A Chilly 12º And Partly Cloudy

7:36

7:48

8:15

It's 8:15, and I've been up for an hour, marveling at the 12° morning and the lake, frozen once again into scattered floes. The shoreline in front of us is iced over for about 20 feet, then open water — and it's like that across the entire lake. Today looks like it will stay cold, but no snow is predicted. Thank the weather gods.

Woodlawn Road

Winter Wonderland

Yesterday could have been a nightmare, but we both made it to our destinations despite falling snow and snow-covered roads. I'd gone to bed worried, having shoveled about five inches the night before — so when I looked outside in the morning and saw we'd gotten another 8–10 inches since Monday evening, my heart sank a little. After coffee and writing the blog, I headed outside and spent half an hour clearing the parking area and the car. It was heavy, wet snow, so my battery-powered snow shovel was useless; I ended up pushing the snow around by hand and eventually got the area cleared — though by the time I finished, another inch had already fallen.

I left for yoga at 9:05. It was snowing fairly hard for the first ten minutes, then it began to clear as I approached Lakewood. The roads had been plowed but were covered again by the relentless snowfall, so I took my time and kept a good distance from other vehicles. I texted Evie to do the same. Yoga was hard, but my five hardy practitioners made it through. After class, the sun was out, so I stopped for a coffee, then drove to Jamestown to drop off my taxes at my accountant's office. It began to snow again briefly as I headed back to Lakewood for a stop at Wegmans. It was Senior Tuesday — 5% off — and because of the snow, the store was refreshingly uncrowded, so I got in and out quickly and was home by noon.

When I pulled into our parking area, another four or five inches had fallen, so I got out the shovels again. This time, my battery-powered shovel managed a rough first pass, and I followed up with the push shovel to finish the job.

I was exhausted by the time I came inside. I rested for 20 minutes before heating up some chicken soup and a chicken pot pie for lunch, then watched Blood Coast, a series set in Marseille, France. I was desperate for a nap, so I went upstairs and fell asleep reading, waking after about an hour. By then, Evie was home, having lunch and watching TV. I lounged on the couch until 4:30, when I went back outside for the third time and shoveled another three or four inches — hoping, finally, that would be it.

Evie had her Zoom call with her sisters at 5:00, and I watched the first half of Caitlin Clark and the U.S. Women's basketball team play Spain. We had our happy hour after her call, and around 6:15, Evie made us BLTs for dinner. We watched another episode of Colbert and Landman. Evie went to bed, and I finished out Blood Coast, then caught some more basketball before heading up myself.

Eight To Ten Inches Of White

7:00

7:46

Well, we both woke around 7:00 to another winter wonderland—snow falling steadily, covering the bushes, lawn, trees, and car. It’s 15º out and expected to stay in the teens most of the day.

Ducks With Snow On Their Backs

Yesterday was fairly typical: up early, enjoying my coffee and breakfast, and debating whether to put myself through another morning of pickleball. With nothing else planned, I drove to the Mayville courts and played four games, winning two—mostly because our opponents rarely hit the ball in my direction. I did play better, though I still made too many easy mistakes. It always surprises me how tired I get and how much I sweat. Still, I felt a bit better about myself afterward. On the way home, I stopped at Tops to pick up a few things for dinner.

I was home by 11:30, and Evie was enjoying a day off from kindergarten. Unfortunately, we lost the internet for much of the late morning and early afternoon, though we were able to get online using our phones. Lunch was excellent—an omelet with potatoes, bacon, and cheese, along with toasted beer bread. Yum.

After a brief nap, I went outside and spent a good half hour picking up more deadfall—some of it quite large—and stacking it in the parking area. I should have hauled it up the hill, but I didn’t realize we’d soon be getting more snow.

Neither of us did much until happy hour, when we listened to Trump give an interview, quite an experience. It’s like a comedy act—one ridiculous claim followed by hyperbole, then a repetition of something he already said. And this is the man 77 million Americans elected to lead the free world. God help us.

Snow Falling At 5:45 PM

We were excited to have leftover lamb for dinner, since we always turn it into a French curry made with cream, celery, bananas, curry, and apples. Evie served it over rice, and we loved it—plus there’s enough for another meal. We watched Hometown and Landman before Evie went to bed. I then went outside and shoveled four or five inches of snow for about twenty minutes, clearing the driveway and the car. After that, I watched some basketball and a series set in Marseille, then headed up to bed.

Windy And Warm

6:54

7:08

7:17

7:17

It's 8:00 on a windy morning with a glorious, ever-changing sky. I've already been out on the front porch taking photos five or six times. Despite the wind, it's unseasonably warm, 56º — though temperatures will drop precipitously as the day progresses. Deadfall litters our yard once again, courtesy of gusts up to 50 mph.

