My first stop in Rhode Island was a little cove near Newport where I came upon the crossroads, Purgatory/Paradise. Was it already time for such a monumental decision? I’d only been on the road for an hour. I made my choice (for now) and headed on to Newport.

Although the sky was overcast, I enjoyed the cliff walk along Newport’s mansions for a mile or so until I found it barricaded for repair, so I ambled through the Salve Regina campus back to the car. My first library visit was in the little town of Greenville, RI where I learned that John Grisham has a middle school series and that the book in print is still alive.

Lunchtime brought me to Putnam,CT, the home of Gertrude Chandler Warner who is the author of the Boxcar Children Mysteries, my favorite series from my elementary school days. Sorry Encyclopedia Brown. There is a lovely little boxcar museum.

The drive from Newport thru Putnam to Hartford, was on a lovely country road with stone walls, mom and pop shops and the occasional white steeple church. Even in March(mud season), New England puts on a beautiful show.

I arrived at the Mark Twain House and Museum in time for the last tour. Great museum, with a Ken Burns film as an introduction, a couple of well-done exhibits and a guided tour of the house that is both lively and informative. Twain’s home was gilded yet inviting; and etched into his fireplace screen were the words,”the warmth of a house are the friends who frequent it”. I’ve always liked Twain, for his wit, his words and now his home. I wonder if it isn’t also because he moved many times in his adult life. Our Boston apartment is move 8 or 9 depending on who’s counting.