Category: Fun things to do in Connecticut

My Very First Bug…

I think, and this is just a thought, that everyone from my generation has, or knows someone who has, a Bug story.

This is my story.  I grew up in the small town of Groton, CT (latest population: 40,000)  The town of Groton was a great place to raise families in as it appeared, back then,  that everyone was married with children.  My parents had seven children (5 girls, 2 boys) so if we couldn’t find anyone to play with, we always had each other.

When I turned 16 I decided that not only did I need a license, but also a car to get around in.  Groton was not known for public transportation so you really needed either your own car or access to one to get from point A to point B as everything, and I mean everything, was spread out.

As much as I wanted to get my license at age 16, I wound up getting it at age 17 as outdoor track practice got in the way of Drivers Education.  Yes, Driver’s Ed, as it was called, was “free” back then and part of the high school curriculum.  I recall having 6 hours of instructional behind-the-wheel activity but needing 9.  I also recall having the hardest time doing a Y turn and being terrified at the prospect of driving over the Gold Star Memorial bridge.

I took my state of CT license exam in the town of Old Saybrook, CT as I heard the driving test there was soooooooo easy and did not require Y turns.  Consequently, I passed with flying colors.  With license in hand, it was now time to find a car.

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I had saved a whopping $800 from working part-time at Bonanza Steak House restaurant so I felt rich :))   My father was ‘out to sea’ so I convinced my older sister to take me to a used car dealership to purchase my first car.  I had no idea what I wanted to buy, just that it had to look good and have a nice radio…

I was so impatient back then!   I was on a mission to purchase a car that Saturday afternoon and neither Hell nor high water could get in my way.  I don’t remember actually test driving anything, all I know is that I saw this Bug on the lot that looked like “me” and was completely sold on it.  It was silver blue, a little beat up looking, an “automatic standard” which is an automatic car with a stick shift, and possessed a ‘new car’ smell.  I fell in love and had to have it.

I talked the salesman, Frank, down to $700, signed the paperwork, and was asked to come back the following weekend to pick up my ‘new’ Bug.

My first red flag appeared while I was driving it off the lot the following week:  it chugged and sputtered all the way home…

My second red flag was that I had to feed it oil on a regular basis.  And then the majority of the oil wound up on our driveway…

My third red flag: my Bug could only go up to 60 miles per hour before the whole car started shaking…

I had clearly been had.  And I aged that Summer – suddenly I was no longer 17, I felt like I was 25,  or worse 30, with real life problems.  My thought:  if I got rid of the car,  I could have my carefree teenage life back…

So I ditched the car as quickly as I could.  I sold it to a junk dealer for a song and went back to being a teenager…life was good, once again…

Ski Date

I am sooooooo proud of myself because two Winter’s ago I took the plunge and finally learned how to ski.  I was born in a blizzard in Newport Rhode Island on Valentine’s Day, 1962 so my initial thought was:  ‘it’s about time I learned’ (Lol).  Actually I’ve been wanting to ski for quite some time.  Here are some of the reasons why:

1) Being born in the Winter

 2) Being born in a Blizzard

3) Being born in New England

4) Looking for something to do on snowy days besides eat

 5) Having yet another thing to check off on my Bucket List

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Growing up in Groton, CT in the 70’s I especially loved Winter time because there was so much snow back then that inevitably school would get cancelled and me and my 6 brothers and sisters could go outside and play all day.  Yay!

I loved Winter sports as a young girl too.  I was ice skating, sledding and playing ice hockey with the neighborhood kids so skiing was in my future, I just didn’t know it…

My S.O. James has skied multiple times in his life so he was happy to hear that I was finally ready to go on a ski date with him.

Ski Date: We set out on a snowy Winter day in February of 2013, right after my 51st birthday.  I work out regularly at the Edge Fitness Club in Hamden so I wasn’t worried about my physical ability to ski.  I was just a tad bit concerned about learning how to maneuver my way down the slopes without falling and also with how to stop the skis correctly.

