Perhaps not the most popular, but New World Music Festival in Randolph is well attended. Music from a variety of traditions with concerts and workshops. It’s a great experience if you’re into that type of music.

Having done several long distance moves in my life, I can’t speak more highly of U-Boxes (from U-Haul) plus hiring people via their website. In comparison to the insane quotes I got from moving companies, it was inexpensive and easy. Even though they wouldn’t deliver directly to my house, I rented a U-Haul at the location they delivered the boxes to, packed the U-Haul from the U-Box right in the parking lot, and went home.

[Cutler @ 7:57 PM] Emergency crews are finishing up on the tarmac— Airport officials are slated to give us an update about the incident shortly @wcax

[Alice Kang, NBC 5, on a plane at the airport] 6:43 p.m. VSP on flight with K9 searching the plane. They said there was a note found with a threat. We’re now getting off the plane.

[Tyler Jankoski, NBC 5 @ 5:25 PM] Many fire trucks from Burlington are at the airport now, including Tower 1, Engine 1 and Engine 3. Burlington Battalion 1 seen here moving over to the command post, which is not far from the runway.

[Tyler Jankoski, NBC 5 @ 6:37 PM] Fire trucks and ambulances at the Burlington airport terminal setting up an area for passengers when they come off the plan

[Liz Strzepa, NBC 5 @ 4:56 PM] BREAKING: South Burlington police confirm they're assisting Burlington Police with an incident at the Burlington International Airport. They say there's an aircraft in duress -- phase 5. @MyNBC5

A series of updates from Alice Kang from NBC 5 (be sure to click through the quote tweets to see her entire story, as she was on one of the planes): https://twitter.com/alicemynbc5/status/1635046284972392448?s=46&t=05MCfbOXrbhSuhMqIEJ8Ag

Will do. If I see any updates I’ll post them here.

[Cutler @ 5:50 PM] A closer inspection shows emergency crews meeting on the tarmac

We have the same problems on our front steps as well. It got really dangerous earlier this winter.

I ultimately purchased thick rubber mats that were made from recycled tires. So far they’ve done a nice job giving a good deal of grip on our steps. They’re not maintenance free, as they have to be occasionally taken up and thrown back down just to get the snow and ice out from the tread. But I’m really impressed with them.

I don’t want folks to think I’m pushing some particular product, so I won’t leave a public link. If you’d like a link, PM (not chat) me.

This could change. A long range forecast like this is uncertain. But, it would be more unlikely.

While I’m not sure if this routes you around trips, this app seems to give you weather along a route. I’ve been looking for an app like this for years. I have no affiliation here, just curious like yourself.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/weather-on-the-way/id1471394318

If you want to get truly weather nerdy and the most detail possible, you have to read the National Weather Service Burlington office’s Area Forecast Discussion: https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=BTV&issuedby=BTV&product=AFD&format=CI&version=1&glossary=1&highlight=off

Here is what they have to say:

> As of 330 PM EST Monday...One of the troughs set to impact the West Coast is expected to traverse eastward toward the Northeast to bring some precip to end the workweek. Models are starting to agree in some aspects, but overall have different placements/timing of surface low pressure and precip, and the ECMWF ensembles show a deeper trough than the GFS ensembles. While precip could start as snow Thursday morning, rain will likely mix in across the wider valleys as temperatures across the forecast area rise to the mid- to upper 30s. Some model soundings are showing the potential for ice, but at this time, it`s a low one and just something to keep in the back of mind. Ensembles show a good cluster of low pressure locations moving across the Ohio Valley and into the Great Lakes at this time, indicating the storm could pass to our west, providing a warmer (rainy) event. PoPs rising from 30-40% Thursday morning to 70-80% Thursday afternoon with highest values in the Northeast Kingdom, and surface winds will continue from the southeast.

> Rain continues to become the more likely precip type Thursday night as 925mb temperatures rise. Any snow would be isolated to terrain and the Northeast Kingdom. Overnight, ECMWF ensembles are showing low pressure locations track anywhere from Lake Ontario to northeastern Pennsylvania, while GFS ensembles are centered more from Lake Ontario northwest. This could be the best time of agreement on precip, so we have PoPs in the 80s and 90s % late in the night. Thursday night could also feature the highest winds of the event as a low level jet of 50-60 knots at 850mb passes overhead.

