Vermont Day 1

Yesterday we drove to Vermont. We had planned to fly to Florida this week, but with the Delta Variant surging, and Florida looking like the Hot Zone, we decided to cancel that trip. Vermont was my consolation prize. Helpful to me, because instead of dwelling on what we wouldn't be doing (beach, pool, parents, Pina coladas) I got to start planning for this mini adventure. With the girls both having just returned from camp and with fall schedules looming, I decided to keep the trip to just 3 nights. To avoid Covid, we decided to stay in a house instead of a hotel like we would usually do.

Since we cancelled Florida, there have been several signs that we did the right thing. First, their covid numbers are out of control. There are also a few named tropical storm type events brewing, so flying home would have been frustrating and scary. And finally, the one thing I didn't plan for was the fact that both girls came home from camp with terrible colds. Maggie's had just about ended by the time Katy came home and started sneezing all over the place (Not Covid - at Katy's camp they tested anyone who got the "camp cold". A local pediatrician said it was the result of taking a hundred kids who hadn't been around germs in 18 months and putting them together). Then Mike got it. So, thank goodness we were not getting on a plane! I can't imagine how stressful it would have been to be worried about catching germs and also fielding dirty looks every time one of my family members coughed or sneezed! 

So, yesterday we packed up the car with much too much stuff, and headed to Vermont. The drive was nice and uneventful. The sullen/sick grumblings stopped almost as soon as we were in the car. We were in road trip mode - something that our family does well. At first the girls were lost to their headphones, but soon Katy asked to play the alphabet game (quite a challenge on Vermont country roads). We chatted, joked, and were happy to be in vacation mode.

As we crossed the border I was flooded with memories of summer weeks that I spent Vermont during high school. GMTI  (Green Mountain Teenage Institute) was a defining part of my teens. The first summer, the we were at a huge retreat center on an idyllic hillside overlooking fields and mountains. The next it was on a college campus, and in between there were trips to Bennington and Burlington, and friends from all over the state. To say that I loved Vermont was an understatement. In my eyes it was a magical place filled with friends, mountains, and Ben and Jerry's ice cream. I LOVED it.Now I'm excited to share that magic with my family.

We arrived at the Airbnb in the evening. It's a large ski house on Killington Mountain. There are a number of beds and rooms to choose from, and a hot tub on the wraparound deck. Being a ski house, it's a bit musty, but comfortable. We ordered dinner and ate on the deck (because of the coughing husband and teen) then spent an hour in the hot tub. Once we came in, I think there was a little bit of a feeling of underwhelm among everyone. As Mike said, "I'm just mad that the world is in a state where this is what we HAD to choose"  instead of being in a hotel or resort -  somewhere more exciting. I don't know. I think we can make this into a real vacation. 

This morning the sun came out. Mike headed out on a short hike up the mountain, then later we'll go and explore Queechee Gorge and Woodstock. I have high hopes. Come on, Vermont! Work your magic!