Tag: Connecticut

The Hatch – By Land or By…Lake!

harkinchronicles

Every so often I do this thing where I start writing about something we did and then halfway through think that it’s lame and that nobody is going to want to read it. So then those posts sit in blog purgatory as a draft and SOMETIMES get resurrected (cough living room novel) or just sit there taking up space in my folder. Back in June, I was apparently really excited to write about going to Down the Hatch, a bar that’s directly on the lake. I made a few bullet points about why we like going there and then just left it and because we didn’t make too many trips there this summer, never got around to finishing it or posting it.

Well, we’re trying to make the most out of summer and we went to the Hatch twice more since that original post! Look at us go! (20sAmanda would be SO saddened by that statement.) We actually went right after the Bridgewater Fair to grab a quick dinner and then we went again this past weekend…BY BOAT. Pros of the Hatch being on the lake? You can go there by boat. Cons of the Hatch being on the lake? We don’t have a boat.

On Saturday, I was at the nail salon and I ran into Annie who also plays bocce. She asked what we were up to for the weekend and when I said that we had no plans, she asked if James and I wanted to go to the Hatch with her and her husband later. Of course we did! We said we’d finalize plans later and when we did, she said to meet at her house. Now, I knew they lived near the lake but I did not know that they had a boat. Which means I 100% did not dress appropriately to be riding a boat into the night. Oh well – her husband Matt grabbed a blanket for me to use for the ride!

The Hatch itself was pretty tame. I introduced everybody to the wonderful buffalo popcorn shrimp. Matt and Annie won tickets to see Brad Paisley in Hartford. Our roommies stopped in. We left before it got too crazy and I think the cooler weather was keeping people away.

One thing I forgot – our friend Chad is one of the bartenders and since the Hatch is only open seasonally, he gave me the heads up on the closing date so we can have a Hatch Funeral later next month!

Until our next adventure!

Matt’s Bocce Game

harkinchronicles

Okay, okay I know I said I wouldn’t write about bocce again until playoffs BUTTTTTT….on Tuesday’s game we were down a player so I “volunteered” our roommate Matt as a sub and he KICKED ASS. Our team won 12-1 and most of those points were due to Matt sneaking his last throw in and knocking the red balls out of the way. 

Alright, that is all. I’m just a proud mama of my “little brother”.

Until our next adventure!

Fair Szn

harkinchronicles

The end of summer is fair/festival season around here. The town carnival already happened but coming (slash just happened last weekend) are the Bridgewater Fair, the Milford Oyster Festival, a Hot Air Balloon Festival, the Garlic Festival…the list goes on and on!

This past weekend I wanted to go to the Milford Oyster Festival but it turns out they closed at 6 pm on Saturday! It’s about an hour away and weren’t planning on going until later in the day so by the time we got down there, we would have only had about an hour before they closed. 

Luckily, the Bridgewater Fair was also happening and I had wanted to go to that as well (it just got moved to my second choice fair for the weekend once oysters were mentioned). James and I went there instead but wound up not staying too long because it was SO HOT. It’s really a country fair in a large field area so there wasn’t much shade and in the few tents it was even warmer. We checked out different vendors and the craft tents and then went over to watch DIVING DOGS (honestly the number one reason I wanted to go). We managed to get a seat on a little hill overlooking the pool and for the most part had a good view. Some kids were walking right up to the edge of the pool to watch but we could see above their heads however this couple next to us was SO MEAN to them. The lady of the couple kept yelling “KEEP IT MOVING!!” to kids and adults alike. The first time she did it, I thought that she must know the people and was doing it as a joke but nope. She kept grumbling to her husband about how “rude” young people were. I was very happy when they left. We ran into Julie and Jeff while we were watching the diving dogs and saw a bunch of other people from town as we walked around. Later that night, I saw several Instagram stories from friends that were there (but that we didn’t see). We eventually got too hot on the hill so we left to go check out the animal barns. I just wanted to see the cows! Before we headed out, we watched a bit of the tractor pull. It’s a good thing we left when we did – a storm rolled through later that evening! I ran into the house right as the rain started to fall.

This coming weekend, we may be heading to the Hot Air Balloon Festival up near our friend Nick’s house. I just asked our friend group…and the weather on Sunday is a lot cooler than it was last weekend so I’m rooting for Sunday!

Coming up in September – I’m definitely going to the Norwalk Oyster Festival. That’s early in September and it’s still pretty warm out. The only thing I remember from going as a kid is the shuttle bus ride there, making sand art, and listening to live music by the water. I’m also going to the Big E at the end of the month. It’s up in Massachusetts and is basically a state for but for all of New England. The past few years, Lexy and I have requested the same day off from work so we could go during the week and avoid the super hectic weekends. I believe that’s also the plan for this year!

