(For Meades)
As I sit here contemplating some home-cooked food, I ponder on how life has almost turned a full circle. I left the UK in 2003 after a life-changing event, determined not to return, as I was disgusted with the capitulation of my home country to the forces of Evil (Dubya and Tony). My destination was the Antipodes, and the future lives of choice were either greeny hippy builder or vintage motorcycling zenistry, the two alter egos of my adult life.
A revulsion to “eco leaders” in green stripey trousers [Ed: Meades will be devastated], and hippy chicks that talked the talk and then bailed out to live with the first available solicitor / advertising exec with a big bank balance when times got hard, made me realise where my true social standing lay: a motorcycle guy (or gal) is a motorcyclist first, and a political animal second. It’s a disease.
So how the fuck am I living in semi-rural northwestern Connecticut, armed with a green card and the prospect of naturalisation next year, and more to the point, how come I am eating a meal consisting of venison curry (freezer stocked by rednecks), organic brown pilau rice, and a side of home-grown zucchini, tomatoes, herbs, onions and garlic, all free from either my small veggie plot or from local friends? Worse still, I occasionally spend evenings playing with axes in a community-owned wood. What the fuck?
We live in interesting times, and while occasional observances are fine, perhaps it would be good to explain a little about my home, a run-down industrial town in northwest Connecticut; or, as a friend of mine’s father constantly asked her, “So what exactly is in Konneckticut?” As a middle-aged, widowed singleton, I have to say it’s largely about toys, but as I have resided here far longer than anywhere else in my adult life, and appreciate other aspects more and more, let’s do some background; it’s easy to do a wiki search on Connecticut.
Here is a personal prƩcis:
Connecticut is known as the Constitution State after the “Connecticut Plan”, the proposal by the CT delegates to the Continental Congress that is credited with saving the assembly from acrimonious break-up, and leading to the ratification of the Constitution in Philadelphia during the Revolutionary War. The framework was supposedly based on the first articles of the New Haven colony from 1639.
Population: 3.7 million, in an area of 4849K square miles; that is to say about the same as Surrey, Sussex, Kent and Essex combined. The capital is Hartford, centrally located, and all the other major population centres are along the southern coast, bordering Long Island Sound. They are all a bit odd down that way. That’s where a lot of the money is too, as it’s within the commuter belt of NYC. (Also where the money isn’t, paradoxically: large parts of Bridgeport and New Haven make the Broadwater Farm Estate look like an agrarian paradise.)
State politics: the Communist State, nailed on to return two Democrats to the Senate, due to the large cities. Everywhere outside city limits is Trump territory. Sixth highest taxes in US states, and pretty good welfare support for poorer citizens, about as good as it gets, in fact. Must be why everyone seems to want to move to the South.
Early history: surprisingly, largely unexplored in the early years of colonisation, half-way between the Dutch in NYC/Hudson Valley and the Pilgrims in the Boston area. Groups of colonists seeking more religious freedom than on offer in Massachusetts (they are all a bit odd up there) started settling the Long Island Sound and the navigable reaches of the Connecticut River in the 1630s. Turns out that the Pilgrim fathers, fleeing political and religious intolerance in the mother country, were pretty keen on imposing their own even more extreme intolerances on the early colonists. The knock-on effect of this was the demand for self-governance in the fledgling settlements across New England (anarchism by any other name), which in turn kindled the fires that started the Revolutionary conflagration 140 years later.
I will leave the fates of indigenous inhabitants to scholars of such subjects, except to say that the shared custody of 4849K square miles of luxuriant temperate forests, lakes and streams, bounded by coastal regions unbelievably rich in fish and shellfish was fairly exchanged for a few beads, some hatchets, a lot of illegally brewed alcohol, and a couple of casinos. It’s all documented.
There are only a few of them left, so they made out like bandits. People like to assume that most of the Pequots, Mohawks and Mohegans generally wandered off to join their brethren further north and west, and they all lived happily ever after.
