Road Trip to Belfast

Yesterday dawned bright and beautiful, albeit quite cold. Having developed a wee bit of cabin fever with all the inclement weather in the past month, but it still being too cold and breezy to venture out for a walk, we decided on a road trip to one of our favorite towns - Belfast. On our way there, we had to cross the new Penobscot Narrows bridge. It has a viewing tower which we might just have to visit next spring or summer.

Of course, a trip to Belfast had to include a visit to their wonderful grocery store, Hannaford. We have a Hannaford in Ellsworth, but nothing like the scale of the Belfast store. We wandered through the Belfast Hannaford like two country bumpkins, looking much like Ma and Pa Kettle in the big city. The store is so bright and clean and all the displays made our mouths water; the cheese case was full of exotic French bries, sharp Irish cheddars, nutty Swisses and Gruyeres, Italian Fontinas, Parmesans and Romanos. We were in cheese Heaven!

We bypassed the bakery as we have learned the secret of fine, crusty artisan breads, thanks to the "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day" method, but oh, the wine selection stopped us in our tracks to peruse the bottles of ruby red Cabernets, the dark Merlots and Shirazes. The Aussie Chardonnays caught my eye, but in the end, I selected an unassuming Glen Ellen, which, truth be told, is more in my budget and my untrained palate appreciates it just as much.

On we moved next door to the Ocean States Job Lots store. This is a place much like Big Lots in the Midwest, showcasing a variety of unrelated items. One of those places that you might find nothing on one day and hit a bonanza on another day. Yesterday was a good find day. I had been looking for a new bird feeder as the one we've had for the past five years had been severely mangled by a bear a few years ago. I had cobbled it back together with duct tape and wires cut from a wire clothes hanger, but it was truly just hanging on. I found the exact same one at half the price I had paid for the original. YESSSSSS! I do love a bargain. Anyway, we found quite a few neat little purchases and wended our way back home, smug in our parsimonious trip.

On our way back home, we came across some cute signs along the road. Some expressed my sentiments exactly, so I had to take a few pictures.
I wonder if Anthony Perkins and his mother had ever owned this one! "-)

I've been working on a wool knitted tote bag and finally finished it. Here it is before felting. H was kind enough to model it for me for scale.

Here it is after felting. Quite a difference!
And, of course, I can't end a post without a picture of the two spoiled members of the family. Just as I was about to hunker down under my "blankie" and have a snooze, who should decide to join me, but His Majesty Spike and His Highness Sluggo. I think they look much more comfortable than me!
Life is Good!