Catching Up!

The view from our dinette window. Our site is right on the beach and next to the heated pool.

Our first morning at San Jose RV Resort we were in the pool doing water aerobics. 

I have a lot of catching up to do. My last post ended as we were about to leave home and head south. Our RV "Baby" had been brought over to the Saratoga RV Park weeks before to get it out of our driveway and close to the highway. Nevertheless it was still in the snow there and winter proofed. So Scott went over the day before our departure and got it ready for us by draining it and then filling the water tanks and plugging it in. 

At Racoon Mt RV Park we shared the site with
some cattle. The KOA in Wytheville had a cafe
where we enjoyed some burgers and got 
breakfast sandwiches to go. 

I made several ready to go meals and stocked the refrigerator, pantry and freezer. After breakfast we locked our home up and drove over to the park and spent the night. The trip south took four days with stops in Hersey, PA, Wytheville, VI and lastly in Chattanooga, Tenn. We had freezing weather and snow all the way to Tennessee. The night before we left was so cold the water froze and we had no running water for 3 days! At our last stop our friends Juanita and Ted came over for a visit - sorry I didn't take photos. The last day was a long one but we pulled into our site just before 5 PM. 

The next day we were in the pool for water aerobics - offered here 3 days a week when the temperature is over 55 degrees. If the pool is closed we have indoor aerobics! Kerri Brooks runs the show here and there are activities every day at least once. We have card games, BINGO, and crafts. There are various Potlucks and free breakfasts. Holidays are big here and special events like the Super Bowl, Corn Hole Tournament, and Live Music. 

We go out to eat a lot, especially compared to home
Here at Harry T's in Destin for lunch. 

The Emerald Coast is famous for it's white sand
beaches. The sand was brought down by glaciers
from the Appalachian Mountains. Despite the cold,
we still enjoy the beaches.

Sunsets are spectacular here and we
get a perfect view right at our site (and
sunrises the opposite direction)!

Enjoying a Welcome Snowbirds event with lunch and live
music (and leis). 

Dancing up a storm!

As we're spending two months here this year we're becoming more involved with the community. We joined the Senior Center and the library. At the former we're playing bridge, line dancing and other events. We got tickets to both the Pensacola Opera and Symphony. We've also discovered the Center for Life Long Learning in Fort Walton and attended our first event - a tour of the Destin History and Fishing Museum by the one of the founders. His stories about the early days of Destin starting around 1845 were really fascinating. His wife is a descendent of one of the first families. 

Destin is the self proclaimed "Luckiest Fishing
Village in the World: The Destin Fishing Rodeo
has been held every year since 1948.

We went to the Opening Night Performance but
I couldn't take photos so here's one from the 
web of another date. The singing, stage design
and costumes were fabulous.

The first Destin library has been transformed
into the front room of the museum. On the ground
are historic boats and parts of them (here the
pilot house) plus the original post office. 

Sunday is the Super Bowl and we're pretty excited to see the Patriot's vs the Seahawks. We've watched the Playoff games this year for a change. And there will be lots of food at the party. Pot lucks here are excellent - a lot of good cooks. I'm making my Spinach Cheese Squares. 

At one of the crafts classes we transformed rugs 
into bags. Here I am with Barbara and Marcy.

Our finished bags.

Next week we're driving over to New Orleans to visit our cruiser friends Dale and Roy They live in the Garden District right on the parade route so we'll see two of the Mardi Gras prelude parades and I know eat a lot of wonderful Cajun food (and drink Roy's famous martinis). So another blog post will be coming soon!

Here's a wide shot of the club house packed for a social event

Another view of the room and our table.

Scott helps himself at the buffet.

Last times in Vermont (for now)

It has snowed pretty consistently since mid November and we've never lost our snow cover. I'm sure glad we moved our RV over to Saratoga RV Park before then. 

