After planning for the return to Maine Camp for several weeks (months?), we determined we would plan to leave early Wednesday, June 9. For much of the previous week or longer, Lowell had been fighting a stubborn chest cold and a lingering cough but he managed to do his usual expert packing of the car Tuesday afternoon/night and Wednesday a.m. Naturally, we had to leave some unnecessary items (for the return trip in July) but the major items all were tucked in somewhere and we got on the road just before noon….a little later than planned.
The windshield wipers were on until we hit camp except when going through toll booths. Most times the rain was light and the traffic was not so bad so it was not as tiring as it could have been. We stopped in East Hartford Wednesday night at our regular Comfort Inn and took off before 8 a.m. Thursday. We arrived in camp at 12:57, according to Otto GPS. (Lowell allowed me to “play” with the new toy even though nothing can match Lowell’s trip/map work. I wanted to see how the GPS worked. Not as confusing as I thought.)
Dear Paul Voyer already had removed the storm coverings on kitchen and bedroom windows so the camp was somewhat open. Both he and Tom Voyer had tried to surprise us by priming the pump to speed the delivery of water from the lake. They restored the water line which I had unhooked in error at lakeside last fall and installed the foot valve in the lake.
Apparently they worked some time trying to get a response from the pump without success and once we got the first wave of unpacking the car, they joined us in attempting to get the water flowing. Not a pretty sight……
We worked at it for most of an hour and finally decided the water line was still filled with air pockets. That did it for me… last year when we had to dig underground to uncover the water line (which Dad Connor buried at the house to lake) to repair holes, I decided sooner than later I was going to replace that with an above ground line like Voyers have. We will just have to warn little and old people to watch out for the water line when running on the terrace level. (I suggested we paint the line across the ground yellow so people would see it but Lowell nixed that).
So, after no luck for some repeated trying, I got a list of supplies from Paul, Tom and Lowell and took off for Lowe’s plumbing department where a nice young man named Jared found a spanking clean foot valve with strainer and joint, 100 feet of water line and some suggestions for making a tripod to keep the foot valve off the floor of the lake. I wandered around the hardware section of store looking for some gismo to lift the foot valve when a young soldier overheard me questioning an older man on what might work and he gave me more suggestions and showed me what he would do. Another Army fella came by and suggested a milk crate fix which Tom V. said his son-in-law did at the old Clark camp. So back I went to camp where Paul and Lowell and Tom connected the hose and foot valve, attached it to the milk crate (thanks Katie and Wawa) and tried again…………………………and again…………………and again…..! By now it was closing in on dinner time and the decision was made to carry buckets of water from lake to the bathroom to be able to use the facilities until morning when we would begin again.
The rain let up by now and the temperature was not too bad for Maine in June so we finished unpacking the car (most of it) and tried to figure out what to eat for dinner. Because we were concerned about getting the water on, we did not stop to shop and only picked up milk and bread (and lottery tickets) at the 4-Corner store…on the way in. As we were preparing to have cheese and peanut butter sandwiches, Paul showed up with a plate of chicken and potatoes and salad for our dinner from the Voyer kitchen and clan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Now that’s real neighbors and friends and a great treat! (I forgot to mention the fact we used the Voyer snazzy bathroom until we got the buckets of water in our not too snazzy bathroom.)
As we settled in the first night, we discovered the leak at the doorway is still here and the leak near the window next to stove is not as bad as last fall but still dripping. The funnel we attached (aluminum pie dish bent to catch the water and attached to wall with duct tape) was doing its job in kitchen but the bucket at the doorway was not sufficient and we are getting water damage to the floor below?! Oh well, what’s a camp without a few wet boards?
We figured the power setup so we didn’t turn on the water heater before it was filled with water and found enough bottles of water from the fall to use for washing hands and face and brushing teeth before we settled in and called it a good but not perfect Day 1 at Maine Camp close to midnight.
Day 2:
After trying without success to prime the tank once more, I called Chris Rolfe, who had installed the new water tank two years ago and he came over before noon and replaced the connector to water line at house, then primed the pump at the pump and after several attempts got water into the camp. I had gone under the camp the first night to close (or so I thought) the drains to the sink, tub, etc.) but when he turned the water valve to the camp, we had water running under the house!!!!!!…. Turns out I didn’t turn it off… just turned it a little. SOOOOOOOO Lowell had to climb down and do it right and get a bit wet in the process. But no complaining and no blaming me for being so dumb.
Oh I forgot: When I was supposedly closing the valves we opened last fall to prevent freezing of lines, I discovered one line under the kitchen had come loose where soldered and was hanging apart. I told Chris about this situation and he said “I have the technology to do that but if anything else is wrong, I don’t fit under there.” For sure, he must be 6-6 and a stocky kid. He was delighted to install the newest idea: a connector with two thing-a-ma-jigs which allow the line to seal without soldering….amazing stuff these new fixtures.
