Acclimating to a New Climate

Avi and I came up to Maine the day before Avi was to start work at Acadia (6/24/2010), as a member of its Youth Conservation Corps. The day before, he had flown up to Boston on his own (first time for that!), and with me navigated a series of Boston subways, buses, and my car to get to Kim's house in Watertown. Early the next morning we headed north to Maine. I remember Maine (mostly from 1987, when I spent part of my summer here at Haystack School of Crafts doing basket weaving) as a place with a "just-perfect" temperature (cool in the shade, warm in the sun), bright blue skies, and huge rocky shorelines. It seems to still hold for now. I immediately wondered why I'd brought all those sleeveless shirts and other Durham-summer clothes. We made our way to the mobile home that we'd rented in Southwest Harbor on Mt. Desert Island (MDI), and met our landlady, who showed us around. I kept watching to see how Avi was taking all these rapid changes and "firsts." He seemed to take it all in stride, showing no real signs of nervousness. I wanted to do a food shop, and he had the presence of mind to suggest a test drive to where he had to go in the morning. Those both accomplished, we headed out for an inexpensive dinner and what would become the first of many many ice creams from the Quiet Side Cafe.....we'd discovered their Black Bear ice cream. We were going to be very happy here in our new home!