Who Doesn't Love Antique Cars?

I love you for your pink Cadillac, Crushed velvet seats, Riding in the back, oozing down the street.....

Stowe, Vermont hosts an Antique Car Show every August.  Sometimes our week coincides and this year it did.  Gorgeous antique cars from all over participate in this show.  I love them all, but especially the 50’s era cars.  I even saw a 1964 Plymouth Valiant with the push button shift, which was the first car I ever drove!  My husband's favorite is the '65 Mustang and the boys, well, they just loved it all!

1904 Cadillac - One of only 4 left in the world and the oldest car in the show.

My 1964 Plymouth Valiant was white with blue interior.

There was one from Rhode Island!

There was a parade through Stowe and after, the road was closed off and a local radio station set up and played music until 10:00 p.m.

Let's go to the hop!

Happy Birthday Jaime!

It seems like yesterday that I was holding my precious baby girl in my arms and now it's a fast forward to 30 years later.  30 years!!  Time passes so quickly!  

So, it was a limo, some champagne, shopping on Newberry Street and dinner at Tresca in the North End.    

Happy Birthday, Jaime.  And on to the next happy, fun, successful 30 years!!  Cheers!

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream

When in Vermont, a visit to Ben & Jerry’s factory in Waterbury is always in order.  Delighting old and young alike, Ben & Jerry's is a fun and tasty excursion.  Factory tours are available and include a very entertaining movie in the Cow Over The Moon Theater documenting the history of Ben & Jerry’s. 

Following the movie is a tour of the actual production line where glass windows above reveal the working factory showing employees producing two flavors of ice cream.  Photos are not allowed during this part of the tour.  Our tour guide explained that they don’t want their trade secrets to get into the wrong hands, (although seriously Ben & Jerry, all someone would have to do is keep taking the tour!!)  Samples are then given and the guided part of the tour is concluded. 

The scoop shop features popular flavors currently available at retail as well as exclusive flavors only available by the cone or cup.  My husband went nuts for the Coconut Seven Layer Bar, while Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup was totally fine with me!

Looks real, not sure what to do with it!

There were some pretty neat items at the gift shop. 

Display set up in 2010.

The Ben & Jerry ‘bus’ was outside along with some cute photo props for the kids and us big kids as well. 

The flavor graveyard is a fun place to visit, and we spent an hour just wandering around and reading the gravestones! 

Several cows were resting on this gorgeous property tucked down under the mountains.  This is a perfect place for a picnic with desert just a short line away!  

Let's Go Sailing

Our yearly week in Vermont always includes a day trip to Burlington.  In the past, we have taken a short tour of Lake Champlain on the Spirit of Ethan Allen which is a commercial passenger cruise.  The boat reminds me of our own Block Island Ferry.  

My husband wanted to do this tour again, but since we had already it (twice), I started looking for an alternate plan.  There was a sailboat tour that looked appealing.  The sunset tour looked great, but when I  tried to book online, there was an age restriction of 13 and older.  David and Mikey wouldn't be able to go.  I called the company since we were only a year and two off.   If they wanted the full fare, fine.  But they said no and were not very nice to talk with.  Back to square one.  

I googled again and found another company, Let's Go Sailing.  I phoned and spoke with Captain Gideon.  He was booked for the sunset cruise, but would be available for a 4:30 cruise.  Sold.

Gideon's boat held six passengers but this trip out was just the four of us.  It was a beautiful day to go sailing, dry and nearly 80 degrees.  The lake was like glass, which was good as my husband was a little nervous when he saw the size of the sailboat.  

During the first hour out, Gideon let David, Jr. steer the boat.  We did a great circle as David kept turning the wheel!  But eventually he did get us out to the small island a couple of miles out from the Burlington shore.  

On the way back, Gideon gave Mikey a turn.  It took Mikey a couple of minutes to get his bearings as he got excited and kept letting go of the wheel.  Gideon was very patient and had Mikey handling the steering of that sailboat all the way back to Burlington.  As we approached the breakwater (rocks), with dozens of sailboats anchored around it, Mikey navigated the boat all the way to the dock and Gideon allowed him to take it right in.  

David and I so appreciated Gideon's kindness towards the kids which went above and beyond the norm.  We never told Gideon the boys were autistic, but I could see him watching them.  Early on, he picked up on their hand movements (stimming).  Gideon was extremely patient and tolerant, especially with Mikey at the wheel.  Mikey was so proud of himself and he just beamed with delight when we got back to shore.  

I can't thank Gideon enough for the patience and kindness he extended towards my sons.  It would have been a great trip regardless, but he made it so much more special for them.  They don't outwardly show a lot of emotion, but they  had an amazing time handling the boat and sailing in a sailboat for the very first time.  Next year's Vermont vacation will most definitely include another sail on Gideon's boat.  

Captain Gideon