Lake Champlain Vermont

Lake Champlain. I never really gave it much thought, but if you were to have asked me if I was planning on camping on Lake Champlain, I'm pretty sure I would have said "Not a chance!" I have a little history with this lake. It's not horrible, just a previous life. When I was married for the first time, my wife's family, who are from North Jersey, had a lake house on Lake Champlain in Vermont. When I moved the family from California to Virginia and then to New Jersey we were definitely within striking distance of Vermont.

Being on the east coast and closer to Vermont we made a few treks up there and had a great time. It's a very beautiful part of the country and being up here again after so long does dredge up some memories. Good memories of fun experiences at the time but still a reminder of a failed marriage, which is not so great.

Writing about this reminds me that a lot of my travels have involved places I've been before in previous years in very different circumstances and in a way has been a little cathartic. I don't know about you, but I used to avoid those memories and run from them. When a painful memory popped up in my mind, I would say "no, no, no go away!" But I don't do that any longer. I welcome them and relish the memory of that time and then they just fade away. It may hurt for a few seconds given the context of the memory and my relationship at the time, but it then fades away. I just find that so interesting because when I used to say "no" the memory would persist and haunt me. Now I find them interesting and don't judge them and they soon leave me.

Portia and I are now in North Hampton, New Hampshire, and soon will be in Maine for a few days. I really like New Hampshire. The leaves are changing very slowly and there are pockets where color is more prevalent, the transition is interesting to watch.

It has been cool and rainy here the last few days, tomorrow is supposed to be sunny and upper 60's, perfect in my opinion.

Take care, friends.