What Not to Buy?
~Thursday, October 7, 2021~
Day 480
It’s that time again….Sadie is due for Rabies and DAP vaccines. But what’s one to do when traveling? You simply call a veterinarian in the town you’re visiting, to schedule a simple 10 minute visit…...or so I thought. I didn’t think it would be that difficult. But enter COVID, and of course anything that would be “normal” has been thrown out the window. What I learned in my hour-long quest, is that due to staffing issues and the protocol in keeping pets and humans safe, most clinics are not accepting “new patients”. Even the Humane Society is a tough one to reach. Believe me, I tried them all, until one animal hospital recommended Onion River Animal Hospital in Berlin, VT (about 20 minutes from our campground). I looked at their reviews which were all favorable. The only way she could be seen on short notice since they were booked 2 weeks out, was “priority care” which is another $30 from the normal visit. I was a little frustrated with that answer, but let it go since we didn’t want to drag out the process. So we’ll be heading there tomorrow along with a CVS visit to pick up more antibiotics for my face disease 😩. The doctor would like to see me continue another 2 weeks since my symptoms, though improved, still persist. It seems to be a very S-L-O-W improvement. I just can’t wait to get rid of this thing once and for all!! Since I was told this is likely from mask wearing, my recommendation if any of you start to see redness around the mouth, is to get it checked EARLY. I think my delay in getting seen is the reason I’m on my third week of antibiotics, not just two.
We spent the morning figuring out our itinerary while in Waterbury and surrounding areas. Of course, Ben and Jerry’s is at the top of the list with their production headquartered right here in Waterbury. Sadly, the factory tour and gift shop are closed and have been since March of 2020 due to the pandemic. They are hopeful in revamping their tours in the early part of 2022. But not all’s lost as the grounds and ice cream shop were in full swing. It was funny to read that they even have a “flavor graveyard” for the varieties that didn’t quite make the cut. Anyway, our to-do list is extensive, so stay tuned.
If you’ve been a faithful follower, you know that we’ve somewhat got a routine when arriving at new places. The travel day is shot for obvious reasons. The following day, generally is a day to slowly ease into new surroundings, maybe get some laundry done, grocery shop, etc. By day 3 we are ready to hit the road running!! Being day 2, we took advantage of the local Costco AND Trader Joe’s in South Burlington where we even managed to get a few Christmas gifts. We keep hearing how empty the shelves will be if we wait too long. So it was nice to get a few of the biggees tackled. We keep hearing from the locals, Vermonter’s (as they’re called), that we have timed our arrival perfectly with the Fall colors reaching their peak. It really is so exciting that we’re in the heart of it. The clerk at Trader Joe’s said she’s lived in Vermont her entire life of 25 years, and said she couldn’t imagine living anywhere else since she loves the distinct seasons, the amount of outdoor activities and the genuineness of the people. We’re absolutely witness to all of that, though we’re only seeing one season. It's Fall unlike anywhere else in the country.
We were in a hurry to get back to the campground since the generator hours are pretty limited (from 4:00-6:00). We had about 45 minutes left, but at least it’s something. As usual, the big shopping days require a rubix cube of rearranging fridges and cabinets which took about an hour. Tonight...Wild Salmon with a fig/wine reduction sauce, potatoes and asparagus. Yum!!