Arllington and then to archery

We arrived in Arlington, Massachusetts, about 4 pm on Friday.   We had had a late morning leaving Craryville and so were slowed somewhat even before buying Vermont and Connecticut cheeses as a housewarming present for daughter Anne's mother- and father-in-law at Rubiners deli in downtown Great Barrington.

That stop was worth it to taste a number of local cheeses from the Berkshires and Vermont, as well as purchase adequately prepared coffee at Rubi's cafe in an alley behind the cheese shop.  With coffee in hand we had another glance around Great Barrington, which is a very fashionable upscale resort town full of well-to-do good looking vacationers.  Then to the car and a decision to take a backroad across Western Massachusetts, Route 57.  It's a winding slow road through some gorgeous little historically registered villages.

We arrived at the Connecticut River and found ourselves lunch at Salvatore's Restaurant in Springfield. A red-sauce Italian place full of twangy short New England accents.  A quick jump to the Massachusetts Turnpike and a good deal of slow Labor Day weekend traffic to Boston.

We arrived to meet and find grandson and then enjoyed him for the evening with his other grandparents, Oma and Opa.  He is cute, gurgles and is beginning to be more aware, at eight weeks Tuesday, of his environment.  He follows hands and is beginning to recognize faces.

Oma and Opa left quite early to prepare for a trip to New Hampshire and we collapsed into bed.

Saturday, we enjoyed lunch at a favorite, Madrona Cafe, a sidewalk cafe in the center of Arlington.  Good burgers, outstanding onion rings, and a good tuna salad sandwich for Ben.  Young grandson, tied securely to his mother was quiet during lunch.  Many babies which meant Eric and Anne were chatting amiably with their fellow townspeople.

Ben and I took a bus from Arlington in Somerville's Davis Square for beer--to replenish supplies--and coffee at Diesel Cafe.  Good, beautifully designed artwork.  Somewhat bitter.  Then bus home to an afternoon of feeding, changing and dandling.  Dinner of waffles and an early night.  Very good choke-cherry syrup and heavy maple syrup on the waffles.

Today it's off the archery and the lunch with our friend Stacy, who's up in Massachusetts for a year of War College study at Tufts, Harvard and MIT.