<p>Just made my last fall visit to Williamstown as a Williams parent. Brutal traffic Friday evening due to the windstorm, so we stopped in Stockbridge and had a late dinner at the Red Lion Inn, in the tavern. Reminded me of our first visit to Williams back in early April, 2003--it was lovely in Philadelphia, but by the time we reached the Berkshires the temperature had dropped to the low 20s, and it was snowing heavily. I kept hearing "Sweet Baby James" in my head on that trip..."Now the first of December was covered with snow...and so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston..." Six inches on the ground when we woke up in our cabin at Jericho Valley; we raced down to the Berkshire Mall and bought ridiculously cheap and oversized ski clothing off the close-out rack and had a great day of skiing at Jiminy, which had re-opened just for this snow event.</p>
<p>But enough reverie...back to October 2006, and this weekend just past. Woke up early on Saturday and went for a power-walk. Loved the smell of wood-smoke in the air. We stayed at the Maple Terrace motel for the first time....The Orchards Hotel (my old favorite) is now on my s-list. Stopped in at the front desk for a quick cup of coffee and a nice chat the the Brit owners (and a visit with their friendly little dog Willie), grabbed a local winesap apple from the basket, and headed up toward Water Street with my breath billowing in the 36-degree air. A quiet Saturday morning for Williamstown, with most of the varsity teams playing away games. But the big event would be starting soon--WUFO's Purple Valley Invitational Ultimate Frisbee Tournament.</p>
<p>To say that it was cold down at Coles Field would be sort of like calling the Pope Catholic. The temperature reached the mid 40s, but there was a steady wind that had to be 20-30 mph and just penetrated everything. A lot of teams there--I saw Harvard, Yale, Weslyan, BC, Northeastern, Tufts, just to name a few--all running around in shorts and t-shirts. I had to walk up to Goff's to buy a hat, but some of the studs on the men's A team recognized me despite my disguise, and for a time, at least, I was sheltered from the wind as we huddled up and commiserated about our "situation." It's their last fall at Williams, too. </p>
<p>Williams is a hard place to leave...most of the alumni I know refuse to accept the fact that they've graduated, and I can tell you that it's hard for parents, too. The boys in the huddle with me were all feeling wist*ful, as we stood there with the wind whipping down from Northwest Hill, with Pine Cobble to my right, and Mt. Greylock over my shoulder. I listened to an enthusiastic Wesleyan dad talking on his cell phone: "You have got to see this place! It's just freakin' beautiful here!" One of the boys told me that he's taking a few years off and doing Teach America before pursuing a PhD in Physics. Another is taking GREs this week in preparation for a math PhD. Another plans to go straight on to med school, and was pumping my husband for insight. There was snow visible on the highest peaks, and I imagined what fun it would be to live there and watch a real snow storm come in over Northwest Hill. The first snow of the year is supposed to fall tonight, btw.</p>
<p>Saturday night I sat at the bar in Mezze Bistro, chatting with the bartender who happens to be D's classmate, and makes a fine Martini. He, too, is feeling the wave of nostalgia as he contemplates emerging from the Purple Bubble. A political science major who plans on law school after taking a few years off to work in DC, we had a nice conversation about the political profession without revealing our own preferences, if you can believe that. It was kind of amazing--a completely agnostic, generic discussion of the political life, with a big election in the offing, and neither of us left with any idea of how the other is likely to vote. Nice kid. His recommendation of the wild mushroom vol au vent--the chef gathers the wild mushrooms himself--was well-made.</p>
<p>After dinner we took the long way home, walking a circuit through the campus, and even passing by Dodd where the big WUFO costume party was going on. I'll make an excuse to visit again this winter, and take a few runs down Jiminy. I'll find a reason to visit in the spring when the mud season lets up a bit. I'll be there for graduation, of course. And then it will be over. Obviously I can go to W-town any time I want, but it won't be the same not having flip-flops on the ground there--knowing that I have someone who's a current member of the community. Enjoy it while you can---it goes way too fast.</p>