Orange Glow In The Morning

7:13

8:03

It’s 7:15, and we’re both up, alas, watching the skyline turn orange. It’s Thursday, so I have breakfast at 8:00 in Bemus, and Evie has school. My plan is to finish the blog when I get home, then drive forty-five minutes to Presque Isle and bike the perimeter of the peninsula, one of my favorite places to ride. It has great asphalt trails and some of the best inland beaches in the States. It's 10:00, and I did get in a short paddle, down to the reeds and back on another amazing lake morning. 

Kayak Morning

A Cloudless Northern Sky

Yesterday began with an early rise and a good but short paddle, since I had to leave for Physical Therapy just after 9:00. I was out for only 25 minutes, came in, finished the blog, then drove to Jamestown for a half hour of PT. It seems like a waste of time, at least for me, because I could easily do everything I did there at home. Afterwards, I stopped at Burger King, picked up two breakfast sandwiches, and brought them home. Evie was starving, so she devoured hers. Around 10:30, I decided I needed more exercise, so I drove to the Chautauqua Institution and rode my bike around the perimeter twice, about a 50-minute ride. As always, it’s a great place to ride this time of year, with only construction workers and vehicles on the tree-lined streets.

Thunder Bridge

Arboretum at CI

Lunch was easy: cooked a couple of hot dogs and watched more of my show, Lioness. One episode to go. While I read and napped, Evie drove to Mayville to drop off some packages and vote. She talked with the agent, who said lots of people are voting early. I’m going to wait until next Tuesday, just to see if there’s a problem. I’ll bring my passport and birth certificate like everyone else who wants to prove they’re a US citizen. Nobody I know ever does this, but people of color had better if they want to be sure they can vote. ICE will be picking them out.

After Evie returned home, we both enjoyed a leisurely afternoon as usual, although I kept eyeing the lawn and the falling leaves, wondering if I ought to get out there and mulch. Instead, I talked with my sister Ellen for a half hour, catching up on her days. 

Long Point

Long Point

By 5:00, the Long Point shoreline was highlighted by the setting sun, and it was time for a glass of wine, so the mulching will have to wait until today or tomorrow. Earlier, before 5:00, Evie put together one of my favorite easy dinners, eggplant pasta: eggplant baked in the air fryer, topped with tomato sauce, and served with rigatoni. Yum. And there’s enough left for another dinner or a couple of lunches. We watched TV, and by 8:15 I was watching some NBA action, but I ended the night with a disappointing finale to Lioness, obviously setting up another season. What BS.

Pink And Grays

7:16

7:54

7:54

It’s 7:30 and I have watched the sky paint swathes of pink on the gray as I enjoy my coffee. I was up at 7:00 and hope to be on the lake before 8:00. It’s 46º and one of the first gray mornings in a while. It’s 8:50, and I was out for only a half hour, down to Sandy Bottom and back. I have PT at 9:30 in Jamestown, so I cut my kayaking short.

Kayak Morning

Rising Sun And Clouds

North

Great Blue

Tuesday was a good day for both of us. We were up at 7:00, and by 9:30 Evie had showered, gotten ready for school, and helped me finish publishing the blog. I was in no hurry because I’d decided to skip yoga; it was too nice to be inside. After Evie left for school, I cleaned up the kitchen, hitched my bike to the Outback, and drove to the beginning of Riverwalk, just behind the Subaru dealer. The trail follows the Chadokoin River to McCrea Point, then winds through the city, down 3rd, to the walk along the Chadokoin and the dam. I stopped at Crown Street Coffee and relaxed with a cup for 20 minutes before biking the 25 minutes back to my car.

Jamestown

Chadokoln Rivers

River

Mc Crea Point

For lunch, I picked up a gyro at Arby’s and brought it home. I enjoyed it while watching some TV, then read and napped until 2:30, when I drove to Jamestown to meet Evie at our health care specialist, Jessica’s. After talking with her, we decided to stick with Aetna’s Medicare Advantage plan, the same as this past year. The shopping area is a mess because they’re putting down a new layer of asphalt, so it took a while to get home.

We had our wine at 5:00 as usual and put red potatoes in the oven at 5:15 for an hour. At 6:30, Evie breaded and air-fried the tilapia, and we had a tasty fish dinner while we watched our shows. I watched some NBA at 8:00, then finished the night with Lioness until 10:00, when I went up to bed.

40º And Blue Skies

Eagle In Tree Above Whitney Bay

7:03

7:11

It’s 7:30 and we’ve both been up since 7:00, watching the sky change and enjoying our first cup of coffee. It looks like a typical Tuesday for Evie, with kindergarten. I’m skipping yoga because it’s too nice to be inside. Instead, I’ll ride my bike on the trail into Jamestown and back.

9:20: I was out for an hour, paddling north to Whitney Bay and back.

Kayak Morning

Moon Over Whitney Bay

Into The Sun

Cormorant

Yesterday began with a great paddle, into the sun for the first half, literally blinding me, then at my back on the way home. I love this amazing weather, but paddling into the sun is not fun. We then finished writing the blog and posted it by 9:30.

