Connecticut

Last weekend I flew back to Connecticut to visit Gram and the Macks. I make a point of being there every summer. We had originally planned to be there earlier this summer, but our schedules refused to comply. With the August days ticking away, I seized the moment and caught a flight for a long weekend.

I managed to arrive just in time for the best Connecticut weather of the season, the kind of summer weather that makes every other moment of the year look inferior. Apparently Connecticut had alternated between sweltering hot and stormy for most of July and August. But this weekend, the sun shown down with complete and perfect benevolence. Afternoons achieved that ideal combination of slanting warm sunshine, a welcome accumulating layer of radiant heat, clean dry air, and occasional tickling breeze. We all sat around the pool holding sweaty bottles and chatted.

It was great to see Gram. Gram has been living at Carolton for some time, so on weekends the Mack gatherings around lunchtime typically occur at her room. Gram had had some difficulty the day before I arrived, but she recovered steadily over the weekend. On Saturday she mostly rested and listened as we all chatted together in her room. By Sunday, she had gathered back much of her strength and by all accounts was significantly better. I was grateful to have a good talk with her.

On Saturday, Uncle John and Aunt Joyce orchestrated a full-blown Bavarian cookout, complete with brats, knockwurst, potato salad, traditional slaw, pasta, sauerbraten (beef dish), German beer, and fresh rye bread and rolls. I piled my plate high.

Hard to say what was my favorite, but I definitely had seconds of the mild veal and pork brat on the right.

A few of the cousins were around too, including Buzz (up from NYC for the weekend), Sarah, and Katie Jane, who is just back after a summer of working at her camp in the Adirondacks. Katie used her Herculean strength to open up the pickle jar.

It was a great, great weekend. I wish I were back there already.