Connecticut, October 2008

It was the fall following the loss of my father and I had not ventured out of my routine much as I tried to write my dissertation in Toledo, Ohio. I love autumn, and I knew it was the right time to break away and visit Connecticut, even though I was on deadline, even though my heart was heavy, even though I had three animals to look after, even though I had to also get to an academic conference in Kentucky. I found a pet-friendly hotel in the middle of the state and discovered that I could stay in one place the whole week and do day trips in all directions. Connecticut’s size is what enticed me, along with the foliage. So I packed up two tabbies, one labrador, and the beginnings of a conference paper, and drove east for 11 hours until I could settle us into our hotel home for the week. So begins my explorations of this magical state.