QUIET DELL: JAYNE ANNE PHILLIPS ***

This book was a recommendation on a blog I follow called READ ALL DAY.  The blogger commented that it was one of the best books she had read in years.  Not to be a contrarian but  I have read a couple of better books in the past couple of months, THE GOLDFINCH for sure.

The novel combines a 'true crime' story, that of serial killer Harry Powers, who wooed, then murdered vulnerable widows in the 1920's.  He was caught in 1931, executed in 1932 and Phillips tells us the story of his last victims, Chicago housewife Asta Eicher, and her three children, Annabelle, Grethe, and Hart.  Powers promises Asta a life of hope, takes her and her children to Quiet Dell, West Virginia, and murders them, burying their bodies in a ditch in his backyard. This horror story, based on facts and transcripts, contrasts with the fictional imaginings of Phillips, the other half of the novel.  She adds a woman observer, Emily Thornton, an independent Chicago Tribute reporter, who follows for the paper the hunt and conviction of Powers.  She is accompanied by a friend, Eric, a Tribune photographer, also sent to cover the story.  But the counterpoint to the true crime is the romance between Emily and Asta Eicher's banker and friend, William Malone.

Malone and Emily meet for the first time when Emily returns to Chicago, after the murders of the Eicher's are discovered, and she wants to talk with anyone who knew the Eicher's, in this case, it's the banker Malone.  If there is such a thing as love at first sight, it happens to them, and their passionate love affair is a vivid contrast to the facts of the Eicher murders, and the trial and eventual execution of Harry Powers.  I admit to being a bit shocked to read so much about their feelings for each other, their brief trysts in between the trail, their longing glances, their  'heart felt' vows of love, like something out of a Harlequin romance, though I admit to having never read one.

Thus,  I am not the enthusiast that Blogger Nina Sankovitch is though I did enjoy the novel. It is wonderfully written, interestingly put together, and who can resist the arrest and trial of a serial killer combined with a passionate love story.  Not me!

Sunny, Blue Skies And Ten Below Zero

7:02

Good Morning

 Up at 6:40, to a frighteningly cold morning but a flawless clear sky, an orange blush on the shoreline, waiting for the sun to rise.  I walked outside to get the paper, breathed in the below zero air, sinus clearing, and hurried back in the warm house, ready to read my Post Journal, a five minute task each morning.

Despite yesterday's cold weather, and off and on snow, we journeyed to yoga and the YMCA, taking our time on the snowy roads, surprised at the lack of traffic, wondering if the locals knew something that we didn't about the roads.  They did...there was a 12 car pile up on RT 5 near Sheridan, a result of a white out up near Lake Erie. Anyways, we took our time, classes were fine, and we both felt good about ourselves for having gotten out and done something active.  We then did our weekly shopping at Wegman's, and Evie had her nifty iPad in hand, with her Wegman's app that show her shopping list, replete with the aisle and price of any item she puts on it.  Just what Evie needs, another list.  We walked out to a snow squall in the parking lot, took the back way home, through  Ashville, thinking it would be safer, less traffic, got home around 1:00 and settled in for the rest of the day, after a retro lunch of fried baloney sandwiches and vegetable soup.  No hiking or cross country skiing for us because of the cold and snow.

Winter Winds Whip Up The Lake, Obscuring Tom's Point at 4:00

We had what I will call a 'Betts and Frank' kind of night because it reminds me of my parents.  Evie put together a 1950's meal, meatloaf, mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts and salad, and then we sat down like my parents did for probably fifty years and had a preprandial cocktail, for us Manhattans, for my Dad, a martini, my Mom, a Manhattan.  They never seemed to miss a night and lived into their 90's, a salubrious recommendation for a nightly cocktail.  We tend to feel guilty if we have a cocktails too often Puritans that we are,  rationing them to once every couple of weeks though I admit to breaking the rule occasionally, like last night.  No sense in being too fastidious.

Betts and Frank, with our Son Tom, Hawaii, 1969

Dusk at 6:00

Dinner was great, love that meatloaf and mashed potatoes, and we finished the first season of HOUSE OF CARDS, (SPOILER) started the second, and were shocked to see Zoey killed off by Francis.  She was one of the three main players in the series, so it was quite a shock, like Matthew's death in Downton Abbey.  I finished Jayne Anne Phillips QUIET DELL last night and started another Jack Reacher like thriller, THE AMERICAN, by Andrew Britton, fluff no doubt but as my buddy Mac would say, "Moose shit but delicious.'

