Today turned out to be pretty nice in spite of a slow, foggy start.  We had to go to St. Johnsbury this morning and as soon as we were a bit away from the pond, the sky began to clear.  We noticed on the way home around noon the pond was very still - like glass.  Even the big pond was quiet.  It's as if the pond is resting after a very busy summer.

As we came along West Shore Road, we noticed some strange marks in the road and on the bank next to Joanne Davis's cottage.  Later in the day I had a message and this photo from Diane Rossi.  Diane said nobody was hurt according to the State Police officer who was at the scene.  Diane watched as a wrecker successfully hauled the truck out.  She didn't know who the unfortunate driver of the vehicle was.  We're glad nobody was hurt and Joanne's cottage is intact.  The driver may have gotten too far over on the soft  shoulder.  After the rain of the past few days, it was likely a bit muddy at the very edge of the road, and there's quite a drop right at that spot, so it's no surprise the pickup rolled.  Diane said the air bag went off and the door wouldn't open, but other than that there didn't seem to be much damage to the truck. Diane was concerned that gasoline might have leaked from the vehicle, but the trooper assured her there was no leak.   Thanks to Diane for the picture and the report.

We are getting ready for a bit of nasty weather by Sunday.  Tomorrow is going to be nice, but then it will turn cold with snow in the higher elevations and in the words of the weather folks, it's going to be "blustery" on Monday and into Tuesday.  

Sadly, our friend, Don Mullallay, long-time morning announcer on local radio station WSTJ passed away.  He was taken sick about three weeks ago, but I heard last week he was home and doing well.  Apparently there were more complications.  He was 89.  We'll miss him, as will his family and the radio fans who heard his voice for so many years.  Both Don and his late wife, Val, were friends of our family - I'd worked with Don years ago at the radio station and had watched the three Mullallay kids grow up. Back in the day, Don was a performer at heart, commanding the floor with his jitterbug moves, singing Sinatra songs with the Big Band, and as Master of Ceremonies for all sorts of events - doing it all so well.  More recently, Don was always glad to do interviews with us about the Joe's Pond Ice-Out Contest.  He knew the history almost as well as those of us working on the contest, but he always made the interviews fresh and interesting, asking just the right questions.  He was a real professional and always a gentleman.  It's the end of an era, and that makes me sad; but more than that, I'll miss my old friend.