OK-so we’ve still jumped in the DeLorean and gone back to the future. It’s still Saturday, only a little bit earlier and I haven’t gone to the creepy motel yet. Still with me?

After a flurry of activity packing up Pearl, we headed once more into downtown Bar Harbor for a last look around and some shopping. BUT FIRST! Ice cream! And not only was it handmade from real Maine blueberries (and real rainbow sprinkles) . . .

but guess who else got samesies?! (Albeit six years earlier.)

Sure, Obama had toasted coconut and didn’t (to my knowledge) share with Bo, but still pretty cool.

So after a quick pop into Bark Harbor to stock up on lobster flavored dog treats, we strolled down the street a little further and I saw an interesting little shop selling things made by local Maine artists. Now I should say that the majority of the stores in this area are dog-friendly, including the ice cream place, but I do understand that’snot everyone’s jam. So I poked my head in to see if Annie and I would be welcome. The place seemed deserted (NOT desserted) at first, but eventually, a lady came out from the back. “Can my dog and I come in?” I asked. “No.” I said OK, and turned to leave, and as I did she mumbled something I didn’t quite catch. At first, I thought she suggested I tie Annie up, which, seeing as it was about eleventy billion degrees outside seemed like a less than ideal solution. But no, what she was ACTUALLY proposing was even more absurd. She wanted to me PICK ANNIE UP!

So I look at Annie and I look at her, and she says “Oh, does she not like to be carried?” And I’m thinking, “It’s a 33-pound dog! I don’t normally carry a 33-pound dog! That’s a lot!” And I’m already carrying the treat bag and her leash handle, so it’s all kinds of awkward anyway, but I try to pick her up, and I’m carrying her, and she’s heavy as crap, and I see things I’m interested in, but my arms are full of heavy dog so I can’t pick anything up, and even if I did like something I can’t get into my purse to pay for it, so the whole thing is just a gigantic clusterfuck and we finally just have to peace out. I still have NO idea how that was supposed to be helpful in any way.

So we leave Bar Harbor and the island, and here’s where things GET REALLY COOL!

So-many of you know that I am a HUGE fan of the Bangor Maine Police Department page on Facebook, and if you’re not following it now, you NEED to be. It’s a brilliant use of social media by people who aren’t even social media professionals. It’s real and it’s funny and it’s open and I aspire to be that entertaining and enlightening.

As it happened, I was about 45 minutes away from Bangor, so even though I was super nervous, I couldn’t pass up the chance to make the pilgrimage.

So I went into their very nice facility and the greeter person wasn’t there, so I had to get on the intercom of a professional facility where people are doing serious, important work and say: “Umm, yes, I’m here to see if I could meet the Duck of Justice?” BECAUSE THAT’S NOT AWKWARD AT ALL!

And after seeing the older cop in the back shake his head and laugh (and learning late that he is the genius behind the FB page), I spoke with a very nice young officer named Daniel who was very kind AND LET ME POSE WITH THE DUCK OF JUSTICE!

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!!

ANNIE BUTLER GOT TO MEET THE DUCK OF JUSTICE TOO!! (And she didn’t even try to eat him.) #RespectTheBadge

The whole thing was so cool I was giddy for the rest of the day. I was so impressed with the whole operation and thanked them profusely for their time and service (Because I actually do like most cops Tony.)

Annie was a little more effusive in her gratitude.