The Real Charlie

Thumbs Up to Burlington

Took a break from sharing my thoughts with you all while I did some business travel, got caught up and then took a family vacation to Burlington, Vermont. What a great town. We rented a loft (the only real problem of our trip - open floor plans and light sleeping toddlers do not mix) right in the middle of the incredibly pedestrian friendly city (for those who know the town - on Church Street, at Bank Street, across from the Vermont Craft Store). We had great food, fun at Shelburne Farms with the animals (I held a chicken), swimming in the lake and lots of good walks. I would especially highlight the abundance of very good beer, superior french fries and wonderfully friendly customer service in bars, stores and restaurants.

Suggestions if you make a visit:

If you travel with young folks, Shelburne Farm is not to be missed. Milk a cow, grab a chicken, pig out on cheese samples - how can you go wrong?

Also if you travel with young folks, get a sitter (it's a college town and full of nice reliable young people in need of extra cash who'd love to read to your child while you have dinner and a beer or three)

Food and house brewed beers at American Flatbread.

The Saturday Farmer's Market in City Hall Park.

Beansie's Bus in front of the police station (seriously) for "Michigans" (hot dogs with meat sauce) and awesome fries.

Al French Frys in South Burlington for fries, maple ice cream and an old school lunch joint experience.

Walking around in the evening and enjoying sights and sounds, especially of all the outdoor dining (Boston and Cambridge could learn a lot) and the many very attractive young people.

Tomorrow it's back to the mill for a few hours, then our staff outing to the Cape, then back to work for real on Tuesday.

Back Home to Blog About Bubonic Plague

I took a week of vacation this past week (thus the quiet here at The Real Charlie). I always worry needlessly that my house or work will descend into crisis when I am away, but the house seems fine, the work email seems fine and we'll see what the actual joint is like tomorrow. Abby and I took the girls up to Rockport for a week. It was nice and relaxing. I'll write about the many tasties consumed another time. I am not really a vacation guy - I miss my computer, my books, my colleagues and the bustle of day to day. But having my little ladies to play with made it a lot better:

That's Roxanne and I at Halibut Point State Park at the edge of the abandoned quarry. The "castle" in the background is a WWII era fire control station for the coastal artillery defending the approaches to Boston, now a visitor center. Roxanne is in her famous and much-loved "flag dress." I am clutching her and my Red Sox cap. Damn those Red Sox!

So the MMWR that awaited my return was good enough - lung disease, bed nets, the readiness of the world to contain samples of polio once it is eradicated. But a "dispatch" rushed to publication the same day is a prize winner. The plague is back. Thirteen cases this year, the most since 1994. Several cases of bubonic plague have been diagnosed. Of course, most of the cases involved people in close contact with rodents and dead rabbits out west, and either delayed or poor medical care, and were out west. But still. Plague! I'm preparing to march about town brandishing a dead goat, holding flowers before my nose and blaming the local Jews for the disease. Oh wait, I am one of the local Jews. And flowers make me sniffle. And where the hell will I find a dead goat not already cooked in a tasty curry?

It's nice to be back.