Chapter Ten: Home Away From Home

4/28/17

     Everyone has that one place; their home away from home, their vacation spot, a special place that holds the most memories for them. For me, that place is Cutler, Maine. My family has land there and a trailer, and we used to go there pretty much every year in the summer time. We also have some family there. I can remember going there, just my parents, my two brothers and I, sometimes with my grandparents, sometimes we'd bring friends along, and we always had so much fun. We'd pack up the car and take the almost 6 hour drive (it felt like 10). We'd stop for groceries before we got there, because the closest grocery store is 30 minutes away. Then we'd arrive at the camp, unpack everything, and head outside to the great outdoors.

     The trailer is on a blueberry field. You can literally wake up and walk down the field eating fresh blueberries for breakfast, and take a hike into the woods. You can ride a fourwheeler in and go mudding. You can shoot guns, go for hikes, go to Canada for the day, visit the ocean, fly kites, go into town, enjoy the scenery. Cutler is a small town, with a population of only about 500, but there are so many things to do to keep yourself busy. During the fourth of July, there's a town event with fun things such as a 5k race, a parade, a flag-raising ceremony, lobster crate races, lawn games, boat races, and a BBQ lunch. We used to make it there almost every year for July 4th. It's a place you can go to hang out, have fun, and not worry about anything. It's no wonder the motto is "the way life should be." The closest restaurants, fast food, bank, business area and grocery store is 30 minutes away. The closest Walmart is in Calais about 1 1/2 hours away. The closes shopping mall is in Bangor about 2 1/2 hours away. You are completely secluded in that aspect. But the people in Cutler are amazing. Everyone is so friendly and down to earth. Nobody is in a rush, or a bad mood, or complaining about anything. You can go to Cutler and find so much peace and happiness in every mile of it.

     After a while, my siblings and I became the only ones to regularly go there. My parents went to Soulfest instead for their summer vacation trip. I went there with my two brothers, my brother's best friend, my (now) sister in law, my boyfriend at the time and our best friend one year, and my brother Jared ended up proposing to his now wife, Rita on one of the hikes they went on. Also that year, we went to something called the Blueberry Festival, a festival that happens every year in a nearby town that has many craft booths, blueberry cooking contests, pie eating contests, parades, food vendors, free concerts, book sales, and a blueberry run. We used to go all the time, but this was the first time we'd been in a while. Then, at night, we went to the Blackfly Ball, a crazy dress-up dance party where there are live bands, crazy people, and lots of alcohol. It was my first time going there, because I was always a kid when we went up at this time. It was also my first time going without my parents there. We had a crazy fun time.

    Cutler has always been my home away from home. A place to relax, unwind, enjoy the scenery. Make some Cutler stew and chill by the fire. Take a walk on the wild, beautiful side. Enjoy unplugging (because you won't have service, anyways!) and getting away from your everyday life. Reminisce about your childhood. The way life should be. I think everyone should have a place like that. I can't wait to go back!

xx