Geography: a bit of everything, but particularly a lot of lakes, hills, and rivers, the proliferation of which would lead to the Connecticut River valley becoming the heartland of the early American industrial revolution in the 19th century, some forty to fifty years after the process began in western Europe. Also thickly forested; almost all old growth had been cleared for farmland by the 1850s, but the opening up of western lands and the civil war led to huge areas formerly under cultivation being abandoned, and the regrowth continues apace.
Industry: in the early years, plenty of water power running from the upper reaches of the Appalachians to the west and the Berkshires to the north provided the power to make things. There are abandoned mill ponds and races everywhere in the woods, which are also crisscrossed with old stone walls from abandoned farms. Small forges and foundries gave way to larger factories in the 1890s, and led to wave after wave of European immigrants to work in them. This town is particularly strongly represented by Italians and Polish/Ukranians.
Wars lead to profits. A local high-end carriage manufacturer was the only major casualty of the civil war (all the rich guys wanting fancy carriages were down south), but the local brass mill developed the first easily mass produced bullet casing; the Union government bought loads of them.
Elsewhere in the State, they made the weapons that they needed, Colt and Winchester being possibly the most famous. Innovation and ingenuity being a natural part of the yankee character, local discoveries are too many to mention, from cotton gins to condensed milk and rubber vulcanisation, sewing machines and needle bearings. Manufacturing became a mainstay of the local economy through into the 1950s and 60s, but the writing was on the wall as cheaper labour and power supplies elsewhere started to take its toll.
Natural history: you name it, we got it within spitting distance. Deer aplenty, raccoons, chipmunks, skunks, and bears all seen rambling regularly in my neighbourhood; wild turkey roam in small herds. Me and the boys in the factory next door stood around for a good while last week watching a couple of red-tailed hawks learning to fly, and the mill dam is an excellent spot to throw a worm and catch a small brookie or rainbow trout now the factories have all closed – that is, unless the bloody bald eagle has been by and had ’em all, or scared them away, but he’s fun to watch too. Friend of mine had her chickens eaten by coyotes two weeks ago, and another friend has seen two mountain lions in the last year, not ten miles up the road. I’ve not seen a coyote or mountain lion; both of these are relatively recent returnees to the state. Connecticut is also ground zero for Lyme disease, we have deer ticks a plenty.
Signed, sunbeamtim.
Ovally Balls 
More:
‘Malcolm MacDonald, a mechanic from Norfolk, was due to have the new appendage attached to his genital area in 2018, but a series of delays resulted in him living with the genitalia on his arm for the past four years.’
Amazing thing, modern medicine. Wouldn’t e able to wear short sleeved shirts though.
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‘Mr MacDonald lost his penis after struggling with a perineum infection which spread to his extremities, and he was left ācompletely guttedā after his appendage ādropped off on to the floorā in 2014.’
I’ll just leave you all with that horrifying image.
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Chimpie – should have worn tighter, more supportive underpants.
And gone to the docs a bit sooner.
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At least he didn’t rip it off masturbating.
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Hmmm?
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Too close to home?
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If you say so.
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Well that was a surprising turn in conversation. Um. Not much to add really. Well I could but for the sake of everyone’s sanity I won’t.
Interesting match down in Southampton so far – England have lost 3 wickets inside the first 10 overs, but have bashed away happily to have 59 after 10 overs.
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Eoin Morgan goes to his 50 off 39 balls. He’s flayed everything in sight today, but had a bit of luck too. Still trying to get the image of old Malcolm ‘knob arm’ McDonald out of my head.
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Lots of balls flying around but has anyone’s nob dropped off?
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I guess it’s a question of what is easier to say to your friends and loved ones when you roll up your sleeves at dinner.
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Morgan moves to 65 off 51 balls, but again has ridden his luck. If he stays for another 5 overs he’ll have a ton, no doubt. If he stays deep into the innings, England will be looking at 400+.
