Greetings friends, family and countrymen:
“Heimlich. Is that a
Jewish name? I wonder as
a diner turns blue.” Haikus for Jews
Winter turns into summer quickly in the mountains. On Monday the overnight low was 28 with snow flurries. By Tuesday ,we had a very nice day and by Wednesday it was in the low 90s…the mountaineers came out to dance. We’ve had a run of tropical weather (even though nights are still in the 30s) which has made for more and more lists of projects. Just finished three hours of mandated windowsill and storm window cleaning, which is quite the task in a 150 year old house, since none of them stay up while you try to clean them—which leads to multiple arm abrasions and a houseful of foul words. Meanwhile, Jenn was outside puttering in her gardens…and creating her next round of sciatica…..remind me of the benefits of getting old?
So back to Tuesday. As had been our custom, the sun came out…and we hit the road, Unusually, for us, we headed south, which took us down the Green chain to Weston for a picnic on the green and then to Peru to the lovely Hapgood Pond. We did a bit of a walk around the pond (S/J=3 miles, Lucy Lu= 9 miles)…and then mosied on to the metropolis of Manchester- the home of Hildene, the ancestral mansion of Robert Todd Lincoln (yes-that Lincoln!)…and…of the Green Mountain outlet shops. The outlets are quite a juxtaposition to the elegant old town, which also houses the famous Equinox hotel, where Roosevelt (yes- that Roosevelt) met with Churchill and Stalin to plan the end of the Big One. While there, we found a beautiful beater of a house for sale…..probably meets the definition of faded glory…amidst the splendor of mansions on every side of it…and took photos to try and lure Max to invest in long term capital gains in the mountains (no luck). We found this Italian deli joint (AL Ducci’’s) on a side street and they made us some very indigenous (to Brooklyn) fixins before they closed and threw us out.
On Wednesday, the thermometers hit 90- so I headed north to find a Marriott to spend the night in air conditioned luxury. Actually, it was my first time back to the monthly meetings of the Governor’s Council for kids that I sit on, and takes place in Waterbury, the hub of all things government in Vermont…and the scene of many of Archer’s book settings. I spent the day driving through the majesty of the mountains turning green overnight, stopped for picnic lunch, took a nap, read the USA today (avoiding all mention of El Trumpo), worked out, and took a dirt road jog…. and then dined at the little Thai joint and watched the Cavs smoke the Celtics. Jenn was at home sweating and working very hard…which I felt VERY bad about…but duty calls and I go.
I returned Thursday afternoon and it was 93 degrees and Jenn was gone and the yard was half push mowed….so I shed my clothes and donned my cape and went out to defeat the elements. Two hours later, I sat immobile and sweat drenched—unable to move off the chair and drinking a gallon of Gatorade. I considered a jump in the pond to cool off, but the 50 degree water did not really speak to me….and it would have ruined my sorry state to present to Jenn when she returned from gallivanting.
Speaking of THE POND….well let’s just say that all that glitters is not gold, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, paradise ain’t what it seems, some things are too good to be true (you probably get the idea)…so the hated algae has begun to reappear, snaking down with the fucking the mountain runoff and leaving little snatches of its demon scum in our pristine endeavor. NO, NO, No…we say….so we do some research on line and buy the forbidden (in Vermont) copper sulfate to extinguish the species (so the ads say) and it arrives with a thousand warnings (if you get it on your skin, just lay down and wait to die peacefully). So- yesterday we head up to the mountain hamlet of Shrewsbury to find Matt the Trout King at his hatchery (six dirt roads to get there) and he is not around- so we leave our calling card, amazed at his collection of ponds, and get home to find the water temp (went to Walmart for thermometer) is above the required- for- treatment 60 degrees and it is sunny and quite nice out. Out comes the kayak and the kitchen strainer I meant to throw away, in goes Stu to strain and spray (with my hazmat suit on). Three hours later, I am back- soaked and freezing – with a pretty clean pond and a gallon of this shit sprayed through a small spray device . I take a hot shower and get under the blanket on the couch, to nap and recover, when the Trout King calls me back. I talk to him about fish for the pond and ask him about putting them in right after spraying……and he says….”no, no, never use that chemical shit”. So today we head back up the dirt roads and met the King and he sold us $300 worth of bacteria- which apparently will make the POND sparkle…as well as fifteen of the King’s special trout and twenty crayfish…the sum of which is apparently the ultimate pond cure. The fishes are now swimming like crazy trying to avoid the monster snapping turtle, (which returned from his banishment in the last week). Next week we are dumping the first set of bacteria………I don’t really think this SAGA ends.
So, I’m supposed to be working on the project list, but Jenn and Lucy left- so – I am doing this instead. I may be erratic in my postings for the coming month, as I am off the Santa Cruz tomorrow for a 24 hour stay (12 hour each way to get there , including a red eye back Wed. night), then the Urbanites are coming to the mountains from Florida for four days (“do you have microwaves there in the mountains”). Once they leave, Jenn heads to Cleveland for five day with our new grand baby (you go Ryan and Lauren)….and then once she returns Stu heads off into the wild blue yonder to find Max somewhere in Spain or Portugal.
Hopefully, by then – the POND will be crystal clear and filled with wondrous fish……………………….or not.
Be very well and keep your fingers crossed.
Stu-Ber
