Well, here goes. The start to our trek North to Maine, our new home-state. (Rockland: transfer, tenants)
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It's been quiet on my end because we're still waiting for the "net" to be activated by RedZone up at the house. Best I could do for now. We will be beta testers for Starlink, I hope! We spent a few days here in CT to prep for the house showings and are now headed back in a few hours ctrying to beat the big rain storm just to our South. We'll be on the edge of it all the way up but no big deal. I'm not towing anything so it's just additional supplies from here until our pods are delivered tomorrow (Woohoo!)
We have now had three nights at our new home and it's cool how we begin to acclimate to the sounds of a new house as you settle in. The creaks and bumps are different and catch you off guard. The motion sensing spots come on for seemingly no reason at all but we know there are plenty of residents living around here, mostly deer, I'd think. The previous owner tells us we will see Moose in our driveway for sure. That will be something to show the grandkids!
We've begun to familarize ourselves with the surrounding area, too. What fun! My wife and I are still living out of suitcases but we decided to just take a short ride to Lincolnville Beach to see if it was truly only a hop skip and jump away. It was! And the drive we took wended its way through some of the most beautiful countryside. Truly a hidden part of Maine that few people see other than residents. Gorgeous hills and valleys and verdent green everywhere. . Then, all of a sudden, there's the ocean. IT was a Saturday; a hot Saturday at that at around 1pm. You'd think that it would be overloaded with bathers but just the opposite. It was nicely crowded with plenty of room between bathers. We drove right to a parking spot and walked to the shore. In connecticut we'd have to wait in a line of traffic waiting for someone to leave before we could have even seen the sand. We were both thrilled and can't wait to repeat this little trip for a nice picnic lunch and to explore some of the shops. To say we are just thrilled with our choice of location is an understatement. We're far enough off the Rt 3 beaten path so we don't hear any traffic with a few exceptions. We're surrounded by trees with lots of undegrowth and our driveway is curved so you can't see the house from our road.
So, we'll be leaving in a couple of hours after loading up some supplies (food) and half of our clothes. We won't be able to really settle in until the pods are empty but we're in no rush. Every day here seems to be an adventure!
If you are wine drinkers, check out Cellardoor Winery in Lincolnville. It's a beautiful spot! I think you need reservation right now so give them a call before heading that way.
It's been quiet on my end because we're still waiting for the "net" to be activated by RedZone up at the house. Best I could do for now. We will be beta testers for Starlink, I hope! We spent a few days here in CT to prep for the house showings and are now headed back in a few hours ctrying to beat the big rain storm just to our South. We'll be on the edge of it all the way up but no big deal. I'm not towing anything so it's just additional supplies from here until our pods are delivered tomorrow (Woohoo!)
We have now had three nights at our new home and it's cool how we begin to acclimate to the sounds of a new house as you settle in. The creaks and bumps are different and catch you off guard. The motion sensing spots come on for seemingly no reason at all but we know there are plenty of residents living around here, mostly deer, I'd think. The previous owner tells us we will see Moose in our driveway for sure. That will be something to show the grandkids!
We've begun to familarize ourselves with the surrounding area, too. What fun! My wife and I are still living out of suitcases but we decided to just take a short ride to Lincolnville Beach to see if it was truly only a hop skip and jump away. It was! And the drive we took wended its way through some of the most beautiful countryside. Truly a hidden part of Maine that few people see other than residents. Gorgeous hills and valleys and verdent green everywhere. . Then, all of a sudden, there's the ocean. IT was a Saturday; a hot Saturday at that at around 1pm. You'd think that it would be overloaded with bathers but just the opposite. It was nicely crowded with plenty of room between bathers. We drove right to a parking spot and walked to the shore. In connecticut we'd have to wait in a line of traffic waiting for someone to leave before we could have even seen the sand. We were both thrilled and can't wait to repeat this little trip for a nice picnic lunch and to explore some of the shops. To say we are just thrilled with our choice of location is an understatement. We're far enough off the Rt 3 beaten path so we don't hear any traffic with a few exceptions. We're surrounded by trees with lots of undegrowth and our driveway is curved so you can't see the house from our road.
So, we'll be leaving in a couple of hours after loading up some supplies (food) and half of our clothes. We won't be able to really settle in until the pods are empty but we're in no rush. Every day here seems to be an adventure!
We're back in Connecticut, not because we want to be but because we have to finalize our business with the realtor who will be handling Mom's house for us. We expect it to sell very quickly and for slightly more than we are asking based on the current trends. We're also using this time to finalize our moving of our remaining belongings that we used while staying here.
Our PODS were emptied on this past Friday. Once again SML did a great job emptiing and arranging two 16' pods into our small home. It's amazing.We got rid of probably 1/2 our belongings to pare way down into two pods, but now we're going to have to pare down even farther AND contend with this last load. Oh well, the local GoodWill agency will benefit.
