Vermont - day one

When Darcy got the job in Hawaii, the hubby suggested we meet her there. I've been to every state in the U.S. except for Hawaii and Alaska. The Aloha State was on my bucket list, but that was back in my Magnum P.I. days, and now visiting that state wouldn't even make the top ten. He next suggested Ireland.

Me: "Why are you choosing places that require a long plane ride where my feet will swell?"

Tom: "Where do you want to go?"

Me: "Vermont."

Damn it, I really wanted to go to Smuggler's Notch. 

Years ago, I saw an advertisement for this place and sent away for the DVD. I watched it twice, wishing I had the money to take my family. It's more of a ski resort but claims it's also an award winning family summer resort. 

Several years later, Wyndham added it to their resorts! Yet, I couldn't get anyone to travel there with me.

Tom: "What's there to do in Vermont?"

I wore him down. He agreed, and we booked the flights. I booked the Wyndham, asking for an upgrade as I always do. Then, I invited my brother and my SIL to join us.

Rusty: "What's there to do in Vermont?"

Men!

They couldn't go because they had flights to California around that time. Madison had school and the dog. Darcy considered it but chose a New York work camp instead. We were solo.

I thought we might not get there because Tom had this upper respiratory thing going on, but he was determined, and we made it onto the plane.

I made him wear a mask and wore one, too, because I had managed to stay germ-free for two months around these sickos. I wasn't about to pick up something in an airplane. 

We had an empty seat between us on the flight to D.C., but our next flight was full. Tom sat next to a guy who recognized us from the first flight. When he heard about our travels to Smuggler's Notch, he gave us a list of recommended places, most of them restaurants, as he was a retired chef. I jotted them all down.

The view at the Burlington airport was gorgeous.

The weather was in the 80's, but it wasn't as humid. We were there in the middle, after the summer season and before the fall foliage season. The crowds would arrive in the next two weeks, so we had minimal people and traffic. 

The drive to Smuggler's Notch was about an hour. We arrived at dusk. Check-in was a breeze. They only asked for identity verification and gave us a map and directions to our building. I had choices when I reserved the unit, but not knowing anything about the resort, I had to fly blind. We were given the upgrade to a three-bedroom.

I was disappointed. While large, spacious, and clean, the unit needed to be updated. There were stains on the carpet. The furnishings and appliances were antiquated, and there was no ice maker. But we had plenty of beds, a gas fireplace, and a back porch that opened into a wooded area. 

Tom could've cared less about the unit's state or the resort, which differed from how I remembered the video. His positivity pulled me out of my funk, but not until later. We shopped at the resort's small grocery for a few essentials, unpacked, and then went to the resort restaurant for dinner.

We were at the bottom of the staircase reading the menu when a couple descended and told us the kitchen closed at 7:30, even though the hours said nine. They weren't encouraging about driving into town, where they claimed crowds waited in line. Tom and I trudged back to our car and turned to Yelp, choosing a restaurant near the resort. 

When we pulled into the parking lot, there was one car. I didn't think that was a good sign, but when we got to the door, a sign tacked on the glass told us the entire staff was attending an employee's wedding. They would return with live music and snacks after nine. 

Tom: "We can't win."

Yelp directed us several miles to the Burger Barn, a food truck in the middle of a dark cow pasture. They only took cash, and Tom, who's worse about carrying cash than me, started laughing. 

Tom: "I'm starving, but you have to admit this is funny."

I was tired, hungry, and still annoyed about the unit, so I only gave him a bland smile, but I did have cash. We didn't starve. We got the burgers and drove back to the unit, where we started a fire and ate.

Tom: "We're only here to sleep and eat, and it's more than adequate. It's huge. It's as big as our house. We'll be fine."

Day one in the books.