> By Friday morning, only the highest mountaintops have much of a chance for snow to fall with highs in the upper 30s to lower 40s, and models do indicate the storm passes to our west. A secondary low, however, could develop along the Atlantic Coast and speed northwards to our east, allowing for some snow on the back end of the system as/after a cold front cross the region. This could depend greatly on how slow/fast the system moves, but we have all snow chances by Saturday in our forecast for now as the trough moves overhead, highs reach only the upper 20s to mid-30s, and winds turn westerly. The 12Z GFS came in with heavier snow than previously modeled, so this is certainly something we`ll be keeping an eye on. This late-storm forecast period has much less agreement among models and therefore less confidence in exact timing/placement of precip, so PoPs decrease. Hydro concerns are currently low with this event.

> The mid-upper trough could linger snow showers on Sunday, with highs in the upper 20s to lower 30s as well and a chilly northwesterly wind, but then ridging will be a dominant force for dry weather the rest of the long term period. Highs Monday will rise slightly into the lower 30s.

I want to reiterate how horrible the black flies are. Last spring I miserably stood in my driveway being eaten alive talking to my neighbor because it was warm out and we wanted to be outside but we were just getting wrecked. We finally trudged in our own houses, thwarted from enjoying the nice day.

Shoot for after black fly season. Trust us.

If you want to make visiting Vermont worthwhile at all, you will need your own transportation. Public transportation outside of Burlington is inconvenient or nonexistent. There is no Uber or Lyft. To make your visit at all worth your time or money, you need your own wheels.

That said, visiting in Vermont in the winter is incredibly popular and well worth it. It’s best to hit up several touristy towns, spending 1-2 days in each. All the better if you ski, but if not there’s still a lot to do.

Check out https://www.vermontvacation.com for options.

So sorry to hear that you’re having a hard time. I think there’s a lot of good advice in this thread, but I just wanted to add an additional thing.

You said:

> Trying to fight off that deeply pitted jealousy that creeps up when I hear coworkers talking of their family gatherings, soon it’ll change to everyone talking about all their gifts and family dinners.

I think it’s important to keep in mind that people only advertise the good stuff. So when friends and coworkers are talking about big family gatherings, posting fun photos on social media, and talking about that awesome gift they got, they are curating that to make them look like they’re having an awesome time and everything is great.

They are not telling others about the difficulties their family may be going through, or how they can only put up with less than 24 hours of family due to deep seated dysfunction, or whatever it may be.

I hope you find a way to treat yourself this holiday season and enjoy it on your own terms. Make it your own and do what you enjoy!

The Vermont State Parks system rent out cabins in various parks. You can find out more information about reservations here: https://vtstateparks.com/cabins.html

They fill up fast but there still seems to be availability if you’re interested.

Be aware that it’s a well known problem in our state that people find jobs, accept the offer, can’t find housing, and then have to decline the job offer.

It’s a massive chicken and the egg problem. Housing has to be done in tandem with a job search.m, and you should be aware that scoring housing is very hard.

It sounds like you’re a few years away from this move, so things may change between now and then.

The other poster is right, you just need to bring your unexpired California license to the DMV with some paperwork and you’re good to go. Just look on the website, Vermont government is very user friendly.

As a Vermonter who lived in LA for a bit, you are in for a big change. Literally everything is different. Like, it felt like I was on a different planet in LA vs. here. Keep in mind anything you may see as a convenience in your present life doesn’t exist here. I prefer it that way, but you should be aware that you will have to 100% reset your expectations for how society functions.

That is unfortunate. I’ll be honest, I’ve had nothing but excellent experiences with UVM. My appointments happen fast, my tests are scheduled quickly, and they have been excellent advocates with my insurance company. But it does appear my experience may be an outlier.

Get a referral to DHMC: https://vtdigger.org/2022/12/04/dr-richard-bernstein-health-care-at-uvm-medical-center-the-long-wait/

The key to this subreddit is to ignore the downvotes and trolls. There are a lot of helpful people here. But you have to get through all that.

This seems like a good opportunity to link my favorite NPR April Fools story, where they reveal that table syrup is made by boiling old tables made out of maple trees: https://www.npr.org/2005/04/01/4571982/april-fools-new-england-suffers-maple-woes

What an interesting dashboard. Thanks for sharing.