Vermont

 Eventually, we did actually arrive in Vermont. 

Nominally, my dad had invited us out, offered to let us stay with him and even paid for the trip. I really can't thank him enough for that.

However, I had warned him that I would probably spend most of the trip lying in bed, reading a book and looking out at the mountain. I also warned him that we'd be spending a lot of time with my mom, who is sick (more of that later). He said that was OK and we should come.

So, we did... and I pretty much nailed it.

I spent the week (less two days of hellish travel) laying bed, reading a book and looking out at Vermont.

This is the view, from my dad's place, our first morning there (for better or worse, the trees block the view of the mountain).

If I'd had my laptop, I could honestly have spent my life there, looking out at that view, reading books. Sadly, I don't have the money to pay for doing that... and if I think Jasper is a small town, it's a teaming metropolis compared to Lincoln.

Still, it was a nice place to spend a couple of days.

I didn't really get to talk to my dad much. I'm torn on whether that's a good thing or a bad thing. He hasn't gone fully MAGA, but he is much more conservative than I am. Our few small conversations involved him trying to explain that sea levels aren't really rising and that refugees are faking their resumes (because if someone really was a doctor from wherever, why was he a janitor in the US). I think I made it pretty clear I wasn't receptive to those positions and the conversations died quickly.

Otherwise, it was nice to lay around, read and look out at that incredible view.