Goodfellows52: Summer of our contentment

"We know that in September, we will wander through the warm winds of summer's wreckage. We will welcome summer's ghost."

— Henry Rollins

AUBURN, Maine — Our home gets uncomfortably quite when our son returns to college in September.

There are moments when I miss having him around because he is no bother and he really makes our lives worth living. We feel damn lucky that he still enjoys our company even though we annoy him sometimes with dad jokes and chores around the home.

But he still can’t get enough my home cooking. That’s why he returns like the family cat to devour dad’s dinners, which are made with tender loving care. I suspect he misses his mom, too.

Empty-nest syndrome is a thing of the past for both of us, but that vacant bedroom during semesters takes getting used to all over again— especially after we enjoyed one helluva of a summer.

This family cruised through10 states, watched a reenactment of a Civil War battle and a former Beatle strut his stuff this summer. We viewed an exhibit of salvaged items from the Titanic, took a short cruise to a slice of paradise just off the Maine coast — Peaks Island in Casco Bay — and hung out at Old Orchard where pizza and riding large waves are always on the agenda.

But there is still nothing more exciting than having my son come home for a long weekend. We ended up watching “The Magnificent Seven,” which featured an ensemble cast of Yule Brenner, Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Robert Vaughn and Eli Wallach. Elmer Bernstein’s rousing score and two scenes of heavy gun battles are worth killing two hours (pun intended), especially with my son.

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Ahoy, Fort Williams

Spring gave winter one last nudge before we started making day trips when he came home for weekends.

There is nothing like a strong sea breeze to fill your lungs with salt air and clear your mind. A walk around Fort Williams in Cape Elizabeth is also a stroll through the past, where powerful World War II guns once manned the Maine coast.

There are splendid views of the rocky beaches and a lighthouse that lights up anyone’s soul on a cool spring day.

If you need a pick-me-up, walk around Fort Williams and enjoy one of Maine’s gems.

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End of the line

Land’s End in Harpswell is a tourist destination, but outside its doors, there is room to walk around and take in Maine’s breathtaking coast.

It’s a great place to buy a Maine sweatshirt and sit on the porch and sip on the Pine Tree State’s salt air, which is free, of course.

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Let’s do lunch

Spending a spring day wandering around Portland and having lunch with your son is a real treat. We needed our fix of clam chowder and headed for Gilbert’s Chowder House for a bread bowl of clam chowder.

We sat on the wharf and had these great discussions about life. Someone once told me it only gets better when your children get older.

I agree. but I still miss the little boy who watched with endless curiosity as his toy boats bobbed up and down on the ocean water.

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Beach baby, beach baby

Old Orchard Beach never gets old

When the surf is up, Anthony and I will remain in the water for hours riding huge waves. The sweet smells of pizza and other fried culinary delights makes the trip to this seaside community worth the hour drive.

We also spent the day at Popham Beach riding waves and enjoying nature’s attractions. There are two forts, Baldwin and Popham, that are worth a tour of duty.
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Heading inland

I had to cover a softball game in Bethel on a Saturday afternoon. My son wanted to do some genealogy research at the Greenwood Historical Society and Museum.

It is a small town that is nestled next to Bethel, which is another small town, but their natural beauty is stunning.

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Yellow Submarine

Ringo Starr came to Bangor with an ensemble of talented musicians and had the crowd singing a rendition of “Yellow Submarine” by the end of the evening. I marveled at how this 75-year-old former Beatle still had the energy to bounce around the stage and sing so well.

Too bad the Fab Four will never perform together again. The Beatles played three miles from my home 50 years ago at Suffolk Downs in East Boston.

Sometimes, 1966 seems so long ago, but the memories remain strong.

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Lakeside retreat

We are fortunate to know an older couple who doesn’t mind sharing their camp at Bear Pond in Hartford.

Bear Mountain looms over the lake, which is warm and refreshing.

The three of us love sitting my the shoreline as small boats and seaplanes with go up and down the lake.

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Taking a Peak

Before we went on our pilgrimage across 10 states, we boarded a ferry and took the 20-minute excursion across Cisco Bay to Peaks Island, which is just past Fort Gorges — a foreboding military structure that can only be reached by boat.

Peaks Island is community filled with impressive homes and gardens. It takes about an hour to walk around the island where you can still visit cement bunkers built to watch for enemy submarines.

There is also the Fifth Maine Regiment Museum. It is a small museum that is filled with artifacts and pictures about Maine’s role in the American Civil War.

We nearly missed our ferry to the mainland, but a man named Carmine DeAngelo pulled up in a golf cart, asked to hop aboard and took us to the dock.

We Italians must stick together in times of crisis.

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Unearthing a Titanic Disaster

You marvel at these pristine relics displayed in sparkling-clean glass cases, but you suddenly realize the artifacts have been resting on the ocean floor and once belonged to people who perished at sea 94 years ago.

The objects are from one of the most tragic maritime catastrophes —the sinking of the RMS Titantic on April 15, 1912. The behemoth sank after colliding with an ice berg in the North Atlantic Ocean. Unfortunately, 2224 passengers died as the Modern Marvel plunged to the ocean floor.

These artifacts were on display at an exhibit in Portland this summer, We walked around each display as people quietly spoke to each other.

I think spectators were being discreet out of respect for passengers who never finished their journey.