also able to buy paint for the big summer project of painting the entire house. Now that all the pieces are in place, I must now meditate and envision myself painting well. Positive images. See, and do. BE the brush.