QUOTATION OF THE DAY:

 “The thing about television right now is that it is an indestructible and terrifying giant that is stronger than the government. It is possible through television to take a small matter and blow it up to monumental proportions,” a quotation from the movie NETWORK.  How prescient, look at Fox News and MSNBC.  They set the agenda for both the right and left---for Fox News, it's Benghazi week after week, since September, for MSNBC it's Chris Christie since January, not necessarily the same but we are tired of both. 

THE CUCKOO'S CALLING: ROBERT GALBRAITH ( J. K. Rowling) ****

I really enjoyed this book, read it not knowing it was written by J. K. Rowling of Harry Potter fame. And I just read that a sequel will appear in June called THE SILKWORM.

Like many mysteries, or detective stories, the plot seems often secondary to the characters, especially the detective or PI.  And Rowling has created a memorable private investigator in Cormoran Strike, a one legged Army veteran,  of the Afghanistan wars, illegitimate son of a British rock star and a groupie, for now penniless and in debt, as he starts his business with the death of the beautiful model Lulu Landry. Hired by Lulu's step brother, it's Strike's case to prove her fall from a balcony was not a suicide. The other half of the team is Robin, initially a temp because Strike can hardly afford any help but as the novel progresses, as Robin becomes more and more enamored with detective work, we sense that the two might eventually make a good team, if Cormoran would open up a bit, about his former life, loves, and his present situation.  All of this becomes clear as the two become closer and closer, as Robin proves her detecting worth, despite the warning of Robin's fiancee, Matthew, who thinks Strike must be a bounder.

We flounder for while, as does Strike and Robin, thinking the perpetrator is, at first, Lulu's loser boy friend, known for drugs and bad boy antics.  Then, we think it might be Lulu's uncle, someone who has always disliked the adopted, mixed race Lulu, perhaps even envied her most of his life.  And there is the door man, and the young, good looking driver of Lulu's, both who have also been questioned as to their whereabouts.  Slowly,  bit by bit, the tenacious and meticulous Cormoran's note taking pays off, as he's able to put together the facts and confront the killer, getting him finally to admit his guilt, his reasons for killing Robin.  I won't let on who 'done it,' so you will have to read the book, well worth while.  I cannot wait till June to read the next Cormoran Strike mystery.

Getting Colder, Some Flurries, A Just Visible Sunrise

A Cross Country Skiing Selfie

7:15

Up at 6:40, overcast sky, light snow, and a cold 11º with temperatures below zero on the deck for tonight and tomorrow morning.  Winter is here to stay despite the fact that Spring is only 21 days away. I am hoping it warms up some later in the day so we can go outside enjoy a hike or cross country skiing.

Marisa and Evie's Favorite, A Ruffled Finch (looks like he just rolled out of the nest)

Unkempt But Warm (same guy)

Back to routine yesterday, with yoga for me with the girls at 10:00, a workout for Evie at the YMCA as well.  It felt good for both of us to be out doing something physical, though Evie is increasingly frustrated by the WiFI at the YMCA because it makes it difficult to get music on her iPad.  And what's a good workout without great music to dance to on the machines.  We for once did not stop anywhere, no shopping, no coffee shop, and came home in the very cold morning.

For lunch, we had our typical Sunday breakfast, which we skipped this past weekend, eggs, bacon and bagels, a great way to start the afternoon. Our afternoon was bright and sunny, an amazing blue sky, so we enjoyed being cozy inside, reading and watching some Stewart and Colbert.  I decided to get out before the sun hid behind the tree line, to see if it was good skiing on the lake.  And it was, for once, no slush, no crusty snow, just a great surface for skiing.  It was so bright I needed sunglasses, and I seemed to be the only person on the lake, as the fishermen did not hike out until after I finished skiing.  It was cold, especially skiing into the wind but worth it.

