I remember thinking when we were planning this trip, wondering when we should stop in New York - on the way up or back - that it would probably be best to stop there on the way back. I thought we'd probably be tired and dirty and want a few days in the big, sophisticated city, teeming with people, after our foray into madness in the Maine house. Now that the time to leave is nigh, I believe we planned wisely. While I can't wait to get home to North Carolina and J, I'm happy we decided to spend two nights in the city on our way back. For one thing, it will break up the car trip, and for another I absolutely love it there. But more importantly, perhaps, the New York trip will sort of soften the fall...our big trip is over. There is going to be a let down period. But we'll still have a few days with friends, not yet back to our real lives, not in Maine anymore.

That's tomorrow though. The trip home - part one. Today is packing. Hanging out on the patio. Dinner together tonight. Buying gifts. Debriefing.

The things I didn't do: Finish a screenplay with Jennifer Write an article about the band, or my own experience here Catch a lobster Exercise sufficiently Take lengthy walks on the rocks Get a pedicure Have a glass of wine at the wine bar downtown Finish a large, difficult novel

Things I did do: Wrote some of a screenplay with Jennifer, and learned a lot about the process Conquered an island Ate a lot of (caught for me) lobster Partied like a college kid Went swimming in the ocean Became almost a regular at a downtown bar Lived with a rock band Sang on an album

I am, now, wounded and weary and it's time to go home, but not without the memories of a summer vacation well spent. Very well spent.

I am, by the way, literally wounded. Cuts all over my legs. It turns out that when faced with challenging situations, such as jagged rocks and sea creatures, I am pretty clumsy. It's pretty unbelievable, actually, how many times I fell down.

I'm taking a break for a few days while we're in the city, but will be back and writing next week once I'm home with no job. Exactly, no job. We shall call those entries the "soap opera and gallons of ice cream sessions."

You can see all my pictures from this trip (and I'll add more once I'm back in NC) on my Flickr page.

I'll write a more reflective post on this whole experience soon, promise. For now it's time for maybe a little nap and one more night out. A last farewell to Boothbay Harbor and the people who've, thankfully, put up with us for the past few weeks.