Week of July 28 – Aug. 3, 2024
Debra is a full-time RVer who has traveled coast to coast looking for the cutest bookstores and the perfect cup of chai. She and her husband enjoy creating community on the road by meeting up with friends or finding new ones enroute. They love sharing their adventures and making friends here at The Virtual Campground and sharing Barry’s great photography.
It was a strange week as we moved the rig, then flew away to Colorado. But despite the changes, I still appreciated having a few special items to help me this week of July 28 – Aug. 3rd. Besides, what not be grateful as I completed another circle around the sun. Now, I qualify for the lifetime National Park Pass – a major achievement!
Helping Me this Week
Southwest Airlines
I admit to being biased. I worked for Southwest for 22 years and retired just being hitting the road fulltime, but flying on Southwest feels like home. And I so appreciated them this week for getting me safely to Denver to see my kids! We are meeting up in Denver to celebrate my birthday, Barry’s birthday with a concert and my son’s new job. So much to be thankful for!
I know they recently announced a lot of changes and have already changed a lot since I left in 2017, but I still have a soft spot and am cheering for their success. As our lovable Herb used to say, “Never rest on your laurels or you will get a thorn in your backside.” Though sometimes, he was a bit more colorful with it!
And maybe Southwest is also on my mind a lot as I visited Bellow Falls, VT last week, the birthplace of the mother of Southwest, Colleen Barrett who recently died. She was the woman who put the heart into Southwest and I was honored to work with her.
Olympics
I love the Olympics so this week, I have enjoyed watching many of the events. While I usually prefer winter, I am really enjoying many of the sports of summer. Plus you can see their faces so much better!
I love the pomp and creativity of the opening ceremonies. I love all that the Olympics stand for in bringing us together. And I love the individual stories of hard work and triumph. Who isn’t moved by the story of Suni Lee overcoming kidney disease to now be a bronze medalists in All Around? And can you believe how high they can throw their bodies? Plus the unbelievable images that come from the games, like the surfer standing in air? It is truly inspiring to see what is possible.Go, USA!
Nearby Markets
Farmer Markets are a great way to experience the local culture and Brattleboro has a great one on Saturday mornings. Burlington is also supposed to have a strong market but we never made it up there.
We were also lucky enough to have a gorgeous nursery/farm within walking of our campground. Walker’s Farm has the most delicious tomatoes and fresh produce along with a few pies and baked goods that looked divine. How healthy am I to walk down to get my veggies and walk back to make a fresh dinner. Bonus points, right?
This area had several farms and of course, maple stands so it was a riches of freshness in Brattleboro!
This Week’s Reading
I love visiting bookstores and looking at the local books. It is always fun to read something that mentions places you know or have visited. At the Bennington Bookshop, I found this fun little book that featured the well-known meme of Sen. Saunders. Just based on that I had to get it for my son. But of course, I read Feel the Bern by Andrew Shaffer before giving it to him. Fun little cozy mystery featuring a lot of what we all know about this senator from Vermont.
This summer, I have been in a mystery mood as I read another in the genre recommended by a friend. The Bruno series is set in a small town in South France. The biggest issue I had with this series is that it makes me crave wine and cheese! If you like mysteries or are a foodie, this series is for you. The author has even written a cookbook inspired by his characters and this region. Tres magnifique!
Besides mysteries, I also have a couple of nonfictions going which I will share soon. After my visit to Robert Frost’s Stone House Museum where he wrote “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” in June of 1922, I am refreshing myself on his poetry. Poetry is a great way to end the evening since each one is short and a stand alone, not compelling me to the next chapter. There are “many pages to read before I sleep.”
And my classic for this month is Persuasion by Jane Austen. I have a copy, but am looking this week for the annotated version as I love reading all the notes to better understand the novel and the times.
Picture of My Week
One of the coolest parts of being in the New England area is the rich history seen around nearly every corner. I visited Bennington VT on Monday and went to Old First Church which was build in 1762. It included the grave of Robert Frost among many others. What awed me were the very meticulously cared for stones like this one of Lucretia Squires born 1791. Nearly every stone was clearly legible and many had historical notes on them so you knew the significance of the family or person. The war memorial in the center was dedicated to Revolutionary War Heroes and many graves of named soldiers who fought and died for our country’s independence. What an incredible thing to walk among and many thanks to those who keep this sacred place so lovely.
Let me know in the comments what you are finding this week make your days easier or happier. I would love to know.
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