More details are in about next week's visit of Barbara Bush, the erstwhile first lady. Perhaps she is the grand-first lady. She'll be appearing at the Sheraton in South Burlington for a Sept. 6 noon-time reception in support of Republican U.S. House candidate Martha Rainville.

$125 gets an attendee into the general reception. $1,000 gets a couple in to the private reception with the first President Bush's wife, mother of the current President Bush.

If it's anything like first lady Laura Bush's reception in May, attendees should not equate a finger-foods reception with lunch, no matter that it is happening at lunch time. Overheard on the way out of the Laura Bush event: "So where do you want to eat?"

- Terri Hallenbeck