I went to Maine and all I got was this lousy entry

[geoviki]

So I'm finally home. Some of you heard me say that I planned to spend a few extra days after TWH to take the train to Maine (in the rain). In one of those odd situations that I never plan for, I seemed to have missed a horrible travel day for countless fen who were travelling west. isiscolo has a particularly horrific one. Oh, and if you want to see Isis and me, and a lot of you, in our ball attire, go check this post. She's looking for permission to post LJ names, so if you don't mind, go see if you're in some of them.



I'm going to have more posts about TWH (my photos are not digital, so there'll be a bit of a delay), but I'm going to tell you about Maine first, so you don't feel too envious of me. I picked out a city on the rail line in Maine, which looked to be a small resort venue, and I booked a B&B sight unseen. Now I was feeling horribly morose and pitiful after Isis left, because the con was one of those mountaintop experiences that you hate to see end. And it was grey and bleak when I wound my way through the streets of Salem to the station with my one-wheeled suitcase (the other is somewhere else on the planet, I presume). I got on the train, had a peaceful ride through Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and southern Maine, and got off in the most empty, deserted town I'd ever seen. In the rain. Dragging my one-wheeled impedimenta. After settling in to the place (being not surprisingly the only guest), I set off to see the ocean. In the rain. Even the pier was closed off. Nothing was open (Monday was a holiday) and I managed to cover every single thing to see in about an hour. It was one of those "What have I done?" moments. I decided then and there, that nothing is as cringe-inducingly pitiful than an amusment park shut down for the season. In the rain. (I have photos).

If you've read "After the Flood" by Cassie Claire, Harry and Draco have a scene very much like this. Except instead of teddy bears in the room, I had a life-sized bust of Michelangelo's David, along with some truly ...creative ... Roman decor.

I found a store, bought some crackers, cheese, and wine, and proceeded to make the best of the day by rereading my own stories. I noticed all the mistakes this time, too.

Tuesday, I got out of Dodge by taking the train to Portland, which I probably should have done in the first place, and taking a harbor cruise, shopping, having about the worst fish-and-chips dinner ever, and chatting to tons of friendly folks. I even found a feminist erotica store, but I won't mention what I bought. So my trip to Maine was redeemed (like my favorite Slytherin).

I've been on the track/air/road for 11 hours, so I'm tired. I have drawings to scan and post, a ficlet written for me by rosesanguina that I need to type for you, and more details, but manana, baby.

Comments

[ellid.livejournal.com]

Portland is a lovely little city and very worth visiting. I've never been much further north, but I can easily imagine exactly the scene; resort towns *die* right after Labor Day and stay dead until the middle of May.

Glad you made it home safe and missed the Mysterious Unknown Radar Problems that pretty much wrecked the airspace around Logan Airport for a couple of days. :D

[gilded-kage.livejournal.com]

No matter how morose Maine was, my guess is that it was better than Logan airport yesterday. It was so stressful to have flights delayed, then cancelled, and then have to rush to catch connecting flights in the next city.

Anyway, I'm going to forget about the bad parts and remember the good parts: like the Harry/Draco OTP panel! Like the "slash as literary endeavor" panel! Like meeting you!

[lagreyeyes.livejournal.com]

If you've read "After the Flood" by Cassie Claire, Harry and Draco have a scene very much like this.

God, that was exactly the picture in my mind while reading your post! *laughs*

[amelia-eve.livejournal.com]

Apparently I am perverse because I love resorts in the off-season. Atlantic City in January is my kinda town, with the snow piling up on the beach. Nonetheless, it sounds like you had a memorable adventure and a quiet counterpoint to all the squeefulness.

I wish I'd gotten to talk to you more at TWH. It was a pleasure to meet you.

[luci0logy.livejournal.com]

I hope the wine helped to make the day a little brighter and I won't tell you what I bought in the erotic shop in Barcelona last week. You could have fired eggs on my husbands face as I tried to explain in very rudimentary Spanish what I wanted. Still, the helpful - and somewhat fit young man now knows the word 'adjustable' in english.

[bethbethbeth.livejournal.com]

Oh, you poor thing! I'm so glad you're home and safe!

(My sympathy would have been even greater had I not been giggling just a little at the thought of you having nothing to read but your own stories. Are you going to send yourself feedback? *g*)

[smaragdgrun.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think TWH is going to be memorable for a lot of reasons... I think in the long run, it will be for meeting people and not for the *hell* of the travel logistics. Or I hope.

Maine's one of the few states I haven't been to -- I wish we would have known each other before and planned the trip together, it actually sounds like the kind of trip I'd enjoy! Especially with you, and yay! reading your stories. Mmmm, slash and train rides, two great things that go great together... *g*

[parthenia14.livejournal.com]

*grimace*

I had been about to say 'Are you going to Portland' because it has the best designer craft shops in the world ever, which just about rescues from the otherwise greyness of the town. I can't imagine what an out-of-season resort town in that area would be like.

Wait a minute - I can!! (past life rushes past)

Glad you had a good trip and I'm keen to hear what TWH was like, from the horse's mouth, so to speak.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

I got on the train, had a peaceful ride through Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and southern Maine, and got off in the most empty, deserted town I'd ever seen. In the rain. Dragging my one-wheeled impedimenta. After settling in to the place (being not surprisingly the only guest), I set off to see the ocean. In the rain. Even the pier was closed off. Nothing was open (Monday was a holiday) and I managed to cover every single thing to see in about an hour. It was one of those "What have I done?" moments. I decided then and there, that nothing is as cringe-inducingly pitiful than an amusment park shut down for the season. In the rain. (I have photos).

This is SO a scene from The Talisman. If you haven't read it yet? You should. I'm thinking there's a reason Stephen King likes living in New England. Fiction fodder.

[shezan.livejournal.com]

The North Sea b&b After the Flood scene! I just love it! (Love the story too; easily my favourite by CC. She's a real writer in this.)

But no fun playing it out without Draco. Poor you!