Traveling Times

[tedwords]

"I thank my wicked dreams..." Chappell Roan

For me, I’ve discovered my love of traveling doesn’t so much involve the destination as it does the fun of simply getting away and being elsewhere. 

Yesterday was Corb’s 41st birthday, and since last year was such a big affair, he  wanted something lower key for this year. You know, low C or in that territory. And by this he meant: picking up a table in Winchendon, MA, intended for his second shop space, opening in a few weeks in a store called Fab Finds.

Winchendon is about ninety minutes from Eldredge, and before leaving at noon, we filled our backpacks up with our traveling gear, just in case we decided to make it an overnight. And Corb knew I was chomping at the bit for us to have an overnight. Because, I am all about the overnights. We haven’t done that since our stay in Portsmouth about a month ago and I am overdue.

Sure enough, after picking up the very nice table in Winchendon, which for some reason is also known as Toy Town, we started heading off farther west into Massachusetts. We found a disappointing antique store in Athol called TNT Co Op that the man who sold us the table had recommended. As Bette Davis once said, "What a dump." Athol is a dour little town filled with Trumpy flags, and so was the store, which was nestled next to a gun store and a bondage place. "Hola," said the old white lady seated in the front as we walked in. After our fourth Trump T-shirt, we agreed we didn’t want to support this business and left.

Our journey took us to Amerherst, and a very nice place called The Inn on Boltwood. It sort of reminded me of the Inn we stayed at in Cleveland, The Glidden House, as it was also located in a college area (in this case, UMass Ameherst, of course) and is a historic inn, formerly known as The Lord Jeffrey, built during the Roaring Twenties (if only these 20s could be the Roaring 20s!).

With school about to start in a week, the joint was jumping, especially because there was a summer carnival taking place in the town common, complete with a Ferris wheel, Tilt-a-Whirls and the Pharoah’s revenge. We stopped at a shop on the way into town called The Vintage Cellar (another disappointment for Corb, although I did fill in one more missing issue in my endless Justice League quest). Unlike the last location, however, this one was neatly organized and had a nice vibe. 

Honestly, our nights when we go on these excursions are rather sedate. We check in, do a lot of walking, and find a nice place to eat. For example, in Portsmouth last month, we both had an edible, ate dinner, then had some ice cream, at which point the edible really kicked in, and had a weird walk (for me) back to the lovely Hotel Portsmouth, lay on our bed, and felt the world turn. I was in kind of a slightly paranoid mood that night and had this image as we were walking through the darkness and bright lights that I had actually died half an hour ago and Corb was a guide leading me to the the next life…

I kind of get imaginative in that state.

This time, no such need for imagination, We had a good meal at Johnny's Tavern, a local place brimming with college parents. I had very nice hummus (always a preference of mine if it's on the menu), then some bolognese. Although it was seasoned well, the pita bread filled my belly, leaving little room for the bolognese, but I did managed to find room for a lemon raspberry sorbet for dessert. Had a very mango drink I pretended was a martini. And, cheers, Corb. Happy birthday.

Then, a beautiful walk around the carnival outside the Inn. A few turns around the block to walk the food off, then back to the Inn, where we warmed our feet by the firepit, and I fussed because my phone had run out of electricity. 

Finally, after a really relaxing night, we headed back to the room, where we celebrated his birthday as couples do, then I lay in bed and read some of The Sun Also Rises. I am trying to branch out from George Orwell, and Ernie is certainly the polar opposite.

All in all, I like the feel of Amherst and think I would come back again. It’s morning and I have pulled up a thick armchair in front of a window in my room and I’m typing away. The bell in the church next door is chiming and Corb is in the bathroom getting ready for the day. He is playing Chappell Roan and Femininomenon competes against the sedate sound of the tolling bell. For whom the bell tolls? Chappell Roan, appararently.

After that, back to Eldredge where we picked up his mother for a stop at Corb's favorite antique store, New Bedford Antiques at the Cove. I found another Justice League, so I was happy. And then, off to dinner to finish up his birthday weekend with the family at the Old Grist Mill, a favorite location. 

This is my future, as I envision it. An arbitrary destination, a night spent in a warm, cozy location, a good book to read, good food with friends, and the warm glow of inspiration. I think I could get used to this.