[OCTOBER] Parents Weekend

We had a really great weekend up in Burlington, VT visiting Katie at the University of Vermont.  It's her sophomore year and Katie seems really happy and is enjoying college.  Parenting is really hard - when kids are young it's an intense combination of extreme love and a grind of constant hard work.  But when that child grows up, there's a sense of sitting back and enjoying the results (not really "results" but you know what I mean.)  That's the stage we're in now.

My personal advice: If financial considerations do not hold you back, go away to college.  Preferably 3-4 hrs away from home.  I know being an hour from home sounds comforting as a high school kid, but it's too close.  You need to feel out of the immediate scope of your childhood life. and your parents  College is where you'll experience the highest rate of personal growth in your life and the independence that comes with being out there on your own is a big part of it.  

If you're headed to VT you gotta wear flannel.  I think it's a state law...

Love the drive up there.

Hammocking is a big thing at UVM.  So of course we had to take Katie's hammock for a spin.

Burlington has a pedestrian-only street called Church St.  It's the hub of downtown is a cool place to hang.

Dramatic views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mts from Mt. Philo.  (NOTE: it's Philo - with an "0", not Phila.  If it was Phila I would have run screaming the other direction (a little Phila burn right there...)

Mt. Philo views.

Mt. Philo.

Great sunset over the lake rom the backyard of our Airbnb.  Wow.

What can make that sunset even better?  Listening to the radio call of the Mets come-from-behind playoff win against the Phillies. Let's Go Mets!

2nd floor breakfast in front of this gigantic window.

[Burlington Skate Park]  Not sure what this sticker is supposed to mean.

Katie said she wanted a ladder for her lofted bed. So I worked feverously last week building this - it came out pretty nice if I do say so myself. When we arrived I proudly carried it up to her room, leaned it against her bed and she immediately said “no thank you”. And she’s a very easy kid all around, so it’s not her being a pain in the ass. Maybe she was looking for a 90-degree straight up ladder? But here I was proud to have built this thing with all this love for my daughter and it was an instant flop. Frowny face. ​

I was excited when I saw this flyer for the Turnip Festival.  Mrs. G was less excited.