Things I learned…

While vacationing with hergrace, elsaf and judiang, I discovered some interesting things, which I shall endeavor to share with you folks.

  • Judi, Elsa and I can’t name all the state capitals to save our lives.
  • Steph’s in-laws are two of the most hospitable people you’re ever likely to meet.
  • Barns are painted red cuz the paint is inexpensive (confirmed with papa).
  • The wait for the Holland tunnel is longer than actually traveling through it.
  • Street lights in NYC are relatively coordinated with each other.
  • Grafton, VT is where the best Vermont Cheddar is made.
  • Steph’s boys are growing up so fast! I mean, the eldest has his learners permit now! Eeeep!
  • Even with a room full of geeks, getting regular DVD players to play non-regular DVDs is pretty damned difficult.
  • GPS units don’t know where you’re going if you don’t know either.
  • Garmin, the GPS manufacturer, has stock in the Holland Tunnel. (Well, that’s our best guess at its continual behavior to try and send us through it both times.)
  • You *can* go from Vermont to Philly without going through New York City.
  • Trina is still obsessing about driving through the Holland Tunnel and NYC. (Sheesh woman, GET OVER IT!)
  • The Vermont Country Store requires hours of looking in order to see (and taste) it all. I think I need another trip to VT.
  • Ben & Jerry’s is no longer owned by Ben & Jerry.
  • How much wood a woodchuck would chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood.
  • There are still glassblowers around using the same equipment that was used centuries ago.
  • Vermont has Deer Crossing, Moose Crossing, Bear Crossing, and Truck Crossing signs. (I always wondered what happened when trucks went wild!)
  • When the airport security check your luggage, they pack it back up even better than it was when you packed it.
  • Judi liked the last ep of Doctor who least of the four of us. That surprised me to no end.
  • I have some of the bestest friends in the world. (Well, I knew this before the trip, but it’s always great to confirm it.)
  • As lovely as Vermont is, There’s No Place Like Home. 🙂


Also, in the “It’s A Small World After All” stakes: Today at church, I found out one of the ladies there has a son who lives in Springfield, VT and attends a Unitarian Universalist Church in Chester. (She says it’s the old stone church – I didn’t know that was a UU church!)

5 thoughts on “Things I learned…

  1. Interesting fact, but the NYC traffic lights (going north/south along the avenues) are specifically coordinated to allow you to drive 25 miles per hour. This of course doesn’t help you if you’re trying to get into the right lane to make a turn onto a through-street but you have three lanes of double-parked buses and taxicabs to cut across first.

  2. Barns are painted red cuz the paint is inexpensive (confirmed with papa). I always thought it was some safety thing (“Look out! I’m a barn! I’m red!”)

  3. Thanks for “taking me on vacation” with you. I definitely want to go to VT now! I was astonished that you managed to get roped into driving through NYC. I’m so glad you survived. Anytime you’re coming to the East coast, give me a shout and I can give you some directions. N. and I have driven up and down the coast lots and know how to avoid NYC!

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