I think my favorite thing that is happening right now is the evolution of her vocabulary. She is in all out repeat mode, and she can say all sorts of things that babies should not be able to say. The funny thing to me is that there is no rhyme or reason to things that she can and cant say. For example, she can't say pumpkin or Christmas Tree, but she can say armadillo and robot. That makes no sense. She also likes to sing songs, like the 'everyone goes doo doo song' or the 'night night cow' song. Both are originals and destined to be hits.
Here is a video of her dancing rather provocatively in the kitchen.
Why is is everyone here so nice?
Although I don't have much of an opportunity to do it very much any more, I like to consider myself fairly well traveled, at least in the northeastern portion of the country. In my younger days I have driven to a variety of places, including an epic 17 hour drive to my grandparent's house in North Carolina. There have been trips to Canada, New York, California and Virginia. And who can forget the horrible, horrible trip to Mexico. The most backward, disgusting, useless, underdeveloped, smelly, piece of shit place that I have ever been to in my entire life. I hate Mexico. If the tectonic plates shift and the entire country split in half and collapsed in on itself I would not only feel joy and relief, but I would not donate to whatever Red Cross fund has been set up. Again, I reiterate, Mexico sucks with a capitol SUCK. Sorry, Sammy Hagar.
Anyway, after a summer of jet setting around New England with the baby, going to various zoos, Monica and I decided to hit the road together baggage free last weekend when we headed up to Burlington, VT to celebrate her birthday. I had been to Vermont before, mostly as a teenager when I had to travel up there to play with my high school basketball team, but I had never really paid much attention to it. I think that it is a beautiful place and I like their whole relaxed attitude so I thought it would be nice to go.
I am not sure if I have mentioned this here before but I fancy myself an outdoorsman. As a child I grew up in an area that was heavily wooded and spent a lot of time exploring. My afternoons after school were filled with mountain bike adventures and ill-advised nature stunts. My favorite job ever was working outside, cutting grass and battling nature with a weed whacker. I am not exactly city folk. Because of this I have always enjoyed places like Vermont, where so much of the land is still uncompromised and every day can bring along a new outdoor adventure. Yes, if it hasn't become apparent to any of you regular readers, I am pretty much a hick stuck in the developed world. The point is that I have been bugging Monica about moving somewhere with a lot of land so I can spend my time working outdoors, chopping wood and various other activities. You know, when I get that figurative high paying job that I don't have. Anyway, to make a long, rambling story a bit shorter, I thought a nice weekend trip to Vermont would be an enjoyable birthday weekend for both parties, so I did a little bit of research and decided to head to Burlington. This way we can have the whole outdoors aspect and still have a bit of shopping and nightlife to keep that city vibe that she is in to.
Despite a fairly long drive (four hours) the trip up to Lake Champlain was pretty nice. New Hampshire is a shithole of a state, (most of you already knew that) but Vermont was lovely to drive through with lots of trees, farms, lakes and bridges as well as cows, sheep and horses with coats on. Once in Burlington we realized that we had made the right decision. The town was well populated and there were a ton of restaurants and bars. That is all you really need when you are on vacation. The city itself is beautiful and we experienced all of the food offerings there were to experience, toured a brewery and did some shopping. It was all very nice. Kind of like Salem only done correctly. As in it doesn't just cater to tourists and idiots who think they still hang witches downtown, and in place of hokey magnet and bumper sticker shops there were lots and lots of bars. If Salem had a few cool places to go see live music, a few cool restaurants that weren't pretentious and over priced and didn't place a white trash carnival on a vacant lot next to a gas station once a year it could be nice like Burlington, too. But, it does not and therefore it is not. Screw you, Mayor Kim Driscoll.
One thing that really stuck out to me was the fact that everyone was super, super nice. Maybe it is because Vermont is so close to Canada, or maybe it is all of the weed they smoke up there, but it was a pleasant change from the 'Masshole' lifestyle that we lead down here. It did take some getting used to, though. The first few times someone in a bar came up and started talking to us we were very guarded. In Massachusetts if someone is talking to you at a bar and you don't know who they are they are either A. extremely wasted and have no idea what they are saying B. looking for either sex, drugs or at the very least a free drink or C. think you are someone else. The fact of the matter is that down here we just don't care to talk to other people. We are introverted, grouchy and frankly don't give a shit what you have to say. Not so in Vermont. Everyone up there is friendly, helpful, talkative and genuinely good-natured. Even the guys begging for change downtown were nice. It was a nice change but I have to be honest. I am kind of a dick. I don't really want to talk to anyone that much. Especially if I am drinking. I'm not sure I could keep up the act if I lived there.
While the trip itself was very nice I do have a bone to pick with our hotel room. We stayed at a bed and breakfast called the Willard Street Inn. It is supposedly some sort of old, colonial mansion set downtown. Very historic. Keeping in mind that all I had to go with was information on the website and a few online reviews, I chose the inn based on this description of the room: 'A rich leather headboard on the queen-size bed with a cozy comforter of green, cranberry and gold make this room warm and inviting. Two large windows provide views of the Inn's gardens, Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks. Private bathroom with tub/shower directly across the hall.'
