How to fill time in retirement

On Thursday, I was shopping at Publix, buying some items for dinner when I received a text from my friend Dustin.  He said our mutual friend Tom had been promoted and they were having drinks at World of Beers, could I make it?  I try not to turn down offers from friends, mostly when a beer is involved so I asked how long they were going to be there. It was long enough so I left my groceries at the house, and headed to Viera.  Having a beer with friends is one of my favorite things to do since I retired.  Actually, I did it pretty well before retirement. Dustin, Gavin, Tom  Gavin was there, an USAF ex-captain with a PhD.  Interesting combo but I always enjoyed working with Gavin. Dustin is a Chemical Engineer, and quite the ladies man, or was that a manly lady?  I need to go eat at Franciscos with him soon. I miss his Spanish. Tom, on the right, was the recently promoted and the cause for celebration. Don, Troy, Greg (Jeremiah in white) ...

After visiting the Paquettes during their time of grief, as my brother Tom and I were leaving, David mentioned his father was going to be competing in the Addison County Fair & Field Days hand-mowing in two days.  I was suppose to being playing a round of golf with some Vermont golf buddies at Neshobe, but I felt that I may not get too many more chances to see Mr. Paquette mow. He was turning 99 years old in a week, but again, he has been part of Field Days my whole life. The original Field Days was started by Mr. Paquette in 1948 as a means for sharing (exhibiting) agriculture techniques and advancements.  You see, he was a local Extension Agent for Addison County and part of his job was helping the farmers and growers in the area.  One of the main exhibit halls at the current site in New Haven is named for Mr. Paquette. Sign on south side of building The Paquette exhibit building is very big and I can say it is appropriately named.  In my short time the...

I arrived in Middlebury Vermont on August 2.  This was the town I was born in and raised through high school.  I spent 3 summers at the house while at the University of Vermont, staying with brother Tom and his wife Robin and their son Brandon. Eventually, Josh was born. Tom and Josh on the back deck Now in 2015, Tom still lives at the house, and my nephew Josh was there too.  This time I had decided to spend my time in a tent pitched in the back yard, a trial run for future retirement adventures. But I digress from the subject matter of this post.  Tom, Josh and I were sitting on the back deck, drinking cool beverages when I noticed that there were way more cars than usual at the Paquette house across the street. Tom said that Dennis, the oldest of the twelve kids must have died.  I was a little shocked, knowing that one of the guys was sick, but not this serious. Paquette house on Weybridge Street As we were sitting and discussing Dennis, Mike Paq...

What I like to try every once in a while is a beer....of course, most of the time I try ales, lagers, stouts, porters... While in Vermont recently, my brother had told me I should visit the Magic Hat Brewery in South Burlington. I drink Magic Hat #9 often in Florida as most bars have it on tap now.  It always fun to let a person taste it and ask them what the fruit flavor is.  The beer itself never says what the hidden treat is, so unless you know, or are an expert at tasting things, most people admit the flavor is familiar but are unable to correctly identify it.   The answer is apricot... As I turned onto the side street off of Route 7 after a short ride from Middlebury (with a few excursions), the first thing I see is some kind of weird contraption near the guest entrance. I think it is a beer lighthouse!  As I entered the brewery, I was overwhelmed with the darkness and neon lights; I felt like I was in a Halloween Haunted House.  A young lad...