Home to a new year

After my lovely visit to NJ I made my way home.  Thelma had emailed that VT 107 was opening Friday morning, and I basked in the happy thought of not making the over-an-hour-long detour at the end of a long drive.  But I got to Stockbridge well after dark and was greeting with flashing signs saying "Route 107 open - use extreme caution", and was happy to have a car in front of me.

The road is where it used to be, but it doesn't feel like it used to (hey, that's called new pavement) and the curves are just a little different, and the slopes are just a little different.  These minor differences keep you on your toes.  I'd forgotten just how far it is from the 107/100 intersection to Tozier's restaurant. Repairs were more than replacing the washed-away section. Repairs were made to the whole length of that stretch of highway.

The White River consumed about four miles of VT 107, and destroyed culverts, small bridges, and roadway for three miles further along.  If you never saw the post-Irene pictures of VT 107, look here  and here.
 
When I started looking for those pictures, I googled "VT107 Irene". I was amazed. It was all about the reopening! The first result was from the Atlanta Journal Constitution.  Then the Burlington Free Press.  Then the Albany NY Times Union. The Houston Chronicle. A Palm Beach paper. The Deseret News in Salt Lake City.  This was an AP news story, and newspapers across the country picked it up. In early September we learned that Irene's destruction in Vermont was national news, but four full months later? Newspapers are struggling, and this isn't the news-heavy time of year. Still, an awful lot of editors decided this was an end-of-year ending worth covering.  The timing was certainly right,and  it's a good start to 2012.  In Vermont, our worst winter weather is in January and February! 

When I left Vermont on December 26, VT 107 was still closed. I had to go over Camp Brook Road (post-Irene picture here), fully restored in September, to Rochester and then took VT 100 south.  I almost never need to be over there so this was the first time I'd seen this hard-hit area in real life.  It was still a shock to see that the place where a house was washed away is still empty except for an excavator (what did I expect - a  reconstruction miracle?).  Many farm fields still have earth-moving equipment parked in them. Temporary bridges abound.  There were surprising stretches of new pavement, reminders of where the river had been.  Houses looked OK, but upon slowing down, some now appear unoccupied.

Repairs have been made in Braintree and South Royalton.  There is progress in Bethel. Jamaica and Marlboro and Wardsboro in southern Vermont are slowly rebuilding.  Waterbury is finding its way.  Route 9 and Route 4 and Route 100 are open, and now, Route 107. But driving along 100 and 107, the trees that the storm uprooted are still dumped along roadsides and river banks. The river debris and construction equipment are covered with a light dusting of snow, and will become huge mysterious mounds as winter progresses. They look more and more permanent.

The rock trains will run as long as the tracks stay clear and weather permits construction to continue.  But come spring, will there be the energy, the money, the time to finish rebuilding and repairing? To reclaim farm fields again? Will homeowners replace temporary bridges with permanent ones, or leave them in the event of a repeat storm?  All the repairs, heroic and astonishing as they were, don't touch the fact that much of Vermont will never be the same.  I think 2012 is going to be a year of coming to terms with a future that has changed for many people in many ways.

Christmas 2011

Another lovely holiday visit with friends and family!  The drive to NJ was one of the worst in years, because the driver forgot that although Monday was a day off for most folks, it was a going-home day for a whole lot of 'em.  It was like Sunday afternoon in the summer, and replete with fender-benders.  YUCK.

I spent time with Jeri and Sabine, my dear, dear friends who always open their home to me whenever I even hint about coming to NJ.    They had to work, so we hung out in the evening. Jeri and I made a whirlwind trip to the Newark Museum to see some quilts that the museum hasn't exhibited in lo these many years. We all saw "The Descendants" (don't miss it!), and Garrison Keillor's show is from Hawaii, with that lovely slack-guitar music that makes me think of the movie all over again. J&S introduced me to a wonderful British TV series (also available on Netflix!), in the spirit of "All Creatures Great and Small", except that the patients are human, called Doc Martin.  They gifted me with a huge bag of Sabine's Excellent Granola, (and CHOCOLATES) and fed me delicious Turkey Chili.

I spent time with Alice.  She and Pat moved to brand new digs that are Spacious And Modern, and they have the whole unit - hence no downstairs neighbors (garlic at breakfast).  They have a garage and Pat has a workshop! They have two Big Bedrooms.  The whole thing is cause for rejoicing.  We had a delicious lunch at Stamna, which is so close to the new place that I expect Alice will be eating there every weekend ...

I spent time with Dave and Kathy and Katie and Megan. And Alice, too. Katie made the lasagna, and we feasted on lasagna, salad, mozzarella and tomatoes, and delicious white-and-dark-chocolate peppermint bark.  Almost too good to eat.  Almost is the operative word.  In fact, I think we had dessert, but that bark was so good it's overtaken what we did have!  Megan is running winter track this year, still outdoors, which is pretty appalling since it's December. Those girls are growing up!! Alice and Kathy started planning their New Year's brunch (sometime in January) and it sounds like it will be An Event. I received a bag of small treasures - new warm gloves, a jar of scented gels for the bathroom, chocolates (!!) and more of the peppermint bark.

