Dallas Bound

Beale Street at Night

It’s 7:10 as I begin writing this, sitting in a very busy Hampton Inn breakfast area—which, unfortunately, didn’t open until 7:00 instead of the usual 6:00. I’ve already received messages from Beth and Linda McClure wishing us a Happy Easter.

Yesterday felt like a long day—and it was—a solid seven to eight hours on the road from north of Cincinnati to Memphis. The drive into Cincinnati was busy, then it eased up through Louisville, but from there to Nashville it picked up again, even for a Saturday. We took our time, stopping a couple of times for breakfast, gas, or lunch whenever we needed a break. Fortunately, we didn’t run into any backups. Our only concern was the occasional reckless driver weaving in and out at high speeds despite the traffic.

Great Sky

Evie drove for about an hour and a half and had to deal with roughly twenty minutes of torrential rain midway to Memphis on Interstate 40. Luckily, traffic was light at that point. Things got busier as we approached Memphis, but once we got off I-40, it was an easy ten-minute drive to our Hampton Inn, located right next to Beale Street.

Not So Great Sky

After checking in, we went upstairs and unpacked. I headed back down to park the car, only to realize I’d left the parking pass upstairs. So back up I went. By the time I returned, the turnaround area was so crowded that three or four cars had to be moved before I could get into the garage. Nothing is simple when you’re 82.

We talked about going out for the evening, but Evie was too tired, so I walked over to Gus’s Famous Chicken and brought back three chicken thighs and coleslaw for her dinner. We watched the UConn–Illinois game together, and afterward I headed out, hoping to find a bar where I could eat and watch more basketball. Every place along Beale Street was blasting blues music as I walked the couple of hundred yards to the end, where Blues City Café sits.

Blues City At Dusk

Inside, the restaurant was busy, but at the far end there was a bar with the game on four TVs. I ended up being the only person sitting there for most of the game, which suited me just fine. I made the mistake of ordering a “tall” beer—it had to be at least 24 ounces, if not more—and it cost fourteen dollars. For dinner, I had golden-fried catfish with fries, hush puppies, Texas toast, and coleslaw, and I loved every bite.

Catfish Dinner

Blue City Cafe

The game itself was hard-fought, but Illinois never quite caught a break or found its rhythm, and UConn came out on top. Afterward, I walked back along Beale Street, which was fairly quiet—probably because of Easter weekend. I considered stopping at the blues bar we visited a couple of years ago, but I’d had enough beer for one night, so I headed back in a light drizzle.

Evie was still up watching TV and had already finished her chicken. By the time the second game—Michigan vs. Arizona—started, she was ready for bed. I watched the first half on my computer, then read for a bit before turning in. The time zone change threw off our sleep a little, but I still managed a decent night.

Road Trip To Memphis

Hampton Inn Morning

It's 7:10, and I'm sitting in a Hampton Inn, drinking coffee, watching TV alongside a few other early risers. We have a seven-hour drive ahead to Memphis, cutting through Cincinnati, Louisville, and Nashville.

Friday was a busy morning. Up early as usual, I wrote the blog and had breakfast while letting Evie sleep until 8:00. Around 9:30, I went for a paddle, just to get some exercise.  Evie had a hair appointment in Lakewood at 11:00, so while she was gone, I vacuumed the living room, got the house squared away, and had our bags packed and loaded in the Kia. We were ready to go the moment she walked back through the door. We left at 11:45 and arrived in Mason five hours and fifteen minutes later.

The drive was a mixed bag. We hit a torrential rainstorm on Route 271 near Mansfield — maybe ten minutes of fury — but that was the extent of the bad weather. The real headache was Route 71 through Columbus, where construction forces you off the highway and through city streets before letting you rejoin somewhere west of town. We stopped once for gas and made do with hard-boiled eggs, cheese, and crackers for lunch, neither of us feeling particularly hungry. As always, the sheer flatness and scale of Ohio's farmland left us both a little awestruck — those endless green fields couldn't feel further from the snow we've grown used to back home.

Fertile Ohio

I was convinced the March Madness game tipped off at 6:00, so we didn't linger at the hotel and drove straight to the recommended Rusty Bucket. We lucked into two seats at the bar — only to discover the game was actually the following night. Idiot. No matter. The place was hopping for Good Friday, barely an empty table in sight, with at least six TVs showing the Cincinnati Reds opener. 

Bar Hopping

We ordered beers, soaked in the crowd, and genuinely loved our food: a barbecued chicken salad for Evie, fish tacos for me. The restaurant sits inside an upscale open-air district — shops, eateries, the works — and we capped the evening by wandering through a Whole Foods in search of dessert, eventually settling on blueberry scones.

Dinner At The Rusty Bucket Bar

Back at the Hampton Inn, we caught the UConn/South Carolina women's semifinal — South Carolina won — then read for a while before turning off the light.

