Back in 1965 when I was 14 years old, my brothers were finishing summer break from college when Mom came in and announced we were going on vacation THAT DAY and we had to decide where we were going...Minnesota ( where my Dad was from) or Maine (because she had vacationed there as a child and wanted to see if she could find Lily Pond where her family had caught the biggest fish ever). We quickly decided on Maine...a new adventure for all. Now you must also know that we never took vacations because we were a military family and our vacations were usually spent traveling across country to new duty stations. This was our first...so we jumped in the car...Mom, Dad, Wick, Frank, Dave, myself and of course Scampy, our beloved fox terrier. We drove all day and finally hit Portland. We turned inland to find the perfect lake. As we drove down Rt 302 I could not figure out why we passed so many cute little hotels but we finally settled on a little hotel by a stream. The owner told us to check out some rentals but most were already taken. There was a three day opening at a little cabin by Thomas pond but it was not available for another 3 days so we headed North to find Lily Pond. We ended up at Moosehead Lake. Being farther north it was much colder, which meant the water was freezing...no fun to swim there. We unanimously decided to go back where we had been earlier and forgo the northern adventure. But during the two days we were there we did search for Lily Pond. It was nowhere to be found...the elusive pond. Everafter if someplace or thing could not be found we would refer to it as a "Lily Pond".
We returned to Thomas Pond where we finished our vacation. Now here I must say that we had no phone or television. We did have a radio, deck of cards, and lots of books. It was fun to get away from all civilization for two weeks of the year.
We returned to Thomas Pond every year. In 1971 my husband and I honeymooned in Maine...a gift from my Mom and Dad. The following year my parents bought the little red cabin so that all of their children could have a place to vacation each year and take their pets (so often rentals don't allow pets). It became our vacation spot. In the midst of all our moves the cabin became a place of stability for our children. When my oldest son got married he told his wife-to-be...we can honeymoon in Maine and I will get you a super nice diamond ring or we can do a fancier honeymoon and get a lesser ring. She responded "let's go to Maine". And now they continue the Maine experience with their 3 children.
In 2000 the cabin was updated to a real house with a dishwasher, wash machine and dryer. Yes we do have a TV(3) and a phone. We no longer wash our hair in the lake or get our water from a spring but it is the place we dream all year of going. We wouldn't miss it.
I write this in memory of my Dad who loved our cabin and loved being together with his family. I look at the Lake and I see you smiling. I love you forever. All my Love, Sallie
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