Things never to forget while traveling: my asthma medicine.
In the process of forgetting my clothes for the overnight stay (which Nicole and I were sorely uninformed), I had also forgotten my medicine. I’ve come to rely on those pharmaceutical drugs like it were some sort of cocaine I sniff through a strange purple pump. So it was without failure, I woke up disoriented and wheezing. The night prior, one of the groomsmen teased us that the room Nicole and I was staying at was haunted. I immediately blamed the ghost to make up for my lack of medical attention. It was barely 7AM, but dawn broke fast over the mountain, glaring down onto the yard like a vengeful woman. My mother used to always say to me, “a lady never sleeps until the sun shines on her butt.” But boy…I wish I slept through it.
It was a hot and humid morning as I basked under the morning rays. The boys and Spenser’s parents were already up. Dawn’s fingers danced and sparkled the lake, spreading glitters on the dewdrops of the grass. The air tinged with wet wood and wet dirt; the noise–barely a sound except for a few rustling made by wild animals in the forest, peeking at the humans and the constant rushing sound of the fountain in the middle of the lake. If I could wake up to that every weekend morning, I would be so revived from the utter rush and madness of the city life. I never experienced that as a child growing up on the wrong side of town. But I probably wouldn’t know how to appreciate it the way I do now as an adult. My city friends would balk at the idea of being surrounded by woods, bugs, and so forth. It’s a form of suffocation: boredom. Silence in itself can be claustrophobic. But there are times, when those moments are so craved.
On the way back to Burlington, we stopped by the Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory. Yes, THE BEN & JERRY’S! I was such a tourist, taking pictures and gleefully waiting in line to enter the tour. The factory is smaller than I expected. The estate is large and vast but the machinery is quite small, fitting maybe 20-30 people max on the floor. But oh…you could smell the sugar. It’s a diabetic nightmare…or gone to heaven to be surrounded by such sweetness. That day we were able to sample their new flavor, Boston Cream Pie. Oh…those pieces of cake and the rich butter taste was heavenly. The coldness helped much after such a hot morning.
Vy took us to lunch at Our House. I had requested this since the chefs would be catering for the wedding—had to make sure they’d be good. And they had great crab cakes! I loved that the most. I ordered chicken pot pie because I wasn’t feel so well. It was salty! But the bread and chicken were well done. Overall. I’m excited to see what they will do for the wedding.
When Vy drove us back, I was really sad. I didn’t want to leave her. I feel like it takes forever and a day to see each other again. But now that I know it’s not so bad to visit Vermont, I’m very excited to go back. Preferably try out the winter season so I can try skiing and snowboarding. I just need to find the right coat, aside from my pea-coats.