Late Afternoon Skiing On An Empty Lake, 

Evie made a great dinner, scallops in a vermouth, shallot, garlic and butter sauce, and an old favorite from our days in Istanbul, a sage, tomato paste and butter sauce called Burro Russo, which you add to spaghetti noodles. We wondered where we had gotten the recipe, so Evie googled it and my nephew, Pat Holzheimer's food blog came up; he had obviously included Evie's recipe from years ago and put it on his blog.  It's amazing what you find by googling a word. Dinner was great, as was the German chocolate cake brownies for dessert, with a scoop of Wegman's finest French Vanilla.  I am a lucky guy!

We have one more episode to go in HOUSE OF CARDS.  Francis did away last night with his underling, making it look like suicide.  Francis gets more and more evil, Machiavellian, which makes him even more interesting I suppose.  He makes Boehner and Pelosi look good, even admirable...hard to believe, right.

Coffee Warms A Six Degree Morning (Long Point State Park)

7:14

7:50

I woke at 6:15, an hour earlier than yesterday...why?  It's really cold out once again, supposedly staying this way into March.  We had a dusting of snow last night, and it's an overcast morning though I can see a hint of sunlight over Tom's Point, as the sun struggles to break through the clouds.  You know it's cold when there's not a fishing hut in sight at this hour.

Loving The Winter

Yesterday morning was great, the afternoon not so great. In the morning, we wanted to enjoy the newly fallen snow, so we drove over to Long Point and snow shoed/cross country skied the park, out for close to an hour and a half.  It was decent most of the way but there were patches of ice under the snow which made it difficult at times, as I would often slide sideways on the ice.  Evie loved it, just being active outside in the woods.  We were home by 11:30, for a quick lunch of a schnitzel sandwich and home made soup.

Long Point Park Trail

Chautauqua County Inmates, Clearing Snow at Long Point Park, As Trustee Watches

At 12:30, alas, I was off to the dentist, for two and a half hours, to get a new bridge. Can there be anything less desirable than sitting in a dentist's chair for a couple of hours, drill in your mouth, choking on the water, waiting for it to end.  I suppose only the anticipation, the waiting for the day to come, could be worse.  But having it out of the way is exhilarating, knowing the worst is over...for now.  Wait till next year.  I got home around 4:30, jaw sore, popped a couple of Advil, took a shower to warm up, felt better, especially when I sat down with Evie for a glass of wine before dinner.  I actually felt pretty good.

For dinner, Evie pulled out home made turkey/mushroom meatballs, added a jar of tomato sauce and viola, we had a spaghetti dinner, accompanied by a salad and bread.  We watched a couple of more episodes of House of Cards, one, the least interesting, as he is honored by his Alma mater, a military school like The Citadel.  We both are tired of the old boys acting like 'college kids.'  And we got caught up on Bill Maher's always blasphemous REAL TIME, which we guiltily admit to liking.  And finished the night with last week's American Idol, then back to my book, QUIET DELL, a love story sandwiched between murders and a search for a serial killer...what more could you ask for?

Sleeping In

7:20

7:20

Both Evie and I slept in, till 7:15, and it felt good to get an extra hour of sleep.  It's cold out, 14º and we had three or four inches of  snow overnight so that everything is white once again, even the grass in our front yard.  Not much action on the lake the last day or two.  I wonder if it's still wet and slush beneath the snow, which would not be good for cross country skiing.  By the way, our boiler/furnace is working once again.  Our plumber spent a couple of hours here, yesterday, changing the Taco pump and Aquastat, which controls the water temperature. We worry what would have happened if we had not been at home.

So yesterday morning was spent with our plumber, watching him fuss with the boiler, talking with him about the problems many residents have had this winter because of the polar temperatures.  Lots of busted pipes, destroyed walls, things like that which keep the plumbers in the area busy.  I guess we have been lucky, to have been here when the problem started, to have gotten someone over immediately.

The rest of the day was lost for some reason; neither one of us felt energetic, just happy to be in a warm house once again, boiler functioning, and it was lovely out, large snow flakes falling on and off most of the afternoon.  It was so lovely that I walked up to the main road, via Kinney's trail but of course, it stopped snowing until I started back.  Both Evie and I have this thing about skiing or hiking when its snowing out.  It's our favorite weather for a walk, as long as the temperatures are not in single digits. Yesterday was perfect out.

