Dream Job

It is no secret that I am obsessed with where I live.

This goes beyond the barn, the story of Freedom Farm, the acres of protected Conservation Trust land that surround my rural corner of our bustling vacation destination. I am not just obsessed with my home, I am obsessed with Kennebunkport in general.

At times this expands to the broader Kennebunks. Over to downtown route 1 where I work my day job, or out to my brother's abode including both pigs and chickens in West K. I also can't help but love that long stretch of Arundel with it's flea markets, cheap breakfast diners, and of course Bentley's. But generally it is our humble population of around 3,500 year-round residents that I can't get enough of.

This is a good thing, since living in a small town means you get a lot of it. What is "it"? Oh, I guess the word 'gossip' could sum it up. But it's more than that. Because it's not just people talking about each other - it is people being genuinely involved in, and concerned about, each other's lives. Last winter a buddy of mine moved in. Dan is also a Kennebunkport resident and it took less than a week to have multiple people downtown ask me "when did Dan move in?" all based on seeing his truck in my driveway. Some were excited, some wondered if we were dating... others had no feeling one way or another - they just wanted to be in the loop on what was up.

The upside of such a level of involvement is that people remember you, and look out for you. Which is exactly how I earned my new title of Kennebunkport town columnist for the York County Coast Star. Back when I first moved to Kennebunkport I started working freelance for the paper - and I loved it. I stopped when I got a full time gig at the Kennebunk Post, and then stopped that job when I got a corporate job that actually paid above living wage (not common in entry-level journalism!). I have greatly missed having writing as a part of my professional life ever since.

(OK, OK, technically writing is still a part of my professional life. But corporate social media copy just isn't the same as feature stories on all the cool people who live in your neighborhood, ya know?)

Anyway. The Coast Star was in need of a new columnist, and my former editor thought of me. So now I get to balance my money-making corporate gig with what is truly my dream job: writing about this amazing place in which I live. Goooo, small town life!

You can check out my first column here.

I'm also hoping that writing regularly for the newspaper will inspire me to write more regularly in general. I mean, columns were the original blog, right? Why can't I keep up with both?

Adventures in Landlording

I've come to the realization that being a good landlord is all about having the right tenants. And boy, am I glad to have scored the family currently staying in the barn.

Wait, what? You rented out the barn?

Yes. Let me back up. Because a LOT has happened.

About a year and a half ago I met a man. We dated for three months before deciding it was serious, and then for 12 more after that before deciding we might want to move in together. Because I am a homeowner, and Boyfriend is not, it was easy deciding where to reside. Or... it could have been easy.

Except that I had the hairbrained idea that I'd like to join him on his lease and try living in Portland. And hey, my house is in Kennebunkport, so why not rent it out for the summer?

We shared our big news with our parents, and got their support. Or rather, their acknowledgement. When you're already in your thirties, your parents don't have much to say about you moving in with a man, other than, "Finally!"

Then we listed the house, and waited for interest.

What followed was a crazy few months that could have broken us, but instead made us stronger, through late night painting projects, overdrawn bank accounts, and never ending DIY home improvement.

Overdrawn bank accounts? Aren't you making crazy money?

Well, we're charging what should add up to crazy money, sure, but each penny we've collected has already been reinvested. Which is fine by us because the barn we return to will be exponentially better than the barn that we left, with new siding, new windows, and a new stove, among other things.

Other things like a new toilet. And here is where I get to my point.

My first renters, a family of five on a five-week beach vacation, have been fantastic. They love the house, they are taking amazing care of my gardens and new grass, and they are very communicative. And when something isn't acting quite right, being communicative is a really good quality in a tenant.

The email about the toilet came last Wednesday morning, a day I was already scheduled to swing by the house to meet up with my homeowners insurance company. (Insurance companies are not huge fans of my non-conforming structure, but hopefully they at least enjoyed my new windows and siding!) The family was heading out for the day and wanted to give me a heads up that the toilet appeared to have "stopped", and would I mind taking a look at it?

In the hours that passed before I made it to the barn, I imagined every scenario possible from a simple plunging job to a completely backed up septic system. The actual situation fell somewhere in between, with the ancient copper mechanism inside the tank having finally given out. I managed to get both myself, and the bathroom, covered in toilet water before calling the plumber. He pronounced the toilet "at least sixty years old" (!?) and jerry-rigged it for the night, until I could swing by Home Depot for a much younger model.

While there's a more colorful story behind the adventure of the spraying water, actually getting the plumber to come by, and buying the new toilet, the point of this story is really just to emphasize how awesome my tenants are. Because as responsive and timely as I was with addressing their issue, nobody wants to deal with a broken toilet while on a beach vacation.

Wednesday night I sent the family a long text updating them on the plumber's report and promising their new commode come morning. Their response?

The fist bump is my favorite part.

Yup, I got lucky. These tenants rule.

Hey-Ya!

