Normally, I like the rain. It’s conducive to taking rejuvenating naps, takes care of watering the flowers and shrubs when I’m short on time, and makes you slow down to take time for leisurely, intellectual past times like blogging. But enough is enough, already. We in the Northeast have had weeks and weeks of rain showers, and weather forecasters are predicting more precipitation every day until next Friday, which I think will be June 26. This waterlogged spring season has ‘dampened’ my enthusiasm for gardening, which I wanted to take up in earnest this year, just so that we wouldn’t turn out to be the busted house on our block. I also want to get back to cookouts, rent or buy patio furniture and hit the beach. But none of those things are going to happen, if all this rain keeps up. We had better dry out before July and August arrive, bringing their muggy conditions. Otherwise we’ll have to change New Jersey’s name from the Garden State to the Rain Forest State and stock up on OFF bug repellent!

While I wait for sunny days to come back again, the family packed up for a road trip from the Garden State to the Green Mountain State, Vermont. We’re visiting Hubby’s cousin and family. We packed up Little Sister and Baby, rented a Ford Escape and hit the road. We made the trip in seven hours. It felt like 10 hours, because we were traveling with an infant, who kept up her usual pooping regimen. We also had to pull over to feed her because she refused to eat her pureed carrots while the car swerved along winding roads. We pulled up to their new house in a lush, hilly subdivision outside Burlington. (Of course, everything is lush nowadays. But I’m over it.) They have one beautiful house, 2 charming sons, and three dogs. And predictions of more rain! I can more easily forgive Vermont for the soggy weather, because this time of year is known as mud season. After a mellow evening at home, the kiddies all bathed together and the parents (that’s us now!) talked for a couple of hours.

Today, we drove into Burlington to patronize the seasonal farmer’s market. If you ever find yourselves up here during spring and summer, readers, hit the Samosa Man at the Burlington farmer’s market. Samosas are Indian-style deep-fried turnovers stuffed with curried veggies, potatoes, chicken or anything else you want. I think the Samosa Man travels to other local farmer’s markets, and plans to open a brick-n-mortar restaurant in Montpelier.
That’s one advantage to intermarrying—you are more likely to be exposed to new places, languages, cuisines and aromas than you would if you stayed within the boundaries of your own culture. Of course, there is no guarantee than an interracial couple is likely to have rich experiences together, but chances are, one or both of you will do things that are considered out of the ordinary.

More importantly, Hubby and I celebrated five years of marriage. We’re just getting started by our elders’ standards, but it still feels like we’ve accomplished something. Gifts for the five-year mark are crystal, wood and watches, depending on whether you want to go the traditional or modern route. We opened our presents just before getting into our rental and driving to Vermont. Hubby bought me an antique wooden Asian jewelry box. He got that one right, because I’m always buying unique costume jewelry. I only have a few pieces of precious stones and metals, but I still need a place to keep my stuff. Also, I love antiques, and although I’m not a particular fan of Chinese culture, I do like Chinese furniture. I bought him a dive watch, which I hope he uses for its intended function, because doing so entails travel to breathtakingly beautiful places and adventure. It’s important for Hubby to get out, meet new people and explore. He thrives on it and it makes him even more pleasant.

He’s generally good-natured and easy to be around, even more so, after I cured him of his beastly ‘hunger anger’. During our first six months together, his irate outbursts before mealtimes turned many a date into ‘teaching moments’. Oh, and I can’t leave out two of the most dramatic changes in Hubby since I came along. The first is he no longer hates big-big stores with a passion, and actually volunteers to go to Costco. Cheerfully!  And he is actually considering buying—wait for it—a sport utility vehicle! Readers, these are no small things for an avowed left-leaning Democrat who has been on marches, despises the subdivisions and monster vehicles that define much of American society, and relishes arguing the issues of the day. Hubby has rubbed off on me too, during these past 5 years. I’m more open to people, whereas before I met Hubby, I would hang back and study them for loooong periods before volunteering deep insights into my inner workings. Or my middle name.

We head back to New Jersey in two days. After that, I’ll take one more day off before returning to work. I’ll keep you all updated on any other interesting findings on this, our latest, trip north.