We had a leisurely pre dinner glass of wine, munching on one of our favorite snacks from Turkey, hazelnuts with raisins. It was snowing so hard at this hour that we couldn't see Long Point, though we were able to make out a single guy fishing at that late hour, For dinner, we had pork schnitzel, with baked sweet potatoes and asparagus.  Just put a dab of butter on the schnitzel, squeeze some lemon and you have something just as good as you  could find in Vienna, the first place we had schnitzel, probably in the summer of 1971.

A Smudge of Gray

We watched a couple of more episodes of House of Cards, then some of American Idol from last week, catching up the episodes.  I am reading a new book, Quiet Dell, by Jayne Anne Phillips, who wrote Lark and Termite, which I read three years ago but do not remember much about it.  Fortunately, I reviewed it so I was able to go on my blog and read my review.  This novel recreates a true crime story, the murders of a family of four, by a serial killer in West Virginia.  Phillips combines the facts, articles from the papers of 1931, the journals and diaries, with fiction, to make a compelling read.

Monday Morning Boiler Blues

Boiler Blues

7:15

Well, we were both awakened at 6:00 to a loud clanging noise, coming from somewhere downstairs. I jumped out of bed, put on my slippers and robe (just kidding, sweats, really), went downstairs, and it was obviously coming from the boiler room and I also noticed the downstairs was filled with steam.  I opened the doors to the boiler room, and the expansion tank was vibrating and clanging.  I immediately turned off the electricity to the boiler and the noise stopped, thank goodness.  There was some water/antifreeze on the floor as well.  So, at 6:15, we called our trusty plumber, and Phil Klingingsmith was already awake, having been out on a call earlier in the morning.  He was over by 6:30 to check out the problem which, he  thinks, is the pump that circulates the water but is not sure.  They will have to change it to see if that's the problem. So he left and someone else will be over around 8:00 to change the pump, and we will all pray that solves the problem.  Not our favorite way to wake up in the morning.

Yesterday was a pretty nice day out, cold enough, in the 30's, with lots of sunshine, obviously a good day for the fishing guys because the entire lake was peppered with their huts, from Lakewood to Mayville.  We decided to go for a walk in Long Point State Park but we lasted only a half hour or so as the trails were crusty, filled with pot holes, not much fun for hiking.  We  gave up and came home, thinking we might walk somewhere else later in the day.  When we got back, we noticed that our pesky, annoying squirrel had eaten through the plastic barrel we keep on the front porch for the sunflower seeds.  He's been a real pain, jumping on bird feeders, etc, so I took off for Home Depot and picked up a double sided squirrel trap, tired of his shenanigans.  I hope to  trap him, drop him off on the other side of the lake, in Ellery (don't tell anyone), and dare him to find his way home.  Well, as of this morning, the trap is still empty of the little pest, despite the peanut butter and cracker.  Maybe he doesn't like olive oil and black pepper Triscuits.

Fishing Late Afternoon In Middle Of Lake

Blue Skies, Late Afternoon

Later in afternoon, I did manage to get in a walk through the campground, sun setting, guys still out on the lake, trying to catch that last fish.  While I hiked, Evie put together our dinner, portabello mushrooms stuffed with sausage, chopped sauteed mushrooms, spinach, garlic, and Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.  When we were ready for dinner, she popped them in the oven for about a half hour and we had a great dinner, with a salad and French bread.  We watched three episodes of the first season of Netflix's House of  Cards, until Downton Abbey came on.  We stuck with Downton Abbey until it became too silly and confusing and choppy, jumping from one scene to another, about an hour into it, and we both decided we had enough for the night, will watch the rest tonight.  The introduction of the Americans, especially the fawning, fatuous servant, taken with Daisy, was too much of a type, the unsophisticated American.  And we continue to be tired of Bates knowing glance, Lady Mary's conscience, wondering what to do about her suspicions about Bates.  Get over it, Lady.

An Empty Nest, A Partly Cloudy Morning, A Dusting Of Snow Overnight

7:28

I was up late for me, after 7:00, surprised by the sunlight in our bedroom.  The lake was snow covered once gain, as was the lawn, with just a thin layer of snow.  It's 32º but will get colder as the week progresses.  The clouds are puffy, dark and ominous, as the sun pokes through the edges, like something Brueghel might have painted.

