Soccer

Soccer is a fall tradition that our family is just now settling in to.  It's amazing the amount of kids in each town that either want to play or are being forced by their parents to play.  My daughter has had three games and two practices so far and I've noticed a few things:

 

• Most parents of 4-5 year olds believe it is a spectator sport.  They bring their beach chairs, blankets and coolers and chat with their friends while poor Billy is running around aimlessly on the field with no support from his parents, teammates (too young for camaraderie)or the mother/father that is called, "coach" (through no fault of their own, they're mostly concerned with no one getting hurt and everyone getting equal playing time, not supporting each player).
• There are 4-5 year old bullies. ALREADY?!
• There are aggressive 4-5 y/o's and then there is my daughter keeping up with the swarm chasing that ball but as soon as the ball is near her foot, she slyly shifts out of the focus and attention of the swarm!!!  I love her and will cheer her on for following that swarm either way but I have to admit it is frustrating.  Looking back, I almost feel I was similar at that age.

Urban Planning 101

 

Driving back from Clark's Trading Post in Lincoln, NH, we took the long way back around to Bartlett; up 93 to 3 to 302.  This drive took us through Carroll, NH.  The Town of Carroll, consists of two villages, Twin Mountain and Bretton Woods  Bretton Woods, of course, is home to the Ski Resort as well as the Mount Washington Hotel; the grandest old hotel I've ever laid my eyes upon. 

 

This is all fine and dandy but what I want to know is if the Town of Carroll ever had a Town Planner.  Driving up Route 3 before the 302 intersection, you can tell that you are in the middle of the towns business district.  Old motels stand vacant, stores that exist are run down and geared towards locals and their daily needs.  Is the town not getting enough revenue from the hotel and ski resort?  If so, where does the money go if not towards sprucing up the town and making it a destination in itself like it's neighbor to it's east, Conway has done.  Granted North Conway is becoming more popular due to the shopping and is attracting people that never would have visited prior to Settlers Green but I've been driving through town for over 10 years now and nothing seems to change.

 

What is the plan?!

 

Is it the fact that the locals do not want to turn it in to a tourist destination even though it's ideally located between two of the most dramatic scenic areas in the White's (Franconia Notch and Crawford Notch)?