Dianne and I just got back from visiting Daria, Andy, Summer, Baxter, Lucky, and Yedi in Vermont.


I asked at work when I could get a vacation and they said ASAP, so we called Daria to see if we could visit. She said it was OK as long as we brought sunshine with us. We told her that she could send the rain our way. We both kept our end of the deal. We were on track for one of the driest years on record. The day before we left it started to rain, and in two days we got a couple of inches of water. We needed the water, but it delayed our flight three hours. In Chicago we ran through the rainbow tunnel to catch our next flight. Luckily it was delayed about 40 minutes.

Waves are not a good thing in airports.


Sunday we went to the Orleans County Fair where Daria and Andy were photographing for Vermont Life.


It's Sunday, so you have to have religion! If you click on the picture you can read the blue sign on the left of the picture. There were two people sitting and listening, and musicians waiting to perform.


"Ker-Bri Farm Natural Colored Sheep" I didn't see any non-natural colored sheep, so I guess I'll have to use my imagination.


Patriotism is painting your car red, white, and blue, putting a flag on the roof, then taking it to a demolition derby! The haze is from smoke coming from the far end of the field.


We watched a couple of heats of the 4 cylinder class. The last three cars running went on to the finals later in the day. The yellow car and the one behind it both moved on. Click on the picture to see how smashed up they are. Many of the cars moving on were dragging a non-turning wheel. Those that made it to the finals must drive these same cars, so they will be doing as much repair as possible.


Summer and Baxter waiting to ride the Gravitron. Click on the picture to read the sign in the background.


Wikipedia can describe the Gravitron better than I can. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravitron Summer and Baxter were at the back of the line for the ride.

In general the people of Vermont are healthy. The attendees of this fair were an exception as the picture shows.

This was the second time riding the Gravitron, and once too many times for Baxter. He felt awful for the rest of the day.

On the way to the fair I saw cars in a field. On the way back Baxter was asleep, and Andy stopped for me to look. I saw this 1958 Plymouth (red and yellow car), and went to take a picture. My intent was to find a phone number and get back in the car. When I approached the driveway several dogs came out barking along with the owner. I told the owner what I was doing, and said I wanted a contact number. He decided to show me his yard.


We went beyond the trees in the previous picture. I didn't want a tour. All I wanted was a phone number. Baxter woke up, and Dianne started to yelled for me. Being in the woods I didn't hear her at first.

The owner only wants 1.6 million for the whole yard! (No one is buying.)

On Tuesday Summer had a party in a park. I only took one picture, and it was awful of everyone there. You will have to wait until Daria posts something.

On Friday we got to spend the afternoon and evening with Summer, and Baxter. We started out by taking them and their friends Mia and Will to putt-putt golf.

Andy took Daria on a date.



Mia
Will
Setting up a shot.


After golfing we went to Mai's and Will's house to go swimming. Summer got into the water quickly, and stayed in after everyone else got out. (Dianne and I stayed dry.)


This is Max, the younger brother of Mia and Will.


Mia after swimming.


Will in a water fight. He was having problems because the elastic in his swim trunks was worn out.


We went to dinner at Friendly's. Baxter decided he wanted to try and win a toy rather than have ice cream. This machine is set up to be "play till you get a prize". The previous player gave up, so Baxter played without putting in money. He tried to get a race car, or anything else except a ball. After about a half hour of trying he ended up catching a ball. Since the play was free, we gave him the $2.00 it would have cost us.


On Saturday Daria went to the Deerfield County Fair. Dianne and I rode with her, and went on to Bennington. Our first stop was the Hemmings Motor News car display. This is a 1934 Brewster Town Car.



This is the first auto museum that I have heard of that allows anyone to touch their cars. I was speaking to an employee and explaining that I like old luxury cars. He told me to sit in the back of this Buick.


They have more than just cars. At the front of the place there is a working service station with a gift shop. There are signs, tools, and much more on display. This is a Packard.


After the museum we went to Bennington Potters. The entrance to the shop had this cow with it's head inside the shop. Sorry that the picture is so busy; it was. There was also a moose in rubber boots sticking it's head into the shop.


After picking up Daria at the fair we stopped at this diner.




On Sunday Daria had a party at the house. At this particular moment Yeti was still.


Daria and Kathy Kjelleren


The party was not even over when I caught this mess! Dianne and I did a lot of preparation, but Andy ended up doing the lion's share of the cleanup.


Yeti loves chasing the ball. From the living room we would toss the ball upstairs and Yeti would run up to get it. Normally he brings it down, but during these photos he was dropping the ball through the railing. With my slow digital camera I was unable to catch him at the moment of the drop.




The first picture is of the pond liner in front of Daria and Andy's house.