Just got Gov. Jim Douglas' "Weekly Public Appearance Schedule."

It's blank for Monday and Tuesday. The ribbons of Vermont are safe!

A bill-signing and a little "historic preservation" on Wednesday, And, would you believe, he's doing the St, Michael's College Commencement on Thursday morning, and holding his weekly presser back in the Statehouse Ceremonial Office in the afternoon (after the National Tourism Week Reception in Cedar Creek).

Work, work, work.

Anyway, yesterday, Sunday, I popped into Montpelier for a quick coffee at Capitol Grounds. Instead of legislators, state workers, lawyers and political types filling the sidewalks, it was something completely different: cops and skateboarders.

And what was really strange was the fact that when I went over to get into position to get this shot, the cops skedaddled out of there like they were shoplifters! What's up with that?

Heck, in Burlington, Vermont  the gendarmes automatically pose!

From right-to-left, that's Justin Lahart, 16, his younger brother Loren, 14, from Montpeculiar, and, on the left,  their pal Chico Martinez from East Montpelier. Seemed like bright, decent guys. Everybody grows up somewhere. They told me "the law" in Montpelier, Vermont is "No skateboarding or roller-blading downtown. Anywhere."

Except at some rec field, which they say, is a lousy place to board.

The political columnist in me could not help but ask, "Do you know who your city councilor is?"

"No."

Might be worth finding out?

Of course, I learned about 10 minutes later, that just because there's a law against skateboarding in downtown Montpelier, does not mean skateboarding does not occur.

Let's hope they don't outlaw caffeine, too.