Driving in Circles

The Grand Tour: Gray to Topsham to Scarborough to Portland to Gray.

Mom was transferred to rehab yesterday, after having knee replacement surgery on Wed. She had a list of three facilities she wanted to go to, all between Gray and Portland. None could take her, so she ended up in Scarborough, another 15 minutes further from home.

Meanwhile, my stepfather (age 77) is still in Maine Med in Portland. Monday morning he's having angioplasty and a stent put in a coronary artery. He was thinking that:
1) he's going home on Tuesday.
2) he'd drive the car home after I pick him up at the hospital.

I told him:
1) "We'll see." (His favorite response when I was growing up.)
2) "You've gotta be kidding!"

Also meanwhile, yesterday was Baby Brother's birthday. He recently moved from Gray to Topsham, so I was invited to visit him and family in their new house.

And even more meanwhile, the weather predictors have been trumpeting a forecast of 6 to 12 inches of snow, starting late tonight thru Monday, with more snow showers on Tuesday. To me, snow is God's way of saying, "Stay home!" Which means that I'm going to be sitting tight in Gray on Monday, and maybe Tuesday too. Which means that I had to go see everyone TODAY.

And so this morning, after raking up some of the masses of leaves and pine needles from the parents' parking area (at the end of a 50-yard sand driveway, off a 1/2-mile private sand road), I set off on my rounds. First stop: Topsham, 45 minutes northeast, where we stuffed ourselves at the brunch buffet at the Sea Dog Brewing Co., in an old mill overlooking the swirling Androscoggin River.

Second stop: visit with Mom, an hour southwest. She's also in a lovely location, right next to Scahborough Mahsh (Maine speak for Scarborough Marsh). I left at 3:30 because IT WAS ALREADY GETTING DARK (!!!).

Third stop: visit with stepfather at Maine Med, 15 minutes northeast.

Fourth stop: dinner in Portland with old friend and wild man painter George Lloyd, just 5 minutes from Maine Med. (Everything in Portland is nearby; as I noted during my first visit years ago, it's just like a city, only smaller and cleaner.)

Fifth stop: Hannaford's in Portland, for essentials (Earl Grey tea, lemons, honey, chocolate chips) in case I get snowbound, 3 minutes from George's.

Sixth stop: back to Gray, 30 minutes northwest. The nice lady at the I-95 toll booth told me that the forecast is for 12 to 18 inches of snow. GACK! I lined up the cars at the edge of the parking area so as to make optimal room for Johnny the Snow Plower. Fueled by green tea and a post-dinner venti Peppermint Mocha, I raked up the rest of the pine needles and leaves, and placed three snow shovels (2 big & 1 little, just in case) by the front door.

Let it snow.*

*But let the power stay on.