Maine

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All the morning prep and the long drive to Maine were worth it the moment I arrived and saw the spectacular view.

Of course, getting out the door, especially after not being home all day, had me scurrying from the moment I woke up until I finally pulled onto the road around 10 a.m. I somehow managed to squeeze an entire weekend’s worth of chores into a couple of hours, along with packing and bringing several dress options, since the blue dress I ordered must still be somewhere over the Atlantic.

The drive up through Maine is a familiar one. I’ve traveled those same roads countless times since childhood while visiting my grandmother, who lived in Bath. The trip turned into a wonderful drive down memory lane as I pointed out landmarks that had stood out to me as a kid. Passing through Bath, Georgetown, and Wiscasset, where my uncles still live, brought an overwhelming sense of familiarity.

Once we arrived at the hotel, we were greeted with stunning views of the Maine coastline. I started chatting with the man checking us in while we waited for our room, which wasn’t quite ready yet. We took a short stroll, and before long we were called back to the front desk, our room was ready, and we had been upgraded to an oceanfront king suite… don’t mind if I do!

After settling in, we met up with folks from the conference. I picked up my nametag and our meal tickets for the duration of our stay, then headed to a social gathering followed by another party. But before all that, I had to walk out to the jetty. I tried to convince Tim to join me, but he opted for a quick nap instead of a cold oceanside walk. I reminded him he should be training for his run, but even my heckling wouldn’t get him to budge, his loss.

As I inhaled the fresh, salty ocean air and looked out over the rocks, half expecting to spot a seal, I felt a little superior to everyone cooped up inside. They were clearly missing out.

Eventually, the socials were calling, and networking is my jam, so back inside I went. I met so many incredibly nice people from all over the state of Maine. One woman had actually sought me out  to meet me, because she works in Hampden, where my sister lives and sees her every week. Small world.

Almost everyone I met said they had already marked my session on their schedules and were planning to attend—yay! I still have no idea how many people will end up in my classroom, but I’m excited that it seems to have made the “must attend” list.

Now I’m just hoping the presentation goes smoothly. Once it’s finished, I think I’ll finally be able to take a deep breath, relax a moment, and maybe even step outside again to enjoy that ocean view a little longer.

“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” ~ Jacques Cousteau