First Post as a Fellow!

So, as you may have noticed or guessed, there is no internet in the Fellows’ summer housing. I’m told that there used to be Wi-Fi on the whole Street, but then the economy went splat, and the interwebs suffered in the subsequent budget trimmings.

Also, it’s midnight as I’m writing this, sitting in my room in the Wright House and I’ve just finished the readings for tomorrow. Actually, I haven’t, there’s still two pages left – from a PDF file. The other bit – the other 57 pages – were in a book about the history of Historic Deerfield. We were told, when this was assigned, that it was a short reading and that we should not take “extensive notes.” Hmm.

I’m having a good time so far – so far being one night, since I got here yesterday afternoon. I was earlier than I’d intended to be, so I drove up to Shelbourne Falls to see what all the fuss was about. Turns out, they were having a Riverfest, which was interesting. It seemed about a 60-40 ratio between aged hippie-stoners and young families. Not big, but plenty of the usual festival stands. Also, a group of hula-hoopers, which was a new thing for me to see.

The real magnificence, though, was the glacial potholes that form the falls that gives the place its name. They are curvy and swoopy and full of pools and magnificent. I took some pictures, and I’ll post them soon.

After a quick break there, I came to Deerfield. My house is on the north end of the mile-long street. It’s the second brick house built in town, and we – that is, Lauren, Abby, and myself – live in the built on addition in the back. We have a kitchen, two full bathrooms, two floors. It’s quite nice actually. It’s nicer than either Plimoth or Sturbridge – sorry to them, but it’s true. Although we don’t have wi-fi (neither did either of them), but there are real mattresses on the bed, the place does not inspire the name “the Crypt,” and there is a full kitchen. Win.

I have met the five other Fellows, the last two got here today. I met three others yesterday, and including my two roommates and Rebekah who lives with the other two in the Allen House down the road. So it’s myself, Lauren, Abby, Rebekah, Stephanie, and Ryan (who goes by his last name, but I’m not going to announce that to the world). Anyway. They all seem like good kids, I’m excited to get to know them better, it should be an interesting summer.

We amused ourselves this afternoon first by going to Yankee Candle, which was hilarious. The place is massive and so very full of candles. A fire there would be disastrous. Also, it would smell like an terrific medley of every kind of flower, grass, rain, sea breezes, also “hugs ‘n kisses,” “whoopee pie,” and “stars ‘n stripes” to name a few. Did you know that it snows in there? Every four minutes, in this special little room. Goodness.

Then we went to Wal-Mart & Target to pick up extension cords and things like that. We looked at Ethernet cables, since we heard that Fellows in the past have been able to get internet that way, but nothing looked promising. I tried plugging the phone cable into my computer but that did nothing, so I gave that up. We also picked up a set of Bocce balls, and played happily for about an hour before dinner. We’re a bit hazy on the rules, especially since none of us read them and I’m working from memory, but we managed to lark about lobbing plastic balls around which was the whole point anyway. We have this great lawn space behind our two houses, it seems such a waste not to use it.

Dinner was great, pizza from a local place, and we learned more about what we’ll be doing this summer. I’m going to stop here though, since it’s 12:45 am and I have to be on the other side of town tomorrow at 9 am. So I’m going to sleep and you can all sit and wonder what it is that I learned at dinner tonight (bwahaha). Actually, I’m sure I’ll just tell you about it tomorrow at some point, unless you’re my parents in which case I’ve already told you.