Brattleboro Adventure – the Auckland Edition
In which we find ourselves in another part of the world
Ka-or, Jasoomians! The imminent release of the John Carter movie, combined with the witness protection-level sense of newness that has come along with our move to Vermont, gave us internal permission to get the coolest license plate in the solar system.
To ring in 2012, the Brattleboro Reformer sort of of sleazed its way into becoming a 5-issue-per-week paper instead of a 6-issue-per-week paper. They introduced a very bogus new “Friday Edition” that doesn’t include any real reporting, just puff-piece features and ads. Unfortunately, like a week later, one of the biggest stories of the year broke on Thursday afternoon when a Federal judge ruled that the State of Vermont can’t enforce shut down the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant. So, on Friday morning when lots of the same people who write Letters to the Editor really wanted to read about that topic, they woke up instead to a pretty unimpressive pablum of small-town feature writing. Ouch…
Yesterday’s Friday front-pager was about some report that found Vermont to be #1 in the nation in pedestrian safety. I guess that’s something to be proud of, although I’m not sure it rises to front page status. Back in December, we were noted as the healthiest state, as well. It got me wondering… what else are we best at? Hats with earflaps? Scruffy beards? Bhutan-esque happiness? A quick Google search dug up that we also were found best on some education survey in 2010… that’s pretty cool.
I’m sure there a lot of things we rank #1 on as a state… most Vermonters per capita, just as a for-instance. For me, though, in our new downtown life, and after all the hullabaloo about jaywalking, I’m quite happy to be on the championship pedestrian safety team.
The Garment Bench
Remember the ice skates? Last night on the way home from a dog and a pint at Flat Street Pub (which was full at 6PM, by the way) we saw these gloves on the same bench. One is marked ‘Kevin.’ His mom is not gonna be happy.
Birthdays sock!
L and her magical mystery motorcycle socks.
Thanks Frank!!!!!
Soirée Musicale
It’s beyond my skill level to fully describe the serendipitous chain of connections and people that led us to Guilford tonight. Wonderful and unexpected and yet not… It’s Brattleboro after all. So, here we are at Wendy’s house concert, hearing Stephen Katz and and John Hughes on cello and kora. Amazing, hypnotic, improvisational jazz. The house itself was also just what it should be… Up a hill off a dirt road. Low ceilings, massive old beams. Filled with a haphazard collection of treasures and antiques. Just another day in paradise.
Cosette and the Night Visitors
Cosette has always hated other cats. Now that we have lots of windows that go right to the floor, she can patrol and see and hear every feline explorer who comes to check the place out.
When she confronts another cat through the glass, Cosette screams bloody murder and howls and hisses and puffs up like a Halloween decoration.
These footprints in the snow give proof that she’s not just making it all up to get attention.
whilst traveling in San Antonio TX…
Papa Hummer, mama SUV, and baby Smart.
I just want to know how they answer the phone…
“Good morning, how can we help you get it up today?”
“Stiff and strong, all day long… how may I direct your call?”
Upstairs, downstairs -or- Unexpected events -or- Strange bedfellows
-or-
Vive la différence
Mr. Financial Planner, I’d like you to meet your new downstairs neighbor, Mr. TATTOO. I’m sure you two will you have much in common. Indeed, I predict you’ll find many of your clients in common.
Just a couple hundred dollars a month can get you a slice of a very fine life insurance policy, or a kick-ass Chinese dragon fairy skull motto barbed wire Maori graphic.
Con permiso
Walking around downtown yesterday morning, we came across a sign we’re quite excited about… the Building Permit application notice for a new brewpub on the site of the former Riverview Cafe. We can see this building from our house, and we ate there a few times before it closed, somewhat abruptly, last spring.
The building sits right on the water near the bridge, and in good weather the decks are (dare I admit it) even bigger and nicer than ours. We are looking forward to seeing it reopen… and this time as a brewery!!
Freezing river
It started maybe two weeks ago with some skims of ice around the banks. Then one morning we saw big chunks of ice floating downstream, and that lasted a few days, before the chunks started to bump against each other, move less, and pretty much just sit there.
Now, although the weekend was warm again, the Connecticut River is more or less frozen across. On the calm, shallow waters of the Retreat Meadows, people are fishing and skating already. I say already, but of course it’s very late for here. Most years people are able to stand out on the Meadows ice and watch New Year’s Eve fireworks.
This picture was taken from the island in the middle of the Connecticut River, which in fact used to be a park. Now, it’s just low-lying sand and driftwood, and unfortunately serves as a campsite for a few people with nowhere else to go. You can see our house in the upper right, not the church steeple, not the 3-story squarish gray house, but the long, low building tucked under its wing.
Make a wish…
A belated post… We had a great NYE with Liz and Dale. Although I kinda dozed off sometime before midnight, we all bestirred to go out into the backyard and send off a wonderful Chinese fire lantern. This picture isn’t mine, but it looks just like that.
The lantern worked wonderfully, floating far up and away, and since it’s mostly tissue paper it leaves minimal residue behind… one light rain and it’s gone.
We made our wishes and sent them into the sky… here’s to a happy, healthy, satisfying 2012.
With this cardboard box, I thee remodel
Actually, with these 100+ boxes, I thee assemble. Over the concerns of our contractor, we decided to go with Ikea kitchen cabinets instead of “real” cabinets. Even though the fiberboard construction probably won’t be as durable as solid wood, we liked the look, and we loved the price.
He graciously let us borrow his truck and trailer, and we made the 2+ hour drive down to New Haven, where our online shopping list was reviewed by the Ikea staff, modified slightly and picked. There were one or two small pieces in the warehouse that they couldn’t find, so we ended up waiting around the will call area for a while, but overall the experience was very smooth.
Now, all we have to do is assemble…
After the traumas Brattleboro suffered in 2010, people are nervous, and rightly so. The other evening, we looked out the window to see the flashing of emergency vehicle lights. We had a clear view of the back side of one of the Main Street buildings being fairly surrounded by firefighters and others.
With the memory of the Brooks House fire still fresh, the crews were on high alert, and their vigilance paid off this time. The Christmas tree fire they found this time was quickly controlled and only that one apartment was damaged. Whew!
Brattleboro Adventure – the Auckland Edition 