Grandpa Howard, Knee Pads and a Mean Air Guitar

This past weekend Lauren and I traveled to Utah to visit my 100 year- old grandfather, Howard Sandberg. Born in 1907, Grandpa Howard still enjoys reading the newspaper and eating. A little disconcerting to Lauren was the color of Howard’s feet when he walked into the family room (using his trusty walker). At 100 years of age, his circulatory system isn’t what it used to be. To Lauren’s relief, after a few minutes with his feet elevated they returned to a normal color. But ask yourself, is there a normal anything when you’ve inhabited this planet for a century?

Grandpa Howard is a wealth of family history, and if asked to regale with family stories, he will oblige—of special interest are stories of my father.

We had a very pleasant visit, and I am grateful Lauren had the chance to meet Grandpa Howard.

We also paid a visit to my friend Josh on Saturday morning. We had some tasty bagels and watched his son's soccer game. At the game, the intense Utah sun quickly roasted the top of JC's bald head, but Lauren's quick thinking and some sunscreen averted a major disaster. Editorial Note inserted by Lauren - The sunscreen may or may not have had some sort of self tanning element to it.

The rest of the weekend we spent with my cousin Scott and his family. A brief editorial note on Scott...To the consternation of many, Scott didn’t marry until he was 35. No one in the Sandberg family thought breaking Scott’s family record was possible—until I took up the challenge. With Lauren’s help, I will beat Scott’s record by a few months. Scott has looked down on my accomplishment with no small measure of disdain because of my insignificant margin of victory— part of Scott’s “Go Big or Go Home” philosophy (more on that momentarily). A win is a win is a win—but I digress.

Editorial Note inserted by Lauren - The following picture is not for the faint of heart ...

Eight weeks ago, Scott suffered an unfortunate snow skiing injury. While setting out on what he thought was his last run of the day and the season (a truly prophetic thought), Scott hit an icy jump, went way too “big”, missed the landing zone, and landed in the flat breaking both heels (calcaneus bones for you medical wunderkind). I’m wincing as I type this. Needless to say, Scott has not walked since the accident two months ago. His current mobility choices consist of a wheelchair and a set of kneepads.

I don’t think there’s anyway to adequately paint a picture of Scott crawling around on all fours up and down stairs, into his kids’ room, or mowing the lawn (don’t ask). But I can safely say no one has a better attitude while recovering from a serious injury. And there is no more attentive caregiver than his saintly wife. Editorial Note inserted by Lauren - This saintly wife not only runs a marathon in 3 hours and 15 minutes, but also makes this transcendental banana cake that I will forever crave.

Cousin Scott has two sons. Son #1, age 7, is an accomplished Guitar Hero player (his mother is world class). Son #2, age 4, aspires to someday play Guitar Hero. In the meantime, Son #2 is a precocious, make that prodigious, air guitarist. When I visited last year, he played his battle axe. This trip he transcended the battle axe and graduated to the pantheon of air guitar immortals. He didn’t just play the air guitar, he was swept up in the moment, feeling every note— floppy curly hair covering his eyes, head gyrating, sound effects emanating, fretting, strumming—the complete package. He paid homage to the great rock guitar gods—picture Eddie Van Halen meets Nigel Tufnel.

Thanks to Scott and family for a wonderful weekend of great memories. We look forward to seeing Scott and his wife at the wedding...without the wheelchair or the kneepads.

Accommodations in Manchester and Dorset

During our trip to Vermont we also looked into accommodations for our guests. This proved to be more difficult than either one of us had ever imagined. With the exception of the Equinox, there are no large hotels in the Manchester/Dorset area. Lodging is comprised mainly of small to medium sized family owned inns. Some of these places we consider to be very “country” and some of them are a little more contemporary. We suggest that you visit the websites of these inns or call Lauren to figure out which style you would prefer most. Also, September is prime time for tourism … so remember to book early!

The Equinox Hotel (Manchester, VT)
www.equinoxresort.com
Rates from $399 plus a $25 resort fee per night

The Dorset Inn (Dorset, VT)
www.dorsetinn.com
Rates from $350 per night

* Both the Equinox Hotel and the Dorset Inn have undergone major renovations in the last year.