I spent time with Mike and Kate.  They showed up at Alice's and came to Stamna with us! Wednesday I had lunch-and-movie with them  (The Muppet movie, don't miss it!) and we experienced our first Dine-in Theater at Essex Green.  I was full from lunch but I think Mike had his popcorn.  Mike and Kate gave me a wonderfully soft and cozy bathrobe, which I put on immediately upon getting home.  I think my fleece robe can be saved for Really Cold Days.

I spent time with Danielle and Tim, who didn't get to NJ until the 28th.  I went up to the Devincenzos on Friday and had lunch with Tim, Danielle, Mr and Mrs D, Danielle's sister Jen and cute, sweet, baby Isabella.  I think Bella's going to need another sweater to grow into.  I took Tim a birthday cake (!!) and because I had to head to VT I only had time to have one piece.  This is probably a good thing, and it left plenty for everyone else!  Tim had noticed how old and crappy my toaster oven was, so he and Danielle gave me a new one!  What a surprise, and so thoughtful and nice!

Speaking of ovens, I had made an assortment of cookies for everybody, and have a new Christmas Special - rugelach pinwheels! How tasty! How raved about! A new hit, which will probably replace one of the shortbread recipes that is very unreliable.  Count on it, readers!

I finished two knitting projects: an office scarf/neckwarmer for myself, and the beer-can gloves for Mike that were a failure last Christmas.  They fit him! He likes them!  I just have to hide the ends and close a few little knitting holes, and off they go in the mail.

And I spent a lot of time with TV reruns and the New York Times, especially the Arts sections and the Sunday magazine.  You can get the Times in VT, for an exorbitant price, but it only includes  national news/business/sports.  I subscribe to the NYT online, but the free subscription only lets me look at 20 articles per month, and I could use that up in a couple of weekends ...

All in all, a lovely visit. I love Vermont, but I miss everyone already.

It wasn't a cold, it was the flu

Horrible. The whole week has been just horrible. It took me until Thursday to realize that I needed to treat my self like the Sick Person I was, to stop contaminating my co-workers, and go to bed.  But I woke today with no cement-block head, and the unshakeable conviction that fresh air would be a good thing, and that always means I'm really on the road to recovery.

Herewith, a celebratory poem with apologies to Robert Lewis Stephenson (http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-land-of-counterpane/)

When I was sick and lay a-bed
I had two pillows at my head
And all my yarn beside me lay
To keep me happy all the day.

And sometimes for an hour or so
I'd knit on scarves or gloves, or go
And sit beside the cozy stove
To watch a movie that I love.

And often I would take a nap
Or lay a book upon my lap
And read (with teacup by my side)
Or watch the snowflakes fall outside.

Fever and cough, while feeling chill,
Kept me upon the pillow-hill.
But health's returned! I now disdain
The pleasant land of counterpane.

When I was sick and lay abed

I had three pillows at my head
And all my toys beside me lay
To keep me happy all the day.

     -- "The Pleasant Land of Counterpane", Robert Lewis Stephenson

Only two pillows. And sadly, the toys are not beside me, except for a book ("The Tiger's Wife", which I highly recommend). The computer, on which I am typing now, is in the next room. Obviously, the stove, source of Breathe EasyTea, is in the kitchen. And the woodstove, source of wonderfully cozy heat, is not in the bedroom either.

This is a pity party post.  Saturday night I excused myself early from an evening with friends because this Horrendous Cold hit me upside the head, in the course of about an hour, complete with a fever, a sore throat, and a compelling urge to go to bed.  I got a chill earlier in the week, and for me, the outcome is almost always a bad cold.

Today was going to be the day to work around the house, do some picking up, and get out the Christmas decorations.  Instead I slept late, missed my morning coffee with Thelma, and have had TWO serious naps. At 2:11 pm, I am still in flannel pj pants, a turtleneck and sweater and neckwarmer, and my bathrobe.  I did order the photo Christmas cards, though.

Poor pitiful me.

nothin' like a good bowl of soup

I made some great soup tonight for supper.  Soup is really good when you've shovelled many inches of Heavy Wet Stuff in the morning and then tromped around in it late in the afternoon (in the dark) to get horses in.  And I suspect that if you cook the turkey carcass after Thanksgiving,  the broth and meat scraps will make this even more deelish.  These are the quantities I used, and it made enough for 3-4 generous servings.  Vary quantities as you wish to make a soup as thin or thick as you like. * means you can do this part ahead

Roasted vegetable soup essentials
= 1 small butternut (not buttercup) squash (about 1lb.), peeled, seeded and cut in 1" strips
= 1 medium yellow onion, cut in 8ths
= 2-3-4 cloves peeled garlic
= 2-3 medium-sized carrots, peeled, cut lengthwise and then cut into chunks
= 1lb small peeled boiling potatoes, quartered or halved depending on size

= 2-3 cans of chicken broth or 4+ cups turkey broth or a combination of both
= 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, plain or basil/oregano flavored

Roasted vegetable soup options: (use any or all)
= shredded turkey scraps (I used leftover chicken) or slices of kielbasa
= several leaves of regular (not baby) spinach, washed well, stemmed, and sliced or kale
= fresh green beans, cooked (like those big fat green beans cluttering up the freezer)
= cannellini beans  or angel hair pasta, broken into short lengths
(beans and kielbasa would be wonderful)

*Roast the veggies. Lightly coat a roasting pan or cookie sheet with sides with olive oil. Put all the essential veggies on pan/sheet. Sprinkle a little more oil and toss to coat.  Add salt and pepper. Roast at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until tender (turning occasionally, and they burn fast ...)  When the veggies are done, separate out the squash and carrots and cut them into smaller dice.

