There was a picture of downtown Springfield taken looking across the raging Black River during the flood of 1927 in yesterday's New York Times. Maybe some of you saw it in other papers, it is circulating because of recent scientific discoveries about stormy weather.

I agree with Pat. I'm soooo far away in the opposite direction. But I'll always be a Vermonter no matter where life takes me!!!

It' great that you live where you can still be with "old" friends. I miss that way up here. I' ll always be from away.

I just had lunch with Robin Way. We had a great time!

I was seated at a table for 4! It was at least in a back corner and once the people at the surrounding tables stopped staring, I had a lovely meal. Of course I read my book between visits from the waitress. Hiding behind the pages of a paperback novel in the down time between salad and fetucini alfredo. Next time I'll look for the local guy/gal!

Thanks Richard!!! Should we take his advice, Patti?

You all sound like you are from "where the women are strong, the men are handsome, and all of the children are above average" (Lake Wobegone). Not that there is anything wrong with it. I think the dinner alone thing is hard regardless of who you are, and sometimes even worse depending on where you are. If you are going to be eating alone in an unfamiliar place, I learned (by chance) a great technique to end up in a good place. Find a local person that looks really interesting to you (for whatever reason) and ask them for a recommendation. They will probably send you to a place filled with people just like themselves. I tried this in Truckee, CA and ended up in a place with about 40 beautiful, young women and only one other man. The ambience was spectacular, the food was very good, and my behavior was more than acceptable for a man that definitely knows better. Shoot me for being honest, but I have learned something out there on the road.

Yes, Patti, I know what you mean about being able to do things at your own pace! It is nice sometimes. I don't like the eating alone part so much, but doing things TOTALLY my way? What's wrong with that?! Avi would go crazy at the pace I set for myself when I'm alone in Israel. I don't leave myself much time to rest cuz I want to see friends and family as much as possible when I'm there. Must have been exhausting for you driving for a few hours in the rain, though.

Good to "see" you here again, Jerry!

Hi everyone, nice to see so many recent "voices". I've been missing a couple of notes and just adjusted to show last 25 posts, that caught me up on at least one.

Got in last evening from a business trip to Augusta. Left TH from school, drove 4 hours south stopping for a 1/2 visit with Kevin, my 21 year old, in Old Town and finishing up in Augusta by 7ish. Beautiful colors and vistas. Fri was a day of technology workshops for educators. They were o.k. I was tired out by the end of the day and decided to take my migraine to the Hampton Inn in Bangor 1 1/2 hrs. north and spend the night. Had a nice supper at the Olive Garden. Single woman dining alone, a little weird for me, but o.k. Got a good nights sleep and watched The Moulin Rouge over breakfast. Did my bit for the local economy, and headed north. Home around 5. It was the first time I'd "traveled" completely alone in a number of years. I actually enjoyed the ability to come and go at my own pace. Very relaxing. No worries about a spouse bored, reading the newspaper in the annex. Tough rainy trip though. Amazing how traffic didn't seem to slow down in spite of diminished visibility and slippery roads on the highway. I set the ole cruise control and wandered homeward. Can't compare to a kayak trip up the coast but an adventure for me none the less. :-)