Thank You Simsbury

In 2004, I came through Simsbury on my way to Vermont and Massachusetts looking for a place to move after living in Switzerland for 18 years. As I came through the area, I stopped at the Mobile station in Avon and asked the attended if he could recommend a place to stay in the area. The iPhone hadn’t been invented yet. He asked me what I was doing and I explained I was looking for schools in VT and MA. He stopped me and said, “If you’re looking for good schools? You want to move here, to Avon, Simsbury, Farmington (The Valley). I work in a gas station and wanted my kids to have an excellent education”. A man behind me, tapped me on the shoulder and said, “He is right. If you need a house, here’s my card, call me.” The other people in line were all nodding their heads.” I stayed at the 1820 house, in Simsbury, that night. David, the man behind the front desk gave me a similar story about having a daughter and he moved here because of the High School in Simsbury.

After three weeks in Vermont I came back to Simsbury and went to Coldwell Banker where I met Sara Allen. I told Sara that I had one week to find a house before I left to return to Switzerland. Sara didn’t flinch, she simply said, “OK I will need to clear my calendar”. After touring 36 houses, on the last day, my wife (in Switzerland) and I agreed on a house and neighborhood. Sara is also part owner of Popover Bistro and Bakery. Thank you for all the amazing support you gave us initially and your friendship over the years.

Neighbors

I will miss the close knit family of neighbors that support each other in so many ways. A special thank you to Leslie and Ha for all the wonderful events we’ve shared together over the years. Ha was always such a wonderful resource when I had questions about some house project (there were many). I will miss the rachlette dinners and clams on linguini. To Helen who taught me that “motion is lotion” and never stop moving no matter how old you get. To Shelby, Matt and Logan, thank you for the evenings around the fire ring, and an amazing array of wine and beers to test. I will send you recommendations as I find new breweries. To Tim, Claudia and Grace, thank you for all the wonderful cards from Grace. Tim I’ll also be waiting on your book on how to help your marriage survive a kitchen renovation. To Evan, John, Luke and Olivia, your deep love for family and friends is an inspiration. I will hold you all dear to my heart throughout my journey and watch for postcards along the way. Please share with each other.

Friends

Lee, I will miss our walks at lunch and thank Kim for all the wonderful support she’s given me over the past few months converting the Outback into a car camper. Dave S., it has been fascinating working together over the past 14 years; you’re a wealth of information. To Larry H, I so appreciated your financial knowledge, your friendship and ongoing support. You should have been a financial advisor. Tim M., it’s been fun sharing moments at Arch Street Tavern. I hope to see you on the Cape for some beer and live music.

I met so many amazing people at Veeder-Root in Simsbury over the past 14 years. Thank you to all the brilliant engineers and marketing staff I’ve had the privilege of working with on so many projects. FYI, I still have the laptop, so reachout if you have questions. :).

Cathy and Bob G., I have many fond memories of our trips to Vermont skiing and wonderful dinners we shared together. Hopefully we can have more in the future.

Robin and Richard, thank you for the wonderful yoga classes, for convincing me to go deeper with my yoga and all the amazing conversations over the years. Richard, I will be reading “A Comprehensive Guide to Daoist Nei Gong“ on the trip. Hopefully, it answers some of those questions I’ve had.

Yoga From The Heart

A few months ago, I discovered a rather new yoga studio, Yoga From The Heart, about a mile from my house. I could walk or ride my bike there. Having spent 12 years doing yoga at many yoga studios, this studio had a special feel. So, I signed up for the monthly yoga pass (best kept yoga secret in Connecticut). It’s a small studio, with a lot of glass on one wall looking out onto a nicely manicured flower and rock garden.

Diane, the owner, took a tragedy and turned it into a gift of love for the community. She brings a deep love for people to the studio. One person said to me, “there’s no drama here, just a lot of love”. You immediately feel welcomed. She has a way of finding teachers that truly care and each is very accomplished. There are classes for all levels including mixed level classes where anyone can come and feel like they are not competing with anyone.

I will miss my daily yoga practice in the studio but my mat will get a good workout on the road.

Simsbury

I’ve lived in some very special places over the years and this has been an absolutely wonderful experience. I appreciate the priority the community puts on education, the incredible library, and the friends of music. I think it is rare that a community of this size has an outdoor music venue. I won’t miss repairing the mailbox after the snowplow comes by pushing three tons of snow on my fragile little metal box.

The town is situated in the center of a state forest. It is a bike friendly community which I take full advantage of. The East Coast Greenway passes a half mile from my house allowing me to ride to Massachusetts. Maybe, one day I’ll ride to NYC.

Thank You

I want to thank everyone who has touched my life in someway in this community. I hope to see you all soon. Let me know how you are doing through this site.