Land of the Subaru Outback
Greetings from Vermont!
We decided, on some kind of crazy whim (probably after the kids had behaved themselves for a couple of days) that we should take a little trip. Our summer is winding down. Hans heads back to school next week and we head home to Minnesota for 10 days.
We hit the road early yesterday morning...destination Freeport, Maine. Home of the world's largest L.L. Bean store, actually L.L. Bean's flagship store. There was actually a dude named Leon L. Bean, or something like that. I don't know why we desired to see the L.L. Bean flagship store. Hans and I aren't really the "outdoorsy" type. I'm not matronly enough to be attracted to their clothing, though I do own L.L. Bean outer wear. And I did find myself strangely attracted to a full-length vintage looking flannel nightgown. Most likely because I had many flannel nightgowns growing up, in my "Little House in the Prairie" phase (some complete with nightcaps).
We ended up getting quite a few things. Josiah got a little field jacket that's an exact replica of Hans'. Won't they look just darling together? Josiah also got a new pair of polar-fleece PJs to replace the pair from Grandma that is too small. He loves those PJs...he keeps trying to put them on at bedtime, even though it's 97 degrees in his room. I keep having to explain that they're too warm for this weather.
Anyway. Hans bought a new pair of woodsy shoes and a polarfleece jacket. He insisted on wearing both today, since we were driving through the White Mountain National Forest and who knows when he might be required to wrestle a bear or climb a rugged mountain?
Annika got a new outfit from the Gap. I don't care for the L.L. Bean clothing for little girls either, but that's because I'm spoiled by Gymboree. But why would Annika need a new outfit, pray tell? Because 20 minutes after we left the house, she threw up all over herself and the carseat. We pulled over, cleaned her up, changed her clothes. And guess what? She threw up on herself and her carseat at least two more times, which required two more changes of clothes. How sweet is that? There is still vomit lodged in some of the cracks and crevices of the carseat. God, it smells great!! So...she needed another outfit because she was going through them at a rate of one every couple of hours. She's fine today and she was fine yesterday whenever she wasn't barfing. We're not sure if she's carsick or what the deal is...
We spent last night in North Conway, New Hampshire. Nice place. This whole area is beautiful, especially Vermont. I've never seen a greener place in my life. The whole state is like a golf course. A golf course punctuated with quaint wooden farmhouses and huge red barns, the odd bucolic cow here and there. Tons of antique and knick-knacky stores, which of course, I can only admire as we speed by. Sigh. Maybe next time.
Anyway, we have amused ourselves whilst traveling through this land by counting the number of Subaru Outback station wagons we see. We started the official count this morning around 10:00 a.m. We are now in Burlington, Vermont and it's 4:00. We counted 291 Subaru Outback station wagons between here and North Conway, New Hampshire...a 150 mile drive.
We're trying to get motivated to get out of our hotel room and head out to see Burlington, which was held up to me as a paragon of perfection when I was an urban studies student. We'll see what sort of mood the kids are in in about half an hour...
We decided, on some kind of crazy whim (probably after the kids had behaved themselves for a couple of days) that we should take a little trip. Our summer is winding down. Hans heads back to school next week and we head home to Minnesota for 10 days.
We hit the road early yesterday morning...destination Freeport, Maine. Home of the world's largest L.L. Bean store, actually L.L. Bean's flagship store. There was actually a dude named Leon L. Bean, or something like that. I don't know why we desired to see the L.L. Bean flagship store. Hans and I aren't really the "outdoorsy" type. I'm not matronly enough to be attracted to their clothing, though I do own L.L. Bean outer wear. And I did find myself strangely attracted to a full-length vintage looking flannel nightgown. Most likely because I had many flannel nightgowns growing up, in my "Little House in the Prairie" phase (some complete with nightcaps).
We ended up getting quite a few things. Josiah got a little field jacket that's an exact replica of Hans'. Won't they look just darling together? Josiah also got a new pair of polar-fleece PJs to replace the pair from Grandma that is too small. He loves those PJs...he keeps trying to put them on at bedtime, even though it's 97 degrees in his room. I keep having to explain that they're too warm for this weather.
Anyway. Hans bought a new pair of woodsy shoes and a polarfleece jacket. He insisted on wearing both today, since we were driving through the White Mountain National Forest and who knows when he might be required to wrestle a bear or climb a rugged mountain?
Annika got a new outfit from the Gap. I don't care for the L.L. Bean clothing for little girls either, but that's because I'm spoiled by Gymboree. But why would Annika need a new outfit, pray tell? Because 20 minutes after we left the house, she threw up all over herself and the carseat. We pulled over, cleaned her up, changed her clothes. And guess what? She threw up on herself and her carseat at least two more times, which required two more changes of clothes. How sweet is that? There is still vomit lodged in some of the cracks and crevices of the carseat. God, it smells great!! So...she needed another outfit because she was going through them at a rate of one every couple of hours. She's fine today and she was fine yesterday whenever she wasn't barfing. We're not sure if she's carsick or what the deal is...
We spent last night in North Conway, New Hampshire. Nice place. This whole area is beautiful, especially Vermont. I've never seen a greener place in my life. The whole state is like a golf course. A golf course punctuated with quaint wooden farmhouses and huge red barns, the odd bucolic cow here and there. Tons of antique and knick-knacky stores, which of course, I can only admire as we speed by. Sigh. Maybe next time.
Anyway, we have amused ourselves whilst traveling through this land by counting the number of Subaru Outback station wagons we see. We started the official count this morning around 10:00 a.m. We are now in Burlington, Vermont and it's 4:00. We counted 291 Subaru Outback station wagons between here and North Conway, New Hampshire...a 150 mile drive.
We're trying to get motivated to get out of our hotel room and head out to see Burlington, which was held up to me as a paragon of perfection when I was an urban studies student. We'll see what sort of mood the kids are in in about half an hour...
Comments
Have a fun and safe trip the rest of the way.