So, with everything closed and fixed, we began to run water and filled water heater and except for the persistent leak around faucet in kitchen, all appeared tight... for now. I gave Chris some gingerbread cookies for himself and his family and learned his wife is a premier baker who makes $75 cakes and $5 cookies for upscale bakery in Portland. Wonder what she thought of my simple shamrock cookie without frosting….
Chris took off after about two hours of work and conversation. Another gem in the area around lakes of Maine.
After catching our breath and enjoying the sound of water rippling on the lake and loons along Horseshoe Island, we began to get settled. We checked beds and pillows and blankets and Lowell ran vacuum to clean under the beds and clean out windowsills. We made a shopping list which was filled with staples and stuff and headed out to get late lunch at Applebee’s and then shop at Shaws. Three hours later and 299 dollars spent, we headed back to camp just in time for the Phillies-Red Sox game.
Because Tom and Paul do not have sports package on their TV, they joined us on porch for cheese and crackers, popcorn and beer and gin and tonic to watch the Red Sox run roughshod over the Phillies. Paul and Tom were delighted. Lowell was less than cheered and in fact would have turned it off after Red Sox scored 10 runs had Paul and Tom not been having such a good time.
I didn’t spend much time watching the game because I was trying to package food for freezer and organize stuff like bread and cereal and sodas and all. What I did see was not pretty.
It was close to midnight when Lowell and I sat down to check out the movies on Turner and when there wasn’t anything good, we got ready for bed. What a treat to be able to take a shower!!!! Even if a short one was the rule of the camp.
Day 3:
Wow, Loons on the lake, birds outside the window, chipmunks waiting for food and sun!
It was almost 9 a.m. by the time we got moving…neither of us realized how tired we really were. It is such fun coming to Maine.
After breakfast in the kitchen again (Kim’s new box bed was still in box on porch waiting for Mat to come to build it), we started to take assessment of what needed to be done to get ready for Mat and Kim’s arrival late today. We cleared the corner of porch where they were going to sleep and gathered linens and covers which were on bed over the winter and towels we left hanging in kitchen when we left last fall and dirty clothes from our first two days of fun. After a quick lunch I headed to the laundry and Ace Hardware Store in Winthrop after a detour to K-Mart for some stuff for the camp. I found some frames for the fish drawings from loft which I am displaying on the walls on porch where they will be seen and hopefully preserved. No one but the loft folks knew they were there. I also got some flowers for the side of camp and around the laundry pole and the flower pot on the stump near the dock. They joined a beautiful plant which was waiting for us on the kitchen table when we arrived Thursday. A welcome gift from Linda Voyer, a master gardener from Peabody….
I returned from laundry-shopping jaunt in time for dinner and last minute maneuvers to get ready for Mat and Kim. Since her bed was not ready, Kim slept in the middle room where she decided to stay all week so the box bed is ready for the next group of visitors. We now have two single beds on the far end of porch. Amazing. We have beds for 10 plus couch and folding cot. All we need is more bathrooms…..!!or larger septic system.
But that’s a project for another time and when money is available. Mat and Kim arrived around 11 p.m., later than expected due to accidents and rain and weekend traffic.
Day 4: Sunday……
After Mass in Augusta and big brunch for all, Mat began to build the bed and we began the project of rearranging that end of the porch. It took Mat most of rest of day so they didn’t use the fishing licenses I got for them. But we didn’t have gas for the motor and the dock was not in until late Sunday, thanks to two young men –one was Paul Brann, grandson of Al Brann and son of Jim Brann. If all goes well, fishing will begin tomorrow.
So the camp is open and ready for visitors for another season. Thanks to the many sacrifices of Mom and Dad Connor and the caretaking of Ron and Marge and kids and John and Donnie and kids and the creativity and work ethic of Adam and his crew of roofers and the persistence of those who love this place, Maine Camp lives. Maybe not modern but certainly comfy.
New week:
Mat helped with many projects and was able to stop the leak on roof after finding suspect source. We should know how well the fix is with all the rain we are having…
Boat and motor are in water and fishing is good even if we didn’t catch much the first week. Mat and Kim leave Friday and Lowell and I will begin painting as long as we have the energy. We will be leaving in three weeks but return in time to greet Katie and kids July 20 or so and hopefully Adam and JoAnna and kids soon thereafter.
. God has blessed us indeed
Thank you God.
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"Thanks to the many sacrifices, the caretaking, the creativity, and the persistence of those who love this place, Maine Camp lives." Truer words never spoken - Hula