Sounds nice, right? Well, not to say that it wasn't, but that description was a bit exaggerated. For example, the 'view' of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks was a bit of a stretch. Sure, you could see them, but only because none of the trees had any leaves and there were a few sight gaps in between all of the houses between the inn and the lake. The hotel was also nestled in between an entire street of residential homes and dorm rooms for Champlain College, not exactly the 'convenient downtown location' that the website suggested. Still, the room was very nice, albeit very small, as is to be expected in a colonial mansion. The closest thing I can liken it to is taking a vacation at your grandmother's house. It smelled a little like old people, the room was small and the bed decorated very clearly by an old person. The bathroom was across the hall and was set up exactly like the one in my grandmother's house. the layout was the same right down to the voyeuristic window that allowed the folks across the street to watch you pee.
The inn itself was very nice on the inside, but was decorated in a very creepy way. Upon walking in to our room we were greeted by this woman on our wall.
Who the hell is that? Probably your worst nightmare, that's who. Upon further investigation we began to learn the history of the inn. It was a private mansion at one point and then turned in to a nursing home in the 70's. As if this picture wasn't creepy enough, I had to then worry about being haunted by all of the spiteful old grandparents that called it quits in that room still bitter that their families had not let them die at home. Cool. To make matters worse, I could not find a Bible in the room. I am not an overly religious person and I have no desire to actually read the Bible, but I feel as though Bibles in hotel rooms are the one fixture in life that creates sanity where there often is none. The room not having one just made me uneasy. Something was amiss. This made it difficult for me to feel comfortable. I don't care what your opinion on Christianity is, hotel rooms need Bibles. It is like not having soap or a TV.
Once I got over the no Bible thing I went exploring a little bit and found that every corner of the inn was creepier than the one before it. Then I stumbled upon this.
That is a couch that directly faces a mirror. Why? I have no idea. Just in case you want to stare at yourself while you read? Or perhaps taunt spirits in to haunting you over your shoulder. Upon returning to the room I found another friend on the wall. It was former president Teddy Roosevelt. That is one thing that I learned on my trip. People in Vermont LOVE Teddy Roosevelt. I still have no idea why, either. I tried to do some research but after at least 6-8 minutes on the Internet it appears that he just visited Lake Champlain once, before he was president, and he really liked it so now he is all over the place. They even named a highway after him. We forgot to take a picture of his portrait on the wall, but just to remind you, Teddy Roosevelt looks like this:
Between his mustache, monocle and judgmental stare, as well as his creepy friend on the other side of the room, it made it very difficult to have a 'romantic' weekend in the hotel room. I don't need Teddy seeing any of that.
All in all the trip was very nice and I do hope to some day retire to Vermont and own land that I can conserve, work on and, of course, enjoy in a relaxing, potentially herbally- aided manor. Unfortunately, Monica suggested that this will be a chance for me to get to know my second wife, as she will not be partaking in the move with me. So, you know, maybe consider this a personal ad for the future. Looking for a woman who wants to move to Vermont, will still be hot in like, 25-30 years and potentially may earn enough money to buy lots of land in Vermont because I am probably not going to do that myself. Inquire within when my current spouse has decided that she has had enough. Must love cheese.
Anyway, after a summer of jet setting around New England with the baby, going to various zoos, Monica and I decided to hit the road together baggage free last weekend when we headed up to Burlington, VT to celebrate her birthday. I had been to Vermont before, mostly as a teenager when I had to travel up there to play with my high school basketball team, but I had never really paid much attention to it. I think that it is a beautiful place and I like their whole relaxed attitude so I thought it would be nice to go.
I am not sure if I have mentioned this here before but I fancy myself an outdoorsman. As a child I grew up in an area that was heavily wooded and spent a lot of time exploring. My afternoons after school were filled with mountain bike adventures and ill-advised nature stunts. My favorite job ever was working outside, cutting grass and battling nature with a weed whacker. I am not exactly city folk. Because of this I have always enjoyed places like Vermont, where so much of the land is still uncompromised and every day can bring along a new outdoor adventure. Yes, if it hasn't become apparent to any of you regular readers, I am pretty much a hick stuck in the developed world. The point is that I have been bugging Monica about moving somewhere with a lot of land so I can spend my time working outdoors, chopping wood and various other activities. You know, when I get that figurative high paying job that I don't have. Anyway, to make a long, rambling story a bit shorter, I thought a nice weekend trip to Vermont would be an enjoyable birthday weekend for both parties, so I did a little bit of research and decided to head to Burlington. This way we can have the whole outdoors aspect and still have a bit of shopping and nightlife to keep that city vibe that she is in to.
Despite a fairly long drive (four hours) the trip up to Lake Champlain was pretty nice. New Hampshire is a shithole of a state, (most of you already knew that) but Vermont was lovely to drive through with lots of trees, farms, lakes and bridges as well as cows, sheep and horses with coats on. Once in Burlington we realized that we had made the right decision. The town was well populated and there were a ton of restaurants and bars. That is all you really need when you are on vacation. The city itself is beautiful and we experienced all of the food offerings there were to experience, toured a brewery and did some shopping. It was all very nice. Kind of like Salem only done correctly. As in it doesn't just cater to tourists and idiots who think they still hang witches downtown, and in place of hokey magnet and bumper sticker shops there were lots and lots of bars. If Salem had a few cool places to go see live music, a few cool restaurants that weren't pretentious and over priced and didn't place a white trash carnival on a vacant lot next to a gas station once a year it could be nice like Burlington, too. But, it does not and therefore it is not. Screw you, Mayor Kim Driscoll.
