Back in the Hood

October 7-14, 2019

Boston Minuteman Campground, Littleton, Massachusetts

Day 115-122

The closest campsite to my sister’s in Belmont is in Littleton. I take Route 20 east, parallel to the Mass Pike for most of the trip. This is also known as the Post Road…part of the original Pony Express route. We used to live on it, in Sudbury, when I was in elementary school. The portion I am on today is not as quaint as I remember. It’s better than the highway, but not by much as the four lanes (two lanes when I was small) were really tight. I basically had a few inches to spare on each side. I drove thru Marlboro, Hudson (used to live there too), Boxboro (and here as well), Harvard (not the school, the town) and then on to Littleton.

I wish I could have pulled over to take a picture on this gorgeous hilly road in Boxboro. As is usually the case, there was no place for me to pull over. What made this road so pretty were the orange and red maples making a canopy over the road and the old farmhouse with a stone fence. The sky was blue with some fluffy white clouds and the air was crisp. This is fall in New England.

Camp is good though a little rustic. The sights are small, but level and clean. They offered to help me park because the spot was at a tricky angle, so I took them up on it. Met some of my neighbors. All really nice and local, with thick accents. There are several groups of families of all ages here too. I feel really safe. Most camps this far north, are now closed for the season. This camp closes right after Columbus Day, next week.

It turns out I am not level, so my neighbor helped me back up on stabilizers to get corrected. The tire was not centered properly on the stabilizer block (12” square, 1” high) so I drove back off it, and back on. I unhitched, but the tongue jack looked a little slanted. I took it up (motorized), then the trailer slipped off the plastic stabilizer blocks under the jack and the tires! Worse, I tried to back up the truck to re-hitch, but the tongue jack was too low and now in it was in the dirt. Shit. I called “Coachnet”, the AAA for trailers, and they said it would be 90 minutes, and a cost. Crap, ok. The problem is the hitch on the trailer is now below the hitch on the truck, which means I can’t re-hitch like this. Argh.

Needing a break, I take Sparky for a walk around camp and meet some other neighbors. About ½ hour later, one of the neighbors comes by and suggests that my jack in the F150 might help. He said it should be hidden behind my passenger seat, and it is. We used that to lift up the trailer hitch and put 3 stabilizer blocks (3”) under the tongue jack. It worked!! I called and cancelled road assistance. What a great lesson, I feel so empowered. Also, what a great neighbor! I have had the best experience with camping neighbors. I decided to scrap putting back the levelers under the tires again. The rig was not too far from level anyway.

Talk about nice neighbors, the wife across the driveway came by to check-in on me. Turns out their truck needs a starter and they are stuck for a few days. Fortunately, they are part of the bigger family group so they have company. We talked about my rig jack slipping off and that the truck jack saved the day. She was happy to know this just in case this happens to them, and she didn’t know they have a hidden jack in their truck too.

Walked Sparky again and now the hip is hurting. Met another nice couple a few rigs down. They are from California too (and Arizona). They suggested I get a Garmin truck GPS unit which would help insure safe routes with the trailer. They also said to look into Prescot, AZ for retirement.

Later, while watching the news, I learn about the mosquito problem here. It was warm today and I remember squashing a really huge one on my arm. Turns out that it has been a huge health issue this year with even some fatalities! I go into the camp office and there is a warning sign about them, but the staff says our area should be fine as they spray. Plus, it’s getting colder, so they are dying off. My sister tells me later that some local school sports had been cancelled this season because of the mosquito problem. Geeze!

Day 2 - Started the day doing laundry, which always feels great. Then, my sister had made an appointment for me at a dentist near her. I just needed my teeth cleaned, nothing special. This was not her dentist though and she had never been to him before. Old school, just a dentist and receptionist. How bad could it be? Well, let’s just say I miss my old dentist in SF; his office was new, clean and had great staff. This office was old and not clean, though his equipment was. I think I will do my own research for teeth cleaning next time.

Stopped by her house so the dogs could play, then stopped off at Wilson’s Farm in Lexington for provisions. Wilson’s started off as a small family farm over 120 years ago and now sells a full range of produce, specialty foods, cheese, meats and more. It still has that small market feeling. We lived in Lexington when I was in 6-10th grades. I loved it. It’s a great town to raise a family. The schools are good, it has a nice downtown and a lot of revolutionary war history. Plus I made two really great friends there that I am still in touch with.

On the way home, I tried to go to Walden Pond. I took my swimming lessons there when I was in elementary school and would ride my bike there in junior high. I can remember swimming across the pond and eating wild blueberries during the summer. Now, because it’s part of the National Park system, it’s not that accessible. Parking is $19 day and across the street – too far for me to walk with my hip situation. Plus, they don’t allow dogs; too bad. Hopefully I can make it back there after the surgery. Sunset was beautiful, but no place to pull over for pics. I get back right at dark, happy and content to stay in.

Day 3 - Boy, I can’t believe I slept to 8:45 am! Usually I am up around 6 am, or at the latest sunrise. I guess I needed the extra sleep. Started off with most office stuff. Gave into getting Amazon Prime. I am springing for the Andersen Levelers which look like red slivers of a circle that you drive up on. They are supposed to be the best and easiest, versus the 1” orange lego-like blocks I have been using.