We chose Mount Southington in Plantsville, CT because they have 4 beginner slopes for novices like me and because it was such a short drive away for us.

I borrowed my S.O.’s mother’s ski jacket; his extra pair of insulated ski gloves and extra ski goggles; and his sister’s ski pants.  I wore my own ski hat and scarf and dressed in lots of thermal layer undershirts.  Wise choice too as we headed out about 10am in the morning when it was still sunny and relatively warm and did not return ’till much later that afternoon when the weather had turned quite cool.

We checked in, filled out paperwork and paid for a 4 hour Flex Pass.  Then we picked up my rented ski boots (which I needed help strapping on) and my rented ski poles.  James had his own ski equipment.  I felt like a Chunky Monkey with all that gear on, could barely walk but was eager to get started (smile).

Going up the beginner’ slope on the chair lift for the first time was pretty awesome.   I also started to get a few butterflies in my stomach knowing that when we finally reached the top, I would be skiing my way back down.  At the top of the slope I saw a small group of 7-year-old children getting lessons so I felt comforted in the fact knowing that if they could do it, I certainly could!

Anyway, skiing down the first beginner slope (circles) was easier than I thought. I didn’t get fancy or anything, I simply glided down at a pretty good pace and therefore had no trouble stopping once I made it to the bottom of the hill.  We caught the chair lift again and skied down that first slope at least 4 or 5 more times before we moved on to the next level (squares).  By now I was starting to feel more confident and even getting a little cocky on the squares which caused me to wipe out a couple of times!   However, my adrenaline was flowing and I truly felt like I could conquer the world.  It was such an incredible feeling.  And highly addictive.  We went up and down a countless number of times and by now the air was starting to get real cold, the sky was darkening and my cheeks were beginning to feel numb.  It was time to make our way back to the lodge for some hot chocolate and refreshments.  Our ski date had ended but the memories, aaaahhh, those would last forever…

IMG_1312 Ski Mount Southington date

 

 

 

Yikes! Has it really been 35 years since high school?!??

imageI feel like pinching myself because tonight I am going to my 35th High School Reunion!  I still can’t believe it because I remember my mother mentioning her 35th High School reunion to me when I was a child and me thinking how old everyone there would be!  Now I know better…we are all 53 but I must say that I truly believe that  50 is the new 40 in terms of health and well-being.

 

Here’s a picture of us when we were still in high school:

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I’m looking forward to reconnecting with old friends and getting contact information from those I have completely lost touch with.  I’ve attended my 5th, 10th and 15th high school reunions so this is not completely new to me.  We did not have a 20th and I inadvertently missed the 25th.  There was not a 30th either so this will be the first time I have seen my classmates since I was 33!  20 years ago – unbelievable, as time has truly flown by.

The event takes place at the Groton Elks Lodge on Shennecossett Road in Groton. There will be a relaxing sit down BBQ Chicken dinner, cash bar, late night pizza, dancing and music by Next Level Entertainment featuring 80s music since we graduated in 1980.  Looking forward to a good time!

Me and Bonnie and Sherry my former track buddies

Me and Bonnie and Sherry — my former track buddies

Happy faces after eating!

Happy faces after eating!

Memory Lane pix

Memory Lane pix!

Me and Linda Cady

Me and Linda Cady – my February bday twin!

A keepsake and it was good!

Our delicious keepsake which I ate!  Ooops!  As you can see, I had a very good time and was so glad that I went.