On this coming Friday we'll load up and head back to Maine on Saturday morning for this last time. We'll be setting up house in earnest and divining what we will keep what we will store and what we will donate out. Everything is on the block but we've got to do this because we want and need to begin enjoying Maine for the reason we moved there. it's EXTREMELY fortunate for us that we're in an area where the virus is absent so we're a bit more relaxed but still masking, don't worry.
Hey! I even signed up for Hannaford's website on my phone. That makes me Mainer, right? LOL
I suspect that my posts here will be slowing down as this thread began as we planned our trip to the North and solicited help from so many of you who are now my neighbors of sorts. I'll put a postscrip on this with two thoughts.
1) I truly mean this. We are impressed with the people we have met from the clerks behind a gas-station counter to lawyers and realtors and everyone inbetween. These people are truly happy. They smile. They exchange hellos and say things like "thank you" and "you're welcome". It is a palpable attitude that is shared by virutally everyone we've met so far. The fella who just cut our lawn while we're away called and thanked me for the business and told me not to worry about paying him until we returned on the weekend. It's like this everywhere. And here I thought that it the Mainers who were gruff and unfriendly while it was really us, from away, who were. We are so ready to become happy people once again.
2)I've wondered when a house becomes a home. I've discovered that it happens sooner than you might think. You don't have to work at it because it just happens. On Saturday morning the other day I woke at 0530 as usually and had my coffee in my hands and walked out the cute French doors to our outside back yard. The quiet was amazing. The aroma of the forest around our home was like Acadia. There's an equal division of conifers and deciduous trees mingiing there scent. My pup joins me and she is also enjoying her introduction to her new home. We know it won't be long until we have to get dressed and head back to Connecticut that morning to finish up and this is when I realize that I'm going to long for this early morning event to become a tradition and routine. I will long for the quiet, the smell, and the verdent green look. I'll look forward to the plans we make to really enjoy Maine for what it has to offer those who live here. IT almost feels like we've rented this cottage for a few days and now have to leave and that pang you get wishing you didn't have to leave. Well, we get to do the next best thing and that's return.....permanently.....in a few days when we can pick up our new lives once and for all.
So, to all my new friends here in the ether of the internet here in the great state of Maine, a sincere thanks! We'll post from time to time. IF anyone has a question about this process that we might shed light on by all means ask. And, i will be here involved with so many other posters and their quesitons should i be able to supply information.
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1) I truly mean this. We are impressed with the people we have met from the clerks behind a gas-station counter to lawyers and realtors and everyone inbetween. These people are truly happy. They smile. They exchange hellos and say things like "thank you" and "you're welcome". It is a palpable attitude that is shared by virutally everyone we've met so far. The fella who just cut our lawn while we're away called and thanked me for the business and told me not to worry about paying him until we returned on the weekend. It's like this everywhere. And here I thought that it the Mainers who were gruff and unfriendly while it was really us, from away, who were. We are so ready to become happy people once again.
I still remember that feeling from when I first moved to Maine.
Cuffler, I've very much enjoyed reading about your journey. Thank you so much for sharing this along the way.
I have to say that I am truly inspired. I've been fantasizing about moving to Maine for a number of years now. A little over a year and a half ago I had to move from NH to MA for a job (I'm going in the wrong direction!). But now with covid and being totally remote and the shift towards 100% remote working becoming more and more acceptable, I am realizing that I really could move to Maine (or back to NH) and be okay. Food for thought.
I'm not sure if I can mentally, physically and emotionally handle another move just yet, but I sure am thinking about it. Threads like this give great detail and flavor of the process.
Hi all. I'm sending you this update while sitting in the town library parking lot apron so i have some internet accessibility. We have subscribed to service but, because of the lack of manpower and the virus issues, installation will be around the 13th of SEPTEMBER! Ouch! That's a tough one. I do get 4g email and text on the phone. I also can access the 'net as far as that goes but doing thing like responding to forums isn't really possibe. So, we discoverd our town has this internet island and here we are. My wife is chugging out a report doing her consulting stuff and I'm answering forums and doing some other sundry housekeeping.
We've been unpacking and unpacking......I figure we have a least 2 weeks to go. We are making progress and I truly feel that our house is now our home and we're becoming really aquainted with the China Lakes area.
Just thought I'd catch up. We are having to become used to a different speed of life. It's a lot more deliberate than the max-warp speed we're used to. It'll take some time but eventually it'll feel normal........I hope! Still haven't met a disagreeable person.
Wow, what a journey back in time it was to re-read your posts, Cuffler. You know how to lay out the facts in a clear way and though I don't know you, I realize I've been rooting for you all this time. Congratulations! I made the move three and-a-half years ago and you settled right near me. In fact, you will have passed my little road on your way to the Lobster Pound. Would be happy to meet up with you and your wife for a stroll at any point to compare notes or whatever. Feel free to send a direct message my way. Again, so happy for you both.
I will direct contact you when we return. My wife's mom died 3 months ago and now her 99 year old sister has taken a turn for the worst. We've been asked to head down to Virginia for a few days to discuss the estate so we'll be leaving here tomorrow for a week. When we return we'll see what we can do!! Thanks.
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