I'm Such a Weenie!

I have been on vacation for the past week and every day I went letterboxing. Sure, I did other things, but only if I could do some boxing at the same time.

Last Friday, 5/28/10, Scott and I took the day off to drive to my parent's house in Searsport, then head to Castine to plant the boxes for the 3rd Tour the Fort the next day. However, the normal 45 minute drive from Searsport to Castine turned into a 2 hour drive which took us from Searsport to Bangor/Brewer then to Bucksport and finally Castine. Why the detour? Someone left a note with a bomb threat at the top of the Penobscot Narrows bridge so it was closed down to traffic for the afternoon.

The next day, Saturday, 5/29/10, was the 3rd Annual Tour the Fort in Castine. (There were 4 forts in Castine at one time, however we are only really able to visit two of them.) 19 Boxes planted and a few event boxes, plus PT's passed around, were up for grabs for the 19 boxers who were able to make the event. We had a blast. After the event Angel Treads spent the afternoon and early evening with us. We found some of the boxes they hadn't gotten yet including a WOM, then had a great dinner out!

Sunday was race day for Scott, so we spent all morning and part of the afternoon at the Winterport Dragway. Scott had a pretty good day, but discovered that his atv had a fuel leak during his last pass. So we packed it up and headed back to my parent's house. After unloading the atv and all our gear, we decided to go after 3 boxes in Belfast that we hadn't looked for yet. Then back to the parent's for cookout and visiting with my grandmother.

Monday, no letterboxing! We drove home from Searsport and had errands to run, grocery shopping, etc.

Tuesday, we got a rental car. (I was rear-ended in Scott's car on Monday 5/24/10, and we shared rides in for the rest of that week, but going in different directions this week so the insurance ispaying for a rental until the car is fixed.) I headed to OOB, Saco, Biddeford, Kennebunk and Wells. I was able to visit with Mrs. Happy Daze for about a half hour and was able to get all the boxes I hunted for, until we had a downpour and I got too wet and cold to continue. I ended up going to bed about 5:30pm and not getting up until 7am the next morning. I was tired.

Wednesday I headed to Cape Elizabeth for a couple of LBNA boxes and an Happy Daze series I had been putting off until I was on vacation again. Forgot my bugspray!!!! So I ended up wearing a fleece sweat shirt zipped up under my neck, and I got hot! Got all the boxes in record time and headed home.

Thursday I volunteered/visited my BFF's 2nd grad classroom and helped with a special art project. That was fun! Later on, I planted a box for her as a thank you for inviting me to come. I also took the scenic route home to get a couple of single boxes, which was a nice ride.

Friday, headed to Cumberland, Yarmouth, North Yarmouth and New Gloucester to get some singles and a series. The find day for me! Prior to today, I had found every box I hunted for during my vacation, today made up for it! First was a library box, but the clues... didn't really tell me where to find the box. Just said to check out certain places around the library. So the plan is to go back with atvracer and check it out again. A few more single boxes a couple found and couple gone. I found one where the stamp was geocached, but there was a roll of stickers, so I took one for the logbook. Then I headed to a series! This is where the weenie comes in. I didn't find any of the boxes in this series! NONE!! To top it off, I stepped heal deep in doggy doo and didn't and had to clean that off before getting in the car. Thank goodness for napkins from Whole Foods!!! I contacted the planter and let her know that atvracer and I would be trying again tomorrow, maybe I needed an extra set of eyes. Then I told Angel Treads about it and they decided to meet us and go to find the series with us. Hey, 4 sets of eyes are better than just mine!

Saturday, Atvracer and I decided to do the 25 box series of lighthouses in Harpswell, but were going to meet AT and head to the series I didn't find the day before. Yes, I am a total weenie. I was in the right spot for all three boxes. Just took another set of eyes to find the boxes. Here's my letterboxing downfall... I can't see camouflaged pouches, I have such a hard time with them. Especially, when they are the ziploc snack-size pouches. These really are a great letterboxing tool, definitely hard for the non-lber to see. Other lber's can find them, but me? I have the hardest time, and I need some practice! So, I called the planter and left a message with her husband, that I am the weenie who couldn't find the series by myself!!! He, of course, giggled at me and said he would pass on the message.

Scott and I split up from AT, so they could do more boxes inthe area and we were headed to Harpswell for the lighthouses, which AT had already found. Once again those pouches eluded me! Scott found most of them, except we'll need to go back after 6 we couldn't find. I'll do that when my Alaskan visitor comes in August!

So, all in all a successful boxing vacation! Now I have to wait for August when deniserows comes from Alaska to attend Maine's Nautical Past, for another whole week of letterboxing!