Black Capped Chickadee by Beth

Acrylic by Beth

Yesterday was like vacuum, all the energy, the air, was sucked out of our house with the departure of Beth and Marisa, the downside of any visit of our family.  I did  try to get back into the old routine, going off to yoga in the morning, a pretty good class and talk at the end to my surprise,  and I went to Wegman's to pick up a few things.  And later in the day, I went for a hike, hoping I might be able to walk on the lake, but I sunk into a couple of inches of slush when I tried to walk it, so I went up to the Woodlawn/Victoria woods and followed the trail from Beth and my hike a couple of days earlier, the tracks still imprinted on the woods floor.  Other than that, we did little if anything during the day, just reading, watching some TV, a few minutes of basketball, some Olympics, but mostly we both just vegged out for the day.  We sure missed Beth and Marisa.

Drear of Winter Woods

We had the leftover lamb chops and rice for dinner, with brussel sprouts and salad and decided to catch up on some of the TV we had missed during the past week.  We watched last week's Downton Abbey and as we expected, Bates was a bad boy (finally).  I had read somewhere that the viewers were getting tired of Bates face, his threatening look, and I tend to agree.  We also thought the pig wrestling in the previous week's episode was silly but we loved the scene where Mrs. Patmore tells Daisy how proud she was of her by parting friends with her unrequited love, Alfred.  We then decided, after watching a bit of the new House of Cards, Season Two, to go back and watch all of Season One, a good choice because we have both forgotten much of it and watching it the second time, it seems better than ever.  I find myself wondering over and over if this series is an accurate depiction of the ruthlessness of politics. And I am beginning to  think, yes it is...innocence gone.

A Sad Goodbye To Beth and Marisa

A Happy Girl, Ready for Breakfast

8:02

8:03

I was up by 6:30 and Evie and Beth were already downstairs drinking their coffee.  Beth wants to be on the road to CT by 7:00, thus the early rising.  We helped her pack, get her things in order, take Cody for a walk, and they were on their way, alas,  by 7:15.  At least it looks like a good day for a drive along the Southern Tier, no snow or precipitation forecast.

Checking the Slushy Ice

Yesterday, Beth and I were up early because we went to yoga at 8:15, a bit early but a good way always to start the day.  We were two of the three students, so class was small, almost individualized which was great for Beth.  After yoga, we stopped at Ryder's Cup for coffee because Beth wanted to check out the jewelry and other home made items that are always for sale at the shop.  We were home by 10:30 and Evie and Marisa had already been outside to test the ice, but it was broken near the shoreline so they could not get out to see if it was good for ice skating.

Working on Their Paintings

So we spent the day inside, Beth and I painting, my first try which looks like something a talented kindergarten student by have painted but hey, it was kind of fun.  I just need to play more, stress less about what I am painting, at least that's what Beth suggested.  She is a real talent, is patient about it whereas I just want to get the painting done, nothing new in that, the story of my life.  Evie and Marisa watched a movie, one more appropriate for Marisa than Sense and Sensibility, which she found confusing.  I had to go off to Jamestown once again for a doctor's appointment, the bane of aging, as it seems your always have another appointment about some problem.

Enjoying The Rod and Gun

For dinner, we decided to take the girls to the Rod and Gun since they had never been there before.  It was crowded, lots of happy people, and we sat in the bar at a table for at least a half hour, waiting to sit down.  At least we ordered an appetizer, six macaroni and cheese bites (Evie and Marisa's choice), a healthy snack!  We also waited longer than usual for our dinner since it was busy but everyone enjoyed the fish fry and it was fun to be in a busy restaurant for once, unlike the Seezurh, which is practically empty whenever we visit during the week.

We were home around 8:00 and played Telefunky until 10:00 and Marisa and Beth skunked Evie and me, Marisa gloating at the end, reminding me of her victory this morning.  Kids.  We will miss them, for sure, but it was a great week, just too short.

A Rainy Winter Morning (Ashville General Store, Brick Elephant Design)

Revel Stoke, British Columbia

7:30

Well, it's 42º at the moment and it poured rain overnight, still raining some this morning, so the snow has melted on most of the  roofs, there are large puddles on the still frozen road, the snow diminished some by the rain.  The forecast for today is more rain, though it will get colder and perhaps rain or snow tonight, with a high wind warning.