 

Leslie, Rowan and Gail getting our Thanksgiving Dinner ready

November and December seem like non stop holiday time. We alternate having our family between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This year we went up to Middlebury to have Thanksgiving with our friends the Smiths and welcomed our two younger sons home with their families for Christmas. They both came for a week. James, Morgen and Kolya drove up from Washington DC and Sean, Will and Rowan from Boston. 

Christmas Eve Dinner: from left: Sean, Will, Rowan, Heather, James, Kolya and Morgen..

Everyone enjoyed the snow with lots of play and sledding. Visits to the Montshire Science Museum, King Arthur Flour, and Wonderworks kept the kids happy. Plus of course tons of presents, food, drink and conversation (and lots of hugs). More photos from Christmas at the end!

Usually it's the other way around!

Opening presents - Rowan enjoyed the opening
almost as much as the presents.

But Kolya is at an age to appreciate the  
presents, especially his new tablet.

I made Maple Pecan Sticky Buns (NY Times)
for the first time for Xmas morning Yum!

Scott having fun at Wonderfeet in Rutland

Lunch at King Arthur Flour

And here in Shrewsbury and Rutland there were so many holiday events. We couldn't attend them all! Some of that was due to our both getting colds. I got mine just before an appointment with my primary down in Boston so got tested for COVID and the Flu. Happily it was neither although the cold has hung on forever. Scott got his a little later and we're both need some warmth and sunshine to fully recover. In Boston we had our Holiday Open House, this year hosted by Sean & Will. I started this tradition when I was single in 1970 - so 55 years. Pretty amazing. In Shrewsbury we had the annual Cookie Swap and Silent Auction. The library was beautifully decorated with live music, lots of cookies and other treats and tons of friends. The Rutland Garden Club had a festive December Holiday Party and earlier I attended a workshop to make a holiday centerpiece. Our friend Barbara was visiting us and came too. 

Barbara and myself with a few of the Rutland Garden Club members at the holiday centerpiece workshop. 

My eighth Cooking Class to benefit Pierce's store was so much fun. We did Appetizers and Desserts which included two hot and two cold appetizers and two fruit tarts and a layered Chocolate Cake. The eight students were invited to invite a guest for the meal and we raised $460. As usual I worked shifts running the store (as a volunteer) and made the appetizers for one more wine tasting. Our last event was last night when my Book Club had a Potluck dinner here.

My students and myself pos in from of our dessert table. This was my eighth Cooking Class to benefit Pierce's Store.

But our sons left a few days ago and we're now packing up everything to leave. Tomorrow we close up the house and drive over to our RV "Baby" at the Saratoga RV Park in N.Y. Then Friday morning we head south. The sunshine and relative warmth is beckoning to us!!!

Will and Rowan 

Making corn bread with Sean and Rowan

Kolya and Rowan enjoy the new tablet

Reading stories with Morgen

Grandpa has a turn pulling Rowan
to the top of the hill.

Building things at the Montshire Science Museum

Fall Ended Too Early!

Our first snow and frigid weather came on November 10th! And more is arriving every day!

Earlier in September - the Air and Space Museum is so huge you need several days to see it all. 

Scott and Kolya working on a robot project - lots
a very little pieces.

This immersive work of art at the National 
Gallery of Art  took a while to see it all.

The Botanical Gardens are a good place to go in
the rainy weather!

"Let the wild rumpus begin" at the Museum of
American Indian Culture.

 

The Northeast has been suffering from drought for the first time since they began monitoring in 2000. Impacts are widespread, including water supply and quality issues, increased wildfires, crop losses/low yields, and livestock forage concerns. Here is Shrewsbury many shallow wells have dried up or have little water. Luckily our well is deep and we haven't seen any reduction. The big visible change is a early and drab foliage season. And that means less tourists and unhappier ones than normal. For a change the constant nice weather is negatively commented on! And rain is a delight. Obviously there are lots of other parts of the country that have suffered much more, but it's all quite new to us. 

The modern wing of the Gallery of Art was spectacular!

