The Stars of Christmas in Weston 2012

Each year on the first Saturday in December our little town of Weston, Vermont celebrates "Christmas in Weston"  Its a daytime event sponsored by the local business community to attract visitors to the town for the day.  Its basically designed as an outing for families with lots of activities for the kids and open houses and businesses.  People are expected to come: visit, tour and shop.

Phil Phister from Landgrove brings his team of horses to offer rides to the kids.  His is a three horse team which is unusual and the horses are beautiful  The horses are not used as a team often so this year I happened upon his dry run with the team to insure that the horses had experienced the route before hand.  Also I think it is a refresher for everyone as to his boss and what the command signals are.

When I asked Phil if I could take some pictures he commented "Be sure not to forget the horses behinds.  I guess he is quite taken with their tails.

Phil is the one sitting on the left or in the drives seat.  He has had a farm over in Landgrove for years and among other things heads the towns road crew.  He also provides sleigh rides for the Landgrove Inn and keeps their cross country trails groomed etc. 

Finally a front view and evidence via my Yukon that I was there.  The horses are really beautiful and should be a welcome addition to the days happenings this upcoming Saturday.l

Tuesday afternoon, November 28, 2012

Rutland's T.J. Maxx

Rutland, Vermont is about 30 minutes North of Weston and is the closest really big town that one can go to for shopping or medical attention.  The Rutland Hospital is fair.  It draws more from the West I am told e.g. patients come all the way from Whiteall New York and Lake George.  Having said this - Rutland's shopping and its downtown area really do not offer very much that is exclusive.  But if it is purchased from a franchise or chain store, fast food etc Rutland's got it.  Some years ago they redid the downtown area I assume to attract a Walmart.  Since then the depot area has been the center of the shopping activity and most of it keys off Walmart and a huge Price Chopper.  And of course there is the Multi-Screen Movie Theater that some how survives with about five features running at any one time.

And finally - in the depot area - there is T.J. Maxx!!!!!!

Nancy will drive there in the dead of winter with a blizzard in progress.  I remember once years ago when Nancy and her sister in law Linda took off together for a shopping fix and barely were able to make it home over Terrible Mountain as you near Weston coming South from Rutland.  There are other TJ's around the country but few provide the "fix" that this store provides.  Maybe its because it is truly in a remote part of the North country.  There just not much to be found particularly to the West, North, East and West.  Come to think - that's redundant with what I just said.

This afte noon for example we left Weston a little after 2pm and got to the parking lot around 2:45 maybe closer to 3.  Nancy shopped until 4:49 while I sat in the car.  She bounced out of the store with an arm full of purchases.  All incredibly good buys and all items that she had been looking for for weeks to no avail at other outlets along the coast line of the Eastern USA. Needless to say she was ecstatic and fully charged by the experience so together we went  into Price Chopper for another 35 minutes and took advantage of their discount wines etc. 

We started home at about 6 pm.  It had been a perfect visit to Rutland's T. J. Maxx.

November 27, 2012

Thanksgiving 2012 at South Lake Drive

Our Thanksgiving in 2012 was at Greg & Elizabeth's in River Plaza.

 

It was a great day.  The only thing that could have made it better would have been Anna & Peter joining in but they were in St Augustine and had dinner with friends at Disney.  Our meal was at 3pm so that Wills would have enough time to attend the Middletown North South game.  South won so he was happy.  We were joined by Sharon and Bill right.

 

We actually ate around 4:30.  Elizabeth had prepared a huge turkey which with the traditional garnishes was great.  We sat around for about two hours after eating and then attacked several pies with ice cream and whipped cream. Talked for anther hour or so and departed for The Hill a little after 8 pm. 

 

It was a good evening.  My only post meal regret was that most in fact all of the left overs got left at South Lake so there was no snacking or leftover meals.

 

One should always cook a small turkey at home to fix this but this year we did not.

 

 

Now in the spirit of full disclosure - Bill and Sharon Wright were also at dinner and we were able to get a picture that might be titled THE GRANDPARENTS from Will's and Grace's perspective.  So here it is as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

Stratton Sports Center

Stratton Sports Center



This has taken several minutes for me to upload and place this picture. In this case I sent it to my computer and put it in a picture folder.  I was then able to find it and move it up.  In a few minues I am going to see if I can move it directly from my phone so you may see a second posting if I am successful. Took it this morning when I was arriving at the Sports Center.  We are at the end of November and this is my second day.  Not much snow yet as you can see but that will change in the coming weeks.

The Sports Center is the Apre Ski Activity of choice amongst many of our skiing friends so we frequently go for an hour or two after skiing.  I tend to spend time on bikes, a rowing machine and a variety of exercise machines that stretch just about everything imaginable.  There is also a wonderful pool which we do not use much now but I did following my joint surgeries a few years ago.  I tend to use the Center more than Nancy because many days I do not ski.  The conditions have to be just right for me.  And Nancy doesn't always go after skiing.  For both of us it depends on the mood mostly.

VT Tobacco Enforcement

This past weekend we returned to Vermont. Picking up on my normal routine I visited the Weston Market Place, our local village coffee shop, to get the morning paper and a coffee. While there I met a new employee tending the cash register.  Her name was Dawn and she seemed very pleasant.  Perhaps in her early 30's.

On Monday morning I revisited the Market.  I was pleased with the fact that I remember Dawn's name and was able to give her a proper "Good Morning, Dawn" when I entered the store.  While checking out I noticed that all of the tobacco products had been removed from the store.

"What happened, Dawn? Did the boss decide to make new stands for the cigarettes?"

"I'm afraid its a little more complicated than that.  A few weeks ago when I first started here I was at the register when a young boy came in to buy some cigarettes.  I carded him...found him to be under age...and told him no way was I selling him anything. At that point an older man who had come in the store ahead of the boy came over and said "Good Job.  I"m from the State of Vermont Liquor and Tobacco Enforcement Division and you just did the right thing.  Congratulations."  Then he went on to ask.."Now may I see your Certificate of Training from the State of Vermont?" 

"Well having just started I had not gone on line and renewed my online training certificate to indicate that I had viewed the training course and indicated that I was working at this specific location.  I am required by the State law to have this certificate of online training in my possession at all times while working in the store.  The officer nicely said that I should take the course tonight and all would be forgiven.  Well as it turns out earlier this month the boss got a letter from the State siting the violation and informing that he would not be allowed to sell any tobacco products on Monday November 27, 2012 and that all such products had to be removed from the store for that day."

"So here I am.  My Boss wasn't mad at me or anything.  In fact he removed all to the tobacco.  But he is making me tend the register today and guess how many times I have had to tell this story since 6am this morning."

It turns out that the kid who attempted the purchase was an employee of the State and with the enforcement officer.

Justice in the works.