Date: 2003-09-06
From: Concord N.H.

To: Pittsfield, Mass
Miles today: 0.0

start Concord,N.H.desination Pittsfield, Mass.The wake up call came early this morning. I had a 7:30 appointment at the service department to get a new window. Grappone Toyota has went above and beyond what is normally expected from a dealership in helping me get the car repaired. When Mudbutt first contacted them, Marcel Daudelin went beyond our expectations with his help. He even tried competitors in order to get us back on the trail quicker. However, his search turned up nothing, so he ordered the window for us and scheduled an appt. for repairs. I took the time to drink a hot cup of tea before the shuttle took me back to the motel. We ate breakfast and waited for the shuttle back to the dealership. With a new window and a clean floorboard, we headed toward Pittsfield. Driving along the countryside we drank in the sights of small towns and rural America. Country homes decorated with gingerbread trim and colorful flower gardens. We oohed and aaahed over each one, spying fixer uppers that we dreamed of moving into. We arrived in Pittsfield by late afternoon. It was Papermaker's first experience with a rotary on the road, so we spent several minutes just riding around in the circle until he figured out how to get out of it. Then we drove around in more circles trying to find a motel. The first one we tried I was the one chosen to go find out if there were any rooms and the price. I kinda thought that this one was out of our price range when I walked inside, but I gave it my best shot. Hiking boots, shorts ,and t-shirt, smelling like a clean thru hiker and looking like a bag woman minus the bag. I knew when I saw the gourmet cookies on the counter, covered with a real linen napkin that I was definately in the wrong place. I smiled sweetly at each guest or clerk that looked at me. When my turn came to be waited on, I had already munched down a couple of cookies. I asked if there were any rooms and of course they had to check. Yes, they did have some rooms, so I asked how much the rooms were. That is when the clerk stepped back into the office to supposedly check the rate. The room was $149.00 per night, with a two night minimum. I gasped graciously, and tried not to choke on the cookie I had in my mouth. The clerk graciously handed me a sheet with area motels on it and even called to get us a room down the road. We drove down the road to the motel, grabbed a quick shower and headed to the church where one of Mudbutt's friends were performing. Don White is a folk singer who Mudbutt has known for quite awhile. The performance was light hearted and very funny. True life stories about life with teenagers set to music. Songs about love, and living life fully, seeing life from every angle and embracing it all. We spent the evening laughing and enjoying the music. Afterwards we were treated to dinner by some more of Mudbutt's friends, Chip and Lynn Karles. We sat in the restaurant and talked and talked, the friends catching up on all the news over the past few years. It was well past midnight before we got into bed. But we felt refreshed from the laughter and the music. No opportunity to sleep late tomorrow, it's off to yet another blue blaze adventure.