Wednesday, October 12, 2016

MY MOONLIGHT IN VERMONT

While Frank Sinatra croons about Moonlight in Vermont and the sycamores, Bob Potvin had a peak experience today viewing the peak foliage on the lofty  peaks in Central Vermont, Namely Plymouth Notch, the birthplace of President Calvin Coolidge our forgotten Yankee President.


CALVIN COOLIDGE  30th PRESIDENT 1923  1929


 The allure of Fall foliage in all of its splendor and glory saw me getting lost so bad even my GPS didn't know what road to take. My total round trip was well over 300 miles. Amazing being lost and having so much fun. I love it.








My first stop was in Brattleboro looking for a postage stamp dealer..."out to lunch." Then I was almost trapped by a men's clothing store of the highe$t order. Then I found one of the finest antique shops in the world. It is located hard on the CT River next to Vermont. The owner, an affable person showed me his latest purchase: a curved glass china closed.. all original.








I must quit for today as I am battle fatigued and need my winding down time and ZZZ. See you in the AM!




I'M BACK!




ROAD JITTERS  & EXTREME BODY TENSIONS




I didn't wind down because I was so wound up! My 330 mile sojourn took its toll without a toll booth. There were things on the Vermont highways that really pissed me off. An inordinate amount of road work and yellow vested young traffic gools that cramped my style. Impatient Bob actually went into the "Johnson Mood" of intolerance. Despite their incompetence at $40 an hour they didn't ruin my Vermont Wednesday.






The Vermont Autumn leaf displays pale Roger Williams great hit of 50 years ago: Autumn Leaves.. Nothing in the world equals the emblazoned Green Mountains of this one day. It was my tonic needed as I got closer and closer to Plymouth Notch, VT located on Route 100A off Route 4.Truly scintillating!








Vermont was the 14th  State admitted into our Union... 1791, maybe. I scored big in my Political Science class at Saint Louis by knowing the answer to the professors question. In Vietnam I further fell in love with the Vermont syndrome of unbelievable proportions.






National Geographic featured something Entitled  "FROM SWORD TO SCYTHE IN CHAMPLAIN COUNTY"... NAT GEO  AUGUST 1967!






 I then thought  'Someday I will own a farmhouse!" .. and my vision came true in 1989 in my own back yard.. a Sturbridge Village Reproduction.. 3,800 square feet... My Dream Home.



OSV ORIGINAL


MY 1747 REPRODUCTION

 In Vietnam my heart throbbed yearning for my home and mother and father.








My brightest days and my life's darkest days are found in Vermont.




FIRED AS A SCHOOL JANITOR THEN STRICKEN WITH MDS.


I won't belabor these two issues as they are long ago and far away. I got canned by a Principal who didn't want to hear the truth and later in the Spring of 2003 I was stricken with myelodysplasia ending up in the White River Junction VA Hospital until Josh and Heidi rescued me to Mass General. Today I live in remission.




STAMP  COLLECTOR


President Calvin Coolidge is featured on the $5.00 Presidential Series postage stamp... one of my all time favorites. Scotts 834 came in from CONUS when I served a Unit Mail Clerk.. a lined pair.. were mine for the asking.


MAPLE SYRUP


Who doesn't like Vermont Made stuff.. Sweet Little Sixteen!


SUMMARY


And so it goes VERMONT! Now SonJosh and family ae discovering the Vermont I know... from Hogback Mountain to the whole state on I-91 and I-89. It is so unique, historical and Presidential. Rusticate to the Green Mountains and enjoy your lives as I try to do...have your desert first.


And oh yes, my X-Ray teacher, Marie, was from Vermont.. that's all I'll say!

















August 1967 Issue

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