Time for Change

As if the March blustery weather isn't enough to deal with, tonight is the night we set our clocks ahead one hour for Daylight Saving Time. Just one more sign of spring! Some of the signs are good, some not so much. After another cold (and probably windy!) night tonight, next week looks pretty darned nice - days above freezing and nights a bit cooler - perfect sap running weather! This was my car when I got home from a meeting last Saturday, the first day of March. The road over the Plain was ok when I went down to Cabot a little before 3 p.m., but while we were at our meeting, a series of snow squalls with wet, heavy snow come through, so after dropping Amanda off, I was pretty close to Marshfield so decided to come home on Route 2 instead of taking a chance on our back roads. I'm not sure that was the best decision, but I made it home ok, navigating past a coupe of cars stuck on hills. It was pretty mean traveling weather, but that's March for you.

I'm tired of watching the wind blow. Yesterday and today we've had really strong gusts and a considerable amount of drifting. We had added a bit of new snow, thanks to short squalls passing through, but it's hard to measure just how much. Mostly it was traveling horizontally and drifting. It was also cold and miserable with "feels-like" temperatures of zero and below, I haven't bothered to go out to measure the snow these last two mornings. I'll make a multi-day report when it warms up a tad.

Middle son, Bob and I went for lunch on Wednesday when the weather really wasn't bad at all. We ate at the Fairlee Diner and returned by way of Route 10 on the New Hampshire side, crossing to Orford and continuing to Newbury, then we came home via 302, taking the road from Groton to Peacham and a back road that comes out by Injun Joe Cabins - I think that is called Paradise Alley Road. Great lunch and fun road trip. Bob has begun taking a picture of us wherever we end up on our monthly lunch dates. Some places are a bit off the beaten track, and that's great fun. The Fairlee Diner is a very friendly place and I really enjoy their open-faced pot roast sandwich, which is enough food to feed a hungry farmer, so I was able to bring home enough left over for two more meals for me. So good!

Yesterday I was supposed to go with my friends to celebrate Diane Rossi's birthday, but I was not feeling up to par, so couldn't go. They went to Positive Pie in Hardwick and said it was excellent. They had a great time, and I'm so sorry I wasn't with them. We always have a really nice time when we get together. I am doing better today, but haven't accomplished much, deciding to ease up after a busier than usual week. Sometimes it's hard to remember I'm not as young as I used to be - until my body reminds me. From left to right, Dotty Noyes, Diane, and Cyndi Rouleau. It was a blustery day, but there was a sunny break here and there - typical March weather.

I'm not sure if I posted this photo of Marti Talbot's new cottage on West Shore Road. It is now closed in and looking great. I have felt sorry for Larry Rossi's crew working in sub-zero weather with the wind blowing a gale most days this winter. I'm sure they are used to working in the cold, but it has been brutal some days. The place is looking great and Marti is excited.

Patty Conly, director at Danville Historical Society, sent me the following posters about upcoming events. They are very busy with all sorts of interesting exhibits and programs that I'm sure some of you will want to attend if you are in the area. Definitely stop by at Danville Historical Society or search for some of the other sampler exhibits this summer in various towns. A great a road trip destination!

The Sampler Program reminded me of something I read a while ago about problems in Washington, D.C., finding people who can read cursive writing. Most schools do not teach cursive these days. Kids can text to beat the band, but even that is full of emojis and abbreviations many older folks can't figure out.  Ask a youngster to hand-write a note to their grandma or favorite aunt and most will produce some sort of printed scribbles with cute little curls or heart shapes - but few can manage to write or read cursive. Consequently, as the workforce turns younger, museums like the Smithsonian are looking for volunteers to help decipher historic documents. See this news item. 

Perhaps the reason our government seems to be in such a mess most of the time is that new politicians were not taught cursive so are unable to read and be impressed by beautifully scrolled documents such as our Constitution, the Bill of Rights, or Declaration of Independence. I suggest that if you write to your Congressman, either print it or type it. Otherwise, whatever young aide looks at it will likely not have a clue what you are writing about and it will get tossed aside. Just saying.

Some of you will remember the specially-lined paper we used to practice writing back in the day. We were actually marked for penmanship throughout our elementary and high school years. 

 I leave you with this image!!

Don't forget to set your clocks ahead tonight!