Cross Country Skiing

Yesterday morning was surprisingly pleasant though by noon, it was  rainy and overcast. We were supposed to have breakfast at the Bemus Point Inn, but when I got there, Charlie was sitting outside the restaurant, the only car in the lot.  They are closed for two weeks; so we tried The Country Cow in Ellery and its closed till April, not a good morning, so we gave up and went home.  After breakfast at home,  I decided to go out and try cross country skiing on the lake and to my surprise, it was easy skiing, not slushy like most days, so I went down to Whitney Bay and back, a good run for the morning.  The girls stayed inside and enjoyed being cosy.

Ashville Country Store

The Ash

About 11:00, we are were a bit stir crazy, decided to go into Lakewood and get some errands done.  We stopped at the Lakewood Library, to get a book on hold when Evie noticed an OPEN sign on this cool building, on a back street.  We drove over, walked inside to a huge modernistic house/building/shop called Brick Elephant Design.  It's actually a house, designed by the owner, Laurie Shults, of the auto family I assume, and she has turned it into a cool home design and furnishing shop, open only on Thursdays, with all kinds of neat eclectic items from all over the world, chairs, lamps, candle holders, dishes, rugs, just to name a few.  We struck up a conversation, really liked her and her stuff.  She said that she designed the building and people liked it so much they have asked her to help design their own places, which is now her business.  We browsed for about a half hour, got a cool box of incense sticks and left to shop at Sam's, picking up lamb chops for dinner.  We then stopped at the Ashville Country Store for lunch, Beth's favorite, where I got a highjacker sandwich, called this because the recipe for it, was taken from the old Triangle Restaurant's recipe for a Cuban.  Marisa loved it as well and she and Evie came out with a bag full of candy.  We then made a final stop at the Ashville Library, so Marisa could play with Libby the cat, while we got a history of the library from Tabby, the librarian.  It was a fun excursion for all of us.

We knew it would be a rainy day, so Marisa, Evie and I watched a fun movie called Bend It Like Beckham, about a young Sikh girl in London who breaks against family tradition and plays soccer on a girls' soccer team.  We had seen it before but knew Marisa would like it.  While we watched, Beth worked on her painting of a Black Capped Chickadee, using one of Evie's photos as her inspiration.

For dinner, Evie seared the lamb chops, finishing them in the oven and made up a great shallot wine sauce from the pan drippings.  Even Marisa ate a couple of chops, along with the rice, garlic spinach and salad, another delicious dinner.  Evie wanted Marisa to see the movie of the Jane Austen book, SENSE AND SENSIBLITY, so the girls stayed up till 11:00, to make sure the two sisters got their  wish, to marry the loves of their lives.  It's quite a good movie, great acting and story, well worth watching again.

A Pink Rising Above A Vast Cloud Bank (The Studio at Panterra, Westfield, NY)

6:55

 Escarpment Overlooking Vineyards and  Lake Erie 

Beth at Studio at Panterra

First one up today, at 6:20, took Cody downstairs, outside and got the paper, then he wanted to go back up to Beth's room, so I let him in and am now downstairs, sitting alone, listening to NPR and looking out at the gray lake, wall of clouds, looking up at a tinge of pink, then clear skies, a very different look for the morning.  No one's out fishing yet but they will come.

Inside of Yoga Studio

Studio at Panterra

Sledding with Marisa

We were all up yesterday by 7:00 , a warmer day, with a clear sky and sun early in the day.  Beth has wanted to go to a class at the Studio at Panterra in Westfield, so we were up and dressed, ready for the drive by 9:15.  I was worried about the weather, about the roads icing up but the threat never materialized fortunately, so it was an easy drive, with great vistas of the vineyards, down to the frozen tundra of Lake Eire as we made our way along Hardscrabble Road to the studio.  We were among the first to arrive, but eventually we had about 11 people in class.  It was, as usual, a teaching kind of class, as Dariel really works hard at making sure we do things right.  And she showed particular interest in Beth, helping her to improve some of her asanas.  Class lasted over two hours and we talked a bit with Dariel afterwards, about her early years at the Kripalu Yoga center, back when it was still an ashram, not big business like it is today.  While we were in Westfield, Marisa and Evie spent time outside, cross country skiing on the lake and sledding on the hills around Woodlawn,  though the day was warming up and the snow was getting wet, making it difficult to sled.