We've been traveling to visit family this season. First a week babysitting our 7 year old grandson Kolya in Washington DC. They live right in the Capitol District so while he was in school, we visited several of the Smithsonian Museums: Air & Space, Museum of the American Indian & Culture, National Gallery of Art, and the Botanic Garden. James and Morgen had a fun week in Asheville, NC. 

Our oldest son Josh in Central Park

His birthday dinner - Michal, Shira, Heather, Josh,
Cookies, Uzi and Maya

Heather helps with the blowout!

Ready to blow out the many candles - Wilma,
Heather, Brent and Leslie

Brent's birthday party group at the restaurant: back row: Sharome, Morgen, James, Brent, Scott, Wilma, Joseph, Eric, LaVern, Leah, Gabriel, Wandi, Leslie, Lisa and Yosi. Front row: Heather, Muriel and LaVern. 

At Brent & Wilma's home later: Standing: Scott, Lisa, Eric, Maya, Yosi, Heather, Wandi, Joseph, Brent, LaVern, Uzi, Shira, Josh and Michal. Seated: Oren, Leah, Wilma, Lindsey and Muriel. 

Next we drove down to NYC to celebrate 4 birthdays - all in a week's time. Our granddaughters Maya and Ariella's were first, then our son Joshua and last Scott's brother Brent. We stayed two nights with Josh and family in the upper east side of Manhattan and then went over to South Orange, NJ for a big dinner celebration for Brent's 75th. Josh, Michal and 3 of their kids, Maya, Jonathan, and Shira came. James, Morgen and Kolya drove up from Washington. Scott and Brent's Aunt Muriel Fox Aronson, 97, came with her two children, Eric and Lis. She just recently finished her book tour for "The Women's Revolution". 

Chryl, Pam, Liesbeth, Heather, Reesa, Jean Marie, Kim, Sarah and Ella with desserts.

Meanwhile at home we kept busy as usual. Heather had here eighth cooking class to benefit Pierce's Store. The theme was Appetizers & Desserts. Eight students cooked 4 appetizers, two cold and two hot. They worked with puff pastry and filo dough plus arranged canapes. For dessert we made a chocolate raspberry layer cake and two fruit tarts. Five guests joined us for dinner. We raised $460 for the store. 

Grace Church with an unusual apparatus!

Our two Opera Singers - that's Elizabeth 
Wohl on the top.

Pink Martini is one of our favorite groups so we went down to Plymouth to see them and stayed with Debbie and Dick. Marty joined us The concert was wonderful as was the fun company and food! Then the Champlain Philharmonic Symphony collaborated with Arc Benders Circus Opera for a fun version of The Magic Flute at Grace Church. Two opera singers and acrobats performed both physically and vocally. The aerialist and soprano, Elizabeth Wohl, sang the Queen of the Night aria upside down hanging from silks! 

The Vermont Symphony Jukebox quartet

And then the Weston Theater did The Twelfth Night Show. Four band members are thrust into the spotlight when charged with staging a one-of-a-kind production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night to save their beloved theater. There was a good deal of the actual dialogue along with songs, puppets and general antics. Last was the Vermont Symphony's Jukebox String Quartet on stage - performers and audience - with a theme of Strength and Hope. The selections included both Beethoven and Shostakovich, as well as Ethel Smythe and Woody Guthrie! 

And finally for this blog entry, we babysat our 2 year old grandson Rowan in Boston for a week. Sean and Will went to London to celebrate Will's 40th birthday. Halloween was really fun for us - hundreds of kids came to the house and Rowan handed out a lot of candy! He was an adorable duckling and Scott was a giant bee. I was much more pedestrian with a horse head. It was a wonderful week!

Grandpa, Rowan and Jeremy

A bee and duckling prepared for Halloween.

Grammy with Rowan who is trying
out Scott's bee glasses

Great visit to the Children's Museum - here Rowan powers 
up the lights.