Courtyard By Marriott Hartford Farmington

... bookstore in the tiny but very artsy/intellectual downtown Chester. It's called "The Lace Reader" (the book).

OK, I know this whole trip is called "Heidi's Great Adventure" and I haven't said anything about what that's about...but patience, grasshopper. All will unfold...

Here are a couple of pictures of my family instead :)

We are moving again tomorrow and it will be to Cromwell, CT as we house sit for other traveling friends who will embark on a 2 month sail from CT to FL. Megan lost her new bike today to some ******* who planned in advance to steal the bike hanging "double ...

The first thing i did is go to my best friend Juliana birthday party and i was the only one to come because all other friends ditch her sec for me i was happy i was happy to go because everybody who was suppose to come didn't watch the other blind side and we went out to eat they should come Juliana just turn 15 year old she is so cool and she is my best friend forever.....:D

... there was still some weird comfort level of the "known" versus the unknown. At any rate, I hopped onto the Silver Line bus for $2 and took it to the South Station, where I bought an Amtrak ticket for $44 back to New London. Jan and Jack were there to pick me up, and they kindly took me home to a hot meal, hot shower, and bed.

... dropped him off at the hotel to work on CME while Jan and I went to Marshall's and found me a pair of Under Armour tights to also weat in Boston. We gassed up the car for our trip to New London the next morning, then had an ice cream at the Creamery on Main Street in Old Wethersfield--yumm! Said good-bye to Jack, as he will be in art class when we leave tomorrow, and gave Jan her early birthday gifts ...

... years.

Jan & Jack arrived at 11:00 to take us for a beautiful drive in the country--Litchfield and Kent in western Connecticut. We stopped at Lake Waramaug and had an outdoor lunch at the Hopkins Inn overlooking the water, then drove on to Kent where we walked around town a bit, admiring the huge animal sculptures scattered about. I could have spent a lot more time there! We drove over Bull's Bridge, a ...

... appetizer, then I had lobster ravioli in fish broth with a steamed lobster on the side (you get an extra for only $10--this obviously isn't the Midwest!) Chris had fall harvest soup, char-grilled char, and flourless chocolate cake. I had a Tattinger champagne and Chris had a Rombauer zin that Paul selected. We all had a great time, although Jack was quiet, but then, he's never a big talker anyway. The evening was really lovely.

Woke to a cloudy, rainy day and went for a seven mile walk. For lunch we ate soup, then Jan and I went downtown to the Mark Twain House Tour. We missed the parking lot and ended up parking on the street, which was fine, although a bit damp. The tour was interesting, but we both agreed it seemed dark and dreary inside, and would have better viewed on a sunny day with light streaming in the beautiful stained glass windows. We went for a coffee ...

... s blog. Though I have spent hours reading about her ancestors, I barely know about her. I did a silly flow chart to figure out how Sisi is related to my favorite Austrian Royal-Empress Maria Theresa and her daughter Marie Antionette.... Now I have figured that out, I can go back to drinking my orange mint tea with lots of lemon in peace while I wait for my Sunday afternoon phone call

... up just going down and confronting her myself once and hopefully not for all. I just want to finalize things once and for all so I know which direction to go. Well, it's time for Brett Love's final thoughts on this trip. So without further a due, here is the one, the only, Brett "Ira" Love on his thoughts on the trip. To be written tomorrow since he is tired and wants to go to bed so first thing tomorrow morning.