The Summer Place

There's a running joke around here that we've got to be home on Saturday at 5 for the HGTV crew to sneak up on us and present the big prize of the Dream Home in Stowe, Vermont. We've been logging online every day to put in our chances to win 'the summer place'.

With a place like that, we'd be finally able to see the change of seasons with 12 of our closest friends. There'd be a 20' tree nestled in the family room at Christmas and it would overlook snow-covered fields as far as the eye could see. In April we'd watch the lush colors of spring burst into bloom and the hills turn emerald green from the comfort of our hot tub on the deck.

It would be an extraordinary stroke of luck, to win something like that, even with work, children, pets and friends on the other side of the country. But we've worked that through, too. We would rent it out as a ski chalet and hold back the weeks that family and friends want to be there. We'd find a great caregiver and include the house on a tour of homes. It would be self sustaining and maybe even pay for airfare for everyone to travel there.

This isn't the only thing we stalk. There's that trip to Rome offered by Frommer's, which we have registered daily to win for the last several months. A free trip over for two, plus all the add-ins -accommodations, food, activities. And you already know about House Hunters International and what an addictive drug that is about owning a second home in some exotic location. Unlike the people featured on the show, we are unwilling to get into debt up to our eyeballs to have it, even if we could. Which we can't.

So this whole giveaway idea is just the ticket!  Free*Free*Free. So come Saturday, we'll be vacuuming the house and putting on coffee around 4:30pm, in case you want to stop by. We'll play Tripoley 'til they arrive.

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv-dream-home-2011-tour/package/index.html