Many salutations ya’ll:
“Our great and glorious masterpiece is to live appropriately”……………………………………………………………………………………………Michel de Montaigne
“The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud!”………………………………………………………………………………………….Coco Chanel
“I’m so proud of beeeeeing……. loved by you” …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….Curtis Mayfield
“After the warm rain,
the sweet scent of camellias.
Did you wipe your feet?”………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….Haikus for Jews
Sunday morning…..bright blue skies, steam coming off the roofs, after 35 degree frost last night………………heating the house up for the first time….leaves just beginning to pop in earnest….and the Shit Storm is over….but more on that later…
Was a busy week, mostly away for the mountains….made the trip last Sunday down the Route 7 mountain corridor –to the first municipal airport in America at Albany International (one flight a day to Canada)- for a surreal mid-summer trip back to Cowtown….how weird is to be a tourist in your hometown?……did the whole taxi, downtown hotel, exploring the city streets thing in Columbus for three days….two days of training at the majestic Ohio Supreme Court…… Caught dinner with the expecting couple…..my very ripe, busting- at-the- seems baby-bearer of a daughter and son-in –law, Jake, picked me up for dinner on Monday…with a trip to familiar and beloved Aab India in Grandview for an eventful taste of ethnic dining (see the photo of the feast)….Tess is day to day to drop and we are in on -call mode to scoot back to the heartland for a short week once L’Enfant arrives…she is in the late summer, overly pregnant heat doldrums of waiting for the blessed event…it was a major bonus to hang with the kids…
Headed back to the Mount on Tuesday night late for a quick night at home…had one flush and a dripping of precious water and repacked my bags…and headed off on Wednesday (with my grocery bag full of car lunch…Hi ho, Hi ho…off to work I go)) for my monthly overnight up in Waterbury for the Governor’s Council meeting…..having the good timing and privilege of involvement in a major renaissance in Vermont in work with kids and families (passed this year the most liberating juvenile justice legislation in the nation)….so the ersatz church lady (former Vermont s Chief Justice) and I are spearheading a committee on jurisdictional changes (you may have to google that one)..…a trip to Waterbury always means a reprieve from the rigors of mountain living (read: SEPTIC ISSUES) and includes a really nice stay at the presidential suite at the local Marriott, a jog through the lovely Vermont village and my favorite little out of the way Thai joint accessed by a life- in- your-hands sprint across the street on busy Route 100 (through the crazy Waterbury to Stowe traffic)…..
And, whilst the cat was away….the TRUE shit diggers came and dug up most of the back yard. After eight hours of occasional digging, five loads of gravel, two really bored mountain boys sitting around in between Dad’s rock loads, Jenn romping around in her shit kicker boots and a bunch of illegal piping…..we have launched…and have a restored septic system (Stu showed back up from the Marriott for the end of the festivities)…who knew what a privilege it is to be able to flush the toilet after a satisfying BM?….may never again take that for granted after six weeks of primeval living..…so now the yard is a total mess from schlepping the earth mover and gravel truck through it….but…. we can now wash dishes like normal people, and take an occasional shower…this is truly a revelation….We love the Shit-Men….though will see if we feel the same way once the invoices arrive….
And…have I mentioned, we are now on the very special all Carb- all the time diet?
Saturday was a chilly overcast day- so we bagged all our yard restoring, chore catch up, gutter cleaning plans…and after a semi-quick trip to the Dump, and requisite weekly consultation with The Dumpmaster, drove up to Dartmouth for a bit of culture and diversity……hard not to like Hanover, NH on an early autumn Saturday afternoon, which seems like a scene from Love Story..…speaking of which, we got to see Spike Lee’s new one …BlacKkKlansmen (check out my review)…which is mandatory viewing in The Age of The Donald…Mandatory!!!……..and were also rewarded with a Harry Belafonte sighting in the film (talk about an American treasure)……we had a lovely crepe brunch at Vermont’s iconic Skinny Pancake and après movie chocolate decadence from the local rich, kid-care package purveyor of kitty crack….a wonderful day away….and….came home to a guilt free BM…..what’s not to like?
So….the clock is running…and the avoided chore list awaits….so…. Hi ho, Hi ho……hoping to catch a two night getaway- fall outing this week if the creek don’t rise and the baby don’t come….so…… will wait and see…learn to be….free to pee….watch the colors on the tree, la-da-da and la-dee-dee……love to you from me……
Ferlin’/Papi/Stu, Chuck/Skippy