Taking fun seriously…my very first golf lesson

Here are a number of reasons why I wanted to learn to play golf:

1)  My father, Jonie B. Hollis, is an avid Senior golfer and I would love to show up at his house one day with my clubs and say, “let’s go play.”    2)  my S.O. James loves to golf and would really like to take me out on golf dates.  3)  the business advantages that the golf lifestyle affords you.  Once you learn to play golf, you now have the unique opportunity to cultivate relationships outside of the workplace and enjoy a sport that is primarily known for networking.  4) It’s great exercise as well as a friendship builder…

I usually do things backwards so I actually bought an entire set of ladies golf clubs,  golf shoes, ladies golf balls, and a ladies golf gloves back in 2007.  I’m not one for procrastinating so I can’t explain why I am just now, in 2015, actually learning how to play.  My S.O. James bought me a couple of lessons to move things along so I called the Lyman Golf Center in Middlefield, CT to make my first of two appointments for lessons.  John Wilson, golf instructor,  came highly recommended from my co-worker Rachel so I asked to be set up with him.  Learning golf can be frustrating so Rachel, who is a golfer herself,  explained that John had the patience of Job and would be well suited for my personality.  She was absolutely right.

My first lesson with John was on a sticky hot Sunday in July.  One of the hottest days of the month.  I wore my golf outfit and my golf hat and after spending about 20 minutes getting to know each other, John and I took my clubs and headed out to the driving range where we would be spending the remainder of my one hour lesson.  Jim showed me the basics:  how to stand, how to hold my club, how to lean ever so slightly and mostly how to hold the club in my two hands.  I found this the most difficult because the way you hold the club with two hands did not feel natural to me so I kept forgetting how to do it and resorting to the easy and more natural way.  John never lost his patience, he just kept reminding me how to hold the club with both hands and also why I was holding it that way.  He kept moving my feet so that they were planted correctly and he also showed me an easy way to ‘tee the ball’ by using one hand only.

the stance is critical for swinging
the stance is critical for swinging
the follow through is equally important
the follow through is equally important
pointing the club reminds you of where you wanted the ball to go in the first place
pointing the club reminds you of where you wanted the ball to go in the first place

Once I got the hang of it, John left me to my own devices.  My lesson was now over so he gave me a ton of balls and said practice what you learned today so that when we get together next time, we can move on to the next lesson.  I spent the next 2 hours hitting balls and slowly starting to get why regular people are so fascinated with the game.  It truly is fun and it’s also challenging because there is so much to learn, on and off the course.  I’m looking forward to my next lesson with John and then maybe joining Golf Fore Women 101!

Chocolate on the Beach

It’s getting close to Memorial Day, the unofficial start of Summer, which means that me and my S.O. James will empty my car trunk of Winter gear and re-pack with the good stuff–Summer items like portable beach chairs, beach umbrellas, beach bags with sunblock, towels, beach blankets, etc.  We keep my car trunk filled up (not his as it is chock full of golf gear) like this all Summer long as you never know in New England when a beach day will appear.  We both love the beach and look forward to laying out on our image imagebeach chairs with my cooler filled with ice cold water, adult beverages and snacks and sneak dips in the ocean when the heat gets to be too much.  We are truly ‘Chocolate on the Beach’  as we are blessed with skin tones that are ‘Hershey bar’ chocolate, especially in contrast to the bright sunlight of the beach.  For as long as I can remember I have been a fan of the beach.  I grew up in a small town on the shoreline of Connecticut where we had 5 beaches, so it was natural and a beautiful thing to spend as much time as possible at the beach.

Plus my mother loved the beach when she was alive and made it a point to pick up her beach pass at the town hall in Groton the start of every Summer.  So one of the ways me and my siblings honored her when she passed almost 6 years ago was to have the bench she so often sat on at Eastern Point, her favorite beach in Groton, named after her.

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I think of her often but especially today as it is, after all, Mother’s Day…a day when I am reminded of her goodness.  I was one of seven children and although I came from a large family,  my mother had this special and unique way of making me feel as much love from her as if I were her only child.  And we all felt that powerful love.  I consider this one of the many gifts that God blessed her with and completely understand why she was nicknamed ‘Care Bear’  at her church, Walls Temple AME Zion in New London, CT.

Jean Anna Tinsley Hollis
Jean Anna Tinsley Hollis

So Happy Mother’s Day to all and a special Happy Mother’s Day to my mother Jean in Heaven.