BenGay? DO YOU NEED BENGAY?

I am off from work today. I like having off on Thursdays because it breaks up my week, and gives me a day in the middle to do errands and such when most other people are working. So, I started my morning having my snow tires taken off and my all season tires put back on. It's like packing away your winter coat and walking around in your little spring jacket. It feels like you have shed all that heavy weight, and you're ready for the lighter side of life. We actually hit 73° yesterday, and it was so beautiful out. It was time to turn the season on my tires. From there, I made my bi-weekly trip to the grocery store. I use to go every week, but I found it takes up half of my day off, so for the past few years I have only gone every other week. And I try to not have to go back for something in-between because I find I spend another $70 even if all I needed was bananas. It was quiet there this morning. It usually is, especially during the week. Who else shops at this time? Lots of retired people, and young mommies with very small children. You know how it is, you keep turning every corner and it seems like you constantly run into the same person. Or, in today's case, two quite elderly women going very slowly down each aisle. The middle of each aisle. I couldn't help but smile each time I managed to get past them because I was thinking they seemed like sisters. They were talking about what they needed, arguing over what they were going to cook, and each added things to their single cart along the way. I was wondering if that would be my sister and I in the years to come. You see, she lives in New Hampshire right now, and its about a 4 hour drive from our house to hers. It's been nice being this close to her, meeting halfway for lunch, or spending a day or two together at one house or the other. But it isn't close enough for a spur of the moment rendezvous, a quick dinner after work, or for grocery shopping together. That will all change in the months ahead! She and her husband have talked about the possibility of moving closer to us for awhile, but they have lived where they are for almost 30 years! In a beautiful house they built themselves, in a wonderful location. In fact, their being there, was what brought us up to New England in the first place. We always loved our time with them, and have great memories of days spent up there, especially the year the girls and I lived with them while my husband was stationed in Korea. Now it will be our turn to have them here with us! They each work as retail managers and thru meant-to-be situations, they are each being transferred to their store's Burlington, Vermont locations! He will come first, the first of June. And she will come either when their house sells, or sometime around August or September. They will stay with us until they are able to find a house to buy, or until we drive each other completely crazy! But I think it will work out just fine. We all work, and we all have our own schedules, so there will be a lot of coming and going. But it will be so nice to be closer to each other, and to know that as the years pass, we will have each other to depend on and to help. I am really looking forward to it. And, say, in 15 years when we are old like those ladies in the grocery store today (Wait! 15 years? Could we really be like that in such a short span of time?), maybe it will be me yelling at my sister like the one did to the other this morning, "BenGay? DO YOU NEED BENGAY?"

My wonderful sister and brother-in-law

One Year minus One Day

 April 18, 2012

April 17, 2013

Look at the difference between the two pictures, and they were taken on practically the same day, one year apart. Last winter was so mild, and the spring so warm, you can see the leaves already on the tree, and the grass was really green. I took the second picture this morning because it is supposed to cloud up tonight with a chance of rain tomorrow, and I thought it best to compare two blue sky, sunny days. This year is probably more normal for Vermont, especially northern Vermont. We have only seen the grass begin to green up in the last few days with some sun and rain lately. And if you look very close, you can see the signs of buds on the branches just beginning to form. They have maybe another week to 10 days before they look like the picture from last year. Plus the picture from last year shows the trees in the background as quite green, and that is surely not the case today. But look at that blue sky! It only got into the mid-50's today, but you would have thought it was 75° down on Church Street. Even though my nose and hands were chilly, I kept the store door propped open, and people were everywhere. Performers were playing music, the restaurants were doing outside seating, visitors kept strolling into the store, and you saw outfits from shorts and t-shirts to heavy coats.  It was truly a fun day. It just lifts your spirits when its like this. And we haven't even hit 60° yet!

Today is also my one year anniversary with Danforth Pewter. A year ago today I went down to do my paperwork in Middlebury, but didn't start working there until April 23rd. Of course its been a fast year, seems like years ago since I left my job at Motherhood Maternity! Things certainly do happen for a reason, and whatever the reason for this, it has been a very positive one. It will be interesting as I start this second year to see if it still feels new, or if it starts to feel like routine. Everyday is the same, kinda, but still different by who walks in the door. Today we had lots of people from Massachusetts, since they have their spring break this week, a lady from South Africa, the lady with the huge diamond on her finger who was interested in one of a kind oil lamps, and the man on the phone from Michigan who may call back to order 11 pairs of earrings for Mother's Day. You just never know...

I talked to my daughter on my way home from work this afternoon. She and her family just returned from their 2-week vacation to Cabo, Mexico, so I shall share this picture of my 3 cuter than cute granddaughters:

And here is that adorable little grandson, who was down in Alabama with his mommy and my sister from Phoenix. Sure wish I could have been there too, but I know they had an amazing, special time.

And even though I didn't think I was going to mention it, here is a picture of my daughter after she had run the Marine Corps Marathon in October of 2011:

Can I just say that people who train, plan, run, watch, cheer, and support such an amazing achievement, with all the emotions and feelings and excitement and joy that is felt, should never, ever have to worry about bombs in pressure cookers going off and killing or injuring those same people.  

Sunny Days, Warmer Temps

 Church Street, April 6th

Yesterday a man came into the store dragging his wheeled suitcase behind him and spent a little while looking at everything. I had simply asked him if he was traveling in or out, and he said out. A short while later his comment was, "When does it warm up here?" To which I answered, "Where are you traveling back to?" He was from South Carolina. I take it he had been here for the week, and yes, indeed, we had had some down right cold weather for several days. We have not warmed up much at all yet this year. We haven't really hit 60 yet, and even the days that have been in the 50's haven't felt very warm because the wind seems to be blowing so much. There are still a few patches of snow here and there, especially along the ledge as I drive to work. It will warm up, we all know it is coming, but it sure is taking its jolly good time this year. Thursday it was sunny and bright, and we did hit maybe 51. It felt nice out when I went to gather sap for awhile. The wind isn't as strong in the woods, plus you're carrying buckets filled with sap up and down the hills, so you warm up even if its only in the 30's. Sugar season is nearly over. We may be able to squeeze a bit more from the trees tomorrow and Sunday, but after that it won't get below freezing anymore, and the sap will quit running, the trees will bud, and the peeper frogs will be out. We have made close to 100 gallons this year, almost a record for us. The next two days will tell for sure.

Last Saturday night 9 of us neighbors gathered in the sugar house for dinner. We had a lovely meal of pork roast, sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts. It was fun eating, drinking and chatting while we tried to keep warm as the night got colder. We all enjoyed the night.

Dinner in the Sugar House 

  They gathered once again this afternoon, sap that boiled down to dark, rich syrup. Looks like this is the end. Tomorrow they will go one last time, get what is left, pull the taps and buckets on Tuesday, and do the cleaning on Saturday. Another season comes to an end, but it also means Spring is well on its way. But by the end of this month the trees will have sprouted their new coat of leaves and the meadow will be green with new grass and the mud may even dry up some by then. It is coming, and we all know it. And its fine if we have to wait a bit longer to really appreciate it. Spring is wonderful here, and even if it is unpredictable, it is always worth the wait.