The Barnstead Inn (Manchester, VT)
www.barnsteadinn.com
Rates from $110 per night

The Inn at Willow Pond (Manchester, VT)
www.innatwillowpond.com
Rates from $198 per night

The Manchester View Motel (Manchester, VT)
www.manchesterview.com
Rates from $115 per night

The Wilburton Inn (Manchester, VT)
www.wilburtoninn.com
Rates from $150 a night

The Inn at West View Farm (Dorset, VT)
www.innatwestviewfarm.com
Rates from $110 per night

The Barrows House (Dorset, VT)
www.barrowshouse.com
Rates from $145 per night

The Dovetail Inn (Dorset, VT)
www.dovetailinn.com
Rates from $85 per night

The Marble West Inn (Dorset, VT)
www.marblewestinn.com
Rates from $125 per night

Wedding Planning ... JC and Lauren Style

JC and I visited Vermont in April to kick off the wedding planning with my parents, Steve and Lee Jones. We met with our florist, had our cake tasting and my Dad treated us both to a special Steve Jones' mud-season off-roading adventure (please keep at least one eye on the road at all times Dad).

JC has been really involved in the whole wedding planning process. Here we are looking at flowers and linens with our florist Nancy ...

Hmm, I'm sure he was just using that computer to get ideas for floral arrangements.

Actually, I have to give credit where credit is due, JC has been very involved in the whole wedding planning process. He picked out those pink "Save the Date" notices you all received and is looking forward to never living it down with his best friend, Jon.

Getting to Vermont ... Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Getting to Manchester, Vermont is no easy task. It often involves multiples modes of transportation and deft driving abilities. For those traveling by plane, the recommended airport is Albany International Airport (ALB), New York. After reading this some of you might be wondering why you are flying into an airport in another state. Take my word for it, Albany, New York is the closest airport to Manchester, Vermont. The drive from Albany to Manchester is about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

From Albany Airport to Manchester, Vermont

Leave the airport and take I-87 North (2.8 mi);
Merge onto NY-7 E via EXIT 7 toward TROY/ COHOES (29.1 mi);
Turn SLIGHT LEFT onto the BENNINGTON BYPASS (Crossing into VERMONT) (1.2 mi);
The BENNINGTON BYPASS becomes VT-279 E (4.6 mi);
Stay STRAIGHT to go onto US-7 N (20.9 mi);
Take the VT-11 W/ VT-30 N exit, EXIT 4, toward HISTORIC VT-7A (0.3 mi);
Turn LEFT onto VT-11/ VT-30/ DEPOT ST (1.5 mi);
End at Manchester Center, Vermont

From Manchester to Dorset, Vermont
Continue on VT-30 N (6 mi)
End at Dorset, Vermont

Curly Hair and a Red Sweater (but not Mr. Rogers' sweater)

Every story has a beginning, and the best stories we hope never end. So the story of Lauren and JC (the Seven Year Itch) begins in the summer of 2001 with curly hair and a red sweater. Summer 2001 was an interesting political time in Washington, DC. Throughout early 2001, a moderate Republican Senator from Vermont was growing more and more disillusioned with the direction the newly-elected President was taking the Republican party. On May 24, 2001, that growing discontent boiled over and Senator Jim Jeffords left the Republican party, giving Democrats control of the United States Senate.

This event became an important footnote in our personal history. Lost in the political earthquake that day in May was a newly-minted counsel to the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Jeffords assumed the leadership of that committee from Harry Reid and, given the opportunity, I decided to stay on the committee staff and work with the new Chairman and committee Democrats.

The day after the switch, Lauren, fresh out of college, joined Senator Jeffords' personal office as a staff assistant. For some reason, I have never forgotten the first time I saw Lauren. It wasn’t that sparks flew, because they didn’t (that would come years later), but I distinctly remember her curly hair and red sweater sitting behind a desk in the Jeffords’ reception area answering phones. We wouldn’t begin dating for several years, but that first introduction began our story. And seven years later, after many twists and turns, a profound friendship, and a little cajoling, our story, like the best stories, has no end in sight.

So, I thank Jim Jeffords for many things, but most of all, I thank him for Lauren.

Put simply—no Jeffords’ switch, no Lauren and JC.