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@Ticht – congrats on completing couch to 5k , onwards to āthe bridge to 10ā. Mrs C started us both running at the ancient age of 58 and we are still running every week but found the step up to 10 miles too far well deserved brownie point if you remain the only person this lockdown to actually lose and significant amount of weight and in a way that it should stay off
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Dropped! Difficult catch, but should’ve clung on instead off tipping it over the bar! Morgan moves into the 70s. And with that I’ll be heading home for a cold beer.
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@SBT – lovely write up . The whole story seemed idyllic until the very last sentence , Lyme disease is the absolute pits.
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Very enjoyable read, SBT.
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We’re on a mountain in Northern Moravia about 30 kilometres from Poland.
Earlier today we were in the town of Litovel. Pleasant square. Had lunch. Stopped in the tourist information and asked for some tips. The lady insisted we visit the 3rd oldest stone bridge in the Czech Republic. which we did – we’ve ticked off the top 3 in the last month.
She also suggested the Harmonik Museum. It’s a private collection and you go to the guy’s house and he tells you about the history of the instruments. You then choose one and he plays for you. Since the rain was coming down, she said the owner of the museum was bound to be in so we could just knock on his door. We were too pushed for time to make it.
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Thanks for the ATL, Tim. Very enjoyable, and almost a love-letter to the new life you chose. Be kind to those lovely animals as much as you can.
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Well, except for the skunks. And raccoons are pretty vicious things, even if they look cute. And of course the deer ticks can FRO.
I’m a bit surprised that it’s all Trump country in rural CT. Michigan (aka Mitchigan) also has a big city-rural divide, but after Trump was elected a rural friend that I’d thought might be a Trump supporter emailed me expressly to tell me that she had NOT voted for Trump – despite the fact that we’d never, ever discussed politics before!
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One of the senators from Connecticut accidentally let slip earlier that the US had tried to run a coup in Venezuela last year.
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Ireland doing OK so far. 185/1 after 30 overs. Paul Sterling notvout on 107.
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TomP, did they use the Bay of Pigs manual for it?
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“I count myself in nothing else so happy
As in a soul remembering my good friends.”
Tim
Lovely words. I’m much warmed by the remembrance. I’m glad you sound to be keeping well.
And best to you all.
Meades
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Probably, deebee.
Bit of trivia for you – Paul Stirling’s dad, Brian, was the ref in the game when johan le Roux bit Fitzy’s ear.
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Meades!!! How are you? Was a shame to not see you in Heidelberg.
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Thauma, one of my favourite stories of being a dumb tourist when I got here was getting back from a ride out and asking what the funny looking animal was I picked up and helped across the road. Saw this poor little fluffy thing trying to cross the road and nearly being run over by several cars ahead, but it seemd real determined, so stopped the bike , scooped up the little black and white cutie, tucked it under my arm, scratched it on the head and carried it to the other side, much to the amusement of several locals. Noone could believe it didn’t spray me.
Hi Meades, hope alls good.
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TomP, reading up on that, apparently Le Roux also flattened Martin Johnson, ending his match a season earlier. The Independent article that cites that also says he was called Le Beast in SA. I don’t recall that at all. Ended his Bom career though.
Met Fitzy a couple of times at golf days after he retired: he was hated with a passion as a player here, but adored as a true rugby man the moment he retired. Great bloke. Actually pretty humble and humorous without having to tell you.
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*Bok career, obviously š
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o/ Meades!
SBT, my dog got skunked a couple of times. Until you’ve had your eyes water for days, you just don’t know what you’re missing.
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Deebee, Harry Tector, the lad at the end for Ireland, spent some time at minor Joburg school a few years ago. He played with the now Irish Curtis Campher there. You should be proud.
