Wolf Rock Nature Preserve in Mansfield.

It depends on which part of CT. Some parts (Northeast, for example) are a lot cheaper than others.

We've been waiting since the 80's.... is it trickling yet?

I'm not giving any advice either way, but I have signed a 2 year lease in the past although not in CT. I had just moved to NYC and was relieved to find an apt without having a guarantor (something commonly requested in the city) but the landlord wanted 2 years. We agreed, and it ended up being fine. It does make it more complicated if you need to move but it also helps protect you from a rent increase for that extra year. (We did end up having to break a lease later during Covid when we left the city but were as helpful as we could be with getting new tenants. Of course that was an unusual situation so your mileage may vary.)

Never been to Elephant's Trunk but the Mansfield Drive-In one is great.

Yeah, I actually really suck at wheel spinning but maybe you'll do better!

Spiral Arts Studio in Willimantic does a "Try it Night" - two hours of clay spinning with no obligation. You can combine it with dinner at Stone Row, Willimantic Brewing Company or The Harp on Church.

Commiseration from here as well. My partner and I have been wanting to buy a house and it's been a very discouraging process.

I'm not sure if it's open now, but the Storrs Adventure Park is pretty fun if you like outdoors stuff and are, well, adventurous.

Cato Corner Farm in Colchester

I'd call around to grocery stores near you, especially if there are any Asian groceries. But if you can't find them, there's a good chance that you can substitute regular cucumbers. Good luck with your recipe.

Bliss Marketplace in Willimantic.

Yeah, I actually changed my party affiliation from Green back to Democrat to vote against him. Never could stand the guy.

Murphy seems decent enough. I don't follow him very closely but he seems genuinely moved by the Sandy Hook shooting and has supported the families and pushed for gun reform.

Your best bet would be to speak with a broker to see what the best plan would be. You can find one through Access Health CT. There are some subsidies for folks to help bring down the cost if they qualify. All the plans that I've considered have very high deductibles like what you mention, but I'm also a lot older and have a higher income.

I think it will really vary depending on the place. Probably the best bet is to see the apartment and get a feel for it, see how well insulated it is, and ask if it's possible to speak with a former tenant about the place. Best of luck.

A one-bedroom apartment in the Willimantic area goes for $800-1000. I've lived in the town for years and have always felt physically safe although I've had my bike stolen a couple of times. Not a whole lot of jobs though, and the town is kind of geographically isolated. (Although if you can get a job at UConn or ECSU, those are usually pretty good.)

As far as looking for affordable housing resources, you can try checking out any community action agency or community resource agency in your area. (In Willimantic we have the ACCESS Agency and Windham Regional Community Council).

I agree.

I'm happy to complain to whoever else has the power to make changes, but I also always feel it doesn't hurt to let our elected reps know that we're not happy. (I also let them know when I think they're doing something right.)

Besides, I'm never entirely convinced that there's nothing elected representatives can do. Perhaps they can't do much about this particular situation, but there is the ability to make or change laws and regulations and to have oversight of companies. I always feel it's better to speak up than not to.

More and better public transportation in and out of Windham County.