Maine...

Okay, so we spent a whole 24 hours in Maine, but the Mrs. urged Mr. to go back to Boston. As a result, our stay in Maine was short... The sky rained for 18 of the 24 hours, but the fog and crisp air created an eerie romantic atmosphere.

Went out with the guys last night. Met up with Phil, Chris, Mark, and Tim at a bar and then we quite literally went bar hopping... hitting three bars in 3 hours. By one a.m. we headed back. Downtown Portland is actually really cute with cobblestone streets stretching and twisting around old brick buildings with charming storefronts and hanging wooden signs. At three o'clock this afternoon, we said farewell to the Pine Tree State and hello again to Portsmouth, New Hampshire. We leave for Boston at 8 am tomorrow morning... first thing I do when I get to Boston, I'm finding a post office and then a nail salon to get a pedicure... these dogs have definitely earned a little pampering. Maybe I'll splurge and get the royal pedicure -- with leg massage and that little foot skin shaver that always makes me feel like my feet are more disgusting than I realized they were.

We are scheduled to stay in Boston for a "few days", so I should have some time to explore further than Faneuil Hall and perhaps Newbury Street and Trinity Church. Kaki has extended our daily breaks to four hours to give us some more time to "play" during the day. Four hours on Wednesday should be enough time for me to get my business taken care of and then some exploring...

I just read through this blog and realized that I didn't really have much excitement to report... I guess I'm just getting into the routine of things. I'm glad we are working our way into a sort of rhythm with running this charter.... It definitely has cut down on the stress I experienced a few weeks ago. I've even noticed that Kaki has stepped WAAAAY back and allowed Donna Marie and I to do much of the service. She's been struggling with her fibromyalgia, so if she isn't doped up on pain meds, she's lounging around with heating pads and creams. Of course, the guests are absolute sweethearts, so that's made this trip even more of a treat. Yes, it is long hours and constant movement, but the rewards -- beyond the tip -- are making this job worth it. Despite how messy the guys are, they are darling. I see each of them as big brothers I never had. I don't mind cleaning their dishes or even cleaning the NASTY crew mess every evening. I swear, sometimes I feel like Wendy from Peter Pan -- being a mother to the lost boys... hehehe...

So, my dad encouraged me to start writing a novel or book of sorts... I've started tossing some ideas around, but nothing concrete. Of course, it would be a highly dramatized version of my own experiences upon the high seas... I don't think the general public could handle the raw and uncut version. That would NEVER be a best seller...

Anyway, we are half-way through the charter, even though it seems like we should be wrapping up the trip, we haven't even reached the home stretch yet. Still, these people are a dream to take care of -- half the time they just snack around and they drink like fish... keep em drunk, keep em happy... hehehe... (actually, it's more like "muahahahahaha", but...)

Going to bed soon... sleep is a premium around here...