Last weekend we packed up the family and headed to Haddam, CT (logically located in the center of Middletown, Middle Haddam, East Haddam, Haddam Neck, Little Haddam, Hadlyme, and Lyme) where we boarded the Chester-Hadlyme Ferry for a trip to Gillette Castle.
An actor made famous by his stage role as Sherlock Holmes built this eccentric stone mansion; he apparently had several Japanese "man-servants". It all seemed like a forerunner of Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch.
This wacko built his own railroad on the grounds, complete with an utterly unnecessary underground tunnel.
Nothing like an autumn picnic!
Here's a shot of HusbandKV's favorite running location, just across the road from the house: Maltby Lakes. It looks like Minnesota but is just minutes from the door.
After a hard day exploring Connecticut, DHV likes to set the dishwasher on "Pots and Pans" and climb in for a relaxing sauna treatment.
Guilford is home to "The Place", a BYOB outdoor eatery that serves grilled seafood. We took the opportunity to get in before it closed for the season. 
The cooks flirted with the fair maidens seated behind us by bragging about their 1200 degree grill; DHV showed he could hang with the frat-boy crowd.
"I'm floating away!"
"Get this thing offa me!"
"What did you do to me?"
An actor made famous by his stage role as Sherlock Holmes built this eccentric stone mansion; he apparently had several Japanese "man-servants". It all seemed like a forerunner of Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch.
This wacko built his own railroad on the grounds, complete with an utterly unnecessary underground tunnel. 
Nothing like an autumn picnic!
Here's a shot of HusbandKV's favorite running location, just across the road from the house: Maltby Lakes. It looks like Minnesota but is just minutes from the door.
After a hard day exploring Connecticut, DHV likes to set the dishwasher on "Pots and Pans" and climb in for a relaxing sauna treatment.
Then he did some flirting from a safe distance.
Before long he was getting up close and personal.
"... mind if I pull it?"
DHV enjoyed sitting on a box and throwing presents on the rug.
He didn't eat any cake but let us sing to him.
Word to the wise: don't give drum sets to children.
Nothing like a big plastic house and a red cell phone to start the day off right.
DHV took his new tricycle out for a spin. After reading accounts of the Minneapolis bridge disaster, he inspected our new ramp for structural stability.
An action shot. With a parent chained to the back, there's no need to make an effort.
He's almost ready to start cruising for the ladies!