One thing that really stuck out to me was the fact that everyone was super, super nice. Maybe it is because Vermont is so close to Canada, or maybe it is all of the weed they smoke up there, but it was a pleasant change from the 'Masshole' lifestyle that we lead down here. It did take some getting used to, though. The first few times someone in a bar came up and started talking to us we were very guarded. In Massachusetts if someone is talking to you at a bar and you don't know who they are they are either A. extremely wasted and have no idea what they are saying B. looking for either sex, drugs or at the very least a free drink or C. think you are someone else. The fact of the matter is that down here we just don't care to talk to other people. We are introverted, grouchy and frankly don't give a shit what you have to say. Not so in Vermont. Everyone up there is friendly, helpful, talkative and genuinely good-natured. Even the guys begging for change downtown were nice. It was a nice change but I have to be honest. I am kind of a dick. I don't really want to talk to anyone that much. Especially if I am drinking. I'm not sure I could keep up the act if I lived there.
While the trip itself was very nice I do have a bone to pick with our hotel room. We stayed at a bed and breakfast called the Willard Street Inn. It is supposedly some sort of old, colonial mansion set downtown. Very historic. Keeping in mind that all I had to go with was information on the website and a few online reviews, I chose the inn based on this description of the room: 'A rich leather headboard on the queen-size bed with a cozy comforter of green, cranberry and gold make this room warm and inviting. Two large windows provide views of the Inn's gardens, Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks. Private bathroom with tub/shower directly across the hall.'
Sounds nice, right? Well, not to say that it wasn't, but that description was a bit exaggerated. For example, the 'view' of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks was a bit of a stretch. Sure, you could see them, but only because none of the trees had any leaves and there were a few sight gaps in between all of the houses between the inn and the lake. The hotel was also nestled in between an entire street of residential homes and dorm rooms for Champlain College, not exactly the 'convenient downtown location' that the website suggested. Still, the room was very nice, albeit very small, as is to be expected in a colonial mansion. The closest thing I can liken it to is taking a vacation at your grandmother's house. It smelled a little like old people, the room was small and the bed decorated very clearly by an old person. The bathroom was across the hall and was set up exactly like the one in my grandmother's house. the layout was the same right down to the voyeuristic window that allowed the folks across the street to watch you pee.
The inn itself was very nice on the inside, but was decorated in a very creepy way. Upon walking in to our room we were greeted by this woman on our wall.
Who the hell is that? Probably your worst nightmare, that's who. Upon further investigation we began to learn the history of the inn. It was a private mansion at one point and then turned in to a nursing home in the 70's. As if this picture wasn't creepy enough, I had to then worry about being haunted by all of the spiteful old grandparents that called it quits in that room still bitter that their families had not let them die at home. Cool. To make matters worse, I could not find a Bible in the room. I am not an overly religious person and I have no desire to actually read the Bible, but I feel as though Bibles in hotel rooms are the one fixture in life that creates sanity where there often is none. The room not having one just made me uneasy. Something was amiss. This made it difficult for me to feel comfortable. I don't care what your opinion on Christianity is, hotel rooms need Bibles. It is like not having soap or a TV.Once I got over the no Bible thing I went exploring a little bit and found that every corner of the inn was creepier than the one before it. Then I stumbled upon this.
That is a couch that directly faces a mirror. Why? I have no idea. Just in case you want to stare at yourself while you read? Or perhaps taunt spirits in to haunting you over your shoulder. Upon returning to the room I found another friend on the wall. It was former president Teddy Roosevelt. That is one thing that I learned on my trip. People in Vermont LOVE Teddy Roosevelt. I still have no idea why, either. I tried to do some research but after at least 6-8 minutes on the Internet it appears that he just visited Lake Champlain once, before he was president, and he really liked it so now he is all over the place. They even named a highway after him. We forgot to take a picture of his portrait on the wall, but just to remind you, Teddy Roosevelt looks like this:
Between his mustache, monocle and judgmental stare, as well as his creepy friend on the other side of the room, it made it very difficult to have a 'romantic' weekend in the hotel room. I don't need Teddy seeing any of that.All in all the trip was very nice and I do hope to some day retire to Vermont and own land that I can conserve, work on and, of course, enjoy in a relaxing, potentially herbally- aided manor. Unfortunately, Monica suggested that this will be a chance for me to get to know my second wife, as she will not be partaking in the move with me. So, you know, maybe consider this a personal ad for the future. Looking for a woman who wants to move to Vermont, will still be hot in like, 25-30 years and potentially may earn enough money to buy lots of land in Vermont because I am probably not going to do that myself. Inquire within when my current spouse has decided that she has had enough. Must love cheese.
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