Vermont and back

The Vermont trip was lovely -- I wanted to stay for a week but settled for most of three days. It was HOT Friday and Saturday but cooled off with rain on Sunday. There were tiny areas where the leaves had either started to turn or those trees just had orange leaves. In two weeks the mountains will be beautiful -- but I won't get to see them.

We left on 6 a.m. flights and the six of us were in our rental car in Vermont at 11 a.m. That still amazes me; how we can travel so fast. Our first stop was the Von Trapp Family Lodge where we had lunch outside overlooking the mountains, then literally frolicked in the meadow while singing "the hills are alive. . ." It was corny but fun. I have video of us dancing and singing on my phone (I forgot my camera) but I don't know how to get it to my computer. Everyone else took lots of photos and I'll share them once they are uploaded.

Norwich has an almost fairytale campus. It is so neat and tidy, old and sturdy. It seems the ideal setting for enjoying life and getting an education. Of course, I've never been in Vermont in the winter -- it has to be brutal.

The military aspect of the college was great for me to see. It definitely reminded me of a small, more casual West Point. We watched the freshmen in their first parade and they looked mighty fine. At the football game all the freshman had to stand in the end zone and do push ups when the team scored. Unfortunately the team didn't score much and lost their Homecoming game 20-13. Our favorite quarterback was disappointed but kept a good attitude.

We stayed at a really great B&B. We had three bedrooms on the third floor (former attic) and since we kept the adjoining doors open it felt like a big suite. I could have enjoyed just staying there relaxing and reading. The flowers in Vermont are incredible and this B&B had an abundance of hydrangas, ferns, sunflowers, hostas, petunias. If we tried to maintain those kinds of plants and flowers in that quantity in Florida we'd need a 2nd mortgage to pay for the water.

Austin called at 5:30 a.m. on Sunday but by the time I woke up and realized my phone was ringing I missed him. He tried to get on Yahoo IM today and I felt so bad for him because each time he'd get signed on he would get knocked off within a few seconds. He managed to write that he'd waited for two hours to use the computer, only had 30 minutes and couldn't talk to anyone. I felt myself trying to "feel his pain" so the yoga breathing kicked in and I was able to avoid falling apart. But I wanted to help him so badly and I couldn't do anything.