Found a great place to throw the ball for Sparky – a field in nearby Carlisle, overlooking an old graveyard, hidden from the street. We get a lot of exercise in and he’s happy. Now off to my oldest friend, Marianne's, and then to the Burlington Mall to run errands. We spent a lot of time there on the weekends when we were in junior high. Her mom worked at the mall, and I worked even worked there one Christmas as Filene’s.

It’s raining now and dark. They don’t have reflectors or even reflective paint on the roads, so it’s hard to see where you are going at night. I hate that about roads in the New England. I understand why they don’t have reflectors (snow removal), but not reflective paint? Seems so logical and easy.

Day 4 - My sister Sarah is finally coming by to see my trailer! She saw a version of it last year at the dealer in NH, but not mine. We had breakfast and visited for a bit. I think she feels better now about the whole trailer thing and says she will staying with me (and my other sister Jill) when we go see my brother Alfie next week in Maine.

Later I take Sparky to the dog field next to the cemetery again, on my way to my friend Karen’s parent’s house in Lexington (I saw her in New York). They were really great to me growing up and it was really nice visiting with them. From there, I met up with Marianne again, back at my trailer. It’s nice having friends and family see my new home.

Chilly night! I just ran out of 1 propane tank, which lasted about one month. I have two, so it's not a problem. There’s a Nor’easter storm along the coast but I am fine here, about 1 hour outside Boston.

Trees are starting to turn color, but there has been some rain, so leaves are falling. It’s pretty and most of the back roads I am driving are smooth and gentling curving making driving fun thru canopies of mostly maples and oak.

Sugar Maples are the ones that give off the most magnificent fall colors; which happens when the weather is starts to freeze at night, shocking the sap in its veins. They are also the ones used for syrup. When I was little, we had several Sugar Maples and would always make homemade maple syrup when possible. It comes out of the tree looking like water. The tree is tapped once it is below freezing during the day and freezing at night. You put a coffee can under the spigot and wait for it to fill. Then you boil it down to a syrup (1 gallon sap = about 1/3 cup syrup). Towards the end, you need to watch it otherwise it will burn. It's so good.

Back at "home", I notice the smell of pine trees. There are lots of sturdy trees here and I feel like I’m a kid at camp. All my neighbors have been great; most are couples 70+. Everyone waves and says hello. Most are local but there are a few like me from far away. A lot of people have fires. It’s cozy. There are only a few campgrounds outside Boston, and this one is very popular. I’m lucky to have gotten in, they are sold out thru the end of next week, then close for the season. I am home, but not home yet.

Day 5 - Did an other early load of laundry, walked Sparky and then met another nice couple and their granddaughter from Texas. They have an Airstream too! It’s a vintage and are having a great time as well.

I meet up with my sister, we go to lunch at Legal Seafoods. Their whole menu is gluten free including their fried clams (with lots of bellies), which are excellent. You would never know the coating was GF. What made lunch even better was the martini. Stayed at her house instead of driving back late, plus the two dogs got more time together.

Day 6 - Visited my Aunt Ester in the North End of Boston today. Parking is impossible here, but there’s a lot a few blocks away and that’s about as far as I can walk. I have Sparky with me, and we all visit for a while. Modern Pastry, a traditional Italian bakery, is right around the corner; but I don’t go. I don’t eat that way anymore and would only regret it later. We used to come into the North End when I was little. My father would always pick up cannoli’s and ricotta pie at either Modern or Mike’s. These are cash only shops with a constant backup of double-parked cars outside. It’s nice to see that it’s still an authentically Italian neighborhood.

On the way back towards camp, I meet up with my sister again and get Sparky more exercise. Then, I get my first hair cut since leaving SF. It’s just a trim. I'm growing it out because it’s easier to manage, plus I like the ponytails. I finish the day with cleaning out the black/grey tanks.

Day 7 - My oldest sister Jill, from La Jolla, CA joins me today. She flew in yesterday and stayed with friends in Boston. Sarah brings her out, as well as her daughter Caroline who hasn’t seen the trailer yet. Jill saw the trailer in storage, after I purchased it in California, but not yet on the road.

Usually when I set up camp, I don’t fuss with décor outside (rug and chairs); but today I do. We all visit for a bit then hit the road to explore. I think mentioned before, we all love driving back roads. I’m the passenger which is a nice change. We go thru Groton and other surrounding towns discovering spectacular foliage. Sadly, I made the mistake of giving Sparky a few small pieces of my angus burger after lunch. Poor little guy, it was just too rich for him; so much so that he wouldn’t even let anyone rub his tummy. He just about bit my niece while she was giving him a belly rub. Without going into horrific details, he expelled a horrific amount of smelly gas all afternoon. It was not fun for any of us.

Sarah and Caroline drop us off; and Jill and I go out again to get Sparky some exercise. We go back to the field near the cemetery, and he get an epic workout from my sister. Then we go shopping for a cane, for me. She gets me a cute turquoise one, and I can’t believe how much of a difference it makes. I have been listing for some time and putting more pressure on my knees. I don’t care how it looks, or I look, it’s only temporary and I feel better. Best gift ever.

The hip hurts me so much I am thinking of not going to NYC to meet with my other sister Vicky in a few weeks. It’s great having Jill here, helping with Sparky.