“We’re going to bring them back to the Stone Ages, where they belong,” he said, referring broadly to the country of roughly 93 million people. DJT

On The Road Again

Our Grandson Nick, With Great Grandson Tommy

Kayak Morning

Northern Sky

Mergansers

Mallards And A Merganser

It's almost 8:00, and I've been up since 6:30 on a wet, windy morning. The rain has just stopped, and the wind has briefly abated, which has me thinking about a paddle. We begin our road trip at noon today, staying just outside of Cincinnati tonight at a Hampton Inn — free breakfast included, of course. Well, the lake calmed down enough, so I went for a short paddle.

6:55

7:48

Yesterday was another busy, difficult day, largely consumed by decisions about what to bring and what to leave behind. It started as usual: up early, a coffee, the blog, then a drive to the Ashville General Store at 8:00, with a stop at Hogan's along the way to inflate a low tire. Only two of us made it to breakfast, though that's never a hardship — we always enjoy going to "The Ash" for its great breakfast choices and varied coffee brews.

I was home to an empty house by 9:15, as Evie had driven to Westfield for a test. I'd barely settled in with another cup of coffee when she arrived back. Around 12:30, I had lunch — the last of a sub from the Lighthouse — and watched my show, The Capture, on Prime. After lunch, I took a brief nap, but by 2:00, I was on my way to Jamestown to pick up my taxes. Each year, I seem to owe a little more to both the federal and state governments. C'est la vie. From there, I stopped at Wegmans for some prescriptions and a few goodies for the trip, then swung by Michaels, which handles Amazon returns. Finally, I spent forty-five minutes waiting for that tire to be repaired, listening for much of it to Ray hold forth on his various girlfriends and his divorce. He and his dad are both good guys — but talkers.

I was home around 3:45. I charged the Kia, tidied up a few things in the yard, and put the winter shovels away in the garage attic. By 5:00, most of our packing was done, and I opened a bottle of wine to celebrate. Around 6:30, Evie fried up some bacon and made a ham and cheese omelet along with roasted cauliflower— a simple but very satisfying dinner. We watched Colbert, which featured a wonderful interview with Meryl Streep, then struggled to find anything else worth watching and eventually settled on the news. After Evie went to bed, I did what I usually do: caught some basketball, then another episode of The Capture — which I highly recommend — on Prime.

Turkish Proverb: "When a clown moves into the palace, he doesn't become a king; the palace becomes a circus."

Overcast, Rain, And Cooler

                                                                       Juvenile Cardinal

7:12

9:35

It's 7:25, and we're both up. Evie has a test in Westfield at 9:00, and I have breakfast at 8:00. The lake is not very inviting — choppy and gray — so I won't be going out.

Yesterday was another busy day, getting ready for our trip on Friday. I was up early as usual, had my coffee and breakfast, wrote the blog, and was ready to go to pickleball just as Evie came downstairs to read and publish it. I played a bit better — enough that I might play again when we return from Texas. Who knows, because the weather will be nice and I'll also want to ride my bike or hike.

When I got home, I had planned to pick up my taxes and stop at Wegmans, but Evie suggested I wait until today, which saved me a trip. So I helped with a few things around the house and continued getting my stuff together for the trip. If I forget something, I can always buy it in Dallas, so I'm not too frazzled. On my way home from pickleball, I stopped at the Lighthouse for a sub sandwich — it was great, and Evie enjoyed it as well. I finished my show, Detective Hole, and I have to admit I got tired of it, especially the close-ups of Harry never smiling.

The afternoon was its usual mix: get something done, then read for a bit or watch TV. I took a good nap and read for much of the afternoon, finishing my book with a predictable ending. Evie did the same — lots of laundry and getting organized — until 5:00, when we both got to relax with a glass of wine. Dinner was pasta with chicken, and we watched Colbert and the final episode of Paradise. Evie then went up to bed, and I started a new series called The Recruit, which seems worth watching. I completely forgot about Trump's address, so I slept well.

Light Winds, Overcast And Rain

6:59

8:03

It's 8:20, and I've been up since 7:00, browsing the papers and listening to a couple of podcasts. I'm in no hurry — I don't need to leave for pickleball until 9:15, and later I have a wellness appointment in Westfield, so it's shaping up to be a busy morning.

Yesterday felt like some sort of a lost day. I had to be up early to take the Kia to the Honda dealer for an oil change, tire rotation, and general checkup. While they worked on the car, I walked over to a nearby Tim Hortons — about five minutes away — and had a coffee and a breakfast sandwich. The whole service took just over an hour, and everything checks out for our upcoming trip west.

Evie had asked me to pick up some gummies, but her dispensary, Lifted, didn't open until 10:00. So I filled the time with a few errands: a stop at the bank, then Wegmans, then Runnings to browse outdoor gear — though everything was so expensive I left empty-handed. I then drove to Jamestown, parked in my usual spot, walked across the street, bought the gummies, and returned to find a parking ticket on my windshield. I couldn't have been gone more than ten minutes. Fortunately, it was only ten dollars if paid within the next couple of weeks, which I promptly did.

Back home, Evie was in full pre-trip mode — tidying the house, doing laundry, and starting to think about what to pack for Dallas. Around 12:30, she made me a couple of toasted ham-and-cheese sandwiches for lunch, and I settled in to watch my show, Detective Hole. Since I'd been up since 5:45, I also managed to squeeze in a decent nap.