Beth Bushwhacking With Cody

We had lunch, soup and BLT's, then Evie and Marisa decided to go off to the campground to feed the animals before it started to rain.  They were gone for about an hour and a half, and Marisa loved feeding the llamas, donkeys, and goats.  We did not do a lot the rest of the afternoon until about 4:30, when Beth and I took Cody for a walk through the the deep snow of the Woodlawn/Victoria woods, quite a work out for all three of us because of snow, which we had to bushwhack (make our own trail) most of the way. By the time I got home, my tee shirt was soaked with sweat, as was Beth's, and Cody also looked exhausted, just plopped down in the living room, and showed little energy the rest of the night.  I think it was a bit too much for him.

Marisa and Granny at Seezurh House

Marisa's Happy Burger

We decided to go to the Seezurh House for dinner, mainly because Marisa wanted a good burger and the Seezurh House has them.  It was not very crowded, so we had our choice of tables and quickly ordered our drinks, and onion rings for appetizers, with ranch dressing, which we all loved.  The three adults ordered the Rib Eye special, a mistake because they were overdone, but Marisa's burger was great so she was happy.  Our waitress, Shelby, knocked 25% off our bill because of overdone steaks which was nice.  We did have fun, however, especially Marisa, who spent the night giggling and laughing.   She is a delight.

We played a few hands of Tellyfunky, a card game taught to us years ago by my mother; Marisa and Beth destroyed Evie and I winning, easily, much to Marisa's delight.  We then watched some of the Olympic ice dancing from the previous night, and we all loved the gold medal winning team of Davis/White.  In fact, all of the top five pairs were amazing, seemingly never making a mistake, and performing perfectly.  It's certainly more entertaining then the bobsledding which seems to have dominated the past couple of nights.  

Some Sun, Clouds, A Granddaughter, and Warming

7:00

Walking Cody

It's 7:45 as I start this, and all of us are up for once, sitting around the living room, talking, surfing the Net, planning our day.  Beth and I are going off to yoga in Westfield this morning, and Evie and Marisa plan on staying home, sledding or baking and hanging out.  It's 34º at the moment, may go up to 40º later in the day, then cool off in the evening.  I am not sure what kind an outing we will have later in the day, whether we can ski, or snow shoe, or just hike.  But we plan on doing something outside for sure.

Yesterday was just a day to enjoy each other, mostly inside till later in the day, as we waited for the wind to die down, the day to become more appealing.  It was actually good to have a quiet day, to read, make tea, paint for the girls, play cards with Marisa, which Evie did on and off during the day.  Just having Beth and Marisa with us for the day was the best.  We did not need anything else.  

Hiking Dobbins Woods

With Borrow A Dog (not Cody)

Enjoying the Snow

Mid afternoon, we decided to snow shoe/cross country ski Dobbins Woods, thinking it would be amazingly beautiful because of the snow Monday night.  When we parked our car, a neighbor's golden retriever ran across the street, up to us, and proceeded to follow us, or lead us, for the entire trail, much to the delight of Marisa. He was a great dog, friendly, rolling in the snow, going off trail, then returning, never barking, coming if we called him.  It almost made me want a dog.  It was a good walk and surprise, as we finished the sun came out, lighting up the woods, with a blue sky.  We also browsed the Candle Essence store, a mile from the woods, buying some Amish popcorn, some candy for Marisa.

Being Silly 

For dinner, Evie made up a mixture of ground turkey with spices, browned it, then filled hollowed out zucchini with the mixture, then baked it, serving it with a homemade tomato sauce, rice and salad, a healthy and tasty Tuesday night meal.  Everyone loved it, even Marisa who had her own personalized dinner, without the zucchini, in special cups with sauce.  We watched a movie Evie and I have seen numerous times but neither Beth nor Marisa had seen called Legally Blonde, and it still made all of us laugh, with the antics of Reese Witherspoon and for the most part, there were no objectionable parts for Marisa.  It's difficult to find a movie appropriate for a ten year old.