Heather -- Denver, CO
12/8/09 -- 01:33:26 AM

We also had a little pond down the road where my brother and 2 cousins and myself all used to ice skate during Christmas vacation. It was wonderful if we had a full moon so we could go at night and still see perfectly!  I miss being able to see the stars and the moon in perfect clarity, not lost in the light pollution of the city.

Did anyone else used to either drive around (there was a neat house in Woolwich with lots of lights) or actually walk down the road to look at Christmas lights? The folks that lived across the road from my grandparents always had one of those big light up manger scenes, and it was so neat to be able to go across the street with my grandma and actually fit under the little wooden manger so I could sit between the warm, lit up figures....I dont know why that seemed so cool...but it was. From that spot I remember looking up at my grandmother, and her neighbors talking in the cold night air, and seeing my grandparent's Christmas tree in their picture window directly across the road. (People here don't even know their neighbors, no one wants to talk to each other.)

I miss seeing people on the side of Route 1, selling hand made wreaths, and Christmas trees from the backs of pick up trucks.  I miss having a little main street in each little town decorated with lights and a big tree with a star on top. I miss that one last take out meal from my family's fave restaurant around Dec. 20th every year, for a meal of lobster chowder before they close for the season.  I miss going to Beans at 1am with my brother to finish our Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve. :)
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Maureen ( hanau69628@hotmail.com ) -- Hampton, GA
12/7/09 -- 04:04:43 PM

Traveling back to Hampton after spending a week in Maine and loving every minute of it. We made the decision we are Mainers at heart and in January will be living in Old Orchard Beach while we look for a house to buy or another rental. Only 3 more weeks in exile!
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Lori Cohoon ( lmtgirl@gmail.com ) -- Sebago, ME
12/6/09 -- 09:10:32 PM

After 18 years of exile I am happy to say I have made it home again. Feeling pretty secure after 1 whole year back and looking forward to never living in exile again!!! Still waiting for the rest of my family (crazy Florida sun lovers) to realize their mistake and get back here pronto!! Love to all Mainers...we miss you!!!
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Linda -- Pensacola, FL
12/6/09 -- 07:45:06 AM

Great question, Heather! I remember ice skating at a little pond near my house. I'd pile on 3 pairs of socks. Skate. Come in at lunch for a bowl of soup. Change out the cold socks for warm dry ones, and head out again! Poor Pensacola kids--they "ice skate" with Wii Fit!!!!! Also, and this is a little quirky, whenever I hear an instrumental version of Sleigh Ride, I always think of watching TV at my grandmother's. (Bangor channel-maybe in a local commercial?) In today's world, how Currier and Ives!
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Heather -- Denver, CO
12/5/09 -- 09:57:52 PM

What is everyone's favorite Christmas memories that took place in Maine?  What do you miss about Christmas time in Maine?
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S. W. -- Saco, ME
12/2/09 -- 08:57:01 AM

When you have to literally trip over 1.2 million tourists to get where you're walking (I manage The Pier @ OOB), you get sick of them. I know — they pay the bills, but it's a kinda hafta be there thing. LOL.

And Wayne, enjoy your pilgrimage!

To the rest of you Exilers: Happy Holidays!
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Wayne St Clair ( wane9779@hotmail.com ) -- Roanoke, VA
12/1/09 -- 06:14:17 AM

To RD...I have never been good at dancing...born with two left feet.

I am leaving Saturday for a two week trip to Israel...mostly in the north but several days in Jerusalem as well.

I will be totally outside my comfort zone so it should be interesting.

Wish me Godspeed and planes that stay up in the air.
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RD ( distancecoach@aol.com ) -- Hershey, PA
11/30/09 -- 10:11:28 PM

My other half thinks I just wasted 2 hours of my life reading messages from people I don't know.  But the messages are from fellow exiles like myself, some of whom haven't lived in Maine for longer than myself.

I don't miss lobstahs.   But there's nothing like a Maine potatoe, Maine blueberries or a whole bunch of other stuff.

I still remember listening to WTOS 105 FM and to WBLM when it was on the better side of the FM dial and in Lewiston.

Wayne, glad to read that your knee surgery went well; how's the tap dance lessons coming?

