You may wonder what my life in Maine was like. After all, I left the land of New Jersey, where everything is accessible within a five-minute drive. Well, maybe that’s exaggerating a little bit—but that’s how it felt. New Jersey had walkable neighborhoods where you could stroll to stores and restaurants, and you saw your neighbors every day and chatted with them.
But it also had noise: trains, planes, and automobiles. I lived in a cute little house post-divorce, but I was never truly happy with it. It was sweet, and it served its purpose for the time I was there, but it never really felt like home.
Moving to Maine in May 2024 was a big, big change. I wasn’t sure if I would be bored, if the winter would be difficult, or how I would manage everything. Thanks to a great builder, I was able to add on to the small ranch house I had built— a sunroom, a powder room, and a garage. During the winter months, he finished my basement and added a TV room, office, and full bath. The house that was once so tiny suddenly became more than adequate for me and ready for lots of guests.
But that’s just my living quarters.
So what is Maine life really like? It’s quiet. Very quiet. There’s no noise waking me up in the morning except for the calls of loons or crows, or maybe the wind. And there’s the bay—right outside my door—with its salty ocean breeze drifting in. In the summer, that breeze turns into a gentle, warm wind that carries the scent of the sea, and it’s one of my favorite parts of living here.
The winter months are tough—the wind howls and we have big storms—but the summer months are glorious, like living in paradise. There are beautiful breezes, temperate weather, amazing views, tons of restaurants, shops, and small businesses to visit, and endless things to do with friends.
I’m deeply thankful that I’ve been able to spend so much time in this beautiful paradise. I’m grateful for my friends, and for all the “handy husbands” who have stepped up to make life here easy. I always have the help I need. Though it feels bittersweet—I’m grateful for the time I’ve had here, even if it’s short.
Beyond my neighborhood, I’ve somehow made so many friends, and there’s so much to do here that I really can’t complain. I also discovered drumming by joining women’s drumming circle. Now, I’ve collected multiple drums of my own. Playing together with these women, feeling the rhythm and connection, has been one of the most unexpectedly beautiful parts of living here.
The only difficult time is mud season—when it’s rainy and cold, everything is brown, and nature seems to be two months behind the rest of the world. But summer more than makes up for it.
I feel grateful and blessed to enjoy this place. I’m amazed every day that I was able to build this house—it still doesn’t seem real. I’m grateful for it, for my friends, and for all the “handy husbands” who have stepped up to make life here a real pleasure, knowing I always have the help I need. I’m deeply thankful that I’ve been able to spend so much time in this beautiful paradise. Though it feels bittersweet—like my house was only just finished—I’m grateful for the time I’ve had here, even if it’s short.
