Such a lovely day. It felt and smelled like spring outside. I don't know how high the temperature was, but I'm pretty sure it got into the 30's - right now, at 4:30, it's still 28, and the sun has been behind the trees for a while.

Fred and Bill Rossi went to St. Johnsbury to do some errands this morning. Fred took pictures (of course) and I made a slide show so you can see what a pretty day it was and how the snow was melting in the roads. Slides of 12/30/10

I've been corresponding with Louise Lessard who recently moved from Danville to Westmore at Willoughby Lake. This is a new experience for Louise, but she's adapting and enjoying it and I got her permission to share some of her e-mail with you. I'm sure some of you know Louise. I had contacted her when I recently got a bunch of e-mails that were marked "unread" and one from her was requesting that we put something on the web site for a tea the Women's Club was planning and I had no recollection of having done it so got in touch to apologize. She told me she was now living in Westmore and, of course, I was curious. This is the lovely letter she sent in response to my questions:

Thank you Jane for getting back to me. I didn't write you again as the Historical House did not have their act together and had no policy in place for letting people use their site. So by the time they came up with a YES, it was way too late. Danville Woman's Club ladies said "to heck with it" and we put it all on hold till next summer/fall. The way it is now, the women's club will try to have some teas at the historical house summer of 2011. And I will get back to you at that time. Okay? Thank you.

Westmore. Hum. There is nothing here at all. Nothing but the lake and I hate water. I know, so why am I up here................. The only thing here is a church. A small and very old church. So I decided to go too church. I love it. The people are awesome. You should see/hear the "music". It blows my mind. They have a man (Mark) who plays organ as well as piano and can he sing. I laugh as Mark is a big man and he has a big voice to match his size. Each service there are from two to five who sing with Mark. Now keep in mind there are under 30 people who attend each week. Christmas eve, two little girls sang and their voices filled that little church. After church, each Sunday, is a coffee hour. The social hour is special. Everyone is happy go lucky and they all get along and like each other. They have welcomed me in. The minister came to visit me and welcomed me to the church. WOW.

The little church owns the community hall next door as well as the park across the road which has beach frontage. The Ladies Aid Society of Westmore is responsible for the upkeep of the church, hall and park. Now let me tell you, I joined the ladies aid group and my first thought was, no way can I keep up with those elderly ladies. And remember that I'm over 60 myself. I've never seen a group to be such go getters. They are now out to raise money for a new roof for the hall. Dinners, bazaars and anything they can come up with to raise money. Unreal.

I told you all of that as Westmore and Willoughby Lake remind me of West Danville and Joe's Pond. West Danville has very little but it has Joe's Pond and all the people who love the pond and the area and they all come together to keep things up and running. Bless your hearts. Only in small town Vermont do people come together like that. West Danville is one big family and I have come to find out the same with Westmore and its big family members.

I haven't met Louise, but I certainly look forward to that someday. In a later e-mail she said she's been telling the ladies in Westmore about our Joe's Pond community and our web site, so possibly I'll have an e-mail from one of them to post. I must mention to Louise that we all like photos . . .

We went to Willoughvale for dinner with Bill and Diane Rossi this fall - just before they closed for the season. It was lovely there. Next time we're up that way I'll be looking for the little church.

It hardly seems right that we will need to say goodbye to 2010 already. Somehow, 2011 sounds ominous - reminds me of 9/11 or something, I guess. If you're making plans to party tomorrow night, don't forget to have a "designated driver." I was in the Cabot town offices yesterday and Linda, the assistant clerk, was telling me of some of the accidents she could recall in the area. Linda lives in Hardwick, and was mentioning particularly the snowmobile accidents - and she was saying all too often people party and think they are fine to get on their high-powered snow machine and zoom off into the night. Very dangerous. This will be a big year for snow machines with the good snow we already have, and already there have been a couple we've heard of in this area. So please be careful on the roads and on the trails. Have a wonderful New Year's celebration, make lots of resolutions and then perhaps you will keep the most important ones, and be safe.