Sailing, sailing,: The Third Annual Tortugeezers Reunion

Front row: Dave (Odyssey), Rosie, Debby, Dale, Judy, Kathleen, Ellen, Pat, Sally, Heather, Uli & Thomas. Back row: Imke, & Uli, Jeff, Scott, Roy, Jens, Dani, Kevin, Dave (Cordelia), Dave (Ten Years After), Renate, Breck, Don (Woody took the photo and I don't know where Jim is) Scott and Tamara arrived later that day.

This panorama shows The Hundred Acre Wood ready for guests.

And here's one showing some of the group out on the deck for drinks: from left, Kathleen, Kevin, Renate, Pat, Thomas, Judy, Uli, Imke, Woody, Scott, Uli (Eiland), Jens, Dani, Heather, Dave (Ten Year's After), Dave (Odyssey).

Twenty nine of us gathered in Vermont for our Third Annual Tortugeezer Reunion. The first was in New Orleans (Roy & Dale hosted) and the second in Montana (Rosie & Don hosted). The official schedule ran from Thursday October 7th to Monday the 10th. But the three couples from Germany that flew over and graced us with some days before and after. They were a huge help in the preparations and the clean-up. But everyone pitched in during the entire 5 days! We had 4 couples in bedrooms upstairs, one in our RV out front, 2 couples brought their RVs and parked them on the lawn. Two more couples and one single hander (Dave from Odyssey) stayed at Smith Maple Crest Farm B&B and one couple stayed at a hotel in town.

Dani and Imke came a few days early with their
husbands from Germany and really helped out
with preparations.

Our first night's dinner - as usual everyone tries to
gather in the kitchen.

But as everyone remarked, it took a lot of advance planning and cooking. Breakfast was served every morning with fruit, a variety of breads (Rosie & Don brought up tons of bagels and cream cheese from Boston), bacon or sausage and sometimes, eggs. We borrowed a big coffee urn and made endless pots. We had dinner 3 nights at the house - all sit down with nicely set tables! Twelve folks in the dining room, 9 at the kitchen table and 2 smaller tables with 4 or 5 in the living room. Luckily we have a lot of plates and silverware!

The kitchen table held 8 or 9

Sally, Breck, Dave and Rosie in the living room
corner table

Twelve in the dining room and voila! All seated.

At the second table in the living room
4 o 5 sat, here Dave, Pat, Kevin and
Kathleen

The first night was steaks on the grill, baked salmon, potato salad, coleslaw, and tossed salad with 3 pies for dessert - apple, blueberry and pecan. I made all the food for the week from scratch. The second night was 3 lasagnas, 2 meat and 1 veggie and a Macaroni & Cheese with a big Asian salad. The dessert was Butter Tarts that Kathleen & Kevin brought. Our third night was the banquet at Cafe Provence in Brandon and it was excellent. The evening started out beautifully out in their covered patio, but after a big 3 course meal, it did get a little chilly. Our last dinner was hamburgers and sausages with another Asian salad, corn on the cob and a tossed green salad. Lots of people brought different appetizers which we served before dinners, sometimes even out on the deck.

Our second night dinner - meat
and veggie lasagna, mac & cheese and
an Asian salad.

Three pies: apple, blueberry & pecan for
dessert our first evening. Jeff and Debbie
serve them up.

In the afternoons people filtered in from their day excursions, we lit the fireplace and poured some wine. Here from left: Don, Scott, Scott (Kookie Dance), Jim and Debbie.

The dining room table (one end) our second night - Thomas, Uli, Imke, Heather, Jim and Renate.

Dave entertained us on our second night. He's
an amazing singer songwriter and his music
is a soundtrack to our cruising life.

Folks did some hiking/walking along the back
roads and on the AT/LT.

The view from the top of Killington. Everyone made the trip up the Gondola and most did the short
hike up to the summit.

Heather ready to ride up the mountain
on The Beast

Jens, Roy, Heather, Jim, Imke and
Thomas (some of the daring ones
that chose the Adventure Center)

The weather was amazing, often up to 70+ during the day. And the sun was out almost all the time. Friday I had prepared different itinerates and groups of folks explored our area for the day. They either went south towards Manchester, west to the precision Instrument Museum & the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Park or to Woodstock. But on Saturday we all went to Killington. I had a arranged group rates ahead of time and people had a choice of the Gondola and Adventure Park, or just the Gondola.

Uli & Dani ready to zip line

The zipline went across the lake..

Jim, Heather and Roy prepped for our zipline
experience. Walking up the mountain to the start
with all the equipment was the hardest part!

Here are four tables at our Banquet Night at
Cafe Provence in Brandon, VT
From left: Pat & Dave, Scott, Tamara,
Kathleen & Kevin

Breck & Sally, Dave, Scott & Heather

Jeff, Debbie, Jim, Renate, Dale & Roy

Uli, Uli, Thomas, Jens, Dani & Imke

Sunday was another free day with many exploring the nearby Appalachian/Long Trail or hiking up to our lake or on the property. Mid day was the Farm to Table Festival right here in Shrewsbury. It was only a mile away from our house and quite a few walked down and back. This is a once a year event and at least 60 vendors sold crafts, food and drinks. There was live music and lots of sunshine. But by 4 PM everyone was out on the deck or inside with drinks and snacks socializing.

Heather ready to serve Sunday's Dinner

Dave & Pat, Kathleen, Jens and Jim

Matching colors at the Farm to Table - sorry it's
not St. Patrick's Day

Sunday night we enjoyed our last meal of hamburgers (with all the trimmings), sausages, corn on the cob, rolls, and two salads. Lots of cookies for dessert. Ad usual everyone pitched in both in manning the grill or cleaning up afterwards.

Monday morning everyone enjoyed the breakfast and most said good-byes and headed either home or on further travels. One couple stayed the night, Thomas and Uli, and they worked hard cleaning up everything with us. By the time they left on Tuesday, the place looked like no one had been there!

What a wonderful time with some fabulous friends and everything worked out so well. So well that Dave and Ellen volunteered to host next year's Reunion - up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan next August. We'll be there for sure