Monumental

This weekend, we ventured across the Connecticut River into Hinsdale, New Hampshire.

Hinsdale is set in a beautiful spot, at the confluence of the Ashuelot and Connecticut Rivers. However, the town has been in decline since the one and only factory in town, which made mowers, closed some 80 years ago.

Now, it is home to the country’s oldest continually operating Post Office, a junk shop, and, possibly during weekday lunch hours, a little café. There is a Walmart, and a Tractor Supply on the edge of town. between those two and possibly the school, those are about all the jobs that exist.

Very excited to see this sign go up at our next favorite eatery last week, replacing the “opening in February” sign that had been there before.

Another one bites the dust

Past the kiddie stickers, party favors, and assorted bric-a-brac, empty shelves stretch into the distance at the Yankee One Dollar store, which is about to close.

Since we’ve been here, two “dollar” stores have closed, and one has come in. Fewer dollar stores is clearly good for the image of the town I want to live in, but more storefront vacancies is clearly bad for the image of the town I want to live in.

On this Easter day we give thanks for the farm animals and the wheats and potatoes and coffee beans who all were sacrificed for our nourishment at the Eagles Club’s annual buffet breakfast. And the salts, let us not forget the salts, whose tribe must surely be depleted.

Almost every bus in Hartford has this on it.

Civic-minded

Hands off bitches