Vikki was spending the week-end at her friend Mindy's house, along with Pixel. Mindy's folks were out of town, but they invited me to stay there, too. It reminded me so much of our house in Saugerties, New York, back in the 1970s. It even has an enclosed front porch, just like ours. Nostalgia time.
 Mindy's house - the big stucco one with two porches and all those windows. And such a neat old neighborhood. |
 Mindy, in the kitchen. The house looks deceptively small from the front. It's three stories at the back. You can see you're looking out the kitchen into treetops. |
The next morning, Saturday, it was sort of rainy, so Vikki and Pixel took me on a tour of Hartford. I knew that the Mark Twain house was there. But I never knew that the Harriet Beecher Stowe house was next door! We visited downtown. And the Old State House. Besides the actual historic chambers, there's a history museum downstairs - designed for kids, so perfect for us. And upstairs is the Museum of Curiosities - which is genuinely curious.
 Vikki & Pixel with the gorgeous fire truck in the State House museum. |
 Nancy on the museum's penny-farthing. OK, a tad too short to reach the pedals. Or anything, comfortably. |
Of course, we had lunch at City Steam Brewery Cafe. Great cheddar cheese soup - and the City Steam Dark Ale could go up against any Yorkshire ale.
And we drove all over. Hartford has tons of beautiful parks. And ethnic neighborhood. And other interesting neighborhoods. It would be fun to spend a sunny day wandering around on foot. I did sort of wander around Mindy's area - running past houses, along a big park with gorgeous translucent fall foliage, and back along shops and restaurants. Neat place.
We also had time to relax together
 Vikki & Ajax in the livingroom. |
 Vikki and Anastasia - her car - putting on her new Connecticut plates. |
Sunday was, appropriately, sunny. So, after an incredible brunch at Tisane's, Vikki, Pixel, & I drove down to Mystic to see the Mystic Aquarium. Yes, there's more to Mystic than the Seaport.
 A beluga whale having lunch. |
 Sea lions enjoying the sun. |
 Penguins having lunch. Except that one on the left. He's a teen-ager and, of course, sulking. |
 Vikki patting rays and skates. Honest. They were friendly and liked the attention. |
It was neat visiting with Vikki. Seeing that she's got some great friends. And seeing her new apartment and meeting her cats.
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Vikki's new place. She has the apartment on the second floor. Her friend - and landlord - Chris is on the first floor. It's a classic Hartford triple-decker. And it should be quite nice once it's finished. |
 Vikki with Gabija, her bouncy and affectionate kitten. |
 Pixel with Graine, Vikki's gentler and cuddlier cat. |
Now that I know how easy it is to fly there, Vikki had better watch out. Who knows when I might just drop in.
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