Until our next adventure!

Giant Jenga

harkinchronicles

Back when I lived in Pennsylvania, there was this bar that had a giant Jenga set out for patrons to play. I thought it was the coolest thing ever and figured it looked easy enough to make so I did just that – I went to Home Depot one night, bought all the wood, convinced some kid working to do all the cuts for free, then brought it to my apartment and spent all of my free time the next two weeks hand sanding the pieces on my porch while watching Netflix. I painted the ends gray, coral, and blue to match the decor on my porch (and the building itself). I left it set up outside all summer and by some miracle, nobody stole any pieces! It made a few trips that very first summer including to a vacation in the Poconos with my college friends and on a camping trip for work. I was using my largest duffel bag as a carrying case but last summer I ordered a case just for the Jenga – perfect timing since I had a two week road trip just a few months later!

Fast forward a few years – Julie and Jeff were getting married and Julie kept dropping hints that a giant Jenga set would be the perfect gift. Now, I love my Jenga and I had fun making it but there was no way that I was going to have it done before her bridal shower. Luckily by then I had met James and he had a power sander – we were able to get it done IN ONE AFTERNOON. I ordered her a carrying case when I ordered mine so I had it embroidered with their last name and wedding date. 

And now fast forward one more year! Maranda’s friend Tiffany asked for a giant Jenga set as well so Maranda recruited James into making it. Maranda isn’t leaving for China for a few more weeks but her last day of work here was earlier this month so her and James took a day to make the Jenga set. James got fancy this time around – he wood burned a monogram onto each block and then MADE carrying crate out of wood and wood burned their last name onto the crate! Maranda said that Tiffany and her husband LOVED it. 

So yeah, if anybody local wants a giant Jenga set, I know a GREAT builder. 

Until our next adventure!

Birthday Bocce

harkinchronicles

Another post about bocce…but it’s also about my birthday…sorrynotsorry (also totally going to write about playoffs!). Bocce is on Tuesdays unless it gets rained out and it just so happened that my birthday was on Tuesday this year! I was actually nervous that it was going to get rained out so I made back up birthday plans to have dinner with my family at Koo…not gonna lie, I was really hoping to get some sushi. But the storms stayed to the south of us so bocce was on!

James, my parents, Matt, Ashley, and Maranda came to watch my game and eat and hang out. Maranda’s mom joined us later. My team won the game! Birthday luck! (Seriously…I needed it…I’ve dropped down to 4th place!) We watched the other teams’ games and when they were done, we played our own game. James and I were on one team and Matt, Ashley, and Maranda were another team – their team won. Matt was REALLY good – I told him that he needs to change his work schedule next summer so that he can join the league. 

Justin and the whole 440 crew always treat me so well for my birthday. One year they brought me a cannoli with a candle in it. This year they brought me a whole plate of fried dough pieces covered in powdered sugar! And then Justin came outside with a plate of shots…of Rumpleminz (a peppermint liquor). I’m not a fan so Maranda had to finish my shot for me. 

And that wraps up my birthday celebrations! Overall one of the best birthdays yet…I think I mentioned before that I have horrible luck and have had some pretty crummy birthdays. Lately that hasn’t been an issue so I’m pretty happy.

Until our next adventure!

Meeting Ellis

harkinchronicles

Our friends Lauren and Nick recently adopted a dog named Ellis! She is a rescue that was flown up from Puerto Rico! She’s about 4-5 months old and so friendly and cute.

Lauren and Nick live down in Norwalk but Lauren was in Danbury the other day and stopped by our house so Ellis could meet Lilly. Lilly gets along with other dogs but does best if she’s off leash and can run around with them. Unfortunately we live on a really busy road and don’t feel comfortable letting Lilly off leash in the yard so I was a bit nervous about Lilly and Ellis meeting. When they came over, I went outside first and left Lilly in the house – she was laying on the couch with James and literally had no idea anybody was at our house. Once Ellis got comfortable with our yard, I carried Lilly outside. Both dogs saw each other and neither growled or barked or looked uncomfortable so I put Lilly down and they slowly approached each other, sniffed each other, and then went back to sniffing the grass. Lauren and I walked them around the yard on their leashes but then they started wanting to play and kept getting tangled so we brought them inside. Both dogs ran into the living room and instantly jumped on James! Matt came home while Lauren and Ellis were still at the house and then both dogs ambushed him! The dogs had lots of fun playing with Lilly’s toys and chasing each other around the coffee table. Lauren sent us a picture of Ellis passed out in the car on her drive back to Norwalk. The dogs got along really well and so now we’re looking to see if there’s a dog park halfway between our houses so they can hang out some more!

Until our next adventure!