Steve, how can you be sick of tourists?  You get 'em from massholechusetts; we get them from jersey...  and baltimore, and the beltway, and virginia, and new york, and smellidelphia, and...  did I mention new jersey?

cookie... hope your life changing crisis isn't what I think it is.  How's Ithaca these days?   It's been a couple of years since I was up that way, even longer since I traveled the Ed Muskie Hiway out of Augusta (aka rt 3/202), by China Lake, thru Albion (with a stop at Keyes) and up to Bangor thru Dixmont.  Too bad the topless coffee shop in Vassalboro burnt down...
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Maureen ( hanau69628@hotmail.com ) -- Hampton, GA
11/30/09 -- 06:02:22 PM

We are in Maine for a visit, had an Amato's sandwich and lots of seafood. Even had whoopie pie cake for dessert. Heavenly!!! Patty had some for you!
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M. A. B. -- Hogansville, GA
11/23/09 -- 07:23:51 AM

I fell in love with Maine when I was almost 13 years old, on vacation with my Grandaunt, Alda Bearden.  We stayed at Clark Island Inn, with relatives of hers, where there were several other girls and boys about my age.  I thought I'd died and gone to heaven.
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Nancy Kelley-Cram ( nkelleyc@yahoo.com ) -- Wake Forest, NC
11/21/09 -- 06:51:20 PM

Lise Johnson Stanley:  I'm from Milbridge!  I know lots of Stanleys...I left ME in 1990 for NC. but manage to get home every summer to our place on Spring River Lake. I'm sure I know lots of folks you do.  My Dad still lives there...he will be 90 next month! I also have lots and lots of cousins there.  I've met Brian Tucker through this web site (originally from Cherryfield), Carol Zimmerman (from Milbridge) and even connected with an old roommate from my days in Boothbay Harbor.  It was the only connection before Facebook!  I miss home and family...and am always proud to be from Maine.  E-mail me and we can chat about Milbridge and the homefolks.

Exiles.com: Thanks so much for the e-mail telling everyone about The Way We Get By.  I stayed up well beyond my bedtime and shed a few tears.

Be sure to check out www.wreathsacrossamerica.org  Another wicked great thing from the folks in Maine!
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Maureen ( hanau69628@hotmail.com ) -- Hampton, GA
11/21/09 -- 06:34:30 AM

Hello my fellow exiles,
  Made it to Virginia from Georgia for Thanksgiving and decided only 17 more hours and we could make it to Maine. After Thanksgiving we are northward bound. Perhaps a good Noreastah will convince us to spend the winter in the South and wait till August to get our fill of seafood and Maine.
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Lise Johnson Stanley ( elsin@comcast.net ) -- Bayville, NJ
11/17/09 -- 05:45:07 PM

Hi.. I too miss home. I was born in Bangor.. raised in Bucksport. Traveled around the US from Maine to ALaska and points in between. Ended back in Maine for nearly 18 years.. in Milbridge  then struck out again. Now in NJ. I miss two things the most. Knowing your neighbors, and god I would kill for a mess of clams.
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Wayne St. Clair -- Roanoke, VA
11/17/09 -- 05:35:21 PM

To Maureen: I remember when I moved back to Roanoke I was shocked...shocked to discover seagulls 350 miles inland.

They're everywhere... they're everywhere.
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Paul -- Tampa, FL
11/16/09 -- 10:34:29 PM

Hey there....I'll try this again, since my first message didn't seem to take! I spent the first 31 years of my life in Lewiston, and moved to Tampa in 2001 for work purposes. I was reading a John Connolly novel the other day and really started to miss Maine (fans of Connolly's Charlie Parker books will know what I mean!) I really miss the change of seasons and the colder weather....yes, I MISS cold weather! Oh well, at least the Sweetbay grocery stores down here sell Moxie....it's a great reminder of my life in Maine!
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Maureen ( hanau69628@hotmail.com ) -- Hampton, GA
11/15/09 -- 01:05:57 PM

Trying to give it a chance here in the South with temps in the mid to high 70's the middle of November but my heart still aches for Maine. Even miss the sound of seagulls. Miss stepping out on my deck at night at looking at the amazing sky full of stars. We will go back for a visit in August and find it hard to leave.
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Steve A ( mdislander2@yaho.com ) -- Severn, MD
11/10/09 -- 11:47:04 AM

7 more months and I will finally be returning to Maine for my retirement.  It has been a long run (34 years) being away but I feel as though I am on the downhill slide now.  I can't wait for a slower life then the Baltimore/Washington area.  I already have a house in Northeast Harbor.  I have spent 39 years working for the US Army and my country  either as a solider or a civilian.  Now I hope to volunteer my services back in Maine.
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S. B. -- Sun City Center, FL
11/9/09 -- 08:39:54 AM

Can anyone tell me when State of Maine day in Zephyrhills FL will be in 2010?
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