Groceries:
Let me start by telling you about grocery shopping. Hannaford is the local grocery here in Bar Harbor.
My shopping trip begins by donning my insulated backpack, sling, and grabbing a tote bag, then off I go. It is a 15 minute walk in low pedestrian traffic or about one-half mile.
It is expensive here. I am spending an average of about $85 dollars a week. A box of my favorite crackers is $3.99, back home the same size box is $2.49. I single bottle of pop is $2.50 for a 20 ounce bottle.
This is my grocery haul from this week. I have to plan well. I can only fit so much in my bags, and I also have to think about how much room I will have
to store the groceries. I share a refrigerator will three other people. Dry goods are stored in my pod in boxes and bags.
Tourist questions and comments:
Oh my gosh, I may have to write a book about the questions and comments tourist ask when I am working. Their question are in quotes. My response, that is the thought happening in my head, but never verbalized, is in parenthesis.
"Will this shrink?" (I don't know. Are you going to wash it in hot or cold water? and You know what happens in the dryer.)
Does this run in a normal size? (What the heck is a normal size?)
What size do you think I am? ( Excuse me, I am not touching that opening.)
Which jam, tea, pancake mix, etc. is the best? (What? Do you really think I have tried every one of them?)
Was this made in Bar Harbor, or was this made in Maine? (Why? Do you think it is going to taste differently or fit differently?)
Do you have a bathroom? (No, do you?)
Where can I get the best lobster? (Arizona)
Where should I eat? (At home, it's way less expensive.)
I need it wrapped, I am traveling by plane, bus, car, etc. (Yup, this piece of tissue paper is going to keep that blueberry jam from breaking and getting all over your clothing.)
Side note here: The other day I was asked to wrap a paper bag of blueberry tea. My
co-worker was asked to double wrap a pillow filled with balsam shavings, so the
customer did not have to smell it. There is a tissue paper shortage here people!
Maine has a ban on plastic bags. Many shops charge for bags. At the shop I work at, we ask "Would you like a bag?" Now, many people decline a bag and use one they already have. Some will say, "Yes, please." A fair number will ask how much a bag is after they have just spent $200 plus, and are relieved to discover it is free. Go figure!
Bar Island:
A while back I posted a picture over looking two islands in the bay. I had been told when the tide is low you could walk between the two, however I had never seen the tide low enough to do so. Well, I finally figured it out. I was looking at the wrong islands.
Frenchman's Bay is filled with numerous islands. The two islands you can walk between at low tide are Mount Desert Island, which Bar Harbor is located on, and Bar Island, a small uninhabited island. I did not walk all the way to Bar Island, because I did not know when high tide was, and I did not want to be on the Bar Island for nine hours until low tide occurred again. I have no dreams of being stained alone on any island!
I could not get a good pic of two islands when I was between them. These pics are just looking back toward Bar Harbor. See the kayaks out there? That's what I'll be doing Monday morning. Stay tuned, I have a neat little waterproof pack for my phone, so I hope to get some great pics for you from the water. Until then . . .
Love from Baa Haabor xoxoxo