Letter from Vermont

Our new house really felt like a new home to us on July 27 of this year.  Olya called me at the inn to say “I think it might be today,” so I scooted home fast as I could.  Sure enough, our third daughter was born about an hour later after another of Olya’s patented no-dawdle labors.  We named her Renata Zion Hopkins, and at 8 lbs 1 oz, she was born the smallest of our three.  Klara and Agatha are doing a great job as big sisters.

Agatha has also been helping my father-in-law Vladimir, who has been restoring our front porch to its former glory.  It is so funny to watch her out there with hammer and nail at age 2 while her sister Klara (age 4) wants nothing to do with that and would rather be inside playing her violin or drawing or singing.  The daughters have such distinct personalities already.  Here is a small (winter) shot of our house which shows what Vladimir and Agatha are up against in terms of carpentry.

We’re not the only folks in Brandon putting effort toward a September spruce-up, though.  The Chamber of Commerce has a new and stylish version of its website www.brandon.org.  Vladimir has been a regular customer at Brandon Lumber this summer, and they hosted an open house earlier this month to show off their substantially remodeled showroom and store.  The town has installed a length of new, concrete sidewalk on Park Street.  And our friend Judy at The Inn on Park Street hosted her annual brother-in-law working vacation, when her sister and her husband come up from Florida and do reconstructive and cosmetic procedures on her B&B.

The best part of September in Vermont for our family, though?  Some other time, perhaps.