7:13

The rest of the afternoon drifted by — some light housecleaning, more thinking about packing, and a bit of TV. At 7:00, a storm rolled in with torrential rain, wind, thunder, and lightning. It carried on off and on for a good hour and left about an inch of rain. Despite the weather, we managed to enjoy a glass of wine with appetizers — sushi, a nice cheese — while watching the dramatic sky shift and change. Evie had been craving a hot dog, so that became dinner, rounded out with mac and cheese and a salad.

Stormy Weather

Torrential Rains And Wind

We watched our usual evening fare — a couple of Colbert episodes and some HGTV — until Evie headed up to bed. I stayed up a while longer, catching some basketball and two more episodes of my series before finally calling it a night.

Thunder And Lightning

Our Great Grandsons,  Rhys And Tommy, With Tom And Mary

6:32

7:12

It's an early morning — I have an appointment for my Kia at the Honda dealer at 8:00. The local Luv Kia is going out of business, which comes as no surprise; it was the most unprofessional and disorganized dealership I've ever dealt with. Coming downstairs, I was greeted by lightning filling the sky over Bemus Bay and a rumble of thunder — interestingly, I'd gone to bed the same way, with thunder and lightning in the distance.

Monday began with a paddle, despite having to drive to pickleball at 9:15. It was a lovely morning — lots of photographs of the sky, though very few interesting birds. In hindsight, I probably should have skipped pickleball and done something else, maybe a bike ride or a hike. I was home by 11:30, and as Evie and I sat in the living room, she let out a scream — a bird, probably an osprey, had dived into the water and seized a fish in its talons. Cool beans.

For some reason, I was really tired after paddling and playing pickleball, so I went upstairs and read until lunch was ready at 12:30 — a couple of pork cutlet sandwiches with mayo and tomatoes. Yum. I watched another episode of my dark crime series, Detective Hole, and it is dark. I then went upstairs for a solid hour-long nap, much needed apparently, and spent much of the afternoon reading.

At 5:00, we had our wine, and Evie put together a terrific dinner: loaded baked potatoes with broccoli and cheese sauce, and cabbage steaks. During happy hour, we discussed our road trip this weekend to visit Beth and her family in Dallas for a couple of weeks. We had a lot to talk about, and, fortunately, we have the week to get ready and wrap our heads around the trip. We'll make the drive in three days and two nights, with each day's drive around seven hours or less.

The cabbage steaks were surprisingly good, as were the loaded baked potatoes. We watched another episode of Hometown and Paradise, along with some of the news, until Evie headed up to bed around 8:30. I watched some NBA for a while, but soon got bored and finished the night with Detective Hole.

Partly Cloudy But A Righteous Sky

Our Favorite No Kings Protestor

7:11

8:04

8:32

It's 8:20, and I've been up since 7:00. I came downstairs with no plans to kayak, but the lake was so inviting that I was out paddling by 7:20 — thirty-five minutes down to Sandy Bottom and back. The sky has been amazing once again, filled with vast clouds and the sun doing its best to break through.

Kayak Morning

South

Northern Sky

A Bevy Of Buffleheads

Sunday turned out to be a decent day, though temperatures lingered in the 30s through the morning before climbing into the 40s by afternoon. I got in a good paddle and was in no hurry to return. Back inside, I wrote the blog and relaxed until around 10:00, when we finally published it. Since it was Sunday, I usually make the walk to the Chautauqua Institution — so why break tradition? I walked for over an hour, but instead of strolling the streets lined with Victorian homes and their welcoming front porches, I took the lakefront path this time — past the bell tower, then back along the brick walk to Thunder Bridge and my car.

Thunder Bridge

Lake Front

Bell Tower

The Atheneum 

Walking Along A Ravine

Home again, I settled in with Evie, listening to CNN cycle through its news loop every three hours until it was time for breakfast. I had a hankering for pancakes, so out came the griddle, and Evie made a batch of  buttermilk pancakes. I love them — ate a couple of stacks with butter and maple syrup while watching the first half of UConn women take on Notre Dame. By 1:30, I was ready to read and nap. It was Sunday, a day of leisure, and neither of us got much accomplished. I'd been looking forward to the UConn–Duke game at 5:00. I caught the first half while Evie made dinner — Wiener Schnitzel with applesauce, broccoli, and baked potatoes. Wonderful. With maybe ten minutes left and Duke ahead, we paused the game to watch the final two episodes of Season Two of Landman.  My sister Ellen had predicted we'd love it, and she was right. It took us a little while to get hooked, but now we're hoping for a Season Three.

Unfortunately, I made the mistake of scrolling through my phone and saw that Duke had lost. So when I went back to watch those final ten minutes, I already knew UConn had pulled off a stunning comeback — down 19 points at halftime. Even knowing the outcome, it was thrilling to watch. I still couldn't quite see how they'd managed it, but they did, on a 40-foot three-pointer by freshman Braylon Mullins, Indiana's High School Player of the Year. Poor Duke — they also lost last year after what looked like a commanding lead.

After the game, I watched another episode of Detective Hole, then headed up to bed.