Weltner Week

Linda was a columnist for the Boston Globe and Jack is only semi-retired as a psychiatrist. He just finished writing a book titled "Golf Sucks...and then you die." Golf is his addiction.

Linda and Jack live in a gorgeous home in Marblehead, Massachusetts, right near the water, but for one week and several weekends each summer they escape to this dwelling in Vermont.

There is no phone and no electricity. There is a toilet seat that gets moved around in the woods wherever they decide to dig the next hole.

Running water is a stream. They have created a deep-ish hole in the stream by moving rocks and sand. This is referred to as the bathtub. (On rare occasions, when the weather has been especially cold or wet, they take a hot shower at my house.)

This is the kitchen and Jack has become a master at cooking over an open fire. He does have a passion for burning wet wood, somehow sees it as a challenge, and often manages to fill the area with smoke. It's great for bug control though breathing is somewhat difficult.

I often show up for breakfast...served at 9 AM and followed by at least 3 games of Rummykub.

We eat and play at the picnic table nearby. If rain is in the forecast, Jack hangs a huge tarp from tree branches.
It covers the entire cooking area and the picnic table. Only the hammocks are outside its protection.

I happened to mention that French people in France had never heard of French toast! Jack hadn't made French toast recently so it went on the menu. He bought thickly sliced bread, soaked it in the egg mixture, fried it in his iron skillet, and served it with maple syrup. It was a yummy breakfast...maple syrup is actually the most important ingredient.

Below is one in the skillet and two ready to eat!

During the week we went to the movies to see "Ted." It was so bad that we walked out before it was half over...and none of us had ever walked out on a movie before!

It was Bob's birthday during the week so Jack cooked a tasty chicken stew. Then we went to a Meet the Moose program at the Belmont library. Afterwards we came back to my house for birthday cake and more Rummykub.

Now that you have seen where Bob's birthday meal was made, here's a contrasting picture of my kitchen showing where his cake was made. At least 2 people who will read this may notice that they are in 1 or 2 of the pictures on the side of my refrigerator...the pictures aren't from this last trip, but from 6 years ago. On the marble counter below the pictures is the herbal salt from France, the yellow dish towels are from Antibes, and that's a Blanot bowl sitting on the dish drain. The roundels in the cabinet doors are leftovers from my late husband's stained glass studio...he built the cabinets to my design.