It is exactly 5:30 a.m., Friday morning, July 31st, here at the Days Inn Motel, on the Odlin Road, Bangor, Maine.
Looking upstream at the Sedgeunkedunk Stream, running downhill from Brewer Lake. Thursday afternoon, July 30th.
Looking downstream, towards Brewer.
Yesterday, I got up after 8 hours of sleep (That's a lot for me.), and cleaned up and wrote an email and a little blog, then got out of the hotel and went to the huge Bangor Mall and waited for Dick's Sporting Goods to open up. They were late and opened at exactly 9:08.
I got Dad some golf balls and a new putter. I also took advantage of their clearance sale to get myself a new Underarmour Hi-vis Golf Shirt for less than $20.
Then off to Dad and Sandy's where I was booked in to play golf with Dad and Spencer Greaterex.
Spencer is a very old friend of Dad's, he worked with him at two different companies, the latest being the big Brewer Agway Farm and Home Supplies.
It was just off Wilson Street, in Brewer, with the freight train tracks sliding right past the back and there own siding to bring in stuff by the train car load. Dad was manager for many years and Spencer was his Assistant Manager. Sometimes I worked there on some weekends in the warehouse during my teens, in the late 60's.
Enyways, as Dad says, I visited with Dad and Sandy and took the photos above. Had toasted biscuits with peanut butter and wild Maine Blueberry Jam with coffee.
Eventually, at just about 11 p.m. we went to Pine Hill Golf Club and played golf. Spenser and Dad tied with a score of 88 I think but finally I played they way I normally do and shot around 100. The last two games I have been playing way too good, it had to catch up with me. Not dismayed, I hit some good shots, just not frequently enough and way too many actual muffed shots.
We had the "Buddhist Hot Dogs" afterwards. You know, "Make me one with everything!"
Very good. and we had ice cold Bud Light Beers on draft.
From Monday July 27th at Dad and Sandy's house with my beautiful Aunts Dawn and Cilla.
After Golf I went to the Vacationland Inn and sorted out next weeks hotel stay. I was going to pick up another Alamo Hire Car on Wednesday morning and drive down to JFK, stopping at Freeport overnight at a hotel, that I hadn't booked yet, and then stopping overnight at a hotel near Carl and Cilla's, that I hadn't booked yet. That method of getting to JFK would have cost about $1,000.
Dad suggested that I should be able to fly to JFK for way less than that. Unfortunately, flights from Bangor International Airport are a lot more complicated that you would think. If I wanted to leave Thursday, for example, August 6th, the BEST flight I could have taken involved a stop in Philadelphia, then a stop in Washington D.C., then arriving in JFK after 10 hours of travelling at a cost of $1400. How about that? Much better on the day I actually wanted to go, Friday, August 7th. $450 and only one stop at Washington D.C. with just 8 hours travelling time.
Dad suggested for me to try La Guardia Airport instead of JFK. This was the breakthrough. I have booked the flight. It leaves 5:45 a.m., Friday, August 7th and gets into La Guardia in NYC at 9:55 a.m. after just a one hour layover in Washington D.C. Then I do have to get to JFK and my booked Hotel, The Comfort Inn JFK. The shuttle from La Guardia to JFK is $55. This flight cost $212!! So I have saved a potential $700. Good on ya Dad, you are a genius!
So, anyway, I had to change my hotel booking for next week at Vacationland from Monday and Tuesday night only, to Monday through Thursday nights.(August 3rd through August 6th). Got that done easily, $78 per night.
So today, I head back down to Kool-Bee and my Aunt Dawn in Oakland.
Kool-Bee Cottage, on McGrath Pond in Oakland, Maine.
I am visiting with my Brother Guy at noon today, and I think Guy's daughter Jessi will be there with her twin girls Jacki and Sara. They live in Winslow, near the old Pine Hill Farms where I grew up.
Then I visit my Cousin Ronnie Poirier at around 5 p.m. and then back to Kool-Bee.
Saturday I have a lunch date with my Nephew Shawn and my Niece Katy Russell at Big G's on the Fairfield-Winslow Road. Muffin Russell is joining us.
I am a busy man, as Ross says constantly.
Ross arrived safely in Montreal, by the way, after a couple of hours stopover in NYC. He is testing out his French and then leaves soon for Toronto, where he will stay a few days and then fly to San Francisco, where he will arrive two days before me.
On Saturday, August 8th, I fly from JFK to San Francisco and get in around 11 a.m. Ross and I meet up at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport Hotel. Then on the following day, Sunday, August 9th, we leave at just before midnight to come back to Sydney. We arrive very early (6:25 a.m.) on Tuesday, August 11th. Then we fly out the next day and arrive back home at the Gold Coast flying Virgin Airlines VA517, due to get into Coolangatta Airport at 12:30 p.m., just after lunch.
Not long now, today being the 31st, the last day of July.
That's pretty much all the news that's fit to print and ain't too hard to spell.
Blog 35 done.
Lance and sort of Ross.
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