Vermont

Tuesday morning we headed for Vermont for a few days.  We dropped the dog off at MIL's on the way.  Son had a cough and felt icky but with his macho attitude we were unsure how icky. 

We meandered up route 7 and then to route 100.  A pretty drive through the hills and valleys of Berkshire county.  We stopped at the Vermont country store and had lunch at their restaurant and then wandered the aisles looking at the stuff you could still buy here that hubby and I remembered as kids.  Body on Tap shampoo, cola syrup, magic eight balls.....  Son's cough was sounding worse and we bought him some slippery elm lozenges.

The rain was just a drizzle if at all and we continued north admiring the barns and farms.  We checked into the motel and relaxed for a bit.  Hubby and the kids watched a movie while I read Ashley Judd's memoir (awesome - see my book shelf).  Then we headed out for pizza at youngest's request.  Son had the chills by this time and hubby and I were a little (or more) concerned.  He only ate one piece of pizza that after only a bowl of soup for lunch.  Not normal at 16 y/o.  So the next stop was the drug store.  He coughed most of the night and we were all up every couple of hours.

He claimed to feel better in the morning though he only ate 1/4 of a bagel.  His fever seemed to have passed and the cough subsided.  We headed north again and stopped to take pictures of beautiful farms and lush roaring waterfalls.  We toured the Ben & Jerry's ice cream factory and then headed back south on a different route.  After lunch we stopped at the maple syrup museum (I even learned a few new things) and then the army navy store.  Then back to our room for a little more relaxing - a movie and reading.  Son was wiped out by now and he rested while we went out to dinner.

By this time hubby and I were really concerned and decided to end the trip a day early and get him into the doctor.  Of course he felt much better in the morning. We left any way with snow flurries in the air.  Son was eating a little more and coughing less so we made a few stops along the way home.  We toured the Bennington pottery factory - the kiln holds over 900 pieces at a time.  We stopped along the road in Lanesborro, MA to watch the moose.  He just sat in the field as people driving by stopped to take pictures.

Friday morning hubby took son to the doctors - sinus infection and then picked up Sammy at his mom's.  Youngest and I did the grocery shopping. 

Today, I'll clean and bake.  I want to make chocolate chip cookies for my niece and nephew.  And I'm making maple pecan pie for dessert tomorrow.  I might have to make two as son absolutely loves this.  My brother and his family will be here tomorrow.  My aunt (the greatest in the world in my humble opinion) and her daughter and girlfriend will be here as well.  My aunt is the one who inspired the love of cooking in me.  She is still extremely active at 84 and spends her time visiting my uncle in the nursing home, volunteering at the local thrift shop and season tickets at the local theatre.  For my birthday she sent a card stating simply - "accommodate no one."

My parents will be home from Florida next week end.  They are under the impression that it will be warm here by then.  Maybe, though today their are snow flakes in the air.  The crocuses have come and gone and the daffodils are in full bloom.  The star magnolia is just starting to burst with blossoms.  Ah, spring.