Introduction to Robert Frost poetry needed? Try these.

"The Pasture"

"Mending Wall"

"Two Tramps in Mud Time"

Only poet to win the Pulitzer Prize four times.

Liked to be known as a farmer and teacher.

Father died when he was young. Wife died before him. Younger sister died before him after he had to commit her to a hospital for mental illness. Had two children die in infancy. Another one died as an adult.

Only poet to speak at an inauguration. Kennedy's.

"Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening" has been done really well in a children's book with illustrations by Susan Jeffers.

He had a habit of sleeping late after staying up late chatting with friends.

He was sloppy in dress.

"I had a lover's quarrel with the world" is on his tombstone.

While in Lake Placid, we stayed at Whiteface Lodge. I waited for awhile to book our place to stay searching for the best deal. One of my anxieties is manifested in booking a place that looks great on the internet only to get there and find that it is a run-down trailer in a trailer park behind a landfill.

This did not happen.

When I first began looking, I noticed Whiteface Lodge because it was rustic in an Old Faithful Inn way, like a huge log cabin. That is what we like, but the price put me off immediately. Then, because I took some time to book lodging, I looked back at sidestep.com, the site that I use to book most trip plans, and saw that the lodge was running their own "March Madness" special which meant greatly reduced rates for Sundays through Thursdays in the month of March. So, for those days, I booked it and was not disappointed. I want Leslie to love the places we stay, and she loved this one.

It was an all suite place with a fireplace, a deck, and a bunch of other things that made us conclude that it is the nicest place we have ever stayed which isn't saying tons because we typically, especially when all of us travel, don't stay at nice places. This place was a treat.

March 11, 1989. Leslie and I were married at the Pipeline Road Church of Christ, it the evening, ceremony performed by my dad. We went to Vermont.

We just celebrated our 20th anniversary though on the 11th we actually did not officially have any special celebration. On the 13th, this past Friday, we flew to Boston. Below, I summarize the trip with a few observations to follow in the next couple of days.

First, before the anniversary trip, on the 10th, I returned from Orlando, Florida, as a sponsor for our seniors who visited DisneyWorld for their senior trip. We stayed at All Star Movies and had four days of hopping parks. The students were great. I spent most of my time at Epcot though I visited all of the parks and most of them alone, walking and watching, thinking. I spent the least amount of time at Magic Kingdom. Riding just a few rides, I primarily enjoyed the slow pace of going where I wanted to go, when I wanted to go there and leaving when I wanted to leave. Due to the sponsor make-up, I had a room to myself, and that was nice.

Landed on the evening of the 10th, but Leslie and the kids were not there. She had packed the kids for the night and headed to College Station to watch Cal State Fullerton visit Olsen field and to play the Aggies. Though the game was won by the Titans, the visiting with friend was a treat.

Took off with Leslie on the 13th landing in Boston at 12:40 am, rented a car, headed west on I-90 toward New York state. Our three children stayed with the Waldrons for the first couple of days before my parents arrived to finish out the supervision.

In deciding where we were to visit, Leslie and I typically enjoy going to places that we have not visited. We have long wanted to go to the Adirondack Mountains in northern New York. Lake Placid, home to two winter Olympics, most notably the miracle on ice when the U.S.A. won Olympic gold in hockey, was our destination.

We had one stop before Lake Placid.

Leaving Boston, we found an Econolodge in Worcester, Mass, and got a few hours of sleep before picking up our journey. Into New York, we travelled south to Hyde Park for the purpose of visiting Franklin Roosevelt's presidential museum.

After that we completed, we headed north through Albany, the capital, into Adirondack Park and Lake Placid. Stayed in the Pines Inn the first night before three night in Whiteface Lodge. A treat.

We left on the morning of the 18th at 6 am headed back to Boston arriving early enough to visit JFK's presidential library. Loaded the place at 4:09 and landed back at DFW four hours later.

There is the summary. Now just a few observations before I close tonight only to pick up tomorrow.

Some of you know that I have loathed flying forever. I no longer mind it = modern medicine. Approximately 45 minutes prior to take off, I open bottle, walk to water fountain, down a couple, and take in all of the wonders of leaving the surface of the earth.

A couple of quick observations about the presidential libraries.

FDR's was very enjoyable. Personal. A great tour guide. A lot of insights into the man, his family. He and his wife a buried in the rose garden there in little sunken places in the ground.
JFK's was ok. Not personal. Set up nicely in a sterile, organized fashion which I liked the same way that I like zoos that are laid out logically because it makes the anxiety about missing something go away. Unusual presentation about the assassination.
Both men had affairs, and neither library had any mention of these indiscretions. Just a notice.

About Boston.

I love Boston because of the history, the accents, the neighborhoods that are glued together but are completely separate but make the whole fascinating. There is an earthiness to Boston. And the history is everywhere and not just the ones you know. Look on a detailed map. Tons. Leslie likes the history but not the city so much.

Vermont

We drove to Vermont because we were close enough. Drove into Middlebury home of Middlebury College and a great Vermont town, not a village in the New England postcard or calendar sort of way. Robert Frost taught his craft at Middlebury College at the
Bread Loaf writing conference. I bought a new book on Frost at the Old Vermont Book Store in town.

Enough for tonight.