Hot Enough for Ya?

I hate to complain about hot, sunny weather because I know my friends in Atlanta are about to start building arks because it has been raining for so long, but Maine isn't compatible with 90-plus degree heat. It never really gets that hot up here, houses are built to keep the heat inside during the winter and nothing is air conditioned. When it hits 90 degrees, everyone just sits around going mad from the heat. "But, wait a minute," you say, "can't you just go and jump in that water that is right in front of your damn face?" To which I would respond, "it would have to get a hell of a lot hotter for me to go in that water." But, I am not a small child. Children are oblivious to 50 degree water, so yesterday we took them to one of the few sand beaches in the area, Laite Beach in Camden.

But, let me back up. Prior to going to the beach, we had to buy beach towels, which just goes to show you how rarely anyone goes swimming in the ocean. The girls and I hit T.J. Maxx and picked up five towels. I forced myself to avert my eyes from all the random but temptingly inexpensive items I saw on our walk from the towel aisle to the checkout. I could do some damage at T.J. Maxx.

 While we waited at the check out, a customer was asking one of the cashiers how to roast corn, which is a pretty random thing to ask your cashier at T.J. Maxx, but, oh well. The cashier actually had some experience in the area, and advised the lady to soak the corn overnight in its husk, then remove the corn silk and put it on the grill. Another customer piped up, "then what ya need to do is to roll the corn in mayonnaise and then sprinkle it with Parmesan cheese." Our cashier and I locked eyes in mutual horror for a brief moment. She turned back to scanning our price tags and murmured tactfully, "I prefer butter." Amen, sister.



Towels in hand, and our new recipe for heart attack corn tucked away for future reference, we made our way over to the beach. Laite Beach has a park with picnic tables and we bought sandwiches and salads at Atlantic Baking Co. in Rockland. The kids scarfed their food as quickly as possible so they could hit the beach:

As you can see, the sand is pretty rocky, but the Baby still managed to make some "sand balls" and dig holes with half a muscle shell.

Eventually, the kids made it out to the float. The tide was going out, so it got closer and the water got more shallow. They were able to wade out to it, even the Baby.

They had a great time, and we were able to beat the heat for a little while.

Today's hot-weather plan was less-successful:

Alpacas!

We went to Evergreen Ridge Alpaca Farm in Warren. I mean, why the hell not, you know? I've never seen an alpaca up close, and they're really pretty cool. Alpaca turn out to be super clean, easy-going, well-behaved animals. They loved being sprayed with water (you can see the brown one getting squirted with the hose in the background). I thought they were charming, but the kids were a tougher sell, as I think they would have preferred to stay in the air conditioned car watching, Diary of a Wimpy Kid on the DVD player. Too bad I decided it was time to meet some alpacas. I guess it wasn't a total loss, as far as the kids were concerned. The Baby got a souvenir:

 Why yes, that is an unlicensed Hello Kitty hat made from genuine alpaca hair. Why yes, it was approximately 1000 degrees outside, but heat exhaustion seemed secondary to crazy cuteness! Thank goodness this heat wave is supposed to break tomorrow. I think the department of family services will come after me if they see the Baby wearing this hat!