It’s a Birthday Party!

harkinchronicles

My birthday falls at a weird time of the year. It’s August so it’s right before school starts and everybody’s trying to get that last bit of summer in by going on vacation. Including my own family – there were several birthdays growing up that we were on vacation or getting ready to leave for vacation. I know as adults most people WANT to go on vacation for their birthday but as a kid, all I wanted was to have a birthday party at school like all the other kids! The few times I did try to have a party around my birthday, a lot of my friends couldn’t make it because they were on vacation. Once I was an adult and working in ResLife, my birthday fell during RA training so I was constantly working and rarely got a day or evening off that I could celebrate away from students. (I still work at a college now but I get nights and weekends off which is GLORIOUS.) Also – weird just me thing – I have allergies that always start around my birthday and until we figured out that it was allergies and I could take Claritin or something, I was always sick for my birthday.

Since we just had a big party for Maranda, I didn’t really have the energy to put into another large, festive, themed gathering so instead I just opted for a casual cookout and bonfire at our house. Most of my close friends were able to make it and Ashley brought her kids. Kinley is two and a half now and was running all over yelling “AUNT AMANDA!!!” anytime she couldn’t see me. Sidenote – never realized how many large rocks there were in the yard until a toddler was tumbling all over the place. For once the weather wasn’t unbearably hot so later at night, we all ventured into the house and sat around the table chatting. Eventually we went down to the bar for a few more drinks before coming home and watching murder shows. Completely excellent casual birthday party! 10/10 would do again!

Until our next adventure!

Maranda’s Going Away Party

harkinchronicles

Maranda is one of my best friends. We actually met before I moved back to Connecticut – I was interviewing for my old job and she had applied to my old job but didn’t get it, so she was SUPER salty when she met me. Fast forward a few months – someone quit at the last minute so she was hired and we both began work on the same day! Now let’s fast forward three years – I have a new job and Maranda was looking to move on as well and wound up accepting a job as an English teacher in China for the upcoming school year which means Maranda is moving to China very soon.

Maranda’s mom and I talked about throwing her a surprise going away party but earlier this summer, Maranda started to try and plan her OWN party so we had to tell her our plans. This worked out for the best because she was able to assist us with invites and picking a date that worked for her busy schedule. August is a HARD month to plan any type of event – so many people are on vacation and this year Maranda is IN two weddings in August. My parents let us host the party at their house which was great because they have a two car garage right next to the patio so if there’s bad weather, people can easily escape the rain.

Our friend Lexy helped me with decorations. We hung fairy lights and Chinese lanterns in the garage. Matt let us use his white canopy – we put that on the patio and hung a banner of tiny Chinese flags inside the tent. We also brought a spare TV from our house with our Apple TV to put in the garage for music (and later to show a slideshow and play our favorite game). Maranda’s mom, Lexy, and James helped with the food. We had burgers, chicken, pizza, potstickers, mini cupcakes with tiny Chinese flag toppers, and my dad set up a bar in the garage and made his famous PJ coladas all day! With the help of Maranda’s dad, I put a bunch of pictures and videos of Maranda together into a slideshow. We made everyone come into the garage to watch.

Right as people were beginning to leave, the sky got real dark real fast. Everybody started running things from the patio into the garage because it looked like it was about to pour. Just as we got the last chair inside, the sky opened up. We all sat in the garage playing Quiplash while we waited for the rain to end. It was pouring and thundering and lightning. We wound up having to close the garage door because the rain was being blown inside. Poor Lilly was so frightened – she was running from one person to another, hiding under chairs.

After the rain, we went to the bar for the evening. Some of our friends that hadn’t been able to come earlier in the day met us out at the bar. At one point, Maranda went into the bathroom. After she had been in there awhile, her sister (who flew up from Virginia!), Ashley, and I went to check on her. It started to hit her that she was moving away and she was a little upset. All four of us sat on the bathroom floor for an hour. It started as comforting Maranda but then we had all sorts of crazy conversations. I think that will be my favorite memory from the night!

Until our next adventure!

NF Carnival

harkinchronicles

My favorite week of the year in New Fairfield has to be when the carnival comes to town. I still haven’t outgrown the excitement I had as a kid driving past the baseball fields and seeing all the rides and tents get set up. My family reunion has coincided with carnival week in the past and it did this year as well BUT opening night was on Tuesday this year (I think when I was younger it was always Wednesday?). 

Originally we planned to go Wednesday night since I had Thursday off but the weather looked like garbage and I wound up getting booked to teach on Wednesday night so we decided to go after my bocce game instead. Jake and James were coming down from the farm and met Maranda, Matt, and me at the carnival as we were stuffing our faces with fried dough. Back when I was a kid, we’d get the ride-all-night bracelets but we only cared to go on a few rides this time. Of course, that didn’t stop James from buying an arm’s length of tickets so we all went on a kiddie ride to end the night.

Until our next adventure!