I’m just back from my first adventure of winter break…a nice trip to Plainfield, Vermont. Jake and I took the Vermonter on Saturday night, arriving in Montpelier around 9pm. We discovered that travelling by train is a very reliable and comfortable mode of transit. Although there were cancellations everywhere around us and we heard lots of horror stories about how bad the roads were, the train just chugged along. I even charged my cell phone on the train and we watched an old Indiana Jones movie. We weren’t the only ones who wanted to take the train this year, apparently the Vermonter has been having a record number of passengers this holiday season!

This was also perhaps the most fun I have had in Vermont. We spent one morning shopping in Montpelier (quite successful considering that the snow prevented us from making it to hipper Burlington), tromped around in the forest behind Jake’s house in snowshoes, climbed the roof to shovel off the 2.5 feet of snow that had fallen(!), frolicked around in the snow, were entertained by carollers, took naps by the fire and also drank lots of hot chocolate and ate lots of cookies.

But there are lots more winter adventures to come…perhaps a downhill skiing trip with the bro, perhaps some roommate reunion in the big city of Boston, and who knows what else? I am also happy to sit at home with some books and to practice my Wii Super Mario Kart skills. By the end of vacation, I will be doing all sorts of wheelies and jumps and things and crushing Bowser, Princess Peach, and Donkey Kong.

Sadly, two days before Christmas, I have thought of a whole list of things that I would like to ask for…but it’s too late now. Two weeks ago I was stumped and couldn’t think of even one little thing that I would want, but now I have a lifetime’s worth of little things. Too bad!!!