7:37

7:37

8:02

Yesterday was a slow day — unhurried in the best and worst sense. We both slept in and didn't get the blog published until 9:30 or later. Neither of us was in any rush. We spent the morning planning what needed to be done since Ron and Linda were coming for dinner, then chipped away at it in small bites. Evie made a marinade for the butterflied leg of lamb and let it soak for the duration of the prepping time. She also baked beer bread for the meal, while I cleaned up the kitchen and helped wherever I could.

I was feeling a bit off, so I skipped my usual walks and hikes. After a lunch of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, I walked down to the mailboxes and back, marveling at the sky and the howling wind. Around 2:00, after watching some basketball, I took a brief nap, then spent much of the afternoon reading a new novel — El Dorado Drive by Megan Abbott. By mid-afternoon, dinner prep was underway. I vacuumed and cleaned the porches, we both showered, and felt somewhat rejuvenated.

5:50

White Caps

Long Point At 5:50

Linda and Ron arrived at 6:00, bringing two bottles of wine — a white for appetizers, a red for dinner. We started with a lovely brie and blue cheese, talking about everything except Trump, and drew up a list of things we'd like to do this summer. Around 7:15, I carved the lamb while Evie roasted asparagus in the oven. Dinner was a proper spread: lamb, rice pilaf with vermicelli, Caesar salad, and beer bread. Dessert was brownies with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. All four of us were tired, and the evening wrapped up at 8:45. Evie helped tidy before heading up to bed; I finished the cleanup, watched a little TV, and was in bed reading by 10:00.

"On the left: we must recognize

that freedom requires order.

On the right: we have to understand 

that order must be ethical.

Freedom without order is anarchy

And order without ethics is tyranny." Sam Harris

A Windy Day

8:13

9:15

It's just after 9:00, and we've both been up for an hour. The wind is wild this morning — a steady 18 mph — and it's expected to strengthen as the day goes on. It's 35° right now, with temperatures climbing into the 50s by afternoon. I can't recall ever seeing the flag snap and flutter quite like this.

A Windy Morning

Yesterday was another lazy day. I had no interest in walking, biking, or kayaking — couldn't muster the motivation for any of it. We lingered over coffee, half-listening to the depressing news and laughing at the ridiculous but undeniably funny Trump memes on Facebook. Few figures in recent memory have inspired such widespread and vocal contempt as Trump, and we count ourselves firmly in that camp. By 10:30, though, I'd gathered the trash and was off to the Transfer Station, with a stop for coffee on the way before picking up a few things at Wegmans.

I was home by noon, just in time for the opening college tournament games. Lunch was leftover chili with oyster crackers. I watched a couple of games before losing interest, then headed upstairs to read and nap. Evie, meanwhile, was busy in the kitchen, pulling together a few things for tonight's dinner with Linda and Ron. Most of the afternoon, though, passed quietly on the couch — reading, scrolling, happily wasting time until happy hour.

For dinner, we wanted something easy, so we pulled Trader Joe's verde enchiladas from the freezer and warmed them in the oven for 25 minutes. Not a culinary triumph, but decent and filling. We watched Landman and Colbert before Evie turned in; I stayed up for some basketball — college and NBA both — then headed up to read and eventually sleep. A thoroughly lazy day, from start to finish.

Our youngest granddaughter, Halle, and our youngest great-grandson, Tommy.

Halle

Tommy 

Heavy Winds, White Caps, And Gray

7:33

It's 8:30, and I've been up since 7:20, listening to the howling wind and watching the waves on the lake. It's 25°, and we didn't get the predicted snow — just wind and some deadfall in the front yard.

Friday felt like a long day, though I did get out of the house and play pickleball. I was up early, had my coffee, wrote the blog, talked with Evie, and was on my way to the courts by 9:30, having had bananas and oranges for breakfast. I didn't play much better — whiffing on a couple of overheads. The one redeeming moment was an instinctive behind-the-back shot I pulled off for a point. I should have quit right then. I can't say I'm enjoying the game, and I'm not sure I'll improve much if I keep at it.

I was home by 11:00, and Evie was enjoying a day off from school. We both settled into the living room with our books until I decided it was time for lunch — another bowl of leftover pasta. Evie had a chicken salad sandwich and gave me half when I admitted I was still hungry.

2:57

The afternoon passed quickly, as usual, between reading, napping, and some college basketball. The sky held our attention for much of it: clouds would roll in with gusts of wind, then give way to brilliant blue with sunshine and puffy clouds for a half hour, only for the gray — and even some fog — to creep back. That cycle repeated until wine time at 5:00. Our phones buzzed with dire warnings about heavy winds and snow. Dinner was chili, loaded with cheese and oyster crackers.

We watched The Pitt and still find it dull, especially compared to ER. I'm also growing tired of Noah Wyle's constant grimacing, and can't quite understand how he won both the Prime Time Emmy and Critics' Choice awards for Best Actor, though I know we're too critical. We ended the night with Landman and will leave our thoughts at this: we keep watching. After Evie went to bed, I was happy to catch the Arizona/Iowa State game.

