Vacation On The Cheap

I've been hanging out on Maine coast for the past week, with another week to go.

The trip was possible due to the largesse of my baby sister who has a summer home in Maine.

There's a lot to be said for free airfare (courtesy of my sister's airline miles) not to mention a free (and lovely) home in a picturesque New England town.

Of course, even a free vacation comes with expenses. I rented a car. Fortunately, I am traveling with my sister and another couple we both like. So I split the cost of a vehicle with our guests. We've cooked a fair number of meals which has cut down expenses, but grocery stores don't give the food away. And we're in Maine. Which means lobster! Which means more expense.

Surprisingly, the most famous lobster place we've eaten so far, Red's Eats, turned out to be a disappointment. Lots of ice-cold, tough lobster meat piled on a hot dog bun. We ate better and more cheaply at the local lobster pound.

I did go to L. L. Bean, but I managed to resist their lure. My friends have hit every antique store within a 50 mile radius but I stayed back and read books (Four so far, including Willa Cather's "My Antonia" and "Cutting for Stone.")

I've also been playing tourist, hitting the Farnsworth Museum to see the Wyeth paintings and drawings, along with Louise Nevelson's works. Today, we went to Portland to tour the Wadsworth-Longfellow House. Both times, I was hoping for a senior discount, but on the east coast, to be a senior seems to require at least 65 years of life.

Mostly this vacation is for relaxation, and I'm making the most of it. Good food, good books, good friends, and lots of good times--what more could I ask for?

Especially when it isn't costing me all that much.