I wanted to get in some physical activity and combine it with some shopping, so I drove into Lakewood, parked across the street from Ryder Cup, and rode for forty-five minutes into Celoron and back. It was surprisingly chilly, and I should have worn my heavier fleece and vest. The lake was amazingly calm, not a ripple, during my entire ride. I then had a cup of coffee and talked with Dave and Joe for 15 minutes before driving to Home Depot, then Wegmans, and home by 12:45.

Looking North From Harbor Hotel

Looks Like A Big Pond

While I was gone, Evie put together a photo album for our grandson Rhys, reminding him of his visit to the lake a couple of weeks ago. It's really cool, including a poem Evie wrote with help from ChatGPT.  Around 1:00, she made me a couple of cheese sandwiches for lunch, and I finished up the last of the broccoli cheddar soup. I’m into my book, finally, and enjoyed reading, then napping briefly until 2:30. 

Needs Mulching

We both took it easy until 4:00, when I turned on the electric mower and mulched the leaves in the front yard. It looks like I might have to do it one more time. I was done in time for a glass of wine and the news, mostly about who is going to win next week’s election. What a bore.

7:59 PM

Moon Rising

Dinner was gold pan chicken parm from Wegmans, with spaghetti, and it was surprisingly good. We’ll buy it again. We watched the news on TV, then some Monday Night Football, finishing the night with another episode of Lioness.

What A Beautiful Morning

7:14

7:30

7:52

9:10

It’s 9:20, and we’re both up listening to Michael Smerconish. I was up at 7:15 and out on the lake around 8:00 for over an hour, paddling down to the Power Boat Club and back. It was an amazing morning: blue skies, light wind, no boats, lots of sun, and a heron sitting at the north end of Woodlawn.

Kayak Morning

North

Great Blue Heron

Sunday was a typical day for both of us. It began with an early morning paddle under sunny, blue skies, then home to finish up the blog. Neither of us wanted to do much, so we sat around enjoying the morning with our coffee. Around 10:30, I decided to go for a walk in the woods, always colorful this time of year, and was out for a half hour.

Victoria/Woodlawn Woods

Lunch was the usual: eggs and toast before the start of another afternoon of football. We either watched football on our devices or napped. I did work for about a half hour in between games, putting away more chairs and tables for the winter and getting things ready for the cold weather. I watched too much football, to be honest, but it’s Sunday, right?

After our wine, neither of us felt like fussing with dinner, so we had hot dogs, the broccoli/cheddar soup, and a great salad while watching TV. Around 6:40, the Hunter's Moon rose over the Bemus shoreline, so I walked out and took some photos.

6:45

Hunter's Moon

At 8:30, we switched to the Chiefs game, our second favorite team. Unfortunately, they lost to Seattle. I ended the night with another episode of Lioness before getting back to my Gabriel Allon thriller.

Sunny, Blue Skies And Chilly

7:48

7:50

9:05

It’s 9:10, and I just returned from another spectacular morning paddle, with clear skies, blinding sun, rising fog, and no one else on the lake. What a way to start the day. I paddled across to Long Point, back to Sandy Bottom, and then home.

Kayak Morning

Blue Skies

Great Blue Heron 

Saturday was a good day for me, not so good for Evie, who wasn’t feeling well much of the day. I had a good paddle to start the day, came home, and we published the blog around 9:15. By 10:00, I was on my way to Mayville to bike. I left my car in Mayville Park, rode two sections of Webb’s Trail, then down Sea Lion Drive to the end of the lake and back to Mayville. It was a great day for a ride, just like it was for kayaking: lots of sun, blue skies, and I was literally the only one on the trail.

Webb's Trail

When I got home, it was time to pick up the trash. I drove to the Transfer Station, dumped a bunch of cardboard boxes, and headed home. Evie had lunch ready for me when I arrived, since I had skipped breakfast: broccoli cheddar soup and two toasted ham and cheese sandwiches. Yum. I watched some football, then one of my series. Then I went upstairs and tried to nap but mostly read for an hour.

Alex, Maggie, And Arlo And Louie

Enjoying Clams

We were having a neighborhood clambake at 4:00, and unfortunately Evie felt worse and decided to stay home. I went over around 4:15 with a pumpkin pie Evie had made on Saturday and some beer. There were about 20 of us, from three neighboring houses plus most of the Kinney family, who were putting on the bake. We stood around the bake, talking, enjoying libations, and nibbling a few appetizers. Around 5:30, Alex, one of the sons, heated clams on the grill and served them to all. Around 5:45, the clam broth was ready, and I was careful to sip it so as not to burn my tongue. Just before the clams were done, those who had ordered lobsters watched as Bill got them ready to serve. Along with the clams, we had sweet potatoes, coleslaw, and barbecued chicken, a veritable feast. Everything was great, and we even had dessert: Evie’s pie, brownies, cheesecake, cookies, and a few other treats.

Neighbors

Neighbors And Hubbies

Enjoying The Clambake

Around 7:15, I left to check on Evie as the gang was ready to play games on their phones. When I got home,  I watched two episodes of Lioness on Paramount+ before heading up to bed to read.