Fare Thee Well, Vermont (But Don't Worry, We'll Be Back)

Well, the time has finally come for us to bid adieu to our beloved Vermont.  

We vacationed in Vermont for the first time in Fall of 2015 - and it was love at first sight!  In fact, on our way back home, we pulled into the parking lot of Orvis Company and I vowed that by 2020 I would have a job at Orvis and we would move to this wonderful state.

The Orvis Corporate Office, Sunderland Vermont

As luck would have it, I was able to realize this dream 3 years early:  In November 2017, I was offered a position with the Finance team!!  So in early January 2018, in the middle of a horrendous snow storm, we loaded up 3 dogs and enough clothes to last until the movers arrived in late January.  Unfortunately, Michael had not been able to find a job in Vermont yet, so he stayed in Greenville, NC as he continued to look for work in New England.

We found a home that would be perfect for our situation - in a great neighborhood, less than a mile from downtown Bennington, and with 1/2 acre of land.  It was a ranch style home - which isn't my favorite - but we new that once Michael moved up, we could look for something more 'Vermont-y'.

Time passed, and still no jobs for Michael - all of the colleges that were near by were shutting down or filing for bankruptcy.  After 2 years of living apart - we decided it would be best for me to start looking for jobs in North Carolina again.  

And then, the Covid pandemic hit....  Orvis was forced to let go many employees - and yours truly was one of those let go.  Fortunately, I was able to find a job quickly, back in North Carolina.  However, they agreed to let me work remote from Vermont as long as I needed to - so it was a win-win type of situation!  We stayed in Vermont for Michael's hip replacement surgery, and his recovery, and selfishly, one more New England fall.

By November, we knew we had to start thinking about selling the house, and moving back to North Carolina.  We painted the inside and outside of the house, did a little landscaping, and finally found a realtor who was willing to work with my relocation company!!  Within 2 weeks of selecting a realtor, we already had an offer on the house - full asking price, sight unseen - and the house wasn't even listed yet!  

So, it was incredibly bitter sweet when we signed the papers selling the house to our relocation company - the Berkshire Abode wasn't our Vermont dream house, but she had helped us realize our dream of living in Vermont.  

So, fear not Vermont, we will be back!!