Vermont for Festivities

Whew! we kept on the move from Winchester, Candy Hill RV to Yogi Shangri-la on the Creek in Milton PA where Dan, Malena and the Alex and Corey joined us. They were pulling their new trailer for their first extended camping trip. We established a 9 AM departure for Sunday morning and actually were on the road at 9:15. The day was very long as we were going through to Shelburne Vermont, 430 miles. We expected to drive for about 8 hours and the total time on the road was about 10 hours including fuel and food stops. Long hauling for us. The boys rode with us after I dug out seat belts for the couches. this gave them room to move about and not be on top of each other. they read, talked and played games and even slept part of the way. It is was a delight for us to have them with us and Dan and Malena had plenty of time together without them, something as we remember, is not always easy to get.

We are set up in Shelburne Camping on route 7 in Shelburne on adjacent sites. With six of us we are moving around in two vehicles. We visited my sister and brother-in-law first thing and had a lovely dinner at their home on Tuesday night. Yechiel will be arriving from the west coast Thursday afternoon with Avi.

On Tuesday we went to Lake Champlain Chocolate for a tour and tasting along with the Bride and Groom and a couple from New Zealand, Kate and EJ. We were doubtful about a chocolate factory tour, but found it very interesting and the tasting certainly enhanced the experience. Naturally we bought some 🙂 Lunch next door was also fun and the hot chocolate drink was a fine enhancement for our lunch. Others enjoyed the chocolate maple porter. The list of events leading up to the wedding on Saturday are extensive and I will not reproduce the entire list here. Suffice it to say we will be dining “pot luck” with the growing wedding party for the next two nights and then a big bash on Friday night followed by the BIG BASH on Saturday with the the reception being held “on board” the Ticonderoga paddle wheel beached in Shelburne Museum.

I ought to mention, it has been raining since we arrived. Mild and gentle rains and torrential downpours and everything in between. I have felt like I was growing webs between my toes. As I am writing the sun is shining and there is a promise of decent weather for the day, if the forecasters are to be believed.

In the midst of the revelry we had a phone call that a dear friend, Donna Rosenthal, had died. this has put a bit of a damper on things for Carol who grew up in the same block with Donna and for me as I have known her almost as long. We visited her in Brooklyn just last Fall and Carol has exchanged email recently.