* Put the rest of the roasted veggies in the food processor and add the canned tomatoes. Process until almost smooth.

(If you do all that ahead, bring the ingredients to room temperature before you start soup-making.)

When you're ready to make the soup, put the veggie puree in a 3-quart pot, add enough broth to make a medium-thick soup, and bring it to a boil. Lowe the heat and  let it simmer for 30 minutes or so. (Add more broth if it starts to stick).  If you're going to use angel hair pasta, add it during the last couple of minutes.

Add the squash and carrots along with any options that you want. Add more broth to make the soup the thickness/thinness you prefer.  Cook another 5-8 minutes.

Serve and enjoy.

Life moves on

A post I started in early November and never published, but is still true.

So many things have changed since Irene. Drive up Thayer Brook Road and you'll find the landscape is unbelievably changed.  Thayer Brook is back where it belongs, going through its culverts and no longer threatening Thelma's and Bruce's houses. But the homes, yards and pastures along the road have been changed dramatically.  The devastation in Bethel, Stockbridge, Rochester, Pittsfield, Jamaica, Queechee, Killington,  Bridgewater, and countless other towns will take months to repair.  Some roads will not be fully repaired  until next summer.  In some places, "restoration" will never be possible. Life moves on, whether we like it or not.

We are still nervous when it rains hard.  Some people who come to the Montpelier contradance are already worried about whether they'll feel safe driving on reconstructed roads when the snow begins.  I think many Vermonters will not feel safe until after mud season next year.  Most Vermonters believe that this past summer - warm and wet, and then Irene - demonstrated that our local weather is really changing.  Even those who don't believe in climate change are willing to say that we have entered a different weather cycle. Life moves on, whether we like it or not.

Fortunes at Norwich are changing.  Across the country, grad school enrollments are down, and so are ours.  The graduate school needs to make additional "continuing education" offerings to improve our revenue, and to move away from offering a single product (graduate degrees), but the university isn't ready to invest in the technology upgrades and marketing strategies that we need if we're going to get away from "all our eggs in one basket".  Life moves on, whether we like it or not.

Thelma has closed the horse barn.   She told us a year ago, which is why Raven moved next door when Berta offered me the space this past spring.  Last week Betsy Kelley put her 30-year-old mare down, since she was unlikely to make it through another winter, and Beth Warrel took her mare Annie home. We still plan to have Sunday coffee, but at 9am, not 8am. Thelma is now an Empty-Nester, and although she says she appreciates not doing the chores, and not having to be tied to home, she misses seeing and hearing the horses.

And we're  also all finding out what it means to be part of a global economy.

Many changes, and life moves on, whether we like it or not.  Except for Netflix, who found out the hard way that if it ain't broke perhaps fixes should not be attempted.

Back again

Been a long time away from the blog. The computer died while I was on vacation in August (pined away, I suppose). Then the September term began. Then it took a long time for me to settle on a computer to buy, find a good price, get a friend to put on the software, and now I'm back. Computers come with the latest software, and now my operating system and browser are too advanced for dial-up. So it's SLOW. But I'm working on it.

Today was an at-home day, which I haven't had in a while. I started by repotting some of the Gerber daisies that I usually nurse through the winter. The gorgeous pink one threw up a last set of flowers right as I brought them in. But when I dug up the orange-flowered plant, it had turned into three, and I finally got potting soil to mix with the garden dirt and encourage them all. Thelma gave me one of her geraniums, which she always has good luck with. It may be that Thelma is the geranium-grower and I am the Gerber-daisy grower, in which case we'll have a plant swap in April.

Then I worked in the yard, to start the fall cleanup and do some restoration after the brook cleanup. I replanted a lilac that had to be moved, and a butternut sapling that Tim and I found when he was here, which the contractor was able to rescue. I probably didn't plant the trees deep enough, because it was difficult digging and my energy flagged. I hope that compost and a hefty layer of hay will get them through the winter. If they don't survive, I will be disappointed, but since I didn't buy them I have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

In the afternoon I made a much more applesauce than I expected, from a roadside apple tree in front of somebody's vacant vacation house. I was surprised at how sour those dark red apples were when they cooked down, and happily surprised at how little sugar and cinnamon it took to make a tasty not-too-sweet applesauce. Now I have several jars on the bottom shelf of the fridge.

Next is to make the rest of the pickled beets, a slow, messy job. I think I'll leave that for Sunday.

It was nice to be home and not feel that I ever had to "be somewhere". I need to have a day like this more regularly.