Updates and Thoughts

 It's been a while since I've posted. I not only have a few things I always like to do outside to get ready for winter, plus I have to schedule car stuff that Fred always took care of, and I somehow have just about every "regular checkup" of my own going on about now. I  used to do those doctor appointments around my birth date, but somehow they have slid into November - and that's ok, I guess. With global warming, November has the new October weather - except when I was in Littleton earlier this week, the weather was cloudy and just chilly when I went in for my appointment, but as I left, the heavens opened up and there was a nasty mix of sleet, snow, rain and wind that lasted almost until I reached Waterford. Back at Joe's Pond it was normal November-dreary. Today is another of those iffy days that will likely have little sun, a few showers, and late afternoon snow flurries. Blah weather, for sure!

Yesterday I was in Lyndonville and thought I'd get my car washed - I've been told the laser wash up there does a nicer job than the car wash in St. Johnsbury. However, that was closed for repairs of some sort, which was probably just as well. With messy weather coming and having more appointments next week, my car will only get dirtier. 

So here's some good news. People have been asking about Carolyn Hamilton, who's had a long siege of health problems this past summer. Carolyn and Ned finally made it to Joe's Pond very briefly a few weeks ago and Carolyn ended up back in the hospital, which delayed their return to Florida. They finally made it back home, and friends will be happy to know that she is doing much better. According to her sister, Elaine who is with Carolyn now and will stay a few more days, Carolyn is doing ok after yet another operation and is now home. She is working on eating food and keeping it down, and will have more therapy down the road, but is now getting around without a walker or cane - all really good news. She is exhausted and sleeps a lot, so please do not call her. I'm sure she would love to hear from friends, but please do it with a card. Her address is: 8151 Green Mountain Rd., Boynton Beach, FL 33473.

My friend, Amanda Legare has been in the hospital for a couple of weeks, too. She is back home and feeling much better, but I expect needs to get as much rest as possible, too. Her son, Plamer, is here to help her temporarily, and he has kept her friends informed which we all appreciated. Amanda operated Amanda's Greenhouse in Lower Cabot for many years, only recently retiring and closing the business. I'm sure many of you looked forward to stopping at Amanda's for your gardening needs and miss being able to do that. Amanda and I go back many years, having coauthored an oral history of Cabot published in 1999, and more recently, co-chairing the Cabot Historical Society membership/publicity committee. We still collaborate on articles from time to time, and both do our own stories for the Cabot Chronicle. I have missed our usual, almost daily, back and forth emails. Her address is: Amanda Legare, P. O. Box 63, Marshfield, VT 05658, if you'd like to send her a card.

Then there's the election. The whole nation is coming down from the anxiety of all these past months of election news, robo calls, discussions, and seemingly endless nonsense. It is sometimes difficult to remember during these campaigns that no matter what promises are made by either party, most is just whatever the candidate thinks will win votes and once the votes are in the decision is made, the reality will probably be something entirely different. There are, of course, disappointed people and elated people after any election. We now have to get back to our ordinary lives and accept the results. Not everyone is able to do that - as we've seen in the past; but for most of us ordinary folks, we still have to face each day doing whatever it is we do, interacting with our family, neighbors, co-workers, and the general public, and we're all in the same boat now. We need to get on with our lives and adapt as best we can to whatever is ahead.

My friend, Mary Whitcomb, sent a link to a survey of Vermont voter turnout that I thought was very interesting. Not everyone voted, but it seems like the turnout was pretty good in most towns. Nobody could complain about the weather this year - it couldn't have been better! Personally, I like that there is a mix going on with both parties - hopefully working together - to support our very popular Governor Phil Scott. Things aren't great in lots of areas - schools, taxes, housing - and these things need fixing. But it takes cooperation and putting common sense ahead of party, and I think Vermont does better than most in that area. It would be nice if the federal government can find some common ground in the days to come, as well. I think Mary has the perfect solution to after-election letdown -- she just wrote me that she made a fresh apple pie (with Burtt's apples, I bet) and with a crust made with lard. That took me back - remember how good pie crust is made with lard? That's what's wrong with our world today - not enough people cook for themselves with natural products, and as a result, our taste buds have quit working and we get grumpy.

Which leads me to a final little story - Jamie and Marie (son and daughter-in-law) feed the birds regularly. Marie has made suet cakes by her own special recipe for years, but this past week she ran short of time, so Jamie picked up some commercially made ones. The birds are ignoring the store-bout suet. Normally, when Jamie or Marie put the suet cage out they are swarmed by woodpeckers, but not so with the new cakes. Even birds know the difference between real suet fat and some concoction made with wax. I think there's a moral in there somewhere . . .

Cheers, and enjoy your weekend.