Hello all and warm greetings from the VERY Green Mountains:
Actually writing from 25,000 feet over Carolinas on way to New Orleans for a few days. Love N’Awlins but not looking forward to oppressive heat after the wonderful days and cool nights of Vermont. We have settled back in to our little country home now after the month long ordeal at the house of horrors, and are starting to really get settled, catch up and get in some wandering. We have even unpacked hidden boxes and hung up some art in the few inches of available wall space left. So here are some highlights of the last week and a half- with accompanying pictures attached above (pix are in chronological order- so you can look at the matching ones as you read along for full effect):
The House of Horrors gets finished (more or less)- we wrapped up our month of work at the old house last week and only have a few small and really heinous tasks to finish- hoping someone will make an offer without noticing these places. Our young friend, Spencer, who has helped us so much goes under knife today for one more very major surgery on his almost lost arm- so we will have to finish up without him for a while. The house is on the MLS listing- but no bites yet- we may wind up paying someone to take it. Some pictures attached of rooms in best (most favorable to sell) light with curtains and rugs.
The smallest post office in the world- on the way back from our last of the trauma at the Groton hose- we meandered to relieve the stress and hit the absolute smallest post office in the world in West Topsham Vermont (and then then the classic Windsor diner)- does someone actually spend all their days working here?
Graduation days in the Green Mountains- our neighbor girl, Liz, had her high school graduation last week and since the family has no local social contacts- we became de facto participants. This resulted in three major events in four days: senior class day, awards night and the graduation ceremony. I can safely say I went to less graduation activities for my own kids. The Black River HS (Ludlow, Vt.) class of 2014 was around 40- so very small with all events in the HS gym. A very big deal- compared to larger locales and we had no idea what anyone was talking about- but did our best to be long lost relatives. Awards night had the presentation of around 50 scholarships ranging from $500- $2000- 80% oh which went to the same three kids. With not working and earning much, I tried to talk Jenn into waiting outside for them with masks on- but she was just not up for it(Godfather One- wedding scene!). So Liz is now a graduate and off to culinary school in Montpelier in a few weeks.
Post- Graduation freedom- after three days of events we had had enough- so we declined the post grad cookout and headed off across the border to New Hampshire for dinner. In Vt., this represents real escapism. We soon realized we did not have the energy and instead went to the monthly community supper at the Odd Fellows Hall (really!)- which meant we were done in about an hour. Since we really did not want to do more graduating- we felt we could not go home (have to drive past the party) so soon- so went off in search of solitude- finding it at the mystical Weston Priory. I’m convinced this place has something to do with the Da Vinci code- but they claim it to be an order of Benedictine monks that occupies this amazing chunk of prime real estate and sculpted grounds outside the hamlet of Weston. In any case- the brothers were apparently in the midst of two weeks of silence- so we neither heard nor saw anyone- and got to just wander around, in and out, and soak up the vibe. By the time we finished- we had managed to stay out long enough to gracefully return home.
Jews in Vermont- I have now seen two evidences that there are Jews in Vermont: when I fly out of the tiny Rutland airport on the magnificent six seater prop plane, there appears to be an overgrown field across the road from the airport entrance with a sign that says “Jewish Cemetery”. I imagine the location has something to do with to need to fly out bodies quickly given time constraints on Jewish burial. And then, the local Hannaford’s grocery, had this massive display a month ago with hundreds of bottles of Gold’s Beet Horseradish- which I can tell you is the cat’s meow- and they had it for 50 cents a bottle (I foolishly bought only one and then the display was gone). I figure they must have gotten a Passover shipment that was supposed to go to a store in Brooklyn and had no idea what to with this stuff- so sold it at wholesale.
Father’s Day in the mountains- and a happy one to all of you fine dads out there in blog-land- or surrogate dads, or soon to be dads. So we spent Father’s Day furniture shopping. So in Vermont-one goes over to New Hampshire to buy furniture because they are still busy living free or dying- which means no sales tax. So we went to North Walpole (really!) to Aumands’ family furniture and bought us a new sofa/love-seat combo for the “den”. The den furniture was really the only things of any sort that Karen, our benefactress, had left for us that really needed to be gotten rid of (she offered to do it for us- but we needed something to lay on, right?). So we made a good deal with Aumand and he brought us furniture the next day- all the way across the state line- and schlepped away the good will stuff. Good buy, no? We then stopped for a nice Fathers’ Day lunch at this really weird Chinese restaurant just north of Bellows Falls. Its apparently in an old stagecoach inn and sits way high on a bluff overlooking the Connecticut River- great views- good food, Chinese for lunch- what’s not to like. We then meandered the rest of the way home- taking our usual three hours to travel less than one- stopping for a Sunday stroll through downtown Saxton’s River- where we saw no human beings for the hour we were there. Nice way to spend a Sunday.
Stu gets back on The Pond- hard to believe that lessons are so difficult to learn- but this week we were trying to get the area around the pond hacked down. It has been so wet that we have had a virtual forest growing up around the rim. So- I asked the neighbor boy, Josh, to work on whacking it down- but apparently Vermonters are a bit scared of water- so he did not get too close. So- I’m looking at it and thinking about what to do- and before anyone know it- I am once again in the muck – pulling out fronds (yes- fronds…) and lilies and brown slush from the lagoon by hand. I think the pictures pretty well capture it. Upside was that it as a incredible bonding time for the frogs, toads and Stu.
First Kayak in Vermont- as you may remember, when Karen came up to help us with the house, she did the gift of schlepping up our kayaks- which have been resting up in the back of the barn after the long journey. So- after a week at home of getting our proverbial house in order- we thought it was time for some recreation. Now- our friend Jane gave us our nifty kayak roof holders- so we go out in the blazing hot sun at peak time to throw them on top. Two hours later, sweating profusely and with semi hernia- we have them on and are ready for napping. So- we only make it as far as Star Lake which is five minutes away in town of Belmont…and full of mostly the same sludge as my pond. But- we are going to kayak- so we push through the sludge onto the fronds and then onto the bed of water lilies. We did have a nice lunch sitting in the middle of the lake- but basically you can paddle around the lake in about 15 minutes. So- first time,…not so much. BUT- we then realized- as we looked at the damn kayak holders on the roof- that we could barely fit the kayaks (if really well knotted down) into the back of Jeep- which took about six minutes. We’ll do better next time
That’s about it for now. Heading back to Ohio a week from Saturday for the blessed event- so will be blogged down until after most likely. Hope to see many of you there.
Love and kisses,
Stu