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TomP, I didn’t realise Campher was a Saints boy, or that Tector clearly learned his trade there too. We were always a very strong schools side and won many trophies, but strangely didn’t produce many top cricketers in the ‘shamateur era’. Roy Pienaar is one who stands out, as one of the most elegant batsmen I’ve ever seen, but didn’t have the temperament to build long innings patiently. Dave Rundell played a couple of ODIs in the early days of readmission and David Terbrugge played both Tests and ODIs in the early noughties, from memory. Obviously today it’s a bit different with Kagiso Rabada and Wiaan Mulder both playing for the Proteas and Wandile Makwetu playing for the SA Under19s as a wicketkeeper – one to watch.
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Broad and Anderson back in tandem! Remarkable. Both on the money so far too.
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Pace quartet of Anderson, Broad, Archer and Woakes is pretty handy. With Dom Bess as the spinner it’s a very good attack.
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Pakistan just about coping though. A couple that have flown through the gaps in the slip cordon or been close to LBW, but you’d expect that on Day 1 under cloudy Manchester skies.
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Archer makes the breakthrough with a beautiful inswinger! Pakistan are 36/1 after 15.4 overs, with Abid Ali gone for 16. Covers on for rain.
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Right back from a couple of hours of podcasts and webinars, so time to catch up on the day’s conversation! Oh. Well, Pakistan have moved to 74/2 off 31 overs and it’s looking interesting. A couple of wickets and they’re in trouble, a big partnership or two and England will be toiling.
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Pakistan make it to the next rain delay without further loss. 121/2 and Babar Azam purring along quite nicely, thank you!
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No Deebs, thank you.
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Wasn’t it a Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court?
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Couldn’t find the original so this one will have to do
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Deebee, More King Edwards old boys seem to go on to make it. Wonder why that is.
It’s similar in the more important city in Gauteng. Pretoria Boys and Affies (two branches of the same school (sort of) have produced a fair few. Proteas in recent years Menlopark and Waterkloof, who’ve both been very strong for a good few years, not so many.
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Good work OT. Always liked that song, but I thought it came from Alice in Wonderland, for some reason.
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TomP, I really have no idea why that is (sidestepping your ludicrous notion of Pretoria being more important than Jozi), other than perhaps in the past (from my interaction with Saints boys who could or should have made it in top sport), they tended to go to uni and straight into corporate leaving little time for sport. Quite a few also left SA shortly after school to avoid going to the army. Only about half of my year is still in SA, with the rest largely in the USA, UK and Aus, with a smattering in other African countries and Asia. Pure speculation though – they certainly had the drive and ambition to succeed at schools level, so not sure why not from there?
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A CMW-pleasing story…..
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-53658375
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Ticht – I started looking at your sourdough video, and also found a written recipe on-line to compare it to. The comments under the written recipe mostly said that it was rubbish, and then one said, ‘Ignore this recipe. I learnt how to make sourdough from an Irish bloke on YouTube.’
Then there are the comments under his video:
Sarah Casias
6 months ago
Itās almost 3am and I have no intentions of making bread. I was sucked into the sourdough vortex. I would listen to this man explain just about anything.
ilovecookingireland
AndrƩs Abarca
6 months ago
I have watched this like 10 times and I don’t even have an oven
But I want to know if I can make the starter with wholemeal flour!
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Aha, I have found the answer elsewhere: High-extraction flours, whole grain wheat or rye flours, and high-ash flours result in a more vigorous fermentation. This requires more frequent feeding.
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Thaum/Ticht – I have also been making sourdough using the method in ‘Flour Water Salt Yeast’ which is a great book for anyone who is interested baking.
It’s where I got the beetroot onna pizza idea from.
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Basically – mix flour and water. Leave out for a few hours then clingfilm. Next day throw most of it away and add more flour and water. Repeat 3-4 more times and use per the bread recipe you have or cover and store inna fridge.
It smells weird but in a good way. Am baking a loaf tomorrow.
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Sounds like a lot of hard work
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to make bread that tastes slightly worse
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