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Paul Bunyan's Footprint | Deborah Goodwin
Jan. 23, 2013 (ShapeShiftas) -- I'm still recovering from the week last month when my husband was unfortunately away and I had to do ALL the driving.
Living here in the middle of nowhere, Vermont, we spend an inordinate amount of time in the car, all day, every day, all over and back again. Quite the change from our Manhattan life, since there we walked everywhere and didn't even own cars until we moved here. (Well, we had a car in NY when we first moved there, we kept in in a garage on the other side of town, which we would take a taxi to when we used said car.) We really weren't prepared for this side of our idylic country life, and I am sorry for what must be our huge carbon footprint.
Still, I am grateful for the time with the girls, and Vermont is a beautiful state to drive around in. One of the roads that goes through our area, Route 100, is nicknamed the Skiers' Highway, and is one of the top-rated scenic drives in the United States. So any time I get over-stressed behind the wheel I can look out and appreciate the scenery, and try to remember where everyone has to be on what day and what time, and how to get Daughter 1 to fencing and Daughter 2 to dance class (thankfully today these are in the same place at almost the same time!)
After I-don't-know how many times back and forth on the Skier's Highway and over the gap road to Middlebury, you can't help it, you take the scenery for granted and just focus on the chore at hand. If only we could be taking a bus, I wish. It's nearly impossible to get anywhere in Vermont on public transportation, what little service there is doesn't match our schedules. Even the school bus is 22.5 minutes away. I am eagerly awaiting those Google cars I've heard about (here) that drive themselves. Not-so-eagerly awaiting the girls getting their licenses, even though it would make my life so much easier. The worry. The insurance. Maybe I don't really mind being Mommy Chauffeur...
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http://worldnewstrust.com/paul-bunyans-footprint-deborah-goodwin