Squid Eats: Troy Deli and Marketplace

The past two years have been rough for so many reasons.  The performing arts have been hit hard at every level.  Our daughter is quite a gifted musician.  In fact, setting parental modesty aside for a moment, it's fair to say she's been one of the best high school clarinetists in Vermont for four years.  She's made all-state all four years.  She's made the New England Music Festival all four years.  But due to COVID, neither festival was actually held over the past two years.  So, traveling down for this year's New Englands in Connecticut was quite a big deal - even more so than under normal circumstances.

For us, trips to southern New England usually include a stop in Worcester to see the English Prof.  And naturally, we have a favorite place to stop for dinner on the way: Thai Bamboo in the tiny town of Troy in the southwest corner of New Hampshire.  Wouldn't you know, on our most recent visit, they were full up when we arrived - probably a 45-minute wait for food, the proprietor said.  We were too hungry to wait so...

via Facebook

Fortunately, there's a convenience store/deli next door.  I'm not sure we'd ever set foot inside before but it was more than adequate to our needs.  My footlong turkey grinder was nice, though it would have been helpful if they'd cut it in half.  My wife enjoyed her BLT wrap, too.  The service was perfectly friendly.

The trip and the festival both went well.  As we move deeper into senior year, it feels like every event is the "last" something or other - bittersweet, to be sure.  She has big decisions to make soon.  Everything feels like a big deal.  I've already told everyone who will listen so I might as well say it here, too: the empty nest will not be easy for me.  I am not likely to handle it well.  Just owning it now.

Gotta make the most of the time that is left...