Despite reports that Russia is providing Iran with intelligence that permits it to target U.S. forces in the Middle East, late last night the Trump administration lifted sanctions on shipments of Russian oil until April 11, permitting it to be sold to buyers around the world for the next month. The U.S., along with the rest of the Group of Seven (G7) nations with advanced economies, has maintained sanctions against Russia since it invaded Ukraine in 2022. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the heads of the G7 had urged Trump not to ease the sanctions, saying “[t]here is currently a price problem, but not a supply problem.” He added that he “would like to know what additional motives led the US government to make this decision.” HCC

Winter Set To Return

7:20

7:24

7:32

7:42

It's 27°, and we have another winter and wind warning this morning. When I looked outside, the car windows were frozen, so I'd better dig out my winter gear. I'm going to give pickleball one more try today and see if I can play better and actually enjoy it.

Sun Risen

Yesterday was our typical busy Thursday. We were both up enjoying coffee by 7:00, I wrote the blog early, and left for breakfast in Bemus Point at 8:00. We usually spend an hour catching up and reminiscing about the good old days, and for once, we barely mentioned Trump or the "excursion" to Iran — it was a genuinely enjoyable morning. I was home by 9:10; Evie had already showered and was ready for school. We published the blog, then headed off in our separate directions — me to yoga, Evie to kindergarten.

Yin Yoga was packed. The class consisted of three or four poses held for three or four minutes on each side — all things that could easily be done at home, yet somehow we all need a class to actually do them. Afterward, I skipped the coffee stop, ran by the bank for some cash, and swung by Wegmans to pick up a couple of prescriptions and a few things for Evie. It was quiet enough that I was in and out in 20 minutes.

I was home around 12:15 and had lunch — leftover mushroom pasta — while watching the first episode of a new series called Scarpetta, based on Patricia Cornwell's novels featuring forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta. I don't love it yet, but I'll give it a few more episodes. After lunch, I napped and read until Evie got home, later than usual at 4:00 due to a doctor's appointment in Jamestown after school. To my dismay, the Canadian geese are back, pooping on our lawn, so I  set up a fishing line across our neighbors' and our yard to discourage them from walking up onto our lawns. 

Amazing Clouds And Blue Skies At 5:45

We had our wine at 5:00, and Evie had plenty of great stories from her class, making for a fun happy hour with sushi, Dot's spicy pretzels, and dip. After all that, neither of us was very hungry, so Evie made chicken salad sandwiches with pickles, tomatoes, and chips for dinner. Simple and delicious. We watched another episode of Colbert and continued with Landman, which we're enjoying more and more. After Evie went to bed, I caught some of Scarpetta and a bit of basketball before heading up to read and sleep.

Our Grandson, Mitchell, Married Milena Yesterday in Santa Barbara

Windy And Cold

7:29

9:10

Winter has returned — a 27° morning with a heavy wind warning. After yesterday's wild mix of rain, wind, and sun, the lake appeared completely thawed, at least in front of our house and Bemus Bay. It's 9:15, and I just got back from breakfast in Bemus.

Yesterday was a bizarre weather day: heavy afternoon rain, dense fog, sunshine, a rainbow, and even thunder.  I was up around 7:15, Evie around 8:00. I'd planned to kayak if conditions allowed — they didn't — so after breakfast, I drove to Mayville for a second round of pickleball. I assumed I'd improved after Monday's lesson. I hadn't. Players were kind, encouraging me even when I whiffed an easy overhead. Never mind that I was the badminton champion of the Edgecliff Club back in 1956. The gym was warm and close, and we all worked up a sweat — surprising for this time of year.

I was home by 11:30, annoyed at my play and the weather, which had turned to more fog and rain. I retreated to my Kindle until hunger struck around 12:45. Fortunately, half a sub from Walmart remained, and I finished it off with some pita chips while starting a new series I've already forgotten the name of — and won't be continuing. The rest of the afternoon was spent watching the lake and sky transform. Rain rattled the roof, then fog rolled in until a break in the clouds brought a brief burst of sun and a partial rainbow over Long Point. There was even a lull that tempted me toward a paddle. Around 4:30, after the rain passed, I walked the neighborhood dodging puddles; our creek was rushing full bore, emptying into the lake.

Northern Threatening Sky At 4:26

Eastern Sky At 4:27

While I was out, Evie sautéed mushrooms, added some Rao's pasta sauce, and turned out a wonderful spaghetti dinner. While the noodles boiled, we had our wine and listened to Jake Tapper cover the latest news — Iran, of course. Dinner was excellent; I love that Rao's sauce. We watched an episode of Paradise, then got a FaceTime call from our grandson Mitchell, who had just been married at the Santa Barbara courthouse and was taking photos in a beautiful park. Exciting news for the young couple. They'll celebrate with a small gathering at our daughter Beth's house later this week, just the two families. After the call, Evie headed up to bed, and I stayed up to watch the Cavs lose to the Magic.