Winter '06 Newsletter

It may say 'First Day of Winter' on the calendar but it is way too warm out there for me to believe it. We just saw 'An Inconvenient Truth' and weather like this certainly makes everyone think about what they can be doing to slow or reverse the damage done. After all, Mother Earth has been here quite a long time, and will be here long after we're gone if we keep this up!

OK, off my soapbox, you didn't come here to read about global warming! I will add at this point, that we are making plans this year (2007) to be recognized as 'Green Lodging' by the state of Maine. More on that as things progress.

We'd like to thank all our guests who stayed with us this year, it was our best year ever. We broke occupancy records in July, September and October. Thank you one and all, we truly appreciate your patronage and all the wonderful comments you leave for us in our guest books.

What's up in Freeport?

Rapid River has moved from School Street to Lower Main Street (down near Gritty's). The total rebuild of the building that used to house the Blue Onion has started to show progress. The foundation is in and the first floor is taking shape. Still no idea when Antonia's Sports Bar will open, though.

LL Bean is having a 'First Night'-type event on New Year's Eve. Music all day, magicians, activities for the kids and then a Countdown at midnight with a light show to follow. Even if you can't be here for New Year's Eve, we hope you had a chance sometime in December to see all the trees and lights in Discovery Park. We walked down there last night and it was beautiful.

There is a new shop above Deroshier's on Main Street, called 'Brewtopia'. It's everything beer, except the beer! (Which can be purchased downstairs, along with what we've been told is THE best pizza in Freeport. We'll have to give it a try and report back!)

The Tarot Card reader is gone. I never had a chance (OK, never was brave enough!) to go in and have a reading. Oh well, I generally don't mind being surprised by what comes along, better than worrying about it!

We hope you've had a chance to see Rachael Ray's magazine, Everyday with Rachael Ray, and to see the short article on Freeport, with a picture of White Cedar Inn! Yum-o! Also, the December issue of Down East had a mention of us along with a lot of fun places in Freeport, including Jacqueline's Tearoom. If you haven't been there, plan it for your next trip here. It's a perfectly lovely way to spend a couple of hours in the midst of shopping, sampling from a list of over 60 different teas. Jacqueline makes wonderful finger sandwiches, scones and delightful pastries to go along with the tea. (Reservations required.)

I mentioned the new building going on in the last newsletter. That has not started yet, waiting for January and the Christmas shopping to be done with, I suppose. 

Freeport Knife is moving to a much larger location down by Gritty's. The building they are presently in has been bought by Georgetown Pottery. No estimate just yet on when Georgetown  will move into the building. Georgetown Pottery will take over the entire building including the sections formerly occupied by The Wine Cellar and Freeport Fine Art. At the new location, Freeport Knife will also reopen the kitchenwares department they had in the downstairs of the old building. We wish Doug & Rhoda good luck in their new location! Be sure to stop in and see them. Moving date is around February 1.

Wow! Go through town one day and the next day, something new! The old Falcon Restaurant, more recently home to Del Sol, is really gone now! That whole section of the building was removed to make way for an addition onto J. Crew. Brrr! It must have been the coldest day of the year and there were holes in the side of the building.

Then, on Lower Main St, we noticed that the 'Crickets Restaurant' sign has been covered over and there's a new sign announcing Pedro O'Hara's will be opening there 'soon'. We've been to Pedro's in Brunswick and it's a fun, quirky restaurant with a fusion of Mexican and Irish cuisines. Yeah, boggles the mind, doesn't it?

Always something new going on around here!

The Freeport Community Center opened up in the fall. They have a quirky resale shop down there and you never know what you'll find!

What's up with the family?

The family is all doing well. I'll start with Bre as most of you know her! Alive and well and looking fit and trim. This is the time of year she loves. A little snow out there and she'll be in heaven. Nothing like nosing along in the cold snow looking for the tennis ball. We'd like a little snow also so we can get out on the snowshoes. This year, we'll be trying snowshoeing at Pinelands, about 20 minutes from here. I have to find out if dogs are allowed anywhere on the farm.

The kids are all doing well. The grandkids are fine as well. Chris (the son) packed himself up and took himself off to the Philippines a month ago. If anyone sees him there, tell him his mother says 'hello!'  He's had an interesting few weeks so far. Thankfully, he has not been in the path of the typhoons or the mudslides. He has been invited to meet the mayor of the town in which he is living and he's helped build a fish pond by digging it out with his hands. (News update...he's back home again! Waiting to see if his old job at the Wynn in Las Vegas is still there.)

Sara and Alicia are doing well. No big news there right now. (Big update here...Alicia is having a baby! This will be her first child and our third grandchild.)

Rock has healed up quite well from the motorcycle accident.

We'll be doing our long-awaited renovation in January. New floors and wallpaper in the dining room. I'll post pix as we go along. Hope you'll come on up and take a look sometime in 2007.

Here's wishing everyone peace and joy in the New Year.

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