New England Charm

I have exciting news to share. I have left work on time for three days in a row this past week! Hurray! I can't say that it is all my doing...there were no snow storms this week to set off a barrage of heart attacks that occur while shoveling snow. However, after being here for two full months it is great to see blue sky when I left work. Spring must be around the corner. I know that the clocks change this weekend and it will be dark again when I leave work but it has been so nice these past two weeks to wake with bright skies and see the sun again when I get out of work.
Tonight I spent my dinner chatting with some girlfriends and planning a wedding shower. My spring wouldn't be complete unless I was planning a wedding shower!! My good friend Lindsay is getting married ... on a cruise ship... just her and her fiancee. Each life event we can celebrate should be enjoyed in fine form. So celebrate we will... that no one is wearing a dress they will detest and will whine about for months (Lindsay herself is quite proud of this), no one is stressing about the wedding details (that is what a cruise wedding director is for!), no one spending a small fortune for a party (when there is a house down payment to save for!) and the fact that Lindsay found the love of her life (the wedding is four weeks away and she is on cloud 9). So celebrate we will at a small luncheon. Just the women in Lindsay's life getting together for lunch to laugh together, share fond stories of Lindsay and Shawn and eat yummy Italian food (one of Lindsay's favorites). Not to worry that there will be favors and gifts and cake of course! If only I had a favorite cake lady (such as The Chocolate City caterers) here in NH.
Here is the northern charm items I learned about this week...
-The bumps in the road that occur after the worst of the winter weather is gone are called 'frost heaves' Every NH town has signs that say Warning Frost Heaves. This means that they don't have to fix the roads for another 3 months while the signs are posted.
-Vermont is often said that it has the most charm of all the New England states. As I drove through a covered bridge last night I had to agree. How long have people been using that bridge? From horse and buggy to SUV-what a classic touch to typical travels. Vermont even has a Covered Bridge marathon to celebrate their unique. If you are in Quechee VT go to Simon Pearce glassworks (amazing restaurant and glassware) and you will get to visit the same beautiful covered bridge. Ahhh. The photo above is the Simon Pearce restaurant on the Quechee Falls.
I am off to Boston for some quality time with some college girlfriends. A full day of shopping, talking and revisiting all of our old haunts will let us relive some of those college moments (with a one year old this time....) Now if I can beat the freezing rain that will be descending upon us...