Living next door to the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust makes it a pretty easy spot to do some volunteer work. And because I'm lucky enough to have a job that allows me to spend two hours of my work week volunteering, I've spent a lot of time over the past year cleaning up around the lighthouse, scanning in old photos at the office, organizing filing cabinets, and helping with the trails. In truth, I usually spend more than my allotted two hours, and most Saturdays and Sundays can be spotted walking down the dirt road to the start of Jeremy's Trail, which along with Jenne's Loop, I recently re-marked for the Trust.

This video of the work I did may hover on the long side but please watch till the end to see why you must come check out the trails for yourself.

There's also the added bonus that you might run into me in the woods. And I will likely be dancing wildly to the bad 90's hiphop playing on my earbuds.

Just getting in touch with nature, kids.



Enjoy!

#buylocal

When it came time to buy this year's Christmas wreath - also known as the saving grace to the increasingly unkempt outside appearance of my barn - I skipped my usual trip to Home Depot and decided to buy local. After several compliments on the 36-incher I found Patten's Berry Farm, I headed back down to the small shop for my tree. And once that tree was in place and almost entirely decorated, I headed back downtown to shop locally for a tree-topper.

In all my years of living outside my family's home, and buying my own Christmas tree, I have never had a real tree-topper. When I lived in Vermont, my roommate Erin usually folded an overly large crane, and stuck that up near the top. When I moved back to Maine, I simply skipped it altogether. A lot of Christmas decorations are pretty hokey and I've just never found a tree-topper that I liked.

Until this year I remembered that I had seen buckets of starfish at everyone's favorite downtown gift shop, The Best of Everything. And what better way to nod to the tradition of a tree-top star, while also celebrating living on the ocean?

I fought the Christmas Prelude crowds, grabbed a starfish for a whopping $1, and using some floral wire leftover from my Pippi Longstocking Halloween costume, I did it up barn style.

Oh heee-ey! Check it ouuuuutttt!

(Please ignore the falling ceiling behind the Christmas tree.)

Baby, I'm a firework!

Dear Kennebunkport,

The Board of Selectmen will be hosting a Public Forum this Thursday Dec. 8, 7 PM at the Village Fire Station to discuss possible town regulation and ordinance as it pertains to the legalization of sale and use of consumer fireworks here in the state of Maine.

If you are strongly in favor of adding some pyrotechnics to next summer's parties, you may want to be there. If you are opposed to your crazy neighbors doing just that, you also may want to be there.

And please feel free to fill me in on what happens! I'll be heading up to Portland to teach a dance class and unable to attend.

Remember, this meeting is merely a place to voice opinions. The town has not proposed any restrictions or prohibition at this time.

Official notice of the Public Forum can be found here.

Love,

Bridget

Prelude!

Ever since moving to Kennebunkport full time, I have faced a bit of trouble getting people to visit. It's a problem I have a hard time understanding, considering that I am offering free lodging in a premier vacation location, but hey. My high school friends are city kids. And Kennebunkport is no city.

So I decided to try a different tactic, skipping the usual 'come lie on the beach with me' summer invite, to instead invite them to this year’s Christmas Prelude, the annual celebration that earned Kennebunkport the title of #2 Christmas town in America by HGTV.

(Don't ask me who #1 is. We don't speak of that here.)

The result? My absolute favorite of my 16 Christmas Preludes to date. And so, following in my mother's tradition of making detailed notes after each party/gathering, I am sharing some tips to make Prelude Weekend #2, next year's Prelude, and all of your future Preludes, just as successful.

Don’t be afraid to skip the tree lighting on Weekend #1. My friends arrived in town just a few minutes too late to head downtown, which was fine with me as I was still baiting barn mice and in no mood to fight Dock Square traffic. Instead, I plan to attend the tree lighting for Prelude Weekend #2. Anticlimactic? Sure. Probably less crowded? I’m going to go with yes. Also, this year the Prelude Weekend #2 kickoff will include fireworks by New Hampshire’s Atlas Pyrotechnics to celebrate the event’s 30th anniversary. Atlas are the same guys that do the Phil Matthews Lobster Bake every year, so I can say from my own experience that they put on an amazing display. Watch from the bridge, behind Alisson’s, or on the Best of Everything lawn.

A lot of the chowder in this town is comparable. Actually, to be totally truthful, a lot of the chowder in this town comes from the same food distributor. Rather than buying a bowl at 'sit down' price, I picked up bulk containers at Port Lobster early in the day and prepared it on my own stove at home later for my guests. The ladies at Port Lobster are super friendly, and also incredibly generous with oyster crackers.

Watch out for Prelude. Beer, that is. Each year around this time Shipyard releases its popular seasonal brew, Prelude. And each year unsuspecting visitors drink without realizing the punch that it packs. From what I remember, last year’s Prelude ABV hovered around 6.8%. This year the Prelude on tap at our local brewpub, Federal Jacks, clocks in at 7.1%. You might want to cab-it home.

Speaking of cabs, don’t forget that our town only has one. And please also remember that if you live anywhere outside a two-mile radius of the bar, you will be heckled for monopolizing said cab. (To which I say, if you live inside a two-mile radius of the bar, WALK!)

Don’t be ashamed to check out the craft fairs. Does it sound like something your grandma would do? Yes. Is it actually something that all the cool kids are doing? Yes. It’s hip to support your local artisans, and also the organizations hosting them. Which brings me to my next point.

Buy local! While I didn’t do much holiday shopping this year, I did opt to skip Home Depot and instead pick up my barn door wreath at Patten’s Berry Farm. Prelude may be a Christmas celebration at the surface, but it is also a way to extend our tourism season and thank our local merchants with one last hurrah before many shut down or switch to shortened hours for the winter. Help them pay their heating bills with some local support.

Check out the historic trolley ride at the Seashore Trolley Museum. While much of Prelude centers around Dock Square and Lower Village, the Trolley Museum is just a short drive up Log Cabin Road. It is far enough out of the way that there is no crowd and lots of available parking, but what it lacks in people it makes up for in holiday spirit. The trolleys are decorated with fresh wreaths and there is plenty of hot chocolate (with both marshmallows and whipped cream!). Plus, if you're lucky enough to get the same museum volunteer that we did, you will be treated to a rendition of the Christmas story involving Kennebunkport history, trolley trivia, and some (humorous?) nods to modern travel regulation.

Visit the Cape Porpoise pier. Goat Island Lightstation is literally my favorite place in the entire world and to be perfectly honest, I did spend a good chunk of my Prelude out on the island. The lighthouse is currently undergoing a restoration to the 1950’s era, with much of the exterior work now complete. In keeping with the retro theme, the island is currently decorated with large, colored Christmas lights, easily visible from Cape Porpoise. Drive down after 6 PM for the full display.

Speaking of which, drive slowly. Is it frustrating that after three months of relative freedom the port is again packed with confused out of state drivers? Sure. But try not to rush around a curve so fast you slam into the back of Rockin' Horse Stables' horse drawn wagon. Remember, Prelude brings a whole slew of road obstacles, including my ever favorite noncommittal pedestrians who just can't decide if they want to cross that crosswalk.

If you visit the Franciscan Monastery for the annual carol sing, definitely accept the chestnuts you are offered on the way in - if only to say that you once literally ate chestnuts roasting on an open fire while singing Christmas carols. Also, they're delicious. And BYO-votive, and glass. After 12 years of dealing with wind blowing out our standard-issue candles, my family finally got smart.

Carols too tame for you? Don't worry. Karaoke prevails for the Prelude night crowd. Weekend #1 highlight was definitely a Saturday night trip to the all out sing along that is Christmas karaoke at Alisson's. I loved walking into a bar where everyone present had a red solo cup in hand and was belting out "Sweet Caroline". Boston North? Yeah, that's us.

Cap off your weekend with an all you can eat brunch back at Federal Jack's. Maybe it is because my friends and I always make it on the early side, but I honestly have no idea why there is never a longer wait for this brunch. For $10 you can get full access to a hot food bar including eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits and gravy, homefries, hash, waffles, pancakes, crepes, and pastries. Plus there is an omelete / benedict station, weekly special, and coffee is included. Pay a visit to the friendly bartender to buy your Allen's seperately. And please tip him well. He's my baby brother.

The result of the above formula? My high school friends had so much fun that they are already planning their next trip back. Even with all the barn mice.

See you all out in the Port this weekend?

An observation...

Columbus Day is not really much of a holiday anymore. Schools and government workers have it off, but no one else, really. Stores are open.... Planet Fitness is open........

In Kennebunkport, on the other hand, Columbus Day is a very special kind of holiday. Exodus Holiday #2.

Exodus Holiday #1? Labor Day.
Exodus Holiday #2? Columbus Day.
Exodus Holiday #3? New Years.

On Labor Day we lost our so-called "Summer Residents". Today, we lose our retired summer residents, the snow birds / beach bitties that are bound for Florida, the Bush family, the entire extended Bush staff, and Bush Secret Service (plus families).

Yesterday, driving through the Port was stop and go at about five miles per hour.

Tomorrow? We fly.

Dating.

Every few weeks I get curious about the actual population of Kennebunkport. I know it's a small town, infinitely smaller than the "town" where I grew up, but I always forget the exact number of people that live here. So when another member of the swim team mentions that they know where I live, or another person laughs that they recognize my car from being broken down at the Sunoco, I jump online and look up our population. Again. As affirmation that it's not so much that I stick out in a crowd... as it is there is just no crowd to begin with.

It was on one of these information missions that I found an especially interesting town tid bit:

For every 100 females there are 88.0 males.

For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 86.3 males.

Awesome.

I guess that explains the lack of available dates, Mom.

The Small Town Adventures of Vicky Fajita

It would seem that when you're speaking to someone elderly and hearing impaired, the name "Bridget" can sound a lot like "Vicky". Especially through the phone lines when they call the store to place a dinner order.

And sometimes your boss will ask if she can call you "Brigitta" and your co-worker will think she said "Fajita" and then boom, you have a new last name, also.

The next thing you know there is a dinner special at work called the "Vicky Fajita" and the locals are coming in declaring, "Good morning